Let's face facts, this week's slate of games on paper look extremely exciting, in fact a couple of these games may be ones for the ages. We have a clash of the titans in two undefeated teams this week, and outside of that epic showdown, there's a ton of games that on paper should be extremely entertaining through and through. 

Yes, there's some divisional match-ups going down tomorrow that may change the entire landscape of the playoffs depending on which way the wins go and heck, there's even some bucket games that look like they might manage to entertain, so with that in mind here are the four games that have our complete attention come tomorrow because they will no doubt be fascinating to watch.

Scotty's Take
This is the biggest game of the week since one team is going to leave with a loss on their record.  I cannot remember the last time I saw two undefeated teams go at it this late into the season, but I am not liking the chances that the home team is going up against.  One of the things that the Broncos have prided themselves on this season is their #1 Defense, but as you have seen the past couple of weeks, you need to give them some time to rest and the offense has not been able to provide this yet.  The Packers are a high powered offense with one of the best quarterbacks in the game at the helm and if they find themselves on the field longer than 40 minutes, the Broncos are going to be toast.  Besides the fact that the Packers Defense is no joke either this year and they are able to get after the quarterback like a defense should.  I see the game starting as a defensive battle, but it going to come down to who can have possession of the football the longest.  This will be the biggest test for the 6-0 Broncos to this point and either they will prove they deserve to be undefeated, or they will prove what everyone is thinking about them, they are just lucky.

John's Take
Believe it or not...we have a quality matchup between two teams that a year ago, were left forgotten by the playoff Gods this time of year. The Jets are a quality squad, one that hung with the Pats last week and have been playing some fantastic fundamental and mistake free football all year long and they are going up against an inconsistent...but powerhouse Raider squad. This new look Raiders squad can score at will, frustrate defenses and given the chance...blow you out. So pitting that offense against the stout and smart New York defense is going to make for one incredibly fun football game. It might be a scoring fiesta, it might be a sound defensive game...either way this is going to be one to watch. 

John's Take
So this another meh game on paper that has me fascinated for a different reason, coaching. You see, the best coaches find a way to get something out of their team regardless of the circumstances or the personnel on the field and this is no doubt Jason Garrett's biggest challenge to date, specifically on offense. I say that because let's be honest, Brandon Weeden and Matt Cassel are absolutely awful at quarterback and this anemic offense is about to square off against a defense that can be stout, but can also be beaten. The Cowboys need to show that they are about more than just Tony Romo and Dez Bryant and this is Garrett's opportunity to toy with the playbook and see what he can get out of his players. I'm extremely curious to see how this game plays out and I hope Coach Garrett can wow us all.

John's Take
This game has the potential to be one of the most exciting ones on the Sunday slate. The Bengals are playing lights out on offense and defense, finding ways to win games and a lot of their success is predicated on the rarely talked about play of Andy Dalton. This is the best this kid has ever looked under center and he is on his own revenge tour of a league that doesn't see him as elite and as luck would have it...he gets a showdown in Pittsburgh against a division rival in the Steelers and these games are always amazing. AFC North match-ups have a playoff feel to them because each team knows what they mean and the Steelers look to be getting back Ben Roethlisberger as well, which means we are more than likely going to enjoy a good old fashioned AFC North battle royale and this could be the one where the Bengals suffer their first loss of the season.

The midseason point is practically here and that means a few key things for the remainder of the NFL season. Teams that continue to win are beginning to make their plans for the playoffs and will start their fierce push toward becoming a top seed and losing teams or teams in the middle of the pack will begin to take risks and play a little more aggressively in an effort to either save their season or see it finish with some pride. Either way, it will make for some incredible football this weekend and some compelling stories and with that in mind here are the top ones to keep an eye on this week.

The Denver Broncos offense HAS to get going Sunday night.
There's been no real sense of urgency to fix the issues on the Denver offense and with good reason, the defense has been beyond phenomenal this year. There's nothing they cannot do on the field and they've been a joy to watch. But that D is going to be tested this week with Aaron Rodgers coming into town and the offense has to help them. The Packers defense will be looking to feast upon Manning's mistakes and the lack of a run game, which means the longer the Broncos offense stays off the field, the more the odds tip in the Packers favor toward a win by wearing that D down. Manning has to get the offense going this week and keep his defense fresh or the Broncos will suffer their first loss of the season. 

How will the Miami Dolphins hold up against the Patriots? 
This is Interim Head Coach Dan Campbell's first real test in the NFL. He's facing a juggernaut offense in the Patriots and now we get to see what he is made of coaching wise and how his team responds to some serious adversity. New England is going to come out guns blazing on both sides of the ball as they often do and how Miami responds will set the tempo of this game and this is where it gets dangerous for Miami. They have been playing with a chip on their shoulder since Joe Philbin left and they have to check that at the door this week because the Pats want you to be emotional...so you make mistakes. Hopefully Coach Campbell takes a page from the Jets and will play some even tempered, fundamental football. If they do that, who knows...they could keep it close or surprise with an upset. 

