The NFL continues to supply the drama, irrespective of the week. The Sunday afternoon slate in Week 6 did not disappoint, even when the video games weren’t precisely the heavyweight title fights we’re accustomed to watching.
The heavyweight title combat we did get was the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs taking down the Detroit Lions, a matchup of two of the powers within the NFL. Kansas Metropolis salvaged their season by attending to 3-3 whereas Detroit fell to 4-2.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers established their place as a championship contender after beating the San Francisco 49ers, whereas the Inexperienced Bay Packers dealt with the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Carolina Panthers did enhance to .500 after upsetting the Dallas Cowboys, whereas the Pittsburgh Steelers have full command of the AFC North after beating the Cleveland Browns — and the Baltimore Ravens dropping (once more). The Indianapolis Colts did enhance to 5-1 after an exhilarating win over the Arizona Cardinals whereas the Seattle Seahawks went to 4-2 after beating the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Loads of storylines developed on Sunday. Which of these storylines are overreactions and that are actuality? Or are we overreacting an excessive amount of to a consequence?
Overreaction or actuality: Actuality
Superb what occurs when Mahomes will get a deep menace again in Xavier Worthy. Mahomes threw three landing passes within the Chiefs’ win over the Lions, having a 132.2 passer ranking and averaging 8.6 yards per try. Unexpectedly Travis Kelce will get open between the hashmarks as a result of there’s a deep menace excessive, however the beneficiary is Mahomes.
Within the three video games Mahomes had Worthy again at huge receiver, he has accomplished 70.4% of his passes for 845 yards with eight touchdowns and one interception and a 114.2 passer ranking. On passes of 10+ air yards, Mahomes has accomplished 51.6% of his passes for 339 yards with two touchdowns and nil interceptions since Worthy’s return.
Mahomes simply seems to be like a distinct quarterback who can learn the stress coming and get the ball to his playmakers with that added assist excessive. Even higher information? The Chiefs get Rashee Rice again subsequent week.
Lions are paper tigers in NFC
Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction
The Lions have two losses on the season — the Packers in Week 1 and the Chiefs in Week 6 — each on the street. For a group with Tremendous Bowl aspirations, the Lions have no enormous wins on their playoff resume. Does this imply they’re paper tigers?
Under no circumstances. The Lions are nonetheless good, and are severely banged up within the secondary with 5 of their high six cornerbacks injured. That is a tall activity for any group, particularly when they’re going through the Chiefs. The offense did not reside as much as par both, scoring simply 17 factors in opposition to a Chiefs protection that stopped prolonged drives and held the offense to 0-for-2 on fourth down.
The Lions do have 4 wins, however these are in opposition to groups with a mixed report of 6-17. They’re beating the groups they’re presupposed to beat, however the two heavyweights on their schedule are losses.
Whereas it is early, the Lions have to win a giant recreation to show they’re a Tremendous Bowl contender — though they’re banged up proper now. A win in opposition to the Buccaneers subsequent week will assist, however Detroit will likely be wholesome for the stretch run in November and December.
Mac Jones proved he can begin once more within the NFL
Overreaction or actuality: Actuality
It doesn’t matter what Jones did (or did not do) in Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers, he stuffed in admirably for Brock Purdy over the previous few video games. Jones was crushed up by the Buccaneers protection, throwing for 347 yards with two interceptions (75.5 ranking) whereas battling an indirect damage and primarily throwing on one leg.
The 49ers offense moved the ball with Jones within the 4 video games he began, and Jones shined with out George Kittle, Ricky Pearsall, and a totally wholesome Jauan Jennings. The 49ers had been crushed and banged up, and misplaced Fred Warner as a part of their casualties. Jones was capable of maintain the fort anyway.
Jones is getting the blame for Sunday’s loss, however this is not on him. He is adequate to begin someplace once more.
Buccaneers would be the No. 1 seed within the NFC
Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction
There’s so much — an terrible lot — to love concerning the Buccaneers. There may be one loss on their resume, and that was to the Tremendous Bowl champion Eagles. They beat the Seahawks and 49ers in consecutive weeks and personal one of the best report within the NFC at 5-1.
Can the Buccaneers get the No. 1 seed within the convention? This can be a dialog they belong in, even with the loss to the Eagles. Though Tampa Bay is within the NFC South, the schedule is brutal. The Buccaneers play the Lions subsequent week, the Payments in Week 11, and the Rams the next week earlier than the schedule will get simpler.
The trick for the Buccaneers? Beat the Lions in Detroit to essentially improve this dialog, giving one other head-to-head tiebreaker to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers have among the best groups within the NFC and Baker Mayfield is enjoying at an MVP degree. They’re actually a Tremendous Bowl contender at this stage within the recreation.
Cowboys proved they are not a playoff group
Overreaction or actuality: Actuality
There is not a lot to say concerning the Cowboys, who’re the definition of mid by way of six video games. Dallas performs in rollercoaster video games every week, with a protection that may solely cease groups named the New York Jets. Each different week, Dak Prescott has needed to carry this group to wins — and actually is the one cause Dallas has two victories at this stage within the recreation.
Cowboys squander probability to realize floor in instantly wide-open NFC East due to walk-off loss to Panthers
Garrett Podell
Dallas has solely crushed the groups that play within the Meadowlands and are 0-3-1 in opposition to everybody else. The Cowboys cannot cease the run nor appear to have a clue on learn how to get a key cease defensively. Regardless of how properly Prescott performs, the stats turn out to be empty due to the expertise on protection (one more reason why the Micah Parsons commerce made zero sense).
Dallas hosts Washington subsequent week, adopted by Denver on the street. There is a actually good probability the Cowboys might be 2-5-1, which can bury their playoff probabilities. This was a recreation the Cowboys needed to win — and did not.
