Sometimes the most anticipated matchups meet the narrative that fans and stuntmen expect: Canelo Álvarez defeating every rival they put in front of him; Usain Bolt taking the finish line ahead of everyone every time he ran the 100 meter dash; Serena Williams owning most tournaments during her prime; Michael Phelps always going up to the medal table after getting out of the pool or Tom Brady winning games with the last possession of the game. When the greats know what is at stake, they find a way to do something they have never done and win.
PBut in the NFL, the spirit of results is untamed. And no, I do not want to justify that in the forecasts of Week 6 I lowered my performance by matching 10 out of 14 possible outcomes. Not every day is home run, if you don’t ask the Red Sox that after scoring countless runs in Games 3 and 4 of the American League Championship Series, Tuesday night they got cold. Not as much as @Ivan_Pirron that instead of the picking race, it looks like he’s been playing the Ice Bowl for three weeks. It does not heat up and leaves me the way freer than a freeway on a holiday.
Entering Week 7 of the NFL, half of the teams that played in the Playoffs last season are averaging .500 or less. Where is the pedigree?
It’s this point in the season where the league starts to get as cloudy but sweet as a NEIPA beer.
Recent history shows that having a record of .500 or better after Week 7 is a key factor in earning a trip to the postseason.. Over the past 10 years (2011-20), 122 teams made the postseason and 107 of them (87.7 percent) hit .500 or more during the first seven weeks of the NFL season.
It is no secret to anyone that since it is a physical sport, at this point, several coaches begin to plan the matches taking as a reference the health status of their players who accumulate blows and injuries.
Frustrated and euphoric fans is another result of the 2021 season where so far free football has been a trend that seems to not go out of style like running in the morning. 11 games went to overtime, the second-most all-time for the first six weeks. Only surpassed by 995 when 12 encounters were extended.
Do you want an easy bet?
The league only nHe needs an overtime game this weekend to tie the NFL record for the longest stretch of the first few weeks of the season with at least one overtime game. Put your money to see that this Sunday there will be another result that is defined in a fifth period.
In an incredible display of how even the league is and why it is so difficult to predict the outcome, you have to know that 23 games were defined by a touchdown or a field goal within the last minute. Never before has the NFL had such a record. The last ball is the winning ball.
The NFL’s second visit to London this season The Jaguars cut their 20-game losing streak by winning a field goal over the Dolphins
Justin Setterfield (Getty Images)
Time to move on to Week 7
GAME OF THE WEEK
Bengals at Ravens (-6):
NFC North Top Game Is there much more to say? Actually yes:
Baltimore belongs to the contingent of four teams that accumulates five victories in a row. It is the first time since the final part of the 2018 season that there are this many organizations with that streak. The Bengals have just beaten the Lions and now boast a 4-2 record.
It is the second time that Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow have faced each other, two of the quarterbacks that belong to the new generation that will maintain the pulse of the game for several years. Last week, Jackson earned the 35th win of his starting career and surpassed Hall of Famer Dan Marino (34 wins) in the most wins for a quarterback before he was 25 years old.
Burrow and Ja´Marr Chase seem like a veteran connection cwith 27 passes for 553 yards and five touchdowns. They are a threat to any defense and Baltimore knows it. In the win against the Lions, Burrow threw for 271 yards with three touchdowns and an interception while Chase led with 97 yards.
While the Ravens combined last year to score 65 points to six last year, they know that in 2021 that statistic is hard to come by. repeat. Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson has 19 sacks since early 2020, only TJ Watt and Myles Garrett have more in that span at 20.
Cincinnati has matured on both sides of the ball. They led the Packers into overtime and came close to taking the win if they didn’t miss the field goal. With all the Bengals talents, stopping Lamar right now seems silly. Bengals 21-28 Ravens
SURE PICK
Jets at Patriots (-7):
The game has arrived where the Patriots can lick their wounds from the loss that the Cowboys gave them last week in Foxborough. It was the first victory for Dallas in the history of Gillette Stadium and that continues to hurt within the organization led by Bill Belichcik. The Jets land with a bye week that rested rookie quarterback Zach Wilson who has been badly beaten.