Is it time for the Cleveland Browns to start planning for next year?
I know that is an awful thing to say, but let's be honest, the Browns are 2-5 and despite witnessing flashes of brilliance on the field, they simply cannot get it together and the chances of them pulling off an eleven game winning streak and making the playoffs are slim to none. So maybe, just maybe it's time to start plugging in other players into the line up, and see what they have on the squad and start thinking about next year and beyond. After all Dwayne Bowe hasn't played a game yet and the team really needs to see what they actually have in Johnny Manziel...so why not give them their shot before the franchise decides to blow everything up and start over...again.

Will the Colts drama continue this weekend? 
Strange things are happening in Indianapolis. Despite being number one in the AFC South with an embarrassing 3-4 record, the team appears to be in turmoil. Their Head Coach has no contract extension in place, and Chuck Pagano is completely at odds with General Manager Ryan Grigson and now as it turns out...Grigson is at odds with Owner Jim Irsay. Yes, multiple reports have come out now that Grigson and Irsay had a heated discussion about the team in the locker room after their last game and well...this is just nuts and it explains the reason the team isn't as successful as it has been in years past. The players aren't dumb, they see the drama going on behind the scenes and it is affecting their performance on the field. Hopefully the answer to this question is no, and Irsay, Grigson and Pagano sit down and figure out how to work together for at least the rest of the season because this is the one team in the AFC South whose record does not reflect their talent.

Will we see any big time trades this year as the trade deadline closes in? 
This one is hard to say because traditionally this deadline turns out to be just another day in the league year rather than a momentous occasion. After all, it's the middle of the year and trading a big name means they have to learn a new system in less than a week and football minds aren't inclined to do that to a player. But this year might be different since there are some big time players now lamenting on teams that are clearly in rebuilding mode. That could mean guys like Matt Forte and Vernon Davis could be sent packing, and teams like Dallas, that are starving for a quarterback might make another move as well. Personally, I think it will be business as usual, but as wild as this season as been so far, you never know.

John's Picks
Green Bay Packers at Denver Broncos - Denver
Arizona Cardinals at Cleveland Browns - Arizona
New York Jets at Oakland Raiders - New York
Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans - Houston
San Francisco 49ers at St. Louis Rams - St. Louis

Scotty's Picks
Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs - Kansas City
Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears - Minnesota
Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys - Seattle
San Diego Chargers at Baltimore Ravens - Baltimore
Green Bay Packers at Denver Broncos - Green Bay

On paper, Week 7 looked pretty rough. Lots of losing teams battling other losing teams, or hosting someone with a dominating record. Those kinds of schedules usually mean some boring games, some lopsided victories and the changing of the channel. But as it turns out, Week 7 managed to impress, with a near upset, some quality games and plenty of interesting stories left to discuss when the clock struck zero and here are the top stories from the field that caught my attention.

1. Ryan Mallett is not a smart man. This is the second time now he has been thrust into the national spotlight for making boneheaded decisions and this one was a doozy...he missed the team flight to Miami for this week's game. I say this is the second time something like this has happened because who could forget the fact he overslept and missed practice back in the preseason as well. It's just...stunning to see a professional quarterback pull this kind of boneheaded mistake. If something happens to Brian Hoyer, he's the guy leading a multi million dollar franchise and he can't even get up for work on time. I've never seen such aloofness from an NFL quarterback and well, his bad attitude and absentmindedness has finally cost him his job since the Texans released him today.

2. Speaking of the Texans, they were amazingly awful on Sunday. I mean, it was mind boggling how bad they were. They couldn't tackle, they couldn't run the ball or pass it until they were down by 41 freaking points. They made the Dolphins look like the Patriots and that's not a good thing. I hate to say it, but I think Bill O'Brien has lost this team. He has players who can't make team activities on time, he has a squad that can barely put together plays when they are on the field and that's all on the coach. It's simply a mess in Houston right now and while there's been a lot of talk of other coaches enjoying the hot seat, don't be shocked if the Texans make a coaching change as well.  

3. Kirk Cousins muttered three little words on Sunday after the game that said volumes about the work he is putting in, "you like that!?" Those words were directed toward members of the press because let's be honest, we've all had something to say about Kirk's erratic play this season and Sunday...he earned the right to say that because the kid looked amazing on the field. He was poised, calm and collected and made some impressive throws while guiding Washington back from the brink of another loss. This is a guy who has been trying to show he's worthy of playing in the NFL and Sunday went far to prove that point. It's those high pressure moments fans and coaches remember and Kirk did extremely well and to answer his question, you're damn right I liked that, Kirk. In fact I loved it...and the more games he plays like that...the more he will cement himself as a quality starting quarterback in the NFL. 

