Best bets

Last week: 3-3-1
Year-to-date: 15-15-2

Remember back in the early 1980s when NBC decided to televise an NFL game without the aid of the broadcasters? If I recall correctly it was the Dolphins against some other AFC team at the Orange Bowl and the experiment was roundly criticized as a failure by people who are experts at pointing out failures.

Truth be told, though, I loved it, but admit it would have been much better if the technology to have the score and time remaining in the corner of the screen were available. That’s called a “bug” in the business.

Anyway, I liked the austerity of that broadcast and think that something similar can work these days. Sometimes it seems as if the games are too overhyped and overproduced, but what do I know. I just liked watching games from the Orange Bowl because they kept a real, live dolphin in a pool beyond the end zone. Every once in a while when the camera would pan just right, you could catch a dorsal fin just below the cross bar.

Could you imagine a team keeping a dolphin on the field these days? Dolphin, jaguar, eagle, giant or titan or not, I doubt it would detract from the cheerleaders on the sidelines wearing outfits the size of dental floss.

Anyway, in tribute to the innovative stunt pulled off by NBC, I will offer this week’s football picks without the boys in the booth. Besides, why do I have to justify my choices?

Bengals minus 3 over Browns

Jaguars minus 3 over Bills

Giants minus 3 over Titans

Colts minus 9 over Eagles