EAGLES (2-3) AT
GIANTS (1-4)
Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET, Met-Life Stadium, East
Rutherford, New Jersey
TV: Fox, NFL Network
Line: Eagles by 3
Eagles’ keys to victory: Potentially fighting a
Super Bowl hangover, the Eagles can stroll into Met-Life Stadium on Thursday
and take a major step toward reclaiming the NFC East by mixing their defensive
looks and pressures, sealing the edge and harassing QB Eli Manning.
Philadelphia also can attack the Giants over the middle of the field by getting
linebackers isolated on RB Darren Sproles and TE Zach Ertz. This
aspect is crucial now that Jay Ajayi is out with a torn ACL.
Giants’ keys to victory: After another less
than stellar start to the season, New York might have no alternative
but to boil everything down to fundamentals. Against the Eagles,
Big Blue must keep its head in the game, avoid turnovers and
costly penalties, wrap up when making tackles and occasionally
take a chance like in Week 5, when WR Odell Beckham Jr. connected
with RB Saquon Barkley on a 57-yard TD pass.
Matchup to watch: Giants offensive line vs. Eagles
defensive line. The Giants have struggled to find consistency along
their O-line, and it has had an impact in each game. While Nate Solder is
solid on the left side, Patrick Omameh and Chad Wheeler have
struggled on the right.
Who wins? The Giants aren’t a good team right
now. As talented as their roster might appear, they can’t seem to string
together any success or find any level of consistency. And while the Eagles
have experienced similar issues on a more minor level, they’re lightyears ahead
of the Giants. EAGLES, 31-16
BUCS (2-2) AT
FALCONS (1-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
TV: Fox
Line: Falcons by 3 1 / 2
Buccaneers’ keys to victory: Tampa Bay is coming off
a bye week and will be starting QB Jameis Winston, who has
thrown 12 career touchdown passes against Atlanta; his best against any other
team is five. The Buccaneers need their talented pass-catching group to take
advantage of a Falcons secondary that is missing both of its starting safeties.
Tampa’s defensive line will try to pressure Falcons QB Matt Ryan, who was under
constant pressure against Pittsburgh. The critical element for the Bucs is
improvement in the secondary; over the first four games of the season, they
allowed more passing touchdowns (13) than any other team.
Falcons’ keys to victory: The offensive line
has to do a much better job protecting Ryan than it did in the
Week 5 41-17 loss to the Steelers. Atlanta also should look to get WR Julio
Jones more involved in the red zone; he has 34 receptions and 55
targets through five games but has yet to score a touchdown. Defensively, the
Falcons sorely miss LB Deion Jones, and their tackling has not
been acceptable since he went on injured reserve.
Matchup to watch: Buccaneers WR Mike Evans vs. Falcons CB
Desmond Trufant. Evans’ size makes him a difficult matchup for any
cornerback. He is 3 inches taller and has 40 pounds on Trufant, who cannot
allow him to get over the top.
Who wins? Tampa Bay always seems to bring it’s A
game against Atlanta, and the Falcons’ spirit might be broken after such a
difficult start to the season. Buccaneers, 30-27
STEELERS (2-2-1)
AT BENGALS (4-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati
TV: CBS
Line: Bengals by 2 1 / 2
Steelers’ keys to victory: Spread it out. Pittsburgh
entered Week 5 with six players sitting on double-digit receptions. Cincinnati
CB William Jackson did a quality job on WR Antonio Brown last
year, but the Bengals secondary got ripped for 419 passing yards and three
touchdowns by Falcons QB Matt Ryan in Week 4 and has been susceptible to
intermediate routes over the middle. Attacking there with WR JuJu
Smith-Schuster will allow the Steelers to retain possession.
