NFL Payoff: Week 6 Undefeated No More

Dude…

Week 6 has now wrapped up and a ton of upsets happened this week. The Browns beat the 49ers? The Jets beat the Eagles? With a lot of weirdness going on this week, the Dude have a lot to talk about. No undefeated teams remain, so the race towards the Super Bowl is tight. In case you missed this week’s action, the Dudes got you covered on the different takeaways from this week.

Chiefs vs. Broncos-PC

Chiefs- Field goals only work against bad teams: The Chiefs are now 5-1 on the season. Everyone expected for the Chiefs to win this game so it wasn’t that big of a surprise when they won. It’s how they won. The Chiefs could NOT find the endzone. They continue to make sloppy decisions and settle for field goals. This won’t work in the playoffs. Mahomes needs to make better decisions with the football. Just throw the ball out of bounds. You can’t complete every pass so instead of throwing it into double coverage. A win is a win, but it was definitely sloppy.

Broncos- Honestly, not a terrible effort: There are a ton of things that have gone wrong for the Broncos over the last few years. My cousin is now 8 years old and she still hasn’t ever seen the Broncos beat the Chiefs. We pretty much knew that the Chiefs were going to win this game. However, they didn’t play terribly. They picked Patrick Mahomes off twice and played stingy defense that only gave up one touchdown. While the defense actually played well for once this season, the offense lacked. They just seemed overwhelmed by the Chiefs defense. If this team could have both sides of the ball on the same page, this team would be ok. However, they aren’t and that is why they stink.

Ravens vs. Titans-How6rd

Ravens - It wasn’t pretty but a win’s a win: One thing the Ravens can be happy about is that the receivers were catching the ball unlike the week before and the defense held their ground outside of a couple of drives. In the red zone is where the glaring concern continues for the Ravens going down the field only scoring a touchdown 1/4 of their drives into the 20 yard line which was a mix of both good Titans defense and poor execution. Overall though the Ravens looked a lot more improved than their game a week prior against the Steelers and Lamar Jackson may just once again be one of the top five players in the league. Jackson made some very good throws on solid Titans coverage and aside from the ugliness on the offense around him in recent weeks the offense is still top 10 in the NFL and it’s 99% because of the man wearing #8.

Titans - This team may have 10 good players…and I’m being nice: As someone who’s unfortunately been watching this group for a long time I’ve seen some bad days, and this was up there with the worst of them outside of clutch defense and a couple of drives. Ryan Tannehill not only wasn’t getting anything going in the first half for this team, but once they got momentum after a huge touchdown drive headlined by Derrick Henry he killed all momentum right after with a TERRIBLE pick. He plays like he’s 40 already but he still has 5 years to go and the Titans shouldn’t wait any longer to tell him his time is up, but they may have no choice to pull the trigger as Tannehill suffered a bad ankle injury in which he’s refusing to get surgery (insane I know) and going to give it until the end of the bye week to see his status going forward. The two positives, outside of Derrick Henry showing why he’s still the best in the league at what he does, is that the defense locked down for the most part specifically in the red zone and getting Nicholas Petit-Frere was huge for the offensive line after being suspended beforehand for gambling. Outside of what I just mentioned there everything about this team is very underwhelming and even if Tannehill does or doesn’t play the team is probably not going to get any better with how they’re structured, but bringing in Will Levis or Malik Willis can’t make the team worse than it is and also results better for the team’s future.

Commanders vs. Falcons- K Stelt

Falcons takeaway: The Mustache of bad luck: If you haven't noticed the head coach for the Falcons, Arthur Smith, sports a pretty gnarly mustache that may keep him at least 500 yards away from any school zone. But that isn't the problem for this falcons team. The problem is their QB just isn’t a guy who can get this team going in the future. The trouble for this team is that the team all together is not that bad, but having a below average qb can hurt your chances for developing into something special.

Commanders takeaway: Lucky it wasn’t Mariota throwing: Look no one is saying this team is good but like many of the other games they’ve played, they are fighters. They are probably the giant slayers of this league and can manage to hold good teams to a tightrope battle towards the end of the game. The defense is young but they can develop into something every QB can be afraid of.

Vikings vs. Bears- K Stelt

Vikings takeaway: YOU WON! I’m not super impressed by this win but you got a win under your belt. Sure it was against a very poor-playing team but they managed to find a way to go home with a win. JJ is still out and could get traded soon, and your team still has issues when they face a good team (other than the refs). At this point you need to decide if you want to tank for a good qb in the draft or keep your head floating and pull a half n half in the offseason.

