NFL picks against the spread, Week 6: Jets-Eagles, Cowboys-Chargers and more (2024)

Opening Line:Chiefs -8.5

Schuster: Chiefs -10.5

Even if I had an ounce of belief in the Broncos, I still wouldn’t bet on them here, but Thursday games are weird so I can’t fault anyone who goes the other way.

Grimes:Chiefs -10.5

KC’s offense hasn’t really it its stride yet, but Denver’s defense is bad enough for the Chiefs to crawl to a cover.

Curtis: Chiefs -10.5

I don’t love that spread given the struggles we’ve seen from the Chiefs at times. But this is a Broncos team that’s a complete disaster. They could give up 50 points here.

Darney: Chiefs -10.5

Travis Kelce or not, the Broncos are really bad. It’s a cruel summer for Denver fans this week.

Zeglinski: Broncos +10.5

Denver’s defense is historically bad, but let’s not pretend that the Chiefs’ mid offense is capable of much explosiveness right now. This is a division game where the Broncos are fighting for their season. This spread is way too big.

D’Andrea: Chiefs -10.5

The Broncos have faced one team with a winning record so far and gave up 726 yards that Sunday.

Opening Line:Ravens -5.5

Schuster:Ravens -4

This line is pretty scary, not gonna lie. The Titans will keep things close in London.

Grimes: Titans +4

I also hate this line. I think the Ravens win, but I’ll take the points.

Curtis: Titans +4. Hate the line with a raging passion. Give me the points (but I’m not betting on this in real life).

Darney:Ravens -4

I should be allowed to change my pick if the Baltimore receivers still can’t remember how to catch.

Zeglinski: Ravens -4

The Titans’ offense hurts to watch. Now they play against a Baltimore team that’s allowed four offensive touchdowns in five games. I will not say more.

D’Andrea: Ravens -4

Tennessee is sometimes decent, occasionally competent and mostly bad. The Titans have the chops to make this bet look stupid, but it’s much more likely they won’t.

Opening Line: Vikings -3

Schuster: Bears +2.5

Sure, I’ll take a home underdog with an offense that seems to be working against the team that just lost Justin Jefferson to IR.

Grimes: Vikings -2.5

Minnesota will miss Jefferson, but I think they can beat the Bears by a field goal.

Curtis: Bears +2.5

The Justin Jefferson injury is a bigger deal than you think. And you already thought it was a big deal.

Darney: Bears +2.5

What am I doing?

Zeglinski: Bears +2.5

Chicago’s offense is gaining steam and it should have most of its starting secondary back this Sunday. No Justin Jefferson will be tough to overcome for the Purple People.

D’Andrea: Bears +2.5

This is the sign Minnesota needs to start selling veterans for draft picks.

Opening Line: Jaguars -6.5

Schuster: Colts +4

The Jaguars had two weeks in London to get acclimated to the time change. Coming back home was always going to be tough even before this turned into a Gardner Minshew revenge game.

Grimes: Jaguars -4

Though I’m not sure how this game ever opened at -6.5.

Curtis: Colts +4

Do I have to pick here? I don’t want to do it. Anyway, the spread is one point too large.

Darney: Jaguars -4

This could have been closer in my mind, but then Anthony Richardson was announced as out. The Jags looked great closing out in London.

Zeglinski: Jaguars -4

No Anthony Richardson for the foreseeable future means it’s time to fade the Colts and hard. No disrespect, Gardner Minshew. I mean, maybe a little actually.

D’Andrea: Jaguars -4

Jacksonville may have sorted its offensive shortcomings out. The Colts’ defense is better than it was last season, but it has a lot of holes to plug up when it faces the Jags.

Opening Line: Bengals -3.5

Schuster: Seahawks +3

I see and respect what the Bengals did last week and will still hold off until I put my money on them again.

Grimes: Seahawks +3

I like Kenneth Walker to run wild on Cincy and create opportunties in the passing game. Hawks win outright.

Curtis: Bengals -3

I shouldn’t bet on Cincy until I see everything clicking, but they should be fine at home against an uneven Seahawks team.

Darney: Bengals -3

If this was in Seattle, I’m going with the Seahawks. Bengals looked much better, but this one feels like a field goal difference.

