Week 5 of the NFL season came and went and took with it the last of the perfect records in the league. Both the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills suffered their first defeats of the season. Week 6 of the NFL season kicked off with both in search of strong rebounds.
The Eagles fell flat in that regard with their 34-17 loss to the New York Giants on Thursday night, leaving six teams remaining with only one loss. The Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers all would like to keep it that way.
Sunday’s docket kicks off with another international game (the 0-5 New York Jets vs. the 3-2 Denver Broncos in London) and 11 stateside games, including what should make for a compelling matchup between the Lions and Kansas City Chiefs in prime time. The action wraps up with a Monday night doubleheader (Bills at Atlanta Falcons and the Chicago Bears at the Washington Commanders).
Here are five of the most intriguing storylines to follow this weekend.
1. Jaguars’ legitimacy
Liam Coen, Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars made a huge statement with their comeback victory over the Chiefs last Monday. Lawrence finally put his team on his back and delivered the game-changing throws and runs the Jaguars have spent the last five seasons waiting to see. Jacksonville’s opportunistic defense recorded yet another takeaway — this time at the goal line as linebacker Devin Lloyd intercepted a would-be Patrick Mahomes touchdown pass and took it 99 yards to the house, giving Jacksonville a 21-14 lead — to increase their league-high tally to 14. At 4-1, the Jaguars have already matched last season’s win total, and they kept pace with the AFC South rival Colts, who own the same record.
It would seem as though the Jaguars are for real. This week and their response to the win over the Chiefs will go a long way to confirming their legitimacy. A very good Seattle Seahawks team comes to town with intentions of rebounding from a painful loss in a 38-35 shootout with Tampa Bay. Will the high from that thrilling win over the Chiefs set Jacksonville up for a letdown performance? Or, can they continue to build and record their first four-game winning streak since 2022? (Seahawks at Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Fox)
2. Flacco to the rescue?
On short notice in Week 2, Jake Browning got the job done as the Cincinnati Bengals backup quarterback took over for an injured Joe Burrow and helped his team pull off a late-game win over Jacksonville. But in three starts since, Browning has struggled, throwing for six touchdowns and eight interceptions. The Bengals, who boast the most dynamic wide receiver tandem of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, have lost three straight while averaging just 19 points per game. Now 2-3 and in danger of quickly falling out of the AFC North race, the Bengals on Monday acquired 40-year-old Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns in hopes that the recently-benched former Super Bowl MVP can help them tread water until Burrow returns late this season. Flacco lost his job in Cleveland after completing only 58.1 percent of his passes for two touchdowns and six interceptions. But the Bengals believe with their more superior supporting cast, Flacco can have a greater impact with them than in Cleveland. Flacco will start on Sunday, and he draws a stiff challenge while facing the Green Bay Packers, who return from their bye week intent on putting the Week 4 tie with the Dallas Cowboys far behind them. (Bengals at Packers, 4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, CBS)
3. Divisional leader showdown
Owners of a 4-1 record thanks largely to quarterback Baker Mayfield’s late-game heroics, which include leading them to four game-winning scores within the final minute of the fourth quarter, the Buccaneers certainly rank among the most electrifying teams in the league. Also impressive: a 49ers team that also owns a 4-1 record despite dealing with a rash of key injuries on both sides of the ball. This week, coach Kyle Shanahan and his Niners will attempt to continue to defy odds and improve to 4-0 on the road and 5-0 in the NFC. The 49ers faced uncertainty at the quarterback position with starter Brock Purdy potentially set to miss a fourth game in six weeks. If Purdy can’t go, Mac Jones will get the nod and go for his fourth victory as a starter this season — even as he deals with his own injuries. Meanwhile, the San Francisco defense will have its hands full with Mayfield, who ranks fourth in the league in passing yards (1,283) and second in touchdown passes (10), and rookie wide receive Emeka Egbuka, who has quickly grown into on of the most dangerous deep threats in the young season, averaging 17.8 yards per reception and recording five touchdown catches (tied for second). (49ers at Buccaneers, 4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, CBS)
Buccaneers rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka has quickly become one of the best deep threats in the league. (Nathan Ray Seebeck / Imagn Images)
4. Super Bowl preview?
Despite Monday’s gutting loss to the Jaguars, and despite their 2-3 start to the season, the Chiefs remain a dangerous team, and this week’s showdown at Arrowhead Stadium against the potent Lions presents the perfect opportunity for Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and company to prove that. Detroit will be a handful, however. The Lions, who enter this game riding a four-game winning streak, rank among the most balanced teams in the league. After struggles in Week 1, the offense regained its footing under new coordinator Johnny Morton. That unit, which leads the NFL in scoring (34 points per game), will put a lot of pressure on the Chiefs’ defense because of their effectiveness both on the ground and through the air. This game could turn into a shootout between Jared Goff and Mahomes. Goff owns a 2-0 record against Mahomes and has thrown five touchdown passes and no interceptions in those meetings. Mahomes, meanwhile, has eight touchdown passes and four interceptions when going head-to-head with Goff. Kansas City must get back to its old ways of avoiding self-inflicted mistakes and capitalizing on every opportunity presented to it. Thus far, the Chiefs are 0-3 in one-score games this season. (Lions at Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET, Sunday, NBC)
5. Williams-Daniels II
The top two quarterbacks of the 2024 draft face off for the second time in as many years, in another prime time game, in the shadow of the nation’s capital. In their first meeting, Jayden Daniels (the No. 2 pick) outplayed Caleb Williams (the No. 1 pick) by passing for 326 yards, including a 52-yard Hail Mary to Noah Brown to lift the Washington Commanders over the Chicago Bears 18-15. Can Williams and his team turn the tables this time around?
Daniels missed two games with a knee injury but was back to his heroic ways last week against the Los Angeles Chargers, slamming the door on the hosts with an 8-yard pass to Deebo Samuel with 1:08 left. The 27-10 victory improved Washington’s record to 3-2. Williams, meanwhile, has displayed steady improvement under first-year coach Ben Johnson, and the Bears have won their last two games to post a 2-2 start. The Commanders will be without Terry McLaurin again, which won’t help against a Bears defense that ranks third in the NFL with nine takeaways (seven interceptions and two fumble recoveries). Meanwhile, Washington’s secondary will have its hands full trying to contain Chicago receiver Rome Odunze, who has recorded at least one touchdown catch in each of his team’s first four games. (Bears at Commanders, 8:15 p.m. ET, Monday, ABC)