4. So as it turns out, the Dallas Cowboys have no quality quarterbacking options behind Tony Romo. Brandon Weeden turned out to be nervous and ineffective and Matt Cassel turned out to be the same. Neither Quarterback has brought forth the spark Jerry Jones is looking for and well...what did you expect Jerry? Weeden isn't exactly known for his quality play in Cleveland and Cassel has been a proverbial journeyman throughout the league. This late in the season I'm not sure what the Cowboys can do to improve the quality of QB play since there's not much out there free agent wise (and Ryan Mallett would be another bad idea), but hopefully Dallas won't go cheap on the backup quarterback position in the offseason and if they start to, hopefully the memory of this rotten stretch will serve as a fine reminder to spend a few bucks on a quality QB. In the meantime though, they need to shuffle that part of the roster and quick because wow...these guys are awful.

5. I feel bad for Jim Tomsula, he is a man in way over his head and it's not his fault. Fact of the matter is, I don't think Jim is head coach material and that's not an insult. There are coaches in this league that are masters of their craft as a position coach and that's why you see some of those guys around forever. Norv Turner, Mike Tice, Wade Phillips, all guys who were so so at head coaching, but excel at their respective talent and I make mention of that for one reason...the 49ers are an absolute mess right now. Jim can't get this team going, he's not meant to, he's a loyal coach who became the cheap replacement for Harbaugh because the real issue with the 49ers is ownership. Clearly with the mass retirements/exodus this season, people have had enough of the mess going on behind the scenes at Levi's Stadium and it's a well known fact now that Jed York doesn't seem too concerned about anything but making money. Sadly this season is clearly lost for the team, but someone close to York needs to tell him to go hands off with the franchise and hire an executive who knows football...it won't fix the mess right away, but it would be a start in the right direction.

Every single week in the NFL this season has managed to impress with some incredible games that are either mired in controversy or they simply happen to be spectacular through and through. In fact, even the bucket bowl games have managed to stay competitive leaving some tough choices for all of us when the time comes to decide what to watch on Sunday.

This week should be no exception. Sure on paper the schedule looks a little lopsided with some winning teams taking on ones that are struggling, but if the last six weeks have taught us anything, it's that we should expect the unexpected and here the games that have us fascinated come tomorrow.

Scotty's Take
Why would I want to watch this game you may ask? I am dying to see Mike Vick win a game again and take the starting quarterback job from Ben Roethlisberger.  Will this happen….ah no.  In fact after what happened last week, I might not see Mike Vick play again after seeing his knee turn the wrong way.  And next on the list of Quarterbacks is Landry Jones.  So if there is no Vick, then it should be Jones’ turn to take the helm against a defeated Chiefs team that cannot seem to make their season turn around.  Losing their leading rusher Jamaal Charles, they now have Charcandrick West taking over.  It will be interesting to see what these offensenses will be able to do in the game and I can see a ton of three and outs.  I am truly thinking that the last team that has the ball will win the game, but it will probably come down to a special teams play like all of these games wind up doing.

Scotty's Take
What better way to take a break from watching the Broncos play than to see two division rivals beating the heck out of each other. Do I care who wins this game? Not really, I just want to see who will be batting for the lead in the West while looking up at the Donkies.  I don’t know what happened to the Chargers in the offseason, but they are looking like a team that would rather lose and look good doing it, rather than get down and dirty to win a game.  Change in coaching, change in culture? Who knows, all of the key players are there, they just do not look like they care to be.  The Raiders on the other hand look like a competitive team this season.  The last two games that they lost was by a combined 8 points.  They just need to get a little more production out the offense and Derek Carr has the arm, he just needs to trust a little bit more in his receivers heading downfield and give them some extra opportunities.

John's Take
So, you're probably wondering why on earth I would consider a pair of losing teams going head to head as a fascinating game? The answer to that is simple, the quarterbacks. We are looking at two that continue to intrigue when it comes to this sport because of how fickle they are. On one end we have Jameis Winston, the man who Tampa Bay is hoping will finally turn the franchise around and on the other we have Kirk Cousins, where Washington is hoping he can do just enough to help everyone forget about the joke that is RG3. The only problem is...neither has shown us a whole lot. They both have the skills to make it in the NFL, they simple struggle with bad decisions and poor reads of defenses. What really has me fascinated by this game is the fact that Cousins is actually working to be better and Winston looks like a deer lost in headlights and whichever QB finally decides to settle down and play fundamentally sound wins the game and gets a little of the heat off of their backs.

