Week 5 turned out to be a fairly predictable slate of football, even if it took some very stupid twists and turns to get there. The New York Jets and Giants, fresh off upset wins, quietly climbed back in their holes. The Green Bay Packers knocked off the Cincinnati Bengals, but only after an extended Benny Hill bit from each team’s kickers. The Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers finally collapsed under the weight of early expectations and the Baltimore Ravens, despite a 1.7 percent win probability in the fourth quarter, remained atop the AFC North.
Week 6 promises more intrigue. The Jacksonville Jaguars return to London, where they’ll be a lively underdog in front of a crowd that’s learned to tolerate them over the past decade. The Los Angeles Chargers and Ravens will battle to see who the biggest threat to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC. The Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers will battle in primetime to determine which playoff regular is the bigger disappointment in 2021.
That led to a few more upset picks in games that aren’t quite coin flips, but are still sure to ruin your perfect slate. Here’s my full lineup of Week 6 straight-up picks, in which I originally leaned Seahawks before remembering parts of Russell Wilson’s finger are no longer attached to his hand. Winners in bold, all odds via Tipico:
Dolphins at Jaguars (+140)
Packers (-210) at Bears
Bengals (-190) at Lions
Texans at Colts (-500)
Rams (-475) at Giants
Chiefs (-280) at Washington
Vikings (-120) at Panthers
Chargers (+122) at Ravens
Cardinals (+140) at Browns
Raiders at Broncos (-190)
Cowboys (-180) at Patriots
Seahawks at Steelers (-250)
Bills (-240) at Titans
Hooooo buddy, that’s a lot of teams winning on the road. Let’s talk about it.