The Sunday of Week 6 began with a rock fight in London between the Broncos and Jets. The standout games on this side of the pond featured the Panthers edging the Cowboys and the Seahawks topping the upstart Jaguars. In the mid-afternoon window, the Buccaneers beat the 49ers in a battle of division leaders, and on Sunday night, the Chiefs showed they still have some fight by defeating the Lions.
We’ve got you covered across the league. FOX Sports’ NFL experts provide the lessons we’re learning from every Sunday game and what they mean for each team going forward.
Broncos: Time to loosen the reins a bit on QB Bo Nix.
The Broncos should really be ashamed of themselves for keeping an absolutely horrible Jets team in the game Sunday and only escaping with a 13-11 win. They had a chance to blow New York out, but Sean Payton seemed to really rein in his offense. The Broncos couldn’t run much against the Jets’ defensive front (a season-low 78 yards), so why didn’t he lean more on QB Bo Nix? He did in the first half when Nix was 15-of-20 for 125 yards and a touchdown. But in the second half Nix was just 4-of-10 for 49 yards and didn’t complete his first second-half pass until the fourth quarter.
With the exception of a 326-yard outburst against Cincinnati two weeks ago, Nix has been little more than a game manager most of the season. But he showed last season that he’s capable of more than that. Payton wants to win with defense and a rushing attack, and that’s fine. But he should remember he can rely on Nix in the clutch, too.
ADVERTISEMENT
Jets: It’s (long past) time to bench Justin Fields.
The way the Jets’ defense played in London, they almost certainly would’ve beaten the Broncos if they had gotten even slightly competent play from their offense. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that quarterback Justin Fields is capable of that. He was on Sunday, to put it in the nicest possible terms, absolutely atrocious. He dropped back to pass 26 times. He completed 9 passes and was sacked 9 times.
He’s supposed to be one of the most mobile QBs and best runners in the league, but he couldn’t get out of trouble and ran just seven times for 31 yards. His throws are inaccurate. He either won’t run or the Jets just aren’t calling for enough runs. The offense totaled a measly 82 yards. It’s not just that backup Tyrod Taylor couldn’t do worse, it’s that he can do much better. He has to start against the Panthers next week. — Ralph Vacchiano
Seahawks: Mike Macdonald’s dominance on the road.
Seattle improved to 10-1 on the road since Macdonald took over as the team’s head coach at the start of the 2024 season. It’s an impressive mark, pointing to Macdonald’s attention to detail and his ability to get his team prepared for any adversity it faces on the road.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues to make an argument for being the best receiver in the league, finishing with eight receptions for 162 yards and a score — his fourth 100-yard receiving game this year. Sam Darnold continues to show he was one of the best free-agent signings this offseason, totaling 295 passing yards and two touchdowns. Pair all that with Macdonald’s disciplined approach and the Seahawks are fighting for the top spot in the NFC West.
Jaguars: Jacksonville’s offensive line can’t keep Trevor Lawrence upright.
Seattle sacked Lawrence seven times, as Jacksonville struggled to protect the Clemson product. According to Next Gen Stats, the Seahawks pressured Lawrence 25 times for a 50% pressure rate. Entering Sunday’s contest, Lawrence had been pressured a game-high 12 times and was sacked just six times through his team’s first five games.
Lawrence’s inability to get comfortable in the pocket led to Jacksonville scoring a season-low 12 points against a formidable Seattle defense. The Jaguars finished with 59 total rushing yards, averaging 3.1 yards per carry. If the Jaguars want to be considered a serious contender in the AFC, they must keep Lawrence clean and run the ball more consistently. – Eric D. Williams
Cowboys: That defense is not getting any better.
Dallas came in with the NFL’s worst defense in terms of yards, and the Cowboys let Carolina pile up 410 in Sunday’s win. This is how Dak Prescott throws for three touchdowns, the offense doesn’t commit a turnover and they still manage to lose. It would be a bad storyline no matter what, but when you trade away one of the best defensive players in the game a week before the season, it’s exactly what Jerry Jones had coming.
As far as Kenny Clark making Dallas better against the run? Carolina rushed for 216 yards — most from ex-Cowboys back Rico Dowdle — and averaged 5.7 yards per carry on a day when Dallas’ longest run play went for six yards. Prescott is having a great season, but it feels like Joe Burrow last year when his own defense will keep him getting the accolades — and wins — Dak would normally have with his numbers.
Panthers: Rico Dowdle does it again — this time in a revenge game.
