NFL 2008 Week 6 Picks

Football is a barbaric, tenacious, and vile game. It consists of brawny gridiron soldiers executing complex, strategic game plans using methods including blinding speed, laser dexterity, and obliterating hits. On any given play, there's splintering bones, spurting blood, brain trauma, ripped muscles, and jarred teeth that end up wedged in cleats.

But every Sunday, media and football fans seem infatuated with dissecting the outcome of games based on the beauty of the wins. They are consumed by style points. They talk about how teams won, but "It was an ugly win" or "That was not a pretty victory" or "They shouldn't have won that game...they looked out of sync," and then there's "If I was the coach, I wouldn't be pleased with how they won that one."

Are you kidding me?

Anyone who thinks that NFL teams begins the regular season like an ironed, crisp dress shirt just returned from the cleaners, isn't living in reality. Anyone who thinks that NFL teams should be at their ultimate best in every area of the game by Week 5 is seeing a mirage.

The pre-season is four games that allow coaches to determine their roster and work on fundamentals. It's basically glorified training camp on TV that prepares the teams for the regular season which is the training ground for the playoffs.

The regular season is where the concentration and attitude of all 1,696 players becomes monumental as all 32 teams try to find their stride and momentum at just the right time while jockeying for position in their divisions. But, there will still be crushing injuries, mishaps, poorly executed plays, mental breakdowns, and bad timing.

Most teams don't reach their true potential and the pinnacle of their momentum until the last month of the season.

So, in the meantime, look at these early weeks of warfare as teams still discovering who they are and what they're made of. It's a process and journey which doesn't deserve false expectations of these players and teams.

What will happen in this leg of the journey in Week 6? Which teams will finally slip in place and get our attention? Are there any teams that have unknowingly already reached their pinnacle for this season and will begin to fade to black?

Remember. This games will continue to be gut-wrenching, explosive, mind-blowing, and extremely entertaining. But, it's only Week 6.

• Chicago Bears (3-2) at Atlanta Falcons (3-2): FOX, 1pm EST - Two of the most eye-opening RB's playing right now are Chicago's rookie Matt Forte and Atlanta's Michael Turner. Both of these defenses will have their hands full containing them, but Chicago is simply a more dominant squad right while also sporting a more talented offense.

• Detroit Lions (0-4) at Minnesota Vikings (2-3): FOX, 1pm EST - It's been eleven years since Detroit last won in Minnesota. They might need to start Drew Stanton, their second-round draft pick in 2007, at QB due to injuries to Jon Kitna and the great Dan Orlovsky. Their 30th-ranked rush defense gets to face the lethal Adrian Peterson. Hide the kids.

• Carolina Panthers (4-1) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2): FOX, 1pm EST - This is great smash-mouth battle between two divisional foes who each sport very effective running tandems. Tampa was clicking on all cylinders with Brian Griese at QB, but he has a right elbow injury. If he can't go, then the reins will go to Jeff Garcia who will be facing a rejuvenated DE Julius Peppers and Carolina defense.

• St. Louis Rams (0-4) at Washington Redskins (4-1): FOX, 1pm EST- Former Saints head coach Jim Haslett takes over the helm of the woeful Rams, and he just might be what this team needs to begin a turn around. But, don't plan on it meaning a W in the nation's capitol. Washington is 20-7-1 vs. the Rams in franchise history and has yet to have a turnover this season.

• Baltimore Ravens (2-2) at Indianapolis Colts (2-2): CBS, 1pm EST - What is wrong with Peyton Manning? His mobility appears to be back but his chemistry with his receivers is very unstable right now. This will have to improve vs. the league's #1 ranked secondary and pass rush. Indy has yet to win a game in their new home, Lucas Oil Field, but coach Tony Dungy is 4-0 vs. Baltimore.

• Oakland Raiders (1-3) at New Orleans Saints (2-3): CBS, 1pm EST - The Lane Kiffin death watch is now over after the 120-year old Al Davis fired him and tore him down as a man. New head coach Tom Cable looks like John Goodman and will have his hands full facing a Saints team that is not too happy about their loss to Minnesota last Monday night despite a career day for Reggie Bush. It will be interesting to see how long Cable lasts under the crypt keeper owner.

• Cincinnati Bengals (0-5) at NY Jets (2-2): CBS, 1pm EST - This could be a massacre which the Jets are used to after Brett Favre's 6-TD performance two weeks ago vs. Arizona. Favre should pick up where he left off vs. a Cincy team that is very unstable right now especially with Carson Palmer out and the young Ryan Fitzpatrick in. Marvin Lewis appears to be on the hot seat, and a loss to the Jets could be his ticket to the unemployment line.

• Miami Dolphins (2-2) at Houston Texans (0-4): CBS, 1pm EST - These are actually two pretty evenly-matched teams on both sides of the ball except for rushing defense where Houston is 26th. Facing Miami's 10th-ranked rushing attack will be a challenge for these winless Texans. The Dolphins are turning heads with their performance the last two weeks and have never beaten Houston. They're due.

• Jacksonville Jaguars (2-3) at Denver Broncos (4-1): CBS, 4:05pm EST - Each team is packed with enough firepower to light up the sky offensively, but their defenses are struggling big time. Both squads will probably come out quick and fast to see whose defense wears down the fastest. Jacksonville has won the last three meetings vs. Denver.

• Dallas Cowboys (4-1) at Arizona Cardinals (3-2): FOX, 4:15pm EST - After watching NFL football for over 30 years, I've come to realize that if you have a very porous and suspect secondary, you don't want to face someone like Kurt Warner and his lethal arsenal. Due to injuries, poor play, and Pacman's possible suspension, the elements are there for a good ole fashioned desert sunburn.

• Philadelphia Eagles (2-3) at San Francisco 49ers (2-3): FOX, 4:15pm EST - The game plan is real simple for Philadelphia. If they want to avoid compiling a three game losing streak for the season and on the road, their defense must rise up and play their hearts out. QB J.T. O'Sullivan must feel the heat all day long while RB Frank Gore is grounded. If neither happen, it's going to be one long flight home across the country.

• Green Bay Packers (2-3) at Seattle Seahawks (1-3): FOX, 4:15pm EST - When was the last time you saw these two teams play each other and they both had losing records? Both have fallen on hard times the last three weeks, and each desperately needs a win in order to not lose ground in their divisions. Both defenses know how to give up points so this just might be a high-scoring affair.

• New England Patriots (3-1) at San Diego Chargers (2-3): NBC, 8:15pm EST, Sunday Night - Speaking of losing ground in divisions. These two teams are always a joy to watch regardless of their records, but they both are struggling this season to maintain momentum. Regardless, when you have weapons like Randy Moss and LaDainian Tomlinson on the field, you have a recipe for one entertaining battle.
  

• NY Giants (4-0) at Cleveland Browns (1-3): ESPN, 8:30pm EST, MNF - Emergency crews are standing by.

STANDINGS

Chris Mortensen: 9-5, 50-24

Mark Schlereth: 9-5, 47-27

Mike Golic: 8-6, 46-27

Eddie Chinn: 6-8, 43-31

Ron Jaworski: 7-6, 42-27