Week 6 Picks

10-4 is a lot better (though I forgot to change my pick Bills-Jets pick on a couple of my online games and went 9-5. This week has a couple of intrigiung matchups and one huge matchup. There is no Sunday Night Game this week, as the NFL defers to game 2 of the World Series. Before I give you the picks, did you notice that not only did I correctly pick the winners of the respective League Championship Series but also the number of games. I'll have the World Series breakdown Saturday. I'm thinking it'll be astronomically brilliant

Friday, October 21
Kansas City (3-2) @ Miami (2-3)
Dolphins Stadium, Miami-7:00 CBS (locally viewed only in Miami and KC Areas)
Favorite-Dolphins by 1.5
A who's gonna show up on either side. The Fins are an awful Jekyll and Hyde combination and the Chiefs are a crapshoot on who will show up from game to game. I'm going with the team that at least can show some consistency offensively. The Dolphins are still trying to find their sea legs (pun intended) with their running game. The two headed monster that is Larry Johnson and Priest Holmes is too big a hammer to ignore. The Dolphins have a bit of an edge with the game being moved up to avoid a possible clash with Hurricane Wilma, but the Chiefs are good enough to overcome it.
Pick-Kansas City

Sunday, October 23 Detroit (2-3) @ Cleveland (2-3)
Cleveland Browns Stadium-Cleveland-1:00 FOX
Favorite-Browns by 2.5
There is a full fledged players war going on in Motown. Mariucci looks like he wants out and Joey Harrington is headed for the bench. The Browns are the benefactors of it. The Lions are lucky that they are in the NFC North or they would already be talking new coaches and draft picks by now. No one should mistake the Browns for a contender, but they are in much much better shape than the motor city kitties.
Pick-Cleveland

Green Bay (1-4) @ Minnesota (1-4)
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis-1:00 FOX
Favorite-Packers by 2
Two old rivals sqaure off in another chapter of this heated and bitter rivalry. The Vikings are a mess and the Pack are a MASH unit. Someone has to win. I'm going to hate myself for doing this, but I think the fans at the Metrodome will give the Vikings a badly needed pick me up. All Loveboat jokes and Zygi Wulf votes of confidence aside; if the Vikes fall and badly, Mike "Milquetoast" Tice won't coach another game in Minnesota. A bad loss to the Packers would be the last straw.
Pick-Minnesota

Indianapolis (6-0) @ Houston (0-5)
Reliant Stadium, Houston-1:00 CBS Favorite-Colts by 15 This would be a dream for anyone who is still in an eliminator contest, The agitiator in me wants to pick the Texans to spring the stunning upset. The sensible football pragnosticator in me knows better. The Colts are double digit favorites for the third week running and the feeling here is that they will successfully cover that spread for the third week running. As long as Indy doesn't treat this game like a practice they'll have more or less two full weeks of rest and preparation for their showdown with their New England nemesis.
Pick-Indy

New Orleans (2-4) @ St. Louis (2-4)
Edward Jones Dome, St Louis-1:00 FOX
Favorite-Rams by 5.5
The Saints are looking tired and dispirited, they fought back gamely to tie the Falcons and were content to get to OT after a missed field goal. A silly penalty on that play gave the win to the Falcons and the Saints mope on. The Rams are in a world of trouble if Marc Bulger is not a go. Jamie Martin can not trigger that offense the way Bulger did, this game will be a lot closer than one will think. The Rams have the edge in home crowd only. Though the Saints will have their hands full trying to slow down a previous underutilized Stephen Jackson who should thrive in a more balanced offense.
Pick-St. Louis

Pittsburgh (3-2) @ Cincinnati (5-1)
Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati-1:00 CBS
Favorite-Bengals by 3
Steeler fans, used to having their way in the AFC Central and now North are plenty annoyed that the Bengals are not the extra home game they have grown accustomed to. The Bengals bounced back from a tough Sunday Night loss to rally past the Titans on the road. The Steelers will try to establish the running game and grind the clock. The Bengals want to jump on the Steelers early and have their crowd sober the Steelers in the cold realiztion that Paul Brown Stadium is not Pittsburgh west. If the Bengals big play, big strike offense can get a lead early, the Steelers may have to rely on a shaky passing game. This is the Bengals first real legitimacy test. I think that they'll pass...barely
Pick-Cincinnati

