The Del keeps on rolling. The rough start to the 2014 season is a rapidly fading memory at this point, as Del is 29-16 against the spread over the past three weeks and 6-1 with locks of the week during that span. The recent hot streak has Del above the 50-percent mark for all picks on the season, and the goal is to stay there for the remainder of the year.
Here are Del’s Week 6 NFL Picks, with some notes after the pick sheet. Be sure to check back later when Doc Brown posts his picks.
(ATS = Against the Spread, SU = Straight Up)
For some reason, I have a feeling the Jaguars could pick up their first win of the season this week. Jacksonville’s defense – specifically its front seven — is better than most realize. The Jags were able to stay competitive against the Steelers last week and have a quarterback in Blake Bortles that is far more competent than Chad Henne. If the Jags can find some stability in their backfield (Storm Johnson?), they should improve as the year goes on. And how about the Titans? We all saw their absolute meltdown against the Browns last week, and Jake Locker has not practiced this week with a thumb injury. This is Jacksonville’s best chance at a win this season to date. I don’t care that it’s a road game.
The San Diego Chargers are one of the best teams in football. Since losing a flukey game to the Cardinals in Week 1, they have rattled off four-straight wins. The defending champion Seahawks are one of the teams San Diego beat. The Chargers also happen to be a perfect 5-0 against the spread this season. The Raiders, on the other hand, stink. I get that everyone is expecting a letdown game from the Chargers at some point, but I’m going to keep locking them in until they cool off. Look for Philip Rivers to keep rolling and rookie running back Branden Oliver to build off of his breakout game against the Jets.
The stench that the 49ers gave off in the preseason may still be lingering, because it seems like they are not getting any credit. While they haven’t exactly been world beaters, the Niners have faced five tough opponents to begin their season. The Rams have looked better on offense with Austin Davis under center, but their defense has not been great. St. Louis ranks first in the league against the pass with only 192 passing yards allowed per game. They rank 29th against the run and are allowing 153 yards per game on the ground. Frank Gore has topped 100 rushing yards in each of his past two games and is averaging 4.7 yards per carry. Colin Kaepernick has the most rushing yards for a quarterback in the NFL. If the Rams can’t stop the run, they’ll have all kinds of trouble stopping San Francisco.
