NFL Week 6 what we learned: From Aaron Rodgers’ brilliance not being good enough to Cowboys making a fool of themselves
NFL Week 6 had 14 games play between October 10th to 14th as the best teams separated from the rest.
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Aaron Rodgers had his best game in NFL Week 6, but was still not enough (Image via NFL/X)
NFL Week 6 ended with the New York Jets facing the Buffalo Bills at home. In the Monday Night Football matchup, the football fans became witnesses when watching Aaron Rodgers resorting to his stupendous heroics of old, only for it not be enough.
The week showed some enthralling battles, rookies coming off age, as well as Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys facing the biggest embarrassment they could think of.
Some playoff hopefuls such as the San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Pittsburgh Steelers returned to their winning ways. Whereas some, like the Joe Burrow-led Cincinnati Bengals, got a much-needed win as they look to stop the season from becoming a disaster. But other than them, most of the matchups turned out the way they were expected.
The 14 games that were played had one common theme. None of them were close enough to give footballing folks some thrilling last-quarter battles. But even then, the games showed who the good teams were from the weak. NFL Week 6 has started to show which teams are likely to reach the playoffs.
Jordan Love and Lamar Jackson continue to shine
Every week, some players and teams stand out after their brilliant performances. Jordan Love and Lamar Jackson fed that narrative this week. The Green Bay Packers did not win with a massive deficit, showing that their defense needs work. But Love spread the ball out to his receivers, throwing four touchdowns to them in the process.
Aaron Rodgers returned to his vintage self when he delivered two electrifying plays in their game against the Buffalo Bills. His Hail Mary in particular showcased that the 40-year-old still has a lot of football left in him. But his efforts were not enough, as defensive penalties and some missteps from other players led to a close loss.
Lamar Jackson and his Baltimore Ravens relied on the running game in the last two games. In their NFL Week 6 game against the Washington Commanders, it was a good game for his receivers. They caught over three hundred yards’ worth of passes from him. Enough to give them that much-needed confidence boost for the rest of the season.
Talent, new and old, put on a show
While brilliance was slightly lacking in NFL Week 6, some players had good outings. 49ers QB Brock Purdy returned to his efficient and clean style of play. Joe Flacco continued to defy his ‘journeyman’ monicker. CJ Stroud made the correct plays as his Houston Texans beat the New England Patriots.
But that game showed a glimpse into what will come when Patriots rookie QB Drake Maye showed out. His first touchdown was a perfectly thrown bomb that one does not expect a rookie to throw. It showed that his fundamentals are in good shape. Just that he needs time with his teammates and a better defense so that they can win games.
Another rookie, Caleb Williams, threw four touchdowns as his Chicago Bears improved to 4-2. He played efficiently and showed major improvement in confidence. However, that game also continued to show the disappointing side of their opponents.
Some $200 million contract holders yet to deliver on the promise
With that loss to the Bears, the Jacksonville Jaguars now are 1-5 this season. Not the kind of a start they expected after the way they closed last season. That too, despite signing improvements across the team. QB Trevor Lawrence is looking more and a more serious question mark after another not-so-great game. But it is not just on him as the entire team needs to play better.
Another team that needs to play better is the Cleveland Browns. They are in a four-way tie for the worst team in the league. But what makes it worse is that the Browns have a monstrosity of a problem at quarterback. They are inching toward a high draft pick, but with Deshaun Watson on the roster with that humongous dead cap money, it makes many wonder about their future.
Cowboys go from bad to worse
If one has to talk about futures, then the Dallas Cowboys are currently at the top of the list. Sunday marked the second time this season a team has walked into AT&T Stadium and dumped more than 40 points on them. To make it worse, the Detroit Lions gave owner Jerry Jones his biggest blowout home loss, that too on his birthday.
So far, they have lost all three games at home, and that too in disappointing fashion. Dak Prescott had a horrendous game, but so did the rest of his team. After such a game, the questions surrounding the team grew exponentially. So much so that many are calling for Jones to make the tough decisions.
To recap NFL Week 6, it laid bare the good and the bad from every team and player. As times get testier, only fundamentally strong teams can continue to win. With Week 7 approaching, some teams have some real head-scratching to do.
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Joseph Varghese
(2317 Articles Published)