Rico Dowdle is one of the best working again within the NFL
Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction
What Dowdle has completed in his two begins has been extraordinarily spectacular. Every week after having 200+ speeding yards in a win over the Dolphins, Dowdle adopted that up with 183 speeding yards and 239 scrimmage yards in a 30-27 victory over the Cowboys.
In Dowdle’s two begins, he has totaled 389 speeding yards and 84 receiving yards — 473 complete yards of offense. Dowdle is averaging 6.9 yards per carry and has carried Carolina’s offense to a pair of wins. If Dowdle begins over Chuba Hubbard when Hubbard returns, it would not be a shock.
Is Dowdle one of the best working again in soccer? He is third within the NFL in speeding yards and second amongst working backs in yards per carry (5.7), profiting from two poor speeding defenses within the Dolphins and Cowboys. Dowdle deserves credit score for being dominant, however there actually must be a much bigger pattern measurement.
The Panthers are a participant due to Dowdle, and that is all that issues.
Ravens can salvage 12 months if Lamar Jackson returns subsequent week
Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction
The Ravens are 1-5 after scoring simply three factors in opposition to the Rams in one other loss, however there’s some cause to be inspired. The protection solely gave up 17 factors and held the Rams to 4.7 yards per play. The Rams did not have Puka Nacua for a very good portion of the sport, however this was a Ravens protection that allowed 37+ factors in 4 video games!
Sunday’s efficiency was encouraging, and the Ravens might have some life if Jackson returns from his hamstring damage subsequent week. Cooper Rush was benched for Tyler Huntley as Baltimore had nothing going offensively, a recreation Baltimore in all probability wins if Jackson was wholesome.
Jackson coming again might not matter, as Baltimore is 1-5 and 4 video games behind Pittsburgh within the loss column. They’re additionally three out of the loss column for the ultimate playoff spot in a deep AFC. There could also be an excessive amount of to beat in Baltimore.
Overreaction or actuality: Actuality
Not many quarterbacks have had success in opposition to the Jaguars protection this season. That wasn’t the case for Darnold, who completed 16 of 27 for 295 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions — a 121.7 passer ranking. Darnold is aware of who to get the ball to, as Jaxsn Smith-Njigba has eight catches for 162 yards and a rating (he is making a case to be the offensive participant of the 12 months).
Darnold has been glorious all season, finishing 70.8% of his passes for 1,541 yards with 11 touchdowns to 3 interceptions for a 116.0 passer ranking. He is third within the league in passing yards and second in passer ranking heading into the late afternoon slate.
To additional Darnold’s MVP case? On throws of 10+ air yards, Darnold has accomplished 65.7% of his passes for 1,0009 yards with seven touchdowns to at least one interception — a 137.5 passer ranking. He is the rationale the Seahawks are profitable video games and a contender within the NFC, and Seattle would not lose on the street both (received 9 straight).
There is not a transparent MVP entrance runner proper now? Why cannot Darnold be within the dialog?
Dolphins saved Mike McDaniel’s job — even in a loss
Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction
McDaniel is not the issue in Miami, because the Dolphins did take the lead over the Chargers with :46 left. The offense has been serviceable with Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, and the working recreation is extremely environment friendly irrespective of who’s carrying the ball.
The protection is failing McDaniel, which is why the Dolphins have been so dangerous all 12 months. As soon as the Dolphins took the lead within the remaining minute, the protection allowed Ladd McConkey to get 42 yards on a brief out, setting the Chargers up for a Cameron Dicker area purpose within the remaining seconds for the win.
The Dolphins have allowed 27+ factors in all 5 of their losses. That challenge runs deeper than McDaniel, however he’ll take the autumn for his or her inefficiency. Not a matter of if, however when McDaniel will get fired.
Shedeur Sanders will get an opportunity to begin for Browns this 12 months
Overreaction or actuality: Actuality
Dillon Gabriel’s second begin with the Browns was not good. He completed 29 of 52 for 221 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions, however check out the makes an attempt and yards gained. Gabriel averaged 4.3 yards per try within the loss and is averaging simply 4.8 yards per try on the season.
On throws of 10+ air yards on Sunday, Gabriel was 4 of 14 for 51 yards with a 41.3 ranking. When Gabriel was pressured, he was 4 of 12 for 13 yards and a 42.4 ranking — 1.1 yards per try. These numbers simply aren’t adequate for any quarterback in skilled soccer.
Gabriel has an extended leash in Cleveland, a group that’s rebuilding and searching ahead to 2026. If this play does proceed weekly, Sanders will get an opportunity to begin. At this charge, Gabriel is hurting his probabilities at beginning the rest of the 12 months.
Justin Fields ought to be benched by the Jets
Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction
Sunday’s efficiency by Fields was dangerous, actually dangerous. Fields completed 9 of 17 for 45 yards with zero touchdowns and nil interceptions, exhibiting little pocket consciousness whereas being sacked 9 instances. The Jets had -10 web passing yards within the loss to the Broncos, as Fields was 1-for-5 for -1 yards when going through stress — -0.2 yards per try!
The Jets are 0-6 by way of six video games, and the stress is on Aaron Glenn to alter one thing. Glenn’s future as a head coach seems to be very bleak along with his in-game choices and the best way his roster is dealt with, however ought to it’s at Fields’ expense?
Fields hasn’t been good for the Jets and would be the cause why the offense is so inconsistent week-to-week. Would the Jets be higher off with Tyrod Taylor? In all probability not with the best way this group is run on either side of the ball.
Modifications are wanted, however that begins up high with Glenn and the way he manages his group in the course of the week and within the recreation. That should not come on the expense of Fields.
