Week 6 is equally as big a game for the Seattle Seahawks as it is for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and it’s another chance for their oft-criticized quarterbacks to prove themselves.

The Jaguars are riding high from a narrow 31-28 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence got the Jags to 4-1 for the first time since 2007 with his late-game heroics, showing there’s still a chance he could rise to the potential of his former No. 1 draft billing back in 2021.

Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks (3-2), however, are coming off the opposite result following a 38-35 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a game-winning field goal at the end of regulation. Darnold was almost perfect, playing one of the best games of his career, until a late ricochet-induced interception ended the Seahawks’ hopes.

With Seattle’s defense dealing with injuries and the Jaguars’ defense producing spotty results, the quarterback play could fuel another shootout in Week 6. Here’s how both quarterbacks have played so far this season, and who gives their team an edge.

– 73.1% completion

– 1,246 passing yards (9.3 yards per attempt)

– 9 passing touchdowns

– 3 interceptions

– 0.32 EPA/Play (45.53 total EPA)

– 8.2 average completed air yards

– 114.8 passer rating

– 0 rushing touchdowns

Analysis: Darnold, outside of the unfortunate ending, was simply superb against the Buccaneers. He did everything right — on-time throws, extending plays, deep shots, etc. There are few quarterbacks in the NFL playing as good or better than Darnold at this point in the season.

Darnold’s EPA/play and average completed air yards figures lead the league. He’s third in passer rating and completion percentage and is tied for seventh in passing touchdowns. The only reason Seattle hung around against Tampa Bay was because of Darnold’s heroics, even though he was also the one to end it. Seattle’s offense is humming.

– 60.4% completion

– 1,066 passing yards (6.3 yards per attempt)

– 6 passing touchdowns

– 5 interceptions

– 0.03 EPA/Play (6.29 total EPA)

– 5.1 average completed air yards

– 78.2 passer rating

– 2 rushing touchdowns

Analysis: Lawrence hasn’t been excellent through the air, but he’s been supported by the fifth-best rushing attack in the league through five weeks (137 rush yards per game). That said, he showed he still has at least part of the “It” factor that he had at Clemson in Jacksonville’s win over the Chiefs on Monday.

On the game-winning drive, Lawrence completed 3 of 4 passes for 48 yards, including a 33-yard bomb to wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. Then, after stumbling at the snap and getting back to his feet, Lawrence was especially determined to win the game on his 1-yard touchdown run that sealed it. Whether he can get it done consistently in crunch time is the big question, and he’s still not an every-down difference maker.

Even with Lawrence’s impressive showing on Monday, Darnold is playing at a much higher level. If the game becomes a shootout again, Seattle will have the upper hand via its quarterback play and weapons available for Darnold.

The Seahawks’ run defense has been good, which could force Lawrence into passing situations. If that burden is put on him, there are more opportunities for mistakes. Darnold showed that he can thrive in pass-heavy situations like the Seahawks were in against Tampa Bay.

This is a fun quarterback duel, but it likely won’t rise to the level of the Baker Mayfield-Darnold face-off from Week 5.