The Week 6 NFL schedule for the 2024 season is stacked with great matchups, and we've got you covered with what you need to know heading into the weekend.

Our NFL Nation reporters bring us the biggest keys to every game, and analytics writer Seth Walder makes a bold prediction for each matchup. The ESPN Research team provides a big stat to know and a betting nugget for each contest, while our Football Power Index (FPI) goes inside the numbers with a game projection. Fantasy analyst Eric Moody finds fantasy football X factors, and three analysts -- Kalyn Kahler, Moody and Walder -- give us final score picks for every game. Everything you want to know is here in one spot to help you get ready for a loaded weekend of NFL football.

Let's get into the full Week 6 slate, including Patriots quarterback Drake Maye making his NFL starting debut against the Texans and the Lions visiting the Cowboys. It all culminates with a "Monday Night Football" matchup between the Bills and the Jets on ESPN. (Game times are Sunday unless otherwise noted.)

Jump to a matchup:
JAX-CHI | ARI-GB | IND-TEN
HOU-NE | TB-NO | CLE-PHI
WSH-BAL | LAC-DEN | PIT-LV
DET-DAL | ATL-CAR | CIN-NYG
BUF-NYJ

Thursday: SF 36, SEA 24
Byes: KC, LAR, MIA, MIN

Jaguars (1-4) at Bears (3-2)

9:30 a.m. ET | NFL Network | ESPN BET: CHI -1.5 (44.5 O/U)

Jaguars storyline to watch: This will be the first of the Jaguars' back-to-back games in London (Jacksonville plays New England on Oct. 20 at Wembley Stadium). The Jaguars have won three of their past four games overseas and swept their back-to-back games in London last season (Atlanta and Buffalo). The experience of playing annually in the UK could certainly be an advantage, especially against a team with a rookie QB in Caleb Williams. "Just having the experience of going over there, you kind of know how to handle it, you know what to expect, you know how you're going to feel," QB Trevor Lawrence said. -- Mike Dirocco

Bears storyline to watch: For a team that has historically been built on defense and a ground-and-pound rushing attack, it's hard to believe Chicago tied its longest streak over the past 30 years when the Bears rushed for multiple touchdowns in two straight games against the Rams and Panthers. Their last streak of three straight multiple rushing touchdown games was in 1990, and the way D'Andre Swift has been playing could lead Chicago to add another against the Jaguars. Swift has notched over 100 scrimmage yards in back-to-back weeks, which is tied for the longest streak of his career. -- Courtney Cronin

Stat to know: The Jaguars are 1-12 versus NFC North opponents dating to 2012. Their only win was over the Bears in October 2016.

Bold prediction: Lawrence will record an under-40 QBR. The Bears' pass defense has been excellent as Chicago ranks first in EPA per dropback and second in pass rush win rate. -- Walder

Injuries: Jaguars | Bears

Fantasy X factor: Bears WR DJ Moore. Williams had his best game of the season last week. Moore benefited with eight targets and a season-high 27.5 fantasy points. Jacksonville's defense gives up the most fantasy points per game to wide receivers, so Moore could be in for another big day. See Week 6 rankings. -- Moody

Betting nugget: This is the first time the Bears have been favored in a game outside of Chicago since 2021 (-2.5 at Lions in Week 12). Read more.

Kahler's pick: Bears 24, Jags 21
Moody's pick: Bears 27, Jaguars 24
Walder's pick: Bears 24, Jaguars 17
FPI prediction: CHI, 59.0% (by an average of 3.7 points)

Matchup must-reads: Three areas where the Jaguars improved in Week 5 ... Bears QB Williams taking control

Cardinals (2-3) at Packers (3-2)

1 p.m. ET | Fox | ESPN BET: GB -4.5 (47.5 O/U)

Cardinals storyline to watch: Kyler Murray leads all quarterbacks in yards per rush with an average of 10.7 -- no other quarterback is averaging more than 7.3. For Arizona to go into Lambeau Field and leave with a win, Murray's legs will have to be a factor -- not the factor, but a factor -- against a Packers defense that's giving up 4.4 yards per carry, which is 16th in the league. -- Josh Weinfuss

Packers storyline to watch: QB Jordan Love has already thrown five interceptions, tied for fourth most in the league, despite playing in only three games. He started this way last season, too, with 10 interceptions in his first nine games before throwing just one in the final eight games. The Cardinals' defense is tied for eighth in interceptions this season with four. -- Rob Demovsky

Stat to know: Murray is completing 65.4% when pressured, which is second in the NFL behind Jayden Daniels (67.9%).

Bold prediction: Packers WR Dontayvion Wicks will record five-plus receptions. Wicks has a 15 catch score, which is just terrible. But I don't think he'll play anywhere near that level going forward -- he had a 64 catch score last year. In other words, he's getting open but he just needs to bring the ball in to get those reception totals up. And I think he will Sunday. -- Walder

Injuries: Cardinals | Packers

Fantasy X factor: Packers RB Josh Jacobs. The Cardinals' secondary has been surprisingly strong, but this is still a great spot for Jacobs. He's coming off his best performance of the year -- 16.4 fantasy points against the Rams. The Cardinals' defense allows the eighth-most fantasy points per game to running backs, and Jacobs has averaged 19.6 touches per game. See Week 6 rankings. -- Moody

Betting nugget: The Packers are 3-0 outright and ATS against teams with losing records. Read more.

Kahler's pick: Packers 30, Cardinals 28
Moody's pick: Packers 34, Cardinals 27
Walder's pick: Packers 29, Cardinals 23
FPI prediction: GB, 61.7% (by an average of 4.4 points)

Matchup must-reads: Cardinals RG Hernandez (knee) done for season ... Packers TE Kraft puts DBs on notice

Colts (2-3) at Titans (1-3)

1 p.m. ET | CBS | ESPN BET: TEN -2.5 (43.5 O/U)

Colts storyline to watch: This is a matchup featuring the stingiest and most porous defenses in the NFL, according to yards per game. The Titans have allowed a league-low 243.8 yards per game behind a revamped unit. The Colts, meanwhile, are yielding a league-high 419.2 yards and are coming off a loss in which they gave up a season-high 37 points to the Jaguars. Indianapolis is hoping to make some strides this week with the potential returns of DE Kwity Paye (quad) and CB Kenny Moore II (hip), but former Pro Bowl DT DeForest Buckner (ankle) remains on injured reserve. His absence continues to be felt. -- Stephen Holder

Titans storyline to watch: The Titans' offensive line has proved to be significantly better at run blocking than pass protection. Look for the Titans to work the rushing attack against a Colts run defense that is allowing 157 yards per game. That will be the case regardless of whether QB Will Levis is able to play through a right shoulder injury. Titans LG Peter Skoronski isn't taking the matchup lightly, "It's not like they're getting gashed in a lot of ways, it's still a huge challenge. Those guys are really physical and fast." -- Turron Davenport

Stat to know: The Titans have won eight straight games following their bye, which is the second-longest active streak in the NFL.