The Panthers, once 0-2, have won three of four games. Second-year head coach Dave Canales has Carolina at 3-3, with backup running back Rico Dowdle as the surprise spark two weeks in a row. Facing the team that let him walk in free agency in March, Dowdle was even better than last week, rushing for 183 yards and getting another 56 receiving with a touchdown. It’s a revenge-game victory, but Dowdle now has 473 yards of total offense in two weeks.
Also emerging for the Panthers: rookie receiver Tet McMillan, who got his first two NFL touchdown catches. Bryce Young? His second three-touchdown game this season, after totaling two in his first two NFL seasons. If the defense can continue to shore things up, they could challenge for a wild card. — Greg Auman
Browns: Dillon Gabriel needs weapons — a lot of weapons.
If the Browns are going to commit to a young quarterback, they’d better find a way to surround him with better talent. Because in two games, Dillon Gabriel has shown signs that he can be a good quarterback. But he doesn’t have much help. He was the victim of at least six dropped passes against the Steelers, including two by his No. 1 receiver, Jerry Jeudy, and at least three from his tight ends, David Njoku and Harold Fannin. And those are supposed to be his reliable weapons. What else does he have? Running backs and a cast of receivers that might not be on the team next year? It’s part of why Gabriel is often forcing passes (he nearly had four picked off on Sunday).
The Browns are in a tough spot. They rightfully seem to be in sell mode with the trading deadline approaching, and Jeudy and Njoku are likely attractive candidates. But the Browns can’t strip all of Gabriel’s weapons away. And they’ll need to add more this offseason. Maybe a lot more. His development and future success almost certainly will depend on it.
Steelers: Old Aaron Rodgers still has what it takes to win.
A couple of things are really evident watching Aaron Rodgers at 41 years old. He can’t run like he used to. He’ll pull up or dump a pass off rather than scramble very far. And his arm isn’t what it used to be either, as he showed on a badly underthrown deep ball to a wide open DK Metcalf in the first half.
But Rodgers has so much else to offer as a quarterback, as he showed against the Browns. He makes smart, quick decisions and can fire off a pass before a receiver even knows he’s open. And his touch can be near-perfect, as he showed on a 25-yard touchdown pass he floated into the arms of Metcalf in the fourth quarter. The Steelers don’t need him to throw for 350 yards. He’s probably closer to a game manager at this stage. But he’s an expert manager who still has skills better than half the quarterbacks in the league. And the Steelers can win a lot of games with that. — Ralph Vacchiano
Patriots: Drake Maye turning into a QB who can win games.
New England has already matched its win total for all of 2024, going from 4-13 to 4-2 in Mike Vrabel’s first season there. Drake Maye has made nice progress as well: He had four multi-touchdown games in his entire rookie season, and he already has four in six games this season. Sunday’s was a three-touchdown gem — Maye also found a way to lead the team in rushing.
Six weeks in, the Patriots have a win over the Bills and are only one game back in the standings. If anything, the question is how they possibly lost their opener to the Raiders. Their next two games are against the Titans and Browns, so as long as they take care of business, they’ll keep the pressure on Buffalo and look like a strong wild-card team at the least.
Saints: Red-zone offense losing out on four points over and over.
This really isn’t a bad game for Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler — 20-for-26 for 227 yards — but he had zero touchdowns and Drake Maye had three, and that’s why the Saints lost. They managed to score on all four first-half possessions, but that was three field goals and a touchdown, so there was the constant feeling of points left on the field. New England’s defense held them to three points in the second half, so this is just another one that got away.
The Saints rank 29th in red-zone offense, and they’ll need to get better there to turn close losses into hard-fought wins. Punting the ball away with 3:55 left, down six, says that Kellen Moore doesn’t have much confidence in his offense either. — Greg Auman
Cardinals: Is there a QB controversy between Jacoby Brissett and Kyler Murray?
With Kyler Murray out due to a foot injury, Arizona tied a season-high for points with 27 as backup Jacoby Brissett led the offense. Yes, the Cardinals fell short of the win, losing their fourth straight with another tough game at home against the Green Bay Packers waiting for them in Week 7. But Brissett, starting his first game in over a year, provided a blueprint for how Arizona can play winning offense once Murray is healthy. Brissett finished with 320 passing yards and two scores. His only blemish was a first-half interception.
You can understand why Arizona OC Drew Petzing wanted to bring Brissett into the organization. The two were together in Cleveland, and Brissett seems to intimately understand his offense. Moving forward, can Murray operate the offense as efficiently as Brissett? Head coach Jonathan Gannon indicated Murray will remain the starter when he’s healthy. For now, the Cardinals shouldn’t rush to get Murray on the field.
Colts: Jonathan Taylor is on an NFL Offensive Player of the Year trajectory.
The workhorse running back for the Colts was the most dominant player on the field in a comeback win over the visiting Cardinals. Taylor finished with 123 rushing yards on 21 carries and a score. He had four runs of at least 10 yards.
