Ah, we have a Philly Special.

Yes, there’s a lot of silly hype around the New England Patriots visit to the City of Brotherly Love this Sunday.

Folks, the Patriots loss to the Philadelphia Eagles is clearly ancient history.The Patriots always play in the now, not the past.

The Eagles should do the same thing.

“It’s a new season,” Patriots running back James White said. “Like I said, we have new players; they have new players. It’s a new season, so guys will be motivated regardless of what happened two years ago.”

That all being said, the Patriots certainly have taken a look at that game. Think of how far their defense has come since giving up 41 points that night.

Eagles coach Doug Pederson certainly has learned a lot from that day.

“I think the biggest thing you realize,” he said, “is how hard it is to repeat, and that’s why I have a lot of respect for what Coach (Bill) Belichick and the Patriots have done for many years is being able to repeat.”

But repeat after us, there’s nothing special about this game except the fact it’s between two good NFL teams, one (New England) anxious to get back on the winning track and the other (Philly) looking to stay on one.

After a mediocre week (why did we pick the Niners over Seattle?), it’s time to bounce back. Here goes:

PATRIOTS 24, EAGLES 13

The Patriots play their edge game and cut off Eagles QB Carson Wentz, and their defense starts to feel good about itself again with a turnover/score. It still might be hard for the Patriots to run the ball – Philly ranks 11th in average rushing yards allowed – but the Brady will unleash James White and Mohamed Sanu for key plays. The general feeling is you can throw on Philly. Back in business.

TEXANS 34, RAVENS 31

Up and down the field they go, where these offenses and their mobile QBs (Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson) stop, no one knows. Baltimore seems to have the momentum, but we think the Texans have the overall better team. We smell an upset in the air. The winner may become annointed as the Patriots main challenger.

CHIEFS 30, CHARGERS 20

Near desparation time for both teams in Mexico City on Monday night. Philip Rivers is slipping away his grip on the season and an otherwise good career. KC just has to be able to stop the run, which it didn’t last week when it allowed Tennessee’s Derrick Henry to run wild for 188 yards.

RAMS 17, BEARS 10

We’ll say it now: Bill Belichick has ruined Jarod Goff. Goff looked like a deer in the headlights all last Super Bowl week and in the game itself, and hasn’t been the same since. So the high powered Ram offense isn’t thriving, but should be able to outscore a Bears team that doesn’t have full confidence in its own QB, Mitch Trubisky – barely. That 54-51 Rams win over the Chiefs a year ago seems like ages ago, doesn’t it?

COWBOYS 30, LIONS 17

Whether Matt Stafford is able to play or not, Detroit under Matt Patricia simply isn’t much more than mediocre. Dallas needs the win to keep the Eagles at bay, and this Cowboy team just seems too talented to be mired at 5-5 with a loss in Detroit.

VIKINGS 30, BRONCOS 3

Denver ownership has to question whether Elway is the guy to take this team forward. The Broncos simply can’t score, their 16.6 points a game the fourth worst average in the league. Give Kirk Cousins and the Vikings the ball that much, and they’ll take advantage of it.

JETS 20, REDSKINS 10

Jets owner-caretaker Christopher Johnson had the New York media raising its eyebrows this past week by saying that Adam Gase was his coach not just the rest of this year but next year as well. Why not? You can’t keep changing coaches all the time, and Gase brought in GM Joe Douglas.

Gase will be around, and Washington interim coach Bill Callahan won’t.

LAST WEEK: 4-3

SEASON: 45-26

Tom King may be reached at 594-1251 or tking@nashuatelegraph.com. Also, follow King on Twitter (@Telegraph_TomK).

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