Steelers bounce back vs. lowly Raiders as Baltimore stumbles in Week 6 predictions

The Steelers are looking to break their losing streak in a fun-filled Week 6 NFL slate.
Dallas Cowboys v Pittsburgh Steelers
Dallas Cowboys v Pittsburgh Steelers / Joe Sargent/GettyImages
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A 9-5 record isn't too bad in Week 5, especially with so many matchups coming down to the wire. Some teams, like the Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers, really dropped the ball in winnable games and will look to rebound this week.

Several really fun teams such as the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers return from the first bye week of the season in crucial matchups, so Week 6 should make for a great week of NFL football.

One note from last week before we get into this week's picks - I forgot to pick the Cardinals-49ers game. I likely would have chosen San Francisco anyway, but on principle, the game counts as a loss to the season record. Still, six games above.500, I'm feeling pretty good.

Season Record: 41-35

Thursday Night

San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks

San Francisco is limping through the early going of this season. They already have two division losses on their record and Seattle is in prime position to give them a third. The Seahawks know they had the Giants dead to rights last week. A Thursday night matchup at home is a ripe environment to kick the Niners' legs out from under them.

Winner: Seahawks, 21-20

Sunday Morning

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Chicago Bears

The Bears handled business appropriately against the Carolina Panthers last week and are starting to hit a bit of a stride while improving at the same time. Their relatively easy schedule is doing them a bit of a favor, but things are starting to heat up a bit. The Jaguars certainly felt the pressure of an 0-4 start last week and found a way to win. Can they find some more confidence across the pond? They are only 6-5 in London.

Winner: Jaguars, 30-27

Sunday Early Window

Arizona Cardinals @ Green Bay Packers

The Cardinals had every right to lose in San Francisco last week, but they put on a gutsy performance and pulled it out in the end. At times this season Arizona has looked dead in the water only to come back the following week and make you question everything you thought you knew. Are they who we thought they were? A dark horse in the NFC West? The Packers have home-field advantage and some frustration to release.

Winner: Packers, 31-24

Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans

Indianapolis has an offensive spark with Joe Flacco, but the defense has shown it's still a bit inconsistent. Inconsistent enough to let the Titans outscore them? Not likely. The Titans aren't explosive enough to keep up with the Colts' offense.

Winner: Colts, 28-13

Houston Texans @ New England Patriots

The Patriots are making a bold decision by starting rookie quarterback Drake Maye for the first time against the Houston Texans defense. Will Anderson and that crew must've smiled real wide when they got that news.

Winner: Texans, 28-10

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints

What a matchup this should be in the NFC South. Both of these teams know the emotional impact of playing in the wake of a devastating hurricane, so the intensity and respect between these rivals should be ramped up and positioned to give fans a great game to take their mind away from the real world for a while. The Saints are better than a four-game losing streak, but Baker Mayfield is playing great football and is a great emotional leader.

Winner: Buccaneers, 27-23

Cleveland Browns @ Philadelphia Eagles

I'm not sure anyone has faith in the Cleveland Browns at this point. They are mired in their own foolhardy mistakes and not many in the NFL world are particularly surprised. The Eagles had a chance to rest up with an early BYE and should come out swinging against a staggered Cleveland team.

Winner: Eagels, 27-14

Washington Commanders @ Baltimore Ravens

Both of these offenses can fly. This could be a back-and-forth battle between two of the most exciting quarterbacks in the league through the air and on the ground. Which defense can stand up to the test? Trends would indicate it won't be Baltimore.

Winner: Commanders, 31-30

Sunday Late WIndow

Los Angeles Chargers @ Denver Broncos

Bo Nix has looked better and better as the season has progressed, but the Denver offense is still rather uninspiring. The defense looked great against Las Vegas, but the Raiders aren't exactly a perfect test to gauge where Denver truly is. The Chargers still have significant injuries, but it looks like Justin Herbert is a full go, and he's tough to doubt.

Winner: Chargers, 22-18

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Las Vegas Raiders

What a frustrating experience this season has been for both of these fanbases. They've both ridden some unexpected highs and some intolerable lows. Still, Justin Fields has been the most consistent quarterback Pittsburgh has seen in some time even if the scoreboard hardly reflects it. The Raiders don't inspire much fear in the Pittsburgh defense, so the Steelers should have the edge. Here's hoping Davante Adams flies back with the Balck & Gold too.

Winner: Steelers, 24-16

Detroit Lions @ Dallas Cowboys

Dallas looked rough against Pittsburgh, and they were lucky to leave Acrisure Stadium victorious. The Detroit Lions are looking for some Christmas revenge and to show they are the undisputed best team in the NFC. Here's their shot, feet fail them not.

Winner: Lions, 31-18

Atlanta Falcons @ Carolina Panthers

The Panthers are a bit more organized than the first two outings, but they are still far from good, especially against top-tier competition. The Falcons have shown throughout the early goings of the season that they are in that top-tier discussion. As long as they play clean, this game is theirs to lose.

Winner: Falcons, 27-7

Sunday Night

Cincinnati Bengals @ New York Giants

The Bengals cannot afford another loss. Heading into the season, surely they thought their record would be inversed and they'd be heading to MetLife Stadium with an easy win at the table, but the optics are firmly opposite. The Giants are going to make Cincinnati earn this one.

Winner: Bengals, 30-22

Monday Night

Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets

Many teams bounce back the week after their head caoch is fired and play with a ton of emotion to grab a somewhat unexpected win. Are the Jets really built that way? After all, Robert Saleh orchestrated the defense - which is not the problem in New York. The Bills struggled against Houston, but they know the Jets and will take advantage on Monday night.

Winner: Bills, 24-14

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