NFL Predictions Week 6: Can't-Miss Picks and Matchup Guide

The pressure has been lifted from the Chicago Bears. After last year's 5-11 season that saw them lose eight of their last 10 games and ended up with them getting rid of their coaching staff and front office, they brought in veteran coach John Fox to right the ship and help get the team back to respectability.

When the Bears lost their first three games of the season, it looked like Fox had lost his touch. But after quarterback Jay Cutler returned from an early-season injury, the Bears won two games in a row.

The most encouraging part of those victories is that Cutler keyed both of them with late drives. He helped the Bears get in the proper position for a game-winning field goal against the Raiders in Week 4 and then threw a last-minute TD pass last week at Kansas City to steal a win over the Chiefs.

Additionally, the Chicago sports media is focused on the October run of the Chicago Cubs, and the Bears are not getting the usual amount of scrutiny. As a result, the Bears can just go about their business and play the game without worrying about embarrassing themselves on the field.

On the other hand, the Lions are in the middle of a brutal start to the season. After earning a spot in the postseason and nearly beating the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs, they are winless through the first five games. While they were done in by a poor call in Week 4 in Seattle, they have played badly.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford was pulled from the Week 5 42-17 home loss to the Cardinals. Head coach Jim Caldwell says Stafford will return to the lineup against Chicago.

The Lions may not be able to rescue their season, and if they can't beat the Bears at home, where will they pick up a victory?

That's extreme pressure. Even though they have a goose egg in the win column, the Lions are 3.5-point favorites, according to Odds Shark. We're going to back the team that is playing without pressure and whose quarterback is coming through with big plays at the right moment.

The Bears will win their third game in a row, and Cutler will continue to play well in the fourth quarter.

Game	Line	Over-Under	Selection
Atlanta at New Orleans	Atl -3.5	51.5	Atlanta; Over
Cincinnati at Buffalo	Cin -3.5	42	Cincinnati; Under
Denver at Cleveland	Den -4	42.5	Cleveland; Over
Chicago at Detroit	Det -3	43.5	Chicago; Over
Houston at Jacksonville	Even	43	Houston; Over
Kansas City at Minnesota	Minn -4	43.5	Minnesota; Under
Washington at N.Y. Jets	NYJ -7	40.5	Washington: Over
Arizona at Pittsburgh	Ariz -3	44.5	Pittsburgh; Over
Miami at Tennessee	Tenn -1	43.5	Tennessee; Under
Carolina at Seattle	Sea -8	41	Carolina; Under
San Diego at Green Bay	GB -11.5	50.5	Green Bay; Over
Baltimore at San Francisco	Balt -1	44	Baltimore; Under
New England at Indianapolis	NE -8	55	New England; Under
N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia	Phil. -4.5	49.5	NYG; Over

Dominant Packers roll it up against weary Chargers

This is not an easy week in San Diego. The Chargers played a tough, physical game Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they were in position to win until Le'Veon Bell ran the ball into the end zone on the last play of the game.

The Chargers defense had dominated the Steelers for all but their last two drives of the game as defensive back Eric Weddle had led a sensational effort. Nevertheless, the Chargers came up short, and now they must go to Green Bay to line up against Aaron Rodgers on a short week.

Against the Steelers, the defense knew it was going up against a quarterback who had limited command of his team's playbook and had a tough time reading defenses. Aaron Rodgers is not Mike Vick when it comes to those areas.

Rodgers understands what the Chargers defense is doing, and he knows the perfect play calls to counter their defense. It would be quite surprising if Rodgers doesn't lead the Packers on at least four TD drives in this game.

Philip Rivers is one of the best competitors in the game, and he will relish the challenge of going up against Rodgers. He will battle for 60 minutes, and he may be able to keep the Chargers on even terms through the first half. 

But Green Bay has exceptional weapons in Randall Cobb, James Jones and Eddie Lacy, and Rodgers will deploy them.

The Packers have an 11.5-point impost, but they will put the Chargers away with a burst in the third quarter and find a way to cover the spread.

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

Cardinals, Steelers have a chance to go way over

The Steelers did not take the handcuffs off of Mike Vick until late in the fourth quarter of their Monday night game against the Chargers. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley and head coach Mike Tomlin seemed content to let Vick hand the ball off to Bell and DeAngelo Williams, and throw short passes.

The Steelers offense could not move the ball at all in the second half, and Pittsburgh seemed destined to take a painful loss. But just before the clock struck midnight, Vick opened up and put his big arm on display. He threw a 72-yard TD pass to Markus Wheaton, and that tied the score in the fourth quarter.

When the Chargers responded with a go-ahead field goal, Vick came back on the field and directed the winning TD drive that paid off with a Bell touchdown on the game's final play.

Does that mean the Steelers will let Vick open it up against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6? Probably not completely, but he should have more of an opportunity to probe the Arizona defense than he would have had he not been successful.

The linemakers have given this game a total of 44.5. That seems a very reasonable number. The Steelers have excellent skill position players who are thirsting for the chance to get back to their high-scoring ways. It would be somewhat surprising if Antonio Brown and Bell are not given a chance to make a few big plays.

On the other side, Carson Palmer is playing sensationally for the Cardinals. He is completing 64.9 percent of his passes, has thrown for 1,316 yards, and he has 13 touchdown passes.

They are not going to tone it down against Pittsburgh. Look for a high-scoring game that goes over the number.