Bold prediction: Colts WR Adonai Mitchell will have 60-plus receiving yards. There's a big game coming for him, it's just a matter of when. The rookie wideout has a 71 open score and with Michael Pittman Jr.(back) and Josh Downs (toe) banged up, this could be the week. -- Walder

Injuries: Colts | Titans

Fantasy X factor: Titans RB Tony Pollard. Pollard is one of the few Titans you can confidently start. He has been outstanding, scoring 15 or more fantasy points in three of his four games. Pollard has seen 19 or more touches in three of those games. Coming out of the Titans' Week 5 bye, he has a great matchup against a Colts defense that allows the fourth-most rushing yards and fifth-most receiving yards to running backs. See Week 6 rankings. -- Moody

Betting nugget: The Colts are 4-1 ATS this season with three straight covers. Read more.

Kahler's pick: Colts 24, Titans 21
Moody's pick: Colts 33, Titans 30
Walder's pick: Titans 20, Colts 17
FPI prediction: IND, 52.5% (by an average of 0.7 points)

Matchup must-reads: Three things the Titans need from QB Levis ... Colts need WR Pierce more involved ... Titans DT Simmons back from ligament injury

Texans (4-1) at Patriots (1-4)

1 p.m. ET | CBS | ESPN BET: HOU -6.5 (38.5 O/U)

Texans storyline to watch: This will be the second time the Texans face a rookie quarterback this season. Houston beat the Bears and QB Caleb Williams in Week 2; he finished 23-of-37 passing for 174 yards with two interceptions and was sacked seven times. Coach DeMeco Ryans said, "We'll play our defense. It won't change," in regard to game-planning for Drake Maye, who got the nod this week. -- DJ Bien-Aime

Patriots storyline to watch: Maye, the No. 3 pick, is set to make his first career start. Texans QB C.J. Stroud complimented Maye this week citing his versatility and accuracy. The Patriots have a 7-0 all-time record against the Texans at Gillette Stadium (5-0 regular season, 2-0 postseason). -- Mike Reiss

Stat to know: The Texans are 0-7 all time on the road versus the Patriots, including the playoffs, which is their second-most losses without a road win against a single opponent. They're 0-8 against the Ravens.

Bold prediction: Maye will rush for a touchdown. Maye ran for 574 yards (sacks excluded) last season at UNC, and he might find it's a more reliable piece of his game to translate right away. Houston will probably still win big, but at least it will be good for Maye's fantasy managers. -- Walder

Injuries: Texans | Patriots

Fantasy X factor: Texans WR Tank Dell. Dell should see more action with Nico Collins (hamstring) on injured reserve. Dell has had a slow start this season, with only one game of 10 or more fantasy points. But last season, he posted four games of 20 or more fantasy points before a broken fibula cut his rookie season short after 11 games. Dell should be busy against the Patriots. See Week 6 rankings. -- Moody

Betting nugget: Underdogs of at least six points are 15-2 ATS this season (10-7 outright). Read more.

Kahler's pick: Texans 33, Patriots 14
Moody's pick: Texans 27, Patriots 13
Walder's pick: Texans 26, Patriots 10
FPI prediction: HOU, 70.1% (by an average of 7.9 points)

Matchup must-reads: How can QB Maye help Patriots? ... How Texans navigate loss of WR Collins

Buccaneers (3-2) at Saints (2-3)

1 p.m. ET | Fox | ESPN BET: TB -3.5 (41.5 O/U)

Buccaneers storyline to watch: After a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Falcons, the Bucs are trying to avoid an 0-2 divisional start. According to ESPN Research, only five teams that started their seasons 0-2 in the divisions have won them since the current format was installed in 2002. And in the greater scheme of things, they've got a community reeling from not only Hurricane Helene but now Hurricane Milton, and as wide receiver Mike Evans said, "We're not even just playing for just football now. We're trying to play for something a little bit bigger." -- Jenna Laine

Saints storyline to watch: The Saints will be starting a quarterback with no experience after Derek Carr injured his oblique against the Chiefs on Monday, as rookie Spencer Rattler will get the nod with two games scheduled on short weeks. Playing backups is almost normal for the Saints now. They started three QBs after Jameis Winston was hurt in 2021 and went with Andy Dalton after Winston was hurt in 2022. Carr left for three games last season because of injuries, and the Saints were 0-3 in those games. -- Katherine Terrell

Stat to know: A loss for the Saints will mark their longest losing streak (four) since losing five straight in 2021.

Bold prediction: Saints WR Rashid Shaheed will be held to under 20 receiving yards. Last season at South Carolina, Rattler averaged just 6.9 air yards per pass attempt, which ranked 113th out of 125 qualified FBS quarterbacks. That doesn't bode well for Shaheed. -- Walder

Injuries: Buccaneers | Saints

Fantasy X factor: Saints RB Alvin Kamara. With Rattler set to make his NFL debut, the Saints would be smart to lean heavily on Kamara, who's dangerous running between the tackles and catching passes. The Buccaneers' defense gives up the sixth-most receptions and the third-most receiving yards to running backs. Kamara should be a key part of New Orleans' game plan. See Week 6 rankings. -- Moody

Betting nugget: The Buccaneers are 8-2 ATS in their past 10 games as underdogs. Read more.

