SUNDAY A.M.
L.A. Rams vs. Jacksonville (+3) in London, o/u 45.0
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. EDT
The NFC West remains an all-out brawl, with three teams at 4-2 and the Cardinals at 2-4 but with a better point differential than the 49ers (plus-3 to minus-3). The Rams took care of business last week against the beleaguered Ravens, but they actually had their worst performance of the season on offense, setting new lows in total yards (241), net passing yards (167) and first downs (15). Had they been facing Lamar Jackson instead of Cooper Rush, they would have been in trouble. Matthew Stafford's having an incredible season at 37 years old, but that could be put to the test with Puka Nacua tracking toward sitting this one out. Stafford would still have Davante Adams to throw to, and Kyren Williams in the backfield, but not having one of the top wideouts in the game on the field can only hurt. The defense may have to take the lead in this one, but Byron Young, Kamren Curl and company seem up to the task – DC Chris Shula's unit is third in yards per play allowed, third in points per game allowed, third for third in takeaways and tied for fourth in sacks.
The Jaguars are also 4-2, putting them one game back of the Colts in the AFC South. Jacksonville's also coming off its worst offensive showing of the year, as the Seahawks contained Travis Etienne and sacked Trevor Lawrence seven times, although the QB posted solid numbers despite the pressure. Lawrence may be getting the hang of Liam Coen's scheme – over the last three games he's produced six TDs (four passing, two rushing) against two turnovers (one INT, one fumble) with a 67.3 percent completion rate and 6.7 YPA while facing three quality opponents in San Francisco, Kansas City and Seattle. Brian Thomas has gotten back on track, posting a 17-219-1 line on 23 targets during that span, and the buy-low window on the second-year wideout has probably slammed shut. Travis Hunter is still looking for that one breakout performance, but the second overall pick in the 2025 Draft saw season highs in snaps on offense and routes run against the Seahawks, and he's still getting a healthy snap share on defense as a depth corner. There's a big game coming, although it might have to wait until after the Jags' Week 8 bye.
Key Info
LAR injury report: WR Puka Nacua (out, ankle), RT Rob Havenstein (out, ankle), CB Ahkello Witherspoon (IR, collarbone)
JAC injury report: TE Brenton Strange (IR, quadriceps), LB Devin Lloyd (out, calf)
Slight lean: TE Tyler Higbee (JAC 24th in DVOA vs. TE)
Slight lean: WR Brian Thomas (LAR 23rd in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight fade: WR Jordan Whittington (JAC third in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight fade: QB Trevor Lawrence (LAR fifth in passing DVOA, t-fifth in passing TDs allowed)
NFL weather report: 90-99 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Williams pockets 90 scrimmage yards and a TD. Stafford throws for 230 yards and two touchdowns, finding Adams and Higbee. Etienne responds with 100 combined yards and a score. Lawrence throws for under 200 yards and a TD to Thomas. Rams 21-17
EARLY SUNDAY
New Orleans (+5.5) at Chicago, o/u 47.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
Kellen Moore is doing the best he can with the pieces he has, but the Saints continue to be one of the lowest-wattage offenses in the NFL. The team sits 28th in yards per play and 29th in points per game, but New Orleans is avoiding turnovers (just four in six games) and sacks (less than two per game), so things could be a lot worse. Spencer Rattler remains surprisingly competent – I doubt many people would have predicted a 68.5 percent completion rate for him through six weeks, and he's on pace for over 400 rushing yards – and while his ultimate upside might be as a high-quality backup, that's still a pretty great outcome for a fifth-round pick. At some point you have to think the Saints will need to get a look at Tyler Shough, though, considering the current arrangement has only gotten them a 1-5 record.
The NFC North has the distinction of being the only division with every team over .500, as the Bears are tied with the Vikings in the basement at 3-2. Chicago seems headed in the right direction though, winning three straight games while finding a groove on both sides of the ball. Caleb Williams and the offense have given the ball away only once during the win streak while averaging 27.0 points a game, and the defense has erupted for 11 takeaways in that span. As for Williams himself, he's got a 6:1 TD:INT and 8.1 YPA in those three games, but with a 61.7 percent completion rate that still needs work. He could be working without two of his bigger weapons this week as well. D'Andrew Swift is coming off his best effort of the year but is now dealing with a groin strain, while DJ Moore is also trying to work through multiple lower-body issues. If they aren't able to suit up Sunday, it could provide a showcase for a couple of rookies in Kyle Monangai and Luther Burden, although the latter has already begun to flash with a 9-148-1 line on nine targets during the win streak.
Key Info
NO injury report: CB Isaac Yiadom (questionable, hamstring)
CHI injury report: RB D'Andre Swift (questionable, groin), K Cairo Santos (out, thigh), DT Grady Jarrett (questionable, knee), LB Noah Sewell (out, concussion)
Strong lean: RB Alvin Kamara (CHI 31st in passing DVOA vs. RB, 31st in receiving TDs allowed to RBs)
Slight lean: QB Caleb Williams (NO 27th in passing DVOA, t-30th in passing TDs allowed)
Strong fade: WR Chris Olave (CHI first in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight fade: RB D'Andre Swift / Kyle Monangai (NO ninth in rushing DVOA, seventh in YPC allowed)
NFL weather report: 10-15 mph wind, 30-40 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Kamara plays and churns out 90 scrimmage yards and a receiving score. Rattler throws for 200 yards and a second touchdown to Juwan Johnson. Swift doesn't play, and Monangai manages 50 yards. Williams throws for 240 yards and two TDs, one each to Rome Odunze and Cole Kmet, while T.J. Edwards scoops up a Kendre Miller fumble and returns it to the house. Bears 27-20
Miami (+3) at Cleveland, o/u 40.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
A battle of 1-5 squads in a race to see which one of them can get their coach fired first, the Dolphins' only win this season came against the winless Jets, which is about as close to a gimme as the 2025 NFL season has to offer. Miami's offense hasn't been elite, but over the last five games the team's averaging 25.2 points while scoring in a narrow range of 21 to 27 points, which is at least some admirable consistency. That run will probably come to a crashing halt in the first Cleveland Weather game of the year, though, as the gales of November come early. Tua Tagovailoa is coming off a three-interception game and has already been picked off seven times in six games, as many INTs as he threw in 11 games last year, and there could be further struggles ahead as he tries to compensate for the loss of Tyreek Hill. The tattered offensive line isn't helping either, although under normal conditions Tua gets the ball out quick enough to avoid a lot of sacks. De'Von Achane has found a groove despite all the injuries along the offensive line, finding the end zone in three straight games while carving out 297 scrimmage yards and four total TDs. It's DC Anthony Weaver's unit that's the bigger issue at the moment. The Dolphins have also coughed up over 400 yards in three straight, with two of those games coming against the Jets and Panthers, not exactly offensive powerhouses. Miami's 31st in yards per play allowed, 31st in QB rating against and tied for 31st in third-down efficiency against, and arguably no defense has been worse on fourth down – they've gotten off the field only once in nine tries. Injuries in the secondary have been a factor, but the lack of a consistent pass rush is glaring – Matthew Judon, Chop Robinson and Jaelen Phillips have yet to miss a game, but the trio has combined for a whopping 2.0 sacks.
