The Silcoff Selections: NFL Week 6 Predictions – Straight Up & Against the Spread Picks

Records Last Week:

Straight Up: 9-5-1

Against The Spread: 6-9

Season Records:

Straight Up: 46-32-1

Against The Spread: 35-43-1

Thursday Night Football: Seattle Seahawks (3-2) @ Denver Broncos (3-2) I Line: Seahawks -2.5

Week 6 kicks off with what we think should be an absolute banger between two Super Bowl contenders in the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos. In fact, this is the Super Bowl matchup many people thought we should have seen last year if Bo Nix were healthy for the AFC title game, but it should still be a fantastic game. And for this one, I'm going with the home underdog.

As much as I'm a Seattle Seahawks fan, I do think the matchup on paper should slightly favor Seattle. Denver's banged-up secondary, especially with Patrick Surtain out, should give Jaxon Smith-Njigba plenty of opportunities to eat. However, I just don't have much trust in the way Sam Darnold and this Seahawks offense have been playing consistently.

There's simply no urgency to this offense right now, they can't run the ball and, it's been too many turnovers and too many short fields given to opposing teams. While Seattle's defense can make up for some of those mistakes, I can already picture how this game plays out.

Seattle leads 6-3 at halftime before Denver starts showing signs of life in the third quarter. Then, in the fourth, Sam Darnold turns the ball over and gives the Broncos a short field. Bo Nix does what he does best: shows up when the game is on the line, even after struggling to get much going through the first portion of the game.

Ultimately, I think this matchup comes down to which offense turns the ball over first. And based on what we've seen from Seattle recently, I have to go with the Seahawks making that costly mistake.

Give me the Broncos to win at home and pull off the slight upset over the defending Super Bowl champions.

Score Prediction: Broncos 23, Seahawks 20

ATS Pick: Broncos +2.5

Sunday Slate:

Houston Texans (1-4) vs Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1) I Line: Jaguars -2.5

The Texans' defense started showing signs of life last week, looking more like their old selves, with DeMeco Ryans taking over as play caller. However, you have to take that performance with a grain of salt considering they were facing the Titans and Cam Ward. 

Meanwhile, the Jaguars are coming off a miraculous win over the Eagles in London.

Honestly, if this game were in Jacksonville, I'd probably go with Houston. They're the more desperate team, and if they want to keep the division race interesting, they need this win. Marvin Harrison Jr. making his debut for the Texans after last week's trade could also give them a spark.

But Jacksonville is rolling right now, finding ways to win games. Having already spent a week in London and adjusted to the surroundings gives the Jags another advantage.

Give me Jacksonville in a close one across the pond as they improve to 5-1.

Score Prediction: Jaguars 23, Texans 20

ATS Pick: Jaguars -2.5

Baltimore Ravens (4-1) @ Cleveland Browns (3-2) I Line: Ravens -5.5

The Browns losing to the Jets was the most obvious trap spot. There was no way the football gods were going to let Cleveland win four games in a row. However, I think they bounce back against the Ravens, who are coming off a road win in Atlanta with Tyler Huntley.

It sounds like Huntley will likely start again, and we've seen that when Lamar Jackson deals with these injuries, it's usually not just a one-game absence. He's already not practicing to start the week, which isn't a great sign for Baltimore.

The Browns are feisty at home and have done fairly well against the Ravens in Cleveland in recent years. With Baltimore potentially relying on its backup quarterback and Todd Monken facing his former team as a head coach for the first time, give me Cleveland to pull off the home upset.

Score Prediction: Browns 20, Ravens 17

ATS Pick: Browns +5.5

Carolina Panthers (2-2) @ Philadelphia Eagles (2-3) I Line: Panthers -3.5

The Eagles have to be kicking themselves after the way they lost to the Jaguars last week in London. But call me crazy; I don't think Nick Sirianni made the wrong decision on the kickoff. Maybe his guys just needed to make a tackle. The execution was horrible, but I think the play call to kick the ball in play was fine.

I understand the argument that this team might struggle to mentally recover from that loss, especially given how fragile the Eagles can look at times. However, I don't think they can afford to lose four games in a row.

The Panthers were dominant against the Lions the last time we saw them, but Bryce Young has done most of his damage against the Lions and Bears, two of the worst defenses in the NFL. Against a decent Browns defense, he struggled, especially in colder conditions.

I think the Eagles' defense makes the difference here. DeVonta Smith looks set to return, although Saquon Barkley's status remains uncertain. Philadelphia is the more desperate team, and if they lose this one, things could get ugly in Philly.

Give me the Eagles to bounce back at home, with Bryce Young struggling along the way.

Note: Picked changed to Panthers after Jalen Hurts ruled out with blood clot.

Score Prediction: Panthers 24, Eagles 13

ATS Pick: Panthers -3.5

Chicago Bears (3-2) @ Atlanta Falcons (2-3) I Line: Bears -1.5

We (likely) get a matchup of 2024 draft-class quarterbacks as Caleb Williams and the Bears take on Michael Penix Jr. and the Falcons in Atlanta. Williams is back practicing after a hamstring injury in Week 2 that looked like it could have been season-ending when he was carted off the field. After getting humbled by the Packers at Lambeau last week, I think the Bears come out firing on all cylinders.