Bears takeaway: Go back to the circus: I know Justin Fields hasn’t done anything really crazy this season, but it really looks like this team is holding him back from what he could be. Look it’s not surprising this team is playing like they’re blocking each other… They have had a couple of shining moments but it took a HOF legendary Linebacker to head to his deathbed before anything good was put on the field. This team scares me of how bad they are, and I’m not talking Freddy Fazbear scary (which could be a mentor of how their play is on the field), I’m talking the second Chicago Fire scary.

Seahawks vs. Bengals- K Stelt

Seattle takeaways: Playing into the tigers corner: I don’t think this team is bad and all, I think they just got hit with the Bengals curse since we're getting closer to the middle part of the season. Geno didn’t have his best game but what else can you ask from a guy who is turning his career around. In all reality I think the defense is a lot better than I expected. I wouldn't worry about this loss. I’d get ready for the next game and focus on getting that playoff spot.

Bengals takeaway: What did I tell you: This is only the beginning of the comeback of the Bengals. They aren’t the team they were last season but they will win games like they did last season. Joe Burrow still doesn't know what to do sometimes when he's getting pressured that much, but regardless, they found a way to win the game. Now we have to watch them win 7 more in a row and ask if Joe Burrow is better than Patrick Mahomes (no).

49ers vs. Browns- K Selt

49ers takeaways: The Mask has been pulled: Well it didn’t take long to figure out the true version of Brock Purdy. In all reality it was a combination of playing a good defense and no weapons on the field. But that is not an excuse for an NFL QB. We have found out that Brock does not know what to do when his all pro RB and WR are not on the field with him. He is a 7th round pick qb.

Browns takeaways: Opportunity knocked: I’m not saying this defense played bad in the past games for the browns, and it shouldn’t be a shocker a team can shut down a QB who doesn’t have weapons on the field, but they show one thing that describes a good defense. Consistency. Thanks to the new DC, this defense has found a way to keep the Browns in games especially when their handsy QB is out with an Injury.

Panthers vs. Dolphins- PC

Dolphins- #1 offense for a reason: This offense is lights out. With the Cheetah, Tyreek Hill, on the outside, The Waddle machine in the slot, and a 2 headed monster in the backfield. Mike McDaniels is slicing and dicing defenses left and right. The offense exploded for 2 rushing touchdowns by Raheem Mostert and 3 throwing touchdowns from Tua Tagovailoa had 3 throwing touchdowns. This offense is going to have a real test ahead of them on Sunday Night Football against the Eagles.

Panthers- Where do you go from here: So, you find yourself as the only 0-6 football team in the league. Bryce Young had a throwing touchdown and 200 passing yards, but that’s it. Their defense continues to look like paper going through a shredder. They’re are so many holes in this team that they’re unbearable to watch. Without a first round pick in next year's draft, the Panthers are going to suck for a long time.

Colts vs. Jaguars-PC

Colts- Anthony Richardson done for the year: The Colts at this point are known as the team that everyone plays close. They continue to be a decent team, but can’t take that step towards the playoffs. Anthony Richardson showed bright spots at starting QB, leading the Colts to a big win over the Ravens. Although the Colts couldn’t get it done against the Jags, a bigger threat is looming. Anthony Richardson will be out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. Now, Gardner Minshew will start for the Colts for the rest of the year. How will they fair? Jonathan Taylor will be back, which makes Colts fan’s hopeful for a playoff berth.

Jags- Travis Etienne finally gets it going: The Jags from Jacksonville have also been a puzzling team. They have big wins and bad losses. One key thing the Jags have not been able to get goin is the running game. After this week, it looks like Etienne may be back on track to becoming an elite running back. He scored 2 rushing touchdowns and continued to look good. Trevor Lawerence continues to improve with his new weapons in Calvin Ridley. Watch out for a late push by the Jags to make it very difficult on the rest of their opponents, especially if Etienne can continue to be automatic.

Saints vs. Texans-PC

Saints- If you can’t score touchdowns, you can’t win: The Saints seem like the Walmart version of the Chiefs. Derek Carr continues to be up and down and can’t get the ball in the endzone. Since they can’t throw the ball, they decide to run with Alvin Kamara. However, he can’t get into the endzone either. They just needed one more score to beat the Texans. They scored one touchdown in the first quarter and never scored again. If they want to have a chance to make the playoffs, they need the offense to score more than 3 on their long drives.

