The Week 6 Picks

Sunday, October 14, 2007

The Match-up: Tennessee (+3.0) @ Tampa Bay
The Skinny: Bucs coach Jon Gruden is looking for a running back, even mentioning CB Ronde Barber’s twin brother by name. No such issues for Tennessee, whose QB is a better running back than anyone on Tampa’s active roster.
Straight Up: Tennessee
Against the Spread: Tennessee

The Match-up: Minnesota (+5.0) @ Chicago
The Skinny: The Bears absolutely had to have last week’s win over Green Bay to stay within shouting distance in the NFC North. Lucky for them, the Packers obliged.
Straight Up: Chicago
Against the Spread: Chicago

The Match-up: Houston (+6.5) @ Jacksonville
The Skinny: Don’t look now, but the Jaguars are 3-1, playing good defense, and their running game is starting to round into form. It’s a shame they don’t play in the NFC or they may have clinched a playoff berth by now.
Straight Up: Jacksonville
Against the Spread: Houston

The Match-up: Miami (+4.5) @ Cleveland
The Skinny: Enough with the Joey Porter vs. Kellen Winslow trash talk. Can we just let the two of them beat each other into submission so we don’t have to watch them play this week?
Straight Up: Cleveland
Against the Spread: Cleveland

The Match-up: St. Louis (+9.5) @ Baltimore
The Skinny: The Ravens squeaked by a San Francisco team quarterbacked by Trent Dilfer. This week they get a Rams team with Gus Frerotte under center. Seems we’ve been down this road before…
Straight Up: Baltimore
Against the Spread: St. Louis

The Match-up: Washington (+3.0) @ Green Bay
The Skinny: Here’s the story of the Packers running game. It stinks. The end. Not being able to run the ball against a very good Redskins defense means Green Bay will follow its 8-game winning streak with a two-game slide.
Straight Up: Washington
Against the Spread: Washington

The Match-up: Cincinnati (-3.0) @ Kansas City
The Skinny: How bad is the AFC West? The Chiefs are 2-3 and have scored 63 points this season. That’s good enough for second place in the division, a half game behind the surging Oakland Raiders. I only wish I was kidding.
Straight Up: Cincinnati
Against the Spread: Cincinnati

The Match-up: Philadelphia (-3.0) @ New York Jets
The Skinny: I know it seems like the sky is falling in Philly. But starting this week, the Eagles go to New York to take on the 1-4 Jets, then host the 2-3 Bears (with this guy in attendance), then get the Vikings in Minnesota. Loosely translated – the Birds sould be 4-3 heading into their Monday nighter with Dallas, a.k.a. the worst 5-0 team in history.
Straight Up: Philadelphia
Against the Spread: Philadelphia

The Match-up: Carolina (+4.0) @ Arizona
The Skinny: Good back up QB situation? Arizona’s Matt Leinart goes down for the season with a broken collarbone and is replaced by a two-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion. Bad back up QB situation? Carolina’s Jake Del-overrated is done for the year with an elbow injury, meaning the Panthers will start either David Carr and his ailing back or 62-year old Vinny Testaverde, who was signed this week.
Straight Up: Arizona
Against the Spread: Arizona

The Match-up: Oakland (+9.5) @ San Diego
The Skinny: Sorry, but a 41-3 beat down of the Broncos does not mean the Chargers are back. Denver isn’t even as good as their 2-3 record. San Diego may win again and start to put a streak together, but the Raiders will make them earn it.
Straight Up: San Diego
Against the Spread: Oakland

The Match-up: New England (-5.5) @ Dallas
The Skinny: Dallas may be unbeaten, but they’re highly overrated. They beat the Giants despite surrendering 35 points, then struggled with winless Miami (trailing in the second half), beat the Bears (not that good), knocked off the winless Rams, then needed smoke and mirrors to overtake the 1-4 Buffalo Bills. Dallas’ opponents are a combined 6-19. New England is going to beat them by at least 20.
Straight Up: New England
Against the Spread: New England

The Match-up: New Orleans (+6.5) @ Seattle
The Skinny: Break out the paper bags, Saints fans, "The Ain’ts" are back!
Straight Up: Seattle
Against the Spread: Seattle

Monday, October 15, 2007

The Match-up: New York Giants (-3.5) @ Atlanta
The Skinny: Not sure if it matters whether or not the Falcons start Joey Harrington or Byron Leftwich at quarterback. Either way, they could learn a lesson from the Eagles and try to block Osi Umenyiora.
Straight Up: New York Giants
Against the Spread: New York Giants

Bye: Buffalo, Denver, Detroit, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, San Francisco
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Week 5: 9-5 straight up; 7-7 against the spread
Season: 44-32; 30-40-6