Taylor leads the NFL in rushing yards (603) and rushing touchdowns (7). Daniel Jones once again played like an MVP candidate, finishing with 212 passing yards and two touchdowns. But one of the reasons Jones has played well is because defenses are so focused on stopping Taylor. The Colts have been one of the surprise teams this season, leading the AFC South at 5-1 on the year. Taylor’s play is the No. 1 reason for the team’s success through the first six weeks of the season. – Eric D. Williams
Rams: Don’t gloss over L.A.’s defense.
As potent as the Rams are offensively with Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, their defense is no slouch. It allowed just three points to the Ravens, who couldn’t score on their final eight possessions — a span in which L.A. forced three takeaways and four turnovers on downs.
Of course, the Ravens aren’t that intimidating offensively without Lamar Jackson, who missed his second straight game. But they still have Derrick Henry, who was effective (24 carries, 122 yards) but was kept out of the end zone. And anytime a defense is able to hold firm down the stretch in critical moments is noteworthy. Baltimore ran 38 plays in its last three drives and couldn’t get points on the board. Jared Verse, who had a fourth-and-goal stop on Henry at the end of the first half, leads the Rams’ underrated defense.
Ravens: The light is at the other end of the tunnel.
Yes, Baltimore is in a disastrous position at 1-5 entering its bye. But the defense, which got two of its All-Pro defenders back Sunday (Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey), was vastly improved against an elite Rams offense. There’s life on that side of the ball. The bye week should allow the Ravens to get even healthier defensively, plus gift them the return of Jackson.
Baltimore’s schedule will also get significantly easier moving forward — five of its next six opponents are .500 or worse (Bears, Dolphins, Browns, Jets, Bengals). The Ravens aren’t in a particularly intimidating division either, except for perhaps the 4-1 Steelers. So it’s not difficult to be cautiously optimistic about the team’s prospects over the next couple of months, even as legitimate frustration in the team’s fan base continues to rise. — Ben Arthur
Chargers: He hasn’t delivered in the playoffs yet, but you can’t say Justin Herbert isn’t clutch.
It’s not just the fact that Herbert led a game-winning drive Sunday. It’s how he did it. With the Chargers trailing 27-26, facing a second-and-10 from their own 41 with 34 seconds left, Herbert somehow broke a would-be sack from Jaelen Phillips, who tried to rip the ball from his grasp as well. But Herbert moved the ball into his left hand, away from Phillips, and then back into his throwing hand for the short pass to Ladd McConkey, who had the 42-yard catch and run to set up the Chargers’ game-winning field goal.
It was an unreal play that highlighted Herbert’s 18th game-winning drive since 2020, his rookie season. The Chargers always have a chance down the stretch because of Herbert’s heroics.
Dolphins: Miami doesn’t look capable of getting over the hump with Mike McDaniel.
You can’t say that the Dolphins are hopeless with Mike McDaniel. They had enough fight Sunday to overcome a 10-point fourth quarter deficit. But they can’t finish games for whatever reason. It was evident Sunday, when they gave up a game-winning drive to the Chargers. It was evident the week before, when they gave up a go-ahead touchdown with two minutes remaining. It was evident against the Bills earlier this season, when they gave up two fourth-quarter touchdowns in a game that was tied early in the final period.
And on top of the finishing issues, the Dolphins apparently are still having discipline issues behind the scenes. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa revealed postgame that certain players are still showing up late to meetings or missing them outright. That points to a leadership issue, which starts with McDaniel — which probably explains why Miami never seems to get over the hump. — Ben Arthur
Titans: Baby steps for improvement include leaning on run game, faster start for Cam Ward.
As the Titans appear headed for the No. 1 overall pick for a second straight season, two things they can work to improve on this season are faster starts and running the football more consistently. They have just one first-half touchdown through six games and six touchdowns overall this season.
The No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, Cam Ward still doesn’t look comfortable in the offense. One way Tennessee can protect its prized prospect? Lean more on the running game. The Titans are averaging 85 rushing yards a contest, No. 28 in the NFL. Too much pressure is being put on Ward to carry the offense, without enough playmakers in the passing game around him to consistently move the chains. A greater emphasis on running the football could help balance the offense.
Raiders: Dominant defense harkens back to Legion of Boom for Pete Carroll.
Las Vegas finished with five sacks, seven tackles for loss and three turnovers in a convincing win over the Titans. Raiders linebacker Devin White led the charge, finishing with a team-high nine combined tackles, a strip sack of Ward that led to a touchdown and an interception late in the first half.
