Week 6 NFL Picks

 Week 5 ended in a draw but it was still a better week than the one Robert Salah had.

Last Week: 7-7
Season: 32-44-2

Niners at Seahawks (+3.5)

Two of Week 5’s biggest letdowns square off in a Thursday mid-off. This is going to seem like an overreaction to last week’s walk-off loss to Arizona, but I don’t think San Francisco is good and on the road on four days rest without their best corner against Seattle’s three-headed monster at wideout sounds like a recipe for another L. The jury is still out on the Seahawks, but there’s enough talent there to at least cover.

Pick: Seahawks

Jaguars at Bears (+1)

Jacksonville being favored (even if it’s by one) is hilarious considering they’re a bottom-five NFL team and this is technically an “away” game for them. Maybe oddsmakers believe the Jags’ familiarity playing in London gives them an edge but Caleb Williams and the Bears are cooking lately. I wouldn’t be surprised if England gets another coach fired after this.

Pick: Bears

Cardinals at Packers (-5.5)

His tendency to throw mind-boggling picks aside, Jordan Love hasn’t missed a step since returning from an MCL injury. The Cardinals don’t have the defense to slow down this Packers offense and Jaire Alexander’s return might keep Green Bay from allowing Arizona get the back-door cover.

Pick: Packers

Browns at Eagles (-8.5)

Kevin Stefanski is either a glutton for punishment or is desperately trying to get the Browns to fire him. That’s the only explanation I can think of for why he’s sticking with what’s left of Deshaun Watson at this point. Cleveland’s battered offensive line can’t protect Watson, which works out for an Eagles pass rush that’s second to last in sacks. 8.5 points is a lot but the Browns might be the worst team in football.

Pick: Eagles 

Texans at Patriots (+6.5)

Drake Maye will make his first NFL start, and he should be able to move the ball better than Jacoby Brissett did, but even a Nico Collins-less Texans team should have little trouble with the worst teams in football.

Pick: Texans

Colts at Titans (-3)

Both Anthony Richardson and Will Levis have been ridiculously mid this season but duty requires me to pick a winner. Tennessee has the better defense and they’re at home. So, they get my vote to suck a little less.

Pick: Titans

Bucs at Saints (+3.5)

With Derek Carr out and the Saints slowly working themselves into position to get a top QB in next year’s draft, Spencer Rattler has an opportunity to prove he’s New Orleans’ guy. Even if Rattler performs better than his predecessor, it’s hard to imagine him winning a shootout with Baker Mayfield and the Bucs.

Pick: Bucs

Commanders at Ravens (-7)

The Commanders are the NFL’s flavor of the week, led by exciting rookie Jayden Daniels. Daniels vs Lamar Jackson should lead to plenty of highlights and, while Baltimore is a significantly better team, I think there’s enough JD magic to keep it close.

Pick: Commanders

Chargers at Broncos (+3)

The Broncos have quietly won three straight thanks to a stout defense and a continually improving Bo Nix. Nix hasn’t faced a defense quite like the Chargers’ and that step up in difficulty should bring this Denver streak to a halt.

Pick: Chargers 

Steelers at Raiders (+3)

Unless Tom Brady trades in his minority stake in the Raiders for a helmet and shoulder pads, the season is pretty much over for Las Vegas. The Steelers may be frauds but there’s enough there to beat a Raiders’ team ready to raise the white flag.

Pick: Steelers

Falcons at Panthers (+6)

That one week where it looked like the Panthers might turn things around with Andy Dalton sure was fun, right? Conversely, Kirk Cousins continues to earn his money for the Falcons and there’s no reason to think that’ll change this week.

Pick: Falcons 

Lions at Cowboys (+3.5)

Don’t let last week’s upset over the Steelers distract you from the fact Dallas has no pass rush, no running game and a bad offensive line. All of those factors pretty much nuke their chances of beating Detroit.

Pick: Lions 

Bengals at Giants (+3.5)

At some point, we’re going to have to take the Giants seriously.

