I’m at the beach, on vacation, working for love and not for money, so you can’t expect the same craftsmanship I usually offer.

In other words, maybe I’ll get my Lock.

The previous week was brutal. Too many of the wrong teams won.

Not that you care, but a dolphin just jumped out of the water 10 yards in front of me. I’d consider it an omen, because I love omens.

But the Dolphins have a bye.

Last Week: 6-8.

Season: 52-39.

Lock: 0-1, Atlanta inexplicably failed to cover.

Season: 1-5.

Upset of the week: Nailed the New York Giants upsetting San Francisco, missed St. Louis upsetting Miami. 1-1.

Season: 2-4.

This week’s games, with the home team in CAPS.

CAROLINA 28, Dallas 27: We keep waiting for the Panthers to be the team most of us anticipated. Dallas undoubtedly feels the same way about Dallas. The Cowboys upset the Giants in the NFL’s season opener but have done little since. Their statistics are pretty, the offense very good and the defense stellar. But they’re 2-3.

Maybe today will be the day that Carolina’s offensive line blocks, the running backs force defenses to adjust, and Cam Newton takes advantage.

A loss today and we’ll be talking about the NBA, Duke, N.C. State and North Carolina basketball and even ACC football.

OAKLAND 20, Jacksonville 13: ME: “Kids, I’m going to tell you one more time. If you don’t go to bed right now, I’m going to make you watch a rerun of the Raiders-Jaguars game, every play of it.

Go ahead, call the Department of Social Services and report me as many times as you want.

I’m still going to do it.

I mean it, every play, even the ones where the Jaguars attempt to throw a forward pass.

KIDS: “We can’t hear you, dad. We’re already asleep and will remain that way until the morning.”

HOUSTON 24, Baltimore 17: The Ravens without Ray Lewis, who is out for the season, are not the Ravens. The manner in which his teammates defer to him is amazing. They follow him on the field and in the locker room.

They’ll dedicate the game to him. But that won’t be enough.

New Orleans 29, TAMPA BAY 27: Name two teams that are really difficult to like.

CHICAGO 23, Detroit 21: The Bears look good, especially their defense.

The rest

MINNESOTA 21, Arizona 19

Green Bay 26, ST. LOUIS 20

N.Y. GIANTS 26, Washington 17

INDIANAPOLIS 20, Cleveland 17

NEW ENGLAND 30, N.Y. Jets 24

Upset of the week

CINCINNATI (+1) 27, Pittsburgh 26

Lock of the week

BUFFALO (-3) 29, Tennessee 20: This is what it has come down to, entrusting my Lock to the Bills.

In seasons past, I’ve found a team early in the season that’s better than everybody anticipates and picked them until the line indicated bettors had caught on.

As the numbers attest, I have yet to find such a team this season. Like I said earlier, I believe in omens.

Heading back to the mainland.

Before I do I must pay a very large bill.