The “Battle of the Beltway” takes place Sunday at 1 p.m. ET as the red-hot Washington Commanders travel north to face the Ravens in Baltimore. Quarterbacks Jayden Daniels versus Lamar Jackson should be pure fireworks, but it’s far from the only intriguing matchup this weekend.
The Buffalo Bills, picked to contend for a Super Bowl before the season, will look to rebound after two straight losses against the New York Jets, who fired their head coach Robert Saleh this week.
The Cowboys welcome the Detroit Lions to Dallas in a battle of top NFC teams. Rookie QB Drake Maye will also make his first career start for the Patriots as New England faces the Houston Texans.
Here’s what to watch for in Week 6.
Washington (4-1) at Baltimore (3-2)
By completing a league-leading 77% of his passes and becoming only the third rookie quarterback since 1950 to start and win four of his team’s first five games, Daniels has produced one of the rarest commodities in the NFL — hope in Washington. A win would give the Commanders their best start since 1996. But is Washington’s patchwork defense up to stopping Jackson and running back Derrick Henry?
Henry has scored in all five games this season while rushing for a league-high 572 yards. Considering down and distance, Henry has rushed for 229 yards more than expected, according to advanced NFL stats. This matchup of Beltway neighbors doesn’t happen often — this is only the eighth regular-season meeting all-time — but it’s one of the most exciting matchups of the season thus far.
Colts (2-3) at Titans (1-3)
Two questions hover above Indianapolis: Can Joe Flacco realistically produce another age-defying performance, after throwing for 359 yards with no turnovers and nearly engineering a 14-point comeback in Jacksonville? And should Flacco go back to the bench if starter Anthony Richardson returns from an injury?
The Titans have their own quarterback issue: If starter Will Levis returns from his own injury, can he stop turning the ball over? His six interceptions are tied for an NFL-high — with Richardson.
Buccaneers (3-2) at New Orleans (2-3)
With Derek Carr injured in Monday’s loss at Kansas City, the Saints are hoping new quarterback Spencer Rattler can revive an offense that averaged 45.5 points during a 2-0 start, but only 16.3 since in three consecutive losses. No pressure, rook. Tampa’s first priority this week was seeking safety in New Orleans when it relocated ahead of Hurricane Milton’s arrival. When its focus turns to football, the Saints’ defense will need to be better at shutting down the run, after currently allowing 4.9 yards per carry.
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Browns (1-4) and Eagles (2-2)
These are two teams desperate to show progress offensively. Cleveland is the only team to have scored 18 points or fewer in each game this season, yet has stayed resolute that Deshaun Watson will remain the Browns’ starter despite league-low production. For the Eagles, it’s a good sign that wide receivers Devonta Smith and A.J. Brown appear close to returning from injuries.
Steelers (3-2) at Raiders (2-3)
Aidan O’Connell is the Raiders’ quarterback going forward after Las Vegas benched Gardner Minshew last week, and receiver Davante Adams, the subject of trade talks, isn’t expected to step on the field. Could change also be coming for Pittsburgh?
QB Justin Fields is dynamic but wasn’t consistent in consecutive losses, both by just 3 points. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson practiced fully Wednesday for the first time since injuring his calf a month ago.
Bengals (1-4) at Giants (2-3)
With four losses by a combined 15 points, are the Bengals snakebitten or just not good enough to win close games? If they can’t find defensive answers — they’re allowing 34.4 points per game their last three weeks — their already slim playoff odds likely become insurmountable.
For that matter, the Giants face questions of their own about their readiness for the spotlight. Since 2017, the Giants have lost 10 of their last 11 prime-time games at home. Watch how effectively Cincinnati protects Joe Burrow against a Giants defense with a league-high 22 sacks.
Bills (3-2) at Jets (2-3)
From a purely football perspective, this game lacks the appeal of, say, the Ravens-Commanders or Lions-Cowboys. But with Buffalo skidding to consecutive losses, Josh Allen not looking like his usual self, and the Jets being only days removed from firing coach Robert Saleh — complete with Aaron Rodgers saying he “resents” the suggestion that he got the coach fired — few matchups could be juicier. The winner will be able to stave off frustration for a week, while the loser’s free-fall will continue.
Jaguars vs. Bears (in London at 9:30 a.m. ET)
The Jaguars are in their second home (London) to face a Bears team that’s on an upswing. Chicago has won two in a row, albeit against teams (the Panthers and Rams) that haven’t been very good so far this season. Jacksonville is also coming off its lone win of the year.
After throwing for no touchdowns and two interceptions in the first two weeks of the season, Caleb Williams has thrown five touchdowns and two interceptions in the last three.
Cardinals (2-3) at Packers (3-2)
Both the Cardinals and Packers are coming off nice victories in Week 5. Green Bay bounced back in a win over Los Angeles, their first of the season with Jordan Love starting at quarterback. Arizona upset the 49ers in San Francisco to move within a game of the NFC West lead. Can Love play a clean game? He has five interceptions in three games so far this year.
Texans (4-1) at Patriots (1-4)
The Texans had one of the best wins of the week last Sunday, handing the Bills their second-straight loss. Meanwhile, the Patriots were so ineffective in a loss to the Dolphins that they’re finally making a switch at QB to rookie Drake Maye. It’s going to be a tough challenge for Maye, who will be playing behind an iffy offensive line against a Houston defense that’s eighth in the NFL in sacks.
Chargers (2-3) at Broncos (3-2)
Break up the Broncos! Denver has won three straight, including two impressive road upsets in Tampa Bay and New York. After throwing four interceptions in the first two weeks of the season, Bo Nix hasn’t thrown any in the last three. He’s also coming off the best game of his short career so far, throwing for two scores and running for another in a win over the Raiders. The Chargers had a bye last week after dropping two straight. And quarterback Justin Herbert was still limited in practice this week with an ankle injury.
Falcons (3-2) at Panthers (1-4)
The Falcons stunned the Buccaneers on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 5, and now face a Panthers team whose new-quarterback magic has seemingly worn off. Carolina has lost two in a row after winning its first game with Andy Dalton at the helm. Kirk Cousins, meanwhile, is fifth in passing yards per game despite a slow start for Atlanta’s offense.
Lions (3-1) at Cowboys (3-2)
This should be one of the best games of the week. Dak Prescott and the Cowboys salvaged a win in Pittsburgh a week ago, surviving a sloppy game thanks to a game-winning drive by Prescott. The Lions are 3-1 after a bye in Week 5.
Both offenses should be potent in this one. The Cowboys are still 10th-worst in the league in points allowed per game even after giving up only 32 combined in the last two weeks. The Lions are conceding 349.0 yards per game, 11th-worst in the NFL.