This should officially be Dillon Gabriel's Welcome to the Shores of Lake Erie game. While the weather won't be cold, it will probably be wet with gusts pushing 30 mph, the kind of conditions that nearly broke Baker Mayfield before he was able to escape. It's too bad, because the Browns' passing game would otherwise have its best chance yet under the rookie QB to make some noise. Instead, Cleveland will just have to lean on Quinshon Judkins again, which tends to be Plan A anyway. Judkins got stuffed by the Steelers last week, but before that he'd thundered for 286 rushing yards and two TDs with a 4.6 YPC over the prior three games, impressive numbers behind an offensive line just trying to find two healthy tackles, and alongside a passing attack that scares no one. The defense is already beginning to wear down a bit under the strain, but the Browns still have yet to give up 350 yards in a game, and they're fourth in yards per play allowed, although a lack of splash plays has made them more stout than elite.
Key Info
MIA injury report: WR Tyreek Hill (IR, knee), LG Liam Eichenberg (PUP, undisclosed), C Aaron Brewer (questionable, pectoral), RG James Daniels (IR, pectoral), RT Austin Jackson (IR, toe), K Jason Sanders (IR, hip), , LB Tyrel Dodson (questionable, concussion), CB Kader Kohou (IR, knee)
CLE injury report: WR Cedric Tillman (IR, hamstring), TE David Njoku (out, knee), LT Dawand Jones (IR, knee), RT Jack Conklin (questionable, concussion), LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (PUP, neck)
Slight lean: WR Jaylen Waddle (CLE 27th in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight lean: WR Jerry Jeudy (MIA 31st in DVOA vs. WR1)
Strong fade: RB De'Von Achane (CLE first in rushing DVOA, first in YPC allowed, third in rushing yards per game allowed, fourth in passing DVOA vs. RB)
Slight fade: WR Isaiah Bond (MIA sixth in DVOA vs. WR2)
NFL weather report: 20-25 mph wind, 70-80 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Achane pieces together 70 combined yards. Tagovailoa throws for under 200 yards but does hit Waddle and Waller for touchdowns. Judkins slogs out 90 yards and a score. Gabriel throws for well under 200 yards. Dolphins 14-10
Las Vegas (+12.5) at Kansas City, o/u 45.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
Pete Carroll's crew snapped a four-game losing streak last week, although a win over the dysfunctional Titans doesn't exactly count as a massive achievement. Geno Smith continues to have issues throwing the ball to the right jerseys, getting picked off six times in the last three games and stumbling to a 7:10 TD:INT over his first six weeks as a Raider, but as Ashton Jeanty cemenbts himself as the centerpiece of the offense, there should be less pressure on the veteran QB to try and force things to happen. Jeanty's busted out for 350 scrimmage yards and four total TDs in those three games, and if Brock Bowers ever gets healthy, an offense that sits 30th in points per game and 24th in yards per play might creep towards the middle of the pack. The defense might already be there, sitting just outside of the top 10 in yards per play allowed and takeaways. That still makes them the fourth-best team in the AFC West, but at least a step above some of the other bottom feeders in the conference.
Kansas City, on the other hand, is looking very much like the best team in the division, even if the team's record doesn't show it yet. If you toss out a Week 1 loss to the Chargers in which Xavier Worthy got hurt after only a few snaps, Patrick Mahomes and company are 3-2, with two three-point losses to likely playoff teams and three wins by an average score of about 30-15, including last week's impressive 30-17 victory over the Lions. They've gained more yardage than their opponent in all five of those games with a turnover differential of plus-4, and now the offense gets Rashee Rice back just as Mahomes has gone on a tear, posting an 8:1 TD:INT, 70.4 percent completion rate and 7.8 YPA over the last three weeks. The defense hasn't been anything too special, but it may not need to be if the pieces fall into place for OC Matt Nagy.
Key Info
LV injury report: WR Jakobi Meyers (questionable, knee), TE Brock Bowers (doubtful, knee), LT Kolton Miller (IR, ankle)
KC injury report: LT Josh Simmons (out, personal)
Slight lean: WR Tre Tucker (KC 30th in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight lean: WR Rashee Rice (LV 29th in receiving yards per game allowed to WR2)
Slight fade: WR Jack Bech (KC sixth in DVOA vs. WR3)
Slight fade: RB Isiah Pacheco (LV 10th in rushing yards per game allowed, sixth in receiving yards per game allowed, t-first in receiving TDs allowed to RBs)
NFL weather report: 1-10 percent chance of rain
Head-to-head record, last five years: 8-2 KC, average score 31-21 KC, average margin of victory 13 points. The last three meetings at GEHA Field have been decided by a total of nine points, with KC going 2-1
The Scoop: Jeanty gains 80 combined yards and a score. Smith throws for under 200 yards and gets picked off twice, but he does find Tucker for a touchdown. Isiah Pacheco leads the KC backfield with 80 yards while Kareem Hunt vultures a goal-line TD. Mahomes throws for 250 yards and three scores, one each to Rice, Worthy and Travis Kelce. Kansas City 31-14
Philadelphia at Minnesota (+2), o/u 43.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
The defending champs are still hanging onto their lead in the NFC East, but two straight losses – including last week's 34-17 humbling by the Giants – have Philly fans getting very nervous. The Eagles still have the Brotherly Shove going for them for at least one more year, keeping Jalen Hurts on pace for double-digit rushing TDs for a fifth straight season, but none of their other tricks seem to be working. Saquon Barkley's YPC has gone from 5.8 in 2024 to a stunning 3.4 this year, the passing game isn't clicking (Hurts' 6.8 YPA would be a career low) and the run defense is struggling even after the draft investment in Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. There's too much talent on the roster to think it'll all go completely off the rails, but first-year OC Kevin Patullo may be in over his head, and this is beginning to look more like a team that will get bounced in the wild-card round rather than one that will mount a serious defense of its title.
