College Football Week 7 Picks 2024 (Saturday 12th October)

There continues to be a lot of uncertainty about the future of College Football with a number of plans being discussed behind the scenes that could completely change the landscape.

None of that matters to teams and players performing in 2024 and the sole focus has to be in trying to win Conference Championships and/or earning a spot in the College Football PlayOff and having a chance to win a National Championship.

However, avoiding all distractions is never easy and a number of the higher Ranked teams were beaten in upsets in Week 6 to just change the outlook of this season.

It might not have been the 'biggest upset of all time' in terms of the raw numbers, but the Alabama Crimson Tide going down to the Vanderbilt Commodores for the first time in forty years shook up College Football. The fact that defeat was just seven days after beating the Georgia Bulldogs just made the upset that much bigger in the eyes of the fans, although Alabama were not the only ones to be downed last week.

Two other highly Ranked SEC teams were also beaten when Tennessee and Missouri went down and all three of those teams have dropped several places in the top 25 Rankings ahead of Week 7.

Without playing, the Texas Longhorns moved back to Number 1 and they are followed by top unbeaten teams in Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State, although those three Big Ten teams will begin to jockey for position in Week 7 when the Buckeyes travel to Oregon to take on the Ducks.

The Miami Hurricanes are another highly Ranked unbeaten tea, but they have been a little fortunate in each of the last two weeks and most would likely pick the Clemson Tigers as the team to beat in the ACC.

As Week 6 proved, looking too far ahead is a big mistake for teams, players and fans and there should be a refocus after seeing some big named College teams beaten.

Once again, there are some big games on deck in Week 7 and the Picks can be read below.

Missouri Tigers @ Massachusetts Minutemen Pick: They were Ranked pretty highly, but it should not be ignored that the Missouri Tigers (4-1) had been set as the underdog when travelling to Texas A&M last week. Even then, it was an embarrassing capitulation from what had been an unbeaten team and Missouri fans and Head Coach Eli Drinkwitz will be expecting a big reaction.

The Tigers dropped to 1-1 in the Conference, but they will return to SEC action in Week 8 and have been given this opportunity to 'get right'.

It is no disrespect to Massachusetts Minutemen (1-5), but this is a huge step up for a team that has lost five of six games to begin the 2024 season. Outside of the blowout at the Buffalo Bulls, the Minutemen have been competitive, but they have also not played a Power 4 team like the one that will be heading into town.

There is an excitement about being given an opportunity to face a team from the SEC, but the Minutemen Defensive Line are going to have a really tough time competing with this Missouri Offensive Line. Being able to stop the run has been difficult for the Minutemen all season and now having to try and block off those lanes against a much stronger Offensive Line is likely going to make it a long day in the office for the Linemen.

Everyone knows that the Tigers want to pound the ball on the ground and then use that to open the rest of their playbook- this was not possible for them last week in their defeat, but Missouri should be much more comfortable on this side of the ball in Week 7 and that should see them in front of the chains and keeping drives ticking over.

Brady Cook has not had those stellar Quarter Back passing numbers, but he is capable of making enough plays where Missouri need them, while also being able to tuck the ball under his arm and run.

As the level of opponent has stepped up, the Missouri Defensive unit have perhaps not been as convincing as they have looked earlier in the season and that was evident in the defeat last week at Texas A&M. However, this is not going to be an Offensive unit that overly concerns the Tigers and they should be able contain this Umass run game.

Taisun Phommachanh has shown flashes of his ability in recent games and his ability as a dual-threat Quarter Back could help the Minutemen make a few plays, but he could also find the pocket collapsing if the home team are stuck in obvious passing situations.

Playing a clean game could help Massachusetts keep this one closer than the spread suggests, although the play is backing the road team to bounce back. The Tigers were embarrassed by the Aggies in Week 6 and that is gong to mean there is plenty of motivation to just put a big win on the board before returning to Conference play.

One concern with a number like this one is that the backdoor cover will be available if Missouri do begin to turn their attention to upcoming games with Auburn and Alabama. However, the Minutemen look like they could be worn down by the SEC power of the Missouri Tigers and this may end up being a strong win for the Power 4 team.

Oklahoma Sooners vs Texas Longhorns Pick: After a week in which they were sitting back and watching the chaos unfold, the Texas Longhorns (5-0) return to action against a familiar rival, albeit they are meeting under the SEC banner for the first time.

The Red River Rivalry against the Oklahoma Sooners (4-1) will be played at the Cotton Bowl Stadium and could have major ramifications for how the season plays out.

For all of their positive start, this is only the second SEC game for the Longhorns who have been moved above the likes of Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia after all three of those teams have been beaten over the last couple of weeks. However, there is still a considerably tough path to tread for Texas if they are going to play in the SEC Championship Game in their first season in the Conference and they will be more than aware of how little motivation is needed for the Sooners to want to upset them from that path.

The Sooners are 1-1 in the Conference having lost at home to the Volunteers, but recovering to beat the Auburn Tigers on the road in Week 5. Like Texas, Oklahoma have been on a Bye Week to prepare for the latest running of the Red River Rivalry, alhthough there have been more issues to clear up as far as the Sooners Offensive strategy goes.

Games between these rivals have tended to be very competitive and that will see plenty backing the underdog who are being given plenty of points in this one. Nine of the last ten games between Texas and Oklahoma have been won by fewer than nine points and both teams are going to be well prepared and waiting to compete in what should be another raucous atmosphere.

As stated, it has been a very tough season for the Sooners Offensively and the decision has been made to go with Michael Hawkins at Quarter Back having originially been splitting time between him and Jackson Arnold behind Center. It was Hawkins who was much more productive in the loss against Tennessee that saw him have complete control in the win at Auburn, but this is another huge challenge for the Sooners on this side of the ball.

The Offensive Line has not really been able to help the Quarter Back as would have been hoped and they are not likely going to have to a lot of success pounding the ball on the ground against this Texas Defensive Line. As the quality of opponent has ramped up, it is looking even tougher for the Sooners to establish the run and that is putting a lot of pressure on the Quarter Back to make plays.

Michael Hawkins is not expected to get a lot of time in the pocket with the Longhorns pass rush able to pin back their ears and get after the Quarter Back and so he will have to move around and try and extend plays. This can be dangerous against a Secondary that has played at a high level and who have found big turnovers to keep the pressure on opponents.

Of course this is only the second SEC game for the Longhorns so they may feel they are still in 'prove it' mode, especially considering the upsets that were recorded in this Conference last week and with the sole victory being against the struggling Mississippi State Bulldogs.

This is a considerable step up and the rivalry makes it that much tougher, while Texas will also be dealing with a 'Quarter Back controversy' if things do not go as planned.

Arch Manning is always going to draw a lot of interest merely through his surname, but the performances in place of Quinn Ewers have got the College Football nation talking.

However, it cannot be ignored that Ewers began the season as the starter, has won fourteen of sixteen games leading the Texas Longhorns and that includes in incredibly hostile environments like Alabama and Michigan. These stack up to make Quinn Ewers an expected top five Draft choice and there is little doubt about his capabilities as he looks to get one over on Oklahoma after losing to them last year.

The feeling is that Arch Manning may be used at times with his dual-threat capabilities making this Longhorns Offensive unit that much more dangerous.

But Quinn Ewers is healthy and he will be able to quieten down any outside discussion, even when facing his toughest Defense of the relatively young season. Running the ball will be challenging, but there is a lot of faith in this Texas Offensive Line, while Ewers should find spaces to exploit in the Secondary.

Young Tennessee Quarter Back Nick Iamaleava had almost 200 passing yards in the road win over the Sooners, but Quinn Ewers is a stronger Quarter Back right now and is surrounded by playmakers that should keep the chains moving. His Offensive Line will provide some time and Ewers just has to play a cleaner game than when the Longhorns were beaten by Oklahoma in 2023 to push his own team clear.

Rivalry games can do funny things to teams and you cannot ignore how competitive games between these two schools have been on the football field. However, it was two years ago when the Longhorns blew out Oklahoma in a game where Quinn Ewers had 289 passing yards along with 4 Touchdown passes and the feeling is that the last weekend upsets will just refocus Texas and help them produce a statement win ahead of the big game with Georgia in Week 8.

Mississippi State Bulldogs @ Georgia Bulldogs Pick: Let's not mess around at the beginning of this Pick- the battle of the Bulldogs will be won by Georgia and it would take an upset that surpasses any other we have seen this season if this game ended any other way.

