Week 6 of the NFL season is complete, so we’re casting an eye over every game, identifying the big takeaways and digging into the markets.
Around the NFL
The San Francisco 49ers keep trucking along and continue to keep their heads above water following their 36-24 dismantling of the Seattle Seahawks. If this team wins enough games while getting healthy, their $7.50 to win Super Bowl LIX appeals.
Caleb Williams continues to improve on the best games of his NFL career with another best this week as the Chicago Bears claimed a 35-16 win, sending the Jacksonville Jaguars to 1-5 for the season. The New England Patriots are also now 1-5 following their 41-21 loss to the Houston Texans. Drake Maye offered a few reasons for optimism with three touchdown passes.
Shock: The Las Vegas Raiders aren’t good. The Pittsburgh Steelers rush accounted for three touchdowns, while the lockdown defence allowed them to cruise to a 32-13 win over Antonio Pierce’s side. Meanwhile, a depleted Indianapolis Colts snuck past the Tennesse Titans 20-17. Will Levis finished with only 95 passing yards for the Titans with a touchdown and interception to his name.
While the Philadelphia Eagles managed to beat the Cleveland Browns 20-16, it wasn’t the performance that would hush the doubters. Nick Sirianni only added pressure on himself with another embarrassing outburst, too.
The Eagles barely won against the 1-5 Cleveland Browns. They were home and off a bye week and this is how Nick Sirianni is acting after the game.
Incredibly embarrassing. pic.twitter.com/KgoLpn9Vgr
— Kendall Beck (@KBeckEagles) October 13, 2024
This Tampa Bay Buccaneers offence is a problem for the rest of the NFL. They combined for 78 points with the New Orleans Saints, scoring 51 points themselves, with the rushing game particularly effective. Tampa Bay rolled up the field for 277 yards on 7.9 yards per carry.
Jordan Love connected on 22 of his 32 pass attempts for 259 yards and four touchdowns as the Green Bay Packers beat the inconsistent Arizona Cardinals 34-13. In one of the best games of the day between two genuine MVP candidates, the Baltimore Ravens held out the Washington Commanders 30-23. Lamar Jackson added to his MVP credentials while Jayden Daniels continued to play like the Offensive Rookie of the Year favourite.
after 6 weeks Jayden is still the most efficient QB pic.twitter.com/kmuL7KyXBF
— obvlon (@obvlon) October 14, 2024
It took until the 10-minute mark of the 4th quarter for the Denver Broncos to get on the board against the LA Chargers. The final 23-16 scoreline flattered the Broncos in the end.
There would be no flattery as the Detroit Lions thumped the Dallas Cowboys 47-9 at Jerry World. While the Cowboys are injury-riddled, nothing justifies the ease with which they allowed the Lions to score on nine consecutive drives. The Atlanta Falcons kept cooking with the ball, too. The Carolina Panthers are a tougher beat than earlier in the NFL season but still fell to the Falcons 38-20 in this one.
Sometimes, you just have to find ways to win. The Cincinnati Bengals won’t be sitting back and enjoying the review of their 17-7 win over the New York Giants. There isn’t a whole lot to celebrate with Joe Burrow calling the win an “ugly” one. However, with how the Bengals started the NFL season, they’ll take any W they can get right now.
The referees took the spotlight as the Buffalo Bills beat the New York Jets 23-20 in Monday Night Football. It will take more than a week for the Jets to move on from the firing of their coach.
3 Takeaways from Week 6
This is another Lamar Jackson MVP season
The Baltimore Ravens are flying. There has been a lot to like about this group to start the NFL season, even in the games they’ve lost.
Baltimore always looked in control throughout their 30-23 win over the Washington Commanders. They put up 484 yards of offence, scoring points on five straight possessions in the process.
Jackson, in particular, is again in the Most Valuable Player race at $6.50 and added to his resume this week. As the Commanders looked to take Derick Henry out of the game and demanded Jackson pass the ball against a packed box, the quarterback threw for 323 yards and a touchdown.
LAMAR OWNS THE NFC‼️
Lamar Jackson is now 22-1 against NFC teams in his career.
INSANE. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/RTsuO15LSK
— Ravens Nation 𝙇𝙄𝙑𝙀 (@LiveRavenNation) October 13, 2024
Having started the NFL season 0-2, the Ravens are now 4-2 and on the second line of betting to win Super Bowl LIX at $7. Jackson, as you’d expected, has led from the front connecting on 67% of his passes for 1,529 yards, ten touchdowns and only two interceptions. He’s rushed for 403 yards and two touchdowns already, surpassing former NFL MVP Cam Newtown with 5,629 rushing yards for his career to be second among quarterbacks in rushing. Only Michael Vick is above him with 6,109 yards.