John's Take
This is probably another head scratcher since let's be honest, there is a fair chance that Tom Brady is going to carve up the Jets defense like a roast and score a ton of points on them...but there is also a chance that New England might lose and the Jets are the most qualified team to make that happen. Truly they have been off the radar for a better part of the year, because they aren't doing anything flashy, but they keep winning and they're doing it with a steady offense and a stout defense. Plus, as I mentioned the other day, they have Darrelle Revis. He spent a year playing with Brady, he knows how the man thinks and works and you know that knowledge is being shared with the rest of the New York defense. Will New England win? Most likely, they're terrifying on the field right now. But don't be shocked if the Jets slow them down...or pull off the upset and send the Pats home with a loss.

The midseason is nearly upon us in the NFL and that means that sadly, losing teams will continue to lose, winning teams will continue to win and the playoff picture will begin to take shape. But that doesn't mean the games won't be exciting. The losing teams that still have a little pride still have something to prove and will no doubt put up a fight and the winning teams...well they just want to be ready and tuned up for the playoffs. The desire to be better and the desire to be perfect always makes for a wonderful story and here are the ones to keep an eye on this week in the NFL. 

Will the Atlanta Falcons recover from their first loss of the season?
This is an important question to ask, simply because no one likes losing and Atlanta has been showing cracks in their armor for two weeks now. First Washington gave them a run for their money, and then New Orleans worked them like a second job on national television. Some teams know that a loss is a good reminder to not take their winning ways for granted and always be ready for their next opponent and other teams simply fall into a losing streak, unable to handle a loss. Which category Atlanta falls into will be revealed this week. If they trounce Tennessee then we know they got the message, but if they lose then we know this is the kind of team that lets things get under their skin, and that's never good. Should be interesting to see what they do on the field come Sunday.

Is this the week the Buffallo Bills finally figure out who they are?
I mean seriously, this team is so back and forth its outrageous. One week they're a phenomenal football team, dominating on offense and defense and winning decisively. The next minute they look like a Pop Warner squad, making mistakes left and right and handing the game to their opponent. This is why they are 3-3 and it really seems like they have no clue who they are or who they want to be and I'm hoping this is the week they finally put it together and stick with that for the rest of the season. After all, they're playing a lame duck team in Jacksonville so this should be a slam dunk victory for the Bills...then again it might not be. I guess it all depends on what Rex Ryan has for breakfast, so let's hope it's Wheaties on Sunday and this back and forth madness finally comes to an end.

Will the Jets be the first team to beat the Patriots this season?
Look, New England is playing lights out football. They're mad, they're mean and on the field they're a wrecking machine. But the Jets have been a pleasant surprise this season, playing relatively mistake free football on offense, putting up points and rarely turning over the ball and the defense has been stout through and through. Not to mention, their star cornerback, Darrelle Revis, spent a year in Foxboro, which means he has some pretty solid knowledge of the team and their weaknesses. It's a fact Tom Brady made mention of this week in his weekly press conference, and it makes you wonder...with the Jets playing solid football and having that intimate knowledge of Brady's play and tendencies, will they be the squad to bring down the Patriots at last? It's hard to say, I think it will be a closer game then we are already thinking, but the Jets have a great chance of pulling off a big upset here.

Can the Detroit Lions pull it together and snag another victory?
The Lions are a bad, bad football team. Scary bad in fact so it goes without saying that last week's win against Chicago was nothing more than a football miracle and I think we are all wondering if this is something they can achieve again this season, especially with the Vikings coming to town. Minnesota isn't doing too shabby this season and they have shown that they can play some solid defense and score plenty of points on offense. That will put the Lions in a tough place, since they are totally the opposite with a porous defense and sometimes they score points on offense. If they can shut down Bridgewater and A.P. they have a fighting chance, provided that Stafford can figure out how to get the ball to someone else other than Megatron. This will be a game worth watching to see how Detroit handles the momentum from their first win of the season.

Will Washington be making a change at Quarterback?
You have to feel a little sorry for Kirk Cousins. At times he really looks like a solid quarterback, making some impressive throws and igniting a passion in his team to win. Then he does something stupid and throws a terrible pass that ends up being returned for a touchdown and those bad throws have cost the team the game from time to time. Yet to make matters worse, his coach is now making excuses for him, and you know the fans and people on the team are wondering if it is time to make a switch at the position. Not to RG3 because that nightmare is over thankfully...but to Colt McCoy instead. Everyone in that franchise is desperate to see some wins and sadly no one is safe at QB, but one has to wonder how long before Cousins gets the hook and I don't think he has much time left, so don't be shocked if it happens at halftime this week or shortly after the game if Cousins costs the team another win.

