NFL Super Pick ‘Em: Week 6 Locks Include Vikings, Patriots, Bengals

Average will get you nowhere in life. And in what seems to be a theme of the season, Tom Brady’s Emails posted another incredibly average 3-2 mark in Week 5 and slipped a little farther out of contention.

Thank goodness there’s always next week.

Tom Brady’s Emails, NESN.com’s entrant into the Westgate SuperContest as part of Team OddsShark, is back with another five-game slate of locks in Week 6. The super-picking squad of Mike Cole, Ricky Doyle and Ben Watanabe is feeling confident about its picks this time, especially in kicking a few banged-up teams while they’re down.

Minnesota Vikings (-4) over Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, 1 p.m.
TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
The Vikings are 0-5 against the spread in their last five games coming off a bye, and the Chiefs are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games in October, but those were very different Vikings and Chiefs teams. This edition of the Vikes leads the NFL in home rushing offense, while the already-shaky Chiefs lost bell-cow back Jamaal Charles to a knee injury.

Arizona Cardinals (-3) over Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, 1 p.m.
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
The only team that managed to cover against Arizona this season is the St. Louis Rams with their carnivorous defense, and the Steelers aren’t nearly that fearsome on either side of the ball — particularly with Michael Vick under center again. Le’Veon Bell is a beast, but the Cardinals are allowing just 83 rush yards per game on the road.

Cincinnati Bengals (-3.5) over Buffalo Bills, Sunday, 1 p.m.
Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo, N.Y.
Which is stronger, history or EJ Manuel? Because we’re betting on Manuel. The FSU product reportedly is expected to start for Buffalo in place of a hobbled Tyrod Taylor, which is why we’re taking the Bengals despite the Bills’ historical success in the series. Buffalo is 10-2 against the spread in its last 12 against Cincinnati, but Manuel is underwhelming enough to make that data moot.

Carolina Panthers (+7) over Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, 4:05 p.m.
CenturyLink Field, Seattle
The Panthers are 0-4 coming out of their bye the last four seasons, but they’ve beaten the spread in all four of their games this season (admittedly against less-than-daunting opposition). The Seahawks have their own issues against the spread, however, going 1-5-2 in that regard in their last eight games overall and 1-3-1 in their last five home games.

New England Patriots (-8) over Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, 8:30 p.m.
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
Forget revenge. The Pats will take care of business because they are 17-2-1 against the spread in their last 20 games in Indy and because Bill Belichick and Tom Brady will keep throwing the rock even when the outcome is in hand — again, not because of vengeance, but because that’s simply how they operate.

Thumbnail photo via Mark Zerof/USA TODAY Sports Images