That won’t be this week though. The Bengals desperately need a win, especially after squandering Joe Burrow’s 392-yard, five-touchdown performed against the Ravens last week.

Pick: Bengals

Bills at Jets (+2)

We can debate whether Robert Salah deserved to be fired this early into the season (if at all) and how much Aaron Rodgers had to do with it, but there’s no questioning the Jets’ Super Bowl chances takes a huge hit with inexperienced Jeff Ulbrich running the show.  Unless the changes on the sideline unlock New York’s immense potential, a showdown with the Bills will only add to their problems.

Pick: Bills

Week 6 Picks

Last Week: 8-7-1

Season: 40-37-3

Commanders (-1) over Bears 

Going up against playoff baseball and preseason in two other major sports, the NFL threw its hands up in defeat and put two of the worst teams in football on primetime. It’s hard to predict a showdown between Carson Wentz and Justin Fields but the only certainty is it will be hard to watch.

Jets (+7.5) over Packers

The logic here is the same as in past weeks: Until the Packers prove they can dominate a team not named the Bears, it’s silly to take them with a spread this high. Meanwhile, the Jets are coming off trouncing the Dolphins and have won three of their last four. Gang Green with the upset.

Browns (-2.5) over Patriots

The Patriots are banged up and the days of Bill Belichick being able to scheme through his team’s shortcomings are over. The Browns have been competitive in every game this season and this shouldn’t be any different.

Jaguars (+1.5) over Colts

Typically, if a spread is too good to be true, it probably is. The Colts are without Jonathan Taylor and they’ve been awful all season, including squeaking by equally embarrassing Denver last week. The Jags are better than the team who shit the bed last week against the Texans and they’ll prove it here.

Vikings (-3) over Dolphins

Minnesota has won three straight while Miami is trotting out third-string seventh-round rookie Skylar Thompson at QB. This should be all Vikings but crazier things have happened.

Bengals (-3) over Saints

The Saints are missing every receiver short of Joe Horn and the Bengals need this one to stay in the AFC North hunt. Joe Burrow shows out in his return to Louisiana.

Giants (+5.5) over Ravens

The jury is still out on whether this Giants team is good but I think they’re competent enough to keep it close. Ravens by 3.

Buccaneers (-9.5) over Steelers

Tampa Bay is finally starting to get healthy while Pittsburgh might be the worst team in football. The Brady Bunch tear down Pickett’s fences here.

Rams (-10) over Panthers

The Panthers already threw the towel in on this season by firing head coach Matt Rhule and putting star RB Christian McCaffrey on the trading block. As disappointing as the Rams are, there’s no reason to believe they won’t rout here.

Seahawks (+2.5) over Cardinals

Calling it now: this will be rookie RB Kenneth Walker’s coming out party. The surprising Seahawks steal one from a Cardinals team that seems to find ways to lose. 

Bills (-2.5) over Chiefs

This should be a shootout between the two best offenses in football. Buffalo is better defensively and can establish the run to keep Patrick Mahomes off the field, so I give them the edge.

Cowboys (+6.5) over Eagles

The City of Brotherly Love are poised to have a big sports week with the Phillies advancing to the NLCS and the Sixers opening their season up Tuesday. The Eagles might be the best team in the NFC but I don’t think they are a touchdown better than the Cowboys. Philly by 6.

Chargers (-4.5) over Broncos

One day, the NFL will stop putting this Broncos team on national television and the world will rejoice. Until that day, we all get suffer through Russell Wilson reprising his role as football’s Old Yeller.

Week 6 NFL Picks

Guess who's back??

The excitement of our trip to FedEx Field to see his boys must have fried Mr. Mario Brothers' brain. Dave mustered only four wins and picked a few monumental losses. (How's that Detroit 40-burger taste?) I, on the other hand, was sensible, thoughtful, and watched eight of my picks come through. I believe that gives this Puerto Rican the season series lead for the moment, although we are both still under .500 for the year.