If the Ravens keep winning, Jackson keeps his interceptions low and earns the narrative boost around becoming the most prolific rushing quarterback in NFL history, his $6.50 to win MVP is a gift.
Chaos for the Cowboys
Sound off the alarms.
Alert the panic stations.
The Dallas Cowboys are in big, big trouble.
Mike McCarthy, in particular, is in the hot seat.
This was always a bad matchup for the Cowboys. The Detroit Lions came into Week 6 off a bye, while the Cowboys are riddled with injuries. Dallas entered as +3.5 underdogs, and all of the numbers pointed to a Detroit win. But this 47-9 hammering – at home – can’t be viewed in isolation. It’s the second time already this season they’ve had close to 50 points put on them.
The Detroit Lions out there doing tricks on it in front of the Dallas Cowboys home crowd. They in their house with they dirty feet on the couch and telling them what to cook for them. pic.twitter.com/TTVnN9Liez
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 13, 2024
They’ve now lost four straight home games since the wild-card playoff game and were outscored 110-35 in the first half of those games.
This match acted as a measuring stick for the Cowboys, and while they might not be that far off the Lions, they’re not particularly close either. It’s a fair enough reflection of their Super Bowl LIX status ($26).
Something needs to change in the organisation. With the 49ers, Falcons, Eagles and Texans to come in the month after their bye, it needs to be now.
Caleb Williams is that guy
A lot of people are eating their words and deleting tweets after Week 6 because Caleb Williams is that guy.
The Chicago Bears have their franchise quarterback and he’s already led them to a 4-2 record (the best win-loss record for a No. 1 pick quarterback after six career starts since the merger) without playing that well the whole way through.
Williams was fantastic this week, though. He became just the 4th rookie quarterback in NFL history to have 4+ touchdown passes and 50+ rushing yards in a game. Those four touchdown passes this week made it nine for the season – the second most by a Bears rookie quarterback ever.
This is as ridiculous a throw as you will see — Caleb Williams' second touchdown pass to Keenan Allen. Over the outstretched hands of the DT and LB, over the CB in tight coverage, and into Allen's hands with less than a yard of end zone left. Just preposterous. pic.twitter.com/9sevy4jqVX
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) October 14, 2024
He completed 79% of his passes in Week 6 – the highest single-game mark by a rookie with 4+ passing touchdowns and 25+ attempts. It translated into the Bears scoring at least 35 points in back-to-back games for the first time since 2013.
Williams struggled early, but it shouldn’t have been a surprise. Nor should the speed in which he’s making up for the slow start.
NFL News & Notes
– Doug Pederson must surely be coaching for his job this week. Lucky to remain in London following Jacksonville’s embarrassing display against Chicago, he must beat a struggling New England to ensure he’s around for Week 8.
Jared Goff completed 6-of-7 passes for 178 yards and 2 touchdowns under pressure against the Cowboys, his most passing yards under pressure over the last five seasons, and the most by a quarterback in a game this season.#DETvsDAL | @Lions pic.twitter.com/znnUoy0rwT
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) October 13, 2024
– Tua Update: He won’t play this week but is expected to feature again in 2024.
– It’s not all Dak Prescott’s fault, but the numbers this week are a worry: 17-for-33 passing, 178 passing yards, and two interceptions for just a 42.2 passer rating.
– Aidan Hutchinson is likely to be out for the rest of the NFL season following a gruesome leg injury against the Cowboys.
– For the 20th time in his NFL career, Derrick Henry cleared 100+ rushing yards and two touchdowns – 3rd all-time.
– Hason Reddick was dropped by his agency last week as the NFL’s last remaining holdout. His new agent claims Reddick “would like to be a New York Jet for years to come.”
NFL Odds & Futures
There has been some movement in the NFL futures markets, but the same six teams remain favoured to win Super Bowl LIX.
The Ravens and 49ers have both shortened slightly. Some positive injury news about Christian McCaffrey will have also helped the 49ers after the win. Meanwhile, the Bills made up for a poor showing in Week 5, and the Lions flew out of the bye to pick up a big win, with both into $10 from $11 a week earlier.
TOP 6 SUPER BOWL LIX ODDS
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| TEAM | CURRENT PRICE | LAST WEEK’S PRICE | |
| Kansas City Chiefs | $5 | $5 | |
| Baltimore Ravens | $7 | $7.50 | |
| San Francisco 49ers | $7.50 | $8 | |
| Buffalo Bills | $10 | $11 | |
| Detroit Lions | $10 | $11 | |
| Houston Texans | $11 | $11 | |