A nice 4-2-1 week in week 6 has me on the up and up, but I’ll need two solid winners in a row if I want to even think about smelling a winning streak. I’ve got the early lines in and this is how I think I’m going to do it.

Atlanta Falcons (+9) @ New Orleans Saints:
(Line: Thursday, 3:30am EST: Bookmaker)

I don’t care who is quarterbacking the Falcons, they’ve had a crappy passing attack in every single game except one all season long. The Leftwich change doesn’t do much. Joey wasn’t as bad as people made him out to be, his receiving corps left him out to dry. Anyway, maybe Leftwich will give the Falcons a chance to get deep, who knows. What I do know is that the Falcons defense has played good football for most of the season, and they’ll show up to play the Saints, they always do. What has New Orleans done to deserve 9? And the public still likes the Saints? I don’t buy it. In fact, I’m selling it. Take the Falcons, they have great value at +9.

Baltimore Ravens (-3) @ Buffalo Bills:
(Line: Monday, 1:30pm EST: Bookmaker)

Trent Edwards may eventually be the Jim Kelly golden boy the Bills organization has been dream of since Jim hung it up, but I don’t like rookie quarterback against the Ravens. That is what you’d call a bad match-up. The public loves this bet, everyone and their mother is taking the Ravens, but I don’t see it any other way. You either take the Ravens, or you don’t take it at all. I wouldn’t advise a huge play on Baltimore, if only because the books really seem to like the Bills in this one, but hey, I personally think the books are wrong.

New England Patriots (-16.5) @ Miami Dolphins:
(Line: Monday, 1:30pm EST: Bookmaker)

I know Cleo Lemon looked good last week against Cleveland, but give your head a shake if you think the youngster will do up the Patriots secondary. I know the Patriots have yet another college spread to cover, but compared to New England, yeah, the Dolphins are a college team. For those Dolphin backers out there, how can you bet on a team that traded their top receiving threat for a 2nd round pick next season, and waived the only safety that was making any plays in their secondary. Look at that starting secondary and tell me they are going to slow down Tom Brady… While I’m waiting, I’ll be laying some cash down on the Patriots.

Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans (+1.5):
(Line: Thursday, 3:30am EST: Bookmaker)

Look at this one on Sunday Morning. If the Titans are starting Vince Young, take the Titans, he’s just not a good guy to wager against. However, I’ll just bite the bullet and take the Texans, because even with Vince, the Titans aren’t a sure thing. But with Kerry Collins throwing balls in Tennessee, I really like the Texans chances to move ahead of the Titans here. Matt Schaub is coming off a couple bad games, and I think he’ll turn it around this week at home.

N.Y. Jets (+7) @ Cincinnati Bengals:
(Line: Thursday, 3:30am EST: 5Dimes)

I don’t buy the Bengals as a 7 point favorite. I think Cinci’s defense is bad enough to allow Chad Pennington to have a big day, which does not bode well for the Bengals. I also think Thomas Jones could rush for about 150 yards in Cinci this week. It will be a high scoring affair, I can almost guarantee you that. The Bengals don’t have much of a rushing attack, and I think that will be the dagger in their covering hearts. Look at it this way; the only team the Bengals have beat is an overrated Ravens team, and they only won because the Ravens turned the ball over 6 times. I can’t wait to watch this game on Sunday.

Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (-4.5):
(Line: Monday, 1:30pm EST: Bookmaker -4.5)

I don’t like this game at all. If I didn’t take every game, I would leave this one alone. I want to take the Bears, because the Eagles have been, well, frankly crappy. I want to take the Eagles because the Bears have been brutal all season long, minus one half against the Packers. Anyway, I’m taking the home team here, because I think the Eagles defense will be too much for Brian Griese to handle. A couple Rexxy-like interceptions in this one will probably be enough to cover. I advise you to sit this one out, but if you’re picking your weekly office pool, and need to lean one way or another, take the Eagles because of their defensive strength.

St. Louis Rams @ Seattle Seahawks (-8.5):
(Line: Thursday, 3:30am EST: Belmont)

The Seahawks are the better team here. The Rams defense is brutal. Their offense is worse. They don’t have the bulk to out-muscle a relatively soft Hawks defensive front, and when Marc Bulger goes back to pass, his offensive line full of back-ups won’t give him nearly enough time to pick apart the Seahawks. I also don’t think the Hawks will struggle at home again after the Saints embarrassed them last week. This is usually where the Hawks step it up, and I think they’ll do just that this week at home.