NFL Picks, Week 6: Panthers-Falcons, Saints-Buccaneers, Cowboys-Patriots And More

NFL Odds found here.

The picks:

Carolina @ Atlanta (-4 1/2). It's week six, and Atlanta has its first 1 p.m. home game. The subdued atmosphere and dimmer spotlight is what this team needs to get its head together. I wanted to pick against Atlanta this week - truly, I did - but this game just seems to have heavy bounceback potential. Carolina has been exciting to watch this season, but I'm not sure they're actually any good. PICK: Atlanta

Indianapolis @ Cincinnati (-8). Let's celebrate the Bengals right now, because this might not last for long. But the team, originally destined for 1-15, is 3-2 and showing signs of life for the future. This bunch of ragtag misfits is an 8-point favorite, which is impressive even if it is the Colts on the other side of the ball. That's something nobody thought they'd see this year. And a quick glance at the remaining schedule shows four losses (two each against Baltimore and Pittsburgh), but a whole lot of winnable games - Seattle, Cleveland, Houston, St. Louis, Arizona. An 8-8 finish would feel like a 15-1 for these guys. PICK: Cincinnati

San Francisco @ Detroit (-4). Reports out of San Francisco have these 49ers as one of the most harmonious teams in NFL history - just a bunch of believers who honestly think they'll be wearing rings by season's end. And that's all well and good, and it's a fun team to watch. But it's still the 49ers. It's still Alex Smith. And oh yeah, it's a blood-sniffing Detroit crowd that fully believes in its even-more-fun-to-watch squad. The 49ers come back down to Earth. PICK: Detroit

St. Louis @ Green Bay (-15 1/2). Say what you want, Falcons fans, but at least we haven't (yet) had to read a "Does Atlanta take Andrew Luck in the draft?" story. St. Louis, on the other hand, is one of those teams supposedly locked in at quarterback with Sam Bradford, yet could possibly be headed for an off-season of that nonsense. A fat 0-4, with the next three games against Dallas, Green Bay and New Orleans. So I have to ask, does St. Louis take Andrew Luck in the draft? PICK: Green Bay

Buffalo @ NY Giants (-3). I think Buffalo is officially exiting "cute story" status and entering "Thank God they're in the AFC, because they're totally taking somebody's playoff spot" territory. New York, on the other hand, just got humiliated by Seattle, and its 3-2 record is a bit spotty with eke-outs against Arizona, St. Louis and the godawful, wretched 1-4 Philadelphia Eagles (I love typing that). Expect the Giants to go down two home games in a row, in games they assuredly marked off as W's in the preseason. PICK: Buffalo

Jacksonville @ Pittsburgh (-13 1/2). Boy the NFL Network is probably super-excited to be airing December's Jaguars-Falcons game in prime-time. A ratings bonanza, I tell ya. By the way, I'm still contending the Steelers are an exceedingly average non-playoff team, but you won't be able to tell on Sunday. PICK: Pittsburgh

Philadelphia (-1 1/2) @ Washington. "The 3-1 NFC East leaders face-off against the division's 1-4 cellar dwellers!" Now go back two months, and know that sentence is truly describing this game. How much would you bet on the 3-1 team being the Eagles? A grand? A finger? A decade's salary? I love the NFL. PICK: Washington

Houston @ Baltimore (-9). The Texans pulled off the rare midseason NFL trade this week, landing Derrick Mason from the Jets. Mason, a 37-year-old former Oiler. That's right. So basically, don't be expecting him to slip right into Andre Johnson's injured shoes and give the hobbling Texas team any kind of chance. PICK: Baltimore

Cleveland @ Oakland (-7 1/2). The Raiders players no longer have to pretend they're sad about Al Davis, so that can only improve their focus. PICK: Oakland

Dallas @ New England (-7). Much like Atlanta, Dallas would seem to be completely out of contention if you listened to the fanbase grumbling. But the Cowboys are 2-2, with a 3-point loss to the Jets and a 4-point loss to the Lions as the negative marks (neither embarrassing, if you don't pay attention to how they lost). Add in the actually impressive wins - over the 4-1 49ers and 3-1 Redskins - and the Cowboys suddenly seem a little more lively. PICK: Dallas

New Orleans (-4 1/2) @ Tampa Bay. Perhaps the scariest thing about the Falcons season is the teams that beat Atlanta - Packers aside - haven't really looked serviceable in their other games. Chicago has crawled to a 2-3 record, and the Bucs barely beat the Colts and Vikings, and were slaughtered by the 49ers to the tune of 48-3.n other. PICK: New Orleans

Minnesota @ Chicago (-2). Not sure I get this one. Sure, the Bears looked like roasted butt against the Lions (Jay Cutler aside - really), and the Vikings showed a little life against the Cardinals - but two points in Chicago? . PICK: Chicago

Miami @ NY Jets (-8). I remember one day, like two years ago, when I actually had this thought: "Wow, the Panthers are going to be tough for the next few years with Matt Moore at quarterback." I realize that doesn't engender too much faith in my NFL knowledge, and I don't blame you for immediately fleeing this column and clicking on one of your porn bookmarks. But there might have been a brief, long-forgotten moment you thought that too. And if you wonder why I'm bringing this up now, Mr. Moore is now starting for the Dolphins after Chad Henne's "injury" (which assuredly is 100% real and has nothing to do with Andrew Luck). Let's just say I don't fear him as much anymore. PICK: New York

Last week: 9-4-0
Yearly total: 44-31-2