Last Week:

Gabe: 8-4

Dave: 4-8

Season:

Gabe: 33-37-2

Dave: 31-39-2

On to week 6 and as always, these lines are courtesy of Danny Sheridan at the USA Today.

San Diego (-9) at St. Louis

Gabe: San Diego - Last week the Rams were housed by the Lions. San Diego lost to Oakland. The Chargers and Norv Turner are notoriously slow starters and this is the point in the season when they usually start turning things around. Is there a better opponent against which to right the ship than St. Louis? I don't think so. Chargers by double digits.

Dave: San Diego - Rams wideouts are dropping like flies. I think they are another season-ending injury from dialing up Az Hakim to make a come back. I still think San Diego sucks, especially after how violently they shit the bed last week against Oakland, but even an epic failure like the Chargers should be able to take care of business against a wounded Rams squad. Chargers by 10.

Kansas City (+4.5) at Houston

Gabe: Kansas City - The Chiefs finally came back to Earth last week. Houston looked terrible in losing to my Giants. The Texans have schizophrenic all year and I think both teams will have a hangover. This game appears to be a test of strengths, good offense versus good defense. Quick, which team in the NFL is giving up the fewest points per game? Trick question, it's the Atlanta Falcons. But a scant quarter point per game behind them is Kansas City. I don't know if KC will pull out the win, but I think they'll keep it close. Put me down for Houston by 3.

Dave: Kansas City - I really don't know what to make of the Texans. I mean, they should be at least above average by now given the talent they have, right? After getting smoked by The Big Adobo's Giants last week, I'm back into "Believe It When I See It" mode with Houston. The loss of Duane Brown has clearly muted this offense and the D can't be stout forever, even with Brian Cushing back. As for Kansas City, Dwayne Bowe's Roberto Duran hands against Indy kept them from possibly pulling an upset over the Colts or, at the very least, covering the spread and giving me my 5th win. Regardless, this is a good test for Kansas City and I think the Chiefs pass it with flying colors.

Baltimore (+2.5) at New England

Gabe: Baltimore - This pick has less to do with New England and more to do with how much I love the way the Ravens' defense is playing right now. Baltimore is also riding a three game winning streak. When this team is on a roll they are almost unstoppable, especially with Ray Lewis leading them. Fifteen years in the league and that guy is still an animal. Ravens win outright in a mild upset.

Dave: Baltimore - Lest we forget, the last time these two teams met, the Ravens steamrolled the Pats in the playoffs. Since then, the Pats D got older, Brady's hair got gayer and his #1 weapon is now catching balls from Brett Favre and his penis. I know ESPN would love for New England to pull it out here so they can spend another week slurping the Pats and running "Life Without Moss" specials and leading Sportscenter with Justin Bieber battle raps about Tom Terrific, but I see the Ravens D bringing the lumber here and shutting Brady's Bunch down. Ravens by 14.

New Orleans (-4) at Tampa Bay

Gabe: New Orleans - The Saints, to quote something Tony Kornheiser said this week, have to learn that they just can't roll the ball out there and win because they're the champs. They have to play, and play well, to win. They have a target on their back every week. Earlier I said the best team against which to right the ship is St. Louis. Well, it might also be Tampa Bay. The Saints need this game to get back on track and I think they coast and win by 10.

Dave: Tampa Bay - I have no faith in the defending champs. None. Gabe has a better chance of playing the lead role in the Jon Secada biopic than the Saints do of making the playoffs this year. Getting housed by the lowly Cards led by "Mad" Max Hall? Seriously? I can't help but think Drew Brees is feeling the effects of the "Madden Curse" and this offense is sputtering because of it(well, that, and their failure to get anyone resembling a running back in the offseason). Meanwhile, the Bucs may very well be not horrible. They're young. They have a terrible coach, but they have some potential. Enough potential to keep things close against the Saints? I say yes.

