Week 6 picks, demise of Colt McCoy

By Jeff

Another week, another non-winning record for my picks. I was 7-7 last week and am33-40-3 for the season. Out of 32 teams in the league, only eight have only one loss. There are no undefeated teams and we're only in Week 6. Potential Super Bowl teams like the Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints are injured, inconsistent and not looking like Super Bowl contenders at this point. What I'm trying to say is that this NFL season is a bit wacky compared to recent years. Or I'm just trying to find an excuse for my ineptitude to prognosticate.

Before we go on to the picks, let's take a moment of silence for Colt McCoy. He's might die this weekend. A rookie quarterback against this defense is just asking for at least a concussion. Would you be surprised if he got knocked out by the third quarter? I wouldn't.

Anyway, my miss of Week 5 was predicting the St. Louis Rams to cover the 3-point spread against the Detroit Lions. Ouch. The Lions won 44-6. That's a lot more than 3 points.

Week 6's picks are below and the home teams are in caps.

San Diego (-8) over ST. LOUIS: Can you believe I almost picked the Rams to cover again? The Chargers are trash on the road this season. Their three losses were all on the road against teams that include the Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks. They can't run the ball behind that line and rely solely on Phillip Rivers. Fortunately, despite being a jerk, Rivers is an excellent quarterback and I see a bounce back this week. I doubt the Rams can block two punts like the Raiders did last week.

Holy crap! He ate Romeo Crennel.

HOUSTON (-4.5) over Kansas City: Maybe the Chiefs are for real. They only lost on the road to the Colts by 10 last week. The Texans have a sick offense, though. don't expect them to be held in check two weeks in a row, especially when Andre Johnson is healthier.

Baltimore (+2.5) over NEW ENGLAND: Remember last year's playoff game between these two teams? I'm sure they both do. I think the Ravens have a good chance to repeat the beatdown. Patriots fans and Bill Simmons can talk all they want about not missing Randy Moss. They keep saying they won three titles without him. The Patriots had a defense back then. They don't anymore. New England is looking good for the future, but they are going to struggle to make an impact this year.

TAMPA BAY (+4) over New Orleans: This line would have been like 14 in Week 1. Drew Brees has a sore knee and the Saints just doesn't seem to be the same this season. Is Reggie Bush really that important? Apparently, he is.

Atlanta (+2.5) over PHILADELPHIA: Atlanta is one play away from being undefeated this season. They don't do anything fancy, but they get the job done. I'm still not sold on Kevin Kolb, so the Falcons win this game.

Sucks to be Kolb. Except for the
millions of dollars he makes.

*** RANT WARNING ***

If you haven't been able to tell yet, I disagree with Bill Simmons a lot of the time. I respect him a great deal for what he has done. Here is a guy that never was a journalist, but is probably has more readers and followers than any sports writer out there today. He found a niche and has excelled in it.

All that being said, he really upset me with a recent column in which he said he was rooting for Michael Vick. Not so much the fact he's cheering for Vick (I wrote a post over a year ago saying Vick needed to be reinstated without further suspension.), but his reasoning bothered me. Simmons said Vick grew up in a culture that didn't think dogfighting was wrong. If Vick was just fighting dogs, that excuse would make sense to me. But the man tortured dogs. He electrocuted, drowned and hanged dogs. That's despicable and disturbing in any culture. To say Vick didn't know what he was doing was wrong is a joke.

*** RANT OVER ***

NEW YORK GIANTS (-10) over Detroit: We're never going to know which Giants team shows up. I guessed correctly last week. Can I go two in a row?!


CHICAGO (-6.5) over Seattle: Apparently Jay Cutler is done puking in a dark room and ready to play again. Damn.

We hardly knew ya, Colt.

Miami (+3.5) over GREEN BAY: This line has to move if Aaron Rodgers isn't cleared to play because of a concussion. Even if he does play, the Packers are hurting right now. I'd list out all the injuries, but I don't have room. Miami is fresh off a bye and will take advantage of the situation.

PITTSBURGH (-13.5) over Cleveland: I don't care if the Browns beat the Steelers last year in one of the worst games ever played. Colt McCoy is their starting quarterback. There were reports that he was going to be cut during training camp this summer. Ben Roethlisberger is back. The Steelers are healthy. Do I need to say any more? I don't want to, so I won't.


New York Jets (-3) over DENVER: Remember when I was saying how overrated the Jets were prior to the season? I was wrong. They have looked very good since that first game. Mark Sanchez has yet to turn the ball over this year. I never thought I would be able to type that sentence after Week 2 this season.


Oakland (+6.5) over SAN FRANCISCO: I think Vegas makes lines like this to get you hooked, and then they take all your money with the other games. Oakland is coming off of a big win and hasn't been too terrible this year, while the 49ers are 0-5. I just can't see San Francisco winning by 7 points or more until they show they can win a game.

"I can't believe Sterger shot me down."

Dallas (+1.5) over MINNESOTA: The battle of the two most disappointing teams this season. They are both 1-3 and neither team is as explosive as they were advertised in the preseason. Dallas has looked better in their losses and their one win, though. The Vikings offense has yet to click. They might never click with the way Brett Favre is playing.

Indianapolis (-3) at WASHINGTON: Peyton Manning is really good. Donovan McNabb is not as good and doesn't have anywhere near the talent at wide receiver that Manning does. Advantage Colts.


Tennessee (-3) at JACKSONVILLE: Being the Monday Night Football game, Jacksonville should be comforted that this game won't be a black out. That's the only positive they are going to take from this game.

Nils Lara - Fighting For My Love