Texans- Finally, a good Ohio State QB: Yes we all know Justin Fields went to Ohio State but I’m pretty sure the ship has sailed for him to be a top tier QB. At least in Chicago. CJ has come in and has ignited a stagnant franchise. After dismantling their team a few years ago, there is finally life back in Houston. CJ threw for 2 touchdowns and the defense held up for the final stop. CJ is my pick so far for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Patriots vs. Raiders- K Stelt

Patriots takeaways: Burn it down: Well it has come to that point in a Boston man's life, the team they believed had so much fruition to become good has fallen down hard. And according to Dave Portnoy, being at the bottom is better than being in the middle of the road. Of course that's what a loser Boston fan would say when his teams are bad. Bill Belicheck has probably reached the end of the road of his glory of running the team into greatness. It's time to break it down and build it back up again, and that's perfectly ok to do, sometimes you need this for a franchise.

Raiders takeaways: Caught in the fast lane: No one here is trying to say this team is good, they won two in a row but this team has no shot against top opponents. They have talent, yes, but they are working towards getting some good steals in the draft and making sure their team members don’t go to jail, again. It’s a down year but a good one. I know Devante Adams will have some problems with that, but you should've known before signing that paper.

Cardinals vs. Rams- K Stelt

Cardinals takeaways: 0 threat: If you want to look at a team who can win a couple games but still fit in the trash category, the Cardinals fit that position well. The cardinals are able to put up good showings in the game, but they don’t show any threat to any team who has multiple ways to win games. While still without Kyler Murray, the team has to hope they can keep growing with Josh Doubs.

Rams takeaways: Sneaky sleeper under the covers: I think last years injury bug made a lot of people forget about how sneaky good the Rams can be. I know they’re .500 right now but they could make their way into a playoff spot, if not the NFC West leaders if people dont take them seriously. Cupp is back and with Cupp and Puka lining up in the wide out positions, it could be a long day for defense to keep them close. The defense is the only issue they have. They are inconsistent and can’t shut teams down when the offense needs it.

Eagles vs. Jets-How6rd

Eagles - Wow what a gritty win for the Eag- wait they lost?!?: The Eagles were expected to win this game obviously going into it undefeated and for three quarters they did what they had to do as Jalen Hurts was making some crazy accurate throws and the Eagles defense was putting the team on their back to keep the Jets down. The fourth quarter is when everything hit the fan for Philadelphia in this one as Hurts went from having a “not great but solid” game to arguably the worst start he’s had as an Eagle. Two of Hurts picks didn’t cost the Eagles much, but the last pick was by far the most crucial and turned this game on it’s head as all of their run game troubles made them one-dimensional and easy for the Jets to create a lot of pressure on the young quarterback. From the missed field goal, the offensive mistakes, and overwhelming defensive workload the Eagles shot themselves straight in the foot as Zach Wilson and Breece Hall didn’t do much, but the little push that they gave was enough for the Jets defense to carry this one home in what hopefully for Philly’s sake was a one time slip up.

Jets- Fourth quarter is where the money is made in the NFL: For most of this game Zach Wilson was fighting for his life as the Eagles were all up in his face making it difficult for him to think let alone make a play. The run game wasn’t working either and the Jets were struggling to find something to do alongside the defense doing everything to stop the Eagles. The best part of this game for the Jets is that they weren’t allowing NOTHING for the run game as there was only two runs of more than 10 yards (which is rare for the Eagles) and the pass defense wasn’t giving up much more outside of AJ Brown. The last interception of the game by Tony Adams was huge right after the two minute warning as he made it all the way down to the 8 yard line before Breece Hall in what helped make a rough day look good for the second year player. Overall this was a win that should put the whole league on notice about this defense and keep the Jets still in the conversation to try and sneak in the playoffs even without Aaron Rodgers.

