Week 6 NFL Game Picks: Cardinals Handed First Loss? Chargers vs Ravens Shootout!

 After a week centered around crazy special teams hi-jinx and down to the wire games we head into a week 6 wondering if it will be more of the same. There are some crazy good match-ups this weekend and we are here to say how we think they will go down. Let's get into the picks. 

Week 5 Predictions Record: 10-6
2021 Season Overall: 52-28

Thursday Night Football - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (2-3)

An interesting match for TNF this week. The Eagles have so much promise on offense but can't really seem to finish out a game. They actually did last week against the Panthers but that felt like an outlier. They are on the cusp of being good again but I don't know if they are there yet. Tom Brady and the Bucs are rolling again after a strange two-week stretch. They smashed the Dolphins at home this week and come into this game with a head of steam. Jalen Hurts will make things entertaining as always, but the Bucs will handle this one from the start as the Eagle's D won't be able to keep up with Antonio Brown (who I predict to have a big game) and the rest of the Bucs offense.

The Pick: Buccaneers 33, Eagles 23

LONDON Game - Miami Dolphins (1-4) *at* Jacksonville Jaguars (0-5)

A second-straight week with a London game and a second-straight week in which the game features two bottom-feeding teams. I actually think for what's its worth, this could be a close and fun match-up. The Jags are sort of the home team here as they play in London more often than any other team and have a lot of fans across the pond. Will Trevor Lawrence and Urban Meyer get their first NFL wins in another country? WE SAY YES! The Dolphins have looked terrible lately and we like James Robinson to run wild again in this game against the Dolphins terrible run D. Jags go to 1-0 across the globe.

The Pick: Jaguars 28, Dolphins 24 

Los Angeles Chargers (4-1) at Baltimore Ravens (4-1)

Why this isn't a primetime game, we do not know. What we do know is that this one is going to be insanely fun to watch and carry major playoff implications for down the line. Both of these elite teams are coming off of crazy wins from week 5. Both QBs are also coming off career games in which they both deserved recognition for player of the week for. While it is hard to bet against the Ravens who continue to prove they are never out of a game, I think their luck runs out against one of the most creative defensive minds in Brandon Staley coupled with the offensive power of Justin Herbert, Mike Williams, and Austin Ekeler. I could easily be very wrong on this one but we have the Chargers in an instant classic.

The Pick: Chargers 35, Ravens 32

Minnesota Vikings (2-3) at Carolina Panthers (3-2)

This is a fun match-up against two wildcard hopefuls in the NFC. While it is early in the season, this game may carry massive playoff implications for later in the season. While the Vikings are coming off a lucky win against the Lions, the Panthers are coming off a second-straight loss and do not want to make it 3 in a row. Luckily for them, Christian McCaffrey is likely to return from a multi-week injury absence in this one. The Panthers offense needs him. The Vikings are probably getting Dalvin Cook back as well so two of the league's best RBs will be out there likely on Sunday. This will be a fun one til the end but we like the Panthers to snap the losing streak.

The Pick: Panthers 29, Vikings 24

Los Angeles Rams (4-1) at New York Giants (1-4)

Not going to talk much about this one. One of the best teams in football vs one of the worst. This in no way feels like a potential trap game for the Rams either. The Giants are super banged up and may be without all 4 of their starting WRs, Daniel Jones, and Saquon Barkley. If Kadarius Toney plays, look for him to be the only bright spot on a bad Giants team.

The Pick: Rams 37, Giants 20

Houston Texans (1-4) at Indianapolis Colts (1-4)

AFC South crapshoot game here. I'm not gonna drag this one on either as even though they have the same records right now, the Colts are a much better team and should have more wins than their record suggests. As crazy as it may sound, the Colts really aren't out of the playoff picture yet because the AFC South title is still so up for grabs with the Titans losing games here and there as well. The Colts will be hungry after that heartbreaking loss on MNF and will stick it to the Texans.

The Pick: Colts 30, Texans 18 

Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) at Washington Football Team (2-3)

A game I was pretty excited about before the season. Not as much right now as both teams are way underperforming expectations. It's panic time in KC. The Chiefs do not look like they have a deep playoff run in them right now with how awful their defense has been. They give any team they play a chance in that right. Taylor Heinicke has not been bad filling in as the team's starting QB and I think he might have his best game yet in this one with the weak opposition. This one will be close, but I think the Chiefs stop the skid in a game they should win. It will be close.