With J.J. McCarthy not fully recovered from his ankle injury even after the Vikings' Week 6 bye, it looks like a potential Carson Wentz revenge game could be in the works. The veteran QB has been no Daniel Jones in 2025, but in his three starts he's got a 69.0 percent completion rate and 7.6 YPA to go with a 5:2 TD:INT. Wentz has become a journeyman since leaving the Eagles after 2020, playing for five teams in five years, but in that time he's been coached by Sean McVay, Andy Reid and now Kevin O'Connell, which is the kind of brain trust that can turn your career around. Minny took a 3-2 record into the bye, with three wins over C teams (Chicago, Cincy and Cleveland). They'll need to solve the rest of the alphabet if they're going to get anywhere this year. Justin Jefferson has back-to-back 120-yard performances, but he hasn't come close to fully opening up the throttle yet, as he hasn't scored since Week 1 and has yet to see more than 11 targets in a game, a mark he routinely topped earlier in his career. The defense is in the 'good, but not great' category, with only the Falcons allowing fewer passing yards but Minnesota mostly sitting just inside, or just outside, the top 10 in key categories. Like the Eagles, this is a team that isn't really meeting expectations, but which may simply have not hit its stride yet.
Key Info
PHI injury report: LG Landon Dickerson (questionable, ankle), DE Jalen Carter (questionable, heel)
MIN injury report: QB J.J. McCarthy (questionable, ankle), RB Aaron Jones (IR, hamstring), C Ryan Kelly (IR, concussion), RT Brian O'Neill (questionable, knee), EDGE Andrew Van Ginkel (out, neck), LB Blake Cashman (IR, hamstring)
Slight lean: WR A.J. Brown (MIN 21st in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight lean: RB Jordan Mason (PHI 24th in rushing DVOA, 24th in passing DVOA vs. RB)
Slight fade: QB Jalen Hurts (MIN sixth in passing DVOA, second in passing yards per game allowed, t-third in passing TDs allowed)
Strong fade: TE T.J. Hockenson (PHI first in DVOA vs. TE)
NFL weather report: indoors
The Scoop: Barkley jets for 100 scrimmage yards and a score. Hurts throws for under 200 yards but does find Dallas Goedert for a TD. Jordan Mason bangs out 110 combined yards and a touchdown. Wentz starts and throws for 220 yards and a score to Jordan Addison. Vikings 23-17
Carolina at N.Y. Jets (+2), o/u 42.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
So, sure, it's only Week 7, but at the moment the Panthers are just a game out of a wild-card spot at 3-3, and 3-1 over their last four. The offense has become the Rico Dowdle Show over the last couple weeks, as the former Cowboy has taken advantage of games against really terrible defenses (including his former employer's) to erupt for 389 rushing yards and a 7.3 YPC, while also adding a 7-84-1 line on nine targets. Chuba Hubbard should be back this week, but how do you bench Dowdle after that surge? I don't envy that decision for Dave Canales. Tetairoa McMillan hauled in his first two career TDs last week, and while Bryce Young is still at the stage of his development where the team is better off not asking him to do too much, he hasn't been awful. There's still a lot of work to do with the roster – Carolina's last in sacks, for instance – but there's at least optimism that the team is pointed in the right direction.
I do appreciate that the Jets keep finding new ways to lose. Last week, the defense recorded its first takeaway of the season and the offense avoided giving the ball away for the first time, and it still wasn't enough as between Garrett Wilson's knee injury and the Broncos' pass rush, New York somehow netted minus-10 yards in the passing game. That's... incomprehensible. Justin Fields lost more yards getting sacked than he gained on forward passes, and last time I checked it was the year 2025 and not 1935. Aaron Glenn also seemed completely lost as a head coach, with the Jets' final possession of the first half being an absolute clinic in clock mismanagement. With Wilson probably out a couple weeks, Fields' top target might be rookie tight end Mason Taylor, while Breece Hall could find out what it's like to face nine and 10-man fronts. That's assuming Glenn doesn't switch to Tyrod Taylor at QB in a panic, of course. The Jets are well on their way to earning the top pick in the 2026 Draft, which they'll probably use on LaNorris Sellers, because that seems like the most Jets thing they could do.
