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The Harmon Football Forecast is one of the most highly regarded and widely read sports features in the country, published in over 200 newspapers.
| Harmon Stat Pack | |
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Wk 8: 14 picks
Right: 9 Wrong: 5 Pct: .643 |
YTD: 113 picks
Right: 59 Wrong: 54 Pct: .522 |
| Harmon's archive | |
It all began when Bob Harmon began predicting college and NFL games in 1957. He devised a mathematical formula that picked winners correctly between 72 and 78 percent of the time; most seasons getting almost 75 percent of his picks right.
Today, Jim Harmon and his staff are the only forecasters who predict exact scores and chart every college and pro team.
Sunday's games (11/11/2001):
| *Atlanta 19, Dallas 13 |
| The Cowboys may be headed nowhere, but their ground game, as productive as any in the NFC, will keep the Falcons on their toes. Dallas has won three straight over Atlanta, most recently in 1999. |
| Cincinnati 14, *Jacksonville 13 |
| One of the week's tougher picks, matching teams with weak offenses and not exactly stellar defenses. Last year the Jaguars and Bengals each won at home -- Jacksonville for the fifth straight time. |
| *Denver 29, San Diego 24 |
| If they're to avoid their first sweep at the hands of the Chargers in 19 years, the Broncos can't make as many mistakes as they did in losing to S.D. three weeks ago, 27-10. Call this an upset. |
| Green Bay 26, *Chicago 14 |
| This seems like an upset, too, but the Bears' pass defense is a weakness the Packers can exploit. G.B. has won 12 of its last 14 against Chicago, though the Bears managed splits in '99 and '00. |
| Miami 27, *Indianapolis 21 |
| Giving up way too many points and way too many yards, the Colts' defense will struggle against the Dolphins' running game. For the past two years these clubs have beaten each other on the road. |
| Minnesota 21, *Philadelphia 20 |
| A crucial game for both teams, which the Vikings will win if they run, but they won't get far through the air against one of the league's best pass defenses. Minnesota won last, four years ago. |
| *New England 20, Buffalo 10 |
| Neither the Patriots nor the Bills have scored more than 17 points in their last four matchups, three Buffalo wins and one for N.E. This time the Pats will have enough passing offense to do it. |
| N.Y. Giants 17, *Arizona 14 |
| This finishes a four-week run through every NFC East opponent by the Giants, who, as usual, are doing better without the ball than with it. N.Y. has swept Arizona three of the past four years. |
| *N.Y. Jets 28, Kansas City 20 |
| Although the Jets can't do much but run and the Chiefs can't do much but throw, neither defense can stop much of anything, so there could be some serious scoring. N.Y. was a 20-17 winner in '98. |
| Oakland 27, *Seattle 17 |
| Speaking of serious scoring, the Raiders steamrolled to a 38-0 lead over the Seahawks in Week 3 before allowing Seattle two TDs. The 'Hawks' improved defense will make this much closer. |
| Pittsburgh 23, *Cleveland 15 |
| The third of five straight AFC Central clashes for the Steelers and the first of four straight for the Browns. Cleveland, which split with Pittsburgh in '99 and '00, doesn't have enough offense. |
| *St. Louis 35, Carolina 9 |
| Short of total collapse on both sides of the ball, the Rams will march to the end zone at will while keeping the Panthers out of it. But bear in mind, Carolina upset St. Louis twice last year. |
| *San Francisco 20, New Orleans 18 |
| In a key meeting of teams sick of looking up at the Rams in the NFC West, the Saints' defense will keep them very close. In '00 N.O. swept S.F. for the first time since '79, 31-15 and 31-27. |
| Tampa Bay 18, *Detroit 16 |
| A typical Black-and-Blue division rivalry: The Buccaneers have finished higher than the Lions for five straight seasons, yet they've twice lost both games to them. This one could go either way. |
Monday Night (11/12/2001):
| Baltimore 24, *Tennessee 13 |
| Five weeks ago the Ravens limited the Titans to 47 yards of rushing and no offensive points while thrashing them 26-7. Baltimore will take two from Tennessee for the first time in four years. |
Open date: Washington
* Denotes Home Team
* Note: Picks are straight up.
Broadway Joe