The fact that the Georgia Bulldogs (4-1) have already been beaten in the Conference is only going to keep them that much more focused, even if they are hosting the struggling Mississippi State Bulldogs (1-4). A win over the Auburn Tigers allowed Georgia to bounce back from the defeat to the Alabama Crimson Tide and move to 2-1 in the SEC, while Mississippi State were dropped to 0-2 in the Conference before heading into their Bye Week.

Even with the additional preparation time, Mississippi State are going to struggle to make this very competitive.

However, this is a monster line and there are some reasons to back the underdog Bulldogs to find a way to avoid the complete and utter blowout. You cannot ignore the schedule and the Georgia Bulldogs are heading into a pivotal game at the Number 1 Ranked Texas Longhorns in Week 8 before their own Bye Week.

This could lead to some of the key starters being pulled from this game and so the backdoor cover is absolutely going to be available, even as the Mississippi State Bulldogs as freshman Quarter Back Michael Van Buren Jr to lead the team.

Everything is a work in progress in what is Jeff Lebby's first season as Head Coach of Mississippi State and there is no doubting that is has been a disappointing start. The team have struggled Offensively, but they did score 28 points in the loss to the Florida Gators and you can certainly say that there have been signs that this Georgia Defensive unit is not as strong as some of the recent editions.

With all that in mind, there is little doubt it is going to be a real learning day for Quarter Back Michael Van Buren Jr, although the Offensive mind of his Head Coach will give him some chances to make plays. Having enough time in the pocket has been a problem for the Mississippi State Quarter Back, regardless of who that has been taking the snap, but if the backups come in, Van Buren Jr should have some limited successes.

When Georgia have the ball, they should be able to do much of what they want and Trevor Etienne is likely going to be a focus either running the ball or catching come out of the backfield. This looks a good chance for the Georgia Bulldogs Offensive Line to put in a big, big performance against the struggling Mississippi State Defensive Line and that should only make things extremely comfortable for Carson Beck.

The Quarter Back will be able to put up some very strong numbers against this Secondary, although Carson Beck is expected to be pulled out of the game if Georgia have taken a big lead. Even then, Beck will have plenty of time to throw against a Secondary that has allowed almost 300 passing yards on average across their last three games.

Mississippi State are not generating a lot of pressure, but it should be noted that the team were beaten 17 points against Florida and 22 points against Texas. Jeff Lebby has certainly got his team to compete, while the distraction of playing in Texas next week may make it very hard for Georgia to win by a five Touchdown mark.

Michael Van Buren Jr is going to have a tough afternoon, but avoiding turnovers will be key to give his Defensive unit a chance and the spread just looks far too big, even with the disparity of quality between the teams.

Florida Gators @ Tennessee Volunteers Pick: Every team will face setbacks and the character can only be shown by how those teams respond.

They were big favourites on the road, but the Tennessee Volunteers (4-1) were not able to hold onto what felt a big lead over the Arkansas Razorbacks and ultimately were handed their first loss of the season. It has dropped Tennessee to 1-1 in the Conference, and also dropped them in the Rankings, but all is not lost and things will look a lot different if Tennessee are able to bounce back and put a winning streak together.

The next visiting team is going to be the Alabama Crimson Tide, but the Volunteers will have to focus on this rivalry game first against the Florida Gators (3-2) who may have just cooled down the very hot seat on which their Head Coach had been sitting. It still feels a change will be made come the end of the season unless the Florida Gators really pick up their standards, but two wins in a row since losing to the Texas A&M Aggies will have everyone feeling better.

Florida's players will try and stay focused while the latest big hurricane rips a path through the State, and winning back to back games has just settled the team down. Billy Napier will be feeling stronger too and the Gators have dominated the Tennessee Volunteers in recent years, which will also give the road underdog real belief.

Once again it has to be noted that these rivalry games tend to be very competitive and three of the last four in this series has seen the underdog cover, even if they have been beaten outright.

The Gators will have been encouraged by the Defensive breakdown of the Volunteers in their defeat last week in Arkansas, especially as they were a stop away from winning that game. However, that will also mean Florida's Offensive unit have played their best game of the season, especially as they are facing a much tougher test than when beating the Mississippi State Bulldogs and UCF Knights.

This time Florida are facing a Volunteers Defensive Line that have been able to clamp down on the run and who will be looking for redemption. Running the ball has not come easily to the Gators and so it could be down to Graham Mertz to try and put up points with his arm.

Graham Mertz has put together a decent stretch of outings, but this time he is facing a Tennessee Secondary that is much stronger than his last two opponents. While there should be some time for Mertz when stepping back to throw, he will have to be aware of the potential of having a pass Intercepted, while the Volunteers will be much better at home when it comes to those critical moments.

With that in mind, it may be up to the Florida Defensive unit to step up their own level and look to try and make things difficult for a freshman Quarter Back who has just had a couple of tough starts. Nick Iamaleava has massive potential, but he will be hoping that the Offensive Line can produce a much better effort all around and get this Volunteers team dominating on the ground.

Last week the Gators were able to control the Line of Scrimmage against the Knights as they earned the victory, but this Defensive Line have struggled at times and this is an even bigger test. It is going to be a key part of the outcome of the game, but the Volunteers have to believe they can keep Iamaleava in front of the chains and that should keep the drives ticking over.

Negating the pass rush pressure would really help Nick Iamaleava and there are one or two holes that can be exploited in the passing game. Of course the Tennessee game plan will be to avoid putting too much pressure on their Quarter Back, but they can do that by grinding down Florida on the ground and it could be a bounce back week in which the Volunteers remind everyone why they are amongst the favourites to reach the College Football PlayOffs.

Nothing is ever easy in rivalry games and this is a big spread, but Tennessee do look the stronger team on both sides of the ball and Florida are perhaps a touch overrated. The last two games on the schedule have been kind to Billy Napier and the Gators, but they were beaten by 24 points by the Miami Hurricanes and 13 points by the Texas A&M Aggies and both of those games were at home.

Winning on the road at Mississippi State is one thing, but doing so in Knoxville should be another altogether and Tennessee might just show their worth by not only coming out victorious, but by an impressive margin too.

Ohio State Buckeyes @ Oregon Ducks Pick: There are a couple of other teams in the Big Ten that will certainly feel they can have a say in the final shakeup, but for many this could be the first of two meetings between the Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0) and the Oregon Ducks (5-0).

Previously this would have been a non-Conference game that could still have a big impact in what team would be invited into the College Football Playoff. The expanded Playoff picture means even the losing team will have an opportunity to recover, but this is a very big game and the Buckeyes and Ducks have both begun with 2-0 records in the Conference.

Both teams are very much relying on strong Defensive units to set the standard for any game in which they are involved and that is likely going to be the case in this primetime spot.

The Ducks have home advantage in this Conference game and they have a very experienced Quarter Back in Dillon Gabriel who has looked comfortable in this uniform. It helps that he is playing behind an impressive Oregon Offensive Line that have offered Gabriel all of the time he has needed by being strong in pass protection, while also bullying teams up front and opening up some significant running lanes.

Having that experience behind Center feels really important for Oregon considering the Defensive unit they are facing this week.

The only criticism yoiu may have of the Oregon Ducks so far this season is that they have been very strong through a weak schedule- it is not their fault of course and they have to beat what is in front of them, but you have to wonder if that has left them short of the tests needed before facing a team like the Buckeyes.

You could argue the same about the Ohio State schedule, but the performance of the Buckeyes Defense is much harder to dismiss with the team being very strong at the Line of Scrimmage. The Buckeyes have put together a solid pass rush too, which has helped this Secondary restrict the yards being allowed through the air, although Ohio State will be aware that this is the toughest Offense they have seen.

Much the same can be said when the Buckeyes have the ball in their hand- they have an experienced Quarter Back in Will Howard and a powerful Offensive Line that wants to set the tempo right out of the gate. There have been some big gains made on the ground, and the Offensive Line has offered Will Howard plenty of time to make his plays down the field.

The Ducks have been able to clamp down on the run, but their Defensive Line will face the biggest challenge so far this season. Earlier in the season there were one or two more holes that could have been exploited and Ohio State will certainly test to see if there has been proper work done to fill those issues.

