NFL Picks: Parity rules

Published 4:39 pm Wednesday, October 20, 2010

The NFL has what it wants.

Parity is definitely king and just about any team can make the playoffs this year.

Six weeks into the season, there are 21 teams with at least three wins, no undefeated teams, three one-loss teams and two winless teams.

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For the most part, the league is wide open.

This is a good thing, because most teams still have a chance to make the playoffs.

While there may not be a plethora of great teams, it makes for exciting Sundays as well. There are more unpredictable outcomes and games are being decided late.

Long live parity!

Here are the picks:

Cincinnati at Atlanta

Pick: FALONS

The Bengals are coming off a bye week and Atlanta is coming off a loss, but I like the Falcons to rebound at home.

Pittsburgh at Miami

Pick: STEELERS

The Dolphins pulled off a good win in Green Bay, but it was mostly because of special teams and their ability to control the clock on the ground. Those things will be much harder to do a against a top-notch Steeler team.

Buffalo at Baltimore

Pick: RAVENS

Bills have a slight chance to go winless this year.

Jacksonville at Kansas City

Pick: CHIEFS

The Jags were reduced to playing Trent Edwards at quarterback last week. The same Trent Edwards who was recently cut by the winless Bills.

Not good times in Jacksonville.

Cleveland at New Orleans

Pick: SAINTS

Saints should put up some big numbers in this one.

Washington at Chicago

Pick: BEARS

The Bears will be feisty after letting the Seahawks beat them in their house.

San Francisco at Carolina

Pick: 49ERS

Carolina stays winless.

St. Louis at Tampa Bay

Pick: RAMS

The Rams could sneak up and steal the NFC West this year. Not bad for a team with a rookie quarterback, who is throwing to group of no-name receivers.

Philadelphia at Tennessee

Pick: TITANS

The Titans defense should control the Eagles, who will be without DeSean Jackson, their biggest play-maker.

Arizona at Seattle

Pick: CARDINALS

I’m pretty much guessing on NFC West games this year. They’re all equally bad.

New England at San Diego

Pick: PATRIOTS

Maybe the Chargers should’ve gotten Vincent Jackson signed before the season and maybe they should’ve kept LaDanian Tomlinson. This team is a mess.

Oakland at Denver

Pick: DENVER

It’s tough to pick the Raiders on the road.

Minnesota at Green Bay

Pick: GREEN BAY

Common sense says the Vikings should win this one. The Packers have been banged up on defense, they’ve struggled against the run and their special teams are unwatchable.

Adrian Peterson should light it up, and Percy Harvin should have several long returns.

However, the Packers should be getting some guys back on defense this week. Clay Matthews, who would’ve made a huge difference in Green Bay’s two overtime losses, is set to come back and Al Harris and Atari Bigby may be coming off the PUP list as well.

While there may be some rust, a pumped up Packer defense could be the difference in what could be a very low scoring affair – because both offenses have yet to prove they can consistently score.

New York Giants at Dallas

Pick: COWBOYS

Why not? Dallas keeps saying how good they are for a one-win team. Maybe they finally back it up.