NFL Week 6 Betting Previews and Picks

It’s Week 6 of the NFL season and we’ve got some tantalizing matchups on deck. The highlight of the week could be the 5-0 Denver Broncos hosting the 0-5 Jacksonville Jaguars. The spread is only 26.5, down from a record-setting 28.5 earlier this week.

Here’s the inside scoop on Week 6 of the NFL season.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Game Line: PICK, 45.5 O/U

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have parted ways with quarterback Josh Freeman and the team is not happy with head coach Greg Schiano. The situation involving the Buccaneers just doesn’t seem to be a situation that’s likely to be resolved in a satisfactory manner. The Eagles are injured but the Bucs are fractured. NFL online bettors should take the Eagles on the road in a modest-scoring game.

Free Pick: Take the Eagles at a PICK and the under. Eagles 23-17.

New Orleans Saints @ New England Patriots

Game Line: Patriots -3, 49.5 O/U

Those who bet on the NFL might think that this game is going to produce a shootout but don’t be set up for disappointment. The Saints have been more rugged and successful on defense than a lot of casual fans might realize. They are playing tough football with a level of aggression not seen last season and are allowing just 14.6 points per game (fourth in the NFL). New England just lost a 13-6 game to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Patriots’ defense is much better than their offense, so those looking for NFL betting tips will find good value in the under here. New Orleans has been great this season but back-to-back road games with a visit to Foxboro where the Patriots are stinging from a loss figures to be a natural spot where the Saints lose.

Free Pick: Take Patriots -3 and the under. Patriots 24-20.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos

Game Line: Broncos -26.5, 52.5 O/U

Is this going to be the day when a team wins outright by 25 points and fails to cover the spread? This NFL point spread was at 28.5 earlier in the week, which is the largest line for a game in NFL history. The Broncos, though, should be able to cover the NFL odds. Jacksonville keeps losing bodies on offense with left tackle Luke Joeckel (broken ankle) being knocked out for the season. Denver hasn’t scored fewer than 37 points in any one game this season. Denver should be good for at least 42 points against a team as bad as the Jaguars. It is hard to see how this game won’t go over the number of 52.5. That’s the best pick on the NFL betting odds here and Denver should cover the number too.

Free Pick: Take the Broncos -26.5 and the over. Broncos 49-17.

Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys

Game Line: Cowboys -6, 53 O/U

What Tony Romo did last Sunday against the Broncos was sensational. Romo will naturally be criticized by many for throwing the late-game interception that enabled the Cowboys to lose that game to Peyton Manning’s Broncos but Romo threw for over 500 yards and was the star of the show for much of the day. He should be able to feast on a bad Washington defense, one that has given up an uncommonly large amount of yards this early in the 2013 season. You might not be convinced by Dallas’ strengths right now but you should be convinced that Washington is a bad football team – one that is not ready to go into Texas and beat the NFC East’s best (or perhaps “least bad”) team. The Cowboys should win and they should also cover in what promises to be a shootout.

Free Pick: Take the Cowboys -6 and the over. Cowboys 38-24.

Indianapolis Colts @ San Diego Chargers

Game Line: Colts -1.5, 49 O/U

The Chargers played horribly against the Oakland Raiders, losing a late-night game to a division rival. San Diego should play better against the surging Colts, who have won three in a row after splitting their first two games of the season. Andrew Luck is playing really well at the moment and the Chargers are really banged up. This will be a very close Monday Night Football contest but the Colts should escape with the win.

Free Pick: Take the Colts -1.5 and the over. Colts 30-27.

Home Dog with the Best Chance to Win is…

The Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore has been all over the map in the early stages of the regular season but they came alive against the Miami Dolphins this past Sunday and will take the field with a lot of confidence against the Green Bay Packers. It has to be said that the Packers’ offense did not play well at all against the Detroit Lions, meaning that if Baltimore plays its best game, the Ravens should have more than enough resources to defeat the NFC North favorite at home. Also, the Packers will be without one of their best defensive players as linebacker Clay Matthews is out.

Home Dog of the Week: Ravens +3

Most Important Injury of the Week is…

EJ Manuel. Without him, the Buffalo Bills are likely to be lost at sea on the offensive side of the ball. There’s a really good reason why the Cincinnati Bengals are 7-point favorites on the road in Buffalo – even though the Bengals have lost on the road to Chicago and Cleveland this season. Manuel was showing a lot of promise as Buffalo’s quarterback and the offense had moved the ball at a solid clip with Manuel on the field. This change is not welcome or desired at any point in a season, but with Cincinnati owning a particularly strong front four on defense, the timing is especially nasty for Buffalo. Cincinnati’s defense might be able to create at least three turnovers in this game from the Buffalo quarterbacks, whether it’s rookie Jeff Tuel or practice squad call-up Thad Lewis.

7-Point Teaser of the Week: Chiefs -1.5 and 49ers -4

We’ll shift the NFL lines in the Chiefs’ favor as they host the Oakland Raiders this week. Yes, the Raiders have looked improved with Terrelle Pryor under center but their offense is run-reliant. The Chiefs have an excellent defense and will take away the Raiders first option. Pryor is decent but I can’t trust this Raiders team to go on the road and pull the shocker.

For the second play, we’re going to knock down the San Francisco 49ers by a touchdown. Arizona figures to have a hard time moving the ball in San Francisco simply because their offensive line is so soft. Arizona is 21^st in passing offense and 22^nd in rushing offense. This is too tall an order for them.