Kahler's pick: Buccaneers 24, Saints 14
Moody's pick: Buccaneers 21 Saints 20
Walder's pick: Buccaneers 26, Saints 16
FPI prediction: TB, 59.8% (by an average of 3.8 points)

Matchup must-reads: Mike Evans: Bucs playing for something 'bigger' ... What to know about Saints rookie QB Rattler ... Bucs face difficult slate

Browns (1-4) at Eagles (2-2)

1 p.m. ET | Fox | ESPN BET: PHI -10 (42.5 O/U)

Browns storyline to watch: The Browns are off to a historically bad start on offense. They have scored under 20 points in all five games this season, their longest streak to start a season since 1999, despite all of their opponents ranking in the bottom half of the NFL in EPA per play. With no sweeping changes expected -- Cleveland is sticking with QB Deshaun Watson and coach Kevin Stefanski is keeping playcalling duties -- can the Browns find an identity against an Eagles defense that ranks 26th in EPA per play? -- Daniel Oyefusi

Eagles storyline to watch: WR A.J. Brown (hamstring) is expected to play for the first time since Week 1. The Eagles scored 34 points in the opener against the Packers. In the three games without Brown, they averaged 17 points. With RT Lane Johnson and WR DeVonta Smith also expected to be back this week from concussions, Philadelphia should be close to full health. -- Tim McManus

Stat to know: Watson has a 21 total QBR this season, which is the fourth-worst total QBR in team's first five games of the season among 480 QBs to start all five games since ESPN introduced the metric in 2006.

Bold prediction: Eagles QB Jalen Hurts will throw three or more touchdowns. With Brown and Smith returning and Philadelphia coming off a bye, I think the Eagles' passing game is going to find its rhythm against the single-high heavy Browns. -- Walder

Injuries: Browns | Eagles

Fantasy X factor: Browns WR Amari Cooper. Cooper has seen plenty of targets, but the fantasy points haven't followed. He has had eight or more targets in every game, yet managed only 10 or more fantasy points in two. This has made Cooper a boom-or-bust option. The good news? He faces an Eagles defense that has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers. See Week 6 rankings. -- Moody

Betting nugget: The Eagles are 1-6 ATS in their past seven games as favorites. Read more.

Kahler's pick: Eagles 28, Browns 17
Moody's pick: Eagles 31, Browns 19
Walder's pick: Eagles 31, Browns 20
FPI prediction: PHI, 69.5% (by an average of 8.0 points)

Matchup must-reads: Stefanski: Sticking with Watson at QB ... Sirianni, Eagles facing key stretch ... What QB Watson's first 17 games in Cleveland have shown

Commanders (4-1) at Ravens (3-2)

1 p.m. ET | CBS | ESPN BET: BAL -6.5 (51.5 O/U)

Commanders storyline to watch: Washington's run defense ranks 31st in yards per carry allowed (5.1) and 22nd in yards per game (130.0). The Commanders are coming off their best showing, allowing only 104 yards versus the Browns -- but Cleveland is far from the Ravens when it comes to rushing the ball. Baltimore ranks first in yards per rush (6.1) and rushing yards per game (211.2), thanks to the NFL's leading rusher in RB Derrick Henry and QB Lamar Jackson. The Commanders have allowed an NFL-worst 24 carries of 10-plus yards, while the Ravens own the most such carries (28). -- John Keim

Ravens storyline to watch: The struggling Ravens defense, which has allowed the seventh-most points per game this season (25.2), faces QB Jayden Daniels and the highest-scoring team in the NFL (31.0). But Baltimore has historically dominated young quarterbacks. Since John Harbaugh became coach in 2008, the Ravens are 23-7 (.767) against rookie starting quarterbacks, which trails only the Steelers (24-5). Baltimore prides itself on how it disguises coverages, which can keep a first-year quarterback off-balance. "He definitely hasn't seen a defense like ours," middle linebacker Roquan Smith said. -- Jamison Hensley

Stat to know: This will be the third starting QB matchup since 1950 between the reigning Heisman trophy winner and reigning MVP. (The others were Joe Burrow against Jackson in 2020, and Jim Plunkett versus John Brodie in 1971).

Bold prediction: At least 62 points will be scored, clearing the current ESPN BET total by 10 points. These are two red-hot offenses -- they rank first and second in both EPA per dropback and EPA per designed carry -- going against bottom-half defenses (at least thus far). It should be a points bonanza. -- Walder

Injuries: Commanders | Ravens

Fantasy X factor: Commanders WR Terry McLaurin. McLaurin and Daniels have finally found their rhythm. McLaurin has scored 13 or more fantasy points in three straight games, with two of those passing 18 points. He has racked up 24 targets during that span. This week, McLaurin faces a Ravens defense that allows the eighth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers. See Week 6 rankings. -- Moody

Betting nugget: The Commanders have won their past two games as underdogs (plus-7.5 at Bengals, plus-3.5 at Cardinals). Read more.

Kahler's pick: Commanders 31, Ravens 28
Moody's pick: Ravens 38, Commanders 24
Walder's pick: Ravens 42, Commanders 24
FPI prediction: BAL, 64.3% (by an average of 6.0 points)

Matchup must-reads: Daniels keeps up 'superman' act against Browns ... How Lamar's improbable TD powered Ravens past Bengals ... Daniels doesn't like Jackson comparisons

Chargers (2-2) at Broncos (3-2)

4:05 p.m. ET | CBS | ESPN BET: LAC -3 (35.5 O/U)

Chargers storyline to watch: The Chargers have lost seven of their past 10 matchups against the Broncos and haven't won in Denver since 2018. The Chargers are on a two-game skid and haven't scored a touchdown in the second half since Week 1. The Broncos, meanwhile, have the second-best defense in points allowed per game (14.6). -- Kris Rhim

Broncos storyline to watch: The Broncos -- tied for 22nd in scoring (19.2), 28th in yards per play (4.5), 31st on third down (24.6%) and 26th in the red zone efficiency (43.8%) -- get the league's top scoring defense (allowing 12.5 points per game) as the Chargers are coming off a bye as well. The key for the Broncos may be patience; nothing will be easy against Jesse Minter's defense. QB Bo Nix has not thrown an interception in the Broncos' three-game win streak; he threw four in the two losses to open the season. -- Jeff Legwold

Stat to know: The Broncos have the most pressures in NFL since Week 3 (49) and the second-most sacks (15). The 72 points they've allowed this season are their lowest through five games since 2009.

Bold prediction: Broncos CB Riley Moss will record an interception in a second straight game. Moss has a target rate of 23%, the highest of any corner, with an average of 1.3 yards per coverage snap allowed. Opponents turn to Moss as they try to avoid Pat Surtain II, which should grant him interception opportunities. -- Walder

Injuries: Chargers | Broncos

Fantasy X factor: Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins. This is a great chance for Dobbins to get back on track. The Broncos' secondary has been tough, holding DK Metcalf, George Pickens, Mike Evans and Garrett Wilson to under 50 receiving yards this season. But they're much easier to run on than pass against. See Week 6 rankings. -- Moody

Betting nugget: Each of the past three times the Chargers were road favorites in Denver, the Broncos won outright (2019 to 2021). Read more.