Atlanta (+1.5) at Philadelphia

Gabe: Atlanta - I have no idea who to pick in this game. I hate the Eagles, so go Falcons!

Dave: Atlanta - I'd like this matchup more if a. Mike Vick was starting and b. It was in Atlanta. Vick will probably get some work in here after Kevin Kolb checks down to LeSean McCoy for the 11th time(read: after the 4th drive), and it wouldn't surprise me if he busts up his ribs again trying to stick it to his old mates. Still, Atlanta may be the best team in the NFC and the Eagles have gotten very lucky all season with the way they've pulled some of these wins out(especially against SF last week). Falcons by 6.

Detroit (+10) at N.Y. Giants

Gabe: Detroit - Don't let either of last week's games fool you. Both teams will be flying high after their wins. C.C. Brown has been making comments about Eli and the New York media is blowing them out of proportion. The Giants defense is playing great right now, but this is exactly the kind of the game that causes the Giants to shit the bed. I think they'll win, but ten points is way too many. Giants by a touchdown.

Dave: New York - 10 points is a lot to hand Capt. Flan of San Juan's Giants, but look at the ass-whooping Big Blue has put on Chicago and Houston the last two weeks. The Lions may have looked good against St. Louis last week, but their O-Line is too porous to stop this New York pass rush. I think Shaun Hill gets knocked out, Matt Stafford gets rushed in, and the Giants have this thing won by halftime. Giants by 17.

Seattle (+6) at Chicago

Gabe: Chicago - Seattle sucks and the Bears are good enough to beat bad teams at home, I think. Jay Cutler will have a good game and the Bears win by double digits.

Dave: Chicago - In all honesty, I don't know if EITHER of these teams are any good. Bears had eek out a win against Carolina, granted without Jay Cutler, and before that, they got their shit rocked by the Giants. Seattle has pulled off a couple upsets, but they aren't much to sweat either. I think Cutler has a bad day at the office coming off that concussion but Matt Forte carries the Bears to a 7-point W.

Miami (+3) at Green Bay

Gabe: Miami - Last week Dave and I witnessed the Packers' collapse in Washington first hand. When Clay Matthews Jr. went down it was like the air was let out of the Packers' defense. They are also without Jermichael Finley and a bunch of other players. That's just too many injuries. I'm calling the Dolphins' straight up win in my....wait for it...sorry Dave...upset special!

Dave: Miami - I thought it would take at least until midseason before I started picking my Packers' opponents to win in an effort to jinx them. Nope. This Packers team is more beat up than Rihanna after the BET Awards. Finley's out. Grant's out. Barnett's out. A-Rod's woozy. Clay's hobbled. I think this one will be tighter than a R.Kelly playdate but I have no faith in my boys to pull one out after last week's debacle(although, the Redskins owe that W to some really shitty officiating).

Cleveland (+14) at Pittsburgh

Gabe: Pittsburgh - Cleveland might be starting Jake Delhomme at quarterback. Pittsburgh is at home, it's a division game, and the Browns suck out loud. Steelers by 20.

Dave: Pittsburgh - Whether it's Jake Delhomme starting, as Young Don Omar suggests, or Colt McCoy, as ESPN is reporting, the Browns stand as much of a chance of beating Pittsburgh as Mary Kate Olsen does of beating Kirstie Alley in a pie-eating contest. Big Ben is back, and even though he's going to be rusty, this Steelers team is too good not to drop Cleveland on their heads.

N.Y. Jets (-3.5) at Denver

Gabe: N.Y. Jets - I now believe in Kyle Orton. I also believe in the Jets' defense. I also believe that good defense beats good offense nine times out of ten. Give me the Jets, their D, and a seven point win.

Dave: Jets - Kyle Orton has made the Broncos look like geniuses for pulling off that Jay Cutler trade(even if they did botch the draft picks in said deal), but it's asking a lot to have him pick apart this Jets D with no running game. Speaking of running game, L.T. owns the Broncos and I expect that trend to continue. Jets by 14.

