Well, Week 5 was fun for many pickers. The fact that the winning picker, LUIS FRIAS of Hartford, went 7-7, shows how difficult this week was in the NFL. But he emerged victorious thanks to the tiebreaker between Kansas City and Jacksonville, so he wins the $50 Bogie's Pub + Grill gift certificate.
For my picks ... well, let's rip the bandage off. I went 6-8. I did not expect the upsets that occurred, though I wrote how that Bills/Patriots game was a trap game. Now onto Week 6.
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants, Thursday, 8:15pm on Prime Video
I'm writing this after the fact. The Giants won, and I was wrong on my pick. I was expecting the Eagles to use the game against the Broncos as a reality check and to course correct, however, they did not. Many of the same issues that plagued them over the past 5 weeks also affected them here, and the Giants are developing one heck of running game with Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo. 4 rushing touchdowns among those two on Thursday.
RICK'S PICK: Philadelphia [X]
Denver Broncos vs. New York Jets (in London), Sunday, 9:30am on NFL Network
I think it's time for me to stop thinking of Bo Nix as a reason to pick against a team. And to stop discounting a team defense that I am not familiar with because the Broncos defense definitely showed that they are better than I gave them credit for. The Broncos defense is what I feel the Jets defense should of been this year, but ... they aren't. On top of that, the Jets are just not looking good as the NFL's lone winless team. I don't see this changing during this trip to London.
RICK'S PICK: Denver
Los Angeles Rams at Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, 1:00pm
The Ravens are in free fall mode, but they will have Lamar Jackson back from his hamstring injury. But they get a dangerous Rams team that has had a chance to rest off their overtime loss to the San Francisco 49'ers last week. I expect Matthew Stafford and company to rebound from their Week 5 woes in a game that could be close as the Ravens try to finally sort stuff out.
RICK'S PICK: Los Angeles Rams
Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers, Sunday, 1:00pm on WXXA FOX 23
The Dallas Cowboys have had weeks where they have looked okay, but it was against teams that have not looked good, either at that time or throughout the season. They beat the New York Giants before the Giants switched their quarterbacks, and they beat the New York Jets with ease ... but the Jets are winless. That doesn't convince me. But Carolina has two faces. The face that looks dismal on the road, like we saw against New England and Arizona, and the good face that wins at home, like last week against Miami. The hometown factor is why I'll go with Carolina and not be surprise if Bryce Young has another dud and Dallas proves me wrong.
RICK'S PICK: Carolina
Arizona Cardinals at Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, 1:00pm
What the hay, Arizona? That meltdown against Tennessee was epic, and should have NEVER had happened. Here's a plea to every player of this game, whether you are pee wee, high school, collegiate or professional ... HOLD ONTO THE FOOTBALL UNTIL YOU ARE CONFIRMED IN THE END ZONE....
Now, good luck against Jonathan Taylor. You're gonna need it.
RICK'S PICK: Indianapolis
Seattle Seahawks at Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, 1:00pm
I would rather see this game than the Dallas/Carolina game, FOX. Won't get it, but I think this will be the better game on the FOX early slate. Jacksonville had a significant win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, though it wasn't easy with how that last play happened from Trevor Lawrence. Seattle has been a surprise in the NFC West this season with Sam Darnold and even though they are coming off a tough loss against Tampa Bay, it was competitive and could of gone either way. But Jacksonville is rolling with the momentum and at home in the Florida heat.
RICK'S PICK: Jacksonville [X]
Los Angeles Chargers at Miami Dolphins, Sunday, 1:00pm
The Chargers are banged up and are now down yet another running back. Miami's a dysfunctional team without their primary wide out. Justin Herbert has been affected as a result to the running back issues and the offensive line, and so too has his receiving corps. But I trust banged up offensive 11 vs. full out dysfunction.
