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Who’s Up, Who’s Down, What’s Next for Every Team

Who’s Up, Who’s Down, What’s Next for Every Team

  1. Ravens 30, Commanders 23 
  2. Texans 41, Patriots 21 
  3. Lions 47, Cowboys 9 
  4. Packers 34, Cardinals 13 
  5. Buccaneers 51, Saints 27 
  6. Falcons 38, Panthers 20 
  7. Eagles 20, Browns 16 
  8. Bengals 17, Giants 7 
  9. Steelers 32, Raiders 13 
  10. Chargers 23, Broncos 16 
  11. Bears 35, Jaguars 16 
  12. Colts 20, Titans 17 
  13. 49ers 36, Seahawks 24 

The day began in England and will end in New York. Between those games, there will be 11 others in Week 6, with perhaps the best coming from the Beltway.

In the early morning, the Chicago Bears easily handled the Jacksonville Jaguars (1–5) to keep pace in the NFC North, running their record to 4–2.

The 1 p.m. ET slate featured a litany of intriguing games, but none more dynamic than the Washington Commanders (4–2) visiting the Baltimore Ravens (4–2). Two-time MVP Lamar Jackson accounted for 363 yards and a touchdown in a 30–23 win at home.

In the late window, the Detroit Lions (4–1) destroyed the Dallas Cowboys (3–3), but lost Aidan Hutchinson to what appeared to be a serious leg injury.

Finally, the Cincinnati Bengals (2–4) faced a virtual must-win on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium against the New York Giants (2–4) and got the job done with Joe Burrow throwing for 208 yards.

Let’s get to the action.

SUNDAY

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Derrick Henry

Henry rumbled for 132 yards and two touchdowns in Baltimore’s dominant win over the Commanders on Sunday / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

My take: Baltimore (4–2) is fully back on track. The combination of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry is proving to be the dynamic attack expected when Henry signed, with the duo combining for 495 total yards and three touchdowns. All told, Washington (4–2) was shredded throughout, allowing 7.4 yards per play and 28 first downs. On the flip side, rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels looked excellent once more with 291 total yards and two touchdowns, albeit in a tough defeat.

Stock up: After having a middling start to his season, Zay Flowers dominated against Washington. Although he didn’t have a catch after halftime, Flowers posted nine receptions for 132 yards, consistently getting open on short and intermediate routes. 

Stock down: Washington’s defense. The unit has really struggled against good offenses and star quarterbacks. Against the Bengals and Ravens, the Commanders allowed 920 yards and 63 points. Unfortunately, there was also a pair of injuries Sunday with Jonathan Allen (pec) and Dorance Armstrong (ribs) leaving early.

Up Next: Panthers at Commanders, 4:05 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Ravens at Buccaneers, 8:15 p.m. ET Oct. 21

My take: Houston (5–1) is starting to run away with the AFC South. At this point, nobody is within two games of the Texans, who handled New England (1–5) with relative ease. Of course, the story of this game is the rookie debut of Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who had a decent performance after throwing an early interception. All told, Maye went 20-of-33 for 243 yards, three touchdowns and two picks. Maye should have an easier time of it next week when the Patriots go to England to play the woebegone Jaguars. 

Stock up: After missing the past three games with an ankle injury, veteran back Joe Mixon looked good, rushing for 102 yards on 13 carries while helping Houston control the game. He ran for 59 yards on one carry, more than New England mustered all afternoon on the ground.

Stock down: Entering Week 6, only the Browns had allowed more sacks than New England. Against Houston, Maye was sacked four times, including three by second-year star Will Anderson Jr. With Maye needing time, the Patriots’ line could be a huge problem.

Up Next: Texans at Packers, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Patriots at Jaguars, 9:30 a.m. ET Oct. 20

My take: There are two takeaways. Detroit (4–1) is the top contender in the NFC, and Dallas (3–3) needs to make wholesale changes. The Cowboys have been blown out three times at home. They’ve only beaten the Browns, Steelers and Giants, three teams with no offense. This offseason, many speculated whether coach Mike McCarthy should have returned. He did, and nothing has changed except the roster is worse than a year ago. At this point, it’s the Lions and 49ers, and then everyone else in the NFC. Unfortunately, though, the loss of Aidan Hutchinson, who entered the day leading the NFL with 6.5 sacks, may prove crushing for Detroit’s defense.