Oakland (+7) at San Francisco

Gabe: Oakland - Can San Francisco lose six in a row? To quote their head coach..."Can't do it. Won't do it." If they can't get riled up and pull out a win, to save their season, against their bay area rivals, then they should just pack it in. That said, seven points is too many. This is going to be a close game either way.

Dave: San Francisco - Screw it, I'm game. If Detroit taught us anything last week, it's that a desperate team with talent playing an inferior opponent is going to eventually put it all together and wreck shop. The Niners can't possibly be this bad. Is a touchdown a lot to give an 0-5 team? Sure, but the Raiders are due for a let down after last week's upset and nothing says disappointment better than the words "Starting QB Jason Campbell". Niners by 9.

Dallas (+1.5) at Minnesota

Gabe: Minnesota - Who needs this win more? I don't know. Both teams need this win to keep their seasons from unraveling. Dallas has no leadership and Minnesota has bad leadership. Both teams are among the most talented in the league, on both sides of the ball. I'll take Minnesota to win because they are at home and because they might have a nutty quarterback who makes bad decisions, but they don't have a coaching staff that doesn't understand how to use their talent. Jason Garrett and Wade Philips should both be prepping their resumes.

Dave: Dallas - I'm really going to regret this pick. Randy Moss has always owned the Cowboys after Jerry's boys passed on him in the draft. The problem is, Moss is now catching his passes from Brett Favre and his penis, and the Cowboys, well, they've ALWAYS owned Favre. I think Favre's ego forces him to go out there and play with that bum elbow and he ends up either getting knocked out by halftime or just completely throwing this game away. Cowboys need this one a little more, so I'll begrudgingly take the 'Boys here.

Indianapolis (-3) at Washington

Gabe: Indianapolis - Washington got lucky last weekend and Indy struggled when they shouldn't have. I think Indy flexes their muscle under the lights. Peyton Manning simply does not lose in prime time. Indy by a touchdown.

Dave: Indianapolis - Read this very carefully: YOU DO NOT GO AGAINST PEYTON MANNING AT NIGHT. You don't do it. Ever. Meanwhile, who is Dan Snyder blowing to get the Redskins on Sunday night this many times in the first 6 weeks of the season? Colts by 13.

Tennessee (-3) at Jacksonville

Gabe: Tennessee - Both teams are totally one dimensional on offense. The Titans can at least play a little defense. They'll stop Mojo and in by 6.

Dave: Tennessee - Both of these teams were terrible last year. What made any of the schedule-makers think this game will be watchable in primetime? Because it's Chris Johnson vs. Maurice Jones-Drew? So what! I'll take the Titans here because they have the better back, the D is a bit more competent, and Kenny Britt is starting to come into his own. Titans by 7 in a game you couldn't pay me to watch.

Week 6 Picks

Well, Dave and I both bounced back after a miserable Week 4 and posted identical 9-5 records in our picks last week.

This brings our season totals to 48-28 for Dave and 46-30 for Gabe.

This week, and for the rest of the season I presume, we will be using Danny Sheridan's odds in the USA Today. I've tried to get cute and use the Las Vegas Hilton numbers from Covers.com, but have proven week after week that I don't know how to read them correctly. Thanks to Dave though, none of you saw any of that.

Alright, enough nonsense, let's get to the picks.

Kansas City (+6) at Washington

Gabe: Kansas City - Washington is where losing streaks get broken. The Redskins are in shambles. Kansas City is better than their 0-fer record shows. I don't know if Kansas City will win the game, but they will beat the number.

Dave: Kansas City- After last week, I wouldn't even take the Redskins over Villanova. Zorn is a termination waiting to happen and I think this game will be a precursor to the 'Skins inevitably shitting the bed on Monday night and losing by 42 to the Eagles next week. Chiefs win outright, by a field goal.