Key Info
CAR injury report: WR Jalen Coker (IR, quadriceps), LG Damien Lewis (questionable, chest), C Austin Corbett (IR, knee), RG Robert Hunt (IR, biceps), RT Taylor Moton (questionable, elbow)
NYJ injury report: WR Garrett Wilson (doubtful, knee), RG Alijah Vera-Tucker (IR, triceps), LB Quincy Williams (IR, shoulder), CB Michael Carter (questionable, concussion)
Strong lean: QB Bryce Young (NYJ 30th in passing DVOA, t-26th in passing TDs allowed)
Strong lean: WR Tetairoa McMillan (NYJ 30th in DVOA vs. WR1)
Strong lean: TE Mason Taylor (CAR 32nd in DVOA vs. TE, 32nd in receiving yards per game allowed, t-27th in receiving TDs allowed to TEs)
Slight fade: RB Rico Dowdle (NYJ fourth in rushing DVOA)
Slight fade: RB Breece Hall (CAR third in rushing DVOA, second in passing DVOA vs. RB)
NFL weather report: 10-15 mph wind, 10-20 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Hubbard leads the CAR backfield with 90 yards and a TD. Young throws for under 200 yards and scores to Dowdle and McMillan. Hall grinds out 60 yards. Fields throws for under 200 yards and a touchdown to Taylor while also running in a TD of his own. Panthers 24-17
New England at Tennessee (+7), o/u 42.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
The Mike Vrabel era is going pretty well in New England so far, and now he gets to kick his former team while they're down. The Patriots are 4-2 and technically on top of the AFC East with a head-to-head win over the Bills and a 2-0 record in the division. Drake Maye might be a dark-horse MVP candidate, posting a 75.9 percent completion rate, 9:1 TD:INT and 9.3 YPA over the last five weeks while also running in a couple touchdowns for good measure, and those numbers are even more impressive considering the running game has done little other turn the ball over. The Pats' defense has allowed more than 21 points only once, but it's also been more solid than stellar. I might be talking myself into Maye for MVP the more I write about it – they really haven't had another standout performer so far this season.
I know the NFL is a copycat league, but I thought that meant teams would copy successful franchises, not inept ones. If the Titans were only going to give Brian Callahan six games to prove himself, why not just let him go in the offseason and bring in a new coaching staff to develop the quarterback you just used the first overall pick on? The track record of recent No. 1 pick QBs who underwent immediate coaching turmoil to begin their NFL careers isn't good, although the jury is still technically out on Williams. Which is not to say Callahan didn't need to go – the Titans are 1-5 and only the Bengals have a worse point differential, and he'd pretty clearly lost the locker room. He just should have been let go eight or nine months ago. Anyway, interim head coach Mike McCoy hasn't even been an OC in the NFL since 2018, when he led the Cardinals to a 32nd-place finish in points and yards with rookie QB Josh Rosen under center. Oh, and Calvin Ridley's hurt now too. Good luck, Cam Ward. You're gonna need it.
Key Info
NE injury report: WR Stefon Diggs (questionable, chest), EDGE Harold Landry (questionable, ankle), S Jaylinn Hawkins (questionable, hamstring)
TEN injury report: WR Calvin Ridley (out, hamstring), DT T'Vondre Sweat (IR, ankle), EDGE Arden Key (out, quadriceps)
Strong lean: WR Stefon Diggs (TEN 32nd in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight lean: WR Elic Ayomanor (NE 24th in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight fade: TE Hunter Henry (TEN fourth in DVOA vs. TE)
Slight fade: RB Tony Pollard / Tyjae Spears (NE third in YPC allowed, fourth in rushing yards per game allowed, t-fifth in rushing TDs allowed)
NFL weather report: 10-15 mph wind, 30-40 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: TreVeyon Henderson leads the NE backfield with 50 yards. Maye throws for 230 yards and three scores, two to Diggs (his first of thee season) and one to Kayshon Boutte. Tony Pollard leads the TEN backfield with 60 scrimmage yards. Ward throws for under 200 yards but does hit Chig Okonkwo for a TD. Patriots 27-10
LATE SUNDAY
N.Y. Giants (+7) at Denver, o/u 40.0 – Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT
I guess erratic is better than just plain bad. The Giants are 2-1 since making the switch to Jaxson Dart as their QB, shocking the Chargers and grounding the Eagles but also, umm, sinning against the Saints? (I need to workload that one.) Last week's win over the defending champs was probably worth three or four on the Job Security-O-Meter for Brian Daboll, so New York might be stuck with him into 2026, which is great news for the rest of the NFC East. Dart, on the other hand, hasn't actually looked that great, posting a 65.9 percent completion rate and generating six TDs (four passing, two running) but also committing three turnovers and just a 6.0 YPA. He's basically in the same spot Daniel Jones was in as a rookie, being forced to do too much too soon while working with a talent-poor group of pass-catchers that includes an injured Darius Slayton, with the only real difference-maker being his exciting young RB. That situation around Jones wasn't Daboll's fault – he was still back in Buffalo in 2019 – and this one isn't entirely on him either,. Having a healthy Malik Nabers would make a huge difference for Dart; as they say though, history may not repeat itself, but it does rhyme. (Mark Twain tends to get credit for that one these days, in much the same way Daboll gets credit for Josh Allen.) Skattebo and Dart give the offense a puncher's chance, but looking at their remaining schedule, four or five wins still feels like the ceiling for the Giants.
The Broncos have won three straight to get to 4-2, but last week's game against the Jets was just painful to watch. Bo Nix and the offense put together a dreadful performance, but the pass rush bailed them out, sacking Justin Fields nine times among 15 QB hits. Denver's defense is nearly lapping the field in sacks, while Nick Bonitto leads the league with 8.0 as he makes an early case for Defensive Player of the Year. That's giving the offense time to sort itself out. J.K. Dobbins has stayed healthy as the lead back, rookie RJ Harvey is showing a little juice in a passing-down role, Courtland Sutton is a solid WR1, and even Evan Engram (who was catching passes from Jones back in 2019) is beginning to get comfortable with a 13-104-1 line on 19 targets over the last three games. The pieces are there, even if they aren't fitting together yet. The next four weeks should make or break the Broncos, as given the opposition (Dallas, Houston and Vegas after the Giants) anything less than 3-1 should be viewed as a huge disappointment.
