The season is almost at the halfway point and we are starting to see some separation from the elite teams in the league. This week will be no different as the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers head to Ford Field to face the Detroit Lions.
The Steelers look to make it three in a row and the Lions need a win to stay in the thick of the NFC North race.
Here are our picks for the winner of this Sunday Night matchup as well as our upset picks for the week:
Jason Romano – Pittsburgh Steelers 24, Detroit Lions 21 – Big Ben has turned the ship in the right direction and the Steelers are playing much better after that terrible home loss to Jacksonville. I like Pittsburgh on the road to do enough to get the victory.
UPSET – New York Jets 27, Atlanta Falcons 24 — Atlanta has not been able to duplicate their success from last year. Josh McCown has been a pleasant surprise, providing stability at the quarterback position. I like him to have a big game and the Jets to pull off the upset at home.
Justin Adams – Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Detroit Lions 20 – I’m still not 100 percent convinced of which Pittsburgh Steelers team I will see on Sunday. The one that went into Arrowhead Stadium and beat the Chiefs or the one that lost at home to Jacksonville by double digits? I’m taking the Steelers by a touchdown in their final game before their bye week.
UPSET – Houston Texans 26, Seattle Seahawks 23 – Can a rookie QB come into Seattle and beat the Legion of Boom? Yes, if your name is Deshaun Watson. Watson is second in the NFL with 15 touchdown passes and has a 101.1 passer rating that’s good for sixth in the league. Give me the youngster to ace his toughest exam in his NFL career.
Jon Ackerman – Pittsburgh Steelers 34, Detroit Lions 17 – The Lions have little offense and the Steelers have a lot. Detroit won’t be able to keep up.
UPSET – Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24, Carolina Panthers 14 – The 2-4 Bucs have lost three straight but I see them getting back on track against a struggling but 4-3 Panthers squad. Tampa trails only New England in offensive yards per game (392.8).
Last week’s picks:
Jason: Patriots 34 – Falcons 28
Justin: Falcons 38 – Patriots 31
Jon: Patriots 23 – Falcons 17
Actual Result: New England Patriots 23 – Atlanta Falcons 7
Season Record: (Upsets Record in Parentheses)
Jason: 5-2 (2-4)
Justin: 4-3 (3-3)
Jon: 4-2 (2-4)
