Week 6 of the 2023 NFL season is underway, and there was just about nothing surprising about the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs' 19-8 win over the Broncos, other than the NFL's worst scoring defense holding the champs under 20 points. Kansas City has now won 16 games in a row against their AFC West rival, tied for the third-longest winning streak against a single opponent in league history.
Since anything can happen when it comes to the NFL -- outside of the Broncos beating the Chiefs -- what's next, you ask? Well, here are five bold predictions for this weekend's Week 6 slate.
Bears defeat Vikings for first winning streak since 2021 season, snap 10-game NFC North losing streak
Saying a team can go on a winning streak, meaning simply winning two games in a row, wouldn't typically fall into the category of "bold." It is for these Chicago Bears, who haven't won consecutive games since Weeks 16 and 17 of the 2021 season. They have gone a season and a quarter without a winning streak. That's crazy. An even spicier element to this take is they are going to create this streak by beating an NFC North rival in the Minnesota Vikings. Chicago is currently on a 10-game losing streak against NFC North opponents.
However, things are looking up in the Windy City. Quarterback Justin Fields has tied his single-game, career-high in passing touchdowns (four) in each of the last two games.
Justin Fields' stats this season
| First 3 games (vs. GB, at TB, at KC) | Last two games (vs. DEN, ATL, WAS) | |
|---|---|---|
Pass YPG | 175.3 | 308.5 |
TD-INT | 3-4 | 8-1* |
Passer Rating | 67.7 | 131.3 |
* Career-high 4 pass TD in consecutive games
Also, the Bears' new top receiver D.J. Moore has played like Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss through his first five games in Chicago. After totaling 230 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns in Week 5 against Washington, Moore now has 531 receiving yards, the fifth-most in the NFL, and five receiving touchdowns, tied for the most in the NFL, on 27 catches in 2023. That production makes Moore one of only three players in the Super Bowl Era (since 1966) with 500 or more receiving yards and five or more receiving touchdowns in his first five games with a new team, joining five-time Pro Bowler Andre Rison's 1990 season with the Falcons and Moss' 2007 season with the Patriots, in which he set the NFL record for receiving touchdowns (23).
Their defense has also come to life, matching the amount of takeaways they had in the first four weeks of the season (two) in their 40-20 win over the Commanders on "Thursday Night Football" in Week 5 (also two). They also had more sacks (five) than they had in their first four weeks of the season (two). Meanwhile, the Vikings are 1-4 with 2022 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Justin Jefferson, on injured reserve, and their defense is allowing 24.4 points per game this season, 23rd in the league. Chicago, your winning streak is incoming.
Lamar Jackson throws 3+ passing TDs for first time in more than a year as Ravens win in London
Lamar Jackson is balling out right now. He is currently completing 69.9% of his passes, a career-high and the fifth-best in the league. However, the Ravens quarterback has yet to throw three passing touchdowns in a game since Week 3 of the 2022 season against the Patriots. That's a long time for a former NFL MVP. His drought will end in Week 6 against a Titans team that has surrendered 14 plays of 25 yards or more, tied for the third most in the league.
Jackson's Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews has four or more catches in all four of his games played this season, three receiving touchdowns (tied for the most among tight ends) and four drops this season (the most among tight ends). Baltimore as a team dropped five passes in their 17-10 loss at the Steelers in Week 5, the most by any NFL team in a game this season. There is no way that happens again. Positive regression and a susceptible Titans defense lead to a big day for Jackson.
Kyle Pitts goes for over 100 receiving yards for first time since rookie year in 2021
The Falcons made Kyle Pitts the highest-drafted tight end in the Common Draft Era (since 1967), and he burst on to the NFL scene as a rookie, seemingly validating that selection early. He totaled 1,026 receiving yards on 68 catches, making him one of only two tight ends ever to have a season with 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka (1961 season). However, he hasn't come close to that level of production since, dealing with a rotating door at quarterback and a knee injury that cut his 2022 campaign short by seven games.
Kyle Pitts' career stats
| 2021 | 2022-2023 | |
|---|---|---|
Games | 17 | 15 |
Targets | 110 | 91 |
Receptions | 68 | 46 |
Receiving Yards | 1,026* | 564 |
However against the Texans in Week 5, Pitts had one of his most involved football games in long time. He totaled 87 receiving yards and seven catches on 11 targets in the Falcons' 21-19 victory. The 11 targets were his most since the 2020 SEC Championship Game against Alabama when he was at the University of Florida. The 87 receiving yards were his most since Week 3 of the 2022 season and his seven catches were his most since Week 7 of the 2021 season.
Pitts hasn't broken the century mark in receiving since his rookie year, making this prediction bold, but against a Commanders defense that allowed D.J. Moore to total 230 yards in Week 5, anything is possible. The Commanders have also allowed 33 or more points in four consecutive games, one game away from tying the longest single-season streak in NFL history. Plenty of chances for Pitts to go off.
Lions score 20+ points in 15 consecutive games to extend franchise record despite facing stingy Bucs 'D'
The 2023 season is one the Lions and their fans have been starving for. The franchise is 4-1 and in first place in the NFC North, sitting three or more games above. 500 for the first time since 2016, snapping the longest active drought in the league. Dating back to last season, Detroit has scored 20 or more points in 14 consecutive games, a franchise record, as quarterback Jared Goff has played the best football of his career.
Across his last 15 starts, the Lions are 12-3. Goff has thrown 26 touchdowns and only four interceptions with a 67.4% completion percentage. In that span, Goff ranks third in the league in passer rating (104.) and is tied for fourth in passing touchdowns and passing yards (3,799). This season, Goff's Lions are averaging 29.6 points per game, the fourth-most in the NFL.
However, the NFC South's first-place team, the Buccaneers (3-1), have held their opponents to 17 or fewer points in three of their four games this season (17.0 points per game allowed, eighth-best in NFL). Something has to give in Week 6, and it's the Buccaneers defense. The Lions, thanks to Goff's arm and running back David Montgomery's legs -- his six rushing touchdowns are tied for the most through five games to start a season in team history along with Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders (1991) and Jamaal Williams (2022) -- Detroit wins the battle against the immovable object to score over 20 points for the 15th time in a row.
C.J. Stroud throws first career interception vs. Saints
The best rookie quarterback in the NFL this season has been second-overall pick C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans. He has seven touchdown passes and no interceptions on 186 career attempts, the most without an interception in league history. His 1,461 passing yards are the most by any rookie in any five game span since at least 1950.
However, against a Saints defense that is allowing the fourth-fewest points per game in the NFL this season (15.2) and that has hauled in seven interceptions, tied for the third-most in the NFL, Stroud's interception-free streak, the best in NFL history, will come to an end.
