MONDAY NIGHT
Buffalo at Atlanta (+4.5), o/u 50.0 – Monday, 7:15 p.m. EDT
The Bills got sloppy last week, and it cost them their first loss of the year. Buffalo came into the game having committed only one turnover in four games, but three giveaways led to 10 points for New England, and that was that. Josh Allen is still having another MVP-caliber season, throwing multiple TD passes in four of five games with a career-best 70.4 percent completion rate and 8.0 YPA, but it's been Dalton Kincaid rather than one of the wideouts who's been the biggest beneficiary. The third -year tight end already has a career-high three touchdowns, and he's coming off his first career 100-yard receiving game. James Cook has also been worth every penny of the contract he held out for, and he's just 30 yards back of Jonathan Taylor in the early race for the rushing crown. There still appears to be very little standing in the way of the Bills' sixth straight AFC East title, especially once Ed Oliver gets healthy to bolster the run defense.
The Falcons have had a weird start to the season, beating the Vikings and Commanders but getting shut out by the Panthers. Michael Penix remains a work in progress, but the offense runs through Bijan Robinson, and the defense appears to be up to Raheem Morris' standards, sitting fourth in yards per play allowed and QB rating against. It's the perfect time to let a young QB learn the ropes. Despite coming out of a bye though, Atlanta's secondary is dealing with a number of injuries – A.J. Terrell's missed two straight games – which figures to be a bigger issue against Allen than it was against Marcus Mariota or a hobbled J.J. McCarthy. The team does seem pointed in the right direction, which is a big deal for a franchise that hasn't made the playoffs since 2017, and a remaining schedule that contains only a few land mines after this one could set them up to end that drought.
Key Info
BUF injury report: WR Curtis Samuel (questionable, neck), TE Dalton Kincaid (questionable, oblique), K Tyler Bass (IR, hip), DT Ed Oliver (questionable, ankle), LB Matt Milano (questionable, pectoral), CB Maxwell Hairston (IR, knee)
ATL injury report: WR Darnell Mooney (questionable, hamstring), RT Kaleb McGary (IR, leg), CB A.J. Terrell (questionable, hamstring), CB Billy Bowman (questionable, knee), S Xavier Watts (questionable, ankle), S Jordan Fuller (IR, knee)
Slight lean: WR Khalil Shakir (ATL 16th in DVOA vs. WR1)
Strong lean: RB Bijan Robinson (BUF 30th in rushing DVOA, 30th in YPC allowed, 28th in rushing yards per game allowed)
Strong fade: QB Josh Allen (ATL first in passing DVOA, fourth in QB rating against, first in passing yards allowed)
Slight fade: TE Kyle Pitts (BUF second in receptions allowed, second in receiving yards allowed, t-third in TDs allowed to TEs)
NFL weather report: indoors
The Scoop: Cook strikes for 110 yards and two touchdowns. Allen throws for 250 yards and a score to Shakir while also running in a TD of his own. Robinson responds with 100 combined yards and a touchdown. Penix throws for under 200 yards and a score to Drake London. Bills 31-20
Chicago (+4.5) at Washington, o/u 49.5 – Monday, 8:15 p.m. EDT
After dropping the first two games of Ben Johnson's tenure as head coach to the Vikings and Lions, the Bears took advantage of softer opposition to win the next two (mainly because of eight combined giveaways by the Cowboys and Raiders), before the new coach got a bye to reassess things. The Chicago offense definitely isn't the well-oiled machine Johnson oversaw in Detroit. Caleb Williams is better than he was as a rookie, but his 62.3 percent completion rate and 7.1 YPA still aren't anywhere near elite. D'Andre Swift is also reminding Johnson why he had the Lions get rid of him, stumbling to a career-low 3.3 YPC that could be opening the door for rookie Kyle Monangai to move into a bigger role as a discount David Montgomery. The bright spot on that side of the ball has been the emergence of Rome Odunze, who's gotten into the end zone in every game and gives Williams a true go-to downfield option. DC Dennis Allen's defense has remained incredibly vulnerable on the ground, and I'm not sure getting Grady Jarrett back will make much difference for this unit. Unless other teams keep deciding to gift the Bears a bunch of extra possessions, it could be a long year.
All of a sudden, the Commanders might have visions of something other than a wild-card berth dancing in their heads. The Eagles' issue finally caught up to them against the Broncos last week (and, incredibly, against the Giants on Thursday), giving their NFC East rivals a path to the top of the division. Washington will need Jayden Daniels to stay healthy if they're going to take advantage, though. Daniels is playing with a brace on his knee, but he didn't need to test it too much in Week 5 as rookie RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt broke out for 150 scrimmage yards and two TDs against the Bolts. JCM (or BCM I guess, as he prefers to be called Bill) could be looking at a heavy workload again Monday, as the Commanders' wideout room looks more like a triage ward. Terry McLaurin may not play, Deebo Samuel probably will but may not be 100 percent, and Noah Brown hasn't been in the lineup since Week 2. Luke McCaffrey's seized the available snaps to post a 6-127-2 line on eight targets over the last three contests, and after catching a 50-yard heave from Daniels last week, he may have earned enough trust from his regular QB to secure a more consistent role.
Key Info
CHI injury report: TE Colston Loveland (questionable, hip), RT Darnell Wright (questionable, elbow), DT Grady Jarrett (questionable, knee), CB Jaylon Johnson (IR, groin), CB Kyler Gordon (questionable, hamstring)
WAS injury report: RB Austin Ekeler (IR, Achilles), RB Chris Rodriguez (questionable, calf), WR Terry McLaurin (questionable, quadriceps), WR Deebo Samuel (questionable, heel), WR Noah Brown (questionable, groin), RG Sam Cosmi (PUP, knee), EDGE Deatrich Wise (IR, quadriceps), S Will Harris (IR, lower leg)
Strong lean: WR DJ Moore (WAS 32nd in DVOA vs. WR2)
Strong lean: RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt (CHI 28th in rushing DVOA, 32nd in YPC allowed, 31st in rushing yards per game allowed, 31st in passing DVOA vs. RB)
Slight fade: WR Olamide Zaccheaus (WAS 13th in DVOA vs. WR3)
Strong fade: WR Deebo Samuel (CHI first in DVOA vs. WR1)
NFL weather report: 10-15 mph wind, 10-20 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Swift ekes out 50 yards, while Monangai adds 40. Williams throws for 220 yards and two scores, hitting Moore and Odunze. BCM doesn't slow down, racking up 120 yards and two more touchdowns. Daniels throws for 240 yards and a TD to Zach Ertz while also running in a score of his own, as the two Monday night games finish with exactly the same score. Commanders 31-20
SUNDAY A.M.
