Matt Bowen: NFL picks, weeks 1–6, 2026 season
In Weeks 1–6 of the 2026 NFL season, Matt Bowen (ESPN) went 55-36-1 (60.4%) straight up. Updated .
Record in Weeks 1–6 of the 2026 season: 55-36-1 (60.4%) straight up. 92 picks, newest week first, 6 weeks per page; the season record and checks are on the main page.
Week 6 · SU 8-6-0
| Game | Straight up | Final | How we got it |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEA at DEN Thu, Oct 15 |  SEA Loss | SEA 14, DEN 17 | Recorded before kickoff |
| HOU at JAX Sun, Oct 18 |  JAX Loss | HOU 34, JAX 31 | Recorded before kickoff |
| BAL at CLE Sun, Oct 18 |  BAL Loss | BAL 10, CLE 13 | Recorded before kickoff |
| CAR at PHI Sun, Oct 18 |  CAR Win | CAR 25, PHI 14 | Recorded before kickoff |
| CHI at ATL Sun, Oct 18 |  CHI Win | CHI 31, ATL 23 | Recorded before kickoff |
| NO at NYG Sun, Oct 18 |  NYG Loss | NO 34, NYG 27 | Recorded before kickoff |
| NYJ at NE Sun, Oct 18 |  NE Win | NYJ 19, NE 26 | Recorded before kickoff |
| PIT at TB Sun, Oct 18 |  PIT Win | PIT 26, TB 19 | Recorded before kickoff |
| TEN at IND Sun, Oct 18 |  IND Loss | TEN 26, IND 20 | Recorded before kickoff |
| ARI at LAR Sun, Oct 18 |  LAR Loss | ARI 18, LAR 16 | Recorded before kickoff |
| BUF at LV Sun, Oct 18 |  BUF Win | BUF 33, LV 30 | Recorded before kickoff |
| LAC at KC Sun, Oct 18 |  KC Win | LAC 6, KC 22 | Recorded before kickoff |
| DAL at GB Sun, Oct 18 |  GB Win | DAL 13, GB 23 | Recorded before kickoff |
| WSH at SF Mon, Oct 19 |  SF Win | WSH 17, SF 23 | Recorded before kickoff |
Week 5 · SU 9-5-1
| Game | Straight up | Final | How we got it |
|---|---|---|---|
| TB at DAL Thu, Oct 8 |  DAL Loss | TB 24, DAL 16 | Read after the game |
| PHI at JAX Sun, Oct 11 | JAX Win | PHI 17, JAX 19 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) archive copy, Oct 10, 2026 |
| CHI at GB Sun, Oct 11 | CHI Loss | CHI 7, GB 31 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| CIN at MIA Sun, Oct 11 |  CIN Win | CIN 31, MIA 24 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| CLE at NYJ Sun, Oct 11 |  CLE Loss | CLE 12, NYJ 17 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| HOU at TEN Sun, Oct 11 |  HOU Win | HOU 26, TEN 3 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| IND at PIT Sun, Oct 11 | IND Loss | IND 22, PIT 34 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| LV at NE Sun, Oct 11 | NE Win | LV 17, NE 45 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| MIN at NO Sun, Oct 11 |  MIN Win | MIN 23, NO 13 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| NYG at WSH Sun, Oct 11 | NYG Push | NYG 27, WSH 27 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| DEN at LAC Sun, Oct 11 |  DEN Win | DEN 23, LAC 17 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| DET at ARI Sun, Oct 11 |  DET Win | DET 45, ARI 21 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| SF at SEA Sun, Oct 11 | SEA Loss | SF 32, SEA 29 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| BAL at ATL Sun, Oct 11 | BAL Win | BAL 30, ATL 23 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| BUF at LAR Mon, Oct 12 | BUF Win | BUF 37, LAR 34 | Recorded before kickoff |
Week 4 · SU 9-6-0
| Game | Straight up | Final | How we got it |
|---|---|---|---|
| PIT at CLE Thu, Oct 1 | PIT Loss | PIT 24, CLE 27 | Read after the game |
| IND at WSH Sun, Oct 4 | IND Win | IND 30, WSH 13 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) archive copy, Oct 3, 2026 |
| ARI at NYG Sun, Oct 4 |  ARI Loss | ARI 24, NYG 36 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| DAL at HOU Sun, Oct 4 | DAL Win | DAL 34, HOU 30 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| GB at TB Sun, Oct 4 | GB Win | GB 17, TB 14 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| JAX at CIN Sun, Oct 4 | CIN Loss | JAX 22, CIN 17 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| LAR at PHI Sun, Oct 4 | LAR Win | LAR 24, PHI 20 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| NE at BUF Sun, Oct 4 | BUF Loss | NE 29, BUF 26 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| NYJ at CHI Sun, Oct 4 | CHI Win | NYJ 12, CHI 23 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| TEN at BAL Sun, Oct 4 | BAL Win | TEN 18, BAL 24 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| MIA at MIN Sun, Oct 4 | MIN Win | MIA 10, MIN 15 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| DEN at SF Sun, Oct 4 | SF Win | DEN 14, SF 24 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| KC at LV Sun, Oct 4 | KC Win | KC 30, LV 27 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| DET at CAR Sun, Oct 4 | DET Loss | DET 26, CAR 32 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| ATL at NO Mon, Oct 5 |  NO Loss | ATL 45, NO 24 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) archive copy, Oct 5, 2026 |
Week 3 · SU 7-9-0
| Game | Straight up | Final | How we got it |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATL at GB Thu, Sept 24 | GB Loss | ATL 35, GB 14 | Read after the game |
| CAR at CLE Sun, Sept 27 | CAR Loss | CAR 18, CLE 21 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) archive copy, Sept 26, 2026 |
