NFL Predictions-Week 6

Things settled down a little in the NFL last week - although that wasn't saying much - but there were still a few upsets. I finished last week at 10-4 bringing my season record to 42-34.

Enough with the past, on to week six predictions: This week's match ups leave very few picks that I have a whole lot of confidence in. However, those few picks include: Ravens over Rams (until the Rams prove otherwise or are playing the Dolphins, I will always pick their opponents), Browns over Dolphins (see note about the Rams, but switch Rams and Dolphins around), Seahawks over Saints and Giants over Falcons. The only pick of those that worries me in the slightest is that the Dolphins will most likely win at some point this season, and I can see the Browns being the team to give up that one game.

In the Minnesota-Chicago battle of teams with good defenses, decent running games and pitiful quarterbacks, I see a lot of turnovers. After watching the Chicago-Green Bay game on Sunday, it makes me believe the Bears will pull off a win, but I see Adrian Peterson having a big game and with Minnesota fully rested, I like their chances. I'll take the Vikings.

Speaking of Green Bay, they play host to the Redskins this Sunday afternoon for the battle of the teams-who-no-one-thought-would-be-doing-as-well-as-they-are. Washington took the Lions to school on their own turf for the 21st consecutive time, and the Packers lost a close game to the Bears, but the Packers aren't playing the Bears, and the Redskins do not have the comfort of their own home. I'll take the Packers in an exciting game.

In the battle of the should-have-been-a-lot-better-than-they-have-been teams between the Bengals and Chiefs, I expect to see a fully rested-and-ready Bengals team blow away a lost Chiefs team. I also expected a lot more from both the Jets and Eagles, but both have fallen short this season. When they match up this week, one team will walk away a winner and a season rejuvenated, and I really don't see the Jets doing that. I'll take the Eagles.

The Titans have looked great this year and Tampa Bay is coming back around. Tennessee employs the second-best run defense in the league allowing a mere 72 yards per game, and with Pittman out this week, don't expect that to change. The Bucs have gotten more and more powerful with the passing game, but I don't see it being enough to stop the versatile Titans.

Houston travels to Jacksonville as two teams that have a lot of potential but little consistency duke it out. The Jaguars' Maurice Jones-Drew finally looked like the back he was last year, and when he is contributing in a big way, the Jags can be dangerous. Matt Schaub has become a godsend to the Texans and elevated their passing game.

However, the Jaguars have only given up two passing touchdowns this year. I'll take the Jags, but this could be a pretty exciting game (who would have thought a Houston-Jacksonville match up would be exciting?).

Carolina has been very iffy this year while Arizona has continued to look stronger. But a lot will be riding on the veteran Kurt Warner to carry a full load with Matt Leinart out for the season. If the offensive line can keep it up, the Cardinals will actually be contenders this year. If not, Warner's backup (Tim Rattay) better be good, because Warner is not as durable as he once was, and he wasn't that durable to begin with. I think they'll keep it up, so I am taking the Cardinals.

As long as we see the San Diego that faced the Broncos last week and not the team that faced the Packers and Chiefs in weeks three and four, respectively, I see an easy Chargers win. If not, we may see a winning record out of Oakland and more chants of "Schott-en-heim-er" out of the fans. I'll take the Chargers, but it makes me nervous.

The final and biggest game of the week is the showdown of the undefeateds: the Patriots and Cowboys.

The Pats have dominated every game they have played this year and the Cowboys just barely pulled off a win this last week (who would have thought a team would turn the ball over five more times than their opponent and still win?), but the Patriots have not been tested this year like they will be this Sunday. Many consider the last-second win by the Cowboys as a sign that they will lose horribly to New England, but I see just the opposite.

That game only made the Cowboys stronger, and you know Tony Romo will not throw five picks and fumble once in the same game ever again. He got that out of his system and still pulled off the win. The Cowboys never gave up and continued to push even after they kept giving the ball back to the Bills. This showed the resiliency of the Cowboys defense and the Dallas offense will bounce right back.

After Romo muffed the snap in the playoffs to lose it for the Cowboys last season, he took it personally and never wanted to let his team down again. He has taken the five picks just as much to heart and will not throw so much on his team again.

The Patriots are powerful and easily one of the top two teams in the AFC, if not the top team, but there is a certain emotion and love of the game that you find with the Cowboys and that the bone-crunching, eat-your-bones-for-breakfast Patriots just have not shown me. I'll take the Cowboys, and this is a game I will not be missing. Don't be surprised if we see a rematch in Arizona in February.