Denver vs. N.Y. Jets (+7.5) at London, o/u 43.5
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. EDT
Last week's upset of the reigning champs pushed the Broncos to 3-2, tied with the Chargers atop the suddenly very winnable AFC West, with Kansas City at 2-3. The secret to Denver's success so far has been whether the defense plays up to expectations. The team's 3-0 when holding the opposition to 17 points or fewer, and no more than about 300 yards. The offense has been steady enough to take advantage of the defense's good days, and while the Broncos have yet to score 30 points in a game, they also haven't fallen below 20 yet in 2025. J.K. Dobbins has been healthy and mostly rendered second-round rookie RJ Harvey as an afterthought, with the veteran RB punching in a touchdown in four of five games while averaging 5.2 yards per carry. Harvey has been more involved as a pass-catcher, posting a 10-72-1 line on 11 targets over the last three weeks, but he may need another blowout like the one against Cincy to get meaningful volume on the ground. Courtland Sutton remains the only reliable wideout for the squad, but Evan Engram is beginning to build some chemistry with Bo Nix and could emerge as the young signal-caller's No. 2 target, ahead of the likes of Marvin Mims and Troy Franklin. Meanwhile, the defense leads the NFL in sacks and is already five clear of second-place Detroit in that category, while also pacing the league in pressures and QB knockdowns.
That's bad news for Justin Fields, who just watched the Jets' offensive line do remarkable impressions of turnstiles against the Cowboys. Despite his mobility, or maybe because of his reliance on it, Fields is eighth in sack rate and sixth in yards lost to sacks, and he's played one fewer game than most of the guys ahead of him on those lists. Gang Green is the only winless team left in the NFL, and while three of those defeats were by a single score, it's hard to call them unlucky. For all its talent, the defense has zero takeaways against the team's overall eight giveaways, the worst ratio in the league, and only the reeling Ravens have given up more points per game. Fields, Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson are doing what they can, and rookie TE Mason Taylor has an impressive 18-150-0 line on 25 targets over the last three contests, but that's not enough weapons to climb out of the holes the banged-up defense is digging. (Last year's Bills didn't have enough weapons, really – they only averaged 30.9 PPG, and this year's Jets are coughing up 31.4 PPG.)
Key Info
DEN injury report: LG Ben Powers (out, biceps), LB Dre Greenlaw (IR, quadriceps)
NYJ injury report: RB Braelon Allen (IR, knee), RG Alijah Vera-Tucker (IR, triceps), EDGE Quincy Williams (IR, shoulder), CB Michael Carter (out, concussion)
Strong lean: QB Bo Nix (NYJ 32nd in passing DVOA, t-28th in passing TDs allowed)
Slight lean: RB Breece Hall (DEN 27th in receiving yards allowed to RBs)
Slight fade: RB RJ Harvey (NYJ second in receptions allowed, second in receiving yards allowed to RBs)
Slight fade: WR Garrett Wilson (DEN eighth in DVOA vs. WR1)
NFL weather report: 20-30 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Dobbins rumbles for 80 yards and a score. Nix throws for 220 yards and TDs to Sutton and Engram. Hall pops for 120 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. Fields throws for under 200 yards but does find Josh Reynolds for a score. Broncos 24-17
EARLY SUNDAY
L.A. Rams at Baltimore (+7.5), o/u 44.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
Well, at least the offense mostly showed up last Thursday. The Rams' offense produced 456 yards in an OT loss, led as usual by Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams and Puka Nacua, but the defense took an undermanned Niners squad too lightly and dug a 14-0 hole to begin the game which Stafford and company couldn't quite climb out of. DC Chris Shula's unit came out of the loss banged up, and a few extra days to heal up might not be enough for starting LBs Nate Landman and Omar Speights, but it also failed to produce a takeaway for the first time this season, and also coughed up over 400 yards of offense for the first time, against San Francisco. The NFC West remains wide open, and the Rams' schedule gets a little easier after their Week 8 bye, but they have a few things to sort out before they'll b viewed as a true contender.
The Ravens would love to get to a point where they have only a few things to sort out. A 1-4 start is both shocking based on preseason expectations, and entirely predictable given how they've actually been playing. Not having Lamar Jackson under center led to a blowout loss to the Texans, but even a healthy Jackson has had trouble keeping up with the pinball numbers the defense has been coughing up. Baltimore's conceded at least 37 points in all four losses while averaging 430.5 yards allowed, and the one "good" game DC Zach Orr's unit put together came against a Browns offense with Joe Flacco and QB, and with Quinshon Judkins not yet up to speed. Things may not go so well in the Week 11 rematch. This is the second straight year Orr's defense has had a bad start to the campaign, and while injuries have played a part and they did get their act together in the second half of 2024, it may be time for John Harbaugh to look for a new coordinator. Jackson had yet to return to practice as of Thursday, and if Cooper Rush is under center again, hopefully he won't throw three picks again. The potentially windy and rainy weather Sunday may be the best thing Baltimore has going for it – Derrick Henry hasn't seen more than 15 carries in a game since Week 1 despite the fact that he's still averaging 5.0 yard per carry on the year, and being forced to feed him the ball might be the reset the offense needs to get back to playing Ravens football.
