Bears Blitz

NFL Picks Week 6: Bears vs Vikings and NFC Winners and Losers

Published by Brian Mazique on October 15, 2011
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

The only division matchup this week pits the bottom two teams against each other. The Minnesota Vikings make their annual trip into Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football. The Bears are coming off a loss to Detroit on Monday night and the Vikings just captured their first win of the season against Arizona.

Minnesota would love to get it going with two wins in a row, and the Bears desperately need to avoid dropping another conference game. It would be their fourth and third division loss. That could be deadly in a tie-breaker for playoff placement.

Chances are, the Bears are not who you think they are. If you think they are terrible, you’re wrong; if you think they are among the better teams in the NFC, you would be wrong again. The combined record of the Bears’ opponents this season is 17-8. The Vikings opponents are 15-10, and even that is deceiving. The Bears schedule has been brutal, so though they aren’t elite by any stretch, they are not a horrible team.

They will handle the Vikings at home.

The Detroit Lions have been the best story of the first quarter of the season. They are 5-0 and are winning in exciting fashion. They have the game’s best player and my vote for MVP of the league right now, Calvin Johnson, and so far, Matthew Stafford has stayed healthy.

In Week 6, another upstart team is steadily pushing their way into the leagues focus. The San Francisco 49ers are 4-1 and on a roll. They have won three straight and, most importantly, they have an identity.

This is the biggest game on the NFC ledger in Week 6, matching an undefeated Lions team against the one-loss Niners, but in the end, the Niners will prevail. Their smashing running game and the dangerous Vernon Davis will effectively move the ball, keeping this from being a shootout. Their defense has been solid, especially against the run. They will catch the Lions and pull the upset on the road.

The Green Bay Packers have an active bye-week. They face the St.Louis Rams at Lambeau Field. The Rams are trying to right the ship in a season that had much higher hopes than what has been rendered so far.

Unfortunately, Week 6 will be more of the same. The Pack are too much offensively, even without Chad Clifton. The Rams run-defense has been horrible all year long, and that will take the pressure off of any pass-protection issues. Though Clifton is down, Bryan Bulaga is expected back, and the Packers will roll at home.