Kahler's pick: Chargers 24, Broncos 21
Moody's pick: Broncos 23, Chargers 20
Walder's pick: Chargers 19, Broncos 16
FPI prediction: LAC, 54.4% (by an average of 2.0 points)

Matchup must-reads: Chargers 'not panicking' but look to be 'crisper' on offense ... Nix breakout? What's next for the rookie QB ... Does QB Herbert need to pass more for Chargers to win?

Steelers (3-2) at Raiders (2-3)

4:05 p.m. ET | CBS | ESPN BET: PIT -3 (36.5 O/U)

Steelers storyline to watch: Coach Mike Tomlin left the door ajar for QB Russell Wilson to be active against the Raiders, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's going to supplant Justin Fields as the starter after going through his first full practice since aggravating his calf injury on Sept. 5. The Steelers, though, need something to jump start their offense after losing two of three games in large part to slow starts. Despite playing depleted defenses, the Steelers have averaged just 4.3 points in the first half compared to 16 in the second half. The Raiders' defense is banged up with top free agency acquisition DT Christian Wilkins sidelined indefinitely with a foot injury. -- Brooke Pryor

Raiders storyline to watch: The Raiders are looking for a spark, so for the second time in a calendar year, QB Aidan O'Connell finds himself coming off the bench to be the starter. Last season, then-rookie O'Connell supplanted Jimmy Garoppolo. Now, O'Connell is replacing Gardner Minshew, who won a tight training camp battle for the gig. With O'Connell having the bigger arm but being substantially less mobile than Minshew, and the Steelers boasting a fearsome pass rush, expect a lot of max protection and quick-passing calls. -- Paul Gutierrez

Stat to know: The Steelers have allowed an average of 23.5 points per game in their two straight losses after allowing 8.7 points in three straight wins to start the season.

Bold prediction: Raiders edge Maxx Crosby will record at least two sacks. Fields has been better about avoiding sacks this season, but his 8.1% sack rate is higher than average. And Crosby will be facing Broderick Jones, who is a shade below average in pass block win rate. -- Walder

Injuries: Steelers | Raiders

Fantasy X factor: Steelers RB Najee Harris. Harris is primed for a big workload against the Raiders, with Jaylen Warren (knee) doubtful and Cordarrelle Patterson (knee) out. He has averaged only 10.2 fantasy points per game this season, but he has seen 16 or more touches in every game. Harris should find success against a Raiders defense that gives up the fifth-most fantasy points per game to running backs. See Week 6 rankings. -- Moody

Betting nugget: The Raiders have covered five straight games following a loss (2-0 ATS this season). Read more.

Kahler's pick: Steelers 20, Raiders 17
Moody's pick: Steelers 26, Raiders 14
Walder's pick: Steelers 19, Raiders 16
FPI prediction: PIT, 56.2% (by an average of 2.2 points)

Matchup must-reads: Pickens says he was unaware of eye black rule ... QB O'Connell to start for the Raiders

Lions (3-1) at Cowboys (3-2)

4:25 p.m. ET | Fox | ESPN BET: DET -3 (52.5 O/U)

Lions storyline to watch: A controversial ending to last year's matchup became a trending topic when Dallas beat Detroit after a potential game-winning 2-point conversion by Lions OL Taylor Decker was negated by an illegal touching penalty for not reporting as eligible. However, Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson said, "It's last year. We're on a mission this year and we're not going to let the past define us." QB Jared Goff also emphasized that the Dallas loss isn't in the back of their heads as they prepare to face the Cowboys again, but more so helping Detroit secure a victory over Dallas for the first time since 2013. -- Eric Woodyard

Cowboys storyline to watch: Entering the season, the Cowboys had won 16 straight home games, which was the second-longest home winning streak in franchise history. Then, they lost their first two home games this season, and if they lose a third straight Sunday to the Lions, it will mark their first three-game home losing streak -- with their starting quarterback -- since 2006. The Cowboys lost three straight at home in 2020 without Dak Prescott and in 2010, 2014 (one start) and 2015 without Tony Romo. -- Todd Archer

Stat to know: After completing 19 consecutive passes against the Seahawks in Week 4, Goff could match the longest streak in NFL history with six straight against the Cowboys. Philip Rivers set the record of 25 in 2018.

Bold prediction: Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown will lead all players in combined tackles in Week 6. He's the No. 1 player in my sack projections for the week, and you can see why as he has the 26th-highest tackle per snap rate of any player in the league. He played 100% of snaps last week and now faces the run-heavy Lions. -- Walder

Injuries: Lions | Cowboys

Fantasy X factor: Lions RB David Montgomery. Through Week 4, the Lions led the league in running back touches. Montgomery has had a rushing touchdown and put up 15 or more fantasy points in every game. He should continue to thrive against a Cowboys defense that gives up the seventh-most fantasy points per game to running backs. See Week 6 rankings. -- Moody

Betting nugget: Prescott has not closed as at least a three-point home underdog since 2018. Read more.

Kahler's pick: Lions 34, Cowboys 28
Moody's pick: Lions 31, Cowboys 27
Walder's pick: Lions 28, Cowboys 17
FPI prediction: DET, 57.2% (by an average of 3.0 points)

Matchup must-reads: WR Williams' complicated journey to NFL stardom ... Dowdle giving hope to Cowboys' struggling run game? ... City of Detroit trolls St. Brown's brother on social media

Falcons (3-2) at Panthers (1-4)

4:25 p.m. ET | Fox | ESPN BET: ATL -6 (46.5 O/U)

Falcons storyline to watch: QB Kirk Cousins has thrown a league-high eight touchdowns when not under pressure in 2024, with no interceptions, but has a league-high five interceptions (with no touchdowns) when under pressure. The Panthers, meanwhile, are 29th in the league in pass rush win rate (31.7%). Can Cousins, coming off a franchise-high 509-yard performance, continue to shake off the rust in Charlotte? -- Marc Raimondi

Panthers storyline to watch: The Panthers' defense ranks near the bottom of the league in almost every major category, and they aren't very good offensively, either. But one of their big weaknesses, third down efficiency, has a chance to improve. A Carolina team ranked 28th (28.3%) in the league faces the worst third-down defense (48.5%) in Atlanta. -- David Newton

Stat to know: The Falcons have trailed in the final minute of the fourth quarter in all three of their wins this season. They're the first team in NFL history to do that within the first five games.