Why is this result so safe for me?
New England crushed the Jets 25-6 in their first meeting in Week 2. The Patriots fresh off a loss want to punch back the first they meet, and unfortunately for the Jets, they are. In that game Wilson was intercepted four times. to add to the stat that Belichick has against rookie quarterbacks. Jets 13- 21 Patriots
UPSET
Panthers (-3) at Giants:
As the season progressed three Sundays, the world began to flag the Jets as having made the worst trade by leaving Sam Darnold to Carolina. A few weeks later the cosmic trust in the Panthers quarterback has collapsed. The quarterback is full of ups and downs as we knew him when he wore the green New York uniform. Without a stable receiving corps, Darnold begins to make a lot of mistakes and miss passes. The last game completed 54.7 percent of his attempts. The Giants are coming off being demolished by the Rams, but against a Panthers without Christian McCafrrrey it’s the right time to look back at the win column. Panthers 17-21 Giants.
Carolina’s magical start is over Sam Darnold is once again the same imprecise quarterback we met when he ran the Jets offense.
Mike Comer (AFP)
TWO MINUTE DRILL
Broncos at Browns (-2):
The injured list in Denver is so extensive. His defense manages to keep games close but his inability to get points up on the scoreboard keeps the Broncos playing .500. Despite being a duel with teams that have the same brand, the Browns have more talent. Injuries have also permeated with Baker Mayfield diminished by his throwing shoulder and starting runners out with calf problems. Broncos 20-28 Browns
Colts at 49ers (-4):
The 49ers should feel revitalized coming off a bye week, but they have both of their quarterbacks on the questionable list and it won’t be until Sunday when they decide who to start with. Still, San Francisco should have no problem celebrating with its people. Colts 24-30 49ers.
Falcons (-2.5) at Dolphins:
Miami comes from a painful trip from the old continent where they lost to Jaguars. Atlanta took a break. We all know what happens when those factors come together. Brian Flores must start looking for work. Falcons 30-21 Dolphins
WFT in Packers (-8.5):
Washington’s defense is the last to face the pass. Against Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams the afternoon looks to be a disaster. Washington with Taylor Henicke is averaging less than 23 points per game, so expecting to win with a shootout is not an option. WFT 20- 30 Packers
Chiefs (-5.5) at Titans:
The Titans stunned the world by defeating the Bills at the MNF with seven trades in the lead. Patrick Mahomes is surprising the world with the number of interceptions he has thrown. Both situations are not enough to expect another surprise. Tennessee lost many men in the battle against Buffalo. Chiefs 35-24 Titans
Lions at Rams (-15):
Jared Goff will face the team that selected him, made him a millionaire and then scrapped him. The now Detroit quarterback has not achieved an NFL victory without Sean McVay as coach. Although they will be back together, that will not happen in Week 6. Lions 17-30 Rams
Old acquaintances Jared Goff will face his former team for the first time
Rey Del Rio (AFP)
Eagles at Raiders (-3):
Jalen Hurts is coming off a game in which he just completed 12 of 26 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. On the other side Derek Carr gave a lead pass as he led the Raiders through a week full of distractions. I stick with men of character. Eagles 21-24 Raiders
Texans at Cardinals (-17.5):
In Las Vegas they expect a massacre, Las Vegas will have a massacre. Texans 13-30 Cardinals
Bears at Buccaneers (-12.5):
The Bucs are looking for the best start in their history (6-1) and they will have it against a team that despite having the seventh best defense of the moment, lacks enough weapons to defend against Tom Brady. Bears 21-28 Buccaneers
Saints (-5) at Seahawks:
A team that took a bye week against another that does not have its franchise quarterback due to injury. The story is clear. Saints 28-21 Seahawks.
PARLAY
Bears +12.5
Falcons -2.5
Raiders -3 Over
PICKS RACE
Last week: 10-4
TOTAL:
Ariel 64-30
Ivan 61-33