NFL Week 6: What's at Stake for Teams, Players This Weekend?

The NFL landscape is ever-evolving on a weekly basis. How your team is viewed is directly tied to the previous week. That puts a big emphasis on what’s at stake for teams and players every game.

Particular matchups directly decide some games. The better, more talented team doesn’t always win because of the importance of style and the ability to adjust. But that is often overlooked because winning is really what matters in the big picture.

The season is well underway now. Teams must work out any kinks immediately, if they haven’t already. Falling behind any more than one or two games could be costly come playoff time.

We’ve highlighted eight key storylines on the following slides that will determine whether or not these teams are successful in Week 6. Several critical divisional matchups could put certain franchises at great risk of being eliminated from the playoffs earlier than imagined. That doesn’t mean Week 6’s results will end a season, but they could set up particular teams for a big hill to climb.

Kirk Cousins: Cut Down on the Turnovers Before It’s Too Late

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Although it is clear that the Washington Redskins will give Kirk Cousins a fair chance to keep his starting job, he must reward the team soon. Week 6 will mark his 20th career start, but costly turnovers continue to plague him. He’s thrown multiple interceptions in 10 of his 19 career starts.

If Cousins wants to keep the Redskins as a playoff contender, he must show some development in the decision-making department. Too often he panics or fails to read coverage, which leads to easy interceptions. More experience may help, but his upside seems too limited considering how often he makes risky passes.

Cousins doesn’t need to be an elite quarterback to earn more time as the starter. He must be more effective as a quarterback, though. The Redskins control the clock well but haven’t scored efficiently despite owning the time of possession. That is the mark of a team with a subpar quarterback, as the red zone often requires cerebral quarterbacks to excel.

A poor performance against the New York Jets may result in a loss. If Washington slips to 2-4, it may have a hard time getting back into the playoff picture. The further the Redskins drift from being playoff contenders, the shorter Cousins’ proverbial leash will be.

Minnesota Vikings: Make a Statement Coming off a Bye Week

Andy Clayton-King/Associated Press

Early bye weeks can be a great advantage for teams with a good coaching staff. The extra week allows personnel changes and schematic tweaks. The extra time to review what needs improvement is a one-time opportunity.

The Minnesota Vikings have recovered from an ugly season-opening performance to get back to .500. Their Week 6 opponent is on the verge of being irrelevant for this season. If the Kansas City Chiefs drop to 1-5, then their season is all but over.

Minnesota has overcome a poor offensive line and receiving corps by playing solid defense and relying on the talented offensive backfield. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and running back Adrian Peterson have been excellent together. Peterson finally has a quarterback who is capable of executing on tough third downs and also smart enough to take what is given to him.

A win will spur the Vikings to 3-2, which is a good place to be for the wild-card race. Minnesota must control the ball and watch for Kansas City’s nasty pass rush. On defense, expect the Vikings to be aggressive when attacking downhill.

Andy Dalton: Has He Developed, or Is It Another Hot Streak?

Associated Press

Coming off an exciting overtime victory against the Seattle Seahawks, the Cincinnati Bengals have the look of a Super Bowl contender. Despite losing some talent to free agency over the offseason and facing questions about their head coach and quarterback, the Bengals sit at 5-0. Now they travel to the daunting confines of Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo, New York.

The Bills are a tough matchup for any team. Their offense has several key injuries, but quarterback Tyrod Taylor (if he plays) is a tough playmaker who will make the defense sweat all game long. There might not be a more talented defense than Buffalo’s, either.

Points will likely come at a premium this week. That means Andy Dalton will be under the microscope to make tough throws when asked to. If his first five games are an indicator, then he will play quite well.

Dalton has had strong four- and five-game stretches before, only to falter when the lights are brightest. We won’t know for sure after Week 6, no matter the result, but coming up big against the Bills could be a sign that Dalton is a changed player. If he has developed into an above-average quarterback, then the Bengals may be the best team in the NFL.

Jay Cutler: Will He Revert to Old Habits?

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

The Jay Cutler that we’ve seen the last two weeks since he’s returned to injury has been the guy whom front offices had desired throughout his career. Instead of forcing passes into double coverage with reckless abandon, Cutler has been more calculated. Unsurprisingly, that has helped the Bears win two straight games.