Key Info
LAR injury report: RT Rob Havenstein (doubtful, ankle), CB Ahkello Witherspoon (IR, collarbone)
BAL injury report: QB Lamar Jackson (out, hamstring), WR Zay Flowers (questionable, shoulder), RG Emery Jones (NFI, shoulder), EDGE Nnamdi Madubuike (IR, neck), LB Roquan Smith (out, hamstring), CB Chidobe Awuzie (out, hamstring)
Slight lean: RB Kyren Williams (BAL 29th in rushing DVOA, 29th in rushing yards allowed, t-29th in rushing TDs allowed to RBs)
Slight lean: WR Rashod Bateman (LAR 28th in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight fade: WR Jordan Whittington (BAL 12th in DVOA vs. WR3)
Slight fade: RB Justice Hill (LAR second in passing DVOA vs. RB)
NFL weather report: 10-20 mph wind, 20-30 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Williams jets for 120 scrimmage yards and another two TDs. Stafford throws for 230 yards and a touchdown to Nacua. Henry responds with 90 yards and a score. Rush starts and throws for under 200 yards, but he does find Isaiah Likely for a TD. Rams 27-17
Dallas at Carolina (+3), o/u 49.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
The 'Dak for MVP' chatter is overblown, but he has had a remarkable start to the season considering that the Cowboys' Wall of Tylers offensive line has been gutted by injuries, and the team's defense basically spots the other team a couple scores. George Pickens has handled top wideout duties well in place of a banged-up CeeDee Lamb, Jake Ferguson has been a volume sponge even if his 4.0 aDOT indicates just how little he's asked to stretch the field, and Javonte Williams has stayed healthy and is somehow on pace for a career-best season while working behind that same patchwork collection of blockers. The real MVP in Dallas so far has been offensive line coach Conor Riley, to be honest. Despite Prescott's numbers, his team still hasn't beaten anyone better than the Jets and Giants – i.e. the two franchises with the fewest wins in the NFL over the last 10 years – but who knows, maybe a second-half surge is on the table once the defense gets healthier and can start aspiring to mediocrity.
No team has had bigger swings to begin the year than the Panthers. Losses of 16 points to the Jags and 29 points to the Pats are countered by a 30-0 rout of the Falcons, plus a couple one-score games (one win, one loss) to keep folks on their toes. Jacksonville looks legit and New England has been feisty, but Carolina doesn't face a true heavyweight until Week 8 against Buffalo, so Dave Canales' crew still has time to bank a couple more victories and get above .500 before the road gets really bumpy. Last week's squeaker over the Dolphins came with Chub Hubbard sidelined, but no worries – former Cowboy Rico Dowdle erupted for a career-best performance in his place, setting the fifth-year back up for a true revenge game. The Panthers' chances will really depend on the inconsistent arm of Bryce Young, though. He's thrown for under 200 yards in four of five games with a shaky 7:4 TD:INT and brutal 5.5 YPA, but this Dallas secondary made Russell Wilson look 10 years younger and handed Caleb Williams the best game of his brief career on a platter, so there's no reason they can't do the same for the guy picked first overall the year before Williams was. Young might even get Jalen Coker back to join Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette as downfield threats.
Key Info
DAL injury report: WR CeeDee Lamb (out, ankle), WR KaVontae Turpin (out, foot), LG Tyler Smith (questionable, knee), C Cooper Beebe (IR, ankle), RG Tyler Booker (out, ankle), EDGE Marshawn Kneeland (questionable, ankle), LB DeMarvion Overshown (PUP, knee), CB DaRon Bland (questionable, shoulder), CB Trevon Diggs (questionable, knee), S Malik Hooker (IR, toe)
CAR injury report: RB Chuba Hubbard (out, calf), WR Jalen Coker (IR, quadriceps), C Austin Corbett (IR, knee), RG Robert Hunt (IR, biceps), RT Taylor Moton (out, elbow)
Strong lean: TE Jake Ferguson (CAR 32nd in DVOA vs. TE, 32nd in receiving yards allowed to TEs)
Strong lean: QB Bryce Young (DAL 32nd in passing DVOA, 32nd in passing yards allowed, 31st in passing TDs allowed, 27th in rushing yards allowed to QBs)
Strong lean: WR Hunter Renfrow / Jalen Coker (DAL 32nd in DVOA vs. WR3)
Slight fade: WR Jalen Tolbert (CAR fifth in DVOA vs. WR2)
No fades for CAR. The DAL defense has been bad at everything so far this season
NFL weather report: 10-15 mph wind, 1-10 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Williams churns out 90 yards and a score. Prescott throws for 290 yards and two TDs, one each to Pickens and Ferguson. Dowdle falls back to earth but still racks up 80 yards and a touchdown. Young throws for 240 yards and two scores to McMillan and a returning Coker, but he also throws a pick and loses a fumble, both of which lead directly to DAL points. Cowboys 30-24
Arizona (+7) at Indianapolis, o/u 47.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
Three straight losses have dropped the Cards into the NFC West basement, something compounded by the fact that two of those defeats came at the hands of the 49ers and Seahawks. As for the third, well... there are bad bounces and bad beats, and then there are Bad Beat Bounces, a play that came in the same game that this happened. The three setbacks were by a combined five points, while Arizona's two wins were also one-score affairs. It feels like they're trying to ice skate uphill for the most part though – last week's 360 yards of offense against the Titans were the first time they'd hit for three bills, while the defense has coughed up more than 300 every week. The backfield is down to Demercado and his loose definition of "breaking the plane" and a couple Jets castoffs, and Kyler Murray picked up a foot injury last Sunday, although he was able to play through it. That Week 8 bye can't come soon enough.
The Colts bounced back from a tough Week 4 loss against the Rams to crush the Raiders, a rout so thorough Indy was able to give Ameer Abdullah a revenge touchdown in the third quarter because Jonathan Taylor already had a couple. Daniel Jones continues to look like like year's Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield, coming off the scrap heap to post a 71.3 percent completion rate and 8.6 YPA with nine total touchdowns against only two giveaways. The Colts defense has been average at best, but when the offense is putting up 40-plus every other week, average will do just fine.
