Enjoy the week off, Pats fans

Bye week. For a lot of teams in the National Football League, it’s bye-bye week by this point in the season. They know they’re already out of it.

But the New England Patriots are getting a week off following their international excursion. The fun begins for them next week against Miami, starting a five-game stretch during which they face the Dolphins twice, the Jets, the Saints and the Colts. Ouch.

But we get ahead of ourselves. Without the Pats, we still have a few interesting games to dissect and bisect for this week’s Pick Seven:

EAGLES 27, GIANTS 21

The Eagles had the Giants number late last season (two straight wins, including in the playoffs) and the G-Men’s defense is worse now than it was back then with all the injuries to the secondary. Donovan McNabb comes through and Philly muddles the NFC East.

PACKERS 31, VIKINGS 30

Aaron Rodgers’ revenge. He’s a good quarterback, and the Packer fans would be beside themselves if their team lost to Big Bad Brett at the hallowed ground of Lambeau Field. It’s a homecoming for Favre that really is sad since he never should’ve left.

JETS 24, DOLPHINS 17

Mark Sanchez’ revenge. Sure, he’s looked more and more like a rookie of late, but he played well enough to nearly pull out a win in that Monday Nighter in Miami a few weeks ago, a great game and fourth quarter as you’ll ever see. Sexy Rexy’s team has come back to earth, but it beats the Dolphins in the Meadowlands in this one. If not, watch out for Miami, Pats fans. They’re coming.

RAVENS 14, BRONCOS 10

Josh McDaniels is a good coach, we get it. Denver is a good team, we get it. Baltimore has tough defense, and Denver gets that after a tough day on the road. The Ravens haven’t been as good as they looked the first three weeks of the season, thanks in part to the Patriots, but they should be a playoff team. So should the Broncos.

TEXANS 17, BILLS 7

Zzzzzzzz . . . OK, wake up. The Bills are so boring, they make the Texans look exciting. Gary Kubiak better make the playoffs this year, and one way to do that is by beating teams like the Boring Bills, even though it’s on the road. Buffalo in November and beyond can be such a depressing place, but the Texans should be smiling after this one.

COLTS 37, 49ERS 17

I’m still a believerthat the 49ers, under Mike Singletary, will be a playoff team. They just won’t get there with the help of any win over Indianapolis. Why? Right now, we’re calling the Colts the best team in the NFL. High praise, but right now, you’d have to say it’s deserved. The biggest Pats game of the year, at Indy on Nov. 15, awaits.

Until then . . .

LAST WEEK: 5-2

SEASON RECORD: 32-17

Tom King can be reached at 594-6468 or tking@nashuatelegraph.com.