Earlier than we are