Bengals’ keys to victory: Establish the run. RB Joe
Mixon returned in Week 5 with RB Giovani Bernard out, but
a combination of him not being fully 100 percent and poor
blocking led to 22 carries for 93 yards in the win, the numbers
greatly skewed by a late 31-yard scamper. If Mixon can’t get rolling early,
the Bengals leave themselves vulnerable to brief possessions and needing to
become one dimensional offensively if the defense can’t contain Pittsburgh’s
passing attack.
Matchup to watch: Steelers WR Antonio Brown vs. Bengals
DB William Jackson. What else? If the Steelers can get Brown going against
Jackson early, it demands a shift by the Cincinnati defense, resulting in a
strong cast of Pittsburgh weapons elsewhere getting more room to work. Call it
the domino point for both teams.
Who wins? These Bengals are oddly resilient and,
to his credit, QB Andy Dalton looks to be playing the best ball of
his career, even when escaping the pocket. If he remains composed, he’ll outgun
the Steelers’ shaky secondary. Bengals, 30-27
CHARGERS (3-2)
AT BROWNS (2-2-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland
TV: CBS
Line: Chargers by 1 1 / 2
Chargers’ keys to victory: Los Angeles has done
a great job of balancing its offense. QB Philip Rivers remains one
of the league’s most effective passers, but part of the reason is because RBs Melvin
Gordon and Austin Ekeler are so versatile and
efficient. Keeping the attacking Browns defense off balance and making them pay
for their assignment breakdowns should give the Chargers a chance to put up a
lot of points if the line gives Rivers time. Defensively, the Chargers need to
improve at getting off the field on third down.
Browns’ keys to victory: Start with a better
start — Cleveland has scored the fewest first-quarter points
(six) in the league. The Browns cannot afford to fall behind and
lose the ability to dictate game pace. Getting an early lead also
would help unleash the defense to be even more aggressive with DE Myles Garrett, who
is averaging one sack a game. That, in turn, could create more takeaway
opportunities for sensational rookie CB Denzel Ward and
ball-hawking S Damarious Randall. Cleveland’s special teams must improve.
The return and coverage units and missed kicks have consistently hurt the
Browns. K Greg Joseph missed an extra-point attempt against the
Ravens before hitting the winning field goal.
Matchup to watch: Chargers LT Russell Okung vs. Browns DE
Myles Garrett. Okung has been decent in pass protection, but Garrett is a
different level of pass rusher.
Who wins? Cleveland figured out how to win in
Week 5. The momentum carries on. Browns, 19-16
BILLS (2-3) AT
TEXANS (2-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, NRG Stadium, Houston
TV: CBS
Line: Texans by 9 1 / 2
Bills’ keys to victory: The wildcard team from a
season ago has done a good job of producing takeaways. It was a deciding factor
in Buffalo’s two wins, at Minnesota and against Tennessee. The defense, led by
the play of LB Tremaine Edmunds, will need to capitalize on
any chances for takeaways the Texans offense presents. QB Josh Allen has
thrown only one interception in Buffalo’s two wins, but the rookie will need to
heighten his pocket awareness against a formidable pass rush. The Bills also
need to emphasize RB LeSean McCoy and sidekick Chris Ivory to
keep Houston’s big play offense on the sideline.
Texans’ keys to victory: The Houston pass rush
produced an AFC defensive player of the week in Week 4 (DE-OLB Jadeveon
Clowney) and an AFC defensive player of the month (DE J.J. Watt).
Against a rookie quarterback who leads the NFL in time to throw, Houston has
the talent to transpose that extra time into hurried throws and sacks. The best
trait Texans QB DeShaun Watson has is turning nothing into
something. The next best trait he is developing is not trying to force it when
no one is open.
Matchup to watch: Bills DE Jerry Hughes vs. Texans LT
Martinas Rankin. Hughes, 30, is going against a rookie who has done
his best to hold the line. Is it a young man’s game, or will experience beat
youth?
