Just when you think the league couldn’t get any more wacky and unpredictable, it reaches into the abyss of crazy and digs a little deeper. In Week 6 alone, we saw more than one rookie quarterback see their first game action, an improbably comeback on the road by a mediocre team and another near crazy comeback in a game that saw three defensive touchdowns! Let’s try and make sense of it all, shall we?
2017 NFL week 6 Betting Recap
-So we all saw the Giants clobbering the Broncos on the road, right? Wrong. This was a classic case of a team off a bye week taking their opponents lightly. The G-Men shook up the playbook and the offensive line. Don’t get too excited about them moving forward, but I also wouldn’t bet on Denver next week versus the Chargers.
–The Steelers are wildly inconsistent, but they put it together to beat KC. I wouldn’t downgrade the Chiefs too much here. They began to figure it out in the fourth quarter.
-The Rams are a good team. I had them over Jacksonville as my lock of the week. Mr. Goff can play, folks. Respect them each week. As for the Jags? Not ready for prime time.
-The Bears have a ton of heart. Maybe not enough talent, but the heart is there. The Ravens don’t have enough heart right now. It’s that simple.
-Good night Packers. We hardly knew the 2017 edition. Rodgers being gone means Green Bay is now an 8-8 team at best. As for the Vikings, if they only had a quarterback they’d be actual contenders.
-The Patriots say they are starting to figure it out on defense, but the Jets really did expose them in the first half. It’s a shame they couldn’t finish them off. New England is still good, though. I just think the days of routinely blowing out opponents is over.
-The Cards really did look like a different team with Peterson carrying the ball. I know that the Bucs lost their starting QB in this game, but Arizona should be a contender moving forward. They needed some swagger and a more balanced attack. Look out, NFC.
-What the hell? The Dolphins overcoming 17 points and winning in Atlanta? This was a classic case part II of an opponent being overconfident. That, and the Falcons looked rusty of a bye week. If they don’t get a better pass rush and tighten up the offense then better quarterbacks than Jay Cutler will destroy them.
-The Eagles are for real, folks. But I don’t think their defense is getting enough credit. A lot of defensive linemen and linebackers with high motors. They’re relentless. As for the Panthers, they need more out of their running backs to take some pressure off of Cam Newton, or he will be worn down after eight games.
-Washington is an average team, pure and simple. They’ll compete in certain matchups, but never bet on them as any kind of large favorite. As for the Niners? They are underdog gold! They keep every game close. Such a hard luck team.
-Two wins in a row by the Chargers and now they get a home date to avenge an earlier loss to the wounded Broncos? Hmm, they are an intriguing team to watch. And Oakland? Do we stick a fork in them now, or wait for a bad loss in Week 7 to KC?
-The Texans have no more defense and will have to win games 35-30. But it does look like Deshaun Watson is up for it. As for the Browns? Ugh.
-The Saints are over .500 for the first time since 2013! And they nearly blew it, too. I think Kamara at running back is the threat they haven’t had in the backfield since Reggie Bush in his prime. The Lions are baffling to me. I just can’t trust them anymore from a football betting perspective.
Matthew Ross is a sports commentator and a radio host on TSN 690 Radio in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Follow him @MatthewWords.