Week 6 of the 2020 NFL season offers up some intriguing games. It includes the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills going at it in Western New York. That could very well be a preview of the AFC Championship Game.
The week wraps up with the Dallas Cowboys hosting the Arizona Cardinals in a game pitting two postseason hopefuls against one another. Which one will remain relevant in the NFC Playoff race?
It’s in this that we look at the NFL Week 6 schedule and give you game-by-game predictions.
Updated: Oct. 18, 9:20 AM EST
NFL Week 6 Sunday games
Denver Broncos at New England Patriots
Time/station: 1:00 PM EST, CBS
Point spread: Patriots -8.0 (over/under 45)
This game has been rescheduled for Week 6. The Broncos were supposed to play Miami in Week 6, and now that game is being rescheduled.
Injury Update: Cam Newton to return
It does not seem like the Patriots have missed a beat with Cam Newton replacing Tom Brady under center. They ranked 11th in the NFL in scoring prior to Week 4’s loss to the Chiefs. Newton has returned to earlier-career form, compiling nearly 900 total yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions in three games. Meanwhile, the Pats also rank in the top-11 in scoring defense heading into this game. Newton is now good to go in Week 6 after being diagnosed with COVID-19 weeks earlier.
Related: Drew Lock (shoulder) likely to start for Broncos
Sadly for the Broncos, their season was derailed before even two games were played. Drew Lock suffered a shoulder injury back in Week 2 and was initially replaced under center by journeyman quarterback Jeff Driskel before Brett Rypien took over. The season-ending injuries to Pro Bowlers Courtland Sutton, Von Miller and A.J. Bouye have also ravaged Vic Fangio’s squad. Despite their Week 4 win over the hapless Jets, I don’t envision these Broncos putting up a fight against New England even with Lock likely returning.
Broncos injury report: Multiple starters to miss Week 6
Week 6 NFL predictions: Patriots 24, Broncos 14
Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers
Time/station: 1:00 PM EST, Fox
Bears-Panthers point spread: Panthers -1.0 (over/under 44)
Injury update: Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey (high-ankle sprain) doubtful
The decision to bench Mitchell Trubisky for Nick Foles did not necessarily pan out back in Week 4. Chicago lost its first game of the season. Chicago was defeated by Indianapolis by the score of 19-11 with the team’s offense putting up all of 269 total yards. However, the team turned the tables this past Thursday night with a shocking win over Tom Brady and the Buccaneers.
On the other hand, Carolina has won three consecutive games after going north of 320 days without a victory. Teddy Bridgewater seems to be an ideal fit in new offensive coordinator Joe Brady’s system under rookie head coach Matt Rhule. In a game between two surprising squads, I expect the home team to earn a fourth consecutive victory.
NFL Week 6 predictions: Panthers 24, Bears 20
Detroit Lions at Jacksonville Jaguars
Time/station: 1:00 PM EST, Fox
Lions-Jaguars point spread: Lions -3.0 (Over/under: 54.5)
Two of the worst teams in the NFL going up against one another in Duval. Lions head coach Matt Patricia joins Doug Marrone of the Jaguars on the hot seat at this point in the season. The Lions are giving up a whopping 31.8 points per game. That’s just not going to cut it.
NFL news: Jaguars place 13 players on COVID-19 list
As for Jacksonville, the team has lost four consecutive after a season-opening win over the Indianapolis Colts. They rank in the bottom 10 in both points scored and points allowed The Jags are also coming off a terrible Week 5 loss to a previously winless Texans squad. Honestly, flip a coin here.
NFL Week 6 predictions: Jaguars 17, Lions 13
Related: NFL coaches on the hot seat
Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings
Time/station: 1:00 PM EST, Fox
Falcons-Vikings point spread: Vikings -4.0 (over/under 54)
Injury update: Vikings RB Dalvin Cook ruled out for Week 6
Now that Dan Quinn is finally out of a job with the Falcons, it’s time for this team to look to the future. It’s 0-5 on the year and is yielding an average of 32.5 points per game. Not even Matt Ryan can mask those issues. That was magnified by Jones’ absence during Week 5’s loss to the Carolina Panthers.
As for the Vikings, they are coming off an absolutely brutal late-game loss to the Seattle Seahawks. It’s a game that saw Kirk Cousins continue to deal with turnovers and head coach Mike Zimmer struggle with in-game coaching decisions. Minnesota finds itself at 1-4 head into Week 6 and pretty much out of the NFC Playoff race. Even then, it should be able to narrowly defeat a winless Falcons squad.