Penix is also expected to start after leaving last week's game with a rib injury, which concerns me. It feels like we're potentially one hit away from seeing Tua Tagovailoa enter the game, who is also always a hit away from getting knocked out himself.

I think the Bears come out all business after last week's ass-kicking in Green Bay, and Ben Johnson will have these guys ready to go. Bijan Robinson could put up monster numbers against a Bears defense that just gave up rushing touchdowns to Marshawn Lloyd, although Lloyd wasn't particularly efficient on the ground.

Ultimately, I think Caleb Williams and this Bears offense will put up points in the dome. Give me Chicago to bounce back and improve to 4-2.

Score Prediction: Bears 28, Falcons 24

ATS Pick: Bears -1.5

New Orleans Saints (1-4) @ New York Giants (3-1-1) I Line: Saints -1.5

The Giants and Saints is one of the tougher games for me to predict this week. I thought New Orleans would be a lot better this year, and after correctly predicting their upset over the Ravens in Week 2, I've been high on them ever since. But they've been awful lately, coming off three straight home losses and now having to travel to New York to face Jameis Winston and the Giants, who sit at 3-1-1 after last week's miraculous tie in Washington.

In what I see as a pretty evenly matched game, give me the home team and the better-coached team. John Harbaugh has his Giants fighting despite losing Jaxson Dart for the season in Week 2. I think Winston can cook the Saints' cornerbacks, and Malik Nabers could be in line for a monster day.

I also don't love a dome team heading on the road to New York as we get into the colder months. Give me the Giants to somehow improve to 4-1-1 and stay atop the NFC East.

Score Prediction: Giants 27, Saints 20

ATS Pick: Giants +1.5

New York Jets (2-3) @ New England Patriots (3-2) I Line: Patriots -7.5

I think the Patriots are going to absolutely destroy the Jets this weekend in Foxborough. Drake Maye is starting to find his groove after a rough first few weeks, and over the last two games, he's looked like his 2025 self, who was an MVP-caliber player. Last week, he accounted for five touchdowns against the Raiders after helping get New England back into the AFC East race with a Week 4 win over the Bills in Buffalo.

Maye has shown he can put up huge numbers against bad teams, and I think the Jets are exactly that. Even without TreVeyon Henderson in the lineup this week, I expect Rhamondre Stevenson to have a big game on the ground.

The Patriots should keep this momentum going, improve to 4-2, and establish themselves as legitimate contenders in the AFC East alongside Buffalo.

Score Prediction: Patriots 33, Jets 17

ATS Pick: Patriots -7.5

Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-4) I Line: Steelers -2.5

The Buccaneers are coming off their first win of the year last Thursday in Dallas, with Jalon Daniels absolutely gashing that Cowboys defense. However, I think this is a game where Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers offense continue to hum. Rodgers looks a lot better than he has in recent years, and I think he stays hot. Jaylen Warren has also been an absolute weapon for Pittsburgh, and I think Tampa Bay will struggle to stop him.

I expect the Steelers' offensive line to keep Rodgers protected, and Mike McCarthy should be able to scheme something up against a struggling team. While Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers are more talented on paper than their 1-4 record suggests, they've found ways to blow games this season.

I think Tampa Bay keeps it competitive, but Pittsburgh gets the job done. The Buccaneers fall to 1-5, hopefully with Baker Mayfield returning soon to help get their season back on track in a very winnable NFC South.

Score Prediction: Steelers 24, Buccaneers 19

ATS Pick: Steelers -2.5

Tennessee Titans (0-5) @ Indianapolis Colts (2-3) I Line: Colts -6.5

The Tennessee Titans are the worst team in football. Cam Ward might be the worst quarterback in the league, and this Titans organization is a joke. Meanwhile, the Colts are coming off a somewhat competitive game in Pittsburgh, at least on the scoreboard, even if the underlying numbers don't necessarily support that.

At home, I think Daniel Jones, Jonathan Taylor, and this Colts offense put together their best performance of the season. My bold prediction is that Indianapolis absolutely trounces Tennessee, sending the Titans to 0-6. The questions are already piling up about whether Ward is the quarterback of the future and whether Robert Saleh could be one-and-done as head coach, potentially making this his final opportunity to lead an NFL team.

Give me Indy to get back to .500 while Tennessee continues its winless season.

Score Prediction: Colts 31, Titans 14

ATS Pick: Colts -6.5

Arizona Cardinals (1-4) @ Los Angeles Rams (2-3)I Line: Rams -12.5

After losing on Monday night and dropping to 2-3, I think the Rams are going to come out angry and absolutely dominate the Cardinals. Los Angeles had a pretty embarrassing finish against Buffalo in Week 5, blowing a game I expected them to win, but luckily for them, they get to face one of the worst teams in football.

Arizona really disappointed me last week. I expected its offense to put up some numbers against Detroit, but instead, the Cardinals got trounced. They've been humbled since their Week 1 win over the Chargers, who haven't exactly looked great themselves.

