Can you believe NFL Week 6 is already upon us? It feels like the season just started. Some teams wish they could get a restart, whereas others wouldn’t change anything about their results thus far. But Week 6 provides another chance to take one step closer to reaching the playoffs. With 14 games on this week’s NFL schedule, let’s make a bold prediction for each matchup.
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Geno Smith goes off for 400 yards in Seahawks win over 49ers
This San Francisco 49ers versus Seattle Seahawks matchup features two teams in similar places. The 49ers rank 10th in points scored and 12th in points allowed, whereas the Seahawks rank 11th in points scored and 17th in points allowed. Meanwhile, Geno Smith has been phenomenal, ranking first in passing yards per game. We’ll go out on a limb and say Smith’s success continues, in the form of a 400-yard game against a pass defense allowing the 12th-most yards per pass attempt.
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Jacksonville Jaguars dominate Chicago Bears by double digits
Prior to their three-point win over the Colts in Week 4, the Jaguars had been the worst team in the NFL. Now they’re one of seven teams with just one win, and they have the second-worst point differential of each of them. The Bears are on the opposite end of that spectrum, with the sixth-best point differential in the NFL. Our hot take is for the Jaguars to flip the script, winning their first game of the year by ten or more points.
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Arizona Cardinals hold Green Bay Packers to fewer than 100 rushing yards in win
Through five weeks, the Green Bay Packers have operated one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL. But part of their success is inflated by having Malik Willis in the starting lineup for two games. Now that Jordan Love is back under center, the Packers have returned to passing more often. The Cardinals have allowed the fourth-most rushing yards per game, but they’re actually worse at defending the pass, where they allow the fourth-most yards per attempt, compared to ranking 20th per rush attempt. Our bold take here involves the Cardinals becoming the second team to limit the Packers to fewer than 100 rushing yards. Arizona’s only prevented one other team from crossing the century mark on them this season (Rams).
Tennessee Titans get first 300-yard passing game of season in Indianapolis Colts win
Both the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts have battled injuries this season. The Colts have had to start games without their top quarterback and running back in the lineup. Meanwhile, the Titans could be forced to start backup Mason Rudolph on Sunday. Yet, considering they have the fourth-fewest passing yards in the NFL, maybe that’s a good thing. Will Levis hadn’t topped 260 passing yards in a single game, but we’ll boldly predict the Titans’ starter tops 300 yards in a win this week.
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Drake Maye lights up Houston Texans defense for 300 yards in New England Patriots win
After five consecutive games with fewer than 200 passing yards, the Patriots are benching Jacoby Brissett, giving Drake Maye his first chance at the starting role. His first test comes against a Texans defense that’s allowed the third-fewest passing yards in the NFL. But we’re expecting Maye to create a big spark, coming through with a 300-yard game in his first NFL start.
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New Orleans Saints top 200 rushing yards in win over Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Knowing that Derek Carr won’t be available, the Saints will have to turn to their rushing game even more to pull out the win against the Buccaneers. But with Alvin Kamara returning to form, averaging over 120 scrimmage yards per game, the Saints may still be in good hands. The Saints have the tenth-most rushing yards per game this season, but they’ve yet to top 190 in a single game. Taking on a Bucs defense that allows the seventh-most yards per attempt, we’ll predict the Saints top 200 rushing yards this week.
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Cleveland Browns bench Deshaun Watson in double-digit loss to Philadelphia Eagles
Fans want Deshaun Watson benched. Maybe this week it finally happens. Watson hasn’t been the same since arriving in Cleveland, but he’s also suffered from the second-most dropped passes this season (13). He’s also taken the most sacks, which, could be partially his fault too. Yet, if they’re trending toward scoring fewer than 19 points for the sixth game in a row, if the Browns want to compete, they’ll have no choice but to call upon Jameis Winston. It could even happen this week.
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Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels both top 100 rushing yards in Commanders win
The NFL has gotten used to seeing MVP performances out of Lamar Jackson. Now Jayden Daniels is doing his best effort too. On Sunday, we’ll see two of the league’s best dual-threat QBs face off in one of the most anticipated matchups on the Week 6 NFL schedule. Jackson has 14 games with 100 or more rushing yards in his career, even one this season. But Daniels has never had one, at least not yet. His career high in rushing yards has topped out at 88, but watch out for the first 100-yard rushing game of his career on Sunday.
Los Angeles Chargers win and keep Denver Broncos under 200 total yards
They’re not getting enough credit, but the Chargers are allowing the fewest points in the NFL through five weeks. On Sunday, they take on a red-hot Broncos team that’s won three in a row. But Denver’s also had their low points too, scoring ten or fewer points on two occasions. We could see another ugly performance on Sunday, taking on a Chargers defense that ranks in the top tier against the run and the pass.
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Russell Wilson gets Pittsburgh Steelers a win over Las Vegas Raiders
All was well when the Pittsburgh Steelers won three games in a row behind Justin Fields. Now that they’ve lost two in a row while mustering just 226 yards and 17 points in Week 5, some are wondering if it’s Russell Wilson’s turn. The Steelers are expected to start Fields again, but our bold prediction is that Wilson will be the one who leads Pittsburgh to victory over the Raiders in Week 6.
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Dallas Cowboys outrush Detroit Lions in Week 6 win
The Detroit Lions have one of the NFL’s best rushing offenses in 2024, with the sixth-most yards through five weeks. Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys have one of the league’s worst rushing offenses, averaging the second-fewest yards per carry. On Sunday, we’re predicting the scripts will flip, with Rico Dowdle leading a better rushing attack than Dan Campbell’s Lions put forth while helping the Cowboys win.
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Bryce Young comes off bench to lead Carolina Panthers win over Atlanta Falcons
Andy Dalton had the Carolina Panthers humming in his starting debut, helping them rack up 437 yards while scoring 36 points. But they got demolished in Week 5 by Chicago, scoring just 10 points. If Carolina’s offense struggles again, it could be time to see if Bryce Young can be the one who creates the spark this time. If the game’s not out of hand, he might even lead the Panthers to victory over the Falcons.
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Daniel Jones accounts for more touchdowns than Joe Burrow in New York Giants win
No one in their right mind would rather have Daniel Jones than Joe Burrow. There’s no question who the better quarterback is. Yet, the Giants quarterback is better than most give him credit for, and he’s been performing well lately, most recently leading a 29-20 win over the Seahawks. He did so without Malik Nabers, but perhaps he can use this newfound confidence to rise to the occasion on Sunday night, outdueling Burrow in a Giants win over the Bengals.
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Aaron Rodgers throws for 4 TD passes in New York Jets win over Buffalo Bills
Maybe firing Robert Saleh is just what this Jets team needed to go on a hot streak. They can find a new coach later, but now it’s time to play football. Aaron Rodgers has been here before, with Mike McCarthy fired mid-season during his Packers tenure. This time, we’ll predict Rodgers uses this sign as motivation, fueling him to a four-touchdown day in a win over the Bills.
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