Houston (+5.5) at Cincinnati

Gabe: Houston - If you read my preview at www.sportstalkbuzz.com (Boom! - Cross-promoted) you would already know that I think this will be a shoot-out. The Bengals rank 23rd in the NFL in pass defense. The Texans can't stop anyone, but have a huge offense. I think this game will be decided by a field goal.

Dave: Cincinnati-As a guy who watched his team drop nearly half the games its played last season by less than a field goal, I can tell you that bad luck during the end of games isn't something that goes away midseason(Conversely, the Bengals have outstanding luck at the end of games, and I don't expect that to change midseason either). Houston's defense isn't as good as many expected and the Bengals, while a team that wins ugly, can move the ball through the air and ground. I like the Bengals by 10.

Cleveland (+14) at Pittsburgh

Gabe: Pittsburgh - I think Cleveland's qb's have completed 4 passes all season. The Steelers are going to have Santonio Holmes totally healthy and may get Polamalu back. I think Pittsburgh dominates on defense and on the ground. Cleveland won't have a chance to score...Pittsburgh by 17.

Dave: Pittsburgh- Cleveland managed 6 points against the Bills last week. THE BILLS! Steelers, needless to say, are a lot better than Buffalo and while this Steelers team hasn't impressed(which makes a two touchdown spread hard to swallow), these Browns have already mailed it in. Steelers by 20.

Baltimore (+3) at Minnesota

Gabe: Minnesota - Last week the Ravens gave up 100 yards to a running back for the first time since Ray Lewis had a clean rap sheet, and that was to Cedric Benson, who hasn't been good since...well, since Ray Lewis had a clean rap sheet. I think they are going to get more of the same against AP. I think Minnesota's defense does enough against the Baltimore running game. Minnesota by a touchdown.

Dave: Baltimore- Yes, the Ravens gave up their first 100 yard rusher in years, but the key stat there is that it had been YEARS. As in, it doesn't happen often. Remember Cedric Benson busted loose on Green Bay a few weeks ago, and they did a nice job of shutting down AP on that Monday nighter, albeit in a losing effort. Look, Brett Favre's Rotting Corpse has to implode eventually and why not do it against the most turnover-happy D in the league. Favre throws three picks, Ravens end the Favre-ESPN lovefest and win by 6.

St. Louis (+9.5) at Jacksonville

Gabe: St. Louis - I can't get a bead on Jacksonville. What I do know about them is their pass defense is the worst in the NFL. I also know that Boller & Avery sounds like a goofy FM drive-time radio show, not a feared QB-to-WR passing combo. But, I think St. Louis has to break out at some point, and, I don't the Jags can beat anyone by 10. Jags by a touchdown.

Dave: Jacksonville-If the Jags were going to win a game by 10 points, wouldn't it be against the team that's been shut out twice in 5 games? Big game for Mike Sims-Walker as the Jags are auctioning him off in a trade and I think Torry Holt sticks it to his old mates as well. Jags by 13.

N.Y. Giants (+3.5) at New Orleans -

Gabe - New York - The Giants have gotten to 5-0 by picking on the worst teams in the league. However, they didn't struggle and none of those games were ever close, except against the Cowboys. Now the G-Men are jumping into the teeth of their schedule. The Saints are coming off of a bye week, they're healthy, and they're at home. I think this game will be high-scoring and the Saints will win by 3.

Dave: New Orleans-Saints are coming off a bye, their D is much improved, and Eli's hurt. I know the Giants are great on the road, but Drew Brees has to have one of those "I'm Drew Motherfuckin' Brees!" games up his sleeve after being ordinary the last few weeks, right? Saints by 7.

Carolina (-3.5) at Tampa Bay

Gabe: Carolina - Easy. Tampa Bay stinks. Carolina has a bad record but they are still really talented on offense. Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith have a huge day. Carolina by double digits.
Dave: Carolina- Panthers by 10. I won't even waste your time with analysis.

Detroit (+14) at Green Bay

Gabe: Detroit - Division games are always hard fought. I think Kevin Smith is going to have a good game and be the difference...the difference between losing by 17 or losing by 10. I think Green Bay wins easy, but only by 10.