Bold prediction: Bijan Robinson will be the highest scoring fantasy running back in Week 6, with an impact in both the run and pass game. The Panthers' defense is the cure to all woes. -- Walder

Injuries: Falcons | Panthers

Fantasy X factor: Panthers WR Diontae Johnson. Johnson has a great opportunity to bounce back after a quieter Week 5, where he managed just six targets and 5.9 fantasy points. It's worth remembering he had 14 targets and put up 26.2 fantasy points in Week 3, followed by 13 targets and 21.3 points in Week 4. The Falcons have given up the eighth-most receptions per game to wide receivers this season. See Week 6 rankings. -- Moody

Betting nugget: Unders are 17-5 in Falcons-Panthers matchups since 2013. Read more.

Kahler's pick: Falcons 21, Panthers 13
Moody's pick: Falcons 35, Panthers 21
Walder's pick: Falcons 34, Panthers 23
FPI prediction: ATL, 62.0% (by an average of 5.2 points)

Matchup must-reads: Cousins-Mooney connection is emerging ... How coach Canales is keeping 1-4 Panthers positive

Bengals (1-4) at Giants (2-3)

8:20 p.m. ET | NBC/Peacock | ESPN BET: CIN -3.5 (47.5 O/U)

Bengals storyline to watch: The matchup between Cincinnati's offense and the Giants defense will dictate the outcome. Cincinnati is second in the league in points per drive and QB Joe Burrow is second in total QBR (73.6). But in the past three weeks, the Giants have had a very disruptive pass rush (fourth in PRWR (50%), first in sacks per dropback (11.6%), and only three of their opponents past 34 drives have had snaps in the red zone. -- Ben Baby

Giants storyline to watch: The Giants have won just one of their past 14 prime-time games with Daniel Jones at quarterback, giving him the worst record of any quarterback in prime time since the 1970 merger (minimum 10 starts). Jones didn't seem all that happy hearing about that streak entering Sunday night's matchup with the Bengals. "I think we've got to win more games," he said. "You look at the past, over the years, we haven't won enough, period." This will be yet another chance to shift the narrative in a game where they are underdogs. -- Jordan Raanan

Stat to know: The Bengals are 0-4 all time on road versus the Giants -- one of two franchises they have never defeated on the road (Vikings 0-6).

Bold prediction: The Bengals will score at least 34 points. Despite their 1-4 record, Cincinnati's offense ranks third in EPA per play and Burrow ranks second in QBR -- which would be his best finish by far if he can keep up that pace. I'm not worried about the Bengals scoring points here. -- Walder

Injuries: Bengals | Giants

Fantasy X factor: Giants WR Wan'Dale Robinson. With Malik Nabers still in concussion protocol, it's uncertain whether he'll be cleared to face the Bengals. Regardless of Nabers' status, Robinson should remain a key part of the Giants' passing game. The Bengals' defense allows the 12th-most receptions per game to wide receivers. Robinson has seen eight or more targets in four of his five games this season, making him a reliable option. See Week 6 rankings. -- Moody

Betting nugget: Unders are 5-0 in Sunday night games this season, 31-10 in the past three seasons and 60-31-2 since 2019. Read more.

Kahler's pick: Bengals 24, Giants 21
Moody's pick: Bengals 30, Giants 27
Walder's pick: Bengals 34, Giants 17
FPI prediction: CIN, 60.6% (by an average of 4.1 points)

Matchup must-reads: Bengals defenders hold meeting, know 'we have to do our part' ... What's next for RB Tracy after breakout game? ... Bengals' revamped defense struggling in 1-4 start

Bills (3-2) at Jets (2-3)

8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN | ESPN BET: BUF -2.5 (40.5 O/U)

Bills storyline to watch: The big question for the Bills going into this matchup is if the offense can turn itself around enough to avoid the team's first three game losing streak with Josh Allen starting -- and the team's first overall since losing four straight in 2018. The Bills are averaging 15 points per game over the team's past two games after averaging 37.3 points per game in the three-game winning streak to start the season. There is a question surrounding the availability of leading receiver Khalil Shakir (ankle), who has yet to participate in practice and missed last week vs. the Texans. The Bills will need other players to step up and support Allen, especially if Shakir is not available. -- Alaina Getzenberg

Jets storyline to watch: Jeff Ulbrich makes his interim head-coaching debut, inheriting a two-game losing streak but only a one-game deficit from the top of the AFC East. One of Ulbrich's goals is to eliminate the Jets' reputation as perennially slow starters, which plagued them through the Robert Saleh era. This season, they have almost as many penalties in the first quarter (13) as points (14). Ulbrich, who demoted playcaller Nathaniel Hackett and replaced him with Todd Downing, said the team will play with a "heightened sense of urgency." -- Rich Cimini

Stat to know: The Bills have never lost three straight games following a 3-0 start in franchise history. They've started 3-0 12 times.

Bold prediction: The Jets will fail to sack Allen. Though Will McDonald IV (6.0 sacks) has been a pleasant surprise, the Jets' pass rush is lacking. It ranks 26th in pass rush win rate. The Jets are outmatched by the Bills' offensive line (second in pass block win rate), and Allen has a sack rate under 4% this year. -- Walder

Injuries: Bills | Jets

Fantasy X factor: Jets RB Breece Hall. Despite scoring 18 or more fantasy points in each of his first three games, Hall has managed just 10.5 fantasy points over the past two weeks behind an offensive line that ranks 27th in run block win rate. However, there's some hope this week as New York faces a Bills defense that gives up the most fantasy points per game to running backs. See Week 6 rankings. -- Moody

Betting nugget: All three Bills road games this season have gone under the total. Four straight Jets games have gone under the total. Read more.

Kahler's pick: Bills 28, Jets 21
Moody's pick: Bills 24, Jets 19
Walder's pick: Bills 23, Jets 20
FPI prediction: BUF, 54.9% (by an average of 2.0 points)

Matchup must-reads: Bills' offensive mantra -- 'everybody eats' -- being tested ... Will firing Saleh solve Jets' struggles? ... ... Jets demote OC Hackett, tap Todd Downing to call offense

Get Karl-Anthony Towns and $300,000 to spare.

For the New York Knicks, this was the mandate and the margin.

Towns and his new Knicks teammates will see his old team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday (6 p.m. ET on ESPN) in what has become one of the most interesting games of the preseason. The machinations that decided which uniform Towns would be wearing are deeply nuanced and endlessly interesting.

