NFL Rundown - Week 6

This post written... um... late. Oops. My bad.

Week 5 Recap

Chris	Adam
Most Surprising Team: Seattle. Jacksonville isn't that bad, are they? Wait... are they? In any case, a Seahawks team with a healthy Matt Hasselbeck could be dangerous. When he starts, they're 2-1. When he's playing (thus, not counting the 2nd half vs. the 49ers), they've outscored their opps. 79-13.	Most Surprising Team: Atlanta. Coming into last weekend, I wasn’t sure the Falcons had the mentality to match up with the tough-minded 49ers. Turns out, the Dirty Birds were the tougher team. Don’t be surprised if the Falcons end up in the playoffs for a 2nd straight year.
Most Disappointing Team: Buffalo. That game set the NFL back about 60 or 70 years. There is something very, very wrong with this team. On paper, their offense should be solid, though probably not great. And no, not because of Owens. Where are Evans (12 catches, 159 yds)? Lynch (73 yds, 0 TDs)?	Most Disappointing Team: Buffalo. You had a home game against the winless Browns, gave up only 6 points, and still lost the game. Maybe the billboard by Ryan Abshagen can get some things done, after all. If nothing else, gotta love the kid’s creativity.
Offensive Player of the Week: Miles Austin. Forget Roy Williams, this guy is the real deal. The Cowboys should be concerned about almost losing to the lowly Chiefs, but at least they are probably feeling better about their WR situation right now.	Offensive Player of the Week: Miles Austin. We knew this dude had some talent, but 10 catches for 250 yards and 2 TDs? Roy Williams being inactive last week may be the best thing that could’ve happened to Dallas all season.
Defensive Player of the Week: Ed Reed. Yeah, they lost, but he accounted for half their points with a pick return for a TD, and forced another turnover when the Bengals were deep in Ravens territory. Plus, 6 tackles.	Defensive Player of the Week: Justin Tuck. Not only did he lead the team in tackles, but he also forced a fumble and recovered it to go along with two sacks. A full day for a prime-time player.

Top 10:
1. New York Giants (5-0) - They didn't look like they were playing an NFL team last week. They looked like they were playing Idaho State. Eli Manning got pulled in the first half.
2. New Orleans Saints (4-0) - They got a bye at a good time last week (depending on how you feel about byes), and are in a #1 vs. #2 showdown this week, hosting the Giants.
3. Denver Broncos (5-0) - I'd argue they should be higher, but I was voted down. Best resume of the undefeated teams so far, with wins over the Bengals, Patriots, and Cowboys.
4. Indianapolis Colts (5-0) - Their schedule has been easy, but so have their wins. Austin Collie could be something special.
5. Minnesota Vikings (5-0) - They were actually outgained by the Rams, but they played well with their backs against the wall, forcing 4 turnovers, 3 inside their own 20, and the 4th Jared Allen returned for a TD.
6. Cincinnati Bengals (4-1) - The Bengals are a 4th quarter team. They've had a go-ahead score in the 4th quarter of 4 of their 5 games this season. For opposite, see: Steelers.
7. Atlanta Falcons (3-1) - Four teams drop out of the top 10 this week, and the Falcons, Eagles, Bears, and Steelers take their places.
8. Philadelphia Eagles (3-1) - Donovan McNabb is a top 5 quarterback in this league. Period. Don't listen to disgruntled Philly fans.
9. Chicago Bears (3-1) - This is a sneaky good team. Matt Forte finally broke loose, which is a good sign for them, albeit against the Lions.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) - The Steelers are not a 4th quarter team. In the first 3 quarters, they've outscored their opponents 97-43. In the 4th quarter, they've been outscored 55-13. For opposite, see: Bengals.

Week 6 Picks:

	Chris	Adam
Houston @ Cincinnati	Cincinnati	Houston
Detroit @ Green Bay	Green Bay	Green Bay
St. Louis @ Jacksonville	St. Louis	Jacksonville
Baltimore @ Minnesota	Minnesota	Baltimore
N.Y. Giants @ New Orleans	N.Y. Giants	New Orleans
Cleveland @ Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh
Carolina @ Tampa Bay	Carolina	Carolina
Kansas City @ Washington	Kansas City	Kansas City
Philadelphia @ Oakland	Philadelphia	Philadelphia
Arizona @ Seattle	Seattle	Seattle
Tennessee @ New England	New England	New England
Buffalo @ N.Y. Jets	N.Y. Jets	N.Y. Jets
Chicago @ Atlanta	Atlanta	Chicago
Denver @ San Diego	Denver	San Diego
Week #5	8-6	8-6
Overall	47-29	45-31

Players to Watch

Chris	Adam
Offensive Player to Watch: LeSean McCoy. Odds are he'll be splitting carries with Brian Westbrook, and the Raiders have a terrible run defense, allowing over 160 yards per game. He could bounce back after a mediocre showing against the Bucs.	Offensive Player to Watch: Rashard Mendenhall. Not only has the kid looked good over the last two weeks (284 APY, 3TDs) but the Steelers draw the Browns this week, who happen to be dead last in rushing defense. Look for a big day out of Illinois product.
Defensive Player to Watch: Troy Polamalu. He's back, and he gets to play against the Browns in the first game, who have thrown the 2nd most picks in the NFL and are second to only the Raiders as the worst passing offense in football, which is like being second in a douchebag contest to Hitler.	Defensive Player to Watch: Ray Lewis. He’s got a chip on his shoulder coming into this week thanks to $25,000 worth of fines handed out by Goodell, and he’s going to enter the showdown with Minnesota hungry. Don’t be surprised if he forces a fumble and gets a sack or two.