Key Info
ARI injury report: QB Kyler Murray (questionable, foot), RB James Conner (IR, foot), RB Trey Benson (IR, knee), WR Zay Jones (questionable, knee), EDGE Darius Robinson (out, pectoral), LB Mack Wilson (questionable, ankle), CB Sean Murphy-Bunting (NFI, knee), CB Max Melton (questionable, hamstring)
IND injury report: K Spencer Shrader (IR, knee), CB Kenny Moore (out, Achilles)
Slight lean: WR Michael Wilson (IND 30th in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight lean: WR Josh Downs (ARI 27th in DVOA vs. WR3)
Strong fade: WR Marvin Harrison (IND third in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight fade: WR Alec Pierce (ARI eighth in DVOA vs. WR2)
NFL weather report: indoors
The Scoop: Michael Carter leads the ARI backfield with 60 yards. Murray plays and throws for under 200 yards with a touchdown to Wilson. Taylor thunders for 140 combined yards and two TDs. Jones throws for 250 yards and two scores, both to Michael Pittman, but he also has a brief regression to his Giants days with a pick-six to Kei'Trel Clark. Colts 31-20
Seattle (+1) at Jacksonville, o/u 47.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
You can take the player out of the Jets, but sometimes you can't take the Jets out of the player. Sam Darnold's monster performance last week was undone by an unlucky bounce off the top of a defender's helmet in the final minute of a tied game, leading to a Lavonte David INT and a game-winning field goal for the Bucs. The Seahawks are still 3-2 with their new QB, sporting a plus-41 point differential that's tops in the NFC West and second in the conference behind the Lions. Giveaways remain Seattle's biggest issue – only the Bengals, Raiders and Vikings have coughed up the ball more often through five weeks – but the offense can otherwise move the ball and pile up points, and the defense can stuff the run and get after the quarterback, which is a strong combination. We're a long way from the finish line, but the Seahawks look like a playoff team, and one that could make some noise once they get there.
At 4-1, the Jaguars are tied for the best record in the AFC with the Bills and Colts, and they keep rising to the occasion as the difficulty level on their schedule ratchets up. Beating the Panthers and Texans is one thing, and even taking down a banged-up Niners squad isn't as impressive as it could be. Going toe to toe with Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City and coming out on top? That makes a statement. Trevor Lawrence is still struggling to get comfortable in Liam Coen's scheme, but he made up for his inability to move the ball consistently through the air with a couple rushing TDs last week, and a 99-yard INT return to the house by Devil Lloyd didn't hurt either. In fact, you can make an argument that the Jags have underperformed so far, as Lawrence, Brian Thomas and Travis Hunter have all been relative disappointments so far. If the passing game gets in sync in the second half, look out.
Key Info
SEA injury report: LB Ernest Jones (questionable, shoulder), CB Devon Witherspoon (questionable, knee), CB Riq Woolen (questionable, concussion), S Julian Love (questionable, hamstring)
JAC injury report: RB Bhayshul Tuten (questionable, shoulder), WR Dyami Brown (questionable, shoulder), TE Brenton Strange (IR, quadriceps), LG Ezra Cleveland (questionable, ankle), C Robert Hainsey (questionable, hamstring), RG Patrick Mekari (questionable, knee), RT Anton Harrison (questionable, elbow), EDGE Travon Walker (questionable, wrist), S Eric Murray (questionable, neck)
Slight lean: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (JAC 32nd in receptions and receiving yards per game allowed to WR1)
Slight lean: RB Travis Etienne (SEA 25th in passing DVOA vs. RB, 32nd in receptions, 31st in receiving yards allowed to RBs)
Strong fade: WR Cooper Kupp (JAC second in DVOA vs. WR2)
Strong fade: WR Brian Thomas (SEA first in DVOA vs. WR1)
NFL weather report: 8-10 mph wind, 5-15 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Kenneth Walker puts together 70 yards and a TD. Darnold throws for 260 yards and two scores, connecting with JSN (who tops 100 yards) and AJ Barner. Travis Etienne bangs out 130 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Lawrence throws for 210 yards and a second TD to Hunter, but Thomas loses a fumble that Coby Bryant returns for a score. Seahawks 28-27
L.A. Chargers at Miami (+4), o/u 43.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
The Bolts are still 3-2 and have wins over KC and Denver for tiebreaker purposes if the AFC West is a photo finish, but it feels like their season might be slipping away. They were 3-0, then they blew it against the Giants, and then Omarion Hampton joined Najee Harris on the shelf as they got humbled by the Commanders. Hampton should be back in November, but the reliance on Justin Herbert to keep the offense humming gets more and more risky with three starting-caliber offensive tackles also sidelined. Herbert's been sacked 16 times, tied for third-most in the league behind Cam Ward and Drake Maye, and he's tossed four INTs in the last three games. The Bolts may need Derwin James and the defense to come up huge the next few weeks until the roster gets healthier.
That's a lot more optimism than Dolphins fans probably have right now. The team has coughed up over 400 yards of offense in back-to-back weeks, and they were playing the Jets and the Panthers. Tyreek Hill's done for the year, Tua Tagovailoa was struggling to stretch the field even when Hill was healthy, and De'Von Achane can't get much going on the ground. It would be one thing if the offense could overcome the drag from the defense, but Miami's in the bottom 12 in points per game and yards per play. (Weirdly, the Dolphins are second in both third-down and red-zone efficiency; they just aren't getting a lot of chances to show it.) This is Mike McDaniel's fourth season in charge, and it's increasingly looking like it will be his last.
