It's that time again -- time to crank up our charity pro football underdog pool for the second year. It's a season-long game in which players try to pick one NFL underdog each week that will win its game outright -- without the benefit of the point spread. Winning players receive the number of points that their underdog was predicted to lose by -- and the player with the most points at the end of the playoffs in January is the winner.

The entry fee is a Jackson, and all proceeds go to charity. The top finishers in our underdog standings get to say to which nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) the money will go. Last year, we sent more than $420 to worthy charities, and this year the pot promises to be substantially greater.

Entry fees aren't due, however, until next Wednesday, the 15th -- which means you can play this week's 'dogs now, and if you like the game, pay first thing next week. Your first week pick will still count.

It's easy to enter -- just send your pick by e-mail to underdog@bojack.org. That's the only way to enter this year; picks posted in comments on this blog or by e-mail to any other address will not count. The deadline for entries is 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on Saturday night (or prior to kickoff if you're playing the Thursday game).

The official rules are here, but enough of that -- on to the first week's lines. Do you see an underdog (in caps) below that can win its game outright? Good luck, everybody!

7 CAROLINA at New York Giants
6.5 DETROIT at Chicago
6 OAKLAND at Tennessee
5 MINNESOTA at New Orleans (Thursday)
4.5 KANSAS CITY vs. San Diego
4 CINCINNATI at New England
4 ST. LOUIS vs. Arizona
3.5 WASHINGTON vs. Dallas
3 SEATTLE vs. San Francisco
3 PHILADELPHIA vs. Green Bay
3 CLEVELAND at Tampa Bay
3 BUFFALO vs. Miami
2.5 BALTIMORE at New York Jets
2.5 PITTSBURGH vs. Atlanta
2.5 HOUSTON vs. Indianapolis
2.5 DENVER at Jacksonville

Feel free to leave comments below, as advice and kibitzing is always appreciated. But don't forget -- only e-mail entries to underdog@bojack.org will be counted in the game.