NFL Week 6 predictions: Vikings 34, Falcons 31
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans
Time/station: 1:00 PM EST, CBS
Texans-Titans point spread: Titans -3.5 (over/under 55.5)
Tennessee absolutely manhandled an undefeated Bills team in Week 5 after a 16-day layoff due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Its defense forced three turnovers, resulting in three touchdowns on offense. Ryan Tannehill threw for three scores of his own in a 42-16 drubbing. These Titans are now 4-0 on the campaign and about to make their mark after earning a surprise trip to the AFC Championship Game last season.
As for Houston, the team just fired head coach Bill O’Brien after an 0-4 start to the season. Deshaun Watson and Co. responded in Week 5 with an impressive win over a bad Jaguars team. In fact, Watson went for 384 total yards and three touchdowns in the 30-14 victory. With that said, a rested Titans squad will prove to be too much for the Texans in Week 6.
NFL Week 6 predictions: Titans 31, Texans 20
Related: Titans’ COVID-19 outbreak
Washington Football Team at New York Giants
Time/station: 1:00 PM EST, Fox
Washington-Giants point spread: Giants -2.5 (over/under 43)
NFL news: New alarming allegations against Washington Football Team, Daniel Snyder
Yet another Week 6 game that has the potential to be ugly. Not only did Washington bench Dwayne Haskins for Kyle Allen, the second-year quarterback is now No. 3 on the team’s depth chart. In what was a feel-good story, Washington then saw Alex Smith take over for an injured Allen in Week 5. Unfortunately, the two combined for 70 net passing yards in an ugly 30-10 loss to the Rams.
Injury update: Washington QB Kyle Allen (arm) to start
In Jersey, the Giants are 0-5 this season after a late-game loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5. They rank dead last in the NFL in scoring. Second-year quarterback Daniel Jones has regressed big time. Rookie head coach Joe Judge seems in a bit over his head. Yeah, things are not going swimmingly. This is going to be an ugly game.
NFL Week 6 predictions: Giants 13, Washington 10
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers
Time/station: 1:00 PM EST, CBS
Browns-Steelers point spread: Steelers -3.5 (over/under 51)
It’s pretty shocking to see what Cleveland has done since a Week 1 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. After that game, it looked like this long downtrodden organization was set up for another season of failures. In the four games since, Cleveland has turned this narrative on its head. The Browns are averaging 37.5 points per game during that span, including a brilliant offensive showing against Dallas in Week 3. Cleveland is now 4-1 for the first time since 1994.
As for the Steelers, they are now forced to play 13 consecutive weeks after the team’s Week 4 game against Tennessee was postponed. Despite this, the team heads into Week 6 with a perfect 4-0 record for the first time since the Terry Bradshaw days. That came after rookie Chase Claypool scored four touchdowns in a Week 5 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. This should be a great divisional matchup.
NFL Week 6 predictions: Browns 27, Steelers 24
Baltimore Ravens at Philadelphia Eagles
Time/station: 1:00 PM EST, CBS
Ravens-Eagles point spread: Ravens -10 (over/under 46.5)
Despite Philadelphia’s Week 4 win over an injury-plagued 49ers squad, things are not going swimmingly for Doug Pederson and Co. Quarterback Carson Wentz is on pace for 29 interceptions. While Wentz played pretty well during a narrow Week 5 loss to the Steelers, he also threw two more picks. That made the difference in a nine-point loss.
Speaking of winning recipes, the Ravens are now 18-4 in their past 22 regular-season games. Lamar Jackson continues to perform at a high level (10 total touchdowns and just two interceptions). Baltimore ranks seventh in points score and fourth in points allowed after Week 5’s blowout 27-3 win over the Bengals. This one won’t be close.
NFL Week 6 predictions: Ravens 31, Eagles 16
Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts
Time/station: 1:00 PM EST, CBS
Bengals-Colts point spread: Colts -7.5 (over/under 45.5)
Prior to last week’s blowout loss to the Ravens, Cincinnati had been playing competitive football. That came crashing down as Joe Burrow put up the worst performance of his rookie season. The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite completed just 19-of-30 passes including this brutal interception in the 30-10 loss.
Indianapolis also entered Week 5 in a pretty good position having won three consecutive games. That came crashing down in a 32-23 loss to the above-mentioned Browns. Philip Rivers threw zero touchdowns compared to two interceptions in the defeat. The 38-year-old signal caller has now tallied four touchdowns and five picks for the 3-2 Colts.