There have also been a few more passing yards available to teams when facing the Ducks and that is where the difference could be made in this game, even with two very experienced Quarter Backs on the mound. We do know the Oregon Ducks can bring pressure, but the Buckeyes should be able to give Will Howard some time and he has some big playmakers that can step up and win their battles to find some spaces.

Ryan Day is under some pressure as the Ohio State Head Coach to show he can win the big games- his record against Ranked opponents is not very impressive, but this is a good chance to turn some of the narrative around. It is going to be a competitive game, but the Ohio State Buckeyes feel like the best team in the Big Ten and they can make a few more bigger plays Offensively to move into a position to win and cover, even in a tough road environment.

Turnovers are likely going to be a big factor, but all things being equal, the Buckeyes may be the ones who come out on top and they can head into their Bye Week with some real confidence behind them.

MY PICKS: Missouri Tigers - 27 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Texas Longhorns - 14 Points @ 2.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Mississippi State Bulldogs + 34 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Tennessee Volunteers - 14 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Ohio State Buckeyes - 3 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Clemson Tigers - 20.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Pittsburgh Panthers - 3 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

BYU Cougars - 3 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Colorado Buffaloes + 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Week 6: 3-2, + 0.82 Units (5 Units Staked, + 16.4% Yield)

Week 5: 0-5, - 5 Units (5 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Week 4: 3-2, + 0.73 Units (5 Units Staked, + 14.60% Yield)

Week 3: 3-5, - 2.35 Units (8 Units Staked, - 29.38% Yield)

Week 2: 2-4, - 2.26 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.67% Yield)

Week 1: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

NFL Week 6 Picks 2024 (Thursday 10th October-Monday 14th October)

You wait for several months for the season to begin and when you blink, we are already fast approaching the middle of the regular season.

It is the time of the year when teams and fans do begin to worry a little more about the record as the Divisions begin to take shape and so it was perhaps not a massive surprise that the New York Jets made a significant change after dropping to 2-3 with a Week 5 loss in London.

Head Coach Robert Saleh being let go was still a surprise when the news broke as the Jets owner Woody Johnson had made an in-season Head Coaching change for the first time since he owned the team. There have been rumours that Saleh and star Quarter Back Aaron Rodgers have not been on the same page, although denied by Rodgers, but even then the Head Coach must have been as surprised as the fans when the decision was made.

This does feel harsh on Robert Saleh considering it is the New York Jets Offensive unit that has really let the team down, which is not the focus for this Head Coach whose Defensive strengths have shown up on that side of the ball.

Ultimately the Jets felt something had to change, which was also mentioned by Aaron Rodgers when he spoke on Wednesday, and the Bye Week is still some way down the line so the feeling around the team was they could not wait.

In the cold light of day, the Jets are still firmly in the mix in the weak AFC East and this Head Coaching change may change the narrative around this team and get them moving in the right direction. Aaron Rodgers will have to play better than he has, while New York may end up going 'all in' and make some active moves ahead of the trade deadline to strengthen the team.

Woody Johnson has also reached out to Hassan Reddick to return, which would be huge on the Defensive side of the ball and Week 6 is a big chance for the Jets to turn things back around and get going with plenty of eyes on this team already and even more so after a big Coaching decision was made.

There are issues to resolve for the New York Jets, but there will be a few other teams feeling the pressure after rough starts to the season.

Bengals fans would have certainly been expecting Cincinnati to be back challenging with the elite of the AFC, but they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in Week 5 to drop to 1-4 and the margin for error has really narrowed. The team are still competing in a very tough looking Division, but the schedule may just offer Cincinnati some relief, although they cannot afford to keep finding a way to lose games.

One or two will be concerned with the San Francisco 49ers at 2-3, but injuries will clear up and the NFC West still looks their Division to lose- if they can win on Thursday Night Football in Week 6, that will certainly be the narrative and the 49ers have an experience that should keep them competitive.

Underperforming teams are one story, but there are also those overachieving early in the season and the NFC North having all four teams above 0.500 through five weeks is impressive.

The Minnesota Vikings are the last remaining unbeaten team in the Conference and, along with the Kansas City Chiefs, one of two teams that remain unbeaten in the NFL, which really has come as a surprise with Sam Darnold at Quarter Back, and early credit should also be given to Sean Payton for bringing the Denver Broncos up to 3-2 in a season in which they are starting a rookie Quarter Back.

Things can change very quickly in the NFL as injuries pile up and there are a number of key players that will be missing time after picking up issues over the last couple of weeks. These can have a huge impact on the overall outlook for any team, as I would know from what has happened to the Miami Dolphins in 2024, and so you do have to take things week by week, while also trying not to overreact to results from the previous Week.

Avoiding overreactions is also important when it comes to the NFL Picks- it has been a good start to the season, but staying focused and keeping things ticking over is the plan and hopefully the winning weeks can be strung together and the big losing runs can be avoided.

There will not be a selection from Thursday Night Football in Week 6- it looks a competitive game with both Seattle and San Francisco being beaten in home upsets in Week 5 and the line looks a tough one from which to select a side.

The 49ers have dominated this Divisional rival of late, but Seattle are now under a new Coaching Staff and the injuries on the Defensive side of the ball for the road team gives the Seahawks a chance to turn things around. However, San Francisco should also be confident in what they can do with the ball in their hands and perhaps the best approach would be to back the teams to cover the total points line set, although it won't be a selection made.

Picks from Sunday and Monday will be added to this thread over the next few days.

Chicago Bears vs Jacksonville Jaguars Pick: The second of the three London games takes place in Week 6 of the NFL season and both the Chicago Bears (3-2) and Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4) may feel they have something to build upon. The Bears have won two in a row to move back above 0.500 in the loaded NFC North, while the Jacksonville Jaguars snapped their losing run ahead of two games to be played in the Capital of the United Kingdom.

Out of the two teams, there is little doubt that there is far less room for error for the Jaguars who had also come into the season with bigger expectations than the Chicago Bears and their rookie Quarter Back.

An experience edge is with the Jaguars who have regularly played in London, but they have arrived a little later than the Chicago Bears knowing they are here for consecutive games. It should not be a factor, but you just never know, while the Bears will feel they have the strongest unit of the four that play the majority of the game and that is the Defense which has powered Chicago.

However, it is a Defensive unit that have suffered a couple of key injuries in the Secondary and that may leave Chicago a bit more vulnerable in their last game before the Bye Week. Jaquan Brisker was already ruled out, but the Bears suffered a big injury on Thursday when Tyrique Stevenson hurt his calf and he is almost certainly going to miss out.

The problem is that the Bears will not have Stevenson's backup available and so a third string Defensive Back will take to the field, which is obviously going to be an area that the Jacksonville Jaguars look to exploit. You might not be completely convinced about Trevor Lawrence being back just because he exploited an injury hit Colts team in Week 5, but the fact he can exploit those holes is important with this being a big problem for the Chicago Bears.

Jacksonville's Offensive Line have shown they can establish the run when the team are not too far behind on the scoreboard and this has perhaps been the Bears one real weakness early in the season. It could mean another big game for Tank Bigsby who along with Travis Etienne offers the Jaguars the chance to get the ground game going and then open things up for Trevor Lawrence to ramp up the pass.

If they are behind the chains, Jacksonville will be aware that the Chicago pass rush may reduce the time for Lawrence to attack the obvious holes without Brisker and Stevenson in the lineup, but the Jaguars should have considerable success if they can establish the run.

More pressure will be on that Chicago pass rush without some key Defensive Backs, but there will also be some pressure on Caleb Williams to continue the strong form he has shown over the last two weeks. The win over Carolina Panthers was Williams at his best at Quarter Back and he could pick up from where he left off considering the problems that the Jaguars have had defending the pass.

Caleb Williams has shown improvement and the schedule has helped with the teams he has faced, but he would love to see the Chicago Bears have more success running the ball. After early struggles, D'Andre Swift has been a little better in the last couple of weeks, but big holes have not really been created by this Chicago Offensive Line and it could be an issue again this week.

For all of their issues, the Jaguars have largely played the run pretty well and they will certainly be looking to force the rookie to beat them. Even the improved play has not overly concerned the Jaguars and they will feel the pass rush can just rattle Williams if he needs time to allow routes to develop in front of him.

However, in place of a running game, the Bears have used the screen to keep the team moving and that may be the game plan here before attacking a Secondary that has given up some big yardage. Caleb Williams will be well aware of that and he does have some Receiving options in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen that can make significant plays for the team.