Key Info
LAC injury report: RB Omarion Hampton (IR, ankle), RB Najee Harris (IR, Achilles), WR Quentin Johnston (questionable, hamstring), LT Rashawn Slater (IR, knee), LT Joe Alt (out, ankle), RT Trey Pipkins (out, knee), EDGE Khalil Mack (IR, elbow), LB Denzel Perryman (IR, ankle)
MIA injury report: WR Tyreek Hill (IR, knee), LG Liam Eichenberg (PUP, undisclosed), C Aaron Brewer (questionable, pectoral), RT Austin Jackson (IR, toe), K Jason Sanders (IR, hip), LB Tyrel Dodson (out, concussion), CB Storm Duck (questionable, ankle), CB Kader Kohou (IR, knee)
Slight lean: WR Ladd McConkey (MIA 31st in DVOA vs. WR3)
Slight lean: WR Jaylen Waddle (LAC 19th in DVOA, 27th in receiving yards allowed to WR1)
Slight fade: WR Keenan Allen (MIA first in receptions and receiving yards allowed to WR2)
Strong fade: WR Malik Washington (LAC first in DVOA vs. WR2)
NFL weather report: 30-40 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Kimani Vidal leads the LAC backfield with 60 yards and a score, while Hassan Haskins adds 60 scrimmage yards. Herbert throws for 230 yards and two touchdowns, one each to McConkey and Keenan Allen. Achane puts together 60 yards. Tagovailoa throws for 220 yards and two TDs, both to Waddle. Chargers 24-23
Cleveland (+5.5) at Pittsburgh, o/u 38.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
Shockingly, switching from Joe Flacco to 2025 third-round pick Dillon Gabriel at quarterback didn't do much to change the Browns' fortunes. The offense at least didn't get worse – Cleveland avoided committing a turnover last week for the first time this season, and the team tied its season high in points with a whopping 17 – but they still lost to the Vikings in London, and now don't even get the benefit of a bye before flying back to pay a visit to their personal house of horrors a few weeks before Halloween. Flacco got dumped on the Bengals (and while dealing a QB to a division rival seems like the ultimate setup for a revenge game, the two teams don't see each other again until Week 18, and Joe Burrow should be back by then for Cincy), so this is Gabriel's show for now, although Shedeur Sanders will probably get his kick at the can at some point. No matter who's under center though, this has very quickly become Quinshon Judkins' offense. Over the last three weeks, the rookie's racked up 286 rushing yards and two TDs with a 4.6 YPC while showing a little upside as a pass-catcher as well. Kevin Stefanski at least has his replacement for Nick Chubb in place, and the defense remains good with occasional flashes of great, but without a functioning passing game, it's hard to see the Browns going anywhere but back to the top of the 2026 Draft.
The Steelers are coming off a bye, but it's not like they need additional advantages when facing the Browns on their home turf. At 3-1, Pittsburgh isn't just atop the AFC North, they're the only team in the division above .500 as everyone around them has collapsed into chaos and ruin. All they have to do is be competent the rest of the way, and they can probably cruise to their usual one-and-done in the playoffs. Aaron Rodgers has looked like a spry 35-year-old, posting a 68.5 percent completion rate, 7.3 YPA and 8:3 TD:INT through four games, and DK Metcalf is slowly developing into his go-to receiver, catching a TD pass in three straight despite not seeing more than seven targets in a game yet. If he begins to get the kind of volume Davante Adams used to, look out. The Steelers defense is second in takeaways and tied for fifth in sacks, making up for average (at best) numbers elsewhere with splash plays, but that's more than enough in what's suddenly looking like it might be the worst division in the league.
Key Info
CLE injury report: WR Cedric Tillman (IR, hamstring), LT Dawand Jones (IR, knee), LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (PUP, neck)
PIT injury report: WR Calvin Austin (out, shoulder), CB Jalen Ramsey (questionable, hamstring)
Slight lean: WR Jerry Jeudy (PIT 27th in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight lean: WR DK Metcalf (CLE 29th in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight fade: WR Isaiah Bond (PIT fourth in DVOA vs. WR2)
Strong fade: RB Jaylen Warren (CLE second in rushing DVOA, first in YPC allowed, first in rushing yards allowed per game)
NFL weather report: 1-10 percent chance of rain
Head-to-head record, last five years including playoffs: 6-5 PIT, average score 24-20 PIT, average margin of victory nine points. PIT has won an incredible 21 straight regular-season meetings at Acrisure Stadium, which makes it all the more baffling that CLE let Baker Mayfield get away after he led the team to a 48-37 road win in this rivalry during the wild-card round of the 2020 season
The Scoop: Judkins picks up 80 combined yards and a TD. Gabriel throws for under 200 yards, gets picked off twice – one of which is a pick-six by Patrick Queen – and sacked four times. Warren ekes out 50 yards. Rodgers throws for 230 yards and two touchdowns, finding Metcalf and Roman Wilson. Steelers 21-10
New England at New Orleans (+3.5), o/u 46.0
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
The Patriots announced that they might be ready to make some noise again after last week's upset of the Bills. It was a very Mike Vrabel sort of win – Rhamondre Stevenson punched in a couple short TDs, they won the turnover battle, and Drake Maye engineered a game-winning FG drive in the final two minutes. In fact, other than that weird Week 3 game against the Steelers when the ball seemed to be coated in grease, the Pats have only turned the ball over twice all year, while the defense has a respectable six takeaways. Maye's taken a big step forward as a sophomore, producing a 73.9 percent completion rate and 8.2 YPA so far with nine total TDs against three giveaways, and it's getting close to the time when start talking about how Vrabel's conservative game plan is holding him back. The one non-Vrabel aspect of the team is the running game. Stevenson remains at the top of the depth chart despite losing three fumbles already and managing just a 3.7 YPC, but only because rookie TreVeyon Henderson doesn't seem to want the job. The kid who looked so dynamic in college and the preseason has a 3.8 YPC and doesn't yet have a gain of 20-plus yards in the NFL. Considering that Maye has also been sacked more than any QB except Cam Ward, expect some extremely heavy investment in the offensive line next offseason.
Kellen Moore got his first win as a head coach last week, and all he needed to do was face a Giants defense he had plenty of experience kicking around from his days as the Cowboys and Eagles OC. Spencer Rattler continues to do just enough to keep his starting job – he's only committed one turnover with a 67.2 percent completion rate, and his poor 5.6 YPA will improve in a hurry if he keeps finding Rashid Shaheed running around loose in the secondary. Not every defense will be as generous as New York's, though. For that matter, not every offense will be, either. The Saints have eight takeaways on the year, and five of them came against the Giants. Alvin Kamara picked up an ankle injury in the win, but he seems able to play through it, and Taysom Hill returned last week into his usual versatile role. There isn't enough talent on the roster to be more than an annoyance for true contenders, but New Orleans can still be a good barometer for whether another team belongs in that category. The Cards only squeaked past the Saints by a single score, for instance, while the Seahawks and Bills put them away more easily.
