NFL 2008 Week 6 Picks

Don't mind me as I gloss over my failure at picking football games last time out (6-8 week, 42-32 season). Let's instead look ahead to a week 6 slate of games which should make for a pretty entertaining Sunday.

CHICAGO @ ATLANTA
This is a matchup of two teams with winning records (3-2) that I'm just having a hard time believing are actually any good. Maybe it's because I've seen them lose to the (occasionally-sorry) Bucs. I'm giving Atlanta the edge because they're at home and because they went into Lambeau Field and won last week, despite the fact that doing so is becoming increasingly easy to do.

BALTIMORE @ INDIANAPOLIS
The Colts are bad on offense now (except for the last four minutes of games), they've lost a significant homefield advantage in their new open-air stadium and face the best defense in the league. Yikes! Never thought I'd take the team with Flacco over the team with Manning (either one of them!)

DETROIT @ MINNESOTA
I guess the Vikes should be happy they won the most garbage Monday Night Football game in recent history, despite allowing TWO punt return TDs and with the help of two Martin Gramatica (pictured, left) missed field goals. I'd still feel pretty iffy about myself. Fortunately, the Lions are coming to town (who I've recently decided are worse than the Rams), so Minnesota's (and their fans') self-esteem should get a boost.

OAKLAND @ NEW ORLEANS
Tom Cable makes his coaching debut for the Raiders. How long until Al Davis calls him a liar and fires him? Week 12? I like the Gramatica-free Saints in this one.

CINCINNATI @ N.Y. JETS
Fact: the Jets are averaging 56 points per game while wearing their throwback New York Titans uniforms this year. Despite going back to their original green and white I like them over Cincinnati, which will be without Carson Palmer. I'm so glad Palmer's killing someone else's fantasy season this year the way he helped kill mine last year.

CAROLINA @ TAMPA BAY
Now that I've revoked Jon Gruden's "offensive genius" card for putting up 13 points against one of the league's worst defenses last week, it's time to get down to business for the Bucs. They face their toughest division opponent this week and CANNOT afford to fall behind two games in the NFC South. I like them at home and I like them even better with Jeff Garcia at QB. I'm not saying the offense explodes (I think the Bucs will get a TD on defense), but I'm pretty sure he won't put up three picks ala Griese.

ST. LOUIS @ WASHINGTON
I tried to talk myself into the Rams pulling a shocker under their new coach and catching the Skins off guard after back-to-back huge wins for Washington — but St. Louis is just TOO bad.

MIAMI @ HOUSTON
All Miami's done is go into New England and San Diego and won the last couple of weeks. I'm still going with Houston because they probably should've won the last couple of weeks, but choked each game away to superior opponents. I don't think they'd consider Miami to be superior, so they should be relaxed.

JACKSONVILLE @ DENVER
QB Jay Cutler and the Broncos have cooled off considerably and Jacksonville needs this one after a bad loss in Pittsburgh. I see Fred Taylor and MoJo Drew each running for 100 yards in this one.

DALLAS @ ARIZONA
Did Dallas not suspend Pacman Jones because they REALLY found he didn't do anything wrong or because, with CB Terrence Newman injured, they kind of need him? You decide. I'd pick the Cardinals if everyone else in the world weren't picking them for an upset this week.

PHILADELPHIA @ SAN FRANCISCO
I'm glad I wrote this recap before I found out the Eagles would be without star RB Brian Westbrook. They're a different team without him. And by that, I mean they're bad.

GREEN BAY @ SEATTLE
Sure Seattle's been atrocious this year, but Hasselbeck has his favorite target back and they're always solid at home. On the other hand, the MVP trophy everyone wanted to give Aaron Rodgers after week 2 has been cruelly yanked away from his hands.

SAN DIEGO @ NEW ENGLAND
San Diego's sitting at 2-3 and they need this one badly if they want to avoid falling in too deep of a hole to catch the Broncos in the AFC West. The problem is that New England pretty much always beats them. I think they'll do the same (even without Brady). It just comes down to Bill Belichick >>>>> Norv Turner.

N.Y. GIANTS @ CLEVELAND
If you ready my intro to this column carefully (and why wouldn't you) I said the week 6 slate of games should make for a pretty entertaining Sunday. With the way the Giants have been rolling and the way Cleveland has been struggling (TE Kellen Winslow now has a mysterious illness) this game is going to be a dog (and, unfortunately, that's not a compliment or a shout out to Browns fans.)