How the darts landed

Enjoyed another solid outing against the spread last week, a parade led by Giants beating Jets in an outright upset pick. Bull’s-eyed underdog Seahawks, Colts, Dolphins and Vikings with the points, too, and continued a nice run on zeroing in on scores as well. Had a rare exacto in Titans’ 23-17 win. Had Bengals winning 24-16 (it was 23-16). And had Steelers winning 24-0 (it was 27-0). “Happy new year” can wait. Against the spread, I’m pretty happy about THIS year.

Dolphins this week

JETS (8-7) at DOLPHINS (5-10)

Line: MIA by 2.

Cote’s pick: MIA 24-20.

TV: 1 p.m., CBS.

A few more days and the Proverbial Page turns (none too soon) as we jettison this unfortunate Dolphins season to past tense and swivel attention to solving the coach and quarterback situations. But first there is the matter of a fond farewell to retiring Jason Taylor and fixing a bowtie on this pig of a season by at least beating the Stinkin’ Jets. Quick aside to NYJ coach Rex Ryan: How’s that Super Bowl guarantee workin’ out, Rexy? Answer: Not so good. To even make the playoffs the taxiing Planes must beat Miami and then pray three other teams — Cincy, Tennessee and Oakland or Denver — all lose. In other words, Miami isn’t really playing spoiler here because the Jets season is already pretty much spoiled. This is one of 16 Sunday division games wrapping the NFL regular season, and I like Miami even though the opponent has underlined its nemesis status in this rivalry by winning four of the past five trips here. The Dolphins sending Taylor out a winner bears some motivational heft, but mainly I think Miami’s stout run defense will force the game into Mark Sanchez’s hands, which should have Jets fans thinking, “Uh oh.”

Game of the week

Upset of the week

COWBOYS (8-7) at GIANTS (8-7)

Line: NYG by 3

Cote’s pick: DAL 31-28

TV: 8:20 p.m., NBC

“AAAWWWK!” sings the soaring Upset Bird with a season-ending flourish, riffling white sash embossed ‘Auld Lang Syne’ cutting a stark diagonal across iridescent, indigo feathers. “Grand finale. Grand finaawwk!” This is the Game of the Week — clearly — because it is everything an NFL schedule-maker could dream: a winner-take-all prime time finale to decide the last of 12 playoff berths. This is the Upset of the Week for reasons admittedly far more arguable. I get the Biggies as a home-field fave but see Dallas just a little better overall, especially on defense. Also hunching that Tony Romo — with a 112.4 passer rating his past six starts vs. NYG — overcomes some doubts about himself in the clutch with a big night despite that bruised right finger. So make it Cows to the playoffs, then, and maybe Tom Coughlin to the unemployment line. “Coughlin always seems to bear the expression of a man who has just bitten into a lemon,” notes U-Bird. “Metaphorically this game will hand him a lemon but see him unable to turn it into lemonaaawwwk!”

Dog of the week

COLTS (2-13) at JAGUARS (4-11)

Line: JAC by 3 1/2.

Cote’s pick: JAC 20-17