NFL Week 6 Predictions: Advice To San Diego Chargers And Picks For Every Game
Normally, I do a wrap up of the Chargers previous game and then go into my picks. This week will be a little different as I was inspired to write a piece, earlier in the week, dealing with the Chargers horrible effort against the Oakland Raiders in week 5.
Before I go into my NFL Week 6 predictions, I wanted to give the Chargers some helpful advice so they may have a slightly better chance to win in St. Louis.
1. Don't allow the Rams to block two consecutive punts near your own endzone, creating an early hole.
2. Quit turning the ball over. Fumbling inside the redzone, and especially inside the one yard line, is not conducive to winning football games.
3. Play to the whistle. Sometimes the ball comes out and if you assume the play is dead, the other team may pick it up and run the length of the field for a touchdown.
4. Don't be afraid to run the ball. Last week you fell in love with passing and a key sack and a key sack/fumble ruined what could have been a great comeback.
5. Don't assume any other team will give up. The Raiders showed more heart than any Charger thought they would. Now, the Chargers are a team that people expect will make mistakes. Other teams always feel in the game, especially at their place.
6. Hey Norv, give the ball to the running back who is gaining over six yards per carry. 12 yards on 11 carries is not better than 59 yards on 9 carries. I'll give you a hint, he wears number 24. Try him, you'll like him.
7. Never look past any team in the NFL. Not even teams you have dominated for the last seven years. That will come in handy for this week against the Rams.
8. Changing long snappers every week does not build continuity in the special teams. That's right, the Chargers are on long snapper number five now. I miss David Binn!
9. Don't be afraid to bust out your throwback uniforms. Perhaps at home against the Patriots in Week 7. The powder blue always seems to fire the boys up.
Finally,
10. Remember that you were 7-1 on the road last year. This year you are 0-3 on the road against teams that are average at best. The field on the road is the same dimensions as the one at the Q. Just play football!
It feels good to get that off of my chest. On to picking winners!
Seattle Seahawks @ Chicago Bears
1 of 14
Okay, here we go with week 6 picks. I haven't done so well this year. I have had just one week over .500 and four weeks exactly .500. This week scares me due to the large number of visiting teams that I like to win. Oh well, at least I don't have any money on it.
Last Week: 7-7
Season Total: 40-36
I'm not a true believer in the Bears, but I think they have more than enough to beat the Seahawks at home. Jay Cutler is coming back from his week's vacation and should be productive against the Seattle secondary. I don't think that Seattle has the ability to pressure Cutler like New York did a couple of weeks ago. Give Cutler time and he will tear you up.
Seahawks 13 Bears 38
Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots
2 of 14
Here we are at game number two and I'm already doubting my pick. My gut tells me that New England will need a couple of weeks to get used to not having the deep threat of Randy Moss with their offense. That will make it possible for defenses to focus on Wes Welker and take away some of his productivity.
My brain tells me that Bill Belichick would not have dealt Moss if he didn't think he could be replaced. Look for a young wide receiver to catch at least one deep ball in this one.
The tie breaker is that I believe the defense of the Ravens far surpasses the Pats. Give me the Ravens in a close one.
Ravens 20 Patriots 17
Detroit Lions @ New York Giants
3 of 14
Honestly, I don't like the New York (football) Giants. As most Chargers fans, I'm not a big fan of Eli Manning either. That being said, they are coming off of a nice win against Houston and a blowout over the Bears.
Detroit is coming off of a coming out party that the had against the Rams. 44 points over the Rams for their first win of the season. Yes, it was their first win, but the Lions have shown that they can compete this year, especially on offense.
The problem for the Lions is that the Rams don't have the pass rush that the G-Men do. I look for the Lions to be switching out quarterbacks to protect Sam Bradford in the second half. He may have to go with the Jay Cutler "concussion" to save face.
Lions 20 Giants 31
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Atlanta Falcons @ Philadelphia Eagles
4 of 14
Too bad Michael Vick isn't going to play against his old team. That would have made for some nice drama. Kevin Kolb will be taking snaps for the Eagles and trying to move the ball against a fairly stout Falcons defense. Kolb isn't bad, but he isn't great either.
The Falcons have a nicely well rounded team. They will take what you give them. You take away the run, they will throw. Take away the throw, they will run. They have the ability to beat most NFL teams in any kind of a fight.