The Bears look the right favourite, but it is no surprise to see the line get a little tigher after some of the injuries picked up in the Secondary.

Jacksonville's experience playing in London and the performance in Week 5 will definitely lift the team, but the Chicago pass rush may yet have the impact on the game to turn things in the favour of the Bears.

The Jaguars have won three of their last four games in London and will be strong favourites to beat the New England Patriots at Wembley Stadium next week. However, there are still some questions for this team to answer and the Defensive issues may just give the Chicago Bears the edge to come away with a victory before heading home for the Bye Week.

Games in London have not been the most high-scoring in recent years, but there could be some big plays made in this one with issues in the Secondary for both teams. Ultimately it may come down to a big Sack or a turnover to make the difference and the feeling is that the Chicago Bears pass rush makes the deciding play in this one.

Washington Commanders @ Baltimore Ravens Pick: They are non-Conference opponents so a natural rivalry has not really developed between the Washington Commanders (4-1) and Baltimore Ravens (3-2) even with the short distance between the two NFL teams.

Successful runs will build the fanbase, which both teams are competing to bring in, but overall this cannot be considered a rivalry.

Things may change if both end up meeting in the Super Bowl after strong starts, but even that feels unlikely just yet and despite the very good start made by the Washington Commanders. They were blown out in Week 1 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but four straight wins makes the Commanders the surprising leaders of the NFC East through five weeks of the season.

However, it will be noted that the teams beaten have a combined 6-14 record, even if the Washington Commanders will point out that they have already beaten two AFC North teams. Unfortunately those teams are both struggling and now they have to face the Baltimore Ravens, a team that has won three in a row since opening with a 0-2 record and who look to be one of the leading contenders to represent their Conference in the Super Bowl.

There is the obvious letdown spot for the Ravens having somehow won in Cinncinati in Overtime last week, but they do look a team that could match up pretty well with the Commanders. It also should be noted that Lamar Jackson has been a dominant Quarter Back when it comes to these non-Conference games and that includes beating the Dallas Cowboys on the road this season.

A bit of fortune helped Baltimore win last weekend, but fans will say they were due considering they should have perhaps found a way to beat Kansas City and Las Vegas earlier in the season.

Lamar Jackson is the leader of the team, but he will be extremely grateful to the team for signing Derrick Henry and you have to like the Baltimore Ravens ability to put up some big yards on the ground again. The Offensive Line have really enjoyed blocking for Jackson and Henry and they have punished teams on the ground, which really does not bode well for this Commanders Defensive Line allowing 5.1 yards per carry through the course of the season.

Building a big lead has forced teams to move away from the run, but this Ravens team is unlikely to lose focus on the game plan and there is every reason to believe Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry keep the team moving on the ground. This should negate some of the pressure that the Commanders pass rush have brought onto the field, while Jackson will be able to make some big passing gains if Washington do try and play closer to the Line of Scrimmage.

The expectation is that this Ravens Offensive unit will have a strong day, while the Defense has seen what a dual-threat Quarter Back brings to the table every day in practice. Playing against Jackson will certainly give them an idea of what to expect from rookie Jayden Daniels, as impressive as he has been in his first five games leading the Washington Commanders.

Jayden Daniels is a strong threat when it comes to tucking the ball in and making plays with his legs and the Commanders have a couple of solid Running Back options in Brian Robinson Jr and Austin Ekeler. Those change of pace Backs can cause problems, although it will be interesting to see how the Commanders look to attack this Baltimore Defensive Line that has clamped down on the run.

Instead the weakness has been in the Secondary, as Joe Burrow highlighted last week, but this could be a tough match up for Jayden Daniels. He has shown his passing ability against weaker Secondaries like the Bengals and Cardinals, but it was tougher work for him against the Cleveland Browns and the challenge this week will be dealing with the Baltimore pass rush.

When given time, Jayden Daniels has shown he can make those big plays with his arm, but that is likely to be more difficult if the Commanders are not able to rely on the run. The Offensive Line has been better at run blocking than pass protection and you have to think this Baltimore team will be well aware of how to deal with a Quarter Back that has had massive comparisons to Lamar Jackson early in his NFL career.

With a spread like this, the backdoor cover is absolutely going to be a concern.

We have seen the Ravens blow big leads against the Raiders and Cowboys, while Joe Burrow was lighting them up last week, but a rookie Quarter Back may just have a few more difficulties if Washington are playing from behind the chains. The Ravens should be able to do much of what they want Offensively and there will be enough respect for the early Washington successes to keep them focused before playing on Monday Night Football in Week 7.

The spread will likely come down to a late drive, but that is where the Ravens pass rush can make their presence known and help Baltimore to a fourth win in a row, as well as a fourth cover.

Cleveland Browns @ Philadelphia Eagles Pick: The shock news out of New York will have reverberated around the NFL and there are plenty of other Head Coaches that could be concerned about their futures after Robert Saleh was dismissed.

Most teams will tend to wait until the end of the season and that is the feeling for Nick Sirianni as the Head Coach of the Philadelphia Eagles (2-2). An early Bye Week has perhaps given the team time to get healthier after the blowout loss in Week 4 and also means the Eagles are unlikely to want to make any big decisions until the season is perhaps getting away from them.

Despite taking the Eagles to the Super Bowl, Sirianni is sitting on a hot seat even with the team very much in touch with those around them in the NFC East. There are big expectations from the fanbase though and the Philadelphia Super Bowl window for this current team looks to be closing rapidly, which could lead to big changes all around.

For now they are sticking with the Head Coach as the Eagles come out of the Bye Week and Nick Sirianni has tended to extract a big performance from his team with time to prepare. The likes of Lane Johnson, DeVonta Smith and AJ Brown all missed out in the defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but all have made good use of the Bye Week and the Eagles will be much stronger Offensively.

It also helps that they are facing a Cleveland Browns (1-4) team that are already under the cosh and with a Head Coach who may be even closer to the exit door than his peer across the field. Kevin Stefanski will be trying to focus on the job at hand, but his future looks tied in with Deshaun Watson having refused to make a change at Quarter Back and that looks to be sinking the Head Coach.

Deshaun Watson is playing like a busted flush and there is every chance that people will look back at the trade that Cleveland made to bring him in as the worst in the history of the NFL. The Week 10 Bye could be the moment that massive changes are made by the Browns, by when it could be too late to salvage the 2024 season, and the fans will likely be increasingly frustrated having seen Joe Flacco get off his couch to produce much better than anything seen from Watson.

Instead of keeping Flacco around, the Browns went all in with their Quarter Back and it has been a disaster with the team struggling on this side of the ball. The only win this season has been against the Jacksonville Jaguars, while Cleveland have been downed by opponents like the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders, neither of which have been in dominant form.

The only sympathy you can have for Deshaun Watson is that he has been operating behind a terrible Offensive Line which has really missed having both Tackles at full health. Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin both suffered big injuries last season and they have clearly not been at full strength, which has kept Watson running for his life behind Center and ultimately taking far too many Sacks.

Some of those have been the fault of the Quarter Back too for holding onto the ball for too long, but it simply has not been good enough.

The Browns may choose to lean on the run to try and put themselves in a much better spot, but the continued absence of Nick Chubb has really been felt too. We have seen teams being able to pound the Eagles on the ground, although it is going to be tougher to do that if Philadelphia choose to dare Watson to beat them through the air and it could be another tough afternoon for Cleveland on this side of the ball.

If not for the Defensive unit, Cleveland might have been on the wrong end of a lot of blowouts this season, rather than just the two. Both have been against teams from the NFC East though and that does not bode well for the Browns who have a number of players trying to play through the pain on this side of the ball.

Philadelphia looking to be close to full strength on the Offensive side of the ball does not bode well for the Browns and especially as they have struggled to stop the run. Saquon Barkley should be able to punish Cleveland when being handed the ball and that can only open up the playbook for Jalen Hurts, who still has to answer some questions about being the long-term solution at Quarter Back for the Eagles.

His Offensive Line will help Barkley produce some big gains on the ground and it is key for Jalen Hurts to have both DeVonta Smith and AJ Brown back. Lane Johnson should help offer better protection to the Quarter Back when he does drop back to throw the ball, while being in third and manageable just makes everything that much more comfortable.

