Two weeks in, and the Pick Six contest has already witnessed its first tied game. Well, I did tell you that I try to pick the close ones…

For those new players still wondering: this does unfortunately mean nobody gets the points (none of you were quite bold enough to predict a stalemate).

Still, doff your caps to CRAIG LLEWELLYN, who nailed four out of six for a second week running and consequently sits atop our overall leaderboard. You can find that at the bottom of this column, but first here are this week’s games:

Cincinnati Bengals @ Carolina Panthers (Sunday 6pm GMT)

Expect raw emotions as the Panthers return home for the first time since Hurricane Florence. I am weary of the healing narratives that get written around games like this – winning a game of football will not rebuild homes or save lives – but I also believe the players and coaches who have spoken this week of wanting to give their community something to smile about.

The visiting Bengals are purring already after consecutive 34-23 wins to start the season, but losing Joe Mixon to injury is a significant blow after he piled up a combined 236 yards against the Colts and Ravens. Giovanni Bernard is a versatile back-up, but has only exceeded 20 touches in a single game since 2015. Oh, and he has been limited at practice this week with a knee injury of his own.

Thomas Rawls was added to the roster this week but, while that name might evoke memories of a sparkling rookie year in Seattle, the fourth-year back has not done an awful lot since. He failed to make the Jets’ 53-man roster this offseason. Add in the fact that the Bengals will be without starting centre Billy Price and it is reasonable to question whether their ground game can be as effective as we have seen it so far.

Panthers win

PAOLO’S PUNT:  Panthers to win, Cam Newton 50+ rushing yards & Cam Newton rushing TD… 6/1

New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons (Sunday 6pm GMT)

The Falcons’ defense was supposed to be a strength in 2018. Sports Illustrated billed it as ‘one step from greatness’ – then Pro Bowlers Deion Jones and Keanu Neal went down hurt. Now defensive ends Takkarist McKinley and Derrick Shelby are struggling with groin injuries as well. Oh, and 2015 first-round pick Vic Beasley continues to look like a shadow of the player who piled up 15.5 sacks two years ago.

All this will be music to the ears of Drew Brees – who has been intercepted by Jones three times in four meetings. The linebacker picked off Nick Foles during the opening game of this season, too. His absence will be felt, especially in defending against the underneath pass to Alvin Kamara.

But I’m still taking the Falcons. They took a hit on offense this week, too, with left guard Andy Levitre placed on IR, but this is still a group that put 31 points on Carolina. Steve Sarkisian is doing a better job of varying his approach, using pre-snap motion to great effect and helping Matt Ryan to spread the ball among a number of targets instead of force-feeding Julio Jones. The Saints’ secondary has already been torched by one NFC South rival, and it will take more than a four-point win over Cleveland to convince me that their woes are behind them.

Falcons win

PAOLO’S PUNT:  Falcons to win, Julio Jones 100+ receiving yards, Julio Jones & Alvin Kamara both to score a TD – 9/1*

Green Bay Packers @ Washington (Sunday 6pm GMT)

Washington got a lot right against the Colts last weekend. They dominated the time of possession, won the turnover battle and out-gained their opponents by more than 50 yards. And yet, they wound up on the wrong side of a 21-9 defeat.

It would be wrong to lay that entirely at the feet of Alex Smith, but his role is hard to ignore. On paper, his looks like a solid day – completing 71.7% of his passes for almost 300 yards. Andrew Luck, for the Colts, was picked off twice while throwing for just 179. The latter got his team into the end zone, however, where the former could not.

Smith was let down by his receivers at times, from Josh Doctson’s drops to a fumble by Jordan Reed, yet even he pondered this week whether he ought to have taken more shots downfield. Aaron Rodgers, we know, will put points on the board. For Washington, playing it safe will not suffice.

Packers win

PAOLO’S PUNT:  Packers to win, Aaron Rodgers 275+ passing yards, Davante Adams 6+ receptions…5/1

Los Angeles Chargers @ Los Angeles Rams (Sunday 9.05pm GMT)

The oddsmakers do not see the ‘fight for LA’ as a very even one, with the Rams favoured by seven points. But are things really so clear-cut? The Chargers boast the better quarterback in Philip Rivers – completing 73.1% of his passes on an 8.7-yards-per-attempt average with six touchdowns against a single interception – and a hugely effective one-two punch at running back in Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler.

