NFL Week 6 Best Bets (Predictions for Jets vs. Patriots, Panthers vs. Eagles on Sunday)

Week 6 of the 2026 NFL marks the official one-third point of the season (yes, it's flying by), and there's an interesting 12-game slate ahead on Sunday.

The Detroit Lions, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings are all on a bye this week, leaving us with fewer games than usual to bet on.

That's not going to stop the SI Betting team of Iain MacMillan and Peter Dewey from sharing their NFL Best Bets for Week 6, like we do every week. The goal of this column is simple:

We choose our favorite bet for Sunday or Monday, and our awesome readers get a chance to ride with us, or fade us. Plus, we'll keep track of our record here to see how we fare throughout the season.

After sweeping our picks in Week 4, we went 1-1 in Week 5 with MacMillan's OVER bet in the Detroit Lions vs. Arizona Cardinals matchup easily cashing (Detroit had 45 points alone).

This week, we're targeting pair of road teams, including one underdog in a divisonal matchup. Plus, Dewey is targeting a road favorite after some late odds movement this week.

MacMillan has picked every single game in his Road to 272 column this week, so if we don't hit the game you want to bet on in this story, make sure to check out his column (which he writes every week).

Now, here's a breakdown of each of the best bets for Week 6 of the 2026 NFL season.

NFL Best Bets for Week 6

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Carolina Panthers -3.5 (-110) vs. Philadelphia Eagles – Peter Dewey
New York Jets +7.5 (-115) vs. New England Patriots – Iain MacMillan

Carolina Panthers -3.5 (-110) vs. Philadelphia Eagles – Peter Dewey

I’m fading the Philadelphia Eagles offense without Jalen Hurts (blood clot), especially with the team putting together a makeshift offensive line following Lane Johnson’s retirement and the trade of Cam Jurgens.

Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith are also dealing with soft-tissue injuries, and the Eagles currently rank 30th in EPA/Play, 31st in success rate and 31st in yards per play this season. Only the Tennessee Titans (0-5) are averaging fewer yards per play than Philly.

That’s not good.

I think there’s a real chance that Bryce Young and this Carolina Panthers offense (eighth in EPA/Play, sixth in EPA/Pass and fifth in yards per play) put up too many points for this Eagles team to compete.

After all, the Eagles are 17th in yards per play allowed on defense and 22nd in both EPA/Play and success rate. Both of those advanced numbers are behind the Panthers’ defense this season. Yes, Carolina allowed nearly 60 points to Chicago in Week 1, but it hasn’t been nearly as bad since and is coming off a bye in Week 5.

If the Eagles didn’t enter the season with playoff expectations, I think they’d be major underdogs on Sunday based on their statistical profile in 2026. Let’s be honest, what time with similar offensive metrics to the Titans would be basically a pick’em against a top-10 offense in the league?

Plus, Carolina is coming off a bye while the Eagles have a tough travel week coming from London. I’m higher on this Panthers team than most, but I think they’re undervalued on the road in his Week 6 matchup.

New York Jets +7.5 (-115) vs. New England Patriots – Iain MacMillan

Don't let the New England Patriots' win last week convince you that their early-season woes are behind them. They still have some issues on both sides of the ball, so I hesitate to lay this many points on them in a divisional game.

The New York Jets are far from a good team, but they aren't bad either. They rank 14th in the NFL in net yards per play, putting themselves squarely in the middle of the league as an average team.

One of the things I like the most about the Jets is how efficient Geno Smith has been. He hasn't been throwing the ball all around the field, but he's in the top 10 in completion percentage over expected, and he has yet to throw an interception this season. Teams lose in blowouts because they turn the ball over and constantly make mistakes. That's not something that Geno and the Jets' offense does.

I'll take the points with New York.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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