Every weekend in the NFL, elements capture our attention, such as the powers present, the records that are within reach, or certain historical notes. Here are five things to watch out for in the sixth week of activity.
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1) A beautiful day for football in Quebec
Falcons guard Matthew Bergeron. Shanna Lockwood / Atlanta Falcons
At first glance, the duel between the Falcons and the Commanders may not be the most exciting of the weekend, but for Quebec fans it has a special character. Starting left guard Matthew Bergeron, who is playing his first season in Atlanta, will cross paths with cornerback Benjamin St-Juste, who is entering his third season in Washington. St-Juste plays a key role in defense and is part of a trio of players who have played 100% of the games (with Cordy Barton and Kamren Curl). The same goes for Bergeron, who didn’t miss a single offensive play.
2) Two defensive walls
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett. Getty Images via AFP
It’s safe to say there will be clashes between the two defenses of the moment in the Goodell circuit this Sunday. On the one hand, the 49ers are in first place and only allow 13.6 points per game. They also rank third in yards allowed (266.8 per game). On the other hand, the Browns rank first in yards allowed (196.8 per game) and second in points allowed (15 per game). This is the first time in 10 years that the two lowest-scoring teams will face each other in Week 6 or later. The last ones were the Patriots and the Saints on October 13, 2013.
3) Tyreek Hill on fire
Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Getty Images via AFP
The Dolphins are the premier offense in the league and one of the dynamos of that offense is wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Last week, the explosive 29-year-old played his 11th career game with at least 150 yards and a touchdown. This week he could tie Calvin Johnson, who played 12 such games for the Lions from 2007 to 2015. In history, only Lance Alworth (16 times) and Jerry Rice (14 times) have done better. Hill also leads the NFL with 651 yards and, with 99 yards, would be the fifth in history to amass at least 750 yards in his first six games.
4) Road warrior
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts after his last win in Los Angeles. Getty Images via AFP
The Eagles travel to New York to take on the Jets. The least we can say is that quarterback Jalen Hurts isn’t intimidated by hostile environments. Hurts has won 11 straight in Philadelphia, and if the Eagles beat the Jets, he would become just the third center to win 12 straight at home. Tom Brady won 13 straight road victories with the Patriots between October 2016 and December 2017, while Joe Montana had 18 wins between November 1988 and October 1993. It should be noted that Montana missed the 1991 and 1992 seasons.
5) CJ Stroud on his way to a record
CJ Stroud, Texas quarterback. Getty Images via AFP
It’s often been said that Texas rookie quarterback CJ Stroud is off to a great start to his career. He could even set a record this Sunday against the Saints. He has never made an interception and, to this day, no quarterback in NFL history has not had an interception in his first six starts. With 186, he already holds the record for passes without interruption at the start of his career.