Key Info
NYG injury report: WR Malik Nabers (IR, knee), WR Darius Slayton (doubtful, hamstring), C John Michael Schmitz (out, concussion), K Graham Gano (IR, groin), EDGE Abdul Carter (questionable, hamstring), LB Micah McFadden (IR, foot)
DEN injury report: LG Ben Powers (IR, biceps), LB Dre Greenlaw (IR, quadriceps)
Slight lean: RB Cam Skattebo (DEN 30th in passing DVOA vs. RB)
Strong lean: RB J.K. Dobbins (NYG 31st in rushing DVOA, 29th in YPC allowed, t-25th in rushing TDs allowed)
Slight fade: WR Wan'Dale Robinson (DEN fourth in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight fade: TE Evan Engram (NYG fifth in DVOA vs. TE)
NFL weather report: 0-5 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Skattebo scampers for 110 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. Dart throws for under 200 yards and a TD to Jalin Hyatt but gets picked off twice. Dobbins puts together 70 yards and a score. Nix throws for under 200 yards as well but finds Troy Franklin for one touchdown and runs in another. Broncos 24-20
Indianapolis (+1.5) at L.A. Chargers, o/u 48.5
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT
So, it's official. Daniel Jones is better than Peyton Manning. The 5-1 Colts remain atop the AFC South after taking care of an undermanned but feisty Cardinals squad last week, and their only loss so far has been to another division leader in the Rams. Jones is having a career-best campaign with a 71.7 percent completion rate, 8.3 YPA and 8:3 TD:INT (plus four rushing TDs), and the thought of him and Baker Mayfield – QBs given up for dead by the teams that drafted them to be franchise saviors – being MVP finalists for the clubs that gave them another chance would be just too perfect. Of course, Jones might end up splitting the vote with Jonathan Taylor, who appears headed for a second rushing crown while leading the league in touchdowns to boot. The defense has been quietly effective, sitting in the top 10 in QB rating against while producing at least one takeaway in every game, but it's Shane Steichen's offense that will determine how far Indy gets.
The Chargers are also atop their division, although at 4-2 they need a tiebreaker to separate themselves from the Broncos. After dropping games to the Giants and Commanders, the Bolts barely squeaked past the Dolphins last week, and that's a trend line that should be very worrying for Jim Harbaugh. There isn't much he can do, though. The offensive line has been gutted by injuries and is down to third or fourth-stringers at both tackle spots, while the backfield is also missing its top two RBs, even though practice squad stash Kimani Vidal did his best LaDainian Tomlinson impression last week in Miami. The defense isn't in much better shape, with the linebacking corps pretty hollowed out and Derwin James starting to lose comrades in the secondary. Justin Herbert was already among the league leaders in sacks (17 through six games), and while this team wasn't built with him just standing back and slinging it in mind, that might be their best shot at winning until his supporting cast gets healthier.
Key Info
IND injury report: WR Josh Downs (out, concussion), K Spencer Shrader (IR, knee), CB Charvarius Ward (out, concussion), CB Kenny Moore (questionable, Achilles), CB Jaylon Jones (IR, hamstring)
LAC injury report: RB Omarion Hampton (IR, ankle), RB Najee Harris (IR, Achilles), RB Hassaon Haskins (questionable, chest), LT Rashawn Slater (IR, knee), LT/RT Joe Alt (doubtful, ankle), , LT Jamaree Salyer (questionable, knee), C Bradley Bozeman (questionable, illness), RT Trey Pipkins (out, knee), EDGE Khalil Mack (IR, elbow), LB Daiyan Henley (questionable, groin), LB Denzel Perryman (IR, ankle), LB Troy Dye (questionable, thumb), S Elijah Molden (doubtful, thumb)
Slight lean: RB Jonathan Taylor (LAC 26th in rushing DVOA, 28th in YPC allowed, t-25th in rushing TDs allowed)
Strong lean: WR Ladd McConkey (IND 31st in DVOA vs. WR2)
Strong fade: WR Alec Pierce (LAC first in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight fade: WR Quentin Johnston (IND fifth in DVOA vs. WR1)
NFL weather report: indoors
The Scoop: Taylor erupts for 150 combined yards and two TDs. Jones throws for 280 yards and two touchdowns, hitting Michael Pittman (who tops 100 yards) and Tyler Warren. Vidal collects 90 scrimmage yards and a score. Herbert throws for 210 yards and two TDs, one each to McConkey and Oronde Gadsden. Colts 34-21
Green Bay at Arizona (+6.5), o/u 44.5 – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT
An early bye seemed to be just what the Packers needed to get back on track, as they took care of the Bengals last week without too much trouble. Nominally on top in the NFC North at 3-1-1, Green Bay's scored at least 27 points in four of five games and has the most efficient third-down offense in the league, but there's still work to be done. Jordan Love's having the breakout season everyone predicted for him a year ago, posting what would be career highs with a 70.1 percent completion rate and 8.6 YPA, although facing the Dallas and Cincy secondaries will make anyone look good. Josh Jacobs is having his usual odd-numbered year swoon, averaging just 3.7 yards per carry, but six rushing TDs in five games is more than respectable. As always, the question is which pass-catcher will step up for Love in any given week, and whether he has someone he can count on when it counts with Jayden Reed on the shelf. Romeo Doubs and Tucker Kraft have looked like that guy at times, and rookie Matthew Golden keeps teasing a breakout performance, although he has yet to see more than six targets in a game. The defense is also second in the league in yards per play allowed and is fifth in pressures per game, and Micah Parsons hasn't really gotten rolling yet.
This doesn't look like the Cardinals' year. They've dropped four straight games by a grand total of nine points, and now Kyler Murray's hurt and doesn't seem likely to return until after their Week 8 bye, with Trey Benson hopefully back from his knee injury soon after that. Until then, the offense will try to get by with Jacoby Brissett under center and a backfield of former Jet depth pieces. If DC Nick Rallis' unit were playing better, maybe they would have won a couple of those close losses and wouldn't be two games back of the pack already in the NFC West, but this hasn't looked like a team capable of stealing close wins against top opponents.
