NFL Week 6 Picks: Rounding Up Top Experts' Predictions

The NFL flexed its parity muscles in Week 5 as the two remaining undefeated teams were crushed, multiple games went to overtime and the Cleveland Browns overcame a 25-point deficit.

Are we in for more of the same in Week 6?

Perhaps some expert advice will help you decide which teams to pick as we enter the fray that is yet another full slate of NFL games. With that in mind, here is a look at the Week 6 picks from Bleacher Report’s six national lead writers.

The complete list of Bleacher Report picks, and the reasoning behind them, can be found here.

Matchup	Matt Bowen	Mike Freeman	Matt Miller	Ty Schalter	Michael Schottey	Mike Tanier
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans	Colts	Texans	Colts	Texans	Colts	Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans	Jaguars	Jaguars	Titans	Jaguars	Titans	Jaguars
Baltimore Ravens at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens
Denver Broncos at New York Jets	Broncos	Broncos	Broncos	Broncos	Broncos	Broncos
Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings	Lions	Vikings	Lions	Lions	Lions	Lions
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills	Patriots	Bills	Patriots	Bills	Patriots	Patriots
Carolina Panthers at Cincinnati Bengals	Bengals	Bengals	Bengals	Bengals	Bengals	Bengals
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns	Steelers	Browns	Steelers	Browns	Steelers	Browns
Green Bay Packers at Miami Dolphins	Packers	Packers	Packers	Packers	Packers	Packers
Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons	Bears	Falcons	Bears	Falcons	Bears	Bears
San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders	Chargers	Chargers	Chargers	Chargers	Chargers	Chargers
Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks
Washington Redskins at Arizona Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles	Giants	Giants	Eagles	Giants	Eagles	Eagles
San Francisco 49ers at St. Louis Rams	49ers	49ers	49ers	49ers	49ers	49ers

Upset of the Week: Green Bay Packers at Miami Dolphins

Tim Ireland/Associated Press

The Green Bay Packers are suddenly on fire and appear to have the inside lane on an NFC North championship.

In fact, if they can find a way to beat the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, it will mark three straight wins for the Packers. What a difference a few weeks makes after that season-opening blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Interestingly, Dolphins coach Joe Philbin was a Packers assistant for nine seasons before he took the Miami job in 2012. He discussed as much, according to Stats LLC (via ESPN.com):

"

The game's going to get decided by the players. What's amazing to me, when we started preparing for this game, I looked at the roster and I think there's at least half the guys that are brand new or I have no experience with any of those guys. That's the way the NFL is. People move on. Things are different.

"

Things are starting to click for the Packers offense as it prepares to take on its former assistant coach after a slow start. Aaron Rodgers has seven touchdown passes in the last two games and is second in the NFL with a 114.8 passer rating, while Eddie Lacy finally broke out of his slump with 105 rushing yards and two touchdowns against the Minnesota Vikings.

Mike Roemer/Associated Press

The Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson combination is as good as it gets for a wide receiver duo. Cobb has six touchdowns receptions, and Nelson has four to go along with his 525 receiving yards. Nelson was second in the league in receiving yards heading into Week 6, while Cobb was second in touchdown catches.

Miami looked impressive in a 38-14 win over the Oakland Raiders in Week 4, but it likely needed every minute of the bye week to prepare for Rodgers and company.

Still, this game is listed here as a possible upset because of the showdown between the Dolphins offense and the Packers defense.

Miami is fifth in the NFL in rushing yards per game at 142.3, while Green Bay is dead last in the league against the rush. In fact, the Packers are allowing 163 rushing yards every time out, which is a serious problem moving forward.

Lamar Miller has thrived during Knowshon Moreno’s absence and is fifth in the NFL with a 5.7 yards-per-carry average. What’s more, Moreno could return, and he turned in an NFL-best 134 rushing yards in Week 1. 

The revamped offensive line has opened up running lanes all season, which is an enormous improvement after last year’s struggles. Peter Bukowski of Sports Illustrated remarked on the offensive line improvement:

The key here for Miami will be keeping the Packers' high-octane offense off the field for as long as possible. The best way to do that is by pounding the ball on the ground. James Walker of ESPN NFL Nation suggested as much:

Look for Miller, and possibly a healthy Moreno, to do just that against a vulnerable Packers front as the Dolphins spring the upset at home.

Prediction: Dolphins 27, Packers 24

Follow me on Twitter:

Follow @ScottPolacek