NFL Week 6 Sunday Preview: Chiefs-Chargers, Cowboys-Packers and the Games Worth Watching

Week 6 of the NFL season is stacked with storylines, and the schedule is built for a full day on the couch. The action starts with a breakfast-hour kickoff in London, builds through a 1 p.m. window packed with division games, and peaks with two late-afternoon headliners before Sunday Night Football rolls into Lambeau Field. If you only have time for a handful of games, here are the four worth clearing your Sunday for, plus the lines and angles that make each one fun to watch.

Texans vs. Jaguars: A Breakfast Kickoff at Wembley

Set an early alarm, because the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars kick off at 9:30 a.m. ET from London on NFL Network. Jacksonville is a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 42.5, and the moneyline sits around Jaguars -148 and Texans +124. The total opened at 41.5 and has ticked up a point since.

The Jaguars are 4-1 and have allowed just 70 points, the stingiest scoring defense in the league through five games. Last week they beat Philadelphia 19-17 on a 57-yard field goal late. Houston is just 1-4, but the Texans did pick up their first road win last week, which is the kind of momentum swing that makes a divisional underdog dangerous. Jacksonville’s defense is giving up only 2.9 yards per carry, so Houston’s struggling run game will have to find another way to move the ball.

The fun betting wrinkle is a trend: the under is 8-2 when the Jaguars play in London since 2018. With a low total and a defense-first favorite, this one could be a tight, grind-it-out game that rewards patient viewers. A slim Jaguars win feels like the most likely script, and the points on the Texans are worth a look at the right price.

Chargers vs. Chiefs: Winless Meets Unbeaten at Arrowhead

The Kansas City Chiefs are 4-0 and one of just three unbeaten teams left in the NFL. They return from a bye week to host a Los Angeles Chargers team that is 0-5 and still hunting for its first win. Kickoff is 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS. Kansas City is a 7.5-point favorite at most books (some shops have it at 8.5), the total is 41.5, and the moneyline is roughly Chiefs -470 and Chargers +360.

The headline is Patrick Mahomes against Justin Herbert, two quarterbacks whose seasons have gone in completely opposite directions. Mahomes has Kansas City undefeated after a remarkable recovery from a serious injury, while Herbert has been under constant duress behind a battered offensive line. The Chargers, who won 11 games in each of the last two seasons under Jim Harbaugh, are in the middle of their worst start in more than two decades. They also have just one game left before their bye week, so this is a get-right spot that is much easier to say than do against a rested opponent in Arrowhead.

The total has dropped from an opening number of 46.5 to 41.5, a sign that the market expects Los Angeles to struggle to score. For entertainment value, this is the game to watch for the quarterback duel and the question of whether the Chargers can avoid a winless October. The price on the Chiefs is steep, so the Chargers plus the points or the under are the more comfortable ways to get involved.

Bills vs. Raiders: The Shootout Candidate

If you want points, circle the Buffalo Bills at the Las Vegas Raiders at 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS. Buffalo is a 4.5-point favorite, and the total is 53.5, one of the highest on the board and up six points from its opening number of 47.5. The moneyline is around Bills -205 and Raiders +170. ESPN’s FPI model gives Buffalo a 72% chance to win outright.

The Raiders enter at 3-2 and will be at home at Allegiant Stadium, where they will try to establish the run and keep Josh Allen off the field. Buffalo has five players listed as questionable, including receivers DJ Moore and Joshua Palmer and defensive linemen Ed Oliver and T.J. Sanders, so the final inactive list is worth checking before kickoff.

A big total plus a 4.5-point spread tends to produce a game that comes down to the final possession, which is exactly what you want from a late-afternoon window. Buffalo should have the better of the quarterback matchup, but the key number is 4.5, so the Raiders are worth a look as home underdogs if you like getting the points in a game that could turn into a shootout.

Cowboys vs. Packers: Sunday Night at Lambeau

The marquee game of the day is Dallas at Green Bay on Sunday Night Football at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC. The Packers are 1.5-point favorites, the total is 53.5, and the moneyline is basically a coin flip at Cowboys +100 and Packers -120. Dallas actually opened as the 1.5-point favorite before the line flipped toward Green Bay during the week.

The story everyone wants is Micah Parsons against the team that traded him, but it is not going to happen on the field. Parsons is still recovering from last season’s torn ACL, will not return to practice this week, and will not play against his former team. The Packers are also without cornerback Benjamin St-Juste. Green Bay is 3-2 after dismantling Chicago 31-7, where Jordan Love threw for 367 yards and two touchdowns. Dallas is 2-3 after a 24-16 home loss to a Tampa Bay team that had not covered in 13 games, so the Cowboys are looking to rebound in a hurry. CeeDee Lamb practiced in full this week after a quad issue, which is good news for Dak Prescott and the Dallas offense.

With a 53.5 total and two offenses that have shown they can put up yardage, this has the makings of a back-and-forth primetime game. ESPN’s FPI actually gives Dallas a razor-thin edge, which tells you how even this matchup looks on paper.

Quick Hits From the Rest of the Slate

The 1 p.m. window has plenty of storylines too. The Baltimore Ravens visit the Cleveland Browns with Lamar Jackson ruled out for a second straight game with an ankle injury, which means Tyler Huntley starts again. The Chicago Bears are at the Atlanta Falcons as 1.5-point favorites with a total of 51.5, and the Tennessee Titans, at 0-5, visit the Colts as a 7-point underdog. Later in the afternoon, the Los Angeles Rams are a 12.5-point home favorite against the Arizona Cardinals, the biggest spread of the week. If you want to understand how those numbers work before you start tracking lines, our how betting odds work guide breaks down spreads, totals and moneylines in plain English.

This Week’s Best Bets

Here is where the numbers and the storylines point for the four featured games. All lines are from DraftKings and can move before kickoff, so check the latest number on our NFL odds page before you lock anything in.

• Texans vs. Jaguars: Under 42.5, with Jacksonville’s defense and the London under trend leading the way
• Chargers vs. Chiefs: Under 41.5, since the market is expecting a low-scoring game and Los Angeles is struggling to move the ball
• Bills vs. Raiders: Raiders +4.5, getting the points at home in a game with a big total
• Cowboys vs. Packers: Over 53.5, with two offenses capable of scoring and defensive question marks on both sides

Whichever games you pick, make it a full Sunday: breakfast in London, a loaded 1 p.m. window, the Chiefs chasing 5-0 and a primetime showdown in Green Bay. Bet responsibly and enjoy the football.