NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Week 6 NFL Picks with Cynthia Frelund

Episode Date: October 10, 2025

Gregg Rosenthal and NFL Network's Cynthia Frelund make their picks for Week 6! After a rocky start to the season, their picks have finally put them back on the winning side. They discuss New England Patriots vs. New Orleans Saints (01:38), Buffalo Bills vs. Atlanta Falcons (04:37), Arizona Cardinals vs. Indianapolis Colts (07:23), Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (13:10),  Los Angeles Chargers vs. Miami Dolphins (17:10), and finish with Los Angeles Rams vs. Baltimore Ravens (19:43). Note: time codes approximate.NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Hey, everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 6th, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape, talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else.

It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael Florio, and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet. We've got the insight to help you crush your opponents.

Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. Welcome to NFL Daily, where we are back on the winning track and back in the Chris Wesleying podcast studio. I am Greg Rosenthal, and I'm here for the first time. in three weeks in person. Oh, nice of you to be back. The model, the computer model.

Cynthia Freeland. Good to see you again. Not to be confused with like a real model. No, you can get a woman who could do it all. If you're watching on YouTube, we're looking a little harsh. It's been. Oh, stop. Oh, yeah, you're good.

Look amazing. And yes, while you're there, if you're watching, like, subscribe. Yeah, we really love growing the show. So I said we're back on the winning track. I went and checked our picks from a week ago. Unfortunately, we couldn't both go undefeated because we went against each other. And I did get that Patriots game right over the bills.

They not only covered, but they won. Same thing with my Broncos pick. Unfortunately, my pick of the year. I don't know if you remember that. Did not pan out. I do remember that one. Respect the buccaneers. No matter how injured they were.

With respect on their name. There were more Seahawks injuries than I expected, but that's excuses. So I go two and one. You got that bills one wrong, but you nailed Washington and Indianapolis, who both covered by about a million compared to where the line were. So we're on the winning track here after a tough start to the season. I'm going to give you the first pick. And if you're new to the show, we make three picks every single week. And we do it against the spread.

And I might have some extras for you today. Okay. So where are you seeing this New England and New Orleans line? I think it's at three and a half. Okay. I'm good with that. I'm good with the Patriots to win by more than the. three and a half points in New Orleans.

Like that. You have more confidence maybe than I do as a Patriots fan. Tell me why. Well, for a couple of reasons. Number one, when I went back and rewatched the Saints game to get five turnovers in a row, that's something that hasn't happened since like five interceptions from Ryan Fitzpatrick or research packets. I mean, that's like, that's some pretty crazy stuff.

And that's what it took against the Giants. Right. And now you have Drake May dealing the situation where he's great. when he's not under pressure. The Saints, though they have, a decent number of sacks, they're not great under, they're not causing a lot of pressure. So my sense here is that I think the Patriots,

there's no letdown. I don't think it's like a hangover from the bills win. I'm not so worried about that. For me, this one's, maybe let's see the run game improved for the Pats in this one. I think it's spilled on that success. Plus, the defense is like significantly healthier. Christian Gonzalez, like that turns out it helps to have your good players. As we tape this, he popped up on Thursday's injury report as limited with hamstring injury,

which is concerning because he wasn't on the injury report Wednesday. So did something happen during practice? We'll have to find out that would be unfortunate for you. Well, I still would be okay with. I'm still okay with it. I'm just saying, I don't think they're going to have a hangover from that. Christian Barmore's crushing. He's playing really well.

Williams is playing well. And the Saints offensive line is not protected. Well, I do think it's a mismatch when the Patriots offense has the ball in terms of the coaching, Josh McDaniels has done a really good job scheming open receivers and making it easier on Drake May. So Drake May gets the easy stuff. And then as you saw in the Bills game, when they got that cover for me and the win, I stayed up until 4.30 in the morning in London watching that. Not to watch that. I'm not that big of a fan. But we taped our recap show, which we have to wait for the games then. So we're basically on Pacific Time. And by the time I got back to my hotel,

It was about 3.30, and I had to pack for the next morning. So I'm packing, watching that game. Might as well. Yeah, that's, I mean, wow, that's some, that's some, I feel like you should be like, I'm a huge fan. I'm back in. Wait a minute, though. I will have to, like, I have like a, like, one little boat pick.

And, and again, this is tiki tacky because the, the wins a win and we'll take it. But like, those three turnovers, like, two were lucky. Yeah. I mean, sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, but like, you know, oh, yardage-wise. just overall eyeball test-wise. That was a game that it felt like the bills were the better team. I still like the fact that the Patriots were getting so many points, but it felt like the bills should have won that game

and would have won that game seven or eight times out of ten. But that's sports, especially the NFL. Okay. I've really had a journey with my picks this week because because of injuries, things keep changing around. And I can't believe in the end, my favorite pick of the week, at least the one that I like I know I want to take is Atlanta plus four and a half at home against the buffalo bills.