Who wins? The pressure Watson will evade is not
as strong as the pass rush seeking Allen, and the Houston quarterback has more
productive targets. Texans, 27-19
BEARS (3-1) AT
DOLPHINS (3-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
TV: Fox
Line: Bears by
3
Bears’ keys to victory: The last time QB Mitchell
Trubisky saw the field, he had a record-setting day in Chicago’s 48-10
win over the Buccaneers, throwing for 354 yards and six touchdowns. Considering
the Dolphins’ inability to pressure passers, Trubisky should be able to
complete plenty of short passes to his receivers. Also, RB Tarik Cohen’s game-breaking
speed should be an effective weapon for Chicago. The Bears defense has been
even more outstanding. It ranks among the league leaders in yards allowed per
game (294.8).
Dolphins’ keys to victory: QB Ryan
Tannehill will need to take care of the football — he
turned it over twice, and both mistakes were returned for TDs in the second
half of Miami’s 27-17 loss to the Bengals in Week 5. One was an
interception that bounced off TE Durham Smythe. The other was
a fumble. The defense is giving up nearly 400 yards per game, though it has
managed to limit the point’s damage to a relatively low 23.4 pregame average.
Matchup to watch: Bears’ front seven vs. Dolphins’
offensive line. Injuries have wracked the Dolphins’ O-line; C Daniel
Kilgore and G Josh Sitton are both out for the
season. So it will be interesting to see whether they can block LB Khalil
Mack and the Bears’ tough defensive front.
Who wins? The Dolphins have a ton of injuries,
and the Bears defense is one of the best in the NFL. Also, the Bears offense
should be able to move the ball against the Dolphins defense, which performed
poorly in the second half against the Bengals. Bears, 27-17
CARDINALS (1-4)
AT VIKINGS (2-2-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
TV: Fox
Line: Vikings by 10 1 ⁄ 2
Cardinals’ keys to victory: Take a page out of the
Bills’ playbook. The Vikings were huge favorites against rookie QB Josh Allen
and Buffalo in Week 3 at U.S. Bank Stadium. That didn’t mean a whole lot as the
Bills upset Minnesota. Now it’s up to another rookie, QB Josh Rosen, to
do the same. The odds are against him, but even with the Vikings’ win over the
Eagles in Week 5, this defense has been suspect this season and the running
game has been downright horrible. Minnesota’s linebackers haven’t been great in
pass coverage, either.
Vikings’ keys to victory: Get ahead early and
don’t look back. The offense, besides that Bills game, has
looked fantastic all-season — even with the lack of a run game.
When it comes to a quarterback and receiving connection, you won’t
find any better than Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins and WRs Adam
Thielen and Stefon Diggs. The defense needs to play against
Josh Rosen the way it did vs. Eagles QB Carson Wentz and not how it did against
Josh Allen — when it seemed as if the Vikings tried to do too much. PK Dan
Bailey needs to make some field goals.
Matchup to watch: Cardinals RB David Johnson vs. Vikings
LB Anthony Barr. There’s a good chance Johnson will be isolated on Barr
more than a few times. Barr got torched in coverage a few weeks back — will
that trend continue? Maybe the Vikings could use S George Iloka in
coverage.
Who wins? The Vikings are better and have the
momentum after their big victory at Philadelphia. Vikings, 27-14
COLTS (1-4) AT
JETS (2-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New
Jersey
TV: CBS
Line: Jets by Jets’ keys to victory: New
York’s defense needs to force Colts QB Andrew Luck into mistakes. He did plenty
of that last week against the Patriots, throwing two interceptions among his 59
passes in a 38-24 loss on the road. Luck again will be in a hostile
environment, and the Jets should have a good idea what Indianapolis’ plan of
attack will be. The Jets defense, which has done a great job of creating
turnovers, should be ready and waiting to pounce on a pass happy offense.
Colts’ keys to victory: The offense will need to
take some pressure off Luck, who has thrown 121 passes in the last two games.