Key Info
NE injury report: CB Christian Gonzalez (questionable, hamstring), S Jaylinn Hawkins (out, hamstring)
NO injury report: RB Alvin Kamara (questionable, ankle), CB Isaac Yiadom (out, hamstring)
Strong lean: WR Stefon Diggs (NO 32nd in DVOA vs. WR1)
Strong lean: WR Rashid Shaheed (NE 31st in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight fade: WR Kayshon Boutte (NO third in receptions per game allowed, fourth in receiving yards per game allowed to WR2)
Slight fade: RB Alvin Kamara / Kendre Miller (NE sixth in rushing DVOA, fourth in YPC allowed, fourth in rushing yards per game allowed, t-first in rushing TDs allowed)
NFL weather report: indoors
The Scoop: Henderson leads the NE backfield with 50 yards, and he makes his first big play by returning a kickoff to the house. Maye throws for 260 yards and a touchdown to Diggs, and he also runs in a TD. Kamara manages 60 yards. Rattler throws for 200 yards and two scores, finding Chris Olave and Juwan Johnson. Patriots 24-20
LATE SUNDAY
Tennessee (+4.5) at Las Vegas, o/u 41.5 – Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT
I already included the links in the Cards' writeup above to the ridiculously improbable plays that had to happen to get the Titans their first win of the year, but suffice it to say they should really still be 0-5. Cam Ward is doing his best, but he just doesn't look ready to carry the load he's being asked to carry. He's the most sacked QB in the NFL, and it's less because of a bad or injury-plagued offensive line – he's actually sixth in the league in average time to throw, per NextGen Stats – than it is he just hangs onto the ball too long trying to make something happen for his team. The offense will get Tyjae Spears back this week, and a more ground-oriented offense would take some pressure off the rookie signal-caller, but Tony Pollard wasn't doing poorly in the lead role. Brian Callahan's offense just isn't coming through when it counts, either because of Ward, the play-calling, or both. Tennessee is deal last in third-down efficiency, and no team has fewer red-zone touchdowns. Combined with a defense that can't stop the run, and you get... well, you get a 1-4 record and the second-worst point differential in the NFL at minus-68. (The Bengals are minus-71).
The Raiders are also 1-4, dropping four straight games after getting by the Pats in their opener, and only one of those four defeats was particularly close. The average score has been about 32-16, and the Commanders and Colts – not exactly preseason Super Bowl favorites – both ran them out of the building, quite literally in Washington's case. Geno Smith hasn't provided the offense with any stability, throwing multiple INTs in three of the four losses with an overall 6:9 TD:INT, but in his defense he hasn't had much to work with in terms of targets other than Jakobi Meyers, as Brock Bowers has been playing through a knee issue that Vegas finally decided was worth shutting him down completely. Ashton Jeanty has gotten going at least, topping 100 scrimmage yards in back-to-back games with a 5.9 YPC and three total TDs. The Raiders' defense isn't quite as bad as the Titans statistically, and that might be their main edge in this one, which is hilarious to say about a team in the bottom half of the league in yards per plays allowed and PPG allowed.
Key Info
TEN injury report: RT JC Latham (questionable, hip), K Joey Slye (out, calf), DT T'Vondre Sweat (IR, ankle), EDGE Arden Key (out, thigh)
LV injury report: TE Brock Bowers (out, knee), LT Kolton Miller (IR, ankle)
Slight lean: WR Chimere Dike (LV 23rd in DVOA vs. WR3)
Strong lean: RB Ashton Jeanty (TEN 31st in rushing DVOA, 28th in YPC allowed, 30th in rushing yards per game allowed, 32nd in rushing TDs allowed)
Slight fade: RB Tony Pollard (LV seventh in receiving yards allowed, t-first in receiving TDs allowed to RBs)
Slight fade: TE Michael Mayer (TEN 10th in DVOA vs. TE, eighth in receiving yards allowed, t-third in TDs allowed to TEs)
NFL weather report: indoors
The Scoop: Pollard leads the TEN backfield with 60 combined yards. Ward throws for under 200 yards but does find Dike for his first career TD. Jeanty puts together 90 yards and a score. Smith throws for under 200 yards as well, but he avoids turnovers and hits Meyers (not Mayer) for a touchdown. Raiders 17-10
San Francisco (+3) at Tampa Bay, o/u 47.5
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT
This one almost feels like a Week 18 game where both teams have nothing to play for and are resting their starters, or an NBA game where load management has run amok. The 49ers' injury woes don't seem to be getting better, but that hasn't stopped them from winning, as they roll into this one atop the NFC West at 4-1. Every game they've played in 2025 has been decided by five points or less, but you don't get more credit in the standings for big wins. Somehow, the Niners offense has topped 340 yards every week despite having more talent on IR than some teams have on the entire payroll, but that could really be put to the test here if third-string QB Adrian Martinez – an undrafted free agent back in 2023 out of Kansas State who has yet to take a snap in the NFL – is forced into action. If the offense keeps humming at that point, just give Christian McCaffrey the MVP and Kyle Shanahan the Coach of the Year Award right now.
The Bucs are also 4-1 and atop their division, but it means a little less when it's the NFC South. They too have yet to play a game decided by more than a single score, and they too come into Sunday down multiple key pieces, including Bucky Irving and the veteran wideout duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. In the latter case at least, Tampa Bay's already found a replacement, as Emeka Egbuka seems well on his way to the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. The Ohio State product has had immediate chemistry with Baker Mayfield, delivering a 25-445-5 line on 38 targets in five games, and he's coming off a monster performance against Seattle, catching all seven of his targets for 163 yards and a TD. Rachaad White was less successful filling in for Irving last week, but 71 scrimmage yards and two rushing touchdowns will at least keep his fantasy investors happy.
