Six weeks are in the books, as well as our first week of byes. Atlanta, New Orleans, San Francisco, and the Jets all got to enjoy the week off to rest and recover. Week 7 will be the week that Dallas, Buffalo, Jacksonville, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, and the Chargers are on bye. As for week 6, the 28 teams that went into battle this weekend produced some wildly entertaining games. Jacksonville finally got their first win of the season leaving Detroit as the only winless team. At the top of the mountain, we find Arizona with their perfect record still shining. Somewhere in between lies our winners and losers, so let’s jump right into it.
Winner #1 Baltimore Ravens
In a showdown featuring two 4-1 teams, there was only ever going to be one winner. Baltimore dominated the Los Angeles Chargers in all phases of the game. Their rushing attack constantly abused the Chargers weak run defense to the tune of 187 yards. Surprisingly, the Baltimore defense kept the Chargers quiet all afternoon. A week after almost throwing for 400 yards, the Ravens defense kept Justin Herbert to only 195 yards. Baltimore’s defense has looked terrible throughout the season, but if Sunday is any indication that things are changing, look out in the AFC. This was nothing short of a statement win against a team that looked like real contenders in the AFC. Baltimore heads into their bye week with a 5-1 record and momentum. That momentum will be key as they take on Cincinnati for the division lead in two weeks’ time.
Loser #1 Miami Dolphins
The season isn’t halfway over, but it feels like Miami’s season might already be over. This was a must win game for the Dolphins against a Jacksonville team dealing with internal issues. Due to this game being in London, the Jaguars didn’t get a normal home field advantage. This game had all the makings of a jump-start win for Miami, especially when they led by 10 in the 2nd half. Instead, the loss drops them to 1-5 on the year. Keep in mind the fact that the Eagles own the Dolphins first round pick. If things don’t turnaround quickly, Miami could be potentially sending the Eagles a top 5 pick. That’s why losing this game was such a big deal. Miami is teetering on this season being a total disaster.
Winner #2 Tennessee Titans
Over the last few weeks, I’ve killed the Titans for their performances – and rightly so. But we must give credit when it\’s due, and perhaps nobody had a bigger win this week than Tennessee. Playing against a Buffalo side that had the look of legitimate Super Bowl contenders, the Titans more than held their own. They went toe-to-toe with Buffalo all game long, and finally showed some progress. Derrick Henry had a big game, rushing for over 140 yards with 3 TDs. The passing game could still use some work, but it\’s starting to look better. Most importantly, the defense finally was able to come up with a stop at a crucial time. Building on this win is very important for this team. After this win the Titans have once again established themselves as the class of the AFC South.
Loser #2 Denver Broncos
After starting the season off with a 3-0 record, the Broncos have fallen back to earth. Losing 3 straight has taken the shine off their strong start to the season. What makes this loss even worse is the fact that they lost to the Raiders. Of the two teams, you would’ve thought Denver was the team that just lost their head coach. The Raiders completely dominated that game, and only a late surge made the game look closer than it was. After such a promising start, it is a bit devastating for Denver to find themselves in the position they\’re in today. The bright side is that the division is still up for grabs, but they have ground to make up. A Thursday night clash against the wounded Browns is a massive opportunity that they must take. If not, then this season could get ugly fast.
Winner #3 Dallas Cowboys
In arguably the most entertaining game of the week, the Cowboys outlasted the Patriots in overtime. This is a game that Dallas has, in recent history, found a way to lose despite being the better team. The Cowboy offense had a field day racking up over 560 total yards. Dak Prescott had a monster day throwing for over 400 yards with 3 TDs. On the defensive side of the ball, Trevon Diggs continues to make big plays with a pick six. The result gives Cowboy fans the belief that something special might be finally happening. But for now, the Cowboys are going into their bye week with complete control in their division. They are, by far, the best team in their division, and now have a comfortable 3 game lead. At this point, something unusual would have to happen for the Cowboys to make a mess of this.
Loser #3 Chicago Bears fans
It was not a good weekend to be a Bears fan. In fact, one could argue it hasn’t been a good time to be a Bears fan since Aaron Rodgers became the Packers starting QB. For years, bordering on decades, the Bears have been looking for their savior at QB. While the jury is still out on Justin Fields, it must be painful to see the Packers thrive with QBs. This weekend’s game showed the difference between the two QBs. Rodgers and the Packers once again defeated the Bears 24-14 this past Sunday. The win gives Rodgers a massive 21-5 career record against the Bears. After scoring the \”nail in the coffin\” TD, Rodgers yelled at the Chicago faithful saying he owned them. Maybe after Rodgers retires – or leaves the Packers – things will flip in Chicago’s favor. But until that time, there’s only ever going to be one winner here.