Let's see, I said the Pats would win because:

1. Oakland has crappy run defense. Which explains why the Pats abandoned the run, threw the ball like crazy in the 4th quarter and OT, and scored 13 unanswered points (I know, the last 3 couldn't be answered, but cut me some slack).

2. Oakland's strong passing game would be countered by the Pats' strong pass defense. But for most of the game, when the Raiders needed a first down, what did they do? Throw to Rice or Brown. The only Oakland TD? A pass.

3. The weather will favor the Pats. Which is why they spent the vast majority of the game running like the field was made of eggshells coated with meringue.

Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. Got the Eagles picked right, too, even if it wasn't the close game I thought it would be.

Related prognosticating note: I'm playing ESPN.com's college basketball pick 'em, and have correctly chosen 15 of the first 20 games. Including going something like 9 for 10 last week. And I've done all this while possessing enough basketball knowledge to partially dampen a thimble. Go figure.