Key Info
GB injury report: RB Josh Jacobs (questionable, illness), WR MarShawn Lloyd (IR, hamstring), WR Jayden Reed (IR, collarbone), WR Christian Watson (PUP, knee), WR Dontayvion Wicks (questionable, ankle), RT Zach Tom (questionable, oblique), K Brandon McManus (questionable, quadriceps), DT Devonte Wyatt (out, knee)
ARI injury report: QB Kyler Murray (questionable, foot), RB Trey Benson (IR, knee), RB James Conner (IR, foot), RB Emari Demercado (out, ankle), WR Zay Jones (questionable, knee), RG Will Hernandez (questionable, knee), EDGE Darius Robinson (questionable, pectoral), CB Sean Murphy-Bunting (NFI, knee), CB Starling Thomas (IR, knee), CB Garrett Williams (IR, knee)
Slight lean: WR Dontayvion Wicks (ARI 22nd in DVOA vs. WR3)
Slight lean: TE Trey McBride (GB 32nd in receptions per game allowed to TEs)
Slight fade: WR Matthew Golden (ARI seventh in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight fade: QB Jacoby Brissett (GB second in passing DVOA)
NFL weather report: indoors
The Scoop: Jacobs racks up 110 combined yards and a TD. Love throws for 260 yards and two scores, one each to Doubs and Kraft. Michael Carter leads the ARI backfield with 50 yards, while Bam Knight punches in a touchdown. Brissett throws for under 200 yards but finds Marvin Harrison for a TD. Packers 27-17
Washington at Dallas (+2), o/u 55.0 – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT
It's been one step forward, one step back for the Commanders to begin the 2025 season, as they have yet to win or lose two games in a row. That bodes well at least after a late fumble in wet conditions cost them a win over the Bears last week, but Jerryworld has been something of a house of horrors for Washington the last few years, so I wouldn't count on that too much. Jayden Daniels hasn't been hampered by his knee brace, rushing for 91 yards over the last two weeks since returning with a 4:1 TD:INT, 65.4 percent completion rate and 8.5 YPA, and he's done that with a wide receiver room at less than full strength. Terry McLaurin remains sidelined, while Deebo Samuel has been playing through a heel issue. Even Zach Ertz is banged up. Luke McCaffrey has softened that blow a little with three TD catches in the last four games on only seven receptions, and rookie Jaylin Lane is showing little flickers of upside too. Both guys might need to step up in a much more significant way in what's likely to be a shootout Sunday, but fortunately, they'll be facing the perfect secondary to do that with.
I think it's fair to wonder how long Dak Prescott can keep this up. Every game – heck, every possession – has been a high-stress proposition for the Cowboys because the defense has been historically bad. they held an Eagles offense that barely seemed to be trying to 24 points in Week 1, and since then it's been one QB after another posting numbers that would make them a Hall of Famer if they could do it consistently. Last week it was Bryce Young's turn, as he put up season highs in completion percentage and YPA while tossing three TDs in a 30-27 Carolina victory. Sure, Rico Dowdle also looked like Derrick Henry in his prime the way he rampaged down the field whenever he wanted, but it's the pass defense that's been the constant gaping wound. The fact that Dallas has lost only half of their games is purely due to Prescott playing out of his mind. He gets CeeDee Lamb back this week too, but I'm not sure if that actually changes much other than bumping George Pickens down to the No. 2 role that Ryan Flournoy delivered a 6-114-0 line on nine targets in against the Jets a couple weeks ago. They're already scoring on over half of their drives (only KC and Indy are putting points on the board more often), so there may not be much more juice to squeeze out. Somehow, the defense is going to have to get its act together at least a little if Prescott's season isn't going to go completely to waste.
Key Info
WAS injury report: RB Austin Ekeler (IR, Achilles), WR Terry McLaurin (out, quadriceps), WR Deebo Samuel (questionable, heel), WR Noah Brown (IR, groin), TE Zach Ertz (questionable, shoulder), RG Sam Cosmi (PUP, knee), EDGE Dorance Armstrong (questionable, hamstring), EDGe Deatrich Wise (IR, quadriceps), CB Jonathan Jones (IR, hamstring), S Will Harris (IR, lower leg)
DAL injury report: C Cooper Beebe (IR, ankle), LB DeMarvion Overshown (PUP, knee), CB Trevon Diggs (out, concussion), S Malik Hooker (IR, toe), S Juanyeh Thomas (questionable, head)
Strong lean: QB Jayden Daniels (DAL 31st in passing DVOA, 32nd in QB rating against, 32nd in passing TDs allowed, 32nd in passing yards per game allowed)
Strong lean: TE Jake Ferguson (WAS 31st in DVOA vs. TE)
No fades for WAS. The DAL defense is a sieve
Slight fade: WR George Pickens (WAS sixth in receptions per game allowed to WR2)
NFL weather report: indoors
Head-to-head record, last five years: 6-4 DAL, average score 27-21 DAL, average margin of victory 21 points. WAS had lost three straight meetings at AT&T Stadium by an average score of 42-11 before a 23-19 victory in Week 18 of last season
The Scoop: Jacory Croskey-Merritt pops for 120 scrimmage yards and two TDs, one rushing and one receiving, while Jeremy McNichols adds 50 yards. Daniels throws for 260 yards and two more touchdowns, one each to Lane and Ertz. Javonte Williams strikes for 130 combined yards and a score. Prescott throws for 310 yards and three TDs, one each to Lamb, Ferguson and KaVontae Turpin, and he avoids another tie by setting up a game-winning field goal for Brandon Aubrey in OT. Cowboys 34-31
SUNDAY NIGHT
Atlanta (+2.5) at San Francisco, o/u 47.5 – Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EDT
The Falcons continue to be a thorn in the side of squads with playoff aspirations, so long as they play in another division. Atlanta's three wins have come against the Vikings, Commanders and Bills, but their Week 1 loss to the Bucs looms large already as they stare up at Tampa Bay in the NFC South. Bijan Robinson leads the NFL in scrimmage yards with 822 in only five games, a pace that would see him shatter Chris Johnson's record of 2,509 from 2009 – the only time in league history anyone's reached 2,500. (For you purists out there, at that pace, Robinson would be at 2,630 after 16 games). That's taken an immense amount of pressure off Michael Penix, who has just a 4:3 TD:INT and has taken a margin step forward at best from his rookie cameo. Fortunately, Raheem Morris' defense is playing some inspired football. While they sit near the top of the leaderboard in a number of categories, the one that might exemplify how the Falcons have been playing is this one – they've missed just 16 tackles, tops in the NFL. That's a formula for a playoff appearance, at the very least.