Coach Frank Reich needs to balance things out by activating
Indy’s rushing attack, averaging just 3.7 yards per carry this season. The
Colts have been strong in the red zone thanks to TE Eric Ebron, who
leads the team with five TD catches. Continuing their efficiency is imperative
and shouldn’t be too hard against a secondary that might be banged up after
playing without CB Trumaine Johnson last week.
Matchup to watch: Jets QB Sam Darnold vs. Colts DE Margus
Hunt. The Jets rookie has gotten little protection from a porous
offensive line. It’s easy to see Hunt having some fun with that.
Who wins? The Jets will win this matchup between
two predictable offenses because New York’s secondary is a worse matchup for
Indianapolis than whatever the Colts defense will throw at Darnold and the
Jets. Either way, expect a sloppy game. Jets, 24-17
SEAHAWKS (2-3) VS.
RAIDERS (1-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Wembley Stadium, London
TV: Fox
Line: Seahawks by 3
Seahawks’ keys to victory: The best way to beat
Oakland is get to QB Derek Carr, who tends to get careless with the ball when
he is pressured. The Raiders offensive line is banged up and inexperienced at
both tackle spots. If the Seahawks can take advantage of Oakland’s youth at
tackle, it could be a long day for the Raiders offense. The Seattle offense
relies on big plays to move the ball, and Oakland struggles to stop passes down
the field. Expect QB Russell Wilson and the Seahawks to take a
lot of deep shots.
Raiders’ keys to victory: The Raiders lack
talent at all three levels of the defense and rely on turnovers
to get stops. When they aren’t creating turnovers, their
defense gets shredded fairly easily. On offense, the Raiders have
weapons at running back, wide receiver and tight end. One of their best
weapons this season is TE Jared Cook. When Cook gets involved in
the passing game, the Raiders can be hard to stop. Watch for them to try to
balance their attack between running and passing.
Matchup to watch: Seahawks CB Shaquill Griffin vs.
Raiders WR Amari Cooper. One of the best up-and-coming cornerbacks in
the league will cover the Raiders’ best receiver. These are two of the best
athletes at their position, and the winner here ultimately could decide the
game.
Who wins? The Seahawks are a different team on
the road (and this game is in London), and the Raiders offensive line can
neutralize a good pass rush. It’s going to be a close game, but expect the
Raiders to win a low-scoring battle. Raiders, 20-17
PANTHERS (3-1) AT
REDSKINS (2-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FedExField, Landover, Maryland
TV: Fox
Line: Redskins
by 2
Panthers’ keys to victory: Carolina will need to
continue to rely on the offensive versatility of QB Cam Newton if
it wants to put up points against the Redskins’ excellent defense. Similarly,
RB Christian McCaffrey has to establish the run game right
from the start of the contest. An added boost to Carolina’s offense could come
from the possible return of TE Greg Olsen. Defensively, the
Panthers will need to take away Washington’s run game; they can’t let RBs
Adrian Peterson and Chris Thompson gets into a rhythm.
Redskins’ keys to victory: Stopping Carolina from
establishing any type of running game is crucial. Offensively, the Redskins
will need a big game from RB Adrian Peterson, who has shown this
season that he is still an elite running back at 33 years old. QB Alex
Smith’s calculated passing game also will need to be accurate and
efficient. But perhaps more important, the Redskins will need to actually score
in the second half, something that has troubled them this season.
Matchup to watch: Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey vs.
Washington’s defensive line. If McCaffrey can break down Washington’s
D-line, that opens everything up for Carolina’s offense. If the Redskins can
slow down McCaffrey, that in turn will help them contain Cam Newton.