The Eagles are not a bad team, but I think they may be in trouble this week.
Falcons 20 Eagles 13
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers
5 of 14
I have to tell you that I, for one, did not expect the Steelers to come out of Big Ben's suspension at 3-1. It just goes to show you how awesome the Pittsburgh defense is.
In this game, I look for Ben to be a bit rusty, but the important thing is that he is healthy and no matter how rusty he is, he is far better than Batch, or Dixon. If they can win with those guys, they will win with Ben.
I hate to say it but the Pittsburgh Steelers are my pick to win it all this year.
Browns 16 Steelers 33
Miami Dolphins @ Green Bay Packers
6 of 14
So, how hurt is Aaron Rodgers? Personally, I believe the answer to that question will also answer the question of which team will win. Right now, it looks like Rodgers will start. If he is healthy, I believe he can make the difference in this game against a decent Miami squad. If he cannot play, or leaves the game before building a nice sized lead, I think the advantage swings the other way. Here's to your health Aaron!
Dolphins 20 Packers 27
San Diego Chargers @ St. Louis Rams
7 of 14
Okay, last week I made the same mistake that the Chargers made. I looked past a lesser opponent and ASSumed a Charger victory.
I will not make that same mistake and I certainly hope the Bolts learned their lesson as well.
This week, the San Diego Chargers travel to St. Louis to take on the Rams. The Rams are much improved this year, but they are coming off of a 44-6 drubbing by the lowly (yet also improving) Detroit Lions. The Chargers, on the other hand, are coming off of an embarrassing loss in Oakland that further exposed the weakness of the Chargers.
Yes, this year's Chargers put the "special" in special teams.
In the first few weeks of the season, the Chargers gave up three returns for touchdowns (should have been four) on special teams. In week 5, the Chargers started the game by giving up back to back punt blocks near their own endzone. One block went through the endzone and the other was recovered for a Oakland touchdown. To rub salt in the Chargers wounds, the one punt that Scifres was able to get away was a free kick following the safety which he promptly kicked out of bounds, giving the Raiders the ball at the 50 yard line! PATHETIC!
This has been an interesting week in San Diego. First the Chargers signed their fifth long-snapper of the season! This is after 15 years of the same guy, David Binn, snapping the ball long. Binn was injured in week one and will not return this year.
Next, the Chargers basically release one time star linebacker Shawne Merriman. He just hasn't been able to get on the field and stay there since his initial knee injury given to him by the Tennessee Titans a few years ago. Now, his latest injury is a calf that just won't let him push off and pressure the quarterback. Between nagging injuries and having a larger than life personality, it was not hard to foresee that Merriman would not be around much longer on a team run by A.J. Smith, Chargers General Manager.
Moving on, the Chargers not only are able to use the Pro Bowl left tackle, Marcus McNeill, but they signed the hold out to a new five year deal! It seems if you cave into Smith, he will treat you right.
Finally, the NFLPA has informed Vincent Jackson that if he wants to get credit for this year, he needs to end his holdout and start playing football. He is expected to sign by October 30, and finish the year as a Charger. He does still have a three game suspension that will keep him out until the final six games.
Now, back to the game at hand. St. Louis rookie quarterback, Sam Bradford, will have his hands full trying to match up with Chargers quarterback, Philip Rivers and the leagues number one offense. If the Chargers do not turn the ball over and do not self destruct on special teams, the odds are very much in favor of the visiting Bolts. That being said, the Chargers have statically dominated pretty much every game this year, on offense and defense, and yet they are still 2-3.
I believe/hope that this is the week that the Chargers figure out some of their problems and play up to their potential, even if it's on the road. If the Chargers coaching staff has managed to fix the mistakes of the recent past, it should be a one sided victory for San Diego. If they are still crossing their fingers that their players have improved, they may be in trouble.
St. Louis is not a door mat
Chargers 42 St. Louis 20
New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8 of 14
This could be an upset in the making. With Bush and Thomas out for the Saints, even more is expected from quarterback Drew Brees. This year his super hero powers have not been as evident as the Saints have struggled to put points on the board and opponents away. This week they are coming off of a loss to Arizona, who is hardly a Super Bowl contender.
Look for Tampa to put up a good fight at home against the defending champs. In fact, don't be surprised if they steal this one out right.