Stock up: Ben Johnson had the Cowboys on skates all afternoon. The Lions offensive coordinator schemed up 27 points at halftime on 262 yards and 7.3 yards per play. Dallas had no answer for the run or pass, giving up 14 first downs on 36 first-half plays. It was masterful.

Stock down: The Cowboys as a national draw. Who wants to watch this? Last week, Dallas beat Pittsburgh on Sunday night in one of the most unwatchable standalone games in years. Dak Prescott isn’t fun to watch with his endless mistakes in the red zone. The defense is injured and underwhelming. And McCarthy is the most predictable coach in the sport.

Up Next: Lions at Vikings, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Cowboys, bye

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love

Love had four touchdown passes against the Cardinals on Sunday. / Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

My take: Green Bay (4–2) is finally healthy and starting to roll. After beating the Rams last week, the Packers came back to Lambeau Field and crushed an overwhelmed Arizona (2–4) squad. Playing in arguably the best division in football (NFC North), Green Bay has little room for error if it wants to host a playoff game. Beating Arizona was key with the Texans coming to Wisconsin next week. As for the Cards, the talent level isn’t there. Arizona has consistently been a tough out each week, but contending teams should handle the Cardinals.

Stock up: Love had an uneven showing against the Rams, but was terrific against the Cardinals. The former first-round pick threw for four touchdowns and 258 yards in victory, including two to Romeo Doubs fresh off his one-game suspension.

Stock down: Arizona needs more from its receivers. Of course, Marvin Harrison Jr. can’t be faulted as he left with a concussion, but Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch combined for three catches and 37 yards before fourth-quarter garbage time.

Up Next: Chargers at Cardinals, 8:45 p.m. ET Oct. 21; Texans at Packers, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20

My take: Remember when New Orleans (2–4) was threatening to take over the league with its offense under coordinator Klint Kubiak? Unfortunately for the Saints, largely because of myriad injuries, New Orleans hasn’t been able to win in a month. Conversely, Tampa Bay (4–2) traveled early to New Orleans last week due to Hurricane Milton and managed to get a win. Baker Mayfield threw four touchdowns with three interceptions in a wild victory, while Chris Godwin scored twice and amassed 125 yards.

Stock up: When the Buccaneers and Ravens get together next Monday night, we could see 400-plus rushing yards. Tampa Bay ran over the Saints all afternoon, going for 277 yards on 7.9 yards per carry, including 136 by Sean Tucker, his first 100-yard game as a pro.

Stock down: Dennis Allen. New Orleans’s coach has a 26–50 record between his stints with the Raiders and Saints. His calling card is defense and yet, over the past four weeks, New Orleans has allowed at least 460 yards three times. If the defense is terrible, what is Allen’s contribution?

Up Next: Ravens at Buccaneers, 8:15 p.m. ET Oct. 21; Broncos at Saints, 8:15 p.m. ET Oct. 17

My take: Atlanta (4–2) suddenly looks like a team finding itself. While almost all of its earlier games came down to the final seconds, the Falcons handled Carolina (1–5) with ease. The ground game was a huge component with Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier combining for 200 rushing yards along with three touchdowns. If Atlanta can continue pounding the ball effectively, it should allow Kirk Cousins to excel in the play-action game. On Sunday, Cousins found his top weapons, with Drake London and Kyle Pitts combining for 144 yards and a score.

Stock up: Pitts seems to finally be getting somewhere this season. After totaling just eight receptions and 105 yards through the first four weeks, he has caught 10 passes for 158 yards in Atlanta’s past two games … both wins.

Stock down: Carolina’s defense is a tire fire. The Panthers have allowed at least 34 points in each of its past three games, including more than 400 yards twice. With a limited offense, Carolina isn’t going to be competitive if games turn into shootouts. 

