The “Battle of the Beltway” takes place Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, when the red-hot Washington Commanders travel north to face the Ravens in Baltimore. The Jayden Daniels vs. Lamar Jackson quarterbacks should be pure fireworks, but it's far from the only interesting matchup this weekend.
The Buffalo Bills, chosen to compete in the Super Bowl at the beginning of the season, will try to recover after two consecutive defeats against the New York Jets. Fired coach Robert Saleh this week
The Cowboys host the Detroit Lions in Dallas in a battle between the NFC's best teams. Rookie QB Drake Mayo will also make his career debut as New England faces the Houston Texans for the Patriots.
Here's what to look for in Week 6.
Washington (4-1) at Baltimore (3-2)
Starting four of his team's first five games and completing a league-leading 77% of his passes since 1950 to win, and just the third rookie quarterback to do so, Daniels has made Washington one of the rarest commodities of hope in the NFL . A win would give the Commanders their best start since 1996. But can Washington's patched-up defense stop Jackson and running back Derrick Henry?
Henry has scored in five games this season while rushing for a league-high 572 yards. Factoring in down and distance, Henry rushed for 229 more yards than expected, according to Advanced NFL Stats. This showdown between Beltway neighbors doesn't come around often – this is just their eighth regular season meeting all-time – but it's one of the most exciting matchups of the season so far.
Colts (2-3) (1-3) at Titans
Two questions loom over Indianapolis: Can Joe Flacco realistically produce another age-defying performance, throwing for 359 turnover-free yards and nearly engineering a 14-point Jacksonville comeback? And will Flacco have to return to the bench if Anthony Richardson starts returning from injury?
The Titans have their own quarterback problem: If starter Will Lewis returns from his own injury, will he be able to stop turning the ball over? His six interceptions are tied for an NFL record with Richardson.
Buccaneers (3-2) (2-3) at New Orleans
With Derek Carr injured in Monday's loss at Kansas City, the Saints hope new quarterback Spencer Rattler can revive an offense that averaged 45.5 points during a 2-0 start but just 16.3 since lost three in a row. No pressure, stop. Tampa's first priority this week was seeking safety in New Orleans as it moved early from Hurricane Milton When Arriving turns its focus to football, the Saints defense will need to be better at stopping the run after allowing 4.9 yards per carry.
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Browns (1-4) and Eagles (2-2)
Both teams are desperate to show progress offensively. Cleveland is the only team to score 18 points or fewer in every game this season, but it remains determined. Deshaun Watson will be there Starter for the Browns despite the league's low production. For the Eagles, it's a good sign that wide receivers Devonta Smith and AJ Brown are close to returning from injuries.
Steelers (3-2) vs. Raiders (2-3)
Las Vegas bench Gardner Minshew and receiver Davante Adams, the subject of trade talks last week, are not expected to be on the field. Could change be coming to Pittsburgh too?
QB Justin Fields has been dynamic but inconsistent in consecutive losses, both by just 3 points. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson trained fully on Wednesday for the first time since injuring his calf a month ago.
Bengals (1-4) vs. Giants (2-3)
With four losses by a combined 15 points, have the Bengals been bitten or are they simply not good enough to win close games? If they can't find answers defensively — they're allowing 34.4 points per game over the last three weeks — their already slim playoff chances will likely become insurmountable.
In that regard, the Giants face their own questions about their readiness for the spotlight. Since 2017, the Giants have lost 10 of their last 11 primetime home games. See how effective Joe Burrow is against the Cincinnati Giants defense with a league-high 22 sacks.
Bills (3-2) at Jets (2-3)
From a purely football perspective, this game lacks the appeal of Ravens-Commanders or Lions-Cowboys. But Buffalo is on a losing streak, Josh Allen isn't looking like his usual self and the Jets are just days away from firing coach Robert Saleh — complete with Aaron Rodgers. He calls the suggestion “disturbing.” That he fired the coach – few clashes could be more interesting. The winner will be able to avoid depression for a week, while the loser will continue to free fall.
Jaguars vs. Bears (9:30 a.m. ET in London)
The Jaguars head to their second home (London) to face a Bears team that is on the rise. Chicago has won two in a row, albeit against teams (Panthers and Rams) that haven't been very good this season. Jacksonville is also coming off its only win of the year.
After no touchdowns and two interceptions in the first two weeks of the season, Caleb Williams has thrown five touchdowns and two interceptions in the last three.
Cardinals (2-3) at Packers (3-2)
Both the Cardinals and Packers are coming off impressive wins in Week 5. Green Bay bounced back with a win over Los Angeles, with Jordan Love starting at quarterback for the first time this season. Arizona defeated the 49ers in San Francisco to move one game out of the NFC West lead. Can love play a fair game? He has five interceptions in three games so far this year.
Texans (4-1) at Patriots (1-4)
The Texans had one of the best wins of the week last Sunday, handing the Bills their second consecutive defeat. Meanwhile, the Patriots were so ineffective in their loss to the Dolphins that they eventually turned to a counter tackle, Drake Mei, at QB. It will be a tough challenge for Maye, who will play behind a questionable offensive line against a Houston defense that is eighth in the NFL in sacks.
Chargers (2-3) at Broncos (3-2)
Break the Broncos! Denver has won three straight, including two stunning road upsets of Tampa Bay and New York. After throwing four interceptions in the first two weeks of the season, Bo Nix has thrown none in the last three. He is also coming off the best game of his short career thus far, scoring two goals and scoring another in the win over the Raiders. The Chargers were fired up last week after losing two in a row. And quarterback Justin Herbert was limited in practice this week due to an ankle injury.
Falcons (3-2) at Panthers (1-4)
The Falcons stunned the Buccaneers on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 5 and now face a Panthers team whose new quarterback's mojo has seemingly worn off. Carolina has lost two in a row since winning its first game under Andy Dalton. Kirk Cousins, meanwhile, ranks fifth in passing yards per game despite a slow start for Atlanta's offense.
Cowboys at Lions (3-1) (3-2)
This has to be one of the best games of the week. Dak Prescott and the Cowboys got a win in Pittsburgh a week ago, surviving a sloppy play for Prescott's game-winning drive. The Lions are 3-1 after a Week 5 bye.
Both offenses should be strong in this one. The Cowboys are 10th worst in the league in points allowed per game after allowing just 32 over the last two weeks. The Lions are giving up 349.0 yards per game, 11th worst in the NFL.
