2009 NFL Picks & Predictions: Week 6
Giants (5-0) at Saints (4-0), 1:00PM ET
Hopefully readers will give me credit for attempt to predict the toughest games this week. No? All right then…This is by far the hardest game to predict on the Week 6 schedule, so let’s look at some of the facts. The Saints should be well rested coming off a bye and are playing at home. They have the edge then right? They should, but don’t forget that the Giants essentially had a bye themselves since they played Oakland last week and New York always travels well. Drew Brees hasn’t seen a pass rush as good as the Giants’ all season and I think New York will disrupt his rhythm. And while Darren Sharper and the New Orleans defense is playing out of their minds right now, Eli Manning won’t make the same mistakes rookie Mark Sanchez did two weeks ago when the Saints earned a victory against the Jets. I like Brandon Jacobs to get back on track and for the G-Men to pull off a huge win at the Superdome.
Odds: Saints –3.
Prediction: Giants 27, Saints 24.
Ravens (3-2) at Vikings (5-0), 1:00PM ET
So, are the Ravens just in a slump or were they overrated to begin with? Give yourself a gold star if you answered, “A little of both.” Baltimore lost several defensive starters and their coordinator Rex Ryan in the offseason – they were due to have a setback at some point. While I think the Ravens are a solid football team, I don’t like this matchup for them. They’re reeling after two straight losses and play an unfamiliar foe in a hostile environment. I also don’t like the matchup between the Ravens’ receivers and the Vikings’ corners and wonder how Joe Flacco will do once Ray Rice and the running game is shut down by Minnesota’s Williams Wall. As long as Brett Favre doesn’t get turnover-happy for the first time this year, I like the Vikings to remain undefeated.
Odds: Vikings –3.
Prediction: Vikings 21, Ravens 17.
Bears (3-1) at Falcons (3-1), 8:20PM ET
I know the Giants and Saints offer the best matchup of the week, but this Bears-Falcons game should be thrilling. Both teams can move the ball through the air and both have issues stopping the pass at times. That’s what we call the makings of a shootout, folks. Chicago will have to pick its poison this Sunday night. If they choose to load the box and stop Michael Turner, then they could be exposed to Matt Ryan picking them apart through the air. I love the matchup of Tony Gonzalez on a banged up Bears’ linebacker corps and inconsistent safety group. But on the flip side, Jay Cutler should have plenty of success throwing against corner Chris Houston and could connect with Devin Hester or Johnny Knox on a couple of big plays. That said, I think Atlanta will jump out to an early lead in front of a rowdy crowd and then hang on in the second half once Cutler and company make a late push. While I could see this game going either way, I like the Falcons at home, especially coming off their performance last week when they absolutely hammered a good 49ers team on the road.
Odds: Falcons –3.
Prediction: Falcons 34, Bears 30.
Broncos at Chargers, Monday, 8:30PM ET
These two teams were supposed to be reversed coming into this game, but instead it has been the Broncos that have taken command in the AFC West. Offensively, the Chargers can score on anyone. But the problem is that they’re not balanced right now and that will be a huge issue against a Denver defense that is playing outstanding football at the moment. If San Diego can’t run the ball, it will have trouble moving the chains on a consistent basis through the air because Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins are playing well right now. Defensively, the Bolts don’t have a clue and they can’t generate any pressure on the quarterback, which is what their defense is predicated on. The Broncos have a solid offensive line and Kyle Orton doesn’t make a ton of mistakes. A lot of people think the Chargers will turn their misfortunate around this week, but I think Denver pulls off the small “upset” on Monday night.
Odds: Chargers –3.
Prediction: Broncos 20, Chargers 17.
Posted in: NFL
Tags: 2009 NFL Week 6, 2009 NFL Week 6 free picks, 2009 NFL Week 6 picks, 2009 NFL Week 6 predictions, Bears vs Falcons prediction, Brett Favre, Broncos vs Chargers prediction, Champ Bailey, Devin Hester, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Giants vs Saints prediction, Jay Cutler, Kyle Orton, Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, NFL Picks, nfl picks predictions week 6, NFL predictions, NFL Week 6, nfl week 6 expert picks, nfl week 6 picks predictions 2009, Ravens vs Vikings prediction, Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez
It’s weeks like this that make me all the more angry that NFL Sunday Ticket is only available on DirecTV.
Is it really necessary for networks to show the local team’s game regardless of it’s quality?
Is there any good reason at all why I’m stuck with Panthers-Bucs over Giants-Saints?
Oh and I get Chiefs-Redskins instead of Ravens-Vikings. Perfect.
snd_dsgnr – my partner in crime John Paulsen talks about that all the time! He hates how Sunday Ticket is only on DirecTV.
Chiefs-Redskins? Ouch!
A.S.
How can you put the G-men whose wins
come against teams combined for 6-19?
I mean TB, Raiders, Dallas who could be 1-3, and KC and the Redskinn, ahead of the Saints. What a sad sick pathetic anemic bunch of opponents for the Giants. Now the Saints did beat Detroit
their match ups have been 8-11 so not bunch better
but come at home, super dome bro!
Falcons earn 2nd loss of the year in a 27-24 Bears win. Too much Cutler and speed Knox, Hester.
Ravens have something to prove before benagls
take the north and run with it. Ravens by 7, 28-21
J-Town,
I could see these games going either way – they’re all great matchups.
Looks like one of us is going to look like a genius and the other a goat. Either that, or we split these!
A lot of people are on the Saints and Bears this weekend. Chicago radio has been talking upset all week…
I’m so sick of this line about the Giants’ opponents combined record. I heard it last week and then it caught fire. Let’s see why the Giants’ wins are still great accomplishments.
Going backwards:
Oakland, you beat any team by 37 points, that’s an accomplishment. They didn’t allow Oakland to score more than a touchdown (Oakland averages a little over 10 against all their other opponents) and they more than doubled what everyone else scores on them.
Chiefs, I’d say the only game the Giants didn’t play spectacularly was this game, but they still got the job done.
Against Tampa Bay, the Giants get more of a credit to defense, as they didn’t allow any points. Zero points.
Cowboys, not so good D but again, excellent O. 33 points against a team that has allowed only twice that total in its other *four games*. That’s right, 65 points allowed *total* in all its other four matchups.
The Giants may have faced bad teams, but they’ve outscored their opponents 151-71. The only other teams that have a similar ratio? The Saints and the Broncos.
That said, plus I’m a Giants fan, I’d put my money on the Saints, if I had to win a bet in order to feed my family. I think the most impressive thing they did all season was against the Eagles in week 2 and the Jets was also quite a show. The Eagles slaughter may, however, be an aberration on account of McNabb’s absence.
That is all I am saying.
Giants could very likely go 15-1 or 14-2 this year. They are the real deal, I am a Saints fan
and other than Atlanta I dont see anyone giving NO trouble but the Giants. I just dont see how they could be “favored” in this matchup.
Points are huge, but running up the score against
KC, Wash, Oak, or TB is about as hard as sneezing.
Everyone does it and they dont have to try.
Tone-
Atlanta vs Bears is the game I cant wait to see.
I will be glued to the TV this week.
John,
For sure! I can’t wait for that game. I think both teams match up well with each other and both could potentially be burned by the opposing team’s pass game.
I think whichever team establishes the run consistently throughout the game wins. I think it’s important for Atlanta to use the home field advantage to jump out on top early and try to put the game away with Turner. They also better figure out a way to get pressure on Cutler or else he’ll eat them up.
I see a shootout for sure.