NFL Week 6 Preview - Your Best Bets

Everyone handicapping the NFL betting scene figured Brett Favre would make the Minnesota Vikings a better football team – and a more profitable one – when the 40-year old quarterback joined the club in the preseason.

While Favre and the Vikings have impressed, they did so against the likes of Cleveland, Detroit, and St. Louis, not to mention home games with San Francisco and Green Bay.

Things are about to get tougher for Minnesota, which tackles Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Green Bay (at Lambeau Field) before its bye week.

Baltimore at Minnesota (-3, 44) – 1 PM ET

Favre and the Vikings (5-0, 4-1 ATS) face their biggest test of the season when they take on the Baltimore Ravens (3-2, 3-2 ATS) at the Metrodome on Sunday afternoon.

Vikes bettors have to like what Favre’s done so far, but he hasn’t faced a defense of Baltimore’s caliber this season. Following his 232 yards passing with a touchdown in Minnesota’s 38-10 win at St. Louis as 10-point chalk last week, Favre now has over 1,000 yards through the air to go along with nine TDs and a 103.4 passer rating.

Despite the success, Favre and the Minnesota Vikings are going to use a steady diet of Adrian Peterson on Sunday. Second in the league with 481 yards rushing, Peterson runs into a Ravens’ defense that allowed its first 100-yard rusher in 40 games in their 17-14 loss against Cincinnati (+9) last week.

Detroit at Green Bay (-14, 48) – 1 PM ET

Looking to get back on track coming off their bye week, the Packers (2-2, 2-2 ATS) have been slapped with a two touchdown fave tag for their battle with the Detroit Lions (1-4, 2-3 ATS) on Sunday.

Green Bay opened as a 12-point favorite when the NFL point spread was released earlier in the week, but news of the injuries to both Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson had bettors emptying their wallets on the Green Bay Packers.

Stafford (knee) practiced and Johnson (knee) didn’t on Wednesday, with both players considered questionable for Sunday. If Stafford can’t go, Daunte Culpepper would once again get the start under center for the Lions. Culpepper went 23-of-37 for 282 yards with a touchdown and an interception in Detroit’s payday as 11-point home dogs in its 28-20 loss to Pittsburgh last week.

Houston at Cincinnati (-4.5, 45) – 1 PM ET

Bettors laying down money on the Bengals (4-1, 3-2 ATS) for their tilt with the Houston Texans (2-3, 2-3 ATS) should think twice about it.

Cincinnati is getting tons of good press after starting the season with four wins, but the reality is the Bengals needed three last-minute drives to do so. Don’t count on Carson Palmer pulling games and paydays out of the air all year; Cincinnati could easily be 1-4 SU coming into Sunday’s game.

The Texans slammed the Bengals 35-6 when the teams met last season at Reliant Field, covering easily as 9-point chalk. Bettors should note that win came with Palmer out of the lineup, so Cincinnati Bengals will give Houston a much bigger challenge this time around.