MINNESOTA VIKINGS over Arizona Cardinals
-The 2-2-1 Vikings are coming off a huge win over the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles in Philadelphia last Sunday. It was huge for a couple reasons, but the most important being that the Vikings hadn’t won a game since Week 1 against San Francisco. Before beating Philly in Week 5, Minnesota tied Green Bay, and lost back-to-back games to Buffalo and the LA Rams. Now that they’re back to .500, the Vikings host the 1-4 Cardinals Sunday at 1 p.m. Arizona got their first win of the season last Sunday in San Francisco. But that’s only because 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is out for the year. The Vikings are a 10-point favorite in this one, and they are due for a blow-out win in their own building. I expect Minnesota to win and cover at home against one of the worst teams in the league.
HOUSTON TEXANS over Buffalo Bills
-Deshaun Watson is banged up, which is why there’s no spread on this game as I write this on Tuesday. But I expect Watson to play, and I expect the 2-3 Texans to win their third straight by taking down the 2-3 Buffalo Bills. Buffalo isn’t expected to do anything this season, but there’s no denying that their two wins so far have been against two very good teams in Minnesota and Tennessee. The Bills are coming off a win over the Titans last Sunday, but now they’ll travel to Houston to take on a Texans team that’s underachieved to this point. After losing their first three games of the year, the Texans have won two straight, defeating the Colts and the Cowboys. Once it’s known that Watson will play, I expect the Texans to be close to a 10-point favorite at home Sunday at 1. Regardless of the spread, give me Houston to win the game and get to .500 for the first time this season.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS over Cincinnati Bengals
-Last week, I had the Cincinnati Bengals as my “Lock of the Week.” They made me sweat it out, but they got the job done with a win over the Miami Dolphins. Now, the 4-1 first-place Bengals host the 2-2-1 last-place Pittsburgh Steelers, who are coming off a 41-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons. These AFC North games are always a dog fight, and I don’t think this one will be an exception, Sunday at 1. The Bengals’ only loss this year came in Carolina in Week 3. They’re playing so well that their Week 7 game next Sunday has been flexed into the NBC Sunday Night Football “Game of the Week.” Now, they’ll be playing Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in that game, but still, it takes two exciting teams to get flexed into Sunday Night Football mid-season. The Steelers are looking for their first two-game win streak of the season, and I think they’re about to go on a little run. Cincy is a 2-point favorite at home in this one, but I’ll take Pittsburgh money line.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS over Kansas City Chiefs
-The 5-0 Chiefs are one of just two undefeated teams in the NFL, along with the 5-0 LA Rams. And on Sunday night, they will come to New England to take on the 3-2 Patriots. This will be Sunday Night Football, meaning Kansas City will play in the Sunday night game in Weeks 6 and 7. Mahomes is the talk of the NFL, but this will be his toughest challenge yet. The Patriots have won two straight, and saw the return of Julian Edelman in Week 5. Also, the Pats played in the Thursday night game in Week 5, so they’ve had extra time to prepare for Mahomes. Kansas City’s pass defense ranks 31st in the NFL, so I expect Tom Brady to carve up the Chiefs at Gillette. Can Mahomes keep up? I wouldn’t put my money against Bill Belichick with extra time to prepare for the kid. New England is a 3.5-point favorite. They’ll win and cover. But at the very least, take them to win their third straight.
LOCK OF THE WEEK: ATLANTA FALCONS over Tampa Bay Buccaneers
-The Falcons are 1-4. They’ve lost three straight. They just got whooped by the Steelers in Pittsburgh last Sunday. But they’re better than this. And I expect them to show that on Sunday at 1 in Atlanta. The 2-2 Buccaneers are coming off the bye, and they’re ready to give the ball back to Jameis Winston as their starting quarterback. Atlanta and Tampa Bay have the two worst defenses in the NFL both allowing more than 32 points per game. It’s a lock that I’m taking the home team in this game, especially a home team that’s hungry to bounce back from an embarrassing loss. No way the Falcons lose this one.
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