I’m definitely not ready for prime time.
For the second straight week, I’ve whiffed on all of the night games. All three of them. Zero for six.
Which is all the more reason to not rely on me if you are inclined to risk (i.e., to lose) your money by betting on games.
If we can just forget about the night games from Week 5, I was a solid 8-3-1. But we can’t. I went 8-6-1 for the fifth week of the season. Which puts me at 45-33-1.
Which is barely OK.
This week brings 14 more opportunities to get it right, or wrong. The Bengals, Dolphins, Lions, and Vikings are off. Here are my thoughts as to the games involving the other 28 teams.
Seahawks at Broncos (Thursday night)
The two top seeds from 2025 are one loss away from matching their total for 2025. Both have issues. Just enough of Seattle’s championship DNA still lingers to make the difference.
Seahawks 24, Broncos 21.
Texans vs. Jaguars (London)
The Jaguars get the benefit of being in London, for more than a week. And they won a Week 5 game they should have lost. They can move a big step closer to making the AFC South a two-team race.
Jaguars 20, Texans 17.
Bears at Falcons
The Bears need to flush their Week 5 no-show against the Packers. Getting Caleb Williams back would help. For now, it’s looking like a real possibility.
Bears 24, Falcons 20.
Ravens at Browns
The old Browns face the new Browns in a significant game that will either vault the new Browns into a tie for first place or drop them two games behind the old Browns. The old Browns have shown that they can compete without Lamar Jackson. And the old Browns seem to be the better overall team than the new Browns, for now.
Ravens 27, Browns 24.
Titans at Colts
The Colts can’t afford to lose at home to a team that can’t do much on either side of the ball.
Colts 27, Titans 10.
Jets at Patriots
The Patriots are 3-2, the Jets are 2-3. The current gap between them feels bigger than that, and the Patriots have been a much different (and better) team over the past two weeks.
Patriots 27, Jets 17.
Saints at Giants
The Giants are getting close to the end of their run of winnable games, post-Jaxson Dart. They can’t afford to lose, or to tie, any more of them.
Giants 27, Saints 17.
Panthers at Eagles
The injury-riddled Eagles are coming off of a trip to London. The Panthers are coming off of a bye. It feels like time may be running out for the Eagles. If Philly is ever going to have a chance in 2026, they have to find a way to win this one.
Eagles 24, Panthers 20.
Steelers at Buccaneers
The Steelers still have enough quality players to win the games they should. And this is a game they should win, especially if running back Jaylen Warren can perform like he did against the Colts — and if Aaron Rodgers can keep playing like a guy much younger than his birth certificate would suggest.
Steelers 20, Buccaneers 17.
Cardinals at Rams
The Rams have five straight winnable games. They need to win the first one in a way that leaves little doubt that they can win the next four, too. And it helps that the Cardinals currently seem to be in the same place they’ve been, for a while.
Rams 41, Cardinals 17.
Chargers at Chiefs
Mike McDaniel once lost a playoff game in Kansas City, during his time with the Dolphins. A loss by the Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium could be the thing that results in McDaniel losing his current job.
Chiefs 30, Chargers 17.
Bills at Raiders
The Raiders are gliding back to earth, and the Bills are coming into their own. They’ve still got plenty of work to do to win multiple games in January. Now is the time to start doing it.
Bills 30, Raiders 24.
Cowboys at Packers
Nothing will help Green Bay’s sluggish running game more than facing a team that struggles to stop the run. The Packers can still reconfigure in a way to contend; the Cowboys are rearranging the deck chairs on Jerry’s superyacht.
Packers 27, Cowboys 24.
Commanders at 49ers
Can the Commanders put the Week 5 clock debacle behind them? Not when the clock gives them only eight days to do it, and not when they’re facing a truly elite team.
49ers 38, Commanders 17.