Chicago seemed destined for a top-five pick after the first two weeks. With Cutler out, there was little chance of the Bears winning more than a few games. But he hasn’t had the type of game we’ve become accustomed to seeing in the last two matchups.

The schedule favors Cutler in the next three weeks. Chicago’s showdown with a bad Detroit Lions team is a good opportunity for the team to continue building momentum. Detroit cannot rush the passer effectively, which will in turn help Cutler to stay upright and confident in the pocket.

Chicago’s worst fear might be that Cutler plays just well enough that the team has to keep him in 2016. At 32 years old, it’s unlikely he drastically changes who he is as a quarterback. But he’s also the Bears' only hope to turn this season around.

Indianapolis Colts: A Victory Would Shock the World

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Everything right now is pointing toward a New England blowout over the Colts this Sunday. Vegas has the Patriots as 10.5-point favorites, which is the largest of any Week 6 line. It’s easy to see why the Colts are such big underdogs.

Even with Andrew Luck likely returning to play, he has been playing the worst football of his professional career. It appears his stance has widened a little, and his shoulder issues have compounded mechanical problems. Luck’s inaccuracy has caused far too many passes to go sailing everywhere but to his receivers.

It’s not all on Luck, though. The Colts will be the lesser team against the Patriots in terms of talent and coaching. Winning at home is usually easier, but the Patriots have played well to this point, unlike Indianapolis.

All of the momentum against the Colts in this matchup could be a sign that something unexpected will happen. A rejuvenated Luck could catch the Pats taking this game for granted. If the Colts can pull a win out, they’ll certainly send a message across the league that they’re not dead quite yet.

Carolina Panthers: There’s No Bigger Statement Than Winning in Seattle

Brian Blanco/Associated Press

A matchup of an undefeated team and a sub-.500 one is maybe what you expected from this battle before the season. But you probably didn’t expect the Carolina Panthers to be the former and the Seattle Seahawks the latter. Instead of listening to the critics, the Panthers have played rather well to this point, sitting at 4-0.

The competition ramps up this week as they travel to Seattle. Even with the Seahawks lacking the same punch that they did in years past, CenturyLink Field is a tough environment to play in. You can also expect the Seahawks to be desperate after letting a big road victory slip through their grasp in Week 5.

Carolina hasn’t played a good team to this point. The Seahawks have a subpar record, but they’ll be fighting to make their own statement. If the Panthers can go into the Pacific Northwest and survive with a victory, expect some hype to build that this year is different for the Cam Newton-led Panthers.

Jim Tomsula: He Must End the Free Fall

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

San Francisco’s 1-4 start to the season has been the abject disaster that many analysts thought it would be. The Week 1 blowout victory is in the rearview mirror, and the 49ers are reeling. Few players have looked even competent for large stretches of time.

Some of the blame must go to the head coach. Jim Tomsula looks completely overmatched. His young players haven’t responded to his coaching, and the weekly game plans are among the worst in the NFL. He simply looks unfit to be a leader of men.

A win will help the free fall from snowballing into something worse. The 49ers' opponents, the Baltimore Ravens, have also greatly disappointed in their performance this season. Both teams sit 1-4, and a loss will basically end any playoff hopes. If Tomsula wants to make progress as a leader this season, he had better start this week.

New York Giants: Take a Firm Lead in the Division

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

If you ever need an example of why the first few weeks of the season can be misleading, look at the 2015 New York Giants. An ugly 0-2 start has been all but forgotten after a three-game win streak. Now the Giants can take a commanding divisional lead with a win in Week 6.

Their opponent won’t go down easily this week, though. The Philadelphia Eagles are a flawed and struggling team, but they’re talented. Chip Kelly’s club can flip the switch on a dime, so the Giants must not get too cute with their game plan. Continue to get the ball out early and allow playmakers to work their magic in space.

Giants offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo deserves a ton of credit for his work with this offense. Not only is Eli Manning playing the best football of his life with the help of this friendly scheme, but the role players are thriving. Last week, running back Shane Vereen was the latest to benefit from McAdoo’s spacing in the passing game.

Philadelphia’s defense is fast and deep with impact players. If the Giants can avoid turning the ball over in their own territory, they should find themselves in a good spot by the end of the game. Then it’ll be up to Manning to once again make the right throw at the right time.

All stats used are from Pro-Football-Reference.com.

Ian Wharton is an NFL Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. 

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