NFL Predictions Week 6: Early Odds, Picks and Projections for Upcoming Schedule

Week 6 of the 2017 NFL season is an interesting one when it comes to the early point spreads. 

The initial impression from the odds is that the matchups fall into one of two categories.

They're either incredibly off-balance, featuring huge favorites like the Houston Texans (-10.5), New England Patriots (-9.5) or Atlanta Falcons (-9), or they are expected to be so close that the spreads are even (Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams vs. Jacksonville Jaguars). 

This makes Week 6 a fairly easy one if you're picking winners straight up...but much trickier if you're trying to pinpoint which teams will win against the spread.

Let's take a look at the entire schedule and early odds for the games on the slate in Week 6 and try to predict some outcomes. Projected winners (straight up, not ATS) are in italics, and all times are ET. 

NFL Week 6 Schedule, Odds and Projections

Thursday, Oct. 12

Philadelphia at Carolina (-3): 8:25 p.m., CBS 

Sunday, Oct. 15

Chicago at Baltimore (-6.5): 1 p.m., Fox

Cleveland at Houston (-10.5): 1 p.m., CBS

Detroit at New Orleans (-3): 1 p.m., Fox

Green Bay at Minnesota (N/A): 1 p.m., Fox

Miami at Atlanta (-9): 1 p.m., CBS

New England (-9.5) at N.Y. Jets: 1 p.m., CBS

San Francisco at Washington (-9): 1 p.m., Fox

L.A. Rams at Jacksonville (even): 4:05 p.m., Fox

Tampa Bay at Arizona (even): 4:05 p.m., Fox

L.A. Chargers at Oakland (no line): 4:25 p.m., CBS 

Pittsburgh at Kansas City (no line): 4:25 p.m., CBS 

N.Y. Giants at Denver (-9): 8:30 p.m., NBC 

Monday, Oct. 16

Indianapolis at Tennessee (N/A): 8:30 p.m., ESPN 

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Houston Texans

Eric Christian Smith/Associated Press

The Houston Texans weren't able to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in prime time Sunday night, but they came darn close at 42-34. 

Unfortunately, Houston's impressive tenacity took a toll on its personnel. The Texans lost defenders Whitney Mercilus and J.J. Watt for the season, as ESPN's Adam Schefter confirmed Monday:

This is, not to understate, a huge loss for a Houston team that figured to win its division and make the playoffs outright in 2017. Now, with the Jacksonville Jaguars surging, Houston may have to try and stay alive in the wild-card race. 

Looking to Houston's Week 6 matchup with the Cleveland Browns, it's likely that Vegas' initial odds don't reflect these injury updates. And yet, the Texans should still have no problem putting the Browns away straight-up. 

Deshaun Watson came up with miracle after miracle to keep the Texans alive on Sunday Night Football, including throwing for five touchdowns, the last in the game's final seconds. Houston also showed off its impressive array of weapons, from wideouts DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller to running back Lamar Miller. 

Even with a depleted defense, Houston's offense will be nearly impossible for Cleveland to contain. 

New England Patriots

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

The New England Patriots needed four full quarters to edge the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19-14 to open Week 5, and even that win didn't help them much; at 3-2, New England remained tied for first place in the AFC East heading into Week 6.

Luckily for New England, it gets what should be an easy opportunity to go up a win on the season as well as in the division against the New York Jets...but that's only on paper.

In reality, the Jets have an identical 3-2 record and are salivating at the chance to own the first tiebreaker (head-to-head) over the Pats.

In years past, New England's high-powered offense has been able to make up for a lackluster defense, and more recently, the Patriots were strong on both sides of the ball.

But the defense has regressed in 2017, and it's making life difficult for Tom Brady and Co.

Think about this: There's a universe—an alternate one, but not an impossible one—in which the Patriots don't win the AFC East and don't qualify for a wild card.

Through the first quarter of the season, they're coming in at No. 8 in the conference, but if the Oakland Raiders (currently No. 10) get Derek Carr back this week...look out, New England.  

Of course, the Patriots could turn it all around, starting by embarrassing the Jets, whose schedule has not exactly been challenging, in Week 6. 

Atlanta Falcons

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

At 3-1 and a bye in Week 5, the Atlanta Falcons have given us fewer chances to gauge just what kind of team they are.

But as a rested Atlanta team prepares for what should be a gimme matchup against Miami in Week 6, we still may not know.

That's because pigs may fly if the hapless 2-2 Dolphins find a way to beat the Falcons. 

Perhaps the best news for Atlanta, and an indication that the early bye week was a blessing in disguise, is that Julio Jones reportedly will play against Miami, as Schefter reported after Jones' Week 4 hip injury:

Miami's defense has actually been solid in 2017. The unit is No. 8 in yards allowed (309.5) and No. 4 in points allowed (16.8). Of course, the Dolphins haven't yet faced a truly dangerous offense. 

They will do just that in Week 6, and between Jones, Devonta Freeman and Matt Ryan, Atlanta should have this one in the bag. 

Odds courtesy of OddsShark and current as of Oct. 10.