This matchup offers a fun example of my favorite phenomenon, the immovable object/defense versus the irresistible force/offense. In this case, Christian McCaffrey has been doing historic things as a pass-catcher, but now he gets to try and do them against the unit that's given up the fewest receiving yards per game to RBs this year at a measly 11.6. CMac doing CMac things has been the main thing keeping the injury-wracked Niners afloat, frankly. George Kittle seems likely to return this week, but Brock Purdy is still out, Ricky Pearsall's sidelined, and whatever positive energy Kittle's return might bring got wiped out when Fred Warner, the heart of the defense, was lost for the season. San Francisco's 4-2, but it comes with a negative point differential, and Warner's ankle injury might be the thing that brings down the whole house of cards. Or maybe Kyle Shanahan will just whip out a new deck and keep on building it up.
Key Info
ATL injury report: WR Darnell Mooney (questionable, hamstring), LT Jake Matthews (questionable, ankle), RT Kaleb McGary (IR, leg), EDGE Jalon Walker (out, groin), CB Billy Bowman (out, hamstring)
SF injury report: QB Brock Purdy (out, toe), 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), LB Fred Warner (out, ankle), CB Renardo Green (questionable, neck), CB Upton Stout (questionable, ankle)
Slight lean: WR Casey Washington (SF 29th in DVOA vs. WR3)
Slight lean: WR Kendrick Bourne (ATL 25th in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight fade: WR Drake London (SF 11th in DVOA vs. WR1)
Strong fade: QB Mac Jones (ATL first in passing DVOA, first in passing yards per game allowed, t-fifth in passing TDs allowed)
Strong fade: TE George Kittle (ATL second in DVOA vs. TE, first in receptions and receiving yards, t-first in TDs allowed to TEs)
NFL weather report: 1-10 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Robinson wins the battle of elite RBs with 100 combined yards and a touchdown. Penix throws for under 200 yards and finds Washington for a score, but also throws a pick-six to Ji'Ayir Brown. McCaffrey sees his streak come to an end, getting held to 50 total yards. Jones throws for 230 yards and two TDs, one each to Jauan Jennings and Bourne, but a strip sack by Leonard Floyd leads to a game-winning field goal by Parker Romo. Falcons 23-21
MONDAY NIGHT
Tampa Bay (+5.5) at Detroit, o/u 53.0 – Monday, 7 p.m. EDT
The Buccaneers now sit atop the entire NFL at 5-1, a mark only matched by the Colts, but that's what happens when you're led by an MVP candidate like Tez Johnson. Their quarterback is pretty good too. Baker Mayfield has tossed multiple TDs in five of six games en route to a 12:1 TD:INT, and doing it with a wide receiving corps held together by chewing gum and duct tape, and without Bucky Irving the last couple weeks as well. The Bucs' schedule gets a lot easier after they face off with the Rams in Week 12 as well, so if they can get healthy down the stretch, they might even be a Super Bowl favorite when the regular season is in the books. Think about it this way – Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Emeka Egbuka have yet to be in the lineup at the same time. There's no secondary on the planet that has the bodies to contain those three if they get unleashed. The defense could use some reinforcements, but if any team should be aggressive at the trade deadline to get them, it feels like it should be Tampa.
The Lions are 4-2, with road losses to Green Bay and Kansas City that can both be chalked up to just one of those days, or maybe a banged-up secondary in the latter case. While you can point to the offense's underperformance (30 total points between those losses) as the culprit, the defense also failed to generate a takeaway in either, and that's really the secret to Detroit's success. They're hard enough to slow down with a normal number of possessions. Give Jared Goff and that backfield another couple kicks at the can, and bad things happen. Last time the Lions were coming off a loss they took it out in a major way on the Bears, but the Bucs should offer a lot more resistance, and they've got no former coordinator on the other sideline they'll want to show up. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are one game and dual TDs away from a new NFL record, Aidan Hutchinson has a five-game sack streak going, and Amon-Ra St. Brown is still doing Sun God things. This is very much a Super Bowl contender on paper, but if they go down here as well, Detroit's going to start looking more like gatekeepers than potential champions.
Key Info
TB injury report: RB Bucky Irving (doubtful, foot), WR Mike Evans (questionable, hamstring), WR Chris Godwin (doubtful, lower leg), WR Emeka Egbuka (questionable, hamstring), WR Jalen McMillan (IR, neck), RG Cody Mauch (IR, knee), RG Luke Haggard (questionable, RT Luke Goedeke (IR, foot), EDGE Calijah Kancey (IR, shoulder), LB Lavonte David (questionable, knee)
DET injury report: LT Taylor Decker (questionable, shoulder), DT DJ Reader (questionable, back), DT Alim McNeill (PUP, knee), CB D.J. Reed (IR, hamstring), CB Terrion Arnold (questionable, shoulder), S Kerby Joseph (questionable, knee), S Brian Branch (out, suspension)
Strong lean: WR Tez Johnson (DET 32nd in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight lean: WR Isaac TeSlaa (TB 27th in DVOA vs. WR3)
Slight fade: RB Rachaad White (DET sixth in rushing DVOA, 10th in passing DVOA vs. RB)
Slight fade: WR Jameson Williams (TB sixth in receiving yards per game allowed vs. WR2s)
NFL weather report: indoors
The Scoop: White manages 60 yards. Mayfield throws for 280 yards and three scores, one each to Evans, Johnson and Cade Otton. Gibbs leads the DET backfield with 110 yards and two TDs, one rushing and one receiving, while Montgomery adds 60 yards and a touchdown. Goff throws for 290 yards and two more scores, both to ARSB. Lions 35-27
Houston (+3.5) at Seattle, o/u 41.0 – Monday, 10 p.m. EDT
After dropping their first three games of the season, the Texans have come up off the mat with two straight wins, even if they came against a pair of one-win opponents in the Titans and Ravens. DeMeco Ryans' defense is bordering on elite again, sitting first in QB rating against and top five in a bunch of other categories, but they might need the pass rush to wake up to get over that hump – a unit with Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter leading the way just shouldn't be in the bottom half of the league in sacks and pressures. That 44-point eruption from the offense in Week 5 against Baltimore before Houston's bye accounts for about 40 percent of the team's output this season though, and C.J. Stroud couldn't scrounge up more than 19 points in any of those losses against quality opponents. Stroud's completing a career-high 70.8 percent of his passes, and his 7.5 YPA is a step up from last year, but without anyone but Nico Collins to rely on, finding consistent points has been tough. The defense might need to make 20-odd points hold up on a regular basis if the Texans are going to get back in the playoff picture.