Saints 24 Bucs 23
Kansas City Chiefs @ Houston Texans
9 of 14
I must admit that I am turning into a believer in the Kansas City defense and their running game. What I don't believe in is their passing game and their quarterback in general. Throughout their first four games, Kansas City only has four passing touchdowns. In all fairness to Matt Cassell, he did throw a routine touchdown pass against Indy only to see it dropped by Bowe.
KC is coming off of a loss to Indy, but it is not the loss that many predicted. They were in the game throughout and only lost 19-9. Any time you can keep Peyton under 20 points, you played well on defense. The problem is that touchdowns win games in the NFL, not field goals.
Houston has been inconsistent this year. Much like my Bolts, the Texans look great one week and unimpressive the next. We'll see which team shows up this week. If Schaub and his Texans are on their game, it could be a long day for the Chiefs.
Chiefs 17 Texans 20
Oakland Raiders @ San Francisco 49ers
10 of 14
The Raiderettes were all smiles last week while their Raiders beat the Chargers. This week, they will watch on TV as the Silver and Black goes across the bay and takes on the San Francisco 49ers. What I'm about to say next is very difficult for me. In fact, I threw up just a little before I made this pick.
Yep, I'm going with the Raiders in the Battle of the Bay! I don't pick the Raiders often, and when I do, they usually lose. This time I have to go with a couple of facts.
Fact one: The Niners are 0-5 under Mike Singletary who has yet to prove himself as an NFL head coach.
Fact two: The Raiders beat the Chargers last week. For me to pick them to lose to the Niners would really be making a statement about my Bolts.
I look for this to be a fairly ugly game, but I have to go with the Raiders here.
Raiders 28 Niners 20
New York Jets @ Denver Broncos
11 of 14
I don't feel badly picking the Jets in this match-up. However, I do feel strange rooting for them. Even after sitting at The Q and watching my Bolts lose twice in the playoffs to the Jets, I still have to cheer them on in this one.
First of all, they are playing the Denver Broncos who, for now, are in contention in the AFC West.
Secondly, I am thrilled for LaDainian Tomlinson who is looking like the young L.T. who got all of us Chargers fans so excited for so many years. I don't know if he can stay healthy the entire year, but for now it is great to see him lead his new team.
Jets 24 Broncos 17
Dallas Cowboys @ Minnisota Vikings
12 of 14
If Brett Favre starts the last 11 games of this season, that will make 300 consecutive starts. Do you really think he will throw that away?
I don't.
I must admit that I have not checked to see his status today, but last I checked he was a game time decision. If he starts, I don't see him doing well. His injured elbow will cause him to throw multiple picks against the talented Dallas defense.
The Vikings defense is good enough, but they may be on the field a large part of the game. Tony Romo has looked good this year and the Cowboys should be able to move the ball and put up points. The fact that both teams are desperate for a win may factor in as well.
Cowboys 31 Vikings 24
Indianapolis Colts @ Washington Redskins
13 of 14
I fear that I am making a bad pick here. The Colts struggle to score last week against the Chiefs. The Colts have not played well on the road this year with losses in Jacksonville and Houston. The Colts are on the road again this week against a Redskin team, lead by McNabb, that competes every week and is capable to beating, or losing to, anyone.
My gut is telling me to go with the home team here. By mind is telling me that the Colts have too much offense for the Skins. Time will tell.
Colts 28 Redskins 17
Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars
14 of 14
If you had told me after week three that these two teams were going to play on Monday Night Football in week 6, I would have wished that Monday could swap out games like Sunday Football Night in America can do. Tennessee has the best back in football in Chris Johnson and the Jaguars were just pummeled two weeks in a row.
Since that time, the Jaguars have fought back and played some decent football, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The Jaguar defense has been surrendering too many points, but they have won a couple weeks in row including a victory over Peyton and the Colts.
The Titans are a strong team with a hard hitting defense. The thing I always think when I see the Titans is that Vince Young is not that good of a quarterback. Then Young goes out and wins game after game. His record is stupid good for a guy who doesn't seem to be great.
I have gone back on fourth on this one many time. I even changed my mind as I was searching for a picture for this slide. In the long run, I'm going with the home team.
Titans 24 Jaguars 31
There you have it! There are my picks for week 6 in the NFL. If this week goes like the previous 5, I will most likely be 7-7 again, but I'll take my chances. Feel free to let me know what you think and share your picks as well! Thanks for reading and enjoy the games!
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