NFL Week 6 Picks: Full Predictions for Remaining Slate of Games

With Week 6 now underway, it's time to look at the remaining picks for Sunday and Monday after Thursday Night Football.

The Chicago Bears were able to take down the New York Giants on Thursday night, moving to 4-2 and staying on top of the NFC North.  Meanwhile, the Giants are now 0-5, officially making them one of the worst teams in the NFL.  After winning the Super Bowl in two of the past six seasons, the Giants have already lost nearly one-third of their games in 2013.

With Thursday's game now out of the way, it's time to take a look at the remaining predictions for Week 6, followed by a breakdown of some of the most exciting games to watch.

Pittsburgh Steelers (0-4) at New York Jets (3-2)

Date: Sunday, Oct. 13

Time: 1 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Prediction: 17-14, Jets

The more I think about this matchup, the more interesting I think it is.  The Pittsburgh Steelers, who were predicted by some to be Super Bowl contenders, have yet to win a game.  Meanwhile, the New York Jets, whom so many people expected to fail, are 3-2 and looking like a much better team than many anticipated.

The Steelers have some serious problems with their team right now.  They have yet to establish an effective running game, ranking 31st in the NFL with just 58 rushing yards per game.  Meanwhile, they've struggled holding onto the ball, turning it over 11 times.

To make matters worse, the defense has yet to force a turnover through four games.  No other team in the league has forced fewer than two turnovers.

The Jets are dealing with more success than they likely anticipated that they would have through five weeks of the season.  Not only are they 3-2, but their defense has been fantastic, allowing less than 300 yards per game, ranking second in the league in total yards allowed.

Although the defense may be stepping up, the offense has certainly had its fair share of struggles so far.  It has turned the ball over 12 times already, with Geno Smith being responsible for almost all of them.

Smith turned things around last week, however, putting up the best game of his short NFL career.  He completed 80 percent of his passes, throwing for 199 yards and three touchdowns without a single turnover.  

Something has clicked with the Jets this season, and they appear to actually be a solid football team.  With the big game last week for the Jets and all of the struggles with the Steelers, I think that Rex Ryan and his team pull out the win this week and improve to 4-2 on the year.

New Orleans Saints (5-0) at New England Patriots (4-1)

Date: Sunday, Oct. 13

Time: 4:25 p.m. ET

TV: FOX

Prediction: 35-20, Saints

The New Orleans Saints are looking like one of the best teams in the NFC, but they have a tough matchup against the New England Patriots, who are finally starting to get their weapons back on offense.

No one is surprised with how good the offense has been so far for the Saints.  Drew Brees continues to put up huge numbers, with a lot of his passes going toward Jimmy Graham.  In fact, Graham is easily the most productive tight end in the league right now with 37 receptions for 593 yards and six touchdowns.

At this rate, Graham is on pace for 118 receptions, 1,897 yards and 19 touchdowns.  That would easily make him the best wide receiver in the league, not just the best tight end.

The defense has stepped up big this season, and Rob Ryan deserves a lot of credit for turning the team around.  The Saints rank 12th against the pass and 18th against the run and have allowed fewer than 20 points in every single game.

That's much better than the 2012 Saints, who had historically one of the worst defenses in NFL history.

It was only a matter of time before the Patriots lost a game, but they're still in good shape at 4-1, with their key weapons finally beginning to return on offense.

Danny Amendola returned to the starting lineup last week in his first game since Week 1.  He had just four catches for 55 yards, but with how rainy and wet it was on the field, there's not much more he could have done.  He will likely put up bigger numbers this week on a drier field.

The news gets even better for Tom Brady, as it appears that Rob Gronkowski may finally be making his season debut.  According to Sports Illustrated, Gronk is expected to play this Sunday.

The defense is missing Vince Wilfork after he tore his Achilles, but it's now trying to make due without him.  The Patriots are doing a decent job against their opponents, allowing just 228.6 yards through the air and 116.4 yards on the ground per game.

As happy as the Patriots will be to have both Amendola and Gronk back for this game, those two are only going to be able to do so much as they get comfortable in the offense once again.  Meanwhile, the Saints are too hot right now and should be able to take down New England in this one.

Washington Redskins (1-3) at Dallas Cowboys (2-3)

Date: Sunday, Oct. 13

Time: 8:30 p.m. ET

TV: NBC

Prediction: 30-24, Redskins

The NFC East is wide open right now, with the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles tied at the top of the division at just 2-3.  

With how poorly everyone in the division is playing right now, there's a chance we see the winner go to the playoffs at 8-8 or even 7-9.

The Washington Redskins looked a bit better in their game against the Oakland Raiders before the bye week.  They got their first win of the season, and Robert Griffin III had 227 yards and a touchdown while not turning the ball over.

RGIII continues to look better in every game he's played.  The knee is looking strong, as he feels more comfortable stepping into throws and avoiding pressure in the pocket.  A bye week likely did him a lot of good, giving him another week to feel more comfortable with his knee and continue to study the playbook.

Tony Romo, on the other hand, has looked mostly polished.  He had a great game for 57 minutes against the Denver Broncos, throwing for 506 yards and five touchdowns.  Unfortunately, with around 2:30 left in the fourth quarter, Romo threw an interception, which led to a game-winning field goal for the Broncos as time expired.

Both defenses are struggling right now, especially against the pass.  The Redskins rank 28th against the pass, and the Cowboys rank 31st.  The two teams allow a combined 624.7 passing yards and 55.2 points per game.

I think that the two teams score quite a few points between them, but it's time for RGIII to have his breakout game for the 2013 season to prove he's officially back.  There's no better way for him to do that than by taking down a division rival.