Who wins? Washington’s Week 3 victory over Green
Bay showed how good the Redskins can be. Expect a similar performance against a
Panthers team that will keep things close but will come up short. Redskins,
24-21
RAMS (5-0) AT
BRONCOS (2-3)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, Broncos Stadium at Mile High,
Denver
TV: Fox
Line: Rams by 7
Rams’ keys to victory: The Broncos have a strong
rushing attack this season (they are averaging 137 yards per game, fourth best
in the NFL), but that won’t do them any good if they have to play from behind
against Los Angeles. If the Rams can build an early lead and force Denver to
rely on QB Case Keenum to win the game, L.A. should be in good shape. On
offense, WR Brandin Cooks likely will face Chris Harris or
Bradley Roby, two talented cornerbacks. So the Rams should target WRs Robert
Woods and Cooper Kupp — either of them would be a mismatch
against 35-year-old CB Adam Jones.
Broncos’ keys to victory: Run until the wheels
fall off. RBs Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman have been
outstanding, combining for 664 yards from scrimmage and five
touchdowns. If the Broncos can establish a running game early, it
will make life easier for QB Case Keenum. On defense, OLBs Von
Miller and Bradley Chubb must generate a pass rush to
disrupt L.A.’s menacing passing attack.
Matchup to watch: Rams DT Aaron Donald vs. Broncos LG Ron
Leary. Donald is arguably the best defensive player in the NFL, so
he’s worth watching every week. He might face a tough test in Leary, who has
yet to allow a sack this season.
Who wins? Keenum hasn’t been good enough to beat
good defenses this season, and Los Angeles has one of the most talented teams
in the NFL. Denver’s defense might play better than expected, but it won’t be
enough for the Broncos to pull off an upset. Rams, 28-17
JAGUARS (3-2) AT
COWBOYS (3-2)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, AT& T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
TV: CBS
Line: Jaguars by 1 1 / 2
Cowboys’ keys to victory: Dallas’ ability to
pass for first downs is a big key to their success. That burden mostly falls on
the shoulders of WR Cole Beasley. Jacksonville boasts
outstanding outside corners, so work in the slot will be key for the Cowboys. RB
Ezekiel Elliott continues to be the catalyst for the offense and
will be a key against the best defense the team will see all season. When
Jacksonville has the ball, getting pressure on QB Blake Bortles is the biggest
priority. DE DeMarcus Lawrence has been doing his job and the
team hopes DT David Irving will make his 2018 debut (suspended
for violating the substance abuse policy) to create havoc on the interior.
Jaguars’ keys to victory: They will be looking
for big plays in the passing game, and outside of CB Byron
Jones, Dallas hasn’t done a good job at stopping them. Bortles will look to
spread the ball around to WR Dede Westbrook and rookie WR D.J.
Chark, who will look to build off their performances against the
Chiefs. On defense, Calais Campbell will move up and down,
trying to find the weak point of the Cowboys’ offensive line that has adapted
well despite high sack totals on Dak Prescott.
Matchup to watch: Jaguars QB Blake Bortles vs Cowboys CB
Byron Jones. Quarterbacks have been wise in avoiding Jones’ side of the
field. The former first-round pick has settled in at right corner and
effectively shut down a third of the field. Bortles’ limitations may not be
able to withstand him.
Who wins? Dallas continues to play well at home.
Cowboys, 21-17
RAVENS (3-2) AT
TITANS (3-2)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Nissan Stadium, Nashville,
Tennessee
TV: CBS
Line: Ravens by 1 1 / 2
Ravens’ keys to victory: Protecting QB Joe
Flacco will be paramount. When he has time, Flacco can make the right
moves in the pocket and get the ball to playmakers such as WR John Brown, and
he has a lot of targets — in the Week 5 loss at Cleveland, he completed at
least four passes to four receivers. Brown has been a revelation in his first
year in Baltimore, catching at least three passes in every game and scoring
three touchdowns.