John's Picks
New York Jets at New England Patriots - New York
Houston Texans at Miami Dolphins - Houston
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants - New  York
New Orleans Saints at Indianapolis Colts - New Orleans
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions - Minnesota

Scotty's Picks
Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars - Buffalo
Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs - Kansas City
Cleveland Browns at St. Louis Rams - Cleveland
Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers - Oakland
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Washington Redskins - Washington

Week 6 in the NFL may not have been as wild and as crazy as Week 5 turned out to be, but it was still extremely entertaining. This was the week we saw one of the undefeated teams suffer their first loss while the rest held on to perfection. This is the week we saw some teams claw their season back from the brink and we were also witness to the dumbest special teams play in the history of ever. Either way, there were plenty of stories on the field this week and here are the top ones that caught my eye.  

1. So far, so good for Miami Dolphins Interim Head Coach Dan Campbell. This was an inspired Miami squad on the field this last week. One that looked hungry and focused on the win. They blocked better, they tackled better, they scored at last and I have to say I was impressed with what I saw on the field. Granted this is only one week under the new coach and there's a lot of season ahead but it's clear now that Joe Philbin did not get the most out of his players and Dan Campbell has done something to inspire his players and ignite their passion to play football. Good for him, and here's to hoping Miami has a better 2015 season going forward. 

2. The Detroit Lions finally showed up to play. It was close, and at times it was extremely ugly, but the Lions finally snagged a win this weekend and that could not have come at a better time. This was a team that a week ago looked lost and confused and was staring down a long and ugly season and then this happens. They come out and ball. The defense still needs a lot of work unfortunately, since they let through many a touchdown, but the two most important players on the team, Stafford and Johnson put together the big play when it counted. It's going to be a long season for the Lions regardless, thanks to their current record but this is a building block none the less and their chance to put together a little momentum.

3. It's quite possible the dominating defense in Seattle known as "The Legion of Boom" has come to an end. They let Cam Newton...a terrible passer, drop a huge touchdown pass to win the game with seconds to go and well, that's been their story all season long. Doesn't matter if Kam Chancellor is in the game or not, this defense stinks. They can't tackle, they can't rush the passer when they absolutely need to and on a couple of occasions their players, Kam included, seem confused and lost on the field and stand there as wide receivers and tight ends fly right by them. It's an ugly site to see just as a football fan and it's going to be more of the same until the D stops chewing one another out on the field and gets back to their fundamentals. 

4. I want to be excited and happy about the Denver Broncos 6-0 start, but I'm not. The offense is simply awful. Every week it's turnovers or dropped passes or sacks on Peyton Manning. The good news is the run game finally got going against Cleveland and the protection was better, not great, but better and yet here we are, still discussing how bad Manning looked throwing the ball. He's clearly rattled, he's clearly not comfortable and I don't know what it will take to get him there. I hope something gets fixed during the bye week because some tough tests are coming and one key thing missing from the Broncos offense is Manning's  leadership. He used to pull the squad aside and celebrate or coach after a series, now he goes to the bench in frustration. It's up to Kubiak and Manning to figure this out and figure it out quick or the second half of the season is going to be ugly when teams start ripping that offense to shreds. 

5. I've seen a lot of football in my days. Seen a lot of good plays in that time, seen a lot of bad plays, but none of the bad plays will ever compare to the sheer stupidity on display Sunday night thanks to the Colts and whatever the hell that special teams mess was. I actually think highly of Coach Pagano and what he has accomplished in Indy, but that...that was beyond ridiculous. The fact it was even in the playbook is amazing enough and I really don't understand what the players were thinking snapping that ball. Pagano is in the final year of his contract in Indy, and this kind of stuff weighs heavy on the decision for a contract extension. I can't say this one moment will cost him his job next year, but it certainly won't help...after all he just embarrassed himself, his players and his franchise on national television.

The wait for the Sunday slate of Week 6 games is absolutely excruciating. So much in fact it almost feels like Christmas Eve and we are all waiting to unwrap our wonderful football presents. This week features another healthy slate of games that are sure to thrill and excite but what has butterflies in my stomach is the mystery of the unknown.

Will there be more epic upsets this weekend as the undefeated teams continue to fall? Will there be another controversial call/blunder by the referees? Will Peyton Manning and the Broncos offense finally come together? So many big time questions that we have to wait another day to have to answered, but in the meantime, there are four games that have us completely fascinated and here are the ones you should be keeping an eye on tomorrow.

