It's another week in the NFL and it is time to make the picks. Last week my "locks" of the week went 4-1, while I went 8-7-1 overall. The aim is to keep the good times rolling this week with these five "locks".
Chargers @ Ravens (-2.5)
The Pick: BAL -2.5
This is the marquee matchup on Sunday, both teams are 4-1 and led by early-favorites for MVP (Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert). The Ravens are this season's comeback kids as they survived scares against Kansas City, Detroit, and most recently, Indianapolis. The Chargers come into this game riding a three-game win streak and last week they beat the Browns in a shootout. Don't expect a 47-42 score this weekend though, as the Ravens defense will be the toughest that the Chargers have faced up to this point. Herbert will have a difficult time keeping the ball out of the opposing team's hands and may find it tough to punch the ball into the endzone. With the crowd noise and the superior defense behind them, the Ravens will prevail over Los Angeles.
Bengals @ Lions (+3.5)
The Pick: DET +3.5
I would not have touched this game before I saw Dan Cambell's post-game interview last week. The man showed emotion and made it clear just how much he cares for the game and his players. I expect his team to rally around him. The Lions have suffered some real heartbreakers this season and they are due for some positive regression. Cincinnati is a solid team with Burrow leading the charge, but they have not truly dominated a team yet. All but one of the Bengals' wins and losses this season have come by three points. Detriot will win this game for Cambell and give him his first NFL win as a head coach.
Chiefs @ The Football Team (+6.5)
The Pick: KC -6.5
Kansas City got slapped around last weekend at home by the Bills. It was a game that the Chiefs had to have in order to prove they could still hang with the big boys, but they came out flat. Washington got handled pretty easily by the Saints last Sunday, showing they can't compete with any team that isn't the Giants and Falcons. Kansas City badly needs a rebound and Washington is an easy target. This is very comparable to the Chiefs' visit to Philadelphia in week four where KC won 42-30. Bet on Mahomes and trust him to get it done on the road.
Cowboys @ Patriots (+3.5)
The Pick: DAL -3.5
It is a bit perplexing to see the 4-1 Cowboys as only three and a half point favorites over the 2-3 Patriots in New England. Dallas is infinitely better than the Patriots and there is no reason why Prescott should not dominate the Patriots' defense this weekend. Mac Jones will likely turn the ball over once or twice during the course of the game. Other than two wins against terrible teams (Jets and Texans), the Patriots don't have much else going for them. Let's continue to ride the Dallas gravy train and say that the Cowboys cover the spread for the sixth consecutive week.
Cardinals @ Browns (-3)
The Pick: CLE -3
Every undefeated run has to come to an end at some point and the Cardinals' time has come. The 49ers shot themselves in the foot four or five times last weekend and the Cardinals still only managed to win by seven. The Browns, on the other hand, took a tough loss in Los Angeles in Week 5. They will be looking to rebound this weekend at home. The Browns may be without the services of either one or both of their top running backs for the game and that is a situation that should be monitored before locking this pick in. If either Kareem Hunt or Nick Chubb plays then go with the Cleveland, if both backs are out then it may be wise to stay away from this game. Regardless, expect the Browns to end Arizona's bid for an undefeated season on Sunday.
Best of the rest:
Buccaneers @ Eagles: TB -7
Dolphins @ Jaguars (London): MIA -3
Vikings @ Panthers: MIN -1
Packers @ Bears: CHI +5
Texans @ Colts: HOU +10
Rams @ Giants: LAR -9.5
Raiders @ Broncos: DEN -3.5
Seahawks @ Steelers: SEA +5
Bills @ Titans: TEN +5.5