NFL Odds Week 6: Pittsburgh Steelers and 3 Teams That Won't Cover

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are certainly a better team than Jacksonville, but the Jaguars are good defensively and they run the ball well. Even with the game taking place at Heinz Field, 12 points is a lot, especially against a team that runs the ball effectively. Pittsburgh wins, but not by 12 points.

Now for two teams that are favored, but won't win their games outright:

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions are coming off a Monday Night Football win over the Chicago Bears and the defenseless Jay Cutler. The Lions will now host the San Francisco 49ers, who have quietly compiled a 4-1 record and have quickly embodied head coach Jim Harbaugh's hard-nosed style. They are running the ball effectively, using Vernon Davis properly and putting Alex Smith in high-success situations.

The defense has also been great against the run.

The Lions have been explosive almost solely based on the Calvin Johnson effect. Megatron has nine TD receptions through this early season. Matthew Stafford has been a bit inaccurate, especially when he isn't throwing to the un-missable Johnson. I think the 'Niners become the new story of the NFL with an upset win on the road in Detroit.

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are favored to defeat the Carolina Panthers in the Georgia Dome, but they won't. This will be the first big victory in the career of Cam Newton, the first of many. The Falcons are struggling to be consistent. Last week, they had the Packers reeling but couldn't finish them off.

The Panthers' offense is legitimate and formidable, and Matt Ryan and the Falcons will struggle to keep pace. I'm taking the Panthers in an upset.