Titans’ keys to victory: Their offense should
attack the middle of the field, which the Ravens have struggled to defend. QB Marcus
Mariota doesn’t throw for a lot of yards — he has had more
than 129 yards passing just once in four games this season — but
he’s also lethal running the ball. Getting pressure on Ravens QB
Joe Flacco early will be important. The Titans wouldn’t mind an easy victory
for a change; all five of their games have been decided by seven points or
fewer, and four of them have been decided by one to three points. Their 13-12
loss at Buffalo in Week 5 came after three consecutive three-point victories.
Matchup to watch: Ravens WR John Brown vs. Titans CB
Malcolm Butler. Butler has struggled this year, but if he’s able to shut
down Brown one-on-one the Titans could limit the Ravens’ solid passing attack.
Flacco threw the ball 56 times at Cleveland.
Who wins? These teams don’t play often — this is
only their fourth meeting this decade — and the Titans scored a 23-20 victory
last year at home. Same site, same result. Titans, 23-20
CHIEFS (5-0) AT
PATRIOTS (3-2)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, Foxborough, Massachusetts
TV: NBC
Line: Patriots by 3 1 / 2
Chiefs’ keys to victory: Coach Andy Reid
has done a fantastic job of opening up the high-powered offense for QB Patrick
Mahomes, whose 14 touchdown passes leads the league. The Patriots
don’t have the speed to guard all of the Chiefs’ weapons on offense, and WR Tyreek
Hill figures to be a problem. DE Dee Ford has quietly
played well, but most of the Chiefs’ defensive line has, too — and that group
will need to make Patriots QB Tom Brady as uncomfortable as possible. The
Chiefs have been the best team in the league at stopping opponents on third
down.
Patriots’ keys to victory: Offensive coordinator Josh
McDaniels will have a game plan to keep the Chiefs offense on the
sideline as much as possible, and RB Sony Michel should be a
big part of the equation — he is starting to come on, if the last two
games are any evidence. The Patriots should have no problem getting what they
want on offense but will need to score touchdowns and not settle for field
goals. On defense, they need to hold Kansas City to field goals. The Chiefs are
converting in the red zone at a ridiculous 82 percent clip.
Matchup to watch: Chiefs CB Kendall Fuller vs. Patriots
WR Julian Edelman. In his first game of the season after serving a four
game suspension for violating the substance abuse policy, Edelman was targeted
nine times and caught seven passes. Fuller can’t let him get free that much.
Who wins? This will be one of the most
interesting games of the season. There will be plenty of points, but the Chiefs
will have a few more. Chiefs, 31-28
49ERS (1-4)
AT PACKERS (2-2-1)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET, Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
TV: ESPN
Line: Packers by 9 1 / 2
49ers’ keys to victory: Control the ball on
offense and pressure Aaron Rodgers. The 49ers need to stay balanced and protect
QBC.J. Beathard, using rookie RB Matt Breida as the
focal point of the offense. Beating Rodgers at Lambeau Field is never easy, but
the best way to combat the two-time MVP is getting an effective pass rush with
the front four. DL DeForest Buckner, Arik Armstead and Solomon
Thomas must be consistently disruptive or Rodgers will pick the 49ers
apart.
Packers’ keys to victory: Attack the 49ers’
biggest weakness and stop the run. Opposing quarterbacks have sliced and diced
San Francisco’s secondary this season, providing an opportunity for a big night
from QB Aaron Rodgers. He is getting healthier every week, and
the Packers could return WRs Randall Cobb and Geronimo
Allison. The defense must contain the 49ers’ high-efficiency run game and
force QB C.J. Beathard to move the football through the air. The Packers will
like their odds if the game comes down to Rodgers vs. Beathard.
Matchup to watch: 49ers TE George Kittle vs. Packers LB
Oren Burks. Kittle has been the 49ers’ best offensive weapon through
five games. The Packers likely will counter with Burks, a rookie with coverage
ability and a growing role.
Who wins? The 49ers haven’t been an easy out in
2018, but it’s difficult to envision Beathard walking into Lambeau Field and
beating Rodgers in a prime-time matchup. Packers, 28-20
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