Jalen Hurts has had inconsistent performances at Quarter Back and he really needs to clean up the turnovers, but this is a good opportunity for him. As good as the Browns Secondary have been, they have not really created the turnovers and it will be that much harder to make plays if Hurts is playing in a cleaner pocket and not having to push the ball from third and long spots.

A Divisional game is next on deck for the Eagles, which is a potential distraction, but coming out of the Bye Week should help, especially with Nick Sirianni's record. Over the coming weeks, the Eagles have a schedule that looks incredibly kind on paper and this is a chance to get some momentum going.

There is no doubt this is a big spread, one that offers the backdoor cover even if Watson is replaced by Jameis Winston in the game. However, the Browns have struggled Offensively to have a lot of faith in them and a healthier Philadelphia team could follow Dallas and Washington in crushing this AFC North opponent.

Arizona Cardinals @ Green Bay Packers Pick: The record could have been a lot worse and had the Arizona Cardinals (2-3) under real pressure early in the season if they had been beaten by San Francisco in Week 5. They rallied late and snapped a two game losing run to remain competitive in the early standings of the NFC West, but the Cardinals have to back it up.

This week they are travelling to the Green Bay Packers (3-2) who moved back above 0.500 after seeing off another team from the NFC West, the Los Angeles Rams.

Jordan Love is back for the Packers, although the Quarter Back is hoping to pick up his own level having had some inconsistent moments since his return. That is perhaps to be expected having returned from injury quicker than anticipated, while Love has shown plenty of character by having the Packers get very close to rallying to beat the Minnesota Vikings before the win over the Los Angeles Rams to stay in touch with the early NFC North leaders.

After that victory, the Green Bay Packers could really put some momentum behind themselves before the next big Divisional game against the Detroit Lions in early November.

There is so much to like about this young Green Bay team and they will feel confident they can score most times when they have the ball in their hands. The Offensive Line looks healthy and that has seen them open up plenty of holes up front for Josh Jacobs to show why he was signed to replace Aaron Jones as the main Running Back.

It is going to be tough for the Cardinals Defensive Line to slow down the Packers on the ground as it is, but even more so if both Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson are back on the field. Romeo Doubs was suspended last week for 'activities detrimental to the team', but he has been welcomed back, while Watson looks to have avoided a serious injury and could be used.

Respecting the passing game means Arizona cannot sell out to stop the run so the Green Bay Offensive Line should win out up front and that should put Jordan Love in a strong position to start quicker than he has in each of the last two games. The Quarter Back is not expected to be harassed when he does drop back to throw and that should give Jordan Love the opportunity to have another big passing game.

One concern has to be the Interceptions that Jordan Love has thrown, especially against this ball-hawking Secondary, but being in third and manageable should help and Green Bay should be able to follow the likes of Buffalo and Washington in putting up strong Offensive numbers against the Cardinals.

Running the ball to set up the pass will be the plan as far as the Arizona Cardinals are concerned too, but it may not be as easy for them to do that. Kyle Murray can move the ball with his legs from the Quarter Back position and James Connor continues to impress, but the Packers Defensive Line have just knuckled down and began to have some success when it comes to stopping the run.

Kyren Williams had a decent game against the Packers last week, but the recent performances have been solid enough and that will be important considering some of the erratic play from Kyler Murray when he has to throw.

Any time the Packers can put the Cardinals in obvious passing situations, the Green Bay pass rush is likely to have a big impact on the game and rushing Kyler Murray can lead to positive things happening. Turning the ball over is something this Green Bay Secondary will pride itself on, and Xavier McKinney has had an Interception in each of the first five games, which is a joint franchise record set back in 1943.

There is a bend, don't break mentality to this Packers passing Defense, which should give Kyler Murray and the Cardinals a chance to have some successes. There are some solid Receiving options for Murray to target, but the feeling is that the Green Bay Packers will make a couple of big plays on this side of the ball, which gives them control of the Week 6 contest.

Back in 2018, Arizona upset Green Bay here at Lambeau Field as an almost two Touchdown underdog, but the Packers look to have the Offensive firepower to get the better of the Cardinals by around a Touchdown score this time around.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints Pick: This is one of those selections where you may end up disliking it within the opening couple of drives.

If it was a non-Conference game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2), the likelihood is that other selections would have appealed more, but this is a Divisional game after a mini-Bye and playing after a loss, which should all add up to a motivated and focused effort.

The Overtime loss on Thursday Night Football has prevented the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from taking an early grip of the NFC South. It is a game where they could have built a bigger first half lead, which would have made it very tough for the Atlanta Falcons to fight back, but that is in the past and the Buccaneers have to only be looking ahead.

In Week 6 they travel to the New Orleans Saints (2-3) who have lost three in a row after blitzing through the first two weeks and looking extremely strong on both sides of the ball. Since then, it has been much more of a struggle in all aspects of their Football and Dennis Allen is back on the hot seat as Head Coach.

The heat will only strengthen if the Saints cannot turn things around, but they are going to have to try and do that without Derek Carr at Quarter Back.

It means Spencer Rattler has to step up, but this is a tough spot for the rookie who will have been expecting to play behind the veteran and learn the nuances of the NFL from the sidelines. Some will suggest he is getting the opportunity to play the right Defensive unit, but Todd Bowles will have something to say about that and the Saints have not exactly been motoring even with Carr behind Center.

New Orleans scored 47 points in Week 1 and 44 points in Week 2, but have combined for just 48 points in their last three games. The Offensive Line has been banged up and that has made it much more difficult for the Saints to establish the run and there is no guarantee they can take advantage of some of the issues the Tampa Bay Defensive Line have had when it comes to clamping down on the run.

The rookie Quarter Back may be able to make a few more plays with his legs compared with Derek Carr, but Spencer Rattler would really prefer if the situations are in third and manageable, rather than what could be third and long spots. Todd Bowles will likely give Spencer Rattler some looks to confuse the young Quarter Back, while the Buccaneers are able to generate plenty of pass rush pressure.

As Kirk Cousins showed, it has been possible to have success throwing into this Buccaneers Secondary, but the New Orleans Receivers have been banged up and playing on a short week is far from ideal.

Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Offensive unit have been a little inconsistent this season- there have been some solid performances, but also some underwhelming ones. However, this Saints Defensive unit has not looked the same over the last three weeks and there is every chance we are going to see a solid performance from the Quarter Back and the plethora of playmakers the Buccaneers have on this side of the ball.

The expectation is that the Buccaneers can pick up from where they left off against the Atlanta Falcons and that is by establishing the run effectively. Both Rachaad White and Bucky Irving picked up some big gains on the ground in the loss to the Falcons, and they should be able to punish the Saints on the ground after New Orleans just allowed Kareem Hunt to put up 102 yards against them.

This should benefit Baker Mayfield in two ways- it should negate the New Orleans pass rush, which would be a problem if Tampa Bay were playing behind the chains, while opening up the Saints Secondary that has struggled during this losing run. With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, Mayfield has the Receivers that can put up some big numbers in this game if they choose to air it out and you have to like the chances of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win this important Divisional game on the road.

Nothing will come easy with the rivalry in mind, while the spread is above the key number 3 and that can be problematic.

However, the Buccaneers have the time to prepare and facing a New Orleans team playing with a rookie Quarter Back on a short week looks an ideal situation as Tampa Bay look to bounce back from a Week 6 loss. Hurricane Milton did cause a lot of problems for people back home, but Tampa Bay's players have been able to bring their families with them on what has been a longer trip than usual for a road game and that should also mean the full focus is to give their home town fans something to feel good about.

Tampa Bay have won by double digits in three of their last four visits to New Orleans and should have enough to avoid any backdoor cover in this one.

Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets Pick: The decision to fire Robert Saleh as Head Coach might have been a surprise, but it is one that will be judged in January and the final analysis will depend on whether or not the New York Jets (2-3) made the Playoffs. They are far from out of contention even after losing in London in Week 5, but there is a belief that changes were needed to just freshen things up.

It all feels harsh on Saleh considering the Defensive unit have continued to be the best of the three separate units that make up a Football team, but the Jets have made the decision and now have to live with it.

A change at Offensive Co-Ordinator has also been made, but most fans will know that Quarter Back Aaron Rodgers has to be a lot better if the Jets are going to have the kind of season that would have been expected after the veteran returned from missing all but four snaps of the 2023 season.

