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Every week, I pick three games against the spread (ATS) and I am coming off my second 3-0 week in the past three weeks.

My record on the season is now 14-10, which is solid, but still worse than last season's record of 63.3% correct ATS, which I use as my personal benchmark.

That said, here are my week 9 picks:


Panthers +13 (over Saints): Call me crazy -- after all, I've certainly been called worse -- for picking the Panthers here. But we are seeing a re-emergence of the Panthers' rushing attack and Delhomme, well, hasn't screwed that up allowing the Panthers to win three of their past four. In the past four games, DeAngelo Williams (439 rushing yards) and Jonathan Stewart (261) have combined for 700 rushing yards for an average of 5.0 yards per carry and seven touchdowns. In this series, the road team is not only 13-1 against the spread (ATS) since 2001, but they are 11-4 straight up. While I don't expect the Panthers, who were the # 2 seed in the NFC last year, to pull off a huge upset, I expect them to keep it close -- or, at least, within 13 points.

Eagles -3 (over Cowboys): First, I am rooting to be wrong here (as a Cowboys' fan). But I am realistic. At the beginning of the season, I predicted the Eagles to win the NFC East and for the Cowboys to finish third. But the point spread indicates that these two teams are "even" as the home team generally receives three points for playing at home. Meanwhile, the Eagles pummeled the New York Football Giants last week and are firing on all cylinders. The Cowboys, specifically Tony Romo, have limited the mistakes, which has been key to their three-game winning streak. For the first time in his career, Romo has gone interception-less for three consecutive games. Of all the teams Romo has faced at least twice, the Eagles are the only team to force Romo into more interceptions (eight) than touchdowns thrown (seven). But the Eagles are 16-9 straight up and 16-7 ATS versus the Cowboys since 1996.

Chargers +4.5 (over Giants): Philip Rivers is a better quarterback than Eli Manning. Period. And the difference couldn't be any more apparent in the past four weeks. Although Rivers has faced defenses like Pittsburgh's, Denver's and Oakland's (who has Nnamdi Asomugha, arguably the league's top corner), Rivers hasn't had a passer rating lower than 93.6 in any of his past four games. During that span, Rivers has thrown for 261.3 yards per game, completed 60.5 percent of passes and thrown eight touchdowns and only one interception. Eli, on the other hand, has thrown for 204 ypg, completed 52.1% of passes and has thrown more INTs (6) than TDs (5). I expect the Chargers to take advantage of the Giants' depleted secondary. The Giants may end their three-game skid, but the Chargers will, at a minimum, keep this game close.

For my picks from our other three "handicappers," click here.