Return Of The Flacc: NFL Week 6 Preview

By Noah Mason

Noah Martin brings you four things to keep an eye on this weekend as the 2025 NFL season hits Week 6:

Return Of The Flacc

Joe Flacco is back as a starting QB in the AFC North just a week after losing his starting role to third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel, now he’s back but wearing orange and black stripes for the Cincinnati Bengals. This change at quarterback was almost essential after Jake Browning’s lackluster performances at the helm for the Bengals.

At one point during the Lions Bengals game, Jake Browning had less than 100 yards, no touchdowns, and three interceptions. A quarterback with that stat line makes it virtually impossible to win any football game. He might have been better off just spiking the ball into the ground every time he touched it. A change at the quarterback position was desperately required, and now it’s been made.

Joe Flacco hasn’t been playing great football this year, actually managing a worse touchdown to interception ratio than the man he’ll be replacing. Having said this, there is no denying Joe Flacco’s arm talent and ability to make good decisions. He has never played with a wide receiver duo as good as this Bengals team has with Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase; this combination working in tandem with Flacco’s ability to play the deep ball could lead to some fun, explosive plays on the weekend.

One worry  will be the Bengals’ offensive line, as they have struggled this season, and they are due to face one of the league’s premier pass rushers in Micah Parsons, so this 40 year old quarterback will have to think fast if the Bengals stand a chance. The Bengals go into the upcoming game as +14.5 underdogs against the Green Bay Packers, so any chance they have in this game comes down to Flacco adjusting quickly. All in all, is this trade as fun as a hypothetical Jameis Winston trade? No. However, is this a necessary smart decision with potential upside? I believe so.

Re-Charged

The Chargers started the year off with a bang, beating the Chiefs and going 3-0 in the opening weeks of the season. This terrific start had sparked hopes that they would go from being viewed as a good team to an actual Super Bowl contender.

This hype may be short lived due to their back to back losses and poor performance on both sides of the ball last week to the Washington Commanders. Jesse Minteh is undeniably one of the best defensive minds in the NFL, although last week you would be excused  for thinking that that is not the case as the Chargers conceded 27 points. As well as the defensive fragilities their offense has also been faltering as they could only muster 10 points last week with none of them coming after the first quarter.

The normally fantastic Justin Herbert has gone three consecutive weeks throwing interceptions and only had 166 yards through the air  last week. As easy as it is to blame offensive woes on the QB, the offensive line has been the main thorn in the Chargers side as they struggle to keep Herbert upright. All this seems negative  but the Chargers have the bones of a great side and I believe they will bounce back in this battle of the beaches. The Miami side they are facing this week are quickly becoming a ‘get right’ team for opposition.

By this I mean their terrible defense and inconsitent offense allows good teams to potentially iron out issues and look in better shape for harder opposition. Their defense has been one of the worst in the league  and I wouldn’t expect them to make life difficult for Justin Herbert. If given time he is one of  the most lethal quarterbacks in the league and can dissect you like he’s a surgeon in a primary school biology class. With Hampton placed on injury reserve, I expect the run game to take a step back but the pass game should be much improved. I anticipate a bounce back win and a recharged Chargers team.

Colts Confront Cardinals

The Colts seem to just keep  galloping and they might have to start being viewed as one of the best teams in the AFC soon. They are currently sat at 4-1 and are the number one seed in the AFC. The greatest nickname in sports is not the only thing Indiana (Daniel) Jones has brought to Indianapolis, he’s also brought  great QB play to the city.

For years the Colts have had a good supporting cast but the lead has always been lacklustre. Although fun, Anthony Richardson’s inability to manage the offense by making the simple throws was holding back the colts. The addition of Lou Anarumo as defensive coordinator has worked out brilliantly, showing that there is still life in the coordinator.

The Colts are coming off an absolutely dominant display against the admittedly poor Raiders team. Another game, another 200 plus passing yard display from Daniel Jones who looks like a different player in the Colts uniform. They are going up against the Arizona Cardinals, who are potentially the most inconsistent team in the league. They will be looking to bounceback after allowing the Titans to come back from an improbable position last week.

This match up will be closer than it may look from the outside looking in as the Cardinals definitely posses the weapons to hurt this Colts team if they are overlooked. Kyler Murray will be hoping to finally strike a connection with highly touted Marvin Harrison Junior who was viewed as a blue chip prospect just a year ago. I predict a Colts win but a close game as the Cardinals have only been in one score losses this year.

Best In The Midwest

The Lions will be taking on the Chiefs this weekend and to say I am excited is an understatement. The Lions are undoubtedly one of the best teams to watch in the NFL, with an offense full of aggression accompanied by flamboyant playcalling makes them box office. Lions fans are enjoying their newfound success with their presence at Paycor stadium (Bengals home ground) definitely being seen and heard. Their offense who were ordinarily terrific, weren’t the star of the show on that day however. Their defense managed 3 interceptions and consistently forced the Bengals into punting right up until the fourth quarter.

The one problem, however, is it will be Patrick Mahomes their up against this week. Mahomes has played great football the last two weeks, barring one play against the Jaguars last week, throwing for just shy of 600 yards across the last two games. The Chiefs haven’t been the impenetrable force that they were in the regular season last year; they have already lost more games this year than their entirety of last years campaign. Having said that, the Chiefs can go toe for toe with any side in the NFL and betting against the Chiefs to win takes a brave person.

If there was any side I would feel confident in making them 2-4 it would be Jared Goff’s Lions. Jarred has been playing great football this year as he always seems poised in the pocket and makes very few errors. The big cats offense have been purring this year ever since the opening game, scoring over 30 points in each of their last four outings- winning every single game. Picking a winner in this one is challenging but I feel inclined to go for the Lions to put in another impressive display and beat the reigning AFC champions.

Noah Mason

NFL/CFB Writer

Noah is an aspiring journalist who shares some interesting takes on this great game, whether it be College or the NFL. Born and based in London, but developed a love for American Football in the States, follow Noah on Twitter @NoahMas59721174

5/5