Granted, the Rams’ defence looks daunting. It has surrendered just one touchdown in two games – and that on its first series of the season – and boasts Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh inside. Still, it is worth noting that the two offences it has stifled so far, those of the Oakland Raiders and Arizona Cardinals, are not very good.

The Chargers, crucially, have had impressive blocking up front. Rivers has been sacked only three times despite dropping back an awful lot, while Ekeler, as the change-of-pace back, is averaging 7.3 yards per carry. I like Anthony Lynn’s team to cover the spread. But I can’t quite bring myself to pick them for the win.

Rams win

PAOLO’S PUNT:  Rams to win, Todd Gurley & Melvin Gordon 100+ rushing yards each & both to score a TD…18/1

Dallas Cowboys @ Seattle Seahawks (Sunday 9.25pm GMT)

Will Russell Wilson will make it to the end of this season in one piece? He has been sacked 12 times already in two games, and is running desperately short of targets with Jimmy Graham gone and Doug Baldwin injured. Coaches’ failure to establish the running game – despite a 5.8-yard-per-carry average for Chris Carson – is only allowing opponents to key off on him even more.

The picture is slightly brighter on the other side of the ball, where Seattle have retained at least some of their ball-hawking habits despite the dismantling of the unit that carried them to consecutive Super Bowls in the middle of this decade. Five takeaways in two games are nothing to be sniffed at, and Bobby Wagner’s return at linebacker should make them stouter against the run.

They will need to be to contain Ezekiel Elliott, who remains productive despite Dallas’ struggles to establish any kind of threat through the air. For me, though, this game will be decided on the other side of the ball. Wilson can hope for better protection with Tre Flowers and DJ Fluker back in the line-up, but the Cowboys know how to get after a quarterback – producing a sack on 12.9% of opposition dropbacks so far.

Cowboys win

PAOLO’S PUNT:  Cowboys to win, Dak Prescott more rushing yards than Russell Wilson, Ezekiel Elliot to score a TD…13/2

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Tuesday 1.15am GMT)

Don’t look now, but the Steelers are teetering on the brink of a pretty big hole. Preseason favourites to win the AFC North, they find themselves winless after two games and up against a Tampa Bay team that has already buried two playoff teams from last year.

The assumption endures that Ryan Fitpatrick’s bubble will burst soon, but can we really expect it to happen against a Pittsburgh defence that has surrendered 678 yards (440 of those through the air) and 63 points in its last six quarters? The Steelers secondary combined for 12 missed tackles against the Chiefs, and the likes of Mike Evans are not exactly known for being easy to bring down.

Then there are the broader questions about the mindset of a team plagued by off-field distractions, from Le’Veon Bell’s holdout through to the Twitter misadventures of Antonio Brown and Bud Dupree. The talent on this team has never been in doubt, but far too much else here is concerning to me.

Buccaneers win
PAOLO’S PUNT:  Buccaneers to win, Ryan Fitzpatrick more passing TDs than Ben Roethlisberger, Mike Evans 100+ receiving yards…10/1

PAOLO’S featured #RequestABet: Rams, Packers and Cowboys all to win by 7+ points…14/1

Overall standings

8 – CRAIG LLEWELLYN
7 – OWEN MARSDEN WEST COAST OFFENSE,
6 – MATTHEW SHERRY
4 – ANDREW COSTANZA, ANDREW HULBERT, GAZM013, KPERSON, PAOLO BANDINI, RANDY BULLOCK, TED BOVIS
3 – CHARLESWALFORD, DAVE H, JOSH PEACOCK, K.JACKSON, MORN01, STEFF HARRIES,
2 – DAVID, JOHN O’GORMAN, KATHRYNFRAMP10, LEE C, POMPEYDINO
1 – ITSMILKS, ROB ALLEN, ROBLAWTON

Think you can pick a winner? Why not leave your predictions in the comments section below…

Grab the latest Skybet offers and featured NFL Request a Bets HERE