Dave: Green Bay-No Calvin Johnson, No Matt Stafford, Packers coming off a bye, at home and they need this one BAD. Time to show the world what you're made of, boys! Packers cover this thing barely against a scrappy Lions team, Pack by 17 and Nick Collins takes one to the house.

Philadelphia (-14) at Oakland

Gabe: Philadelphia - Oakland sucks. JaMarcus Russell completes about 6 passes a game. Philly will dominate this game in every way and they will win by at least 3 TD's.

Dave: Philadelphia - If two years ago, I would have told you Kevin Kolb, a guy whose best games came in a blowout loss and against one of the worst teams in history, would have been the best QB out of the 2007 Draft, how quickly would you drug test me? Eagles have this one over by halftime and Raiders fans try to find arsenic to slip in Al Davis' Milk of Magnesia.

Arizona (+3) at Seattle

Gabe: Arizona - I think this number is inflated because of the way Seattle dismantled Jacksonville last week. Seattle is going to have a let down. Arizona has too many weapons in their passing game. I'll take the Cardinals for the straight up win in my...wait for it...Upset Special!!!

Dave: Seattle- Let me tell you something about me: I'm like Dragnet, baby, I state the facts. Cardinals have one of the worst pass defenses in the country. Matt Hasselbeck has quietly thrown for 7 TDs in the two games he's started, both shutouts(Granted, it was St. Louis and Jacksonville, but whatever.) So while I don't think they shut Arizona out, I think this comes down to the better of two defenses(something I pointed out in my preview on sportstalkbuzz.com....Shameless plug), which is why I like Seattle by a touchdown.

Buffalo (-9.5) at N.Y. Jets

Gabe: Buffalo - I think the Jets are a little desperate right now. They started the season off red hot, but have cooled. I think they will win, but 9.5 is too big of a number. I think the Jets win by a touchdown.

Dave: Jets-9.5 isn't big enough against a team that could only muster a field goal against a Browns team that is tanking for Colt McCoy. Jets defense bullies Trent Edwards, T.O. starts clamoring for a trade by halftime, and Mark Sanchez goes back to get the ladies aroused. Jets by 14.

Tennessee (+9) at New England

Gabe: Tennessee - My reports of New England's greatness have been greatly exaggerated. Tennessee is much better than their 0-5 record shows. I keep waiting for them have a breakout game, and I think they finally will this week. I don't think they will win, but they will keep it close.

Dave: New England-If I would have told you last year that the Titans would go from 13-3 in the regular season to a crushing playoff loss to being back as Super Bowl favorites in '09 to having fans scream for Vince Young by Week 5, how fast would you drug test me? I can't take the Titans. Can't win with them! Can't do it! Pats shake off the rust on O, win by 10.

Chicago (-3.5) at Atlanta

Gabe: Atlanta - This is being touted as a match-up of two hot shot young quarterbacks. I think Atlanta got back on track with a big win last week and will continue that momentum. Atlanta by a touchdown.

Dave: Atlanta-Because, as a Packers fan, I'd like nothing more than a Bears loss, I'll take a Falcons team that just trounced a very good Niners team and the points. Cutler's due for a 4 INT game and while that's probably not coming here, I think we start to see warning signs.

Denver (-3.5) at San Diego

Gabe: San Diego - Denver has shown this year that to win you need to be good...and lucky. How do I say this delicately...I can't...they shot their load last week against New England. San Diego is rested, and at home. I think the Bolts win by a TD.

Dave: Denver-I think if I wrote a list of things I could have done in the two hours I spent writing a blog about how much the Broncos would suck this year, it would be less embarrassing to read than the actual blog about how much the Broncos would suck this year. Phillip Rivers is usually money on Monday nights and that almost gives me pause but the Broncos somehow unearthed a defense and I sincerely think Ladainian Tomlinson died in 2006 and nobody told us.