We have a decent body of work now when it comes to judging these NFL teams and Week 6 is another pivotal weekend that could tell us a great deal about the contenders and this season’s also-rans.
There are headline games being played on both sides of the Atlantic and here are three I will have my eye on this weekend.
Can the Jets get their first win?
I’m fascinated to see what kind of response New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn gets from his team at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday as they take on the Denver Broncos. The Jets are 0-5 and the league’s last winless team, but four of those defeats have come by just one score. This is a team that needs to learn how to finish — to turn narrow losses into wins.
I spoke with Aaron Glenn on Wednesday and he was adamant that his players and coaches are not wavering. They’re sticking together, staying the course, and remaining committed to their plan. Now we’ll see whether that belief translates into performance against a Denver side that made a real statement last week with a come-from-behind win over the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
The AFC feels wide open and the Broncos look like they’ll be in that playoff conversation deep into the back end of the season. I’m also very interested to see how quarterback Bo Nix continues to grow under Sean Payton — that partnership could be one to watch.
Contenders clash in Florida
Two somewhat surprising playoff contenders will meet on Sunday at 6pm when the Jacksonville Jaguars host the Seattle Seahawks. The Jags have won three straight — taking down Houston, San Francisco, and Kansas City — and it was an incredible late-game performance from Trevor Lawrence to seal that victory against the reigning AFC champions.
But Jacksonville are about much more than offense. Their defense has forced 14 turnovers this season and turned those takeaways into 48 points. That opportunistic style will present a real challenge to Sam Darnold, who’s emerging as one of the league’s top quarterbacks early in this 2025 campaign. He’s been working brilliantly with Jaxson Smith-Njigba, and the Seahawks are averaging 29 points per game.
Something has to give in Florida on Sunday night.
Chiefs face tough test
After blowing a 14-point lead and losing 31–28 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5, the last thing the Kansas City Chiefs need right now is to face a Detroit Lions team that has won four straight and piled up 161 points in the process. This will be a major test for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs if they’re to keep pace with the Lions’ relentless attack.
There have been some signs of life from Kansas City’s offense in recent weeks, but it will need to hit a whole new level on Sunday Night Football. Jared Goff might not command as many headlines as some of his quarterback peers, but he leads the NFL with a 75 percent completion rate and 12 touchdown passes. He’s surrounded by talent, full of confidence, and showing no signs of missing departed offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
This feels like a real opportunity for the Lions to hammer home their authority in the NFC.