Lock: Atlanta (-3) over New Orleans

The Saints manhandled Vick and co. last time these two met in the Superdome’s reopening. After losing to Baltimore on the road last week and now returning home with a chip on their shoulders, the Falcons won’t get swept in the season series against the team from the Big Easy.

Upset: Chicago (+3) over New England

Chicago is to the NFC this NFL season what the Mets were to the NL this past baseball season: the conference and league’s only good team. The Bears are a force, and they’ve won their last two road games, though they did happen to be at the same stadium. This is the week that the Bears show they can compete with top AFC teams after already dispatching the Giants and the rest of the NFC.

Game 1: Baltimore (-3) over Pittsburgh

This is going to be a great game, where last year’s champs finally see in flocks of purple and black that their time has long past and that it’s another AFC North team’s time now. Ravens begin their stretch run to the Super Bowl and leave the Steel City with a win.

Game 2: Arizona (+ 6.5) over Minnesota

The Cards’ eight-game losing streak was finally snapped, so here’s to some momentum. The winning needs to start sometime.