Lions vs. Bucs-How6rd

Lions - A statement win in a gloomy week for the NFC: After the 49ers and the Eagles took some shocking losses this past weekend the Lions looked to stand tall showing out on both offense and defense in this matchup with Tampa Bay. The run defense wasn’t giving anything to the Buccaneers run game as they got 46 total rushing yards on 16 total carries and not giving in aside from a couple of drives after they passed the 50 yard line. The most important part of this game was seeing how well Jared Goff played against one of the best defensive units in the NFL going for over 300 passing yards for the second time all year and getting a couple of big passing touchdowns without a single pick. The play of the game came at the hands (literally) of Jameson Williams, who was at one point supposed to be suspended still for this game before it got reduced, as he made up for a tough drop in a field goal matchup at the time and tracked down a ball just chucked up by Goff in the end zone on 3rd & 13. Amon-Ra St. Brown also had a couple of huge receptions including a touchdown on an insane block by Craig Reynolds as the Lions did what good teams do and found a way to go to work on a tough defense.

Buccaneers - The good is very impressive but the bad is very glaring: The Bucs have had a very up and down season up to this point as they’ve only lost to two of the best teams this season in the Eagles and the Lions which alone makes you think this team is still strong. The problem with that is in both of those losses not only were they home but they got shut down 90% of the game and looked like a team that isn’t as good as they look on paper. The defense aside from a handful of drives showed to give Detroit some frustration as they weren’t getting any explosive plays until near the end of the second quarter, and for the most part they kept them in the game going into the fourth quarter. The problem is that the stout offensive line unit they have couldn’t do enough to get Baker Mayfield to move the ball consistently and it was a war for the offense as a whole to just reach the red zone which they didn’t do…at all. They’re still at the top of the NFC South for now and have a huge division game coming up for that statement to hold against the Falcons at home as they need to wipe this game clear from their memory.

Giants vs. Bills

Giants takeaways: Bald men are lame: It’s really not Dabols fault the team isn’t good, but you should know you’re facing the Bills, who can score well. I know the game wasn’t high scoring for the longest time but still those touchdowns could’ve helped you in the last minutes of the game. Its going to be hard for this team to find its way out of a bad, bad funk. I’d worry about your success now and get into a winning environment and then start focusing on putting the pieces together.

Bills takeaways: Somethings wrong: You’re right something is wrong. I know Josh Allen is a little inconsistent, but being shut out almost in the first half against the Giants, at home? That means something is wrong, your defense is scaring you a little and your offense is playing well every other game. I don't think this team is bound for the superbowl. I don’t trust Allen, and your defense getting hurt is not a good look for the future.

Cowboys vs. Chargers-How6rd

Cowboys - The complicated tale of Dak fights to live another day: As much of a harsh light I sometimes put on the Cowboys for their expectations every year just to fail I give Dak Prescott a lot more credit than he maybe should be given. This past game is a game where he proved he’s too good to be benched on this team as he was working both on the ground and through the air as he totaled for 312 yards on the game with two total touchdowns. No it wasn’t anything to change the narrative that he can bring this team to a Super Bowl BUT this is a good sign to see for the Cowboys who looked a bit on a downward slope after getting smoked by the 49ers a week before with a terrible Dak performance. Aside from that this defense made the Sunday night game last week look like a complete slip up as they had players everywhere and for most of the game gave no separation space for the Chargers receivers to work and an LA team who struggles to run the ball as it is. The Cowboys are inching closer back to competing with the Eagles for the top spot in the NFC East as they look to enjoy a needed bye week for now and gain momentum back facing the other LA team in the Rams at the end of the month.

Chargers- The Chargers… well… they Charger’d again: Before I say anything I want to talk to you…yes YOU…if you are doing so, stop slandering Justin Herbert because it’s a cool trend and if (insert irrelevant to the game player here) did what Justin Herbert did in this game blah blah blah. Herbert didn’t have a great game by any means but he was also probably the one bright spot outside of their first half defense and pass rush. The receivers on Los Angeles without Mike Williams is very underwhelming and Quentin Johnston already looks like a terrible pick for the Chargers as he wasn’t getting open all game and got dominated on the one pick Herbert had. Brandon Staley still doesn’t know how to get the go ahead touchdown or even close out a game in the end for all that matters and they’re in a situation of mediocrity where it’s time to question the direction this team needs to go. The bad news about that is that you have the highest paid QB at this moment on your team and he’s randomly taking a lot of the slander that needs to be directed at the Chargers coaching staff and front office. I mean hell even their own home games are road games and they’ve given wars to the Chiefs in every game they’ve played the past four seasons just to disappoint otherwise. Moral of the story for Los Angeles is they need to get their shit together before it’s time to question if Herbert needs a new change of scenery.