Acquiring Towns was a blockbuster. What the Knicks did to actually make it happen was a saga.

That's where the $300,000 comes in. That is how much space the Knicks will have below the unbreakable barrier known as the "second apron" once they fill out their roster at the end of the preseason, league sources told ESPN (because they aggregated salaries in the trades to acquire Towns and Mikal Bridges, they are not allowed to exceed the second apron at any point this season). This is roughly 0.2% of their $189 million payroll this season, by NBA contract standards a rounding figure. But what a dance to get there.

"It's been great execution of a plan. It's five years in the making," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "It's accumulating the draft capital, and looking at the opportunities and going step by step and figuring out the things you can do."

Like this:

• In 2021, the Knicks signed Jalen Brunson to a contract that descended over the first three seasons. Even though he signed a new four-year, $156 million deal that will begin in 2025, Brunson's contract declined by $1.3 million from last season to this season.

• In 2022, the Knicks signed Mitchell Robinson to a contract that descended over the four years of the deal. Robinson's salary declined $1.3 million from last season to this season.

• In June, the Knicks declined to extend center Precious Achiuwa a qualifying offer of $6.3 million, which would have made him a restricted free agent. Instead, they allowed him to enter unrestricted free agency. Then, a month later, they signed him to a contract for $6 million to be their backup center. It saved $300,000 in cap space over what he would've cost them if they'd extended the qualifying offer and he'd signed it.

• The Knicks started draft night with two first-round picks, Nos. 24 and 25. They then made six draft night trades, ultimately ending up with picks No. 25 and No. 34 in addition to a handful of other second-rounders, most of them for future drafts.

• Their first-round pick, Pacome Dadiet, signed a contract at 80% of his preassigned salary slot for the first year, which is allowed by rule. Their second-round pick, Tyler Kolek, signed for $800,000 less than the 24th pick's salary slot. These maneuvers saved the Knicks $1.3 million in cap space for this season.

• The Knicks signed-and-traded three players -- Charlie Brown Jr., DaQuan Jeffries and Duane Washington Jr. -- to the Charlotte Hornets to make the deal work under the apron rules Minnesota and New York had to deal with. The Knicks signed them to contracts totaling $6.8 million to make the trade workable. Then they used the $7.2 million NBA teams are allowed to send out in trades per year and sent it to Charlotte, covering the cost of the players with the Hornets making $400,000 profit plus three second-round picks. The Knicks were only allowed to sign-and-trade Jeffries because they'd signed him to a rest-of-season contract (after two 10-day contracts) on March 25. Washington and Brown both ended last season with the Knicks on two-way deals, making them sign-and-trade eligible.

Without every single one of these moves, the Knicks would not have been able to make the Towns trade. All of it together made it happen. Some of them, such as the first-ever triple sign-and-trade, were for Towns. Others, like the contract structures for Brunson and Robinson, were put in place just in case something like this was needed.

Knicks president Leon Rose, who was obsessed with acquiring Towns, went down a similar path with a previous offseason obsession: getting Brunson in 2021. A former client from his agent days like Towns, Brunson was a target of the Knicks for months and they made a series of deals around the draft that year to clear off $30 million from their books to open the cap space to sign Brunson outright.

The Dallas Mavericks, Brunson's old team, were sufficiently caught off guard in losing him without a chance to match or trade. They later filed tampering charges against the Knicks after seeing the symphony end with Brunson agreeing to terms at the very start of free agency (the Knicks were docked a second-round pick in the 2025 draft as a result of that tampering investigation).

If that was graduate-level front office work, the maneuvers to land Towns, who Rose says could be his other cornerstone, were a thesis.

The nuts and bolts were largely performed by Knicks vice president of strategic planning Brock Aller, who has a long history of making multistep complex deals dating to his days in the Cleveland Cavaliers' front office. Aller handles much of the strategic moves for the Knicks and does most of the complex trade negotiations.

"Brock has been terrific," said Thibodeau, who previously ran the Timberwolves' front office. "And it's not easy. It's your immediate plan and also your future plan. You have to look at it in almost three different ways. There's the basketball standpoint, what does it mean for what's on the floor? Then there's the financial impact. Then there's also the penalty aspect that you have to look at as well. So all three things before you make a decision you have to dig deep on. So they've done a great job."

Towns knew Rose was interested in getting him but he didn't think the Knicks could pull it off, not after his salary jumped by $13 million starting July 1 as his supermax contract extension signed in 2022 kicked in. Or after the Knicks triggered a series of trade restrictions once they made another massive deal, landing Mikal Bridges, in June.

"I was shocked," Towns said. "Maybe the word flabbergasted is more correct."

So was much of the rest of the NBA. But Rose, Aller and the rest of the Knicks' front office, including vice president Gersson Rosas, who helped put the big trade with his former team together, can only do so much. The players are aware the serious business is still in their hands.

"[Brock] does a great job on his part," Brunson said. "We applaud him for it, and we've just got to go out there and do our part on the floor."

NEW YORK -- When Jeff McNeil landed on the injured list with a fractured right wrist in early September, he knew it would take the New York Mets making a deep playoff run to play again in 2024.

"I would say if you see me on the field again, that's a really good thing," McNeil said at the time.

That really good thing has happened for the Mets, who have advanced to the National League Championship Series. Now it's a matter of whether McNeil will join them, and it's looking likely.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said McNeil will play games in the Arizona Fall League on Friday and Saturday. The plan is for McNeil to compile at least four plate appearances and play at least seven innings in each game. If that goes well, McNeil will be considered for the Mets' NLCS roster ahead of Game 1 on Sunday.

"That's the goal," Mendoza said, "so that he could go back-to-back and get that volume and being on his feet and ups and downs and playing a full game."

The Mets had to petition Major League Baseball to allow him to play in Arizona Fall League games because of Hurricane Milton's impact on the organization's spring training facilities in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

McNeil was the Mets' primary second baseman during the regular season before he was hit by a pitch Sept. 7. He started 95 games at the position, but he also made 22 starts between left and right field. McNeil, the NL batting champion in 2022, posted career lows in batting average (.238) and on-base percentage (.308) with 12 home runs in 472 plate appearances this season.

Jose Iglesias became the Mets' everyday second baseman once McNeil went down. The veteran is batting .348 with a .789 OPS in 29 games between the regular season and the playoffs in the role.

