Steve Brownlee

I had a throwaway line — at least I thought it was at the time — in one of my Armchair QB picks last week that seems to still be reverberating this week.

It was in my pick of the Green Bay Packers winning at Cleveland, I said:

“Even as a (Detroit) Lions fan, but maybe right now more as an NFL prognosticator, I’ll be quite disappointed in the Packers if they have a letdown and tag me with a wrong pick here. But I know you, as a Green Bay supporter, would be even more let down. Packers, 33-17.”

Well, this was a typical wrong pick by your Armchair Quarterback sitting back in his BarcaLounger recliner munching on caramel popcorn while watching all the games he can.

Nothing too newsworthy there, since I’m lucky to get more than 60% of my picks right in any given season.

However, in the ultracompetitive NFC North, the Lions have bounced back from their opening-game loss at Green Bay, Minnesota won with backup quarterback Carson Wentz and even the Chicago Bears pulled out a win against Dallas.

So for the Packers, a loss like this to a Cleveland team that seemingly is going nowhere really hurts their chances in the long haul.

Then to complicate matters for Green Bay, the Lions are playing Cleveland this week.

That means Detroit, which certainly could be excused if they overlooked the Browns coming into town after their second-half dismantling of the Ravens in Baltimore on Monday night, should no longer be thinking that this is a patsy Cleveland team anymore.

The bottom line, Lions coach Dan Campbell has plenty of fodder to show how tough this week’s game could be.

That’s almost like two losses for the Packers.

Now onto this week’s picks, the last time for a long time with a full 16-game schedule before the byes come into play:

Today, 8:15 p.m.

Seattle at Arizona — It’s tough to pick the road team in a short week, but Seattle seems to have all the momentum here. Seahawks, 24-20.

Sunday, 9:30 a.m.

Minnesota vs. Pittsburgh — In this game over in Europe, for the first time in Dublin, Ireland, the Steelers are supposed to have quite an Irish following.

Yeah, but that’s nothing like playing in western Pennsylvania when it comes to a home-field advantage.

Minnesota’s Rodgers — cornerback Isaiah Rodgers — was certainly more impressive with two touchdowns last week than ex-Packer and ex-Jet Aaron Rodgers has been overall for Pittsburgh.

Just one more reason to take the Vikings, 27-21.

Sunday, 1 p.m.

New Orleans at Buffalo — It’s games like this that keep my picking percentage above 50%, since for every time that the Saints pull off the upset, Buffalo will win another 99 times. Give me the 99. Bills, 40-26.

Cleveland at Detroit — I’m not sure if I should repeat the sentences I just wrote, or repeat the Green Bay-Cleveland pick from last week.

Considering how well that prediction went a week ago, I’ll stick with the New Orleans-Buffalo statement, just subtracting two TDs from each team for the difference the Browns’ defense makes. Lions, 26-12.

Carolina at New England — Two underachievers, but I’ll take the home team with seemingly more upside. And I’ll just throw in reverse momentum working against the Panthers after their most unlikely 30-0 win over Atlanta on Sunday. Patriots, 21-17.

Washington at Atlanta — Since Washington seemed to not skip a beat with backup QB Marcus Mariota, scoring 41 points on the Raiders on Sunday, I should take the Commanders.

But between star receiver Terry McLaurin being nicked up — maybe out — and the up-and-down nature of the early season, I’ll take the motivation of being humiliated last week to take the Falcons, 27-23.

Los Angeles Chargers at New York Giants — Hate those cross-country trips to play what is essentially a 10 a.m. game for the West Coast team.

That said, this is a total mismatch, especially with rookie QB Jaxson Dart being thrown into the fire for the Giants. Chargers, 34-22.

Tennessee at Houston — What to do with this game? Take the home team. Texans, 24-22.

Philadelphia at Tampa Bay — I’d like the upset better if star Bucs’ receiver Mike Evans wasn’t out. But there’s also a reason the Eagles have won 19 of their last 20 games, even as I saw that Tampa has won four of the five games played between these teams since Jalen Hurts became Philly’s QB. Call it being overdue. Eagles, 23-19.

Sunday, 4 p.m.

Indianapolis at Los Angeles Rams — Two of the hotter teams in the league, but the Rams could’ve beaten Philly last week if their line would’ve blocked better on the winning field-goal try.

Again, the home team if nothing else. Rams, 33-30.

Jacksonville at San Francisco — Even with Nick Bosa out for the season, give me the 49ers, 27-24.

Baltimore at Kansas City — Could be an AFC championship game preview in about four months. Both teams are 1-2, so the desperation motivator is about equal for both. If this was the playoffs, I’d lean toward KC, but with this being the regular season, give me the Ravens, 29-26.

Chicago at Las Vegas — Could determine who gets one of the highest draft picks next April, if these teams aren’t careful. I don’t like the Bears holding it together on the road, at least not yet. Raiders, 24-20.

Sunday, 8:20 p.m.

Green Bay at Dallas — What number will be higher? The losses in yards recorded by Micah Parsons’ QB sacks, or the Cowboys’ team rushing total. If you’ve got to think about that one, then it’s the Packers, 34-21.

Monday, 7:15 p.m.

New York Jets at Miami — It’s a night game, not day game, in south Florida in September, so the heat factor might not be that important. And Miami certainly seems to be spiraling out of control, while the Jets are just slow to get going. Jets, 18-15.

Monday, 8:15 p.m.

Cincinnati at Denver — As they used to sing on “Sesame Street,” one of these things is not like the others, one of these things just doesn’t belong.

In this case, that’s the nearly nonexistent Cincy defense. Broncos, 27-17.

Last week — 9-7, 56 percent. Season — 30-18, 63 percent.

Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.