Key Info
SF injury report: QB Brock Purdy (out, toe), QB Mac Jones (questionable, knee/oblique), WR Jauan Jennings (questionable, ankle), WR Ricky Pearsall (out, knee), WR Brandon Aiyuk (PUP, knee), TE George Kittle (IR, hamstring), LG Ben Bartch (IR, ankle), EDGE Nick Bosa (IR, knee), CB Upton Stout (questionable, ankle), S Malik Mustapha (PUP, knee)
TB injury report: RB Bucky Irving (out, shoulder), WR Mike Evans (out, hamstring), WR Chris Godwin (out, lower leg), WR Jalen McMillan (IR, neck), RG Cody Mauch (IR, knee), RT Luke Goedeke (IR, foot), EDGE Calijah Kancey (IR, pectoral), CB Zyon McCollum (out, thumb), CB Benjamin Morrison (out, hamstring)
Slight lean: RB Christian McCaffrey (TB 28th in passing DVOA vs. RB, 30th in receiving yards allowed to RBs)
Slight lean: WR Sterling Shepard (SF 25th in DVOA vs. WR3)
Slight fade: WR Jauan Jennings, or Kendrick Bourne if Jennings doesn't play (TB sixth in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight fade: RB Rachaad White (SF eighth in rushing DVOA, t-first in rushing TDs allowed)
NFL weather report: 1-10 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: McCaffrey puts together 80 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Jones throws for 240 yards and a second score to Jake Tonges. White gains 60 yards. Mayfield throws for 310 yards and three TDs, two to Egbuka (who tops 100 yards) and one to Cade Otton, and a Demarcus Robinson fumble leads to a Jacob Parrish touchdown that proves to be the difference. Buccaneers 28-21
Cincinnati (+14) at Green Bay, o/u 44.5 – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT
To quote Mel Brooks, "Can't you see that's the last act of a desperate man?" (And to presumably paraphrase some Bengals fans in response, "We don't care if it's the first act of Henry V. We're leaving!") Trading for 40-year-old Joe Flacco to be your new starting QB sends a very clear signal that Zac Taylor thinks his job is on the line if Cincy doesn't turn things around, and fast. Flacco looked pretty much done in Cleveland, but then, he didn't have Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to throw to. The team's lost three straight games without Joe Burrow, and while the offense averaging 12.3 points a game has been a problem, allowing 37.7 a game during that span is a much bigger one. The Bengals are 27th in yards per play allowed, in the bottom 10 in QB rating against and pressure rate, and bottom five in third-down and red-zone efficiency allowed. Basically, the organizational focus on building up the offense at the expense of the defense has left them with only a couple impact players on that side of the ball, and Trey Hendrickson will be gone as soon as the season's over. Whoever the defensive-minded head coach is in 2026 will have a lot of work to do.
The Packers come out of their bye probably still trying to figure out how they didn't beat the Cowboys, or for that matter why they have to play the only QB to beat them this year again, only this time he's wearing a different uniform. You can't exactly ignore those two wonky results, but on paper this still looks like a Super Bowl contender, and the week off should allow Matt LaFleur to settle things down. Micah Parsons has made an impact with the pass rush, even if the sacks haven't come in bunches yet – Green Bay's sixth in pressure rate and third in QB knockdown rate, so the opposition is feeling the heat. Jordan Love's also been impressive, posting a career-best 69.4 percent completion rate and 8.3 YPA along with an 8:1 TD:INT, and while the rotating cast of downfield targets is still looking for an alpha, Matthew Golden seems to keep inching closer to a mini-breakout. If there's an issue on offense, it's Josh Jacobs' 3.3 YPC, a product of a banged-up offensive line as his 1,6 yards per carry before contact would be a career low. (As an aside, is it just me, or are there a lot more offensive line injuries this season? It seems like every other team is missing multiple guys, or at least has multiple starters playing through something). It may take Jacobs getting back on track for the Packers to start marching smoothly toward the playoffs.
Key Info
CIN injury report: QB Joe Burrow (IR, toe), WR Ja'Marr Chase (questionable, illness), LG Dylan Fairchild (questionable, knee), RG Lucas Patrick (IR, calf), EDGE Shemar Stewart (doubtful, ankle)
GB injury report: WR Jayden Reed (IR, collarbone), WR Christian Watson (PUP, knee), LT Rasheed Walker (questionable, quadriceps), LT Anthony Belton (out, ankle), LG Aaron Banks (questionable, groin), RT Zach Tom (questionable, oblique), K Brandon McManus (questionable, quadriceps), DT Devonte Wyatt (out, knee), CB Nate Hobbs (questionable, concussion)
Slight lean: WR Tee Higgins (GB 21st in DVOA vs. WR2)
Strong lean: WR Dontayvion Wicks (CIN 32nd in DVOA vs. WR3)
Strong fade: QB Joe Flacco (GB second in passing DVOA, first in YPA allowed)
Strong fade: WR Matthew Golden (CIN third in DVOA vs. WR2)
NFL weather report: 8-10 mph wind, 10-30 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Chase Brown is held to 40 yards. Flacco throws for under 200 yards, gets sacked five times and loses the ball twice. Jacobs rumbles for 130 scrimmage yards and two TDs. Love throws for 270 yards and two touchdowns, hitting Romeo Doubs and Tucker Kraft. Packers 31-9
SUNDAY NIGHT
Detroit (+2.5) at Kansas City, o/u 52.5 – Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EDT
The NFC North heads into Week 6 as the only division where no team is below .500, and the Lions lead the group at 4-1. They also lead the NFC in point differential at plus-62 (the Colts, somehow, lead the NFL at plus-74) and they've been a juggernaut since they had trouble getting out of the blocks in their opener, winning four straight by an average score of about 40-21. To be fair, wins over the Ravens and Bengals aren't as impressive as they looked on paper when the schedule came out, but taking advantage of vulnerable opponents is a lot better than playing down to their level. The offense hasn't missed a beat without Ben Johnson as OC. Jared Goff has found another gear, completing a stunning 75.2 percent of his passes while still maintaining an 8.2 YPA, while Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have combined for nine TDs during the win streak, in the process tying an NFL record for teammates by scoring in the same game 14 times. (It's a fun trivia question if you haven't heard it already, and one which I never would have gotten the answer to in a million years – the record was originally set by Emmitt Smith and his fullback, Daryl Johnson). Detroit has so many weapons, they still haven't been able to find a consistent role for rookie Isaac TeSlaa, even though all he does is make big plays – he has three NFL catches so far, and two of them have been touchdowns while the third went for a 29-yard gain.