First up under the new regime is a Monday Night Football game against the Buffalo Bills (3-2) who have lost two in a row- the winner in this one will be leading the AFC East through six weeks so there is plenty on the line for both the Bills and Jets.

Josh Allen has played well enough, but he has lost a key Receiver in Stefon Diggs and someone has yet to step up and fill that hole on the Offense. Poor game management cost the Bills in their loss to the Houston Texans, but Allen has been cleared to play having looked to have suffered a concussion and he is going to be key for the Bills.

However, this is a tough test for Josh Allen and the entire Offensive unit considering how well the New York Jets have played against them. The Jets have won their last two home games against Buffalo, while the current team has the kind of Defensive unit that will make it tough all around on the visiting team.

The Bills will not have an easy day establishing the run, while the Jets have produced plenty of big plays in the passing game to believe they can limit what Buffalo can achieve Offensively. Containing them to less than 22 points will be very possible and it is then up to the Jets to show that they can rally even in the face of controversy.

Aaron Rodgers is the first to admit he needs to play better at Quarter Back, but the Offensive Line will also have something to prove having struggled to help the team establish the run. This is a good chance to turn things around considering the Bills Defensive Line struggles against the run, while the likes of Breece Hall and Braelon Allen should also prove to be a good safety blanket for their Quarter Back.

Much like Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers has not exactly gotten on the same page with some of his Receivers, but there was a real effort to get Garrett Wilson into things last week and they may be able to build on that. Running the ball should open up the playbook for Aaron Rodgers, and negate some of the pressure that has been all around him, and that should see him expose the Buffalo Secondary that was in the midst of allowing Nico Collins to have a huge game before a hamstring injury knocked him out of the game.

This should give the Jets a chance to spring the upset, while there has been a recent trend of in-season firings leading to a positive reaction from the players as they look to prove it was the Coaching, not their ability, that has led to a difficult decision being made.

For all of the early successes Buffalo have had, the last two weeks have been a reminder that they are still a work in progress without Stefon Diggs. The Defensive unit have not been as strong as they would have liked either and the Jets could easily win this one outright for a third straight home win over this Divisional rival.

MY PICKS: Chicago Bears - 1.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Baltimore Ravens - 6.5 Points @ 1.90 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Philadelphia Eagles - 8.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Green Bay Packers - 5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 3.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

New York Jets + 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Week 5: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

Week 4: 6-2, + 3.45 Units (8 Units Staked, + 43.13% Yield)

Week 3: 3-3, - 0.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 3.83% Yield)

Week 2: 4-2, + 1.62 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27% Yield)

Week 1: 5-2, + 2.67 Units (7 Units Staked, + 38.14% Yield)

NFL Week 5 Picks 2024 (Thursday 3rd October-Monday 7th October)

Last week was a true bounce back one for the NFL Picks after the first losing week of the season.

It has been a tough week to get my thoughts down before the Thursday Night Football game between the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

We should be in a more usual mode for next week and hopefully that will be after another solid week of selections.

Minnesota Vikings vs New York Jets Pick: The International Series has already grown in 2024 with a game played in Brazil, but the NFL are set to expand that over the coming years. More announcements could be made relatively soon as the first of three London games is played in Week 5 of the season.

All of the talk when this game was announced was about seeing Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets (2-2), but the excitement around the Minnesota Vikings (4-0) heading to the Great Britain Capital was tempered as soon as Kirk Cousins was traded away.

Things feel much different in Week 5 with the Vikings unbeaten and leading the tough looking NFC North, while the Jets have work to do.

Aaron Rodgers was not happy with himself after the loss to the Denver Broncos as a big favourite last Sunday, but the comments made by Head Coach Robert Saleh have been making the headlines. He did not seem that happy with the way the Offensive unit was run, and there have been some reports of tension between Head Coach and Quarter Back before that defeat.

It was a miserable day all around for the Jets as they scored just 9 points at home, but reinforcements will arrive if Rodgers has his way. The team are leading the way when it comes to trading for Davante Adams, but for now the Jets will have flown over to London looking for a much better all around performance.

That may be a tough ask for Aaron Rodgers and his team-mates considering the level being produced by the Vikings on the Defensive side of the ball. The Quarter Back has not really found a great rhythm or chemistry with his Receivers right now and so it may not be easy for the Jets to attack the Minnesota Secondary that has given up plenty of yards as teams have tried to find a way back into games.

While there have been plenty of yards allowed, Minnesota's team have forced Interceptions too and turnovers will be key to the outcome of this game. Aaron Rodgers has historically not given away too much when facing the Vikings in his time with the Green Bay Packers, but he was under immense duress every time he stepped back to throw the ball against Denver and pressure is going to be all around him in this one in obvious passing situations.

Leaning on the running game will still likely be the plan for the Jets, but this has been the real strength of the Minnesota Defensive unit so it may be tough for Breece Hall to have a big impact on the ground. Instead the Jets may look to scheme the Running Back into positions where he can take quick throws from Aaron Rodgers and try and turn them into big gains with Rodgers not expected to be playing behind an Offensive Line that could give him time to allow routes to develop.

You have to expect more than Week 4 from the Jets, but the conditions in London look mixed and it may be tough for New York to really improve. Aaron Rodgers is likely going to make some plays, but it's never easy behind an Offensive Line resembling a turnstile and so it could be another tough day for a 40 year old who took plenty of big hits last week.

Sacks might play a big part in this game on the other side of the ball too considering the pressure the Jets can generate and the recent problems the Vikings have had in pass protection. However, Sam Darnold will be heading into this 'revenge' game knowing that his running attack is likely going to put the Vikings in a much stronger position than what is expected from the New York Jets.

The Minnesota Offensive Line will have been encouraged by what Denver were able to do against the Jets last week and they have a more competent Quarter Back who will be given more respect than Bo Nix was afforded. Despite the lack of passing yards from Nix, Denver won the game behind a strong run and Aaron Jones could pick up from where the Broncos left off.

Keeping Sam Darnold in front of the chains has been key to the early successes the Quarter Back has had and he has been able to spread the ball around to some talented playmakers. There are some solid Defensive Backs that will need to be pointed out when the Vikings are setting to throw, but Darnold has to believe his Receivers will win out and his decision making has been absolutely right so far.

It should allow Minnesota to keep the chains ticking over and the Vikings may just maintain their perfect covering record in London.

Full focus can be on this game with a Bye Week coming up, while Aaron Rodgers has yet to remind the fans to 'relax'. Things might just have to get a little worse for the Jets before there are signs of getting better and Minnesota might get the better of the former Green Bay Packer, much to the delight of their fans from both sides of the pond.

The expectation is that this will be a competitive game thanks to the abilities of both Defensive units, but Minnesota's rushing attack could prove to be the difference maker on the day.

Carolina Panthers @ Chicago Bears Pick: There are always going to be comparisons between the top Quarter Backs taken in the NFL Draft and it is no surprise some talking heads are already suggesting the Chicago Bears (2-2) might regret picking Caleb Williams over Jayden Daniels. You won't hear that from the organisation though considering the improvements they feel they are seeing from their rookie behind Center and the win over the Los Angeles Rams was perhaps Williams' best performance of this young season.

The Bears were favourites to beat the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field in Week 4 and they are favourites again before heading to London for a meeting with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Next up is the Carolina Panthers (1-3), a team that have looked rejuvenated with a veteran at Quarter Back- much like the Bears, they spent a lot of time wondering whether picking Bryce Young over CJ Stroud was a mistake and ultimately it looks like a miss from the Panthers with Young benched and Stroud operating like one of the top players in the position.

Two more losses with Bryce Young behind Center meant a change was necessary and this is now Andy Dalton's team.

Offensively the Panthers have certainly looked more capable with Dalton at Quarter Back and that will give them an opportunity to spring the upset. With someone capable of throwing the ball with better success than Bryce Young managed, the Offensive Line have been able to offer Andy Dalton enough protection and they have also opened up some big running lanes.

Chuba Hubbard has taken advantage and he should have some success on the ground against this solid Bears Defensive Line. This is key for the Panthers as they look to manage the game and remain in front of the chains at all times, and it will also slow down any Chicago pass rush which did rattle Matthew Stafford.

The Rams Quarter Back still made some big time throws against this Bears Secondary and Andy Dalton should have a decent game when stepping back to throw. Avoiding Interceptions will be key for Dalton and the Panthers, but if he can play a clean game, the Panthers should be able to move the ball and the 60 points scored in the last two games is a number they can build upon.

