Two weeks ago things mostly made a lot of sense in the NFL. Last week wasn’t quite as straightforward. The very good Saints getting solidly beaten by the Jets? Didn’t have that. Nick Foles with seven touchdown passes? Nope. Seattle needing overtime at home against the Bucs? That was just strange. Miami getting past the Bengals? I’ve mostly given up trying to understand Cincinnati. There were still a lot more wins than losses, but there was some head-scratching results for sure. This week promises to be just as odd in spots because there are a whole lot of wide-open games. Here are the straight up picks for this week to help you dominate your office pool:

Redskins at Vikings: Minnesota showed some gumption last week against Dallas, but they couldn’t hold on when it mattered. Washington showed flashes of competence, and were good enough to beat San Diego, but they are far from consistent, and it wasn’t always pretty. I’m not a big fan of either squad right now, but there is less wrong with the Redskins, so they are the pick.

Seahawks at Falcons: The Seahawks are hard to trust on the road, and they are coming off a sloppy near-loss to a lousy Tampa Bay squad at home. The way they are playing right now, though, I wouldn’t trust the Falcons to beat the squad from my Grandma’s nursing home. This is a heartless team that looks to have quit. Take the Seahawks.

Lions at Bears: The Bears are coming off a short week with a backup QB. The Lions are feeling it offensively and are coming off a bye. This will be a hard-fought game, and Detroit never seems to make it easy on themselves, but the Lions are the right pick here.

Eagles at Packers: Last Sunday was the first time we really saw a glimpse of what the Chip Kelly offense could look like since the first game of the season. Stunning. Do I trust it to happen again, though? Hard to see it here against a decent team in a tough environment. Consistency has not been the trademark of these Eagles yet, so take the Packers even without Aaron Rodgers.

Jaguars at Titans: There is absolutely no reason to think about taking the Jaguars at any point right now. The Titans are far from perfect, but they have plenty of heart and are wildly superior here. Take the Titans.

Rams at Colts: The Colts are riding high after an impressive second-half comeback in Houston — though they were certainly aided by Houston’s concern for their coach. St. Louis played tough against the Titans, but they weren’t good enough, and this is a much better team on the road. Take the Colts.

Raiders at Giants: I want to like the Raiders, and they show flashes of strength at times. That last performance was ugly, though. The Giants are far from perfect, but they have won two in a row and are coming off a bye week that has allowed them to get healthy and work out some kinks. Take the Giants.

Bills at Steelers: I’d feel better if I know what decision the Bills had made this week at QB, and I would feel even better if they had an attractive pick of any kind to make right now. Still, this Pittsburgh team is broken right now, and that brutal loss last week could be crippling. Buffalo always plays with effort and intensity that surpasses their skill, so they are the pick here.

Bengals at Ravens: The Bengals had no business losing that last game at Miami. They have no business losing to a Baltimore team that is flailing right now, either, but on the road the Bengals are a hard team to love. Have to go with them, though — take the Bengals.

Panthers at 49ers: This is one intriguing matchup. The Panthers really believe in themselves right now, and they are playing with confidence and competence on both sides of the ball. They are hungry for a signature win, and this would certainly qualify. The 49ers right now, though, are at least the best team in the NFC — and maybe more than that. Have to take them at home.

Texans at Cardinals: Case Keenum was very good against the Colts, and it comes as little surprise to anyone who saw him in college. He was just a guy who needed a chance. He should be solid again here, but will it be enough for this team? I am going to gamble and say yes. The Kubiak situation was a distraction in the second half last week, but it should be an emotional rallying point here. Take the Texans.

Broncos at Chargers: Speaking of unhealthy coaches, the John Fox situation adds a wrinkle to this one. The Broncos still are the clear pick, though. San Diego just isn’t good enough — they couldn’t put away the Redskins in a very winnable one last week. Take the Broncos.

Cowboys at Saints: I am at a loss to explain how the Saints didn’t do better at the Jets last week. At home, though, they are going to be angry, and that should be enough. Dallas is a very solid squad, and they are confident after a gutsy win, but they are outmatched. Take the Saints.

Dolphins at Buccaneers: Ugh. The Dolphins are down two starting offensive lineman and are embroiled in a bizarre controversy as a result. The Bucs are just plain lousy. Someone has to win, though, and I’ll gamble on the Bucs. They have been a mess, but that performance last week should build some confidence, and Mike Glennon actually looked pretty solid for the most part. Take the Buccaneers.

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