Kansas City's offense continues to show signs of roaring to life, just as Rashee Rice is poised to make his season debut next week. Patrick Mahomes threw for over 300 yards for the first time in 2025 last week – over 400 if you count Devin Lloyd's touchdown – and the team piled up 476 yards of total offense, but it all went for naught when the defense couldn't find a way to keep Trevor Lawrence in the pocket when it mattered. Even at 2-3, though, it just feels like KC is biding its time. The running game remains the biggest weakness, although it's beginning to look frisky too – Kareem Hunt has three rushing TDs over the last three weeks, while Isiah Pacheco has a 4.8 YPA during that same period (and should probably be averaging more than 10 touches a game, really). With nobody pulling away in the AFC West, it may only be a matter of time before Andy Reid's crew reclaims their accustomed place atop the standings.
Key Info
DET injury report: WR Kalif Raymond (questionable, neck), LT Taylor Decker (questionable, shoulder), CB Terrion Arnold (out, shoulder), CB D.J. Reed (IR, hamstring), S Kerby Joseph (questionable, knee), S Brian Branch (questionable, ankle)
KC injury report: WR Rashee Rice (out, suspension)
Slight lean: WR Jameson Williams (KC 29th in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight lean: WR Hollywood Brown (DET 27th in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight fade: TE Sam LaPorta (KC fourth in DVOA vs. TE)
Slight fade: RB Isiah Pacheco (DET fourth in rushing DVOA, eighth in passing DVOA vs. RB)
NFL weather report: 10-15 mph wind, 10-20 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Gibbs pops for 110 scrimmage yards and two scores, one rushing and one receiving, while Montgomery churns out 90 yards and a TD. Goff throws for 290 yards and two more touchdowns, both to Williams, while Amon-Ra St. Brown tops 100 yards. Pacheco leads the KC backfield with 70 yards, while Hunt vultures a red-zone score. Mahomes throws for 250 yards and two TDs, hitting Xavier Worthy and Brown. Lions 35-27
THURSDAY NIGHT
Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants (+7.5), o/u 40.5
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT
I do love it when the NFL goes full chaos gremlin. After last week there are no undefeated teams left — the earliest that's happened in a season since 2014 — and the Eagles blowing a two-TD lead at home to the Broncos in the fourth quarter last week was a big part of that chaos. After weeks of complaints from A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, Nick Sirianni and OC Kevin Patullo let Jalen Hurts air it out a bit, and the QB turned his season-high volume into a season-high 280 yards while tossing multiple TDs for the third consecutive game. Smith enjoyed the extra attention (8-114-0 on 10 targets), but Brown remained stuck in neutral (5-43-0 on eight targets), and the team lost, so who knows if they'll keep that up. Philly's offensive approach this year seems to be to minimize mistakes and turnovers at all costs, but playing it extremely safe generally doesn't win Super Bowls, so you have to think at some point it will open things up more consistently. They may not need to do it this week, though. Even aside from the revenge game motivation for Saquon Barkley (last year's lone meeting with Big Blue resulted in 187 scrimmage yards and a rushing TD), the Giants have been bad against the run and have a beat-up linebacking corps, so a Saquon breakout could be coming. On the other hand, the offensive line still isn't quite in sync — Barkley's averaging just 1.8 yards before contact, less than league average and a massive drop from last year's 3.8. That, moreso than any performance decline following his huge 2024 workload, is what's fueling his disappointing start to the current campaign.
Well, the Jaxson Dart honeymoon didn't last long. After winning his first NFL start in Week 4, the Giants lost last week, giving the Saints their first win under Kellen Moore. To be fair to the rookie QB, he's working with the worst WR group in the NFL, and it got even weaker when Darius Slayton strained his hamstring. Dart instead focused his attention on tight ends Theo Johnson (two TDs) and Daniel Bellinger (season-best 4-52-0) last week, as well as running back Cam Skattebo, with Wan'Dale Robinson being the only Giant WR other than Slayton to catch more than one pass. Tyrone Tracy should be back Thursday to help with that short passing game, but Jalin Hyatt, undrafted rookie Beaux Collins and special-teams ace Gunner Olszewski are what passes for downfield threats on this roster, and Philly's defense has been extremely stingy against TEs. Dart could be in for a long night, though the Eagles' pass rush is another element of the team that isn't matching its 2024 performance yet.
Key Info
PHI injury report: LG Landon Dickerson (out, ankle), EDGE Jalen Carter (questionable, heel), LB Nakobe Dean (PUP, knee)
NYG injury report: WR Malik Nabers (IR, knee), WR Darius Slayton (out, hamstring), RT Jermaine Eluemunor (questionable, back), K Graham Gano (IR, groin), LB Micah McFadden (IR, foot)
Strong lean: RB Saquon Barkley (NYG 32nd in rushing DVOA, 29th in YPC allowed, t-27th in rushing TDs allowed to RBs)
Slight lean: RB Cam Skattebo (PHI 21st in rushing DVOA, 22nd in passing DVOA vs. RB, 25th in YPC allowed, 23rd in rushing yards allowed, 25th in receiving yards allowed to RBs)
Slight fade: WR A.J. Brown (NYG fourth in DVOA vs. WR1)
Strong fade: TE Theo Johnson (PHI second in DVOA vs. TE, third in receiving yards allowed, t-third in receiving TDs allowed to TEs)
NFL weather report: 1-10 percent chance of rain
Head-to-head record, last five years including playoffs: 8-3 PHI, average score 25-17 PHI, average margin of victory 15 points. All three NYG wins during that period have come at MetLife Stadium, but the two PHI victories have had a combined score of 76-25
The Scoop: Barkley busts out 130 combined yards and two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Hurts throws for 200 yards and a second TD to Smith. Skattebo does his best to answer back with 90 scrimmage yards and a score. Dart throws for less than 200 yards and a touchdown to Robinson but gets picked off twice. Eagles 24-14
Last week's record: 7-7, 9-5 ATS, 4-10 o/u
2025 record: 50-27-1 (.649), 41-35-2 ATS (.539), 30-47-1 o/u (.390)
