NFL Week 6 picks: Texans top Saints, and more against the spread best bets from Las Vegas contest expert
We're looking to build off a 3-2 week in Circa Million, and a 5-0 performance this week would put us right where we want to be after six weeks as we look to cash for the first time in several years. I actually think it's a pretty solid week to attack, and I have 10 sides on my list to make my set of five best bets, which you'll be able to find below once they're submitted for the contest.
I don't finalize the selections until as close to the deadline as possible, as any developing injury news gives us an opportunity to take advantage of lines that lock on Thursday. That strategy led me to take the Packers out of my top five once we got the final injury reports for that Monday night game on Saturday, which would've worked out if we didn't insert another loser in its place. Let's hope for better luck this week.
I've been SportsLine's No. 1 NFL against-the-spread expert over the last six years, going 535-450-30 against the spread to put me up more than 35 units on those picks at SportsLine since 2017. I've also delivered a 56.5% hit rate on my Vegas contest picks over the last eight seasons, which is exactly what you're getting below. And that run includes two finishes in the money, including finishing 18th out of 2,748 entries back in 2017.
If you're a SportsLine subscriber, you can get all my picks, which in a typical NFL week number can near double digits, at the same time as I make them by downloading the app and signing up for alerts on my expert page. That's crucial, as you might not have access to the same lines from the Las Vegas contests, which don't move after they're posted mid-week. This week, I'm going to fade a team that ruined one of my best bets last week by taking a surprisingly good offense: the Houston Texans +2Â vs. the New Orleans Saints.
The Saints destroyed the Patriots last week but the offense continued to lag with just 4.3 yards per play in the win. Their season-long yards per play is equivalent to the Panthers offense, which belongs to possibly the worst team in the league. They've been held afloat by their defense, but that's also been helped by playing one of the easiest set of offenses in the league. In fact, the Texans -- the Texans! -- probably represent their toughest test to date, with Houston ranking sixth in yards per pass and rookie C.J. Stroud not throwing a single interception in his first five games. That offense averaged 5.4 yards per play against Atlanta despite dealing with several injuries, and Houston may be as healthy as its been all year on both sides of the ball this week. It's possible Houston is as good as New Orleans at this point of the year, if not better, and we collectively just don't realize it yet. I'm convinced the Texans have the better coaching staff and the better quarterback, so getting points at home seems like a great play for a best bet.
Get the rest of my Vegas contest picks below, along with my large-format survivor pool play for Week 6.
So which teams should you back in Week 6? And which underdogs could win outright?... Join SportsLine right now to see who you should back in Week 6, all from the expert who has crushed the world's most prestigious handicapping tournament!
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