This week we’re trying something different. If you see it next week, that means we like it. If you never see it again, that’s no coincidence.
It is a central place to take a quick look at the upcoming matches on Sunday and Monday. It will be released sometime on Friday or Saturday. It contains the basic information plus a little about each game that has caught my attention, and maybe yours too.
This is a good week to give it a try, as five games feature teams that are both above .500 for six weeks.
Here we go, with what will be the first (and possibly last) set of weekly game previews.
(If you’re looking for our Week 7 picks, here they are.)
1-5 Patriots at 1-5 Jaguars (-5.5), Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ETNFL Network (Chris Rose and Joe Thomas)
The Pats are on a five-game losing streak, the longest in the league. The Jaguars were embarrassed last week against the Bears, with safety Andrew Cisco saying the defense showed “a lot of silence” and coach Doug Pederson saying the team needs a culture change.
With another loss in Jacksonville, the question becomes whether the Jaguars will make a coaching change.
3-3 Seahawks at 4-2 Falcons (-3), Sunday, 1:00 PM ETFOX (Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma)
Atlanta has won three in a row; Seattle has lost three in a row. Seahawks coach Mike McDonald went to high school and college in the Atlanta area.
All four of the Falcons’ home games have been decided by one score, and all four came down to the final minute of regulation time or overtime.
The Seahawks get defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, who has missed three games (all losses) due to a hamstring injury. He has extra motivation since the Falcons passed on him in the draft.
1-4 Titans at 4-2 Bills (-9.5), Sunday 1:00 PM ET, CBS (Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber and Jason McCourty)
Titans quarterback Will Lewis, questionable due to a lingering right shoulder injury, leads the league with 10 turnovers. He has at least one in every game this season, with a nine-game turnover streak dating back to last year. He has had turnovers in 12 of his 14 NFL starts.
Last week he played like he was worried about getting on the bench; maybe.
The Bills added receiver Amari Cooper as they play in a short week after beating the Jets on Monday night.
The 4-2 Bills won’t play a team that currently has a winning record until Week 11. This is their chance to solidify their record.
2-4 Bengals (-6) at 1-5 Browns, Sunday 1:00 PM ETCBS (Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta)
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is 1-5 against the Browns. Cleveland has won six straight at home against the Bengals.
Deshaun Watson is the only quarterback who hasn’t had a 200-yard passing game in six weeks. The return of running back Nick Chubb from a serious knee injury suffered in Week 2 of the 2023 season could give the offense a boost.
With the first of three home games after not playing in Cleveland since Week 3, the crowd could become more than a little restless if Watson continues to struggle — and if the Browns continue to refuse to bench him.
5-1 Texans at 4-2 Packers (-3), Sunday 1:00 PM ETCBS (Jim Nantz and Tony Romo)
The Packers rank second in the NFL in rushing, behind the Ravens. Quarterback Jordan Love, fully recovered from a knee injury in Week 1, looked like he was back to full form in the Week 6 loss to the Cardinals.
Green Bay will wear white helmets, jerseys and pants during the game.
Houston hasn’t had a signature road win since the Texans’ unexpected resurgence in 2023. They lost badly at Minnesota four weeks ago, 34-7.
With a win, Houston is 6-1 for the first time since 2012.
2-3 Dolphins at 3-3 Colts (-3), Sunday 1:00 PM ETFOX (Kevin Kugler and Daryl Johnston)
In what could be their last game without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins come out of the bye 2-3. Will the offense look better without the starting quarterback?
The Colts expect to get quarterback Anthony Richardson back into the starting lineup at 3-3. However, running back Jonathan Taylor has been ruled out again due to an ankle injury.
4-1 Lions at 5-0 Vikings (-1.5), Sunday 1:00 PM ETFOX (Adam Amin and Greg Olsen)
The Vikings had an extra week to prepare for their biggest test of the year so far. Did the Jets provide a blueprint for slowing down quarterback Sam Darnold, or was London’s sputtering the product of a very good defense in New York?
Running back Aaron Jones is questionable due to a hamstring injury. Without him, the offense is very different. (The arrival of Cam Akers via trade with the Texans could help if Jones is hampered.)
The Lions have scored 40 or more points in consecutive games for the first time since 1962. A win would put them at 5-1 in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1933-34.
Although the Lions have won three straight against the Vikings and four of five, the Vikings are 21-5 in the series since 1998.
3-2 Eagles (-3) at 2-4 Giants, Sunday 1:00 PM ETFOX (Chris Myers and Mark Sanchez)
The Eagles have won one and lost one all season. They haven’t won consecutive games since winning five in a row last year, culminating in a 10-1 record. They are currently 0-4 in their last four games following a win.
In this one, running back Saquon Barkley returns to MetLife Stadium. After scoring five touchdowns in the first three games of the season, he has none in back-to-back games.
