This is the USA TODAY Sports NFL newsletter, 4th and Monday. If this newsletter isnât already getting conveniently delivered to your inbox, click here to subscribe. USA TODAY Sports is now on Bluesky! Give us a follow for more of our NFL content.
Welcome to Week 6 in the NFL!
We present some essentials for you to enjoy before we check out the weekendâs biggest matchups:
Our NFL vodcasts offer fantasy insights, injury updates, more
Week 6 picks from USA TODAY Sportsâ experts
Need fantasy advice? We have you covered
Point spreads for every Week 6 game
â€Â On tap for Thursday night: Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants â The Eagles are coming off their first defeat in more than 280 days. In Week 5, Jaxson Dart came back down to earth and the Giants earned the distinction of being the first team to lose to Saints QB Spencer Rattler, who finally won in his 11th NFL start. The Eagles have won 10 consecutive prime-time meetings against the Giants. Philly should make it 11 tonight.
â€Â Game of the week: Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs â This one lost some of its luster when the Chiefs were defeated by the Jacksonville Jaguars on âMonday Night Footballâ to fall to 2-3. The Lions (4-1), meanwhile â thanks to Week 5 defeats by the Bills and Eagles â vaulted into the top spot in Nate Davisâ NFL power rankings. The Lionsâ Week 1 loss to the Packers now looks like an aberration.
â€Â Sneaky-good game of the week: San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers â It might be premature to call this showdown of 4-1 teams an NFC championship game preview. Both teams are coming off thrilling Week 5 victories. Both teams are a little banged up, but this still should be a banger of a game.
â€Â Dud of the week: Tennessee Titans at Las Vegas Raiders â At least this matchup of 1-4 teams gives fans a chance to check out rookies Cam Ward and Ashton Jeanty. Otherwise, itâs been a very disappointing season so far for both squads.
TNF BETTING LOCK
Jalen Hurts first TD scorer (+450*). How about a âTush Pushâ for the gameâs first touchdown? Hurts has rushed for five touchdowns in four starts on âThursday Night Football,â so it seems likely heâll get one against the Giants.
*Odds per BetMGM (as of publication)
BEST BETS FOR WEEK 6
Lorenzo Reyes is back with his NFL betting locks of the week. Here are the bets he likes most for Week 6:
Patriots (-3.5 spread). This is an inviting point spread, even though New England is on the road against the New Orleans Saints.
Rams (-7.5 spread). The Ramsâ game against the Baltimore Ravens has blowout potential.
Titans (+4.5 spread). We have a hard time seeing the Las Vegas Raiders winning this one by nearly a touchdown.
ONE BOLD PREDICTION
†Lions sink the Chiefs to 2-4. What would have been billed as a possible Super Bowl 60 preview when the 2025 NFL schedule was released back in May has become an early season must-win for the Chiefs. However, itâll be the Lions who prevail in this âSunday Night Footballâ showdown.
One thing to watch for: If Lions running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery each score a touchdown against the Chiefs, they will surpass 1990s Cowboys teammates Daryl Johnston and Emmitt Smith for the third-most games that a running back tandem each scored a touchdown (14 games). Frank Gifford and Alex Webster of the New York Football Giants have the most with 20. Fun facts!
HOT READS
The best NFL reads from USA TODAY and our Sports Network:
The Bills and Eagles both lost last week, so thereâs a new No. 1 team in the power rankings.
Emari Demercadoâs Hall of Shame goal-line gaffe keeps getting worse. This time with the spotlight on Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon.
With Joe Flacco traded to the Bengals, Shedeur Sanders is moving up (by default) the Brownsâ depth chart. Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz has more winners (and losers) from the trade of the veteran quarterback.
Travis Kelce reviewed Taylor Swiftâs new album. Here is everything he said about it.
FANTASY ESSENTIALS
Do you have a battered fantasy football squad? Perplexed by how to navigate bye weeks? Weâre here to help you ideate an optimized lineup for Week 6.
Week 6 Start âEm, Sit âEm: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends
NFL DRAFT PROSPECT TO WATCH
Dante Moore, QB, Oregon (vs. Indiana, Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS/Paramount+) â This No. 2-vs.-No. 7 showdown of undefeated Big Ten teams features the quarterbacks projected to go 1-2 in Michael Middlehurst-Schwartzâs latest mock draft: IUâs Fernando Mendoza and Oregonâs Moore. Moore has taken a circuitous route to become one of the best quarterbacks in college football ⊠decommitting from Oregon to go to UCLA, struggling as a true freshman with the Bruins, then transferring to Oregon. Now, he faces (not directly) Mendoza in a must-watch quarterback duel.
ON THIS DAY IN NFL HISTORY
On Oct. 9, 1983, Dan Marino made his first NFL start and was outdueled by ⊠Joe Ferguson? After the Dolphins selected Marino in the first round of the 1983 draft, it seemed as though David Woodleyâs days as starter were numbered. After a Week 5 loss to the New Orleans Saints, Don Shula finally made the switch, thus putting Marino on a path that would eventually lead to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Marinoâs first start came against the Buffalo Bills at the Orange Bowl. Not surprisingly, it was an offensive shootout. Surprisingly, it was Ferguson, the Billsâ veteran quarterback, who outdid Marino and led Buffalo to a thrilling 38-35 overtime win (for the Billsâ first victory at the Orange Bowl since 1966!). Ferguson threw for 419 yards and five touchdowns; Marino threw for 322 yards and three scores. There was kicking drama in overtime, as the Dolphinsâ Uwe von Schamann missed two field goals while the Billsâ Joe Danelo connected on the game-winner.
If you enjoy reading 4th and Monday , encourage your football fan friends to subscribe . Follow the writer of this newsletter on social media @jimreineking and drop a line if you want to talk some football .