I'm starting to fade the bills in general. I think because of their schedule... Do you think like you have a big head from that late-night watch? I always have a big head, and it's just growing even bigger. Although my record this year in this show, it should not be the way. Okay. I don't think these two teams are that different, Cynthia. So I love a home underdog.

You don't think the teams are that different? You think Michael Pennix is in any much of the same stratosphere as Josh Allen? I think based on the opponents that they've played and what they've put out on the field in 2025, the bills are a better team than the Falcons. The Falcons lost to the Panthers. Okay. I'm glad you brought that up. And that's doing a lot to change their numbers.

They've been impressive the other three games. It was a bad game. And even that game, the Panthers didn't get over 300 yards. Like the yardage was pretty even. Pennix had a total horror show, and that's certainly possible. That does happen. But if you think about the other three games, they actually outgained the bucks significantly and lost at the buzzer.

Like, that's not a horrible loss. They outplayed a good commanders team, which granted had Marioada, but it was really the offensive performance by the Falcons. That was the last game that we saw. And they dominated the Vikings in J.J. McCarthy in that primetime game. I just mean, their defense, I think, is solid. And their offense. But even a solid defense, it's still Josh.

Yeah, and so that's why I think the Bills will likely win this game. But when I see a home dog four and a half points in a game that kind of like the Broncos last week, although they were on the road, kind of like the pages, I could see them winning this game. Every Bill's season, and you know this because I know you're a big Bill's head. You watch some teams closer than others, and the bills are one of them. Yes, if you pay me money, I will watch your team more close than others. You have worked for the Buffalo Bills. Yes, so, of course.

You know what's one underrated thing? My love can be bought, Greg. I mean, Kyle knows it, you know? No, that's, of course not. Of course not. Actually, if he's listening, I would like a few things, and I've been doing a lot of chores lately. Okay.

So, there we go. No, just kidding. I don't need anything. They go through stretches in every season where they just hit some lulls. And again, I just think that the Falcons offense, Bajon, Drake, London, they figured out some things in that game before the buy against Washington.

I really like what they look like. I've actually thought Pennix has looked good except for that one bad game. And so I trust in their offense. I really don't trust in the bill's defense. I think it's going to be a fun high scoring game on Monday night. And it'll just be close and come down to the end. So I'll take four and a half points.

All right, what's your second pick? Okay. So second pick. There's a few that I like really hate, but I love. This one actually, you know what? I feel really strong about Indianapolis to win. Okay. Let's go.

Listen, the Colts, they did me well last week. Let's go back to that Colts well. They're at home yet again. This time they host. Arizona. Now, at the time of this recording, if Kyler Murray, I don't think he practiced this morning, right? So I don't, at this point, I don't think he's going to play. But I don't, does that affect it that much? I kind of like. Not really, but I just mean that the lines, or the line, not the lion's, the line could move. But I still think the Colts cover, unless

some crazy line happens, um, I still think the Colts are in a good spot. It almost looks like the line as of taping has already adjusted because it's up to seven. Okay. So it has moved up. that. Kyler Murray is out of practice on Thursday. If it moves to like 10, then we're, then it, I might get a little bit. I might back down from my position, but I like, well, we'll send a tweet out. Correct. Yeah.

But I, but I, but I think unless it gets to double digits, I still think the Colts, it's, the colds are just, they're on a heater. The Cardinals, the thing that the Cardinals have been relatively decent at stopping the run, they don't really have an answer for Jonathan Taylor's types of runs. So to me, this is a huge mismatch in favor. of the ponies. I look at their profile, and I'm sure your numbers say the same thing, and you see a team that's a top two or three team in the NFL, that they have been a wagon offensively and

good enough with your guy, Lou, defensively, where they can come up with these game plans that create turnovers that are different every week. You're not sure what you're going to get. It's not a great defense, but it's a good enough defense that offense. I've been back and forth all week. I actually had Arizona Plus 7 written down as my one. One of my maybe extras. It wasn't going to be one of my picks.

I'm now crossing that off. I haven't really actually felt good about that. That sounds like really bad luck. I'm basing it too much on... Vibes. That they know after last week that it almost feels like their seasons on the line this week. If they fall to two and four, they have a tough schedule coming up to. They are like, you know how they used to say on Twitter?

Like, you never want to be the main character on Twitter for the day. No. The Cardinals have been the main character in the NFL. NFL this week. And I just feel like if they got anything in them to show up and play their best game, like this, this would be it. They need it. They need it.