RICK'S PICK: Los Angeles Chargers
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, 1:00pm, WRGB CBS 6
Pittsburgh has been gifted the upper path towards taking the NFC North, and it's not through anything they have done, but through the misfortune of the teams surrounding them in their division like Baltimore's issues and having Lamar Jackson being sidelined for a few weeks, and Cincinnati losing Joe Burrow due to his turf toe. Now this could be a trap game for Pittsburgh given past meetings with the Cleveland Browns, but I need to feel a lot more confident in Cleveland's abilities before I pick them to upset a divisional rival.
RICK'S PICK: Pittsburgh
New England Patriots at New Orleans Saints, Sunday, 1:00pm
There is a reality that the New England Patriots could possess the AFC East lead after this week is done. Drake Maye sparkled for the New England Patriots against the Buffalo Bills, with the help of Stefon Diggs having a revenge game against his former team. And if Rhamondre Stevenson could hold onto the ball in critical spots, he would be a top back for a team that is emerging out of the basement. New Orleans has played teams tough all season, and the fruit of their labors resulted in beating the New York Giants last week. But New England is a stronger team, and with the Bills playing a tough Atlanta Falcons team with a strong running back, it could be the first time since 2020 that we see the Patriots leading the division.
RICK'S PICK: New England
Tennessee Titans at Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, 4:05pm
So Tennessee picked up their first win last week, but it wasn't convincing. It required an Arizona team that more got in their own way than Tennessee stopping them from scoring. And while Las Vegas has had some growing pains with Pete Carroll at the helm and Geno Smith as their quarterback, I feel more confident in them than I do Tennessee.
RICK'S PICK: Las Vegas
San Francisco 49'ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, 4:25pm, WXXA FOX 23
The 49'ers have been getting by with injured key players for the entire season and touts a 4-1 record as a result. However, they are faced with a tough challenge on the road where Baker Mayfield awaits. You can never count Baker Mayfield out, even when the names and numbers change around him. Plus this game is being played in Tampa Bay, instead of the west coast.
RICK'S PICK: Tampa Bay
Cincinnati Bengals at Green Bay Packers, Sunday, 4:25pm
Joe Flacco is now a Bengal, and the question is -- has he had enough time to properly study the playbook? It feels like Flacco will be attempting to get by with a basic book and will have that book opened up to him with more time next week. Green Bay is not the team we were thinking they were over the first couple weeks, but against a team not 100%, I don't think it's going to matter.
RICK'S PICK: Green Bay
Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, 8:20pm, WNYT NBC Channel 13
The Kansas City Chiefs are having issues, and maybe some of those issues last week was the surprise ankle issue that caused Xavier Worthy to garnish an injury designation on Sunday into Monday last week against Jacksonville. That being said, this is the final week of Rasheed Rice being suspended for the Chiefs, so one will have to see how the Chiefs look by comparison heading into the second third of the season. After a week one stumble, Detroit looks solid. Both ends of the ball. Yes, this is being played in Kansas City, but the Lions aren't the first NFC team to come seeking a win in 2025.
RICK'S PICK: Detroit [X]
Buffalo Bills at Atlanta Falcons, Monday, 7:15pm, ESPN
The Buffalo Bills may be reeling after a loss to the New England Patriots last week, but bad news, Bills fans. Their defense is rocky and to make matters worse, they are faced with the need to defend one of the top running backs in the country in Bijan Robinson. And they are fresh off the bye week. This could become a shootout and Michael Penix Jr. has figured stuff out since losing that divisional match against the Panthers.
RICK'S PICK: Atlanta
Chicago Bears at Washington Commanders, Monday, 8:15pm, WTEN ABC 10
Since getting blown out by the Detroit Lions in Week 2, the Bears bounced back with two straight wins, though the quality of that road win against the Las Vegas Raiders is up for debate. They have a difficult challenge against a Washington Commanders team that has Jayden Daniels back, but they still have quite a few missing pieces. Austin Ekeler's on IR, and Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown. Plus, Deebo Samuel is questionable. So the question becomes -- who is Daniels throwing to this week?
Those injuries, combined with the Bears coming off their bye week, could open the door for the Bears. And hopefully the Bears remember what happened to them last year that essentially changed their season for the worse.
RICK'S PICK: Chicago
