Buffalo, yes; the Bills ...

I like Buffalo.

I'm the outsider who does. I like the absence of chain restaurants (not enough money to attract them). I like the institutions. I like the way the locals respond to a curious out-of-towner.

The snow during the first round of the men's NCAA basketball tournament, I didn't like. But if you allow weather to intimidate you, it says more about you than the weather. I like the pride that the natives, those who stay and those who leave, so desperately want to share.

No matter where they go - and a few allegedly have moved to cities other than Charlotte - the talented Sabres of the NHL and the Bills are like a postcard from home.

Unfortunately, one of those postcards was delivered to Charlotte last week. The network inexplicably chose the Bills-New York Jets as the mid-afternoon national game. These are the two things I learned: The NFL can be as boring on Sunday as NASCAR was at Lowe's Motor Speedway the previous evening. And, the Bills clearly are better than the two teams the Panthers have defeated, Washington and Tampa Bay.

To be in position to save the season, Carolina has to win today. The Panthers will be underdogs the next three weeks. They have yet to win as an underdog. Underdogs have been good for me, however.

Last Week: 9-5

Season: 63-27

Underdog of the Week (picking an underdog to upset the favorite): 4-1

Lock of the Week: (picking against the spread): 4-2

I've picked three straight Locks and four of the past five.

My numbers should improve this week since Denver doesn't play.

This week's picks with the home team in CAPS:

Upset of the week

Atlanta (a 4-point underdog) 2 over DALLAS: This one is risky since Atlanta played Sunday night and Dallas hasn't played in two weeks. But the Falcons are better.

Games of the week

PITTSBURGH 2 over Minnesota: Brett Favre's late-game heroics have enabled him to overcome his mistakes. The Steelers won't allow that, not in Pittsburgh.

New York Jets 4 over OAKLAND: The Raiders already have their win this week. Coach Tom Cable will not be indicted for allegedly punching out an assistant.

HOUSTON 2 over San Francisco: I picked four games to be determined by two points. I know not why.

The rest

Indianapolis 16 over ST. LOUIS

San Diego 3 over Kansas City

New England 16 over TAMPA BAY

Green Bay 9 over CLEVELAND

CAROLINA 4 over Buffalo

CINCINNATI 2 over Chicago

New Orleans 8 over MIAMI

NEW YORK GIANTS 10 over Arizona

Lock of the week

Philadelphia (a 7-point favorite) 14 over Washington: After being blitzed and beaten by the Raiders last week, the Eagles will go on national TV (this is the Monday night game) and run up the score. Washington, which has more head coaches than star players, will comply.

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