NFL Week 6 Preview

1. Green Bay Packers v. Minnesota Vikings

Just when Cowboys fans believed they had finally gotten the best of the man who has ripped their hearts out time and time again, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers did it again. With 11 seconds left, Rodgers threw a perfectly-placed ball to Davante Adams to seal the 35-31 win over the Cowboys. Rodgers has proven time and time again that he can get it done, no matter how much time is left. The Vikings are playing great football in Sam Bradford’s absence, but now they have lost Dalvin Cook for the season. The question now is will running backs Latavius Murray or Jerick McKinnon step up, or will the offense become one-dimensional and fall apart? The running game left much to be desired on Monday night and will be highly questioned for the rest of the season. The Vikings were able to squeeze out a 20-17 win against the Chicago Bears last week but looked like an entirely different team. I believe Aaron Rodgers will be able to meticulously pick apart the Vikings’ defense and put up enough points to win.

Prediction: Packers 24, Vikings 16

2. New Orleans Saints v. Detroit Lions

Coming off of their bye week, quarterback Drew Brees and the Saints should be prepared. After two losses to start the year, they have won two straight, including a 20-0 shutout of the Miami Dolphins in London. They also beat the Carolina Panthers convincingly, 34-13. The Saints defense will always be a question mark, but the offense seems to be coming together nicely. Brees and wide receiver Michael Thomas have re-established the connection that worked so well last year, and Alvin Kamara looks like a legitimate receiving threat out of the backfield. Lions quarterback Matt Stafford suffered a heartbreaking 27-24 loss to the Panthers, which was actually 27-10 until he pulled off two touchdown drives in a little over a minute while time dwindled down in the 4th quarter. Stafford can fling the ball and should have no problem doing so against the Saints defense. The Detroit defense was playing remarkably well up until last week and should resume their Week 1-4 form and shut down Brees and the Saints. 

Prediction: Lions 28, Saints 20

3. Los Angeles Rams v. Jacksonville Jaguars

Two teams that have shocked many this season are the Rams and the Jaguars. Jared Goff looks like a whole new quarterback under Sean McVay and looks capable of actually leading a NFL offense. The defense has come alive under Wade Phillips and continues to make plays when the team needs them. They suffered a 16-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks last week, but a drop by wide receiver Cooper Kupp in the end zone prevented that loss from becoming a win. The Rams are looking like a formidable team and are ready to bounce back this week. On the other hand, the Jaguars defense is amazing. They obliterated the Steelers 30-9 due to five interceptions, two of which ended up being pick-sixes. Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye are one of the top cornerback duos in the league, and the front seven of the Jaguars is coming together nicely as well. After all, they did nickname themselves “Sacksonville” after they got to Tom Savage at will in Week1 versus the Texans. On offense, the ball is handed to Leonard Fournette often, and he has proven up to the task. The combination of a great defense and a potent rushing attack takes all the pressure off of Blake Bortles, which is perfect for Jacksonville considering how much trouble he’s had over the past few seasons. I believe Jacksonville’s defense disrupts Goff and the Rams offense enough to squeeze out a victory.

Prediction: Jaguars 17, Rams 14

4. Pittsburgh Steelers v. Kansas City Chiefs

After an exciting 42-34 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday night, the Chiefs are 5-0. The offense of the Chiefs is electric, and Alex Smith continues to add to his resume for MVP. On the defensive side of the ball, while they have allowed more points than usual, they have shut down opposing offenses when needed most. The Steelers, on the other hand, are reeling after a 30-9 loss to Jacksonville. Ben Roethlisberger arguably had his worst game as a pro, throwing five interceptions. It will be interesting to see if he can bounce back from that terrible performance. Something else that is worth noting is that running back Le’Veon Bell has already demanded that the Steelers run the ball more, which shows his lack of trust in his QB. Kansas City should have no trouble cruising to 6-0 and solidifying their place atop the AFC.

Prediction: Chiefs 31, Steelers 20