San Diego (3-3) @ Philadelphia (3-2)
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia-1:00 CBS
Favorite-Eagles by 3
Another intriguing matchup, both these teams are a lot better than their middling records would show. Look for the Chargers to try to establish the veritale LaDainian Tomlinson early. The Eagles will try to lean on their redoubtable passing game. Both teams have sturdy defenses and it might come down to who makes the most mistakes. The Chargers want to control the clock enough to frustrate the Eagles into a couple of silly mistakes. But I cant see the Chargers making a second cross country flight and beating a team on their own turf. Marty Schottenheimer must have done something to offend the NFL schedule makers. Of their eight road games 5 of them are in the Eastern time zone (New England, Philly, NY Jets Washington and Indy)
Pick- Philly

San Francisco (1-4) @ Washington (3-2)
FedEx Field Landover, MD-1:00 FOX
Favorite-Redskins by 11
The Redskins return to their spacious home after two tough losses in Denver and Kansas City. They get a well needed tonic in a young Niner squad who hasn't scored an offensive touchdown in three weeks. The Skins are the most fearsome offensive squad, but they will find enough holes and put up more points than the Niners could dream of scoring. Pick-Washington

Dallas (4-2) @ Seattle (4-2)
Qwest Field, Seatlle-4:05 FOX
Favorite-Seahawks by 3
The Pokes are riding high after their slug it out win over the Giants. The Seahwaks are equally as high after a primetime thrashing of an badly overmatched Texans squad. The Cowboys would like nothing more than another low scoring grind it out game. The Seahawks can run but they are the ones that are trying to dictate the tempo. Some say my blind hatred of Tuna clouds my pick, but I just don't think that the Cowboys are that good.
Pick-Seattle

Baltimore (2-3) @ Chicago (2-3)
Soldier Field, Chicago-4:15 CBS
Favorite-Bears by 1 Why is this a late game??? The NFL would be better suited in changing this to an early game and switching the Cincinnati/Pittsburgh game to a 4:15 game. Neither of these teams are worth late day coverage. I think the Bears are better, but not by much. The Ravens have enough of a ground game to wear the young Bears out though. This game will put you to sleep in a hurry.
Pick-Baltimore

Buffalo (3-3) @ Oakland (1-4)
Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland-4:15 CBS
Favorite-Raiders by 3 The Bills are finding some direction with Kelly Holcomb at the helm. Mike Mularkey is no dummy, seeing that the Bills have responded enthusiatically to Holcomb's leadership. That bodes ill for a Radiers team that gives up points in bunches and with a slowed Randy Moss cannot hope to stretch the field. The immobile Kerry Collins had better take plenty of pain pills as the roughneck Bills defense will be in close quarters all day. I am amazed that the Raiders are still favored even with Randy Moss a likely no-go.
Pick-Buffalo

Denver (5-1) @ NY Giants (3-2)
Giants Stadium East Rutherford, NJ-4:15 CBS
Favorite-Giants by 1.5 The Broncos win games ugly, but their Miami meltdown aside have looked very strong, The Giants have yet to beat a real squad. The Chargers and Cowboys exposed their flaws and Eli Manning will not get the time in the pocket he needs. The Broncos will sit quietly and wait for Manning to make a mistake. Jake Plummer while nowhere close to the Elway mold, does enough to keep his team in games and stays away from the mistakes. Look for the Broncos multi-head running game to dictate the tempo and frustrate the Giants into trying to force things.
Pick-Denver

Tennessee (2-4) @ Arizona (1-4)
Sun Devil Stadium Tempe AZ-4:15 CBS
Favorite-Cardinals by 3
This is a boring game and you can bet that the good people in Arizona could care less about the Cards usual slow start. The Titans are better than their record and will prove it quickly. There are spin doctors that would have you beleive that the Cards are improving and that their pass game will give the Titans fits. I would believe that if the Cards had a real QB, they don't and they won't
Pick-Tennessee

Monday, October 24
NY Jets (2-4) @ Atlanta (4-2)
Georgia Dome, Atlanta-9:00 ABC
Favorite-Falcons by 7
On paper this is a mismatch. The Jets are relying on Vinny Vida Vica to lead them to wins. All the Falcons hard hitting defense has to do is load the box and wait for the Jets to try to throw, a fact made even harder with Vinny's blindside lineman Kevin Mawae out. Atlanta's running game will give the Jets trouble from the word go. Oh and did anyone mention that Michael Vick is healthy again???
Pick-Atlanta
Last Week 10-4
Overall 49-39 (This total is lower in my pick 'em group, because I change picks on Saturday for my blog post)