The Biggest Winners (& Losers) Of NFL Season Week 6
Highs And Lows: The Biggest Winners (& Losers) Of NFL Season Week 6 & Why Looks Can Be Deceiving
When I was in high school in Washington, D.C., we played against a team called Theodore Roosevelt. Since we were the visitors and it was our first time facing them, our pregame routine was always the same — we started our layup line first, waiting to size up the other team once they came out.
When Roosevelt finally emerged from the locker room, we all froze. One of their players had only one arm. This was long before Hansel Enmanuel, so for us, it was something completely new — something we didn’t know how to process. But then he stepped into the layup line and moved with such ease that our confusion quickly turned into disbelief. His form was smooth, his rhythm was perfect, and when he took off his warmups and joined the starting lineup, we were stunned. We couldn’t wrap our heads around how someone with one arm was one of their starting guards.
Our coach, being the competitive maniac he was, immediately called for a full-court press — double teams, traps, chaos. The ball swung to the one-armed player, and we pounced. But he calmly dribbled through the press, broke our trap, and delivered a perfect pass for an easy layup.
The student announcer, with a grin you could hear through the mic, said, “They act like this is the first time he’s seen a press.”
The crowd erupted in laughter.
This is Week 6 of the NFL football round-up in which we separate the wheat from the chaff (whatever that means) and figure out which teams are winners, losers, and everything in between.
Winners
Kansas City Chiefs
We all knew at some point the Kansas City Chiefs *cough* and the refs *cough* would get it together, and that is exactly what happened this week against the Detroit Lions. The Chiefs didn’t just beat the Lions 30-17; Patrick Mahomes looked like the Patrick Mahomes we’ve come to know. Reports claim that Chiefs coach Andy Reid switched it up a bit and had Mahomes looking to get the ball more from under-center instead of shotgun. The Chiefs ran a more balanced offense, mixing up the runs and passes effectively. The Chiefs are now 3-3, and the Lions fall to 4-2.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks beat a really good Jacksonville Jaguars 20-12 after a stellar performance from quarterback Sam Darnold, who went 16-27, 295 yards, and two TDs, and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (eight catches, 162 yards, one TD). But this win goes to the defense, who stayed in the backfield, sacking Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence seven times. The Seahawks are now 4-2, and the Jags fall to 4-2.
New England Patriots
It didn’t take long for the New England Patriots to go back to playing Patriots football, as the longtime AFC East darlings are 4-2 after they beat the New Orleans Saints, who at this point would have trouble beating most high school football teams. Seriously, the Saints are 1-6, and quarterback Spencer Rattler continues his work as being the biggest game manager in the league. At this point, Spencer Rattler is the Jake Browning of Cooper Rushes.
The Patriots, however, just continue to keep winning behind the solid play of rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who continues to play mistake-free football and finds ways to win games.
In the Middle
Detroit Lions
I’m not sounding the alarm, but the Detroit Lions started out 0-1, then went on a four-game winning streak before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs, which is not a bad loss, but I didn’t like the way they lost. They couldn’t move the ball consistently, and for now, they aren’t looking like their dominant selves. They play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next so it will be interesting to see which Lions show up.
Chargers
Yes, I know the San Diego Chargers are 4-2 and are number one in the AFC West, and yes, I know that they just beat the Miami Dolphins, but I still have them as a middle-of-the-road team that can’t seem to figure out who they are and how they are going to play. Let me be clear, the Dolphins are 1-5, the Chargers barely beat them 29-27. Prior to that, they were coming off a two-game losing streak in which they lost to the New York Giants 21-18 and the Washington Commanders 27-10.
Chicago Bears/Washington Commanders
God’s favorite team lost Monday night as the Washington Commanders lost to the Chicago Bears on a last-second field goal, 25-24. Both teams looked as if they played 100 times, the outcome would be 50-50. Jayden Daniels still looked like his impressive self, going 19-26 for 211 yards, three TDs, and one Int. But the Commanders’ defense continued to be a disappointment as D’Andre Swift ran all over them, going for 108 yards on just 14 carries. He also caught two passes for 67 yards and one TD. But in the end, a one-point loss looks about right for two teams that will most likely be in the middle of the pack all year.
Losers
New York Jets & Justin Fields
Football is a team sport, so I don’t ever put a player in the loser column unless that player is Justin Fields, and then I don’t have a choice. The New York Jets didn’t just lose to the Denver Broncos 13-11, in one of the worst games anyone will see all season. Justin Fields was sacked nine times and had a negative net passing yards, which I didn’t even know was possible, as he only had 45 passing yards and minus 55 yards in sacks.
At this point, the entire Jets team is broken. I don’t think there is anything to even remotely consider saving. Just put the whole team in the trash and start over.
Buffalo Bills
At one point, it looked like the Bills were unstoppable, and now they are riding a two-game losing streak after losing to the Atlanta Falcons 24-14. If they were about looks, then the Bills would’ve won this game because they look like the better team, but tell that to Michael Penix Jr., Drake London, and Bijan Robinson, who torched the Bills. Penix Jr. went 20-32 for 250 yards and one TD. Robinson ran for 170 yards on 19 carries and one TD, and Drake London had 10 catches for 158 yards and one TD.
We didn’t lose to Theodore Roosevelt because they were the better team; we lost because we believed we had an advantage, and we played like we did. Sometimes teams truly believe their hype, and they play like it, and if the Bills don’t find a way to turn it around, they’re going to be on the team bus talking about how good the one-armed kid is that just single-handedly beat your whole team.
