2021 NFL picks against the spread, Week 6: Chargers tempting underdog
2021 NFL picks against the spread, Week 6: The Los Angeles Chargers are a tempting underdog against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.
Week 5 of the NFL season was a wild one with some thrilling games between the Chargers and Browns, Bills and Chiefs, and capped on Monday Night Football with an MVP-caliber Lamar Jackson performance in the Ravens’ win over the Colts.
There’s no rest for the weary, however, as week six is already just a sleep away.
This is the first week of the 2021 NFL season with teams on a bye week but the real stories in Week 6 are the home underdogs. Eight of the 14 matchups this week involve home underdogs and a couple of the home favorites are toss-ups at best.
You’ve got to love parity in the NFL.
Let’s take a look through some NFL picks against the spread for Week 6 of the season, including a fun couple of risks you might want to take.
Note: All odds are courtesy of WynnBet.
2021 NFL picks against the spread, Week 6: Chargers tempting underdog
BYE: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-7) at Philadelphia Eagles
A Thursday Night Football matchup pitting one of the NFC’s top powerhouse teams against a team that is currently fighting to keep any hopes of the playoffs alive.
This is a matchup where the Buccaneers, even on the road, should easily cover. Tom Brady is coming off of a five-touchdown performance, already his second such performance of the season and third with more than four TD tosses.
Bucs cover this one easily for your weekly NFL picks.
Miami Dolphins (-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a mess right now but at some point, the talent of Trevor Lawrence is simply going to take over, right?
The Dolphins have not just been losing, they’ve been getting embarrassed this year. I might take the Jaguars outright in this one.
Kansas City Chiefs (-6.5) at Washington Football Team
Nobody wants to play Kansas City after a loss, no matter what kind of home-field advantage you think you might have. The Chiefs will cover this spread easily.
Los Angeles Rams (-11) at New York Giants
This is giving a lot of points for a road team, but it’s probably justified. The New York Giants may not have Daniel Jones, who is in concussion protocol, and they will probably be without Saquon Barkley and Kenny Golladay.
Still, I’d be a bit hesitant on this one until Jones’ status is known for certain.
Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts (-10)
This is some hefty respect for a bad Indianapolis Colts team. The Colts played the Baltimore Ravens exceptionally well but ultimately blew a huge lead.
Houston is a bad team but they’ve shown some fight in the early portion of the 2021 season. The Colts win this game, but not by 10 points.
Cincinnati Bengals (-3.5) at Detroit Lions
If you’re looking to take a little risk this weekend, this might be the one. The Cincinnati Bengals are off to a solid start this season but the Detroit Lions have been pesky against some good teams.
At some point, Dan Campbell’s crew is going to figure it out and get a win. I might get crazy with my NFL picks and take the Lions at home this weekend.
Green Bay Packers (-5) at Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears have been playing some really good defense and the Green Bay Packers have had some close calls in the first five weeks of the season along with an absolute beatdown in week one.
Playing in Soldier Field, this could be an early statement game for rookie Justin Fields. I’m taking the Bears.
Los Angeles Chargers at Baltimore Ravens (-3.5)
How can you not like the Chargers as a road underdog in this game? Lamar Jackson deserves every ounce of our respect, but so does Justin Herbert. This battle of two legit MVP candidates could come down to which guy has the ball last.
Minnesota Vikings at Carolina Panthers (-1)
The Minnesota Vikings may not be very good this season, but they are good enough to pick against a one-point spread.
Arizona Cardinals at Cleveland Browns (-3)
This one will be interesting. The Cleveland Browns are coming off of a loss and hosting an undefeated team. The Cardinals are the NFL’s last remaining unbeaten team and they are playing well on both sides of the ball. I’m not picking against the Browns at home.
Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos (-3.5)
The Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders have both dropped a couple of games after starting the season 3-0.
Jon Gruden’s resignation as head coach of the Raiders is certainly a dark cloud against this team. I think Denver’s defense plays well and the Broncos win at home, covering the spread.
Dallas Cowboys (-3.5) at New England Patriots
Frankly, I think the Cowboys are going to cover this easily. Dan Quinn has his defense playing exceptionally well and he’s got a matchup against a rookie quarterback.
The Cowboys’ offense is firing on all cylinders. I see this being a two-score win for the Cowboys.
Seattle Seahawks at Pittsburgh Steelers (-4.5)
With Russell Wilson out, this type of line is justified. The Steelers had a “get right” game last week against the Denver Broncos and now have some momentum. They should cover easily.
Buffalo Bills (-5) at Tennessee Titans
After going into Kansas City and destroying the Chiefs, can the Buffalo Bills keep that momentum going on the road against the Titans?
Let’s take a little risk and pick the Titans against the spread here.