The power of Pigskin Pete Franklin (from the great beyond) compells me to profer the following predictions for a trio of Sunday’s 1pm games.

New England at Carolina

The Pats are looking at a brutal 5 game stretch in which they face clubs with a combined 2004 record of something like 80-0 (which doesn’t seem very fair — karmic payback for all those Super Bowls and Bob Kraft looking like a jackass on TV, perhaps). And let’s face it, that Diet Pepsi Machine has been living a charmed life. The Panthers, are coming in on the heels of two abject humiliations — Week 1’s last second defeat to New Orleans, along with the unflattering depiction of their fans in the motion picture “Junebug”.


(a mere regular season contest will hopefully not result in a pre or post-game address from this gentleman)

New England 24, Carolina 16

Pittsburgh at Houston

The Steelers are trouncing the Texans in the only statistical category that really matters – the number of quarterbacks who’ve been impersonated by guys who look nothing like them.

Pittsburgh 30, Houston 10

San Francisco at Philadelphia

Getting the Niners at home is the perfect opportunity for the Eagles to get off the matt. The whole T.O. vs. his former team spat, however is the dullest story of the week, as well as the most likely mismatch this side of Geno’s vs. Pat’s.

Philadelphia 35, SF 7