Week 6 of the 2024/25 National Football League (NFL) regular season taught us a few lessons, most notably the fact that the Dallas Cowboys are worse than we thought (after a schoolyard beatdown by the Detroit Lions), the Baltimore Ravens are way better than their 4-2 record suggests, and rookie quarterback (QB) Jayden Daniels for the Washington Commanders is the real deal, despite a loss to Baltimore last Sunday.

Looking to Week 7, the two 5-0 teams return from their respective byes last week to compete in a couple of blockbuster games, one early Sunday afternoon and the other later the same day that will feature a rematch of Super Bowl LVIII.

Hot off their thorough demolition of the Cowboys, the Lions (4-1) take their pride into US Bank Stadium to tackle the undefeated Minnesota Vikings (5-0). This rivalry has been played 125 times, with the Vikings winning 80 games, the Detroit Lions winning 43, and two games ending in draws. That said, the Lions have won four of the last five contests dating back to December 2021.

The winner will be in first place in the powerful National Football Conference (NFC) North Division — where the four teams boast a combined 17-5 record —and will sit atop the conference, because every other team already has at least two losses. With the Vikings off last weekend, the other teams in the NFC North Division — the Lions, Chicago Bears (4-2) and Green Bay Packers (4-2) — all enjoyed wins, making it the first time since the NFL and American Football League (AFL) merger in 1970 that every team in a division has at least four wins through the first six weeks of the season.

The undefeated start for the Vikings has surprised many, but under head coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores, they are proving themselves a powerhouse. Their potent offense is matched by a consistent defence that disrupts opposing offences, making Minnesota a formidable contender this season.

The Lions have been employing a physical style of play, dominating opponents with a strong offensive line and a balanced offensive attack, on the ground and in the air. The loss of defensive end Aidan Hutchinson — the NFL’s current sack leader with 7.5 total sacks — to a season-ending leg injury last Sunday in the blowout win against the Cowboys was a major blow, but their aggressive defence is expected to still keep them in the championship conversation.

The Vikings are favoured at home by JustBet and, with the absence of Hutchinson for the Lions, they may just have it right. And with the expectation that the Minnesota offensive line will repel the stampede of the Lions, the home team should improve to an enviable 6-0 record, then wait to see if the Kansas City Chiefs can keep pace later the same day.

The undeniable game of the week is the Super Bowl rematch between the Chiefs (5-0) and the San Francisco 49ers (3-3) on Sunday afternoon. These teams entered the season as the top two teams in most NFL power rankings but have trended in opposite directions since the first week. The rivalry has been played 16 times (including 2 postseason games), with Kansas City winning 9 games and San Francisco winning 7, but the 49ers have failed in their last four attempts, including the Super Bowl last February when their overtime field goal was bettered by a touchdown, for a 22-25 defeat. Incidentally, based on that result, San Francisco became the first team in NFL history to take the lead twice in the fourth quarter, once in overtime, and still lose the game.

Dating back to last season, the Chiefs have now won eleven consecutive games and, coming off a bye, Head Coach Andy Reid is 21-3 as a head coach, therefore JustBet has seen it fit to have reigning champions enter the weekend as slight favourites. Kansas City started the season with four wins, with each by no more than seven points, but their last game before the bye saw a very impressive outing. Against a New Orleans Saints team that came into the game with the best point differential in the league, the Chiefs dominated on both sides of the ball, finishing with more than double the number of yards, double the first downs, and nearly double the time of possession. QB Patrick Mahomes set season highs in passing yards, tight end Travis Kelce set a season high in receptions, Kareem Hunt had the team’s first 100-yard rushing game of the season, and JuJu Smith-Schuster set a team high in receiving yards for the season.

San Francisco has shown flashes of brilliance despite their sluggish start, plus the absence of key players in some games. The reigning Offensive Player of the Year, running back Christian McCaffrey has yet to play this season due to an injured Achilles, and star offensive weapon Deebo Samuel has missed time with a calf injury, and is questionable for the matchup this weekend. Two of the three losses came after they blew double-digit, fourth-quarter leads and couldn’t hold on against the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals, but in the Week 6 game, they displayed their most complete outing of the season, defeating the Seattle Seahawks 36-24.

The Chiefs have their fair share of injury concerns with receiver Rashee Rice and running back Isiah Pacheco out, limiting their offensive options and contributing to their inconsistencies. However, even with the expectation of a return to the line-up this weekend for Pacheco, the Kansas City offence could come up short against a hungry San Francisco defense.

Despite the setbacks, the 49ers have the No 2 ranked offence in the NFL this year, but the Chiefs’ defence has been elite since the start of the season, allowing the sixth-fewest points per game. The Kansas City offence is yet to truly find its rhythm, but Mahomes and company are still the team to beat as they aim for a historic third-consecutive title. The 49ers haven’t won consecutive games this year, but they can change that on Sunday and not only dethrone the Chiefs from the seat of the undefeated, but also avenge the deep, burning loss from the Super Bowl last February. Are you ready for some football?

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