After this week, the NFL season will already be one-third complete – and the storylines are heating up. The New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs are still searching for answers, while Baker Mayfield looks like he’s solving every problem in front of him.
Here are five things to know heading into Week 6.
The Jets are the only winless team left in the NFL, and now they’re packing their bags for London to face the Denver Broncos.
Aaron Glenn’s first season as head coach hasn’t gone anywhere near as planned.
His Jets are the first team in league history to start 0-5 without a single takeaway. Not getting at least one interception or fumble in five games seems almost impossible – but somehow, New York has pulled it off.
They’re more than a touchdown underdog against a Broncos team coming off its biggest win of the season, ending the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles’ 10-game winning streak.
If the Broncos score 21 or more points Sunday, you can probably count this as another loss for the Jets; starting quarterback Justin Fields is 0-26 in his career when his opponent hits that mark.
Kickoff from London is set for 9:30 a.m. ET Sunday.
No quarterback has been hotter this season than Baker Mayfield. Not Josh Allen. Not Patrick Mahomes. Not Lamar Jackson.
Mayfield keeps finding ways to win. The Buccaneers’ four victories have come by margins of 3, 1, 2 and 3 points – and the Tampa Bay QB been clutch in all of them. Somehow, he’s tied for fourth in MVP odds with Los Angeles Rams signal-caller Matthew Stafford at 12-1.
Through five weeks, Mayfield has thrown for 1,283 yards, 10 touchdowns and just one interception. If there were an MVP for the first month of the season, he’d have it locked up.
His banged-up Bucs now host the equally battered San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, with both teams sitting at 4-1. One of them will leave that game atop the NFC at 5-1.
Mahomes and the Chiefs at 2-3
Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City are off to their worst start (2-3) since 2021. But there’s no need to panic in Chiefs Kingdom.
That season, they still finished 12-5 and made it to the AFC Championship Game.
Mahomes and company will spend the rest of October at home, hosting the Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders. After a brutal, last-minute loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Mahomes said the team has “lost too many games already,” so the urgency is real.
Kansas City hosts the 4-1 Lions on Sunday Night Football.
No fanbase with higher expectations is hurting more than Baltimore’s right now.
After getting rolled by the Houston Texans on Sunday, the Ravens are 1-4. Lamar Jackson’s status for this week’s matchup against the Rams isn’t looking good, and the bye week can’t come soon enough.
Injuries have piled up across the roster, and it’s possible Baltimore heads into the bye at 1-5. Yet somehow, the Ravens still have the best odds to win the AFC North – a reflection of just how weak the division has been so far.
Football fans, rejoice! You get a two-for-one Monday night.
The Atlanta Falcons host the Buffalo Bills at 7:15 p.m. ET, followed by the Chicago Bears traveling to face the Commanders at 8:15 p.m ET.
These doubleheaders were added as part of the NFL’s 2021 media deal with Disney. After next week’s slate, they’ll be done for the season, so enjoy it while you can.
Away @ home
Thursday
Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Giants, 8:15 p.m. ET
Sunday
Denver Broncos @ New York Jets (game in London, UK), 9:30 a.m. ET
Seattle Seahawks @ Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Chargers @ Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Rams @ Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. ET
Arizona Cardinals @ Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET
Dallas Cowboys @ Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. ET
New England Patriots @ New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m. ET
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m. ET
Tennessee Titans @ Las Vegas Raiders, 4:05 p.m. ET
San Francisco 49ers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4:25 p.m. ET
Cincinnati Bengals @ Green Bay Packers, 4:25 p.m. ET
Detroit Lions @ Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET
Monday
Buffalo Bills @ Atlanta Falcons, 7:15 p.m. ET
Chicago Bears @ Washington Commanders, 8:15 p.m. ET
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