NFL Picks Week 6: Predicting How Week 5's Bye-Week Teams Will Do

The bye week is often a mixed bag in the NFL. Teams that are hot often don't want the bye. They feel that it stops whatever momentum they have.

But teams that are struggling normally crave the bye. They get an extra week to rest banged up players. More importantly, their coaches get an extra week to scout and game plan for their next opponent.

In Week 5, we had six teams have on a bye week. So, let's take a look to see how they will manage with the extra week of preparation and healing.

Cleveland Browns

I can't see any team winning on Oakland in the Raiders' first home game since Al Davis' death. That game will be extremely emotional and there will be nothing held back by a single Oakland player.

More importantly, the Raiders are just a better team. Now, I can see the Browns scoring some points and moving the ball well, but I like the Raiders in this one.

That would apply without the emotion and without the bye week. This is just a classic battle of one team being better than the other.

Dallas Cowboys

You can pretty much read what I said about the Browns vs. Raiders, and multiply it by then. Obviously, the same stuff doesn't apply as it relates to Al Davis, but the Patriots are just better than the Cowboys.

The extra week of preparation will help Dallas here, but New England has played a much more balanced brand of football in recent weeks. Another week of unfair criticism likely awaits Tony Romo.

St. Louis Rams

I can see the Browns beating the Raiders. I can even see the Cowboys beating the Patriots. Neither are terribly likely, but I can see them happening.

But can I see the winless Rams going into Lambeau Field and beating the Packers? Anything is possible, but this walks a thin line between possible and impossible.

The extra week won't do enough for the Rams.

Miami Dolphins

The Jets are going to be desperate. They need a win. Under Rex Ryan, the team has always won when they needed to.

Now, I do expect a reasonably close game on Monday. I think the Jets will win, but it won't be a blowout.

Still, the Dolphins' offense is simply not good enough to take advantage of the extra week. Not when they're playing the Jets' defense.

Washington Redskins

We've finally found a team that will be aided by the bye week.

The Eagles are just sliding right now. They are way too good to be 1-4, but they are 1-4. The Redskins absolutely have the team that will be aided by a week off.

They can devise a good game plan against the Eagles' offense and match up well to the defense. I do believe that Philadelphia will break out of this funk at some point, but not against the Redskins.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens are facing the perfect team. The Texans are beaten up, having lost Mario Williams last week and Andre Johnson the week before.

In addition to that, if Matt Schaub plays, he probably won't be healthy.

The Ravens are just too good for a beaten up Texans' team to handle.