Not that they're going to try harder. I'm not saying that. But I do think sometimes when teams are desperate, you get a good performance. When your coach has to pay a fine for an interaction with a player, like, things are bad. When you lose three games in a row on walk off field goals, things are bad. Like that's, it's tough. Like it's just so as much as they might want it or need it, like the best. The Titans lost that game.

I don't think the Titans won that game. I don't think that the Cardinals lost it. Like the Titans didn't sit there and like do something extraordinary. Right. You're saying the Cardinals lost it. Yes, sorry. The Cardinals lost it. Point being is like, that was a weird.

The end of that game was weird. This whole season for the Cardinals, they have not looked right to me. No. Even though they're two and like they got two wins early, but schedule has helped. I'm with you. I'm going to cross that one off. I would cross that. I mean, especially with the Kyler-Marie being.

And I'm glad you brought up the fine of Jonathan Gannon because I keep seeing this argument about, oh, now, you know, like, D. Mercado made one of the worst plays in the world, and now the coach is the one who's getting fine, and the coach, like, whatever happened to, like, accountability. And it's like, how dumb can you be? He could be in the process of losing that locker room. Like, you have a large group of grown men who you need to,

sacrifice a lot to play as hard as they possibly can and believe in everything you're saying and the organization I think is doing a good job of finding Gannon and Gannon has done a good job apologizing about it because that is one clear way to have a lot

of your players, the most important part of your franchise, tune you out because he crossed a line. Also, just on a human level. Yes. Like there are ways to punish someone for making a bad play that are really well like adopted by the general

consensus of a team right there are things that you know don't play him for a quarter we see that all the time don't don't do so don't like confront like it's weird like it's just it was right because he's not he's not allowed to hit back in that situation no you're not no one's allowed i only laughed because i was thinking of whatever happened to jordan addison in Minnesota. Somebody tell me what that is. I think there was some buzz. There was a lot of mischief last year.

They just didn't know where he was. Last week was mischief week. They didn't know where he was, but he's too good. And you can just imagine Kevin O'Connell being like, I can't believe I have to go the first quarter without Kevin O'Connor. But Jordan Asap, I got to do something. And oh, by the way, he helped win the game. Okay, my second pick.

I'm spinning here because as we go to tape, Mack Jones is reportedly like really limited at that 49ers practice. And if they go to Adrian Martinez, I just don't want this thing to be too out of date because I was thinking pretty hard of the 49ers covering the three in Tampa because Kyle Shanahan has only... I really looked at that.

Todd Bowles in the last three years. It's been incredibly one-sided in terms of the yardage. They won three straight. They won 35 to 7 a couple years ago. And the yard... You know what? It's just too much.

If Mack Jones is seriously compromised... I don't know if it's the lying liar who lies playing games on the injury report too and saying like I don't mess with that one. The portion that the media can see Mac Jones looks too limited. I don't want to be going

with a third quarterback in Ricky Ciersoll. So I'm not going to do that one. I have settled on Cleveland plus five and a half as one of my picks. Okay. Pittsburgh's their opponent.

Pittsburgh is hosting them. It's a bit of a tough spot for the Browns who are coming over from London, whereas the Steelers who are coming from Dublin had the week off. so they have extra rest. Don't love that.

And they're getting healthier. Jalen Warren, Joey Porter, Jr. Returning Alex Highman. I just think the Brown's defense is legit good. And the Steelers' offense, I don't trust them just based on that performance. And five and a half points is enough for me. One of my big takeaways from watching that game live,

I do think Dylan Gabriel is going to give this team a better chance to win. I do think they've found something in Quinnjod Junkins. great running back. They are healthier on the offensive line, actually, than they've been. Jack Conklin is back. The interior is basically there. That was a pretty functional-looking, mistake-free offense by the Browns. And all I need is for their defense to play well enough for them to lose 14 to 10, or 17 to 14,

or maybe even get an upset win. I'm not buying this Pittsburgh offensive resurgence. I think it's a mismatch when the Steelers have the ball in favor of the Brown's defense. Let's go, Browns, covering five. and a half in a place that they haven't won in the regular season for 21 years. You know what an outrageous stat. But they did win in the playoffs with no fans. I'm rooting for.

I'm rooting for Dylan Gabriel to throw two touchdown passes because then he becomes the first Browns quarterback to have done that in the first two starts. Okay. Let's go. So like, I want to see it happen. Make some history, brother. People were like almost making fun of how limited they looked and how they like were coaching around.

