NFL 2011 - Week 6 - A Big Day for the Teams Unexpectedly Good and Bad

Week six of the 2011 NFL season provides some teams having unexpectedly strong start a chance to prove themselves and some teams expected to do well who have struggled a chance to regain some positive momentum. Some of this week’s games pit the fast starters against the slow traditional winners.

Philadelphia (-1) @ Washington

Who’d expect the Redskins to be in first place in the 6^th week of the season and perhaps even more astounding to have a three game lead over the Eagles?  This is the matchup in Landover Sunday afternoon. Nevertheless, Las Vegas gives Philadelphia a field goal over Washington on hostile turf. While the Redskins don’t look like a miracle team, so far the Eagles have done just about everything wrong imaginable on both sides of the ball showing little team cohesion. Are they looking at last year’s tapes or do they think Philadelphia’s desperate status should have them fired up to avoid yet another in the accumulation of mounting losses, 1-4 at this point. Oh Washington is also coming off a bye week too. So how does a 1-4 team beat a 3-1 team in its own division? It won’t happen!

Carolina @ Atlanta (-4)

Just how great is Cam Newton’s ascent as a rookie QB. Second, just how off track is Atlanta’s season so far? This will be decided in the Georgia Dome. Green Bay slaughtered Atlanta Sunday night while Carolina played strongly against the powerful New Orleans Saints losing by just a field goal. This might be a good choice for an upset giving Newton another advance, but it will take more than Newton’s emerging power to win this one. Give the battle of old Dixie to Atlanta.

St. Louis at Green Bay (-15)

In St. Louis all talk will be about their baseball team. Oddly enough, the match up here mirrors the NLCS pairing since the Cardinals adversaries are cheese heads too from the big city to the south. The Packers will win easily.

Jacksonville @ Pittsburgh (-12)

Here’s a game that should make Pittsburgh’s apparent earlier struggles seem distant memories. Anything less than a two touchdown win will have Steelers’ fans nervous.

Buffalo @ New York Giant (-3 ½)

Here’s one of those match-ups between a team with early season success against a team expected to be strong failing. Considering the Giants got whacked at home by the weak Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo handled the Eagles last week on top of everything else, contrary to the Vegas fellows’ choices, this looks like a win for the one NFL team that actually plays in the state of New York.

Indianapolis @ Cincinnati (-7)

How bad can things look for the Colts minus Peyton Manning? If the game plays out and Cincinnati wins as expected, the Colts remain winless while the Bengels look respectable.

San Francisco @ Detroit (-5)

This game puts two of the surprise successes for 2011 head-to-head. Imagine the Detroit Lions winning and being 6-0. That’s the better choice. If they lose, both these teams will be 5-1, something no one would have expected at the beginning of the season.

Houston @ Baltimore (-7 ½)

Houston was poised to be a strong winner in 2011, but vexing injuries have them teetering in a week division this year. The Ravens will march on to victory in Crab Town.

Cleveland @ Oakland (-6)

This game’s a tough choice between two rather weak teams that can play tough at times. The home field and a little more punch should give the game to the Silver and Black.

New Orleans (-4 ½) @ Tampa Bay

Tampa’s a team on the rise but to ask them to defeat the powerful Saints is still just outside their reach.

Dallas @ New England (-7)

The talk is New England’s not as strong as in past years, but when have teams looked worse losing than the Cowboys who are 2-2 so far?  The national media seems to take glory in thinking New England is falling apart but makes excuses for Dallas. Rest assured, Dallas won’t win. It’s just a matter of how ugly they lose.

Minnesota @ Chicago (-3)

Chicago’s banged up but still strong enough to beat the messed up Vikings.

Miami @ New York Jets (-7)

Here’s the Jets chance to begin to heal the hurt of a dreadful three game losing streak. After a Monday night win, they’d better not suddenly get too boastful because their next opponents have tapes on how they lost.