It's not often you see a suicide-eliminator-survivor pool last this deep into the season. It's the reason second chance pools spring up in these middle weeks. Usually if you make seven good picks, you're taking home the pot. Yet I find myself week after week riding the same beautiful waves as everyone else in two separate pools. Something has to change, I just hope it's not my luck.

I feel good, though. I'm in North Carolina again, having completed my three-day leisurely journey south on Interstate 81 through the mid-Atlantic into the south. Along the way I've run into Colt fans on Monday night when I searched for the Schrute beet farm in Scranton, but settled for pizza made by a man named Americo, whose restaurant is under attack by the city, which wants to declare eminent domain and put in an upscale joint. I found Browns and Steelers fans chatting inside the sweetest place on earth and watched a man with an Amish-style beard boo the mere mention of the Philadelphia Eagles.

I encountered Redskins and Ravens fans in Virginia and now I'm in Panther country. The moral of this story is simple. This beautiful game will follow you anywhere you go and win or lose each week on our bets, it's a thrill just to be in the game. It's a thrill even for this Jets fan who hates the Patriots, to see Tom Brady put up numbers I thought could only be achieved in video games. So even though the pickings are slimmer than ever with so many teams unavailable, I feel good.

Here's my advice for Week 7:

Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears (-5) (1 p.m. Sunday): I believe the Bears have rebounded with Brian Griese at the helm. I'm one of the few who thought he got a raw deal in Denver. I predicted he'd start by week four for Chicago, but that prediction was made at the start of last season. The Lions already won at home this year, breaking Chi-town's four-game win streak in the series, so I'm not willing to stake my pool life on such shaky ground.

New York Giants (-9.5) at Miami Dolphins (1 p.m. Sunday): The Giants went on a streak like this last year, but stumbled when they hit a tough part in the schedule. The hapless Dolphins do not represent a tough part of any schedule, but surely their streak will end at some point. Right? I just hope it's not this week. See, I've got no faith in Eli, but the two best picks available for my big pool are each road favorites. I'm a bit concerned.

Indianapolis Colts (-6.5) at Carolina Panthers (1 p.m. Sunday): You never can trust a road favorite coming off a MNF game as a road favorite. It's just too much to expect. Yet with all this talk of Tom Brady's phenomenal season, the man who tossed up 49 TDs in 2004 may be looking for a big game. I think the Colts will pull it off, but it doesn't matter who the opponent is in this scenario: it's hard to win.

Oakland Raiders at Tennessee Titans (-7.5) (1 p.m. Sunday): The Raiders offense is better than last year, but the defense is much worse. I've pointed out before that Vince Young is almost a sure cover as an underdog, but struggles as the favorite. Still, this stud does win and if he plays this home game, I expect he'll win yet again, but fail to cover.

Washington Redskins at New England Patriots (-17) (4:15 p.m. Sunday): Dude, you still have the Patriots available? Now's as good a time as any.

Pool 1 pick 1 (35 participants): Seahawks, Bears, Patriots, Cowboys, Titans, Chargers, Saints, Giants
Pool 1 pick 2 (35 participants): Steelers, Jaguars, Chargers (L)
Pool 2 (22 participants): Eagles (L)
Pool 3 (18 participants): Lions, Bengals (L)
Pool 4 (10 participants): Cowboys, Broncos, Steelers, Colts, Patriots, Ravens, Seahawks, Titans
Second Chance (27 participants): Patriots, Colts