Carroll wants to create a winning culture for the Raiders, building a team that relies on a strong defense and running the football. On Sunday against one of the worst teams in the league, Carroll’s Raiders followed that blueprint. Quarterback Geno Smith only had one turnover. Rookie Ashton Genty rushed for 75 yards. Las Vegas offered a glimpse of what winning football could look like in the desert, but can the Raiders replicate that effort on the road next week against the Chiefs? – Eric D. Williams
49ers: Injuries far beyond a cruel level with Fred Warner out.
San Francisco already had a ridiculous amount of injuries before Sunday’s game against the Bucs, but perhaps the biggest yet came in the first quarter when All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner left the game with an ankle injury. He had an air cast on as he was carted off the field.
This is a team without its starting quarterback, best tight end and two top receivers, plus edge rusher Nick Bosa, but Warner has been the leader of this defense, both emotionally and on the field. They will slowly get much of their offensive talent back on the field, and the schedule is still an easy one, but moving forward without Warner will be a major challenge.
Bucs: More injuries, but Baker Mayfield keeps pulling out wins.
Tampa Bay opened Sunday’s game without three of its top four receivers, then lost rookie phenom Emeka Egbuka to a hamstring injury, and Baker Mayfield still pulled a win out of a hat. Clinging to a 20-19 lead late in the third quarter, Mayfield eluded a sack on third-and-14 and scrambled for a first down, then hit rookie Tez Johnson for a 45-yard touchdown.
Without his top receivers — Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are also out — Mayfield utilized another little-known backup, Kam Johnson. He had no catches entering the day, but on Sunday, Johnson had three catches for 64 yards and a touchdown. The Bucs are 5-1, and Mayfield’s ability to carry an injured team on his back is a huge reason why. — Greg Auman
Bengals: The Bengals have something to build on with Joe Flacco.
In the beginning, the Bengals with Joe Flacco didn’t look much different than the Bengals with Jake Browning. Cincinnati got off to a terrible start offensively. It had zero points at halftime. But everything changed for Flacco at the start of the third quarter of Sunday’s loss. He seemed to settle into Zac Taylor’s offense. His connection with Cincinnati’s receivers kicked up a notch. Flacco led three straight scoring drives, including two touchdowns, to start the second half, completing 70% of his throws for 197 yards and the two scores with no turnovers over the last two quarters.
While it was just one game and still a loss, the Bengals have reason for cautious optimism with Flacco until Joe Burrow returns. Cincinnati got above average play from the 40-year-old veteran against a strong defense. On a short week for Flacco with a new team to boot, that’s a massive win.
Packers: Rookie Matthew Golden is starting to come into his own.
Packers first-round rookie receiver Matthew Golden had a career-high 86 yards in Sunday’s win over the Bengals, including a 31-yard crosser that set up Green Bay’s final field goal in the fourth quarter. The No. 23 pick saw his receiving yards total increase for the third week in a row (52 yards in Week 2, 58 yards in Week 3).
The former Texas star is a long way from establishing himself as a No. 1 receiver, but his continued growth makes the Packers’ deep pass-catching core even more lethal and takes pressure off running back Josh Jacobs, who is still the engine of the offense. Green Bay’s next two opponents, Arizona and Pittsburgh, struggle in pass defense as well, offering more immediate opportunities for Golden to continue to build his confidence. — Ben Arthur
Lions: The Detroit offense needs to return to ground and pound.
Jared Goff is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the league, but that doesn’t mean the Lions should lean on him to carry them. Even with a new offensive coordinator, that’s not supposed to be who they are. Their strength on offense is the run game—the dynamic duo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. They’re at their best when those two are carrying the day.
Against the Chiefs, the Lions got away from that. Gibbs had 17 carries for 65 yards, but Montgomery had only four totes for 24 yards. Meanwhile, Goff dropped back to throw 31 times in a game that was never really out of hand.
Detroit has enough weapons where a strategy like that could work, and Goff is certainly capable of executing it. But it’s just not the way the Lions are built to be at their best.
Chiefs: X has marked the spot in the Chiefs’ offense.
The return of WR Xavier Worthy isn’t the only reason the Chiefs’ offense has looked so different the last three weeks, but it’s a big part of it. His speed gives them a truly dangerous weapon, and even if he’s not dominating, his presence is opening things up for everyone else.
That’s what happened on Sunday night, when he had just two catches for 20 yards and a touchdown. But the Lions were clearly so concerned with him that Patrick Mahomes was able to take advantage and throw for 257 yards and three touchdowns. And just like that, the Chiefs’ offense has its mojo back.
Oh, and don’t look now, but suspended WR Rashee Rice should be back in the K.C. lineup next week, too. — Ralph Vacchiano
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
