NFL Picks Week 6: Quick Picks Across League Schedule

Five weeks of the season has passed, but yet we are still no closer to having a clear picture of playoff favorites. Only two teams head into Week 6 with undefeated records, and while a number have emerged as guaranteed to miss the postseason, few seem to have a playoff berth locked down.

This picture should become clearer after this week, with a number of teams on the bubble facing each other. Here are my picks for Week 6.

San Francisco 49ers at DETROIT LIONS

The 5-0 Lions dispatched the Chicago Bears in Week 5 with a little help from their fans, whose roaring noise helped cause nine false-start penalties against Chicago in the 24-13 win.

But that's not all the Lions have going for them when San Francisco comes to town this week. Their daunting defense has been making up for slow offensive starts all season, and we will likely see more of the same this Sunday.

Once that offense starts firing, there won't be many ways for the Niners' defense—tough in its own right—to effectively stop them. The 6-0 Detroit Lions? Not so impossible anymore.

St. Louis Rams at GREEN BAY PACKERS

A 6-0 Packers team isn't so much of a surprise, and it's the most likely outcome of Week 6 when the league's worst team comes to town.

The winless Rams are coming off of a bye week they ostensibly used to try to fix the many problems facing the team this season,  but whatever adjustments they've managed won't be enough against the defending Super Bowl champions this week.

CAROLINA PANTHERS at Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons looked exposed in their Week 5 loss to the Packers, after starting the game firing on all cylinders and ending it looking flat. In contrast, the Panthers have lost a number of close games this season to tough teams like the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay, and they're one reversal of fortune away from being a legitimately talented squad.

I think all the components are there for the Panthers to win a game that at first glance looks like a guaranteed loss. While it might be close-scoring, I see Carolina taking this one.

Indianapolis Colts at CINCINNATI BENGALS

The Bengals have quietly become one of the better-looking teams in the AFC so far this season, while the Colts continue to find new ways to lose very close games.

Cincinnati's defense has managed to force turnovers in every game they've played, and the rookie-to-rookie combination of quarterback Andy Dalton and wide receiver A.J. Green has become one of the most impressive in the league.

The Colts simply lack answers to stop the Bengals, on both sides of the ball. They will fall to 0-6 on Sunday.

BUFFALO BILLS at New York Giants

The Giants desperately need to turn their season around, but they're not going to do it against the Bills this Sunday. The NFC East is still very much up for grabs, but every Giants' loss is one step closer to the Washington Redskins taking the division by default by the season's halfway mark.

The Bills returned to form against the woeful Philadelphia Eagles last week, and this momentum is sure to carry over for the league's most surprising team. Defense will be the deciding factor in this game, with New York's likely unable to successfully stop the Bills' varied offensive attack.

Jacksonville Jaguars at PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Regardless of whether they've been playing well or poorly, the Jaguars have historically caused the Steelers fits. But Pittsburgh is on a serious upswing after returning to their usual championship form in their Week 5 win over the Tennessee Titans.

I don't see Pittsburgh backsliding against the Jaguars after looking so tough in Week 5. The Jaguars are a far less talented team than the Titans, and as long as the Steelers defense can contain running back and Mr. Everything Maurice Jones-Drew, they should lose by a pretty large margin.

Philadelphia Eagles at WASHINGTON REDSKINS

The Redskins will continue their lucky streak of wins over the collapsing Philadelphia Eagles this week, and it's not hard to guess why.

Philadelphia's defense cannot stop a single running back, let alone the three fielded by the Redskins. And while Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman still has a lot to prove, he has shown he can be relied upon to not lose games for his team.

Strange to think that the Redskins, right now, are the team the Eagles wish they were.

Houston Texans at BALTIMORE RAVENS

The key to beating the Texans is to stop the run and contain quarterback Matt Schaub. Though Schaub put up a lot of yards in his team's Week 5 loss to the Oakland Raiders, they weren't enough to win. The same is likely this week against a bye-rested Ravens squad looking to remain one of the league's most dominant.

While the AFC South might be the Texans' to lose, they won't be doing themselves any favors on Sunday by falling to Baltimore. At first glance, a two-game losing streak seems a hard feat for the Texans to accomplish, but trust me, the Ravens are even more difficult.

Cleveland Browns at OAKLAND RAIDERS

A trip out west and a difficult opponent is a recipe for disaster for practically any team, and that undelicious cake is what the Browns will be feasting on this Sunday.

Uninspiring in both the run and the pass, and weaker on defense than what was expected, the Browns have little chance to threaten the impressive Raiders on their home turf. Player for player, Oakland is better in practically every position.

Dallas Cowboys at NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

The Cowboys have a shot to impress against the powerful Patriots this Sunday, and indeed, their offense has a great chance to do so against a weak New England defense.

But their own defense won't have the necessary answers to stop the Patriots' varied attack. This will easily be a high-scoring affair, but it will end in New England's favor. While that defense will leave the Patriots exposed down the stretch, it's not going to emerge as a major liability this Sunday.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers were thoroughly embarrassed at the hands of the 49ers in Week 5, falling 48-3. The team will be desperately looking for improvement this week at home, and while they will manage to rebound somewhat, it won't be enough to pull out a win against the Saints on Sunday.

This divisional game will be lower and closer-scoring than it initially seems, and the Buccaneers will have ample chances to overtake the 4-1 Saints, but they won't make the best of those chances, resulting in a Tampa Bay loss.

Minnesota Vikings at CHICAGO BEARS

Both the Vikings and Bears are inconsistent and disappointing, making this a tough game to predict. But, when it comes down to it, Chicago looks far less likely to drop to the Vikings at home than the Vikings look capable of pulling off the road win.

Minnesota managed a surprising blowout win last week against the Arizona Cardinals, on the strength of their Adrian Peterson-led running attack. The Bears are far more familiar with Peterson and how to stop him than the Cardinals, and boast a better defense. The Vikings won't be reprising their Week 5 success this Sunday night.

Miami Dolphins at NEW YORK JETS

Just what the Jets need to get them out of a three-game losing streak: a bad team. Quarterback Matt Moore makes his debut as the Dolphins' starter now that Chad Henne is out for the season with a shoulder injury, which won't help their struggling offense look any better.

If the Jets can stick with running the ball rather than relying on quarterback Mark Sanchez to make big plays, they'll certainly win. It becomes less of a lock for the team when Sanchez is called upon to be the offense's main playmaker, but the Jets know what they need to do to save their season. Beating Miami is a crucial first step.