The Seahawks are in the 4-2 logjam in the NFC West, but their plus-49 point differential is tops in the NFL, tied with the Lions. Their two losses – to the Niners and Bucs – have been by a combined seven points, and they're routed non-division opponents like the Steelers and Saints. Sam Darnold has actually been better than in his 2024 career revival in Minnesota, posting an absurd (and league-leading) 9.6 YPA through six games. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is staking his claim to elite status, hauling in 100 yards or a TD (or both) in five of six contests and still reaching 90 scrimmage yards in the one miss. The pass rush has been very good and the run defense outstanding, forcing other teams to try and get into shootouts with Darnold that they mostly haven't won. Seattle's got a rough schedule after their Week 8 bye though, with only the Titans in Week 12 as a truly soft opponents, so that Week 1 loss to San Francisco could end up looming large.
Key Info
HOU injury report: RB Joe Mixon (NFI, foot), WR Christian Kirk (questionable, hamstring), EDGE Denico Autry (PUP, knee)
SEA injury report: EDGE Derick Hall (questionable, oblique), CB Riq Woolen (questionable, concussion), S Julian Love (questionable, hamstring)
Slight lean: TE Dalton Schultz (SEA t-26th in receptions per game allowed, 24th in receiving yards per game allowed to TEs)
Slight lean: WR Cooper Kupp (HOU 26th in receiving yards per game allowed to WR2s)
Strong fade: RB Nick Chubb / Woody Marks (SEA second in rushing DVOA, second in YPC allowed, second in rushing yards per game allowed, t-first in rushing TDs allowed)
Slight fade: TE AJ Barner (HOU third in DVOA vs. TE)
NFL weather report: 25-35 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Marks leads the HOU backfield with 60 scrimmage yards. Stroud throws for 220 yards and two touchdowns, finding Schultz and Xavier Hutchinson. Kenneth Walker churns out 80 yards and a TD. Darnold throws for 290 yards and three scores, one each to JSN, Kupp and Tory Horton. Seahawks 28-20
THURSDAY NIGHT
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati (+5.5), o/u 43.0
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT
The Steelers have effectively defaulted their way to the top of the AFC North — not that they've played badly at 4-1, but that's as many wins as the rest of the division has put together. Pittsburgh has a plus-12 point differential; second place is Baltimore at minus-50. The Ravens could yet pick themselves off the mat once Lamar Jackson gets healthy, assuming the defense gets itself straightened out, and make it a race, but right now, not even the Buccaneers have a clearer path to a division crown. Aaron Rodgers seems to be enjoying not being required to carry the load every week. He has yet to attempt more than 33 passes in a game as a Steeler, and his 68.8 percent completion rate would be his highest mark since 2021 and the third highest of his career. A 10:3 TD:INT in five games isn't too shabby either. DK Metcalf has scored in four consecutive games and has been his only reliable weapon, though that's generally how Rodgers likes it anyway. Jaylen Warren's still looking for a breakout game as the RB1, and the two-headed monster at tight end is suddenly a three-headed Cerberus with Darnell Washington starting to horn in on Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth's action. While the offense sorts itself out, though, the defense is doing Pittsburgh things, tied for second in sacks and tied for third in takeaways — those are volume stats, mind you, and the Steelers have already had their bye.
Well, Zac Taylor hasn't been fired yet, so I guess trading for Joe Flacco was a success. The Bengals still haven't won a game since Joe Burrow got hurt, dropping four straight by an average score of about 35-14, but last week's 27-18 result against the Packers was a marginally more competitive loss. Ja'Marr Chase has been getting his regardless of who's been under center (16-204-3 on 22 targets the last two games), but Tee Higgins saw a season-high eight targets from Flacco — though it's hard to imagine this struggling offense supporting two impact wideouts every week. Samaje Perine has started to cut into Chase Brown's workload in the backfield, and it might not be long before rookie Tahj Brooks gets a real look, but nobody will have much luck running the ball behind this O-line. The defense is still the team's biggest issue, though. Cincy is 29th in yards per play allowed, 30th in points per game allowed, 29th in third-down efficiency against, a tied for 30th in red-zone efficiency against. Trading for a 40-year-old QB isn't going to solve those problems.
Key Info
PIT injury report: WR Calvin Austn (out, shoulder), S DeShon Elliott (questionable, personal)
CIN injury report: QB Joe Burrow (IR, toe), TE Mike Gesicki (IR, pectoral), RG Lucas Patrick (IR, calf), EDGE Trey Hendrickson (questionable, hip)
Strong lean: RB Jaylen Warren (CIN 30th in rushing DVOA, 28th in rushing yards per game allowed, t-27th in rushing TDs allowed, 32nd in passing DVOA vs. RB)
Slight lean: WR Ja'Marr Chase (PIT 22nd in DVOA vs. WR1)
Slight fade: WR Scotty Miller (CIN fifth in DVOA vs. WR2)
Strong fade: WR Tee Higgins (PIT second in DVOA vs. WR2)
NFL weather report: 1-10 percent chance of rain
Head-to-head record, last five years: 5-5, average score 24-24 (23.7-23.7, to be exact), average margin of victory 13 points. Five of the last six meetings have been decided by a single score. PIT has won three straight meetings at Paycor Stadium
The Scoop: Warren pops for 130 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Rodgers throws for 240 yards and a second TD to Metcalf. Brown leads the CIN backfield with 40 yards. Flacco throws for less than 200 yards and a score to Noah Fant while getting sacked four times and picked off twice. Steelers 24-13
Last week's record: 10-5, 8-7 ATS, 9-6 o/u
2025 record: 60-32-1 (.652), 49-42-2 ATS (.538), 39-53-1 o/u (.424)