Up Next: Seahawks at Falcons, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Panthers at Commanders, 4:05 p.m. ET Oct. 20

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown

Brown returned to the lineup against the Browns, recording six catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in the Eagles’ win. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

My take: Cleveland (1–5) is atrocious. Want proof? Check out its final offensive drive. After getting to the Philadelphia 3-yard line, the Brown took a false start, Deshaun Watson threw an incomplete pass that would have gained three yards and the Browns jumped early again, leading to a field goal on fourth down. The good news? The city of Cleveland has the Guardians in the ALCS, and mock drafts are really fun to do. On the other side, Philadelphia (3–2) got an uneven performance from Jalen Hurts and couldn’t finish off the Browns until the final minutes. It’s a win, but far from convincing. 

Stock up: In his first action since Week 1, A.J. Brown starred, catching five passes for 76 yards and a touchdown, helping Philadelphia win coming out of its bye week. The Eagles desperately needed Brown back, especially with tight end Dallas Goedert leaving early due to a hamstring injury. 

Stock down: Everything about the Browns. They can’t convert third downs. They can’t block and the quarterback is the most uninspiring player in the league. And to the first couple of points, Cleveland is a rancid 11-of-49 on third down since Week 3 while the Browns have allowed 31 sacks, by far a league-high.

Up Next: Bengals at Browns, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Eagles at Giants, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20

My take: Cincinnati (2–4) looked far from a contender, but it did enough to beat New York (2–4) in a must-win game. The Bengals got their best defensive showing of the season, with the unit allowing only 309 total yards while forcing a key red-zone turnover on a Germaine Pratt interception. While the Giants stayed in the game throughout, they missed multiple opportunities either via turnover, penalty, misconnections or otherwise. Without Malik Nabers, New York’s offense had very little punch. 

Stock up: Even in a losing effort, Brian Burns was the best player on the field. He amassed a sack, two quarterback hits and two tackles for loss, showing why the Giants traded for him this offseason before paying the former Pro Bowler $141 million over five years.

Stock down: It has to be Daniel Jones. On a night where his beat-up defense was fantastic, Jones threw a wretched interception before missing open receivers. Then, in the game’s final few minutes, he locked onto a covered Darius Slayton before throwing incomplete. The loss is on his shoulders more than anybody else.

Up Next: Bengals at Browns, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Eagles at Giants, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20

My take: It’s time to stop haggling over the price of Davante Adams. Las Vegas (2–4) is sinking fast after losing three of its past four games. General manager Tom Telesco needs to get whatever he can for Adams, and provided owner Mark Davis is on board, eat as much salary as possible to get a better pick. In Pittsburgh (4–2), the Steelers should consider starting Russell Wilson. While Pittsburgh is tied atop the division, Justin Fields has been held under 200 passing yards in four of his six starts this year. 

Stock up: Despite a revolving door at quarterback, Brock Bowers has been impressive as a rookie. The first-round pick already has 36 receptions for 379 yards and a touchdown, giving him a shot at 1,000 yards. In a year where tight end play has been mediocre, Bowers could merit Pro Bowl consideration.

Stock down: Las Vegas has shown almost no ability to run the ball. The Raiders averaged 3.0 yards per carry Sunday after ranking 30th in rushing yards (420) and being tied for 25th in YPC (3.9) entering the weekend.

Up Next: Jets at Steelers, 8:20 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Raiders at Rams, 4:05 p.m. ET Oct. 20

My take: Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph should get immediate enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for saving Denver (3–3), which has shown virtually no offense through six weeks, especially its rookie quarterback. Bo Nix has thrown for 1,082 yards with five touchdowns and five interceptions, while averaging 5.4 yards per attempt, and has yet to throw for 250 yards in a game. Meanwhile, Los Angeles (3–2) is suddenly in second place in the AFC West with the Cardinals, Saints, Browns and Titans on the schedule for the rest of the month. Not a bad position.