Scotty's TakeI have not held back in showing my love for the new Sexy Rexy Buffalo Bills this season.  This team has shown so much and so little at the same time with Rex Ryan at the helm and they will continue to impress and disappoint at the same time.  With Tyrod Taylor running the sometimes stagnant offense, the Bills have shown that they are not a team to mess around with, especially in a close game and with their Blitz now, Blitz later, Blitz all the time defense, they are making the opposing quarterbacks make mistakes that can cost them the game, and with Taylor out, E.J. Manuel gets the chance to show he was worth his 16th overall draft pick status.  The Cincinnati Bengals rolled up their sleeves and went to work against the Seahawks last week and after coming back from seventeen points to win the game, you are left to question if Andy Dalton is the real deal.  After watching him over the past few games, he certainly looks like a quarterback that has found a way to win and with his top receiver being shut down, he does not get shaken, just turns his head and finds someone else to throw the ball to.  And with a gang of 6’6” tight ends at his disposal, it is easy for the red headed wonder to make it look easy, very easy.

Scotty's Take
This battle of the bads, so why should we care?  Either this is going to be a slow game with nothing happening on both sides of the ball, or it will be a shoot out for the ages.  Both the Bears and the Lions are looking to find their groove again and this is the game where one of these teams can make it happen. With two defenses that are a shell of their former selves, it should be a great day for the quarterbacks to excel and find the one thing they have been missing all season, touchdowns.  Being a division game to determine who the worst in the NFC North is, Detroit might be able to show a sign of life with Mathew Stafford and Megatron, and my favorite young running back Ameer Abdullah.  I predict a couple screen passes to go long to this talent and if it does not happen, then the Lions might be digging their own graves.  On the other side of the ball, our favorite boy, Jay Cutler has to show that he can still throw the ball like he did in Denver.  Just have the receivers run verticals down the field and throw the ball deep.  Sure there might be an interception or two, but this is something that has not been done all season, but with the defense having a hard time, it might be worth trying to put some points on the board before you play a team that will not allow it.

Scotty's TakeThe battle for DeflateGate.  Yeah I said it.  New England has only sputtered once on offense this year and that was against the new look Bills.  But every other game, they look like gods among men on offense and it does not look like anyone will be able to stop them.  The Colts, well, they look like something, I am just not sure what it is right now.  Without knowing for sure if Andrew Luck is going to be playing with his ‘lucky beard’, the forty year old Matt Hasselbeck might be called in to play once again and lead Indy to victory once again.  Or just to keep Luck from getting beaten to a pulp behind the line of scrimmage at least.  The Colts need to find a way to make this game competitive or they can pretty much count themselves out for the rest of the season.  If they cannot find a way to put Tom Brady on his back a couple times, the Patriots will roll right over them like a speed bump on their way to the playoffs.  While it will not be a huge hit on their winning record, the demoralizing effect of being trounced by a rival could be to much for the Colts to come back from.  Everything the New England is doing on offense is working and being able to have a running game seems to have changed their entire dynamic this year.  If you cant stop the run, they will continue to run.  If you cannot stop the pass, they will continue to pass.  But now with both of these working and being able to stick anyone at any position, it seems like the Patriots are the team to beat this year.

John's Take
Let's be honest, this game is about one thing and one thing only, the Miami Dolphins. Will it be cool to see continued growth from Marcus Mariota? Absolutely, but Mariota could drop fifty points on the Dolphins with a perfect quarterback rating and no one will say a word about it because Miami and their new head coach are the focal point here. After all, there's been insurrection on the defense, we found out Ryan Tannehill is a jerk to his teammates and Joe Phlbin was shown the door as head coach so naturally all eyes are on the Dolphins to see how they look under Interim Head Coach Dan Campbell. Will he fix the defense? Will he finally get Tannehill to be a team player? Is he the coach fans have been waiting for? Sadly, I cannot answer those questions until we have seen them play and this is why this game is going to be so incredibly fascinating to watch.

After last week's wild set of games, I have to say that the bar is set pretty high for this week. In fact I'm hoping for another round of close games, overtime and maybe a few upsets in between. Either way, this has been one exciting season so far, filled with surprises and incredible stories and with that in mind here are some of the top stories to look for as Week 6 kicks off tonight.

Is this finally the week the Denver offense comes together?
It's a question that has to be asked because man...this offense is so ugly to watch on the field. Between Manning's inconsistent passing, the swiss cheese offensive line and the non existent run game, the only reason to watch Denver play is to see what miracle the defense is going to pull off. But this week might be different. The offense needs some kind of confidence booster and beating the tar out of the Cleveland Browns might be the way to do it. Sure the Browns are competitive at times, but they are an awful team on both sides of the ball. This is Denver's opportunity to finally bring it all together and quite possibly save their season offensively, because if they can't get it together against the Browns...I'm not sure they ever will this season. 