I was like, no. The Vikings were getting quick pressure every other play. And he was making the right decision. and this is a young team. I just think five and a half is too much. This season right now has not had a lot of dominant teams, not a lot of predictability. And so if you're giving me four and a half,

five and a half in a game where I could see either team winning, that's what I'm going with right now. So I'm going Browns plus five and a half. Your last pick, Cynthia. Okay, well, here's my question first. Do you think the Ravens are on sale? Because like right now, Ravens at one and four, they could be, if you think about it.

Like, do you think the Bashadis could be selling the team? No, no, no, no, no, no. Like their futures, the market for their, their future to win the division. Is it on sale? It is crazy that they were favored to win the division at least. They were Super Bowl favorites at one point. But this week, they're still favorites to win the division.

Not anymore. Not anymore. But that's because everyone saw that stat and then they started betting it. But I think they're on sale. I think their future, the market is on sale. So what does that mean? It means that if you buy them low, you get a good return on your investment. I could see that in terms of a long-term pick.

I could not see that in terms of this week's game. against the Rams. I'm not talking about this week. Okay, you're talking, I like that. The future. So you could actually hear me out. If you believe the Rams will beat the Ravens, which I think we both do.

Yes, and cover. Maybe I should take that. Okay. Well, you still have a pick left so you could do that. Yeah. But if you believe that, then the Ravens' future odds of winning the division or making it to the playoffs,

that becomes on even deeper discount. Right. Wait till next one. Go buy it when it slow. Yes. I don't know. I just was thinking. about that earlier. I wanted to get your thoughts on it.

I like that. And I don't think that's crazy. And I think this is the right form to be doing that. Get you a show that can do both. You know, pick the games this week. That's right. Pick a little long term. Wait for them to lose to the Rams. Then take some Ravens to win the division, Ravens to win the AFC when they're at when they're at one and five. Because if you look at that schedule coming up. It's like, you know, like Black Friday deal. Right. Prime Day, whatever, you know. But it's like buying designer stuff on stale. I mean, this was like... Exactly.

The highest of markups a long time ago. I'm just saying. I'm with you. All right. Your third pick. My third pick now that I have thoroughly talked for two. I like... This is going to be a crazy one, but I think Miami took a plus four.

Yeah, that's one of my ones that... What? I wrote down as my extras. That was going to... And now that I'm crossing off games because of injuries that I don't like anymore, that could have been my third. But I'll just... Instead of going together on it, I think it will be separate.

but I totally agree. That's probably my fourth favorite or fifth favorite this week. I just think the Chargers O-line problems and plus Amari and Hampton, plus, right, I saw like maybe Trey Pipkins and maybe Mackay Beckton and, you know, you got Dunzel Perman

and you got Kulamak. Like there are so many people who are either already out or potentially out and especially the two tackles plus Omari and Hampton. It's like, welcome to the game, Kamani Vidal.

Right. Hassan Hoskins. Right. And it's really about that offensive line. And look, Some backups on the offensive line, they're coached up well and they play well. Sure, but now we're on like seven. No, I'm saying the Chargers have shown us.

That's not happening there. They're playing horribly. And yeah, Mackay Beckton. The big ticket, I think that's his nickname. He was in a non-contact jersey on Wednesday. He's back out of it. So he might play for them. But even if he starts.

Their center play has been terrible. And that's Bradley Bozeman, who's healthy. But he or at least playing, he's their normal start. He's just been terrible. So they're terrible at like four or five positions. Herbert already has thrown more picks than he did all of last season. I mean, I just think it's a really, it's tough sledding when you know, Mike McDaniel had a meeting with Mr. Ross.

Like, that's a, that's a, that's a tough, you know, you talk about it. I don't know if that's good or bad for the dolphins. Just, it's stressful. Like, things are, there's a little turmoil there. Like, that was embarrassing last week. I would imagine they think that's embarrassing the way that that loss happened. So this goes with my theory of what I've been saying. I think the charge was probably still win, but I think that's same.

This goes with what I was talking about before. In this NFL where the Chargers, if you were only looking at the last couple of weeks, their defense is not playing well. They're getting run over. Now the Dolphins have struggled to run the ball. So that's like weakness on weakness. We'll see their offensive line. Still have Devon A chance.

Like in the last couple of weeks, the Chargers have looked like a bad football team. And it's because of injuries in large part. But on defense, they have been outcoached a little bit. And four and a half is just too much. That's what I'm saying. I just, I think like they could win by a field goal and we'd still be right. Okay. So I'm with you.

That's going to be one of my extra picks. I'm doing a rare total pivot because in the end, and I go with what's in my heart. Oh, your heart. Once I saw that Rams pop up seven and a half, I actually thought, you know what? I do like that more than anything else here. Because I'm going to walk you through the process. for the listeners that care. There can't be that many.