The Pick: Chiefs 31, WFT 30

Green Bay Packers (4-1) at Chicago Bears (3-2)

The Bears continue to find ways to win ugly while the Packers have been hot, but too won ugly last week. Though he is questionable with injury, we expect to see Justin Fields out there against Aaron Rodgers for the first time in his career. An NFC North QB battle that we are going to be excited to see. If Fields plays, this is a potential trap game for the Packers. I think the Bears D is better than most give them credit for and Fields will make things hard for the Packer D. Ultimately, I still see Green Bay winning this one, but I like the chances of it being closer than Packer fans might acknowledge.

The Pick: Packers 28, Bears 20

Cincinnati Bengals (3-2) at Detroit Lions (0-5)

Both of these squads are coming off of heartbreaking losses a week ago. The Lions are a team with so much spirit and passion but just can't find a way to win. The Bengals have been so impressive and were as close as they can get to upsetting the Packers and putting the NFL on alert. As much as it hurts to say about the Lions, they are probably going to get smoked by these Bengals on Sunday. Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase are going to be hungry to win again and this Lions D is atrocious. The Bengals get back on track in this game.

The Pick: Bengals 25, Lions 16

Arizona Cardinals (5-0) at Cleveland Browns (3-2)

Just like the Chargers and Ravens game, why isn't this a primetime game?? We get to see the NFL's lone unbeaten team go on the road to face another elite team in the Cleveland Browns. The Browns are a team we like a lot of go deep in the playoffs this year and contend for a Super Bowl, but do they drop a second game straight and fall to .500 against the hottest team in the NFL? We say NO! The Browns will possess the football for double the time as the Cardinals and win it with their run game and defense. They will stun MVP-front-runner Kyler Murray and company. Baker Mayfield's team gets the best of Murray in the battle of former OU QBs who have won the Heisman and were no. 1 overall picks!

The Pick: Browns 37, Cardinals 33

Dallas Cowboys (4-1) at New England Patriots (2-3)

An underrated match-up of week 6 is this later window game that features two of America's most iconic sports franchises. We will get to see Dak and this high-flying Cowboy offense squaring off against the Bill Belichick lead stout Patriots defense. Despite barely beating the Texans last week, I think the Patriots do best when they are counted out. No one is going to have them standing a chance against this white-hot Cowboys team. I'm tempted to pick the upset here, but I won't. Cowboys win a close one that features both team's very good defensive units. I think we see Trevon Diggs keep the INT streak alive against Mac Jones as well.

The Pick: Cowboys 27, Patriots 24

Las Vegas Raiders (3-2) at Denver Broncos (3-2)

A rough couple of days for the Raiders. After losing a major upset to the Bears, HC Jon Gruden then resigned as the teams coach on Monday. They've lost two straight and now have to undergo some major personnel changes. The Broncos haven't been too hot either lately as they too have lost back-to-back games and look like they might be pretenders in the AFC after a 3-0 start. This might be a sloppy, gritty kind of game where defense rules, but I'm gonna take the home team who isn't down a head coach and plays with a QB who rarely turns the ball over.

The Pick: Broncos 24, Raiders 17

Sunday Night Football - Seattle Seahawks (2-3) at Pittsburgh Steelers (2-3)

The eyes of the NFL world will watch as the Seahawks play their first game without Russell Wilson in 10-years. He will be out 3-6 weeks with a finger injury which abruptly ushers in the Geno Smith-era in Seattle. Smith won't have an easy one as he faces the stout Pittsburgh defense in a very hostile environment. While there are much better match-ups this week, it is fun that this game is primetime. Geno Smith vs Big Ben. Two random QBs at this moment in time. This game could have a lot of errors and 3-and-outs. I think it stays close throughout and sets up a wildly entertaining 4th-quarter in which Geno Smith does his best Russell Wilson impression and leads Seattle to a much-needed win. As a football fan, I'm actually pretty excited to see how this game plays out.

The Pick: Seahawks 26, Steelers 23

Monday Night Football - Buffalo Bills (4-1) at Tennessee Titans (3-2)

The stars will be out on Monday night this week. We will see the Bills with all of their stars taking on Derrick Henry and the Titans. The Bills are on fire right now and seem to be the best team in the AFC, if not the entire NFL. The Titans have been barely winning games and pounding the rock as usual with Derrick Henry. Both sides will be eager win in a game that is sure to have AFC playoff implications. While the Bills have been so good and are such big favorites, I think this one is going to be a much better game than some might think. The Titans style of offense is not what the Bills are used to defending. The Titans win by possessing the football for long periods of time while the Bills strike quickly and then put a lot of trust in their defense. For me, this game is a toss-up. 

The Pick: Bills 28, Titans 27 (OT)