NFL Week 6 predictions: Colts 24, Bengals 21
Related: NFL Rookie of the Year candidates
New York Jets at Miami Dolphins
Time/station: 4:05 PM EST, CBS
Jets-Chargers point spread: Dolphins -9.5 (over/under 47)
How much longer will Adam Gase be employed in Jersey? Back in Week 4, he decided to put franchise quarterback Sam Darnold back in the game after he suffered an ugly-looking shoulder injury. In the end, Darnold was sidelined for Week 5 and is dealing with an AC joint sprain. The end result was an ugly 30-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. We’re now openly wondering whether the Jets will even win a game this season. That’s not hyperbole.
Related: Sam Darnold (shoulder) out for Week 6
As for the Dolphins, they have now won two out of three after an 0-3 start to the season. Ryan Fitzpatrick went off last week in a blowout win over the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers. This shouldn’t be a close game.
NFL Week 6 predictions: Dolphins 31, Jets 16
Green Bay Packers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Time/station: 4:25 PM EST, Fox
Packers-Buccaneers point spread: Packers -1.0 (over/under 55)
Injury update: Davante Adams to play after missing past two games (hamstring)
Tom Brady versus Aaron Rodgers. Two former NFL MVP’s still playing at high levels during the latter stages of their careers. Rodgers has his Packers undefeated on the season and has tallied 13 touchdowns compared to zero interceptions through four games. Green Bay is also averaging a whopping 38 points per game.
After some initial struggles to begin his Buccaneers career, Brady seemed to return to form prior to an ugly showing in last week’s loss to the Chicago Bears. It just doesn’t seem like things are clicking for Brady in his first season under Bruce Arians. That could very well come back to haunt Tampa Bay against the NFL’s best offense in Week 6.
NFL Week 6 predictions: Packers 31, Buccaneers 27
NFL Week 6 Sunday Night Football
Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers
Time/station: 8:20 PM EST, NBC
Rams-49ers point spread: Rams -3.0 (over/under 51.5)
Must win. That’s pretty much the best way to describe this game for the injury-plagued 49ers. They sit at 2-3 and in last place in the NFC West following an humiliating 43-17 home loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 5. Jimmy Garoppolo was benched in that game. The 49ers’ injury-plagued defense was destroyed by Ryan Fitzpatrick and Co. It’s gut-check time for the 49ers.
As for the Rams, they sit at 4-1 on the season and have performed much better on both sides of the ball than what we saw during a down 2019 campaign. That included a blowout 30-10 win over the Washington Football Team back in Week 5. Take the Rams here.
NFL Week 6 predictions: Rams 27, 49ers 23
NFL Week 6 Monday Night Football
Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills
Time/station: 5:00 PM EST, CBS
Chiefs-Bills point spread: Chiefs -4.5 (over/under 57.5)
Well, that was surprising. Kansas City hosting a Raiders squad that many expect to be in last place when the season comes to an end. The Chiefs opening up an early two-score lead. Then, something happened. Derek Carr caught fire. Patrick Mahomes threw his first interception of the season, leading to a shocking 40-32 Raiders win. This represented Kansas City’s first loss since Week 10 of the 2019 season.
Related: Game moved from Thursday to Monday
As for the Bills, Josh Allen was absolutely incredible through the first four weeks of the season before throwing two interceptions in Tuesday’s blowout loss to the Titans. These mistakes led to a 42-16 whitewashing and the Bills’ first loss of the season. It will be interesting to see how this unit performs against a defense that was torched by Vegas last week. Can Allen keep up with Patrick Mahomes and Co.? I think so.
NFL Week 6 predictions: Bills 27, Chiefs 24
Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys
Time/station: 8:20 PM EST, ESPN
Cardinals-Cowboys point spread: Cardinals -1.0 (over/under 57.5)
Just brutal. The likely season-ending injury Dak Prescott suffered in Week 5 against the Giants acted as a backdrop to Dallas’ second win of the year. At this point, it’s not yet known where the Cowboys go from here. Andy Dalton will likely be under center for the duration. However, we’re still talking about a Dallas defense that’s yielding 36 points per game.
Sitting at 3-2 following a blowout win over the hapless Jets in Week 5, Arizona will want to make a major statement here. After struggling over the past two games, star quarterback Kyler Murray tallied 411 total yards and two touchdowns against New York. I don’t envision the Cowboys’ defense being able to stop him.
NFL Week 6 predictions: Cardinals 35, Cowboys 27