Chicago snapped a two game losing run with their victory over the Rams in Week 4 and they saw some life from a struggling running game, and that was a huge benefit for their young Quarter Back. It took a bit of time for D'Andre Swift to get going in that victory, but the Running Back ended up having his most productive game of the season.

There will be a chance to back that performance up with another solid outing against this Panthers Defensive Line and that will be encouraging for Caleb Williams. The Offensive Line have not played as well as they would have liked this season, but they could be aided by some downhill running and staying in front of the chains will mean they do not have to protect Williams for too long.

Even if Caleb Williams needs time, the Panthers pass rush may not be able to take full advantage of the Chicago Offensive Line problems. Instead the Panthers will look to the Secondary to stay with some of the solid Receivers that Chicago have and will also be looking to tempt Williams into an errant throw or two.

You have to credit the Bears for covering as the favourite on two out of two occasions this season, but the distraction of playing in London next week is a factor. The improvements made by the Panthers in the last couple of games, especially Offensively, could see them keep this close and the play is taking the points with the road team.

Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals Pick: In recent years, the Baltimore Ravens (2-2) and Cincinnati Bengals (1-3) have combined to dominate the AFC North and games between these Divisional rivals have been hugely important to the final standings.

This season the Pittsburgh Steelers may have something to say about top spot in the Division, but there is still a feeling that the Ravens and Bengals are amongst the top teams in the entire League.

It has been tough for the Bengals early in the season and it was hugely important for them to beat the Carolina Panthers and earn their first win of the season. Questions have begun to be asked about Joe Burrow and Head Coach Zac Taylor, but they can only be answered by how they play on the field and Cincinnati have to be massively motivated by being set as the home underdog.

There will be a feeling that the Bengals can build momentum if they are able to upset the odds and win this game with the likes of the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns to come. However, winning this game is going to be anything but easy and especially not against a Baltimore team that have won back to back games and just blown out the Buffalo Bills in a prime time spot.

Much will depend on the Cincinnati Offensive Line on this side of the ball as they look to try and establish the run and avoid the team becoming predictable or one-dimensional. Running the ball against the Baltimore Ravens has been a huge challenge for all of their opponents this season though and it feels like a tough spot for the Bengals to have much more success.

Ultimately the game will lean on Joe Burrow at Quarter Back and some talented Wide Receivers.

This Ravens Secondary may not be as strong as previous versions, but the pass rush is very effective and that can cover up some of the holes that Quarter Backs would love to exploit. If the Bengals are in third and long spots, that pressure could still make an impact on the game and help to stall drives, although you also have to expect some solid numbers from Burrow and the passing game.

Pass rush can slow down drives, but the Ravens will also feel they can control the clock and keep the Cincinnati Offensive unit sitting on the sidelines for an extended period.

Some thought Derrick Henry was perhaps not the player he once was with the Tennessee Titans, but he has been producing big time Football for the Baltimore Ravens and could pick up from where he left off in Week 4. There is no doubting the power and quality of Henry, but playing alongside Lamar Jackson feels unfair to Defensive Lines and the Cincinnati Bengals will struggle to contain the tandem on the ground.

Everything good that Baltimore will do Offensively begins with the powerful running game and the Ravens should have plenty of success. It also means Lamar Jackson has time when he has been asked to throw the ball and being in front of the chains means the Quarter Back has been able to avoid costly mistakes, which is also important in a tight game like this one.

This should be a competitive and fun game for fans to watch, especially for the neutrals, and something of a back and forth contest. The ability of the Ravens to run the ball should be a key difference and they have won three of the last four regular season games between these Divisional rivals, although Cincinnati do hold a PlayOff win over Baltimore in that time too.

The Ravens had lost three in a row in Cincinnati before getting the better of them last season and Baltimore can ride the momentum gained over the last two weeks to an important win and the chance to move above 0.500 for the first time this season.

Cleveland Browns @ Washington Commanders Pick: If you had said at the start of the season that one of these teams would have a 3-1 record and the other 1-3, it is almost certain you would have predicted the wrong team to be holding that mark ahead of this Week 5 non-Conference game.

The Cleveland Browns (1-3) have been a huge disappointment so far in 2024 and they are playing in a very tough Division. On the other side, the Washington Commanders (3-1) have bounced back from a Week 1 defeat and won three in a row to move to the top of the NFC East and Jayden Daniels has performed at a high level to have people wondering if he should not have been the Number 1 Overall Draft Pick rather than Caleb Williams.

One Quarter Back is playing on his rookie deal, but that is far from the case for Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns. A lot of money and Draft Picks were invested into Watson when trading for him to take over as Quarter Back in Cleveland, but he has not been able to return to the form he had showed in his time with the Houston Texans.

It really does not make things easy when the Offensive Line is banged up and with Nick Chubb yet to return from a devastating injury. Even then, more has been expected from Watson at Quarter Back and there is no doubt that more will be needed if big decisions are to be avoided in the off-season.

The Offensive unit have struggled, but this game could be a chance for Cleveland to have a bit more success running the ball, which is all so important for them. Injuries have made it difficult for consistency, but the Commanders Defensive Line have not been clamping down on the run and so there is an opportunity for Cleveland to allow Watson to play in third and manageable situations.

Deshaun Watson has not really found any consistency in his passing, but being in front of the chains will help, even if that help is having a bit more time. He has been under a lot of pressure early in the season and the Commanders will bring the heat up front to rush the Cleveland Quarter Back.

This should give Washington the chance to at least slow the Cleveland Offensive unit and give the ball to Jayden Daniels in his bid to continue to impress.

Brian Robinson Jr is a potential big miss for the Washington Commanders having begun the season so well at Running Back, but Austin Ekeler is a capable replacement. With a dual-threat Quarter Back, the Commanders Offensive Line should be able to establish the run against this struggling Browns rushing Defense and that will help the rookie Jayden Daniels no end.

Credit has to be given to the Browns Defensive unit for keeping the team competitive since the Week 1 blowout to the Dallas Cowboys, but it will be tough to stop the Commanders if they continue to run the ball as effectively as they have been. For starters it should ease some of the pass rush and Jayden Daniels has shown an efficiency when throwing the ball, and that has impressed considering he has played just four NFL games.

Playing at that level will make it tough for the Browns and Washington look like they can keep the good times rolling through another week. The situation is different for both teams with the Cleveland Browns having been favoured while losing and the Washington Commanders coming through as the underdog in each of their last two victories.

Expectations can do funny things to players and teams, but the ability to run the ball like the Commanders have done will give them a slight edge and Jayden Daniels may just outplay Deshaun Watson.

MY PICKS: Minnesota Vikings - 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Carolina Panthers + 4 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Baltimore Ravens - 2 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Washington Commanders - 3 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Green Bay Packers - 3 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Pittsburgh Steelers - 2.5 Points @ 1.87 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Week 4: 6-2, + 3.45 Units (8 Units Staked, + 43.13% Yield)

Week 3: 3-3, - 0.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 3.83% Yield)

Week 2: 4-2, + 1.62 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27% Yield)

Week 1: 5-2, + 2.67 Units (7 Units Staked, + 38.14% Yield)

College Football Week 6 Picks 2024 (Saturday 5th October)

There are always some very difficult weeks in College Football and the Week 5 results stung.

Georgia almost came back to earn a victory at Alabama having trailed 28-0 early, but they were undone by a massive play just seconds after taking the lead in Tuscaloosa and the Bulldogs have had to suffer a setback.

They can still be very much involved in the College Football PlayOff chase the rest of the season and the SEC is on course to send a number of teams into the new twelve team format. The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide are two, but the likes of the Missouri Tigers, Texas Longhorns and Tennessee Volunteers are all top ten teams in the latest Rankings.

Issues will be cleared up as these teams begin to play one another, and we are soon going to see another big SEC game when the Volunteers host Alabama in a couple of weeks time. Avoiding slips is the main focus for the majority of the top teams this week, while other Conferences are also trying to push their top teams to the forefront of the College Football PlayOff discussions that are already taking place.

Iowa Hawkeyes @ Ohio State Buckeyes Pick: There are two standout teams in the Big Ten early in the 2024 season and they are set to play one another in Week 7, which could decide which one, if any, is able to make it through to the Championship Game later in the year.

