Pro Picks has been keeping company with the dregs of the NFL, and its time that stopped.Coming off the best weekend of football this season, we need to ramp up our game. Well start with what shapes up as a shootout in Charlotte, the Panthers (3-6) hosting the Saints (4-5).Both teams figure they should have won on Sunday, but they fell painfully. Carolina blew a big lead against Kansas City, turned over the ball in the dying moments and was beaten by a Chiefs field goal.Even worse, in what might be the play of the year so far, New Orleans had a late extra point kick blocked and run back by Denver for a defensive 2-point conversion. All those points did was win the game.As fast as we can get on the field, the better, as far as you want another crack at it, says the Saints Drew Brees, who is having another spectacular season. We let that one go. Usually its a 24-hour rule. That one would have to be let go after you woke up Monday morning because the preparation began on Carolina.At least the Panthers didnt also have to deal with traveling for the Thursday nighter.No. 20 New Orleans is a 4+-point underdog at No. 25 Carolina. Thats too many points in what should be a nail-biter.PANTHERS, 31-30KNOCKOUT LEAGUEArizona had to go down to the wire last week. Seems to happen all the time. Maybe GIANTS can provide a breather.No. 3 New England (minus 14) at No. 31 San FranciscoJust what the 49ers need, a bunch of ticked-off Patriots coming to town.BEST BET: PATRIOTS 37-20No. 16 Tennessee (plus 3 1-2) at No. 24 IndianapolisTime for a statement win on the road for Titans.UPSET SPECIAL: TITANS, 33-31No. 29 Chicago (plus 5 1-2) at No. 7 New York GiantsThought about this for Best Bet.GIANTS, 27-13No. 11 Houston (plus 3) vs. No. 5 Oakland at Mexico City, Monday nightConsidered this one for Best Bet, too.RAIDERS, 30-20No. 14 Miami (pick-em) at No. 27 Los AngelesTop overall pick Jared Goff gets his first shot at QB. And first loss.DOLPHINS, 20-13No. 10 Philadelphia (plus 6) at No. 2 SeattleSeahawks hitting their stride, but Eagles will test them.SEAHAWKS, 20-17No. 13 Baltimore (plus 5 1-2) at No. 1 DallasCowboys wins seem inevitable these days.COWBOYS, 28-13No. 18 Pittsburgh (minus 7 1-2) at No. 32 ClevelandBrowns losses are inevitable these days, even though Steelers are struggling.STEELERS, 33-23No. 23 Buffalo (plus 4) at No. 21 (tie) CincinnatiBengals season is at stake; they remain alive in weak AFC North with win.BENGALS, 21-20No. 30 Jacksonville (plus 6) at No. 12 DetroitLions in good shape in another bad North division, the NFC version.LIONS, 34-19No. 17 Arizona (minus 1) at No. 15 MinnesotaCant say same for slumping Vikings, but Cardinals are vulnerable.VIKINGS, 16-14No. 19 Green Bay (plus 2 1-2) at No. 9 WashingtonJust cant pick the Packers right now.REDSKINS, 26-23No. 26 Tampa Bay (plus 7 1-2) at No. 4 Kansas CityChiefs quietly stating case for top AFC spot.CHIEFS, 23-21---Last Week: Against spread (3-10). Straight up: (6-8)Season Totals: Against spread (63-75-6). Straight up: (81-63-2)Best Bet: 5-5 against spread, 6-4 straight up.Upset special: 5-4-1 against spread, 5-5 straight up---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL DeMarcus Cousins Jersey . P.A. Parenteau scored early in the third period to help the Avs edge Toronto 2-1 on Tuesday night. Cory Sarich also scored for Colorado (3-0-0), which is off to its best ever start. Cheap Warriors Jerseys .C. -- Manny Malhotra had two goals and an assist, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. http://www.cheapwarriorsjerseysauthentic.com/ . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive. Jacob Evans Jersey . 4 Villanova with a 96-68 drubbing on Monday. Wragge hit 9-of-14 from behind the arc, matching Kyle Korvers school record for 3-pointers in a game set in 2003, as Creighton (16-3, 6-1 Big East broke a conference record with 21 treys in the rout. Wholesale Warriors Jerseys China . It was the kind of score that might make everyone else wonder which course he was playing. Except that Graeme McDowell saw the whole thing. Crouched behind the 10th green at Sheshan International, McDowell looked over at the powerful American and said, "Ive probably seen 18 of the best drives Ive seen all year in the last two days. DAVIE, Fla. -- On a typically steamy summer day in South Florida, first-year Miami Dolphins coach Adam Gase wore two layers of T-shirts -- short sleeves over long sleeves -- and jeans. With his first subtropical training camp about to begin, hes unfazed by the weather.Im a little disappointed, to be honest with you, said Gase, a Michigan native who began his coaching career at Louisiana State. Baton Rouge is way hotter than it is down here. So if I hear anybody complain about weather, Im going to be severely disappointed.When camp opens Friday, it will be about as grueling as the collective bargaining agreement allows. Gase said his No. 1 goal will be to test the mental fortitude of his players, all of them new to him.What are we going to do when it gets tough? Gase said Tuesday. Because its going to be tough in camp. Theres not going to be any special treatment. Were going to make it hard, and were going to see when it really gets tough whos going to rise to the top, and whos going to fall off.Gase takes that approach mindful he inherited a team perennially chasing New England in the AFC East. Miami hasnt finished above .500 since 2008 and is starting camp with a new coach for the sixth time since 2004.We need to get better, Gase said. We were 6-10 last year. Weve got a lot of work.Gase acknowledged health will determine how hard he can push. If injuries mount, hell be compelled to let up.Some players will need careful monitoring. Defensiive end Cameron Wake and newly acquired running back Arian Foster are returning from Achilles tendon surgery.dddddddddddd Second-year receiver DeVante Parker has had health issue since joining Miami. Rookie running back Kenyan Drake hurt his hamstring in June minicamp.All are expected to be on the field Friday. But rookie cornerback Xavien Howard will be absent -- hell start camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list following arthroscopic knee surgery.Howard was competing with second-year pro Tony Lippett for a starting job, and depth at cornerback is thin.Its great for Tony -- its more reps for him, Gase said. And it gives a bunch a guys a chance to step up and see who wants to make this team.Another camp priority will be for quarterback guru Gase to mesh with his new protege, Ryan Tannehill, who has had a busy summer. Tannehill became a first-time father last week, and also has been absorbing Gases playbook.The new coach is confident Tannehill has a firm grasp of the offense.He has showed me he can handle what were doing and hes ready to go, Gase said. Its going to be about the rest of the guys hanging with him.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Steven Wine on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Steve-Wine . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/steven-wine ' ' '