Giants rookie receiver Malik Nabers returns to action after missing two games with a concussion. That could help quarterback Daniel Jones reverse a trend where he has zero passing touchdowns and four interceptions at home while throwing six touchdown passes and zero picks on the road.
2-4 Raiders at 1-4 Rams (-6.5), Sunday 4:05 PM ETCBS (Kevin Harlan and Trent Green)
Receiver Cooper Kupp is questionable to return after an extended absence for the Rams, who are off to their worst start under coach Sean McVay. A loss on Sunday would drop LA to 1-5, their worst record through six games since going 0-6 in 2011.
The Rams are 2-0 against the Raiders since returning to Los Angeles. The Raiders will play their first game without receiver Davante Adams since trading for him in 2022. This week defensive end Maxx Crosby made a comment that will give rise to speculation about whether he would also want a change of scenery.
1-5 Panthers at 4-2 Commanders (-8), Sunday 4:05 PM ETCBS (Ian Eagle and Charles Davis)
With each loss, the 1-5 Panthers finish trailing by 10 or more points. They are outscored by 100 points, the largest difference in the league, by 35 points.
Andy Dalton remains the starting quarterback for Carolina. It seems like they will inevitably return to Bryce Young.
Rookie phenom Jayden Daniels will look to push the Commanders to 5-2. The teams they have defeated have a combined record of 7-17. Washington’s losses came to teams that are a combined 8-4.
With a win, Washington is 3-0 at home for the first time since 2005. That is the last year the franchise won a playoff game.
5-0 Chiefs at 3-3 49ers (-1.5), Sunday 4:25 PM ETFOX (Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady)
For the tenth time ever, the Super Bowl teams will have a rematch the following regular season. The Super Bowl winner is 6-3.
The biggest trend for the Chiefs is this: Coach Andy Reid is 21-4 after a bye, and Patrick Mahomes is 11-1-1 as an underdog.
For the 49ers, rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall, who was shot during a robbery over Labor Day weekend, will make his NFL debut. The 49ers are without receiver Jauan Jennings, who is out with a hip injury.
2-4 Jets (-2) at 4-2 Steelers, Sunday 8:20 PM ETNBC (Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth)
Russell Wilson is expected to get his first start as a Steeler. If/when that happens, he will reunite with Aaron Rodgers. The duo were on opposite sides of an epic NFC Championship in 2014, with the Packers taking a big lead and Seattle winning in overtime.
The Jets will look to force their way into contention with the addition of receiver Davante Adams, who is expected to play after missing three games for Las Vegas with a hamstring (or “hamstring”) injury.
Some believe the Jets made the deal for Adams to help owner Woody Johnson justify the quick firing of coach Robert Saleh. If they lose on Sunday night, will Johnson be able to make any more moves?
The Steelers have a pair of primetime games at home against the two New York/New Jersey teams before their bye in Week 9.
If Wilson starts, keep an eye out for a possible Justin Fields package. There was a belief that the Steelers would pit Fields against the Falcons in Week 1 before Wilson aggravated his calf injury in training camp.
4-2 Ravens (-3.5) at 4-2 Buccaneers, Monday 8:15 PM ETABC/ESPN (Joe Buck and Troy Aikman)
The Ravens are averaging 205.3 rushing yards per game, nearly 40 yards more than the Packers at 167.2. Running back Derrick Henry has 704 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in six games.
The Bucs might have found a strong tailback in Sean Tucker. The undrafted sophomore out of Syracuse had 136 rushing yards, 56 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a 51-27 win over the Saints.
The game pits the first player taken in the first round of the 2018 draft – Baker Mayfield – against the last player taken in that year’s first round – Lamar Jackson. Jackson is a two-time MVP and is already generating buzz for a third MVP award. He would be the youngest in NFL history to be named league MVP three times.
Mayfield has a shot at his first. If the Bucs finish top in the NFC, he’ll definitely get votes.
By the way, last week Jackson extended his record against NFC teams to an uncanny 22-1. A win on Monday night will make him 23-1 all-time in interconference play.
3-2 Chargers (-2.5) at 2-4 Cardinals, Monday 9:00 PM ETESPN+ (Chris Fowler, Louis Riddick and Dan Orlovsky)
The subscription service sideshow, which starts 45 minutes after Ravens-Bucs, features the Cardinals trying to get their third win of the season. They have scored 14 points or fewer in three of their last four games.
The Chargers jumped out to a 23-0 lead over the Broncos in their first game after the bye and held on for the win, 23-16. The outcome was overshadowed by coach Jim Harbaugh’s atrial flutter, which sent him to the medical tent and then to the locker room for an IV and medications. He has been wearing a heart monitor for two weeks.
Harbaugh underwent a procedure in 2012 after a similar incident. He stated after the win over the Broncos that he was 2-0 with a cardiac arrhythmia.
Which means, as we’ve seen a few times this week, he knows how to attack the day with an arrhythmia unknown to man.