Without McNeil, the Mets had rookie Luisangel Acuña on their National League Division Series roster. McNeil could take Acuña's roster spot if New York decides to carry 13 pitchers and 13 position players again in the NLCS, but Mendoza acknowledged the club is considering carrying one fewer pitcher. That would allow the Mets to have both McNeil and Acuña on the roster.

Would you want it any other way? After four heated National League Division Series showdowns, the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers will meet in a win-or-go-home Game 5 at Dodger Stadium on Friday night.

Which side will get the last laugh in the intense NL West rivalry? What will decide the finale? And what drama will emerge this time around in Los Angeles?

We have you covered with pregame predictions, live updates and analysis, followed by our takeaways after the final pitch.

San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers, 8:08 p.m.

Pitching matchup: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7-2, 3.00 ERA vs. Yu Darvish (7-3, 3.31 ERA)

What is the key to Game 5 for the Padres?

Bradford Doolittle: The Padres have to guard against getting too big in their collective approach at the plate. What made San Diego's offense so dynamic during the season was its ability to score in different ways. Against the Dodgers, 62% of the Padres' runs have come on long balls. That's fine when the ball is leaving the yard, and the Padres have won two games this series in that fashion. But it has been a well-balanced attack that has gotten the Padres this far, and if the game stays close and low scoring, they need to remember who they are and not swing from the heels on every cut.

Alden Gonzalez: Luis Arráez getting going offensively. He is their leadoff hitter and in many ways a tone-setter for their offense, but he has struggled through the first four games of this series, with three hits in 18 at-bats. Given how hot Fernando Tatis Jr. has been behind him, and the presence of Manny Machado two batters later, Arráez reaching base multiple times could play a major role in reigniting the lineup after it was shut out in Game 4. The Padres scoring early runs and taking the Dodger Stadium crowd out of it will be critical to capturing a Game 5 win in a hostile environment. Arráez, perhaps more so than anybody else, holds those keys.

David Schoenfield: Yu Darvish getting the game to the bullpen with the lead. He did that in Game 2 when he allowed just one run in seven innings, a performance that led manager Mike Shildt to make the questionable decision to start Dylan Cease on short rest in Game 4 -- because he wanted Darvish to start Game 5. Dodgers fans undoubtedly remember Darvish's two poor performances in the 2017 World Series -- when the Astros, of course, might have been stealing signs, although his Game 7 outing came at Dodger Stadium -- but Darvish has actually been pretty good in the postseason since then (2.56 ERA in six starts with three of those going seven innings). He succeeded in Game 2 despite inducing only seven swings and misses, so Shildt will want to see if Darvish is missing bats early. If not, it might be wise to go to his bullpen sooner rather than later.

What is the key to Game 5 for the Dodgers?

Gonzalez: Yoshinobu Yamamoto being effective. The Dodgers were uncertain about their Game 5 pitching plans as recently as Thursday afternoon, a few hours before ultimately announcing Yamamoto as their starting pitcher. It was telling. Yamamoto made his Dodgers debut against the Padres and was charged with five runs in one inning from South Korea on March 21. He then made his postseason debut against them and was charged with five runs in three innings in Game 1, during which the Dodgers believe he was tipping pitches. Simply put: the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history needs to be better.

Doolittle: It's imperative that they keep the score close early. It seems that when things have gone south for the Dodgers in decisive playoff games, often it has been because one pitcher falters early. They'll be watching a reminder of that history in Game 5 with Darvish on the mound for San Diego. The Dodgers can't get down early because as much as their offense is capable of coming from behind, you don't want to be playing catch-up into the middle innings against this San Diego bullpen.

Schoenfield: I'm not going to get too cute here: Shohei Ohtani. Especially if Freddie Freeman is unable to go again, the Dodgers need Ohtani to deposit a pitch -- or two -- into the outfield seats.

This series has been full of drama. Predict the one thing we'll all be talking about after the finale:

Doolittle: That testy moment in Game 5. I don't know when it will happen or whether Machado really did anything to contribute to it, but it's coming. It's a great rivalry and hypnotic to watch two teams go at it with such genuine disdain. Let's just keep the fans out of it this time.

Gonzalez: That Major League Baseball should reseed in the playoffs, making this a best-of-seven series and the winner, whether it's the Dodgers or the Padres, suddenly the favorite to win it all. These are the two best teams remaining, even if the Padres don't have Joe Musgrove and the Dodgers are continually uncertain about Freeman.

Schoenfield: Freeman coming off the bench to deliver a crucial pinch-hit, two-run single.

And finally, which team will move on to face the Mets in the NL Championship Series?

Doolittle: Going back to a month before the regular season ended, I was telling people that it was really hard to look at how these teams match up right now and come up with a good reason to pick the Dodgers to beat the Padres. I'm sticking with that. Darvish was excellent in his first appearance, the Padres' bullpen is deep and dynamic, and I fully expect Machado and Tatis to feast on one or two high-leverage moments in this game.

Schoenfield: Oddly, despite the Dodgers winning the division, it now feels like all the pressure is on the Padres -- especially given their, shall we say, bravado on display in Game 2. The Padres weren't able to channel that into a series-clinching win in Game 4, however, and now they need their bats to talk. The Dodgers, meanwhile, have been expected to move on in recent years only to collapse. But this team has Ohtani. The Dodgers move on.

Live updates

Tune in at game time for live updates and analysis of Game 5.

Novak Djokovic's bid to claim a landmark 100th ATP title remained on track as he overcame talented teenager Jakub Mensik in the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters.

The Serbian fourth seed lost the first set on a tie-break to the Czech 19-year-old but battled back for a 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 6-4 victory.

Djokovic, 37, will face American world number seven Taylor Fritz in Saturday's second semi-final.

Fritz, 26, comfortably beat Belgium's David Goffin 6-3 6-4 on Friday to book his place in the last four. It extended a run that has seen Fritz progress past the third round for the first time in Shanghai.

After reaching his 78th Masters 1,000 semi-final, Djokovic was full of praise for his much younger opponent.

"Jakub is someone I've been following in the last three, four years," he said. "We went toe-to-toe until the last moment, until the last game.

"I could see today why he is one of the best servers we have in the game - and he's only 19.

"I think the future is very bright for him. He knows that I am always there for him, whatever he needs."

Mensik held his nerve in the opening set against Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion.

Djokovic, a record four-time winner of the tournament, was able to regroup after a scrappy performance in the tie-break and breezed through the second set, before putting the match to bed after two hours and 21 minutes.

Although US Open runner-up Fritz might prove a tough test for Djokovic, the decorated veteran holds a 9-0 career record from their past meetings.

