Our NFL picks against the spread for week 6. We will have four picks every week so check back for the locks of the week.
Our Pick: Atlanta -4
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (1-4): Newton continues to put up
big numbers – his 1,610 passing yards rank third in the NFC – but they
haven't translated into many victories. Developing a rapport with
veteran WR Steve Smith has helped the rookie to his prolific start.
Smith leads the NFC with 609 receiving yards and leads the NFL with four
receptions of 50 or more yards. The Panthers finally gave Newton a
running game to work with last week as DeAngelo Williams rushed for 115
yards, his first 100-yard game since 2009. Williams has averaged 119.2
rush yards per game in his past 10 division games.
ABOUT THE FALCONS (2-3): Atlanta jumped out to a
14-0 lead against the defending Super Bowl champion Packers a week ago,
but the offense sputtered in the second half. The Falcons managed only
106 yards after the first two scoring drives. RB Michael Turner was held
below 100 yards for the third straight game, and the passing game took a
hit with a hamstring injury to rookie WR Julio Jones, who is considered
day-to-day.
Our Pick: Lions -4
ABOUT THE LIONS (5-0): Quarterback Matt Stafford is
second in the NFL with 13 touchdown passes, and has arguably the top
receiver at his disposal. Calvin Johnson has nine touchdowns, the first
receiver in NFL history to have that many after his team’s first five
games. On defense, tackle Ndamukong Suh has led a resurgence that has
the Lions 12th in defense after finishing 21st last season. Detroit,
which has won nine straight and is one of two remaining undefeated teams
(Green Bay), has trailed at halftime in its last three games, but has
outscored opponents 109-23 in the second half this season. The Lions
have lost seven straight to the 49ers.
ABOUT THE 49ERS (4-1): San Francisco leads the NFL
in red zone defense, preventing touchdowns at a 73.3 percent rate, and
hasn’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in 27 straight games, the longest
active streak in the NFL. Quarterback Alex Smith is third behind Tom
Brady and Aaron Rodgers with a 104.1 passer rating. Smith will be
without wide receiver Josh Morgan, who's out for the season with a
broken bone in his lower right leg. And with Braylon Edwards (knee) also
out, San Francisco will have to rely more on running back Frank Gore,
who has 252 of his 400 yards in the last two weeks.
Our Pick: Chicago -3
ABOUT THE VIKINGS (1-4): Minnesota finally got in the
win column last week, getting 122 yards and three touchdowns from
running back Adrian Peterson in a 34-10 drubbing of Arizona. After
blowing double-digit halftime leads in their first three losses, the
Vikings didn’t leave anything to chance by bolting to a 28-0
first-quarter lead. Despite the rout, McNabb continued to struggled,
throwing for only 169 yards on 10-of-21 passing. Peterson has rushed for
11 touchdowns and 784 yards in seven games against the Bears, but was
limited to 51 yards last season. WR Percy Harvin sat out practice
Thursday due to sore ribs.
ABOUT THE BEARS (2-3):
Chicago was torched by a pair of big play in last week’s loss at
Detroit, surrendering a 73-yard scoring pass and 88-yard TD run – the
second-longest ever against the Bears. That might lead to the benching
of safeties Chris Harris and Brandon Meriweather in favor of Major
Harris and Chris Conte. Chicago’s offensive line, which committed nine
false-start penalties last week, could be dancing again with NFL sack
leader Jared Allen (8.5) bearing down on QB Jay Cutler. Cutler has
shredded the Vikings for 10 TDs in his last three matchups. RB Matt
Forte has back-to-back 100-yard games and leads the league with 785
yards from scrimmage.
Our Pick: Cleveland +6.5
ABOUT THE BROWNS (2-2): Running back Peyton Hillis'
contract dispute could turn out to be a distraction for the team. Hillis
denies he sat out against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 25 due to his
battle with management, claiming he had strep throat. Center Alex Mack
and cornerback Joe Haden are both long shots to play. Mack still is
recovering from an appendectomy performed on him the day after the loss
to Tennessee, while Haden suffered a sprained knee against the Titans
and is walking with a limp. Joshua Cribbs is third in the AFC with an
average of 28.4 yards per kick return. Cribbs ran back a kick 99 yards
for a score in 2007 against Oakland, which enters with the 31st-ranked
defense.
ABOUT THE RAIDERS (3-2): Controversial quarterback
Terrelle Pryor participated in his first practice since the preseason
Wednesday after serving his league-imposed five-game suspension. Pryor
left Ohio State in order to avoid a five-game ban by the NCAA for being
involved in a cash-for-memorabilia scandal but was suspended by the NFL
after being selected by Oakland in the supplemental draft and signed in
August. The Raiders have agreed to a deal with the Seattle Seahawks for
linebacker Aaron Curry pending league approval and a physical. Oakland
will part with a seventh-round pick in 2012 and a conditional
fifth-rounder the following year for the former first-round selection.
