2024 NFL Season: Football food for thought for Week 6

The Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Tennessee Titans all return to the field this week. The league’s lone 5-0 teams are both off this week. For the second straight Sunday, there’s a game in London. There were three games last week in which both clubs scored at least 30 points. Was that a fluke, or are many of the league’s offenses ready to break out?

Off: Kansas City, L.A. Rams, Miami, Minnesota

Thursday, Oct. 10

San Francisco (2-3) at Seattle (3-2): Kyle Shanahan’s club has been dealing with its share of issues. Since pushing around the Jets in the season’s first Monday night game, the Niners have dropped three of their last four contests. That includes divisional losses to the Rams and Cardinals. The 49ers were 5-1 vs. their NFC West rivals in 2023. Including playoffs, the Seahawks have dropped five straight games in this series.

Sunday, Oct. 13

Jacksonville (1-4) vs. Chicago (3-2) (Tottenham): It’s the first of two straight games for the Jaguars overseas. Doug Pederson’s team finally got their first win this season, outlasting the Colts. The Bears are in a division in which all four teams boast winning records. Chicago rookie quarterback Caleb Williams takes aim at the NFL’s bottom-ranked pass defense, but he has already been sacked 17 times this year.

Washington (4-1) at Baltimore (3-2): How about a little Lawrence Welk? And a one, and a two. The Commanders lead the NFL in points per game (31.0) and the Ravens (29.4) are right behind them. Washington has won four straight games after losing in Week 1. Baltimore is riding a three-game winning streak after a 0-2 start. Derrick Henry is tied for the NFL lead with seven TDs—at least one in each game.

Arizona (2-3) at Green Bay (3-2): While a duel between quarterbacks Kyler Murray and Jordan Love may be in the works, it’s worth noting that the Packers are third in the NFL in rushing, and the Cardinals are fourth. Green Bay has forced a league-high 14 turnovers, and safety Xavier McKinney has six of those takeaways. For the fifth time in six weeks, Jonathan Gannon’s club is facing a 2023 playoff participant.

Houston (4-1) at New England (1-4): The defending AFC South champions have won four of their first five games, but DeMeco Ryans’s team still has a negative scoring differential (minus-12) due to that 27-point loss at Minnesota. Rookie quarterback Drake Maye makes his first NFL start for the slumping Patriots. Including playoff losses in 2012 and 2016, the Texans are 0-7 lifetime at Foxborough. Does the streak end?

Tampa Bay (3-2) at New Orleans (2-3): A team that scored 91 points during its 2-0 start appears to be in freefall. Dennis Allen’s club has totaled 49 points during the its current three-game skid. Each team is coming off a rough defensive outing. The Saints (460) and Bucs (550) allowed a combined 1,010 total yards in losses to the Chiefs and Falcons, respectively. Who will be Allen’s quarterback on Sunday?

Cleveland (1-4) at Philadelphia (2-2): A playoff team in 2023, Kevin Stefanski’s club has struggled badly in all aspects this season. The Eagles return to the field after watching their other three division rivals all come up with victories in Week 5. Which version of the Birds show up this week. Cleveland is already 0-3 vs. NFC East teams this season, outscored a combined 88-45 by the Cowboys, Giants and Commanders.

Indianapolis (2-3) at Tennessee (1-3): The Titans are back in action after a week off, and perhaps some extra time will benefit second-year quarterback Will Levis. Then again, facing the league’s most generous defense could help any player’s confidence. The Colts have allowed the most total yards per game, and have struggled vs. the run (31st) and the pass (29th). This is Tennessee’s first divisional game of 2024.

L.A. Chargers (2-2) at Denver (3-2): Jim Harbaugh’s team returns after some down time and now looks to cool off one of the AFC’s hotter teams. The Chargers are facing their third divisional foe in five games, and are looking to win at Denver since 2018. The Bolts are 2-2 after a 2-0 start, and have allowed an NFL-low 12.5 points per game. Sean Payton’s team is tied for second in the league in the same category (14.6 PPG).

Pittsburgh (3-2) at Las Vegas (2-3): A team that allowed a combined 26 points during its 3-0 start has allowed 47 points in three-point losses to the Colts (27-24) and Cowboys (20-17). Raiders’ quarterback Gardner Minshew was benched during last week’s loss at Denver, but Aidan O’Connell (who starts on Sunday) wasn’t much better. This marks the fourth straight year this storied 1970s rivalry is renewed.

Atlanta (3-2) at Carolina (1-4): Raheem Morris’s club is facing its third consecutive division rival, but are playing only their second road game of 2024. Hence, the Falcons play seven of their final 12 games away from home, starting with this trip to Charlotte. Kirk Cousins threw for 509 yards and four scores (1 pick) in the overtime win over the Bucs. The Panthers have allowed 20 offensive TDs and a whopping 165 points.

Detroit (3-1) at Dallas (3-2): It’s already been an odd year for the defending NFC East champions. The Cowboys are 0-2 at home and 3-0 on the road. Including their playoff loss to the Packers in 2023, Dallas has allowed a stunning 120 points (all losses) in their last three outings at AT&T Stadium. The well-rested Lions are ranked sixth in the league in rushing, while the Cowboys are 24th in the NFL vs. the run.

Sunday night

Cincinnati (1-4) at N.Y. Giants (2-3): Five games into the season and who would have bet that Big Blue would have a better record than the talented Bengals? Cincinnati’s defense was atrocious in 2023 and maybe even worse this season. Zac Taylor’s club has surrendered 103 points in their last three games. Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow leads the NFL with 12 TD passes, but the Giants have already totaled 22 sacks.

Monday, Oct. 14

Buffalo (3-2) at N.Y. Jets (2-3): Jeff Ulbrich has been promoted to replace Robert Saleh as the Jets’ head coach. New York’s offense has been problem-plagued with the exception of one game, and the club has the league’s worst ground attack. The Bills have gone from an impressive 3-0 to back-to-back losses to the Ravens and Texans. The Jets’ defense has allowed the second-fewest yards per game in the league.