| CIN at PIT Sun, Sept 27 | CIN Loss | CIN 27, PIT 30 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| HOU at IND Sun, Sept 27 | HOU Loss | HOU 17, IND 19 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| KC at MIA Sun, Sept 27 | KC Win | KC 24, MIA 10 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| LAC at BUF Sun, Sept 27 | BUF Win | LAC 16, BUF 24 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| NE at JAX Sun, Sept 27 | JAX Win | NE 6, JAX 35 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| NYJ at DET Sun, Sept 27 | DET Win | NYJ 24, DET 31 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| SEA at WSH Sun, Sept 27 | SEA Loss | SEA 31, WSH 33 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| TEN at NYG Sun, Sept 27 | NYG Win | TEN 7, NYG 12 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| ARI at SF Sun, Sept 27 | SF Win | ARI 30, SF 36 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| MIN at TB Sun, Sept 27 | MIN Win | MIN 23, TB 16 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| BAL at DAL Sun, Sept 27 | DAL Loss | BAL 34, DAL 31 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| LV at NO Sun, Sept 27 | NO Loss | LV 35, NO 27 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| LAR at DEN Sun, Sept 27 | LAR Loss | LAR 26, DEN 30 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| PHI at CHI Mon, Sept 28 |  PHI Loss | PHI 7, CHI 27 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) archive copy, Sept 28, 2026 |
Week 2 · SU 10-6-0
| Game | Straight up | Final | How we got it |
|---|---|---|---|
| DET at BUF Thu, Sept 17 | BUF Win | DET 31, BUF 41 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) archive copy, Sept 17, 2026 |
| CAR at ATL Sun, Sept 20 | CAR Win | CAR 34, ATL 3 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) archive copy, Sept 20, 2026 |
| CIN at HOU Sun, Sept 20 | HOU Loss | CIN 20, HOU 6 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| CLE at TB Sun, Sept 20 |  TB Loss | CLE 23, TB 19 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| GB at NYJ Sun, Sept 20 | GB Win | GB 20, NYJ 17 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| MIN at CHI Sun, Sept 20 | CHI Loss | MIN 9, CHI 3 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| NO at BAL Sun, Sept 20 | BAL Loss | NO 24, BAL 17 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| PHI at TEN Sun, Sept 20 | PHI Win | PHI 24, TEN 20 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| PIT at NE Sun, Sept 20 | NE Win | PIT 3, NE 20 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| JAX at DEN Sun, Sept 20 | JAX Loss | JAX 13, DEN 20 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| LV at LAC Sun, Sept 20 |  LAC Loss | LV 26, LAC 14 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| MIA at SF Sun, Sept 20 | SF Win | MIA 13, SF 35 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| SEA at ARI Sun, Sept 20 | SEA Win | SEA 31, ARI 7 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| WSH at DAL Sun, Sept 20 | DAL Win | WSH 20, DAL 37 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| IND at KC Sun, Sept 20 | KC Win | IND 30, KC 33 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| NYG at LAR Mon, Sept 21 | LAR Win | NYG 6, LAR 28 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
Week 1 · SU 12-4-0
| Game | Straight up | Final | How we got it |
|---|---|---|---|
| NE at SEA Wed, Sept 9 | SEA Win | NE 10, SEA 13 | Read after the game |
| SF at LAR Thu, Sept 10 | LAR Loss | SF 27, LAR 7 | Read after the game |
| ATL at PIT Sun, Sept 13 | PIT Win | ATL 13, PIT 20 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) archive copy, Sept 10, 2026 |
| BAL at IND Sun, Sept 13 | BAL Win | BAL 41, IND 23 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| BUF at HOU Sun, Sept 13 | BUF Win | BUF 36, HOU 31 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| CHI at CAR Sun, Sept 13 | CHI Win | CHI 59, CAR 37 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| CLE at JAX Sun, Sept 13 | JAX Win | CLE 10, JAX 34 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| NO at DET Sun, Sept 13 | DET Win | NO 30, DET 31 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| NYJ at TEN Sun, Sept 13 |  TEN Loss | NYJ 23, TEN 10 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| TB at CIN Sun, Sept 13 | CIN Win | TB 27, CIN 33 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| ARI at LAC Sun, Sept 13 | LAC Loss | ARI 26, LAC 14 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| GB at MIN Sun, Sept 13 | MIN Win | GB 22, MIN 39 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| MIA at LV Sun, Sept 13 |  LV Win | MIA 13, LV 27 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| WSH at PHI Sun, Sept 13 | PHI Win | WSH 22, PHI 24 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| DAL at NYG Sun, Sept 13 | DAL Loss | DAL 20, NYG 28 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |
| DEN at KC Mon, Sept 14 | KC Win | DEN 10, KC 31 | Timestamped before kickoff (web archive copy) |