Of course that is no disrespect to others in the tough Conference, but the Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0) have to make sure the upcoming game against the Oregon Ducks is not a distraction. Losing a game like this one would hurt the Buckeyes when you think there are teams like the Indiana Hoosiers and Penn State Nittany Lions ready to push into any open Championship Game slot, while the Iowa Hawkeyes (3-1) have to be afforded a lot of respect.

The line set for the game might suggest otherwise, but this is going to be a test for Ohio State, although also an opportunity to show what they are about.

Much is going to depend on the line of scrimmage when the Buckeyes have the ball- the Offensive Line have been opening some big running lanes, but this is the strength of the entire Iowa Defensive unit and the Line up front will feel they can restrict some of the damage done. Of course it should be noted that the Hawkeyes have not really played Offensive teams of the talent level that the Buckeyes possess, but keeping Ohio State in third and long spots will give the road team a chance.

The problem for Iowa is that their Secondary have allowed a few more yards than hoped and the Hawkeyes are unlikely to rush Will Howard at Quarter Back. With any time, Howard should be able to find some of his talented playmakers down the field and the Buckeyes should be able to wear down this opponent.

It will put some pressure on the Hawkeyes, who have not been the most exciting of Offensive units and now have to face what could be the best Defense they have seen all season.

Much like the Buckeyes, the Iowa Hawkeyes will lean on their Offensive Line and hope to find a way to establish the run against what has been a very effective Ohio State Defensive Line. So many games will come down to the Line of Scrimmage and Iowa would love to control the clock and keep the Buckeyes powerful unit cooling off on the sidelines with extended drives.

Despite the strong play in the Secondary, Ohio State are going to have plenty of respect for Cade McNamara, a former Michigan Quarter Back now leading the Hawkeyes. Back in 2021, McNamara led the Wolverines to a win over Ohio State on their way to a Big Ten Conference Championship, although they were eventually beaten in the final four of the College Football PlayOff.

He did not have massively impressive numbers in the win over Ohio State, but McNamara is a bit more experienced now and he has avoided turnovers. The problem for the Hawkeyes will be if they need Cade McNamara to push the boat out and attack this Ohio State Secondary if they are playing catch up and that is where a potentially damaging turnover or two could swing this game in favour of the home team and with every chance of covering this big line.

Two years ago, Ohio State blew out the Hawkeyes at home, but they were an almost 30 point favourite that day.

This one should be more competitive than the 44 point win in October 2022, but the Buckeyes might be the stronger team at the Line of Scrimmage on both sides of the ball and that should lead to a win and cover.

Clemson Tigers @ Florida State Seminoles Pick: It is the collapse of the Florida State Seminoles (1-4) that has opened the door for a new ACC Champion in 2024. The 1-3 Conference record will really sting, while the Seminoles were crushed by new Conference members SMU Mustangs in Week 5 as the season goes from bad to worse.

There will be no lack of motivation for the Florida State fans in this home game against the Clemson Tigers (3-1) who might be the best team in the Conference. They have bounced back very well from the crushing defeat to the Georgia Bulldogs in Week 1, but the Tigers will be very aware of the threat that the Seminoles may continue to pose even if this season has been pretty miserable so far.

It was supposed to be the day when the Tigers would be facing an old colleague, but DJ Uiagalelei looks to have suffered an injury that will rule him out and that makes things that much more difficult for the Seminoles.

Instead of a Quarter Back with a lot of experience, Florida State will be preparing Brock Glenn who has not really shown a lot in his limited playing time. He will have earned plenty of reps to get ready, but Glenn will be hoping the Seminoles Offensive Line can pick up the majority of the slack and make his life easier on the day.

This has been the one area where Clemson have continued to struggle- they have not been able to contain the run, but it is perhaps asking even too much for this Florida State Offensive Line. There have been plenty of disappointments when it comes to talking about this Seminoles team, but the struggles on the ground have increased the pressure on the Quarter Back.

You have to feel that the Tigers will be looking to make especially Brock Glenn beat them through the air.

This may lead to a couple more players edging towards the Line of Scrimmage to just help the Tigers make some plays up front and then trust the Secondary to be able to distract and confuse an inexperienced Quarter Back. With the Seminoles Offensive Line also struggling when it comes to pass protection, the Tigers pass rush may just rattle Brock Glenn into a mistake or two and that could give the road team a big opportunity to put a statement win on the board.

Florida State have struggled Offensively, but they have also failed to make enough plays on the other side of the ball and that is where Clemson can pull away for a big win and cover of this line.

There has been some improvement in the performance up front, although the Clemson Offensive Line will still feel very confident in their ability to push the Seminoles around and create some solid running lanes. Any time they are in front of the chains, Cade Klubnik should be able to have his way with a Seminoles Secondary that have allowed over 275 passing yards per game in their last three.

You would have to believe that Klubnik can have a big game in this one and it should put Clemson in a strong position.

Games between these rivals have tended to be close and competitive, which is not a surprise, but at the moment there feels like a big gap between them. With the starting Quarter Back missing for Florida State, that gap could be all the wider and the Tigers can wear down a rival that is having a tough year and could be ripe for more hardship in Week 6.

Tennessee Volunteers @ Arkansas Razorbacks Pick: Winning road games in College Football is never easy, but winning those games in the SEC is that much more challenging.

This is where you can separate the contenders from the pretenders, although the Tennessee Volunteers (4-0) may already have shown why they have to be respected. Even earning a spot in the Championship Game is going to be considered a successful season with the amount of quality teams that are playing in this Conference, but that will be the target for the Volunteers.

The 10 point win at the Oklahoma Sooners has really shown that there is a huge amount of potential for what this Volunteers team can achieve and they are playing after a Bye Week. A big game is coming up in two weeks time when the Volunteers will be hosting the Alabama Crimson Tide, but overlooking the Arkansas Razorbacks (3-2) would be a big mistake.

Losing against the Texas A&M Aggies has dropped the Razorbacks to 1-1 within the Conference and this has all of the hallmarks of being a tough day in the office Offensively.

Everyone knows that the Razorbacks want to lean on their Offensive Line to grind opponents down on the ground and to give their own Quarter Back a chance to manage the game. Ja'Quinden Jackson has some decent numbers, but he was shut down in the loss to the Aggies and there is likely to be even less room up front against this Tennessee Defensive Line that has impressed so much all year.

Another day of struggle on the ground will really make things tough for Taylen Green at Quarter Back, who has been inconsistent as it is. That has been a source of frustration for Head Coach Sam Pittman, especially as he feels Green has not made the right decisions whenever he has been faced with pressure.

It is very likely that Taylen Green will be under immense pressure in this game with the Razorbacks expected to be performing from third and long situations. Any mistakes will be punished by this Volunteers Secondary that have played well through their first four games and ultimately it gives the road team a big edge.

The Volunteers might not be using an extremely experienced Quarter Back, but Nick Iamaleava is producing at a high level and has helped the team win in a tough environment already. This should mean he is ready to compete, especially with the Bye Week to prepare, and there are likely to be spaces to exploit in the Secondary.

Some of that will be down to the punishing Volunteers Offensive Line that should help the road team establish the run much more effectively than Arkansas when the Razorbacks have the ball. As the competition has ramped up, the Razorbacks have shown they can be attacked on the ground and this Offensive Line might be as good as it gets in College Football.

They have also offered Iamaleava plenty of time when he has dropped back to throw, while being in third and manageable opens up the playbook. It should give the Volunteers an edge as long as their young Quarter Back can avoid the ball-hawking Defensive Backs and Tennessee may be ready to end their three game losing run to the Arkansas Razorbacks in some style.

Tennessee are proving they are a legit team by not only winning games, but covering spreads too and they can be backed to secure another statement victory on the road out of their Bye Week.

MY PICKS: Ohio State Buckeyes - 18 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Clemson Tigers - 14.5 Points @ 2.00 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Tennessee Volunteers - 13.5 Points @ 1.85 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Penn State Nittany Lions - 28.5 Points @ 1.95 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Indiana Hoosiers - 13.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Week 5: 0-5, - 5 Units (5 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Week 4: 3-2, + 0.73 Units (5 Units Staked, + 14.60% Yield)

Week 3: 3-5, - 2.35 Units (8 Units Staked, - 29.38% Yield)

Week 2: 2-4, - 2.26 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.67% Yield)

Week 1: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)