Locks and Shocks: Week 6

Each week Dan Barber, Fergus Head, Reece Mowlem and Owen Turner pick one team who is a lock and certain to win their game and one team who will cause a shock and win their game despite being the underdog.  Below are this week's picks.

Dan Barber
Lock: PATRIOTS over Jets
This may seem like the easy option, but then again, it is a lock. The NFL will return to normality this week and the Jets will go back to losing (as much as I wish the Jets would keep winning for my team of teams!) No crazy good analysis, simply that the Patriots are better than the Jets - full stop.
Shock:  BEARS over Ravens
Now my shocks haven't been quite as impressive as Owen's so far this year, but I am on a 3 game prediction streak. This week I found it particularly hard to choose an upset, but I eventually opted for the Bears to pick up their second win of the season over the Ravens. The Bears were unlucky not to win their game against the Vikings last week, with three key (questionable) penalties changing the outcome of the game. There is no question the Bears will find it tough on the road against a fearsome Ravens defence, but with a few more calls going their way, Trubisky might be able carve his way to a win against an arrogant Ravens team who waltzed in and wiped the floor with a depleted Raiders team a week ago.

Fergus Head
Lock: 49ERS over Redskins
Locks can be boring. So here goes a new format I'm trialling this week. A lock on a team ranked lower, because I'm just that bold.  The 49ers break their duck with a precious win against a dysfunctional Washington. The Redskins have been poor this year, and even coming off their bye, I dont see how they will have improved that much without some form of personnel change. Chris Thompson is not a workhorse back.
Shock: STEELERS over Chiefs
Wowee, what a way to end a winning streak; being defeated by a team with a QB who threw 5 picks the week before who is notoriously poor on the road. Big Ben, having lapped up the attention this week, goes out and shows he's still got it against the best team in the league.

Reece Mowlem
Lock: FALCONS over Dolphins
I'm man enough to admit I haven't been the best with my Locks and Shocks so far this season but that is about to change, STARTING NOW!  The Falcons may not have played up to the same level as last year as of yet, but they're still one of the best teams in the NFC.  On the flip side, the Dolphins have been poor with Cutler at the helm and are lucky to not be 0-4.  With Atlanta at home and fresh from their bye week, I can't see anything but a Falcons win in this matchup.
Shock: CARDINALS over Buccaneers
Jameis and the Bucs offence looked less than impressive against the worst defence in the league last Thursday night and the depleted defence wasn't much better.  The Cardinals also put in a poor performance as they were blown out by the high flying Eagles.  However, this week, with new running back Adrian Peterson ready to go, I have a feeling the Cardinals might finally click and take advantage of a struggling Tampa team and get the W.

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Owen Turner
Lock: FALCONS over Dolphins
Miami snuck away with the win last week against the Mariotaless Titans at home, but did so in possibly the least impressive fashion possible. The loss of DeVante Parker looks like it could be fatal for an already struggling offense. The Falcons meanwhile are well rested fresh off the bye. My money is on them having too much offensive firepower for the Dolphins D to handle. Falcon at home all day.
Shock: VIKINGS over Packers
The streak is over people... It was a good run but 5-0 turned out to be too much to ask for as the Chiefs, quite comfortably despite the final scoreline, defeated the Texans on SNF. So trying to get back on track this week, I've decided to go bold. I've picked the Packers as my Lock several times this year but now I'm turning the tables. Facing the Vikings on the road is going to be a grudge match and I'm banking on the Vikings D, who are used to playing the transcended Aaron Rodgers, pulling out a statement performance and blowing the NFC North wide open. I'm hoping we see another huge games from Stefon Diggs and/or Adam Theieln to give the Vikings the push they need.