NFL Week 6 Weekend Slate Preview
Here are the games to watch from this weekend's NFL slate.
Wake up with football!
Image: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images
The Jaguars will face the Bears in game two in London. The Bears have one of the best secondaries in football, and Caleb Williams is starting to play better. Jacksonville, in contrast, has the worst pass defense in the NFL, so something has to give.
Sunday Slate:
Cardinals vs. Packers
The mismatch for both teams lies in the passing games. The Cardinals' and Packers' defensive units both struggle against the pass, with Arizona's being much worse, coming in at 29 in pass DVOA. Green Bay's offense is a top-five unit in the NFL. In contrast, the Cardinals are located in the NFL's middle class. Still, Kyler Murray & Co. have been able to create explosive numbers at times. The Packers' defense will most likely travel Jaire Alexander with Marvin Harrison Jr. The once-elite CB has missed the past two games with an injury. If the Packers can establish a run game, it would be difficult for the Cardinals to reverse control. The game in Green Bay can quickly become an offensive shootout and should be fun to watch.
Commanders vs. Ravens
The real engine of the Commanders' offense has been the emergence of a powerful run game. Rookie Jayden Daniels gets much of the credit, but a tip of the cap needs to be made towards OC Kilff Kingsbury. Through the first few weeks, the offense looked like a carbon copy of what Kingsbury was trying to accomplish in Phoenix. Eventually, he let Daniels throw the ball deep to their speedy WR in Trerry McLaurin. The Commanders' offense can utilize the entire plane of the field, stretching and stressing defense. The Ravens have one of the best-run defenses in the NFL and will need to make the Washington offense one dimentional. Baltimore will be up against one of the more porous defenses in the NFL. Lamar and Henry should be able to control the ground game, with Jackson having plenty of opportunity to air it out. Both of these offenses are elite. It should be a fun Beltway Bowl.
Lions vs. Cowboys
Last year, Detroit lost on a technicality and will look to right that wrong. The Lions sit 3-1 and are coming off a bye. Dallas won an important game on the road against the Steelers, where they found a run game and took steps to develop a run defense. The Lions hold one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL and will likely look to match the production of other teams who have faced the Dallas defense. If the run game can get going, Goff will not have to rely on a dropback pass game, which favors Detroit. Dallas' offense has been playing subpar all year. Currently, they rank 20th in DVOA. The run game picked up against the Steelers and should be able to gain some traction versus a below-average Lions defense. The Cowboys have won six straight matchups against Detroit, dating back to 2015. Can this be the year the Lions break the streak?
Others to watch:
Buccaneers vs. Saints—Both teams are trying to keep up with the Falcons, and both have lost, too. The Saints have lost their offensive production (and quarterback) from the first two weeks, while the Bucs seem to have forgotten how to cover people. This should be a fun matchup to keep an eye on.
Chargers vs. Broncos—Both offenses are in the bottom third of the league, while their defensive counterparts are in the top five and playing elite. The Broncos' Bo Nix has been playing better, and if the offense can improve, Denver has the potential to be a wildcard threat. LA is trying to do the same, as Harbaugh and Greg Roman try to figure out a way to mask the lack of talent around Herbert. It should be a classic physical matchup in Mile High Stadium.
Sunday Night:
Bengals vs. Giants
Image: Jeff DeanLAPRESSE
The late-night Sunday matchup is a stinker, but certain aspects should be interesting. First, the Bengals' offense appears to be rolling. They currently sit second in offensive DVOA behind division rival Baltimore. Yes, Cincinnati tends to start slow, but this year is different. The defense is 22nd in DVOA and even worse against the pass. The development of the secondary has been a key thorn in Cincinnati's side all year.
Burrow & Co. will have to face a team that is coming off a shocking victory against the Seahawks, where they dominated much of the game. Daniel Jones looked more than adequate, and rookie RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. rushed for over 1oo yards. Was this a fluke, or has the offense finally figured out how to run the ball? New York will get one of the worst units in the NFL to see if they can have repeat success. Neither team's defense is good, so we might see some fireworks this Sunday Night.
Monday Night:
Bills vs. Jets
Image: AP Photo/Adam Hunger
Josh Allen went 9-30 against the Houston Texans' secondary last Sunday. That didn't bode well for the Bills, who have now lost two games in a row. Both losses have come to potential playoff teams as well. The Bills defense, despite the mass amounts of injuries, has played relatively well all year; the offense just hasn't supported them the last two games. Allen has had a completion rate of under 60% in his past two games. His top receiver, Khalil Shakir, is still hampered by an injury. The offense needs a boost, and playing the Jets, a divisional rival in prime time isn't the ideal candidate to get back on track.
For New York, all eyes are on Aaron Rodgers, who has struggled mightily all year. The firing of Robert Saleh without the subsequent firing of OC Nate Hackett only puts more heat on the Jets' QB. DC Jeff Ulbrich will step in, and he has done a masterful job putting together the defense, but not everyone can wear both hats. New York has serious issues stopping the run, and the Bills are more than obliged to take advantage. On offense, the Jets have two excellent RBs yet sit 31st in run DVOA. The offense is stale and will need some spark to beat the Bills on Monday night.
