(CBS) – As we caput into week 6 of the NFL play the AFC West is shaping up precisely arsenic everyone thought. The Kansas City Chiefs coming disconnected back-to-back Super Bowl appearances are presently sitting astatine the bottommost of the part astatine 2-3, with the Los Angeles Chargers riding precocious astatine 4-1. The Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos beryllium successful a two-way necktie astatine 3-2.
It’s been the Patrick Mahomes amusement since #15 took implicit the starting occupation successful Kansas City, but second-year awesome caller Justin Herbert is the 1 grabbing headlines this season, contempt reasonably akin stats. Mahomes comes into week 6 with 1,490 passing yards/16 touchdowns/6 picks portion Herbert has racked up 1,576 passing yards/13 touchdowns/3 picks.
The Raiders and Broncos quadrate disconnected this week with each looking to determination 2 games supra .500. Mahomes and the Chiefs volition deed the roadworthy to instrumentality connected the Washington Football Team, and the Bolts are headed for a heavyweight lucifer up with the AFC North division-leading Baltimore Ravens.
SportsLine‘s Larry Hartstein breaks down AFC West matchups successful Week 6.
All times listed are Eastern.
Kansas City Chiefs @ Washington Football Team, Sunday, October 17, 1:00 p.m.
Kansas City looks to rebound aft an 18-point nonaccomplishment to the Buffalo Bills astatine Arrowhead past weekend. The Washington Football Team is besides coming disconnected a location loss, arsenic they fell to the New Orleans Saints, 33-22. These 2 teams person had 2 communal opponents truthful far, the Chargers and Bills, going a combined 0-4. If you enactment banal into this benignant of thing, though the Chiefs’ losses to Buffalo and Los Angeles were by a combined 20 points portion Washington’s losses were by a combined 26 points, seemingly giving KC the borderline successful a head-to-head comparison.
As for Larry Hartstein’s sentiment heading into this 1 helium says, “It’s up to a touchdown now. The wealth has been coming successful connected the Chiefs, contempt the information that Patrick Mahomes has thrown six interceptions already, the past 3 games. This defence giving up 7.1 yards per play. That is historically bad. Last twelvemonth the Lions and Jacksonville were the 2 worst defenses, lone 6.3 yards per play; astir a afloat gait worse.
Hopefully Chris Jones volition beryllium backmost to assistance that defense. But I conscionable deliberation the Chiefs aren’t arsenic atrocious arsenic they’ve looked. Look astatine who they’ve played — Buffalo, Cleveland, the Chargers, the Ravens. Those are the 4 champion teams successful the AFC. So it’s been a gauntlet. When they did play an NFC East team, Philadelphia, we each retrieve what they did, winning 42 to 30.
I deliberation this is simply a akin spot wherever they don’t person to unit things arsenic overmuch against this Washington defense, which is bad. I bash expect the Chiefs to enactment up a large fig and cover. But astatine a touchdown it’s not arsenic large of a play arsenic it was astatine six oregon six and a half.”
Los Angeles Chargers @ Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, October 17, 1:00 p.m.
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This contention volition diagnostic 2 critically acclaimed QBs who are playing arsenic bully arsenic anyone successful the league close now. Lamar Jackson won the MVP successful 2019, and helium is connected gait to person an adjacent amended play successful a fewer cardinal stats this year. Herbert is coming disconnected a record-breaking ROY run and is besides connected gait to bushed his award-winning numbers.
Here’s what Hartstein has to accidental astir this match-up betwixt 4-1 part leaders.
“This is going to beryllium a large game. If you travel maine connected SportsLine, I jumped connected this early. Chargers positive 3 and a half. I didn’t deliberation 3 and a fractional would last, and present it’s down to three.
The Ravens had to spell to overtime past week, and this is simply a abbreviated week for them coming disconnected an affectional win. It’s going to beryllium a large game, I consciousness this crippled is going to travel down to the wire. You look astatine the Chargers, and they thin to play precise adjacent games.
I similar the worth astatine 3 and a half. At three, I don’t emotion it arsenic much. But I can’t hold to ticker it, due to the fact that you person 2 morganatic MVP candidates successful Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson.”
Las Vegas Raiders @ Denver Broncos, Sunday, October 17, 4:25 p.m.
For our last AFC West matchup, Hartstein is leaning towards the achromatic and silver.
“A batch of radical are reasoning that the Raiders volition beryllium successful disarray due to the fact that Jon Gruden was the play-caller and the violative mind. I deliberation past week they were distracted by the controversy, they were listless. They fundamentally didn’t amusement up astatine location against the Bears.
I cannot ideate them playing worse, present that that unreality is lifted. Rich Bisaccia, the interim coach, is precise good respected. He has interviewed for immoderate head-coaching jobs astir the league, and I deliberation the Raiders volition beryllium focused.
This enactment has ticked up. The Broncos were astatine three, present they’re laying 3 and a half. I conscionable deliberation everyone’s expecting the Raiders to prevarication down and get steamrolled, but I don’t spot it. I deliberation this fig feels astir right.”
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