I care. I really believe in the Seattle Seahawks this year. And I liked them as a road favorite right now in Jacksonville. It's a one and a half point line. As we're taping this, we just don't know which defensive players. And I think I overlooked that a little bit in terms of my pick of the year last week.

And look, they had the ball back. They had a seven point. It's not like you could have been either completely right or completely wrong, based on literally one freaking throw. Right. It was a throw that bounced off someone's helmet and was intercepted. I thought they were going to win by three

and I was going to skate. That said, the way the Buccaneers lit them up on offense, I think showed that it was a bad pick anyways. That was a coin flip game. But I think the biggest reason why they struggled so much is no Julian Love, no Devin Witherspoon, DeMarcus Lawrence got hurt in that game. Derek Hall is out for them.

All of those players might still be. be out. I have not been back at practice. And so if I knew that at least the guys in the secondary were returning, I would like that. I like the 49ers pick, as I mentioned. Even without Ricky Pearsall, I was ready to pick them with Mack Jones as we're taping. Mack Jones's status is a little more uncertain than I expected. Can we agree that he looked like he was dressed as an Alice in Wonderland character come to life? It looked like like a car, like a play. It was like this, it's giving playing card, you know, like king of stage or king of heart. or something.

What he was giving to me, if you watched him, was when they drafted him, do you remember how he, like, walked very, like, angrily up to the podium because I think everyone had passed on him? Or just that's how he walks. He walks. He just has a menacing walk. There's just something very strange about him. He's a natural menacing walk.

He's very emotional. And that was a great game for him. And I believed that he was actually because of how he works the short game so well, a fine matchup against Tampa. Like, it's not a big difference to me to have him versus Purdy, and I love the matchup, Shanahan versus Bowls. But all these injuries are spooking me here. And so that's a really long-winded way of saying,

I feel better about the Rams just winning this game. They have extra rest. I know they're going east, but I love a little extra rest. And then they have the number one design success rate on the ground in the NFL. All they have to do all day is just hand the ball off against a Ravens defense who is 28th in the league against the run. terrible against the past, too. They're just terrible on defense, and there's no reason to think they can hold the Rams under 30. So can Cooper Rush get to 24 to cover this number? I have my doubts.

I mean, we all had our doubts about the Rams last, or the Niners last week, too, and some weird stuff. You never know. That's true. That's weird. But I have a hard time, like I told you, I think the Rams are just waiting for that deep discount. The Ravens are just reading for that deep discount. The Rams, maybe the Rams know about it, too. They're like, we're going to help this deep discount happen. This is going to be fun. I don't know. I just think they're going to be on big time sale, and then we're going to be like geniuses picking them.

I like that. I'm not giving up on the Ravens long term. I do think, though, their defense has problems that need a buy week. They just traded for a lowy Gilman at safety. They just signed Chauncey Gardner Johnson. Their rookie safety, uh, Starks is not playing well. We don't know if Kyle Hamilton's playing this game. They might get Marlon Humphrey back,

but they're not going to have Rochon Smith They're like a bunch of guys who have a lot of... Matabweke is never coming back. They just traded Adafio way. It's a mess. The Rams are the wrong offense to go against when your defense is a mess. So to review in the end, my list has completely changed. I crossed out two of my picks today.

I'm going with Atlanta plus four and a half, the Browns plus five and a half, and the Rams minus seven and a half on the road. You have the dolphins. By the way, you get an extra half point here. The official line right now is four and a half. There's a free point, half point for you. So generous. You get Miami plus four and a half and remind me what your other two picks were. Indy minus seven at home.

At home, which was the good one. And then my first one, now we've been everywhere. What was my first one? New England, three and a half. I like that. I like your faith in the Patriots this week. Looking forward to watching that game. Looking forward to taping game day view.

With us, we're on NFL Network. If you want to watch it. every Friday afternoon, 2 o'clock Eastern time. And then there's some re-airs in the weekend, including early Sunday morning on the East Coast right before your show, Game Day Morning. So it's all happening. Also, check out Cynthia's YouTube page Numbers Game

where she picks every game every week. So if you want to hear all the thoughts behind it, you can go check out your YouTube page. It's a lot of me. A lot of time with me. There's never enough time. It is great to be back in the studio with you. We will be back in this.

feed on Sunday night for our big recap show. Cannot wait. See you. Hey, everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 6th, we take you inside the game from breaking down

college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape. Talk to decision makers and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else. It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it.

Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael Florio, and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet, we've got the insight to help you crush your opponents.

Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. This is an IHeart podcast.