Zeglinski: Seahawks +3

Seattle might have the most talented cornerback duo in the league between Tariq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon. They should suffice against the one-man show, Ja’Marr Chase.

D’Andrea: Seahawks +3

I’m happy the Bengals figured out a way to work around Joe Burrow’s calf injury. But the proof of concept we have at the moment came against the Arizona Cardinals, so my skepticism is Raylan Givens levels of Justified.

Opening Line: Dolphins -7

Schuster: Dolphins -13.5

Y’all saw what the Lions did to this Panthers team last week, right?

Grimes: Dolphins -13.5

The De’Von Achane injury news sucks for my fantasy team, but the Dolphins won’t need him to trounce Carolina.

Curtis: Dolphins -13.5

Carolina’s defense is good, but not THAT good.

Darney: Dolphins -13.5

I want Carolina to be better.

Zeglinski: Dolphins +13.5

(Wipes eyes, triple-checks Miami’s opponent) Good. Lord.

D’Andrea: Dolphins -13.5

Godspeed, Frank Reich.

Opening Line: Saints -2.5

Schuster: Texans +1.5

I still believe in CJ Stroud.

Grimes: Texans +1.5

I also believe in CJ Stroud … and need to see the Saints string together a few good games in a row.

Curtis:Saints -1.5

I also believe in CJ Stroud, but I also believe in the Saints’ defense and in the offense finding its rhythm against Houston’s pass D.

Darney: Texans +1.5

Stroud is legit.

Zeglinski: Saints +1.5

The bloom isn’t coming off CJ Stroud’s rose (yet, anyway) but the Saints are just a better team overall.

D’Andrea:Saints -1.5

You could talk me into a CJ Stroud two-minute drill to win this game. Or 400 yards of total offense from the Saints against an outmatched young defense. I have no faith in either outcome.

Opening Line:49ers -1

Schuster: 49ers -6.5

This line is way too low after the Niners just whooped the Cowboys and especially after the Browns just lost Deshaun Watson to injury. On second thought, that latter bit might actually help Cleveland.

Grimes: 49ers -6.5

This is one of the lines I disagreed with the most this week, so you know which way I’m going.

Curtis: 49ers -6.5

Why isn’t this even higher?

Darney: 49ers -6.5

How did this open at one? I’d take the Niners at double-digit favorites.

Zeglinski: 49ers -6.5

Are we sure an injured Deshaun Watson, who once faced more than 20 allegations of sexual misconduct in what the NFL would later characterize as “predatory behavior,” isn’t just, you know, ducking the 49ers?

D’Andrea: 49ers -6.5

The Browns defense can limit the Niners’ prolifically efficient offense. The Browns offense, however, is gonna have one hell of a time trying to crack the San Francisco defense.

Opening Line: Falcons -3.5

Schuster: Falcons -2.5

Oh Washington is bad bad, I see.

Grimes: Falcons -2.5

I don’t trust when Washington looks good, and I don’t trust it when they look like garbage either. So this game will probably be close, but Bijan Robinson tilts things in Atlanta’s favor.

Curtis: Falcons – 2.5

Another game I don’t want to bet on but you take the home team between two mediocre squads.

Darney: Commanders -2.5

Fine, I’ll break the trend and go with Washington here. If competent Commanders show up, they’ll probably roll. If the other Washington team shows up, Atlanta will roll. Either way, we still love Bijan Robinson.

Zeglinski: Falcons -2.5

Haha, Desmond Ridder versus woeful Commanders secondary equals touchdowns go brrrr.

D’Andrea: Falcons -2.5

I have genuinely no idea what either team or quarterback is capable of. Home team wins, I guess.

Opening Line: Raiders -1

Schuster: Raiders -3

Tom Brady vs. Bill Belichick! Again!

Grimes:Raiders -3

This game is going to end up a push, but sure, I’ll back the team that can actually score *a* point.

Curtis: Raiders -3

This is so easy given Mac Jones’s struggles … and how sad is that?

Darney: Raiders -3

The Patriots are BAD.

Zeglinski: Raiders -3

The Raiders really need to be careful here. The last thing this team needs is to get a little hot and play out of the No. 1 overall pick in April.

D’Andrea:Raiders -3

God damn, Mac Jones. Do you know how BAD you have to be to get me to bet on Josh McDaniels???

Opening Line: Lions -3.5

Schuster: Lions -3

This one is going to get ugly by every definition of the word.