England: Kildunne; Westcombe-Evans, Rowland, Heard, Breach; Aitchison, Hunt; Botterman, Cokayne, Muir, Aldcroft, Galligan, Feaunati, M Packer (capt), Matthews.

Replacements: Atkin-Davies, Carson, Bern, Ward, Talling, L Packer, Harrison, Scarratt.

Canada: Schell; Hogan-Rochester, Seumanutafa, Tessier (capt), Farries; Gallagher, Pelletier; Hunt, Tuttosi, Menin, Holtkamp, Royer, Buisa, Forteza, Senft.

Replacements: Cline, Kassil, Ellis, Beukeboom, Omokhuale, Apps, Corrigan, Bermudez.

Wales: Jasmine Joyce; Carys Cox, Hannah Jones (capt), Hannah Bluck, Nel Metcalfe; Kayleigh Powell, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Carys Phillips, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Natalia John, Abbie Fleming, Alisha Butchers, Alex Callender, Bethan Lewis.

Replacements: Molly Reardon, Maisie Davies, Donna Rose, Georgia Evans, Kate Williams, Sian Jones, Robyn Wilkins, Courtney Keight.

Japan: Sora Nishimura; Misaki Matsumura, Mana Furuta, Haruka Hirotsu, Komachi Imakugi; Ayasa Otsuka, Moe Tsukui; Sachiko Kato, Kotomi Taniguchi, Wako Kitano, Yuna Sato, Otoka Yoshimura, Masami Kawamura, Iroha Nagata (capt), Seina Saito

Replacements: Asuka Kuge, Manami Mine, Nijiho Nagata, Kyoko Hosokawa, Jennifer Nduka, Megumi Abe, Minori Yamamoto, Kanako Kobayashi.

Manchester City are closing in on an agreement to appoint Hugo Viana as their next director of football, a source has told ESPN.

City are looking for a replacement for Txiki Begiristain, who has told the club he will step down at the end of the season.

Sporting Lisbon director of football Viana is the top choice to step into the role.

A source has told ESPN there is hope that the new man will be installed in January and work alongside Begiristain for six months until the end of the current campaign.

Viana spent time at Sporting, Newcastle United and Valencia as a player and won 29 caps for Portugal between 2001 and 2012.

He was appointed as Sporting's director of football in 2018 and helped the club win the Portuguese title in 2021 and 2024 despite strong competition from Benfica and FC Porto.

He's credited with bringing in Ruben Amorim as manager in 2020, who has also played a key role in returning Sporting to the top of Portuguese football.

Sources have told ESPN that City also looked closely at Girona sporting director Quique Carcel before pursuing a deal for Viana.

Begiristain's decision to leave the Etihad has thrown Pep Guardiola's future into further doubt.

The pair have worked closely at City and Guardiola will be out of contract at the end of the season.

The 53-year-old has so far dodged questions about whether he will sign another contract extension.

Sources have told ESPN that City want Guardiola to stay and would like an indication about his plans for the future before the new year.

Nottingham Forest have been hit with a 750,000 ($979,526) fine for a social media post last season aimed at video assistant referee Stuart Attwell, the English Football Association (FA) confirmed on Friday.

Forest have described the sanction as "wholly disproportionate" and said they are going to appeal the decision.

The post in question followed their 2-0 defeat to Everton on April 21, a time when both teams were embroiled in a relegation scrap. Luton were also involved in attempting to battle the drop, and Forest questioned Attwell's impartiality on the social media post.

"Three extremely poor decisions -- three penalties not given -- which we simply cannot accept," Forest said on their official X account. "We warned the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game but they didn't change him. Our patience has been tested multiple times. NFFC will now consider its options."

A statement from the FA said Forest had also been warned "for misconduct in relation to comments posted on social media" alongside the fine.

The statement added: "The club denied that the comments posted on social media imply bias and/or question the integrity of the match officials and/or the video assistant referee and/or bring the game into disrepute.

"An independent regulatory commission found the charge to be proven following a hearing and imposed the club's sanctions."

The charge relates to a breach of FA Rule E3.1, with Forest's social media post guilty of constituting "improper conduct in that they imply bias and/or question the integrity of the Match Official[s] and/or the Video Assistant Referee and/or bring the game into disrepute."

Forest released a statement after their punishment had been made public.

"Nottingham Forest Football Club is extremely disappointed with the decision of the Regulatory Commission to impose a 750,000 fine in relation to comments posted on social media following our Premier League fixture against Everton on Sunday 21 April," it said.

"We are particularly concerned that The FA, in its submissions, sought a sanction "in excess of 1,000,000". We believe that this request, along with the subsequent fine, is wholly disproportionate and the Club will be appealing the decision."

Forest were angered by decisions made in the match, with all three penalty claims focusing on Everton's Ashley Young.

They were bothered by one tackle Young made on United States international Giovanni Reyna, an alleged handball off a Callum Hudson-Odoi cross, and then a tangle between Young and Hudson-Odoi in the second half.

"I don't understand the reason and the decision of [referee] Anthony Taylor and VAR Stuart Attwell, because I see the images," Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo told Sky Sports.

"It is hard to take. There is a penalty on Gio Reyna, it's a kick, don't tell me that is not contact. It's a penalty, then a handball, then the situation of the incident with Callum.

"So it's understandable that we react like this as a club because we want to get things right. We don't want bad referees. We want good decisions. OK, if we lost the game today and there were no incidents, we take it."

Forest had former referee Mark Clattenburg working at the club at the time as their referee analyst. He published a column in the Daily Mail defending the club's response and called the decisions a "hat trick of howlers."

He wrote: "One of these errors would have been bad enough. Three was a joke, and that is why Nottingham Forest were left feeling victimised after another defeat in which zero big decisions went their way.

"In a season where they have had to endure some egregious refereeing, this trip to Everton was as grim a game as they have encountered since returning to the Premier League.

"These situations were precisely why video technology was brought into the Premier League and yet, Attwell did not send Taylor to his monitor. Not once. It was a hat-trick of howlers from the refereeing team and, unfortunately for Forest, a continuation of an unjust trend that has hampered their survival fight.

"You will have seen the statement released by the club - how the PGMOL were contacted to warn that it was not appropriate for a Luton fan such as Attwell to play such a pivotal role in a massive match that would impact the relegation race."

Clattenburg left his role as Forest's refereeing consultant amid a backlash to his public interventions as a former Premier League referee.