NFL Picks Week 6: Baltimore Ravens and Home Favorites That Will Cover Easily

As is usually the case in the NFL, the vast majority of home teams are favored in Week 6. In many cases it is because the home team is superior, but some of the games seem too close to call with the home team being favored simply because of home-field advantage.

Whatever the case, the oddsmakers just seemed to love the home team this week. Despite that, I like a lot of underdogs this week, but there will certainly be several favorites that cover as well.

Here are three home favorites that should have no trouble covering in Week 6.

New England Patriots

In what should be an absolute shootout, the New England Patriots will host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Both teams have some deficiencies defensively, particularly against the pass, but both teams also feature very explosive offenses.

The Cowboys are a tough team to figure out because they seem to have all the talent in the world, but quarterback Tony Romo and co. seem to find crazy ways to lose games. New England, on the other hand, always is able to overcome its shortcomings and come out on top.

With many of Romo's weapons like Miles Austin and Dez Bryant still recovering from injuries, I don't think the Cowboys will be able to keep up with Tom Brady and New England's offense. Because of that, I expect the Patriots to cover the seven-point spread by a couple scores.

Detroit Lions

At 5-0, the Detroit Lions are the feel-good story of the NFL this season, but they certainly aren't a fluke. A high-powered passing offense anchored by quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Calvin Johnson and a ferocious pass rush makes them as complete as they come.

At the same time, the 4-1 San Francisco 49ers have surprised many as well. The Niners have gotten the job done with solid defense and a mistake-free offense, but they haven't been quite as impressive as the flashy Lions.

I think the Lions will prove that they have plenty of substance in addition to their style on Sunday, though. Niners' quarterback Alex Smith has held up to this point, but he might run into some problems if Detroit ratchets up the pressure. The Lions are on a roll and I expect them to easily cover the 4.5-point line.

Baltimore Ravens

Although the Baltimore Ravens experienced a bit of a hiccup in Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans, they have been otherwise dominant in a 3-1 start. The Ravens' defense is as good as ever, and the offense is incredibly well-balanced with quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice.

The 3-2 Houston Texans have started off well too, but a tough loss to the Oakland Raiders last week has sapped a bit of their momentum. The Texans will be without stud wide receiver Andre Johnson against the Ravens, making an already daunting task even tougher.

If Baltimore is able to stop running back Arian Foster, then the Texans don't have many other weapons that can do much damage. The Ravens should be able to move the ball on offense despite Houston's improved defense, and cover the seven-point spread with relative ease.