NFL Week 6: picks, bets and predictions

The duel between Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs It was marked for months as one of the most anticipated on the 2022 NFL schedule. But who knew that at the end of the main game on Sunday afternoon we would have the meeting between the two best teams in the NFC, when the Dallas Cowboys visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football.

Could it be a preview of the conference finals? Don’t dismiss it.

The Bills have to prove they are legitimate contenders to win the Super Bowl. and for this they must defeat their nemesis.

Then this dallas defensewho has allowed a touchdown in each gamesomething Dallas had only accomplished in the first five games in 1972.

This, moreover, is only the second time in the last 43 seasons (1980-2022) that two or more Week 6 games feature teams with at least four wins.

As data, six visiting teams are favorites In Las Vegas.

Let’s go to the picks:

GAME OF THE WEEK

Dallas at Philadelphia (-6)

Everything indicates that Cooper Rush will have his fifth game as a starter with the Cowboysas coach Mike McCarthy said Dak Prescott will take his place when he can complete a week of training.

Rush and the Cowboys (4-1) visit the Eagles (5-0)the only undefeated team in the league, led by young quarterback Jalen Hurts, without a doubt the player who has shown the most growth from one year to the next in the entire NFL.

In the past week, dallas defense proved once again that the Cowboys can depend on Micah Parson, Trevon Diggs and company.

Cooper Rush passed for just 102 yards.but the defense scored the first touchdown of the game against the Rams, recorded five quarterback sacks, one interception and two fumbles.

You have to give credit to the running game as well. After generating 62 yards against Washington, the Cowboys broke out with 163 yards in Los Angelesincluding 86 by Tony Pollard.

Philadelphia’s defense is 10th against the run and he will obviously focus on stopping Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott to force Rush to win the match.

CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup have been reliablebut nothing spectacular in Dallas’ passing offense, and they won’t have an easy night against Darius Slay and James Bradberry, the Eagles’ pair of cornerbacks with two interceptions and five passes defensed each.

When Philadelphia has the ball, obviously all the spotlight is on Jalen Hurts, who can hurt you in many ways: has 19 rushing touchdowns in 24 startsthe most for a quarterback in his first 25 starts.

Hurts has 12 touchdowns (8 rushing, 4 passing) in their last five home games and it will be interesting to find out Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn’s plan of attack.

McCarthy is 9-0. when the Dallas defense scores a touchdown.

The pick: I anticipate a defensive duel in Philadelphia and in that case it will be necessary to consider that the Eagles are the leader of the NFL in the differential of ball exchanges, with +9. Cooper Rush will be more in demand than ever. Eagles 19-17 Cowboys

GAME OF THE WEEK 2.0

Buffalo (-3) at Kansas City

Two of the three most recent games in this new rivalry have been in the postseason.with Kansas City winning the Divisional Round in January and the AFC Championship in 2021.

The Chiefs have won six of the last eight in the series and both defeats were suffered at Arrowhead.

For Josh Allen and the Bills is important to defeat his nemesis, not only because of the emotional momentum that this may represent for the rest of the campaign, but also because the result of this game could have implications in seeding for the Playoffs. And I guarantee you that no one on coach Sean McDermott’s team wants to return to Kansas City in January.

This matchup includes what I consider to be the two MVP candidates: Allen leads the NFL with 16 total touchdowns this season and the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes is second with 15.

Mahomes, who threw three passes into the end zone and rushed for another touchdown in January against the Bills, passed for four touchdowns Monday against the Raiders, all to Travis Kelce.

The pick: Buffalo leads the NFL with a 91-plus point differential and has allowed the fewest points (61) so far. The defense, however, has to show it can stop Mahomes and Kansas City’s dynamic offense. Bills 38-35 Chiefs

SURE PICK

San Francisco (-5.5) at Atlanta

The Niners defense doesn’t have the publicity that Dallas has., but actually accepts fewer points per game (12.2). 49ers 24-13 Falcons

UPSET

New England at Cleveland (-3)

Two of the worst run defenses league face to face. But the problems in Cleveland go beyond their defense. Patriots 27-24 Browns

TWO MINUTE DRIVE

Washington at Chicago (p.k.)

I have a lot of respect for the masochists who are going to see this. Bears 19-17 Commanders

New York Jets at Green Bay (-7)

Gone are the days of the Jets being a joke and the Packers a powerhouse in the NFC. Green Bay 28-24 New York

Jacksonville at Indianapolis (-2.5)

And suddenly the Jaguars were the same as last year. Indianapolis 24-14 Jacksonville

Minnesota (-3.5) at Miami

Neither Tua nor Teddy: Miami will go with Skylar Thompson as the starting quarterback against Minnesota. Vikings 28-19 Dolphins

Cincinnati (-2.5) at New Orleans

The Saints rescued a game that seemed lost last week. Can they repeat the trick against Joe Burrow’s Bengals? Cincinnati 31-28 New Orleans

Baltimore (-5) at New York Giants

The New York defense won’t be afraid to blitz Lamar Jackson all afternoon. Good luck with that. Ravens 27-21 Giants

Tampa Bay (-8) at Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh defensive memo: Tom Brady better stay away. Bucs 20-17 Steelers

Carolina at Los Angeles Rams (-10.5)

The experiment in Carolina called Matt Rhule, who is going to have to be paid $40 million, is over. Nice business. Rams 30-21 Panthers

Arizona (-3) at Seattle

Is coach Kliff Kingsbury next on the list of NFL flops? Seahawks 30-27 Cardinals

Denver at Los Angeles Chargers (-5)

Not content with spoiling a TNF, now the Broncos bring their lousy show to Monday Night Football. Chargers 20-13 Denver

bye week: Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas and Tennessee

In the past week: 9-7

Total in the season: 39-40-1