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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 14: 15 picks
Right: 9 Wrong: 6 Pct: .6 |
YTD: 203 picks
Right: 125 Wrong: 78 Pct: .616 |
| 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.
Saturday's games (12/22/2001):
| Miami 23, *New England 19 |
| The Dolphins held the Patriots to just 149 offensive yards in a 30-10 win in Week 4. Miami has won six of its last seven against N.E., but its third consecutive series sweep won't come easy. |
| *Oakland 34, Tennessee 14 |
| Their defensive line may be able to slow the Raiders' ground game, but the Titans will be out of their depth when Oakland puts the ball up. Tennessee was a 21-14 winner over the Raiders in 1999. |
| *San Francisco 27, Philadelphia 16 |
| If these clubs are taking notes on each other for the playoffs, the Eagles' may read, "Can't stop their runners." S.F. beat Philly for the seventh time in their last nine games four years ago. |
Sunday's games (12/23/2001):
| *Arizona 17, Dallas 7 |
| Forcing four turnovers and limiting the Cardinals to just 75 rushing yards, the Cowboys' defense shut Arizona down in October, 17-3, sticking to a recent pattern in the series: winning at home. |
| *Atlanta 24, Buffalo 13 |
| This may be closer than it looks, because the Bills can move the ball through the air against the Falcons. But Atlanta, which hasn't met Buffalo in six years, should run right over the Bills' D. |
| *Baltimore 22, Cincinnati 9 |
| NFL business as usual ended in the season's second week, when the Bengals made the most of six Ravens turnovers and ended a six-game losing streak against Baltimore, 21-10. But that was then. |
| Chicago 20, *Washington 17 |
| Until the Redskins wilted against Dallas three weeks ago, we would've picked them to beat up on the Bears. About all Washington can do is run, though, and Chicago's defense has that covered. |
| *Green Bay 30, Cleveland 6 |
| While the Packers' receivers are breaking free in the Browns' secondary, Cleveland's punchless offense will be lucky to scare up a field goal or two. G.B. won the last time they met, in '95. |
| *Kansas City 19, San Diego 16 |
| With RB Priest Holmes rambling for 181 yards, the Chiefs got by the Chargers 25-20 in Week 8, their first win in S.D. in four years -- which is how long it's been since K.C. swept the series. |
| *Minnesota 31, Jacksonville 20 |
| The Vikings will do most of the damage to the Jaguars with their air game, which still ranks among the NFL's best. Minnesota stomped Jacksonville 50-10 three years ago in their only meeting. |
| *N.Y. Giants 18, Seattle 14 |
| This might be a good choice for an upset -- if the Seahawks' only strength, their running game, weren't also the Giants' defensive strength. N.Y. leads the series 5-3, but Seattle won last, in '95. |
| N.Y. Jets 21, *Indianapolis 20 |
| In the season opener, the Colts used a no-huddle offense to score 28 points in the second quarter of a 45-24 win over the Jets. Indy still has a great passing attack, but N.Y. can slow it down. |
| *Pittsburgh 27, Detroit 17 |
| Yes, the Lions can keep this close if they throw: That's the only area in which the Steelers' D isn't totally dominant. In '98 Detroit ended a four-game Pittsburgh winning streak in the series. |
| St. Louis 35, *Carolina 13 |
| Rolling up 337 yards of rushing -- from Marshall Faulk in the first half alone -- the Rams routed the Panthers last month, 48-14. The stats don't lie: This is the best of the NFC vs. the worst. |
| *Tampa Bay 15, New Orleans 14 |
| The Buccaneers get only a slim home-field edge, because their defense will have its hands full with the Saints. N.O. has taken five of the last seven from T.B., but in '99 the Bucs won 31-16. |
Open date: Denver
* Denotes Home Team
* Note: Picks are straight up.
Broadway Joe