NFL Week Six Picks

Mark Jones's NFL Picks: Week Six

Last week, I was 8-6. Good enough, but not as good as I'd like, especially without the spread. So far, I'm 19-12 for the season, but that is because I didn't start my weekly picks until Week Three and (strangely) forgot Week Four. This week, I am aiming for double-digit wins!

Major Games

Chicago @ Atlanta

The Bears are two major blowups away from 5-0, but the high-flying Falcons have been making an unexpected impression this season, too. Sure, the Falcons haven't yet beaten a winning team, and two of their wins were at home against Detroit and Kansas City, but they are 3-2.

Atlanta also came away with an impressive 27-24 win last week against Chicago's divisional rival, Green Bay. Meanwhile, the Bears started the season with an impressive 29-13 win @ Indianapolis, and they also beat Philly 24-20 and Detroit 34-7.

Their two losses were both by three points to two other NFC South teams, losing @ Carolina 20-17 and to Tampa Bay, 24-27 in overtime.

Pick: Chicago to sneak out a win in the Georgia Dome. Watch for Hester to keep Chicago in Atlanta's end of the field. Score: Chicago, 21-17.

Baltimore @ Indianapolis

Baltimore started out the season 2-0, including an unexpected bye week in Week Two, and even though they've lost their last two, they are one of the more surprising teams in the NFL this year.

Last week, the Ravens had a game they could've won against the No. 1 team in the NFL (see "NFL Week Six Power Rankings", also by Mark Jones), the Tennessee Titans.

Unfortunately, Tennessee staged a fourth-quarter comeback and their defense stayed solid on the two-minute drill, so they came out with the 13-10 victory. On the other hand, Indianapolis has been a major disappointment this year. Peyton is playing like he's in high school, Addai isn't doing too much, and without Bob Sanders, the defense is not what it was thought to be.

The Colts need to do something soon or they might miss the playoffs for the first time in forever!

Pick: Colts have fallen a lot so far, but they'll fall even farther come Sunday. Score: Ravens, 23-20.

Carolina @ Tampa Bay

Carolina is the surprise team of the year. Delhomme is playing his best since 2003, the running back duo of Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams is going great, and the defense is also stepping it up. Last week, in a 34-0 win over KC, the defense held the Chiefs to an amazing shutout, despite being down Gross and Otah on the line.

Tampa Bay's only two losses were in close games to New Orleans, 24-20, and @ Denver, 16-13. The Bucs look to beat another good team and move to 4-2 and into the division lead.

Pick: Both teams look good, so this will be back and forth. But John Kasey's stunning kicking will lead the Panthers to a special-teams victory. Score: Panthers, 27-21.

Dallas @ Arizona

Dallas is quite an impressive team. Their only loss was to the Redskins, 26-24, and they probably just didn't take them seriously enough. The offense puts up staggering stats every game, and the defense is almost as impressive!

The Cardinals have long had one major thing in common with teams like Detroit and New Orleans: They lost A LOT. But now something has turned around. Even though they gave up 56 points to the Jets and have an incredibly easy schedule, they CAN win. At least, sometimes...

Pick: Dallas is just too much for this inexperienced Cardinals team. Score: Dallas 31, Arizona 20.

New England @ San Diego

The Patriots ARE 3-1, but with their loss being a blowout by the duh-dol-duh-Dol-phins (?!) at home, and Brady gone for the season, they don't seem to be that great. That term also carries over to the Chargers, another victim of Miami's sudden talent!

The Chargers' other losses include two games they should have won: a 39-38 loss to Denver that they lost entirely on the first of Ed Hochuli's botches (man, we won't let him forget that, will we?!) and the other on an incredible, late-fourth-quarter drive by Carolina, finished off by Dante Rosario's incredible leaping grab in the end zone with no time remaining! Both of these teams really need this win, and they'll have to fight for it.

Pick: San Diego will have to get better sometime, won't they? I think it'll be here. Score: Chargers 28, Patriots 21.

Other Games

Miami 24 @ Houston 20

The Texans lose another one that was within their grasp. Anyway, the rocketing Dolphins look better than they have in, say, er...10 years?!

Detroit 10 @ Minnesota 27

Minnesota will get themselves back to .500. Who dares to differ? No one (I hope)!

Oakland 24 @ New Orleans 30

Both offenses should look good, but I just can't predict that Oakland will win this game.

Cincinnati 12 @ New York Jets 35

With Carson Palmer not playing, the Bengals have no hope left. Brett Favre seems to be settling in well, and he has suddenly given the Jets new playoff hopes.

St. Louis 7 @ Washington 34

St. Louis? On the road? At Washington? Enough said.

Jacksonville 21 @ Denver 38

The Denver Broncos' incredible offense will put on yet another show against Jacksonville's over-hyped defense. Even Garrard's chunky soup that he advertises on his "all-new" commercials won't help the Jaguars!

Philadelphia 24 @ San Francisco 13

Hopefully the Eagles will rebound after that offensively-embarrassing loss to Washington last week. Hopefully...

Green Bay 27 @ Seattle 9

Of Seattle's nine injured receivers (it sure seems that way, doesn't it!), two of them are back. Oh, big deal (not)! The Packers should have no trouble here.

NY Giants 41 @ Cleveland 17 (MNF)

Are we seeing a Manning switch? Peyton's brother has looked better than him every week since 2008 started! The Browns look like they are back to being the Browns.

Thank you for reading this article! All comments, poll votes, and "pick of the day" votes will be much appreciated!