Give me Sean McVay and the Rams to bounce back in a big way and drop a 40-burger on Arizona.

Score Prediction: Rams 41, Cardinals 17

ATS Pick: Rams -12.5

Buffalo Bills (4-1) @ Las Vegas Raiders (3-2) I Line: Bills -5.5

Every week needs an upset, and here's mine. Assuming Ashton Jeanty plays, I'm taking the Raiders to upset the Bills. Buffalo is coming off an emotional overtime win against the Rams on Monday night, and teams playing on short weeks after overtime games can sometimes struggle the following week. I also have some concerns about the Bills staying on the West Coast all week.

The Raiders have shown some fight, and I think they'll be competitive indoors. If Jeanty is healthy, they have the offensive weapons to keep up with Buffalo. Brock Bowers could torch this defense, while Klint Kubiak should be able to scheme up some opportunities. On the other side, Maxx Crosby could cause problems for Josh Allen.

I'm not overly confident in this one, but you have to go against the grain sometimes.

Give me Las Vegas at home to pull off the upset.

Score Prediction: Raiders 30, Bills 29

ATS Pick: Raiders +5.5

Los Angeles Chargers (0-5) @ Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) I Line: Chiefs -8.5

This one’s gonna get ugly, folks. The 0-5 Chargers are heading to Arrowhead to take on Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and the Chiefs coming off their bye week.

Los Angeles has been the biggest disappointment in the NFL this season. I thought the Chargers would be an 11-6 playoff team and would once again be better than Kansas City. So, that shows you what I know.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs are gearing up for another Super Bowl run with this core. Kenneth Walker has looked unstoppable, Mahomes looks like himself again, and Travis Kelce is playing some of his best football in years. I also expect Rashee Rice to be back after leaving the Week 4 game with a hamstring injury.

Defensively, I think Steve Spagnuolo will make life miserable for Justin Herbert, especially with the Chargers' offensive line potentially missing Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater once again.

I expect Kansas City to embarrass the Chargers at Arrowhead on Sunday. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see coaching changes by Monday or Tuesday. I’m not necessarily talking about Jim Harbaugh, but it could be Mike McDaniel after what's been a year from hell for Los Angeles.

Score Prediction: Chiefs 31, Chargers 13

ATS Pick: Chiefs -8.5

Sunday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys (2-3) @ Green Bay Packers (3-2) I Line: Packers -1.5

I hate that I’m doing this to myself. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. But give me the Dallas Cowboys to go into Lambeau Field and get the win.

Dallas has the rest advantage after playing on Thursday, despite losing that game. I had some concerns about CeeDee Lamb after his quad injury, but it sounds like he’ll be good to go. George Pickens also had his best game of the season in that loss, which gives me some confidence in this offense.

Green Bay’s defense might be improving, but it has faced backup quarterbacks in Jayden Daniels and Tyson Bagent over the last two weeks. Maybe that’s helping those numbers, because I’m still not convinced this defense is all that great without Micah Parsons.

Jordan Love should put up numbers against Dallas’ defense, but I think the Cowboys are the more talented team overall. Yes, they’re on the road, and we know Dallas can struggle at Lambeau, but I expect Dak Prescott to bounce back after an awful performance last week.

With both teams needing a win to stay in the division race, I think Dak delivers a signature performance in a highly entertaining game. Give me Dallas to win on the road, right in front of Micah Parsons watching from the sidelines.

Score Prediction: Cowboys 30, Packers 28

ATS Pick: Cowboys +1.5

Monday Night Football: Washington Commanders (1-3-1) @ San Francisco 49ers (5-0) I Line: 49ers -7.5

To wrap up Week 6 on Monday Night Football, give me the 49ers to absolutely destroy the Commanders.

Washington is coming off an embarrassing tie against the Giants, blowing what should have been a win at the end of the game. Meanwhile, San Francisco is riding high after winning the game of the year against Seattle last week. The 49ers went into Seattle, avenged their two late-season defeats from last year, and proved that they might very well be the best team in football right now, or at the very least, the best team in the NFC.

I expect Brock Purdy to have another excellent game against a poor Washington defense, and I think San Francisco will dominate at home in primetime. Kyle Shanahan gets a win over his former boss, Dan Quinn, as the 49ers improve to 6-0.

That would put San Francisco in pole position to secure home-field advantage in the NFC come playoff time.

Score Prediction: 49ers 33, Commanders 19

ATS Pick: 49ers -7.5

Straight Up/Moneyline Picks:

• Broncos

• Jaguars

• Browns

• Panthers

• Bears

• Giants

• Patriots

• Steelers

• Colts

• Rams

• Raiders

• Chiefs

• Cowboys

• 49ers

ATS Picks:

• Broncos +2.5

• Jaguars -2.5

• Browns +5.5

• Panthers -3.5

• Bears -1.5

• Giants +1.5

• Patriots -7.5

• Steelers -2.5

• Colts -6.5

• Rams -12.5

• Raiders +5.5

• Chiefs -8.5

• Cowboys +1.5

• 49ers -7.5