Will Washington repeat it's outstanding play from last week?
Yes, I know they lost. But let's not forget that Washington managed to scare the crap out of Atlanta and take the game to overtime and while Kirk Cousins made one boneheaded play, he played sixty minutes of quality football. This team ran the ball at will, stopped the Falcons often and finally looked like a quality football team. This week they take on the Jets and this is their opportunity to do something special and earn a team win for the first time in a long time. If they play with a similar mentality this week and execute as well, I think the Jets are going down and Washington fans will finally have something to smile about. 

Will the Colts have their revenge at last?
This is a tough one simply because the Patriots 2015 Vendetta Tour has been spectacular for them so far and the Colts were manhandled, deflated balls or not, in the AFC Championship Game. To make matters worse, Andrew Luck is still questionable on the injury report. But regardless of who starts at QB for the Colts, I'm expecting a more competitive game from Indy because this is a team that will definitely be playing with a chip on their shoulder. No one likes to be embarrassed on national television and the Colts most certainly were and that means they could surprise the Patriots...and earn the biggest upset of the season.

Will the Detroit Lions finally win a game?
Much like Denver, the Lions are searching for answers on offense. Unlike Denver, they are searching for the same answers on Defense, Special Teams and hell...even the Waterboy is wondering what the hell has gone wrong this season. This is a team that is quickly sinking and needs a win badly to validate that they are indeed an NFL team and not a 53 Man Practice Squad. But the question as to whether or not they can beat Chicago is one that I cannot say yes to, that's how bad they are. The Bears have been up and down this season and this is Detroit's best chance to end the skid...I'm just not sure they can pull it off.

Will Carolina make it to 5-0?
I've mentioned it before, but I think the Panthers are a paper champion team. They've faced awful opponents with awful defenses and that 4-0 isn't exactly a crowning achievement. The question is not a matter of if but when the team will start suffering some losses and one has to wonder if a pissed off Seattle Seahawks team is where the losing streak begins. This is a much better defense that Cam Newton is going up against and Seattle is hungry for a win. I've got a feeling this game will be far more competitive than Carolina is used to, it should be interesting to see how they handle a little adversity. 

John's Picks
Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos - Denver
Washington Redskins at New York Jets - Washington
Arizona Cardinals at Pittsburgh Steelers - Arizona
Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills - Cincinnati
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions - Chicago

Scotty's Picks
Miami Dolphins at Tennessee Titans - Tennessee
Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars - Jacksonville
San Diego Chargers at Green Bay Packers - Green Bay
Baltimore Ravens at San Francisco 49ers - San Francisco
Washington Redskins at New York Jets - New York

I have to say, this week brought forth one incredible week of football. Every single game I watched was ultra competitive and I honestly cannot remember the last time I saw that many games go into overtime. It was so compelling to watch and of course with each amazing game...came an amazing story to go with it and here are the top stories from the field from Week 5 in the NFL.

1. Arian Foster utterly embarrassed himself, the NFL and its Concussion Protocol policy on Thursday Night Football. For those who missed it, he took a shot to the head, went to be evaluated for a concussion and when backs were turned, put himself back into the game. They had to hide his helmet to get the evaluation done and this absolutely infuriated me. Safety protocols are there for a reason, we know concussions are an issue and for him to do this is just irresponsible. He didn't have a concussion, but good heavens what if he did? This was an incredibly boneheaded move by a player, and I hope the league and the team come down on him hard for such a silly move. All he did was set an example that it's okay to head back out whether or not you've suffered a concussion and that's something the league is trying hard to change mindset wise and his behavior brings up a bigger issue...

2. It's looking more and more like Bill O'Brien has no clue what the hell he is doing in Houston and is quickly losing this team. This team looks bad, real bad, and to make matters worse coach O'Brien keeps waffling back and forth on who his quarterback is going to be on any given down to be quite honest. First it was Brian Hoyer, then it was Ryan Mallet and now it's Hoyer again and this kind of constant change shows the players that he has no confidence in anyone on the field and they respond to that. The play gets sloppier, the team continues to lose and the players take it upon themselves to do what needs to be done. Just like Arian Foster. If Bill doesn't get this mess together soon...expect the Texans to be making a change at head coach.

3. Finally, we have something good to talk about when it comes to the Washington Redskins because for the first time in a long time...they looked good on the field. Yes, I get it, they lost yet again, but go back and watch that game one more time because they scared the hell out of the Atlanta Falcons. This was a team that was competitive and fiery and hung in there the whole way. Kirk Cousins looked like a top tier starting quarterback for most of the game, save for that boneheaded throw at the end but the key here is progress. Without RG3 screwing the whole thing up this team came together and that matters because it is something to build upon. 

