Anyone who follows the NFL already knows that there are only two undefeated teams left: the Kansas City Chiefs and the Minnesota Vikings.
Players don't care that much. For them, there is only one team that is still perfect.
Minnesota is the only team with the differential in every game this season. The Chiefs are a very good 3-1-1 against the spread, via Action Network's rankings.
Additionally, there are no winless teams in the actual rankings or against the spread. Every team has a win this season and every team has beaten the spread at least once.
Here's a look at Week 6 of the NFL season from a betting perspective, with all odds from BetMGM:
Thursday night: The 49ers had Seattle's number
The San Francisco 49ers are 5-0 against the Seattle Seahawks over the last two seasons including the playoffs, and neither game has been this close. Here are the five-game winning margins: 20, 8, 18, 18, 12. In Seattle, in San Francisco, it didn't matter. The 49ers dominated.
Perhaps some will see the 49ers with a 2-3 record and believe they are vulnerable, but two of the losses were accidental (the Rams and Cardinals had wild fourth-quarter comebacks) and the other loss came on the way to the undefeated Vikings. Seattle lost to the Giants last week, and their 3-0 start looks like it was aided by an easy schedule. And now he faces an angry 49ers team that refuses to drop to 2-3. The 49ers are 3.5-point favorites.
Early game in London: Are Bears and Jaguars on track?
The Chicago Bears won two games in a row. Last week, the Jacksonville Jaguars finally picked up their first win of the season.
Which team will maintain the momentum? Chicago is a two-point favorite. The Jaguars' win over the Colts last week wasn't all that impressive considering they gave up 34 points to Joe Flacco's offense and it was decided down to the final seconds. But they are quite familiar with London, which makes it their second home. It's helpful to know how to cope with an unusual week of travel. We'll see if this can overcome some of their other shortcomings.
Surprising result of the week: Saints not scoring many points
Derek Carr was injured on Monday night and will be replaced by rookie fifth-round draft pick Spencer Rattler. This is not good news for the New Orleans Saints, who have lost three games in a row. As with the other discrepancies: they played on Monday night, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rested after last Thursday night's game. Still, the Buccaneers are only 3.5-point favorites.
Teams often rally around a backup quarterback in his first game, and the Saints are playing at home against a Buccaneers team that had its routine disrupted by Hurricane Milton. And Rattler was an interesting late-round pick who performed well in the preseason. But it's a lot to ask Rattler to keep the Saints afloat during his first NFL snaps.
Player of the Week Prop: Tank Dell receiving yards
The Houston Texans will have to get used to life without Nico Collins, who was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. It's time for Dell to come on the attack.
Houston's crowded receiving room has put Dell in a difficult position this season. He has gained just 137 yards in four games played this season. This makes its total score of 55.5 a bit intimidating. However, Dell has good numbers, he has fantastic talent, a great point guard throwing him the ball, and without Collins in the lineup, there are plenty of targets up for grabs. The Texans face the New England Patriots this week, and it wouldn't be surprising if Dell has a breakout year in 2024.
Interesting Underdog : Washington's Commanders
The betting market is not entirely focused on commanders. They are a 6.5-point underdog against the Baltimore Ravens this week. This is by far Jayden Daniels' biggest test yet, and the oddsmakers have him and his commanding officers to prove something.
But what if the commanders are legal? The efficiency of this offense is on par with some of the best offenses in recent years. Daniels is increasingly likely to win MVP, and deservedly so. A contest against the Ravens would legitimize Washington's start. We might look back and wonder how the 2024 Commanders could score a near-touchdown against any opponent.
Sunday Night: Are the Giants good?
The New York Giants started the season with low expectations, but they weren't bad. The losses suffered by Vikings and Commanders don't look that bad anymore. They won at the Browns, stayed competitive against the Cowboys and won at the Seahawks without rookie Malik Nabers. It's not a terrible start to the season. Daniel Jones started the season quite well.
Compare that to the Cincinnati Bengals. They are 1-4. If you look at the positives, the Bengals' four losses total 15 points. They just haven't won close games yet. The offense also came alive. But do you trust them to go on the road as a 3.5-point favorite?
Monday night: What's next for the Jets?
How often will you see a team fire their coach and less than a week later find themselves playing for first place in their league? The Jets are 2-3 and just fired Robert Saleh, but if they beat the Buffalo Bills on Monday night, they'll be in first place in the AFC East. The Bills are a 2.5-point favorite.
It's hard to know what to make of the Jets after a week of chaos in their trip to London. The Bills have their problems too. They are on a rare three-game winning streak and there hasn't been a single easy game. They faced the Texas Ravens and now have a talented but lagging Jets team. If you think the Jets will use Saleh's shot as a wake-up call and beat a tired Bills team down the stretch, this is a chance to get them as a home underdog.