Grimes: Lions -3

Detroit’s offense is going to be fun to watch in this one. But then again, when isn’t it fun to watch?

Curtis:Lions -3

I’m hesitating a bit given the Bucs coming off the bye and their underrated defense. But the Lions look every bit like contenders.

Darney: Lions -3

Uhhh, sure. The Lions are fun??

Zeglinski: Lions -3

The Buccaneers are a feisty and entertaining bunch but Detroit has a bona fide championship contender on its hands.

D’Andrea: Buccaneers +3

Lions are riding high, Bucs are coming off a bye. Feels like an opportunity for a trap game, especially given Tampa’s ability to perform above expectations this season.

Opening Line: Eagles -4

Schuster: Eagles -7

Shhhhhh Zach WIlson, it’ll all be over soon. What’s that? We’re only a third of the way into the season? Oh no.

Grimes: Eagles -7

What happens when the Jets can’t run and Zach Wilson has to do it all? We’re about to find out.

Curtis: Eagles -7

Zach Wilson’s going to have a nightmare day against the Eagles’ defense.

Darney: Eagles -7

Philly is trying to make things a difficult as possible but they keep winning.

Zeglinski:Eagles -7

We’re not used to seeing the Eagles look so … pedestrian. But they’re still undefeated and deserve the benefit of the doubt over a Jets team trying to find itself.

D’Andrea:Eagles -7

A quick comparison between the Jets’ offensive line and the Eagles’ defensive one suggests Zach Wilson’s gonna get the crap beaten out of him.

Opening Line: Rams -4.5

Schuster: Rams -7

Los Angeles is getting better with Cooper Kupp’s likely return. The Cards are looking, well, like the Cards still.

Grimes: Rams -7

Yeah, the Rams are going to score A LOT in this one.

Curtis: Rams -7

A spread that’s a bit large on paper, but with Cooper Kupp looking like he’s back, I think L.A. can pile up the points.

Darney: Rams -7

Puka Nacua might be the most fun player in the league. Add in Cooper Kupp? Could be a long day for the Cardinals.

Zeglinski: Rams -7

Arizona has been doing its absolute best to keep its head above water and deserves credit. I don’t see how anyone wearing Cardinals red and white can keep up with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, though.

D’Andrea: Rams -7

Opponents have enough tape on Joshua Dobbs to wrap up his surprising run as a league-average starting quarterback. Los Angeles now gets to break in its top two wideouts against a much less intimidating defense than it faced in Week 5.

Opening Line:Bills -7

Schuster: Giants +14

Two touchdowns against a team with jetlag. Surely not even the Giants can screw this up.

Grimes: Bills -14

Is it bad that it doesn’t matter if Saquon Barkley is healthy?

Curtis:Bills -14

Is it bad that it doesn’t matter if Daniel Jones is healthy for this game or not when it comes to the spread? Yes, yes it is.

Darney: Bills -14

Buffalo hasn’t looked like Buffalo to start the season, but they’re better than the Giants.

Zeglinski: Bills -14

Josh Allen avenged the Bills’ opening-season loss to the Jets by eviscerating the Raiders. After losing to the Jaguars, the Giants are on his plate. The Giants are worse than the Raiders. Much worse. Much, much worse.

D’Andrea: Bills -14.

The over/under on injured New York quarterbacks this game is 1.5.

Opening Line: Chargers -1

Schuster: Cowboys -2

I think the Niners just made it personal and Dallas is about to take it all out on the Chargers.

Grimes: Cowboys -2

I think Justin Herbert is going to pay for what the Niners did to Dallas.

Curtis: Cowboys -2

Whom do I trust more? A Dallas team that looked like a fraud last week against the Niners or a Chargers team coached by someone struggling? Here’s your answer.

Darney: Chargers +2

Add the Cowboys to the list of teams I just don’t trust to be consistent this year.

Zeglinski: Chargers +2

The Cowboys’ fraudulence outweighs the Chargers’ capacity to choke by miles. Plus, like, it’s the prolific Justin Herbert against a Dak Prescott offense with Mike McCarthy calling plays. C’mon now.

D’Andrea: Cowboys -2.

Hell yeah, the two least trustable head coaches in the league, playing in what’s effectively a neutral field. LET’S GET STUPID.