Stock up: Give Justin Herbert his flowers. Here’s a full list of players who registered at least 25 receiving yards Sunday for the Chargers: Simi Fehoko, Ladd McConkey, Joshua Palmer, Will Dissly and Kimani Vidal. Sans McConkey, not a single person alive had any of those guys starting on their fantasy team.

Stock down: Not to pile on, but it’s Nix. At some point, he needs to complete passes and get an occasional chunk play. The Broncos aren’t good around him, but Nix doesn’t look like a starting quarterback. And while he’s a rookie, he’s 24 years old and had five years as a starter in college.

Up Next: Chargers at Cardinals, 8:45 p.m. ET Oct. 21; Broncos at Saints, 8:15 p.m. ET Oct. 17

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams

Williams was outstanding against the Jaguars on Sunday, passing for 226 yards and four scores. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

My take: The Jaguars should do what no other team has ever done: fire their coach while overseas. Jacksonville was embarrassing in every phase, losing in lopsided fashion to an ascending Chicago team. Caleb Williams torched the Jacksonville secondary, throwing for 226 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for another 56 yards. For the Bears, they take a three-game winning streak into their bye and it’s their first time two games over .500 since Week 8 of the 2020 season. For the Jaguars? Burn it to the ground. 

Stock up: When talking about the league’s best tight ends, Cole Kmet doesn’t get a bunch of praise. He should. Kmet caught two touchdown passes in the first half, highlighting a day that included five receptions for 70 yards. Finally playing with a talented quarterback, Kmet is shining.

Stock down: Everyone involved in Jacksonville. Trevor Lawrence has been brutal through six games after signing a five-year extension in the offseason worth $275 million. Doug Pederson seemingly has no answers and the defense can’t stop anybody, ranking toward the bottom almost every category, including 31st overall and 32nd against the pass entering Sunday’s matchup.

Up Next: Bye; Patriots at Jaguars, 9:30 a.m. ET Oct. 20

My take: Tennessee (1–4) has to face reality. Will Levis isn’t the answer moving forward, and at the moment, doesn’t give the Titans the best chance to win. While Mason Rudolph isn’t the long-term fix, he’s a better option than Levis, who against the league’s worst defense threw for 93 yards and an interception. If coach Brian Callahan and Levis can’t scheme up a few scoring drives and some easy yardage in the passing game against Indy’s defense, this might be an unsalvageable partnership. 

Stock up: Shane Steichen and Gus Bradley deserve credit. The Colts were without Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor on Sunday, with star receiver Michael Pittman Jr. being limited with a back injury. Somehow, Indianapolis went on the road and won, churning out a defensively-driven win against a divisional opponent.

Stock down: Levis could have taken up this space, but let’s talk about Calvin Ridley. After getting a $92 million contract, he has nine receptions for 141 yards through five games. On Sunday, he was targeted eight times and caught none of them. Brutal. 

Up Next: Dolphins at Colts, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Titans at Bills, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20

THURSDAY

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and fullback Kyle Juszczyk

Aiyuk and Juszczyk had plenty to celebrate against the Seahawks on Thursday night in their big NFC West win over the Seahawks. / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

My take: San Francisco (3–3) needed a win after collapsing against the Cardinals four days earlier, and it got the job done. The Niners ran up 483 total yards, with Brock Purdy throwing for 255 yards and three touchdowns. Conversely, Seattle (3–3) has now lost two consecutive at home and falls to second place in the NFC West. The big issue was three turnovers, including a pair of Geno Smith interceptions. Next up? A trip to Atlanta before hosting the Bills and Rams and then heading to San Francisco. A defining month is ahead.

Stock up: The Niners are a factory for running backs. After seeing Jordan Mason leave the game with an AC sprain in his shoulder, Isaac Guerendo stepped up and ran for 99 yards on 10 carries, including a 76-yarder to seal the deal. All told, San Francisco rushed for 228 yards and a touchdown.

Stock down: Seattle couldn’t do anything on the ground. The Seahawks ran for a paltry 2.6 yards per carry and 52 yards total. Considering Smith was having a rough night, Seattle needed to run but couldn’t. 

Up Next: Chiefs at 49ers, 4:25 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Seahawks at Falcons, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20