4. So...the talk out here in Denver is that it is time to hit the panic button and bench Peyton Manning because holy cow...the man looks awful on the field. The Broncos offense is a shell of what it used to be, basically producing nothing in Oakland this past weekend and I'm definitely worried. This team offensively hasn't faced a powerhouse defense yet, but the day is coming and it's going to get ugly and I don't get where Peyton's head is at. Several times during this game he simply looked frustrated that it wasn't going his way and that bugs me. He's no longer the unflappable leader he once was and while I'm not 100% positive it's time to bench him for the season, because that would only rattle him more than he is, something has to be done. Manning always plays better with a chip on his shoulder so maybe it's time for Coach Kubiak and GM John Elway to have a talk with him about letting him ride the pine, just to light a fire under his ass.

5. In 2008, the Detroit Lions made the wrong kind of history in the NFL...they were the first team to lose every single game and go 0-16 in modern NFL history, and I hate to say it, but the 2015 Detroit Lions...look like a team capable of pulling off this feat once again. This is a bad, bad, football team. They can't get anything going on the ball offensively or defensively and as they sit at 0-5, I don't see any improvement from this team. In fact at times they seemed lost and confused on the field on Sunday and that means that either the coaching is that bad, or these guys flat out quit and I hope to hell it's not the latter. Something has got to give for the Lions, otherwise, welcome back to the history books as the worst team in the history of ever. 

Usually when we get to this point in the middle of the season, it's easy to just pick your favorite teams to watch for the year and settle in to observe what they do because everyone kind of finds a groove and does their thing for the rest for the year. Except this year. The 2015 season has been one filled to the brim with surprises and I have a feeling this week will be no exception. 

Every team is doing something different this year. They're either unexpectedly terrible, or unexpectedly good and there have been so many exciting nail biters this year that leaving the couch to get a snack almost seems like a sin because there's a chance you might miss something incredible. With all of that in mind, here are the games that we think have the potential to fascinate and captivate come game time tomorrow.

Scotty's Take
What can I say about the Bengals that has not already been said?  With their Quarterback finally finding his stride, Cincinnati is on a roll and look like they are going to be hard to be stopped.  Andy Dalton has proved over the years that he is able to perform at a high level and after a great start last season, he has something to prove.  Who better to have come to town than the Seahawks who are leaving huge question marks out there for their fans with little to no offense.  Their defense won the game for them once again and I hate to say it, but to a pushover of a team in Detroit.  This is going to be a slug fest as the Bengals have something to prove this year, that they are a contender and with potent offense, they will be difficult to stop.  The Seahawks have to find a way to get back in the groove of things and after squeaking out their last victory, they will have to show a little more backbone to prove to the world that they are the team to beat. 

Scotty's Take
Sexy Rexy, what went wrong last week.  You put up 45 points the previous week and then you have problems showing any signs of life against the Giants of all teams?  This is a typical Rex Ryan reaction to a huge win, no matter who it is against, his teams have always failed to recover from putting of career numbers with a follow up victory.  I still like the Bills chances against the Titans however.  Marcus Mariota is still a rookie QB and even though he is the best in class right now, there is little you can do when your opposition is blitzing you all day.  I don’t fear for the rookie’s life, but I do fear that with some of the different spy packages that Sexy Rexy likes to play, I see several rushed passes and a couple turnovers for the guys in the red, white and blue. 

Scotty's Take
The Giants are starting to come out of their little slump and it is a good thing since they are starting to hit the heart of the season where champions rise and the other guys just fade away.  Eli Manning is beginning to find his groove again and with the help of one of the most amazing receivers in the game, Odell Beckham Jr. at his side, it is hard to throw a ball that this man will not bring down, often times with just a single hand.  San Francisco is just a mess right now and I know that everyone is pointing the finger at Colin Kaepernick, but it is not his fault.  When you look at his play the previous two years versus what he is doing now, he looks the same, the only difference is that the 49ers are not winning with their game plan. Five different head coaches in the past ten years is not good for any franchise and losing a former quarterback and head coach in Jim Harbaugh who could direct a young mobile quarterback to greatness, especially with play calling, I am sure that San Francisco is starting to regret their decision. I like the 49ers, they have put all of the weapons in place to be a successful franchise, I think it just comes down to getting them on the same page and I don’t think their new leader has any idea how to get anyone to check their egos at the door and just play some dang football.

John's Take
So some of you may be wondering just why on earth I find a game with two teams that are 1-3 as fascinating and the answer for that is simple...desperation. When you're this bad during the season, and the expectations are this high, head coaches tend to get a little creative in their play calling and their packages and that makes for some wild and crazy and damn entertaining football. Both of these teams have been accused of being easy to figure out this year when it comes to play calling, so I expect one interesting game on the field. But there is one other thing I want to watch during this game...how Chip Kelly responds to adversity. He's in trouble ladies and gents, and he knows it, but the great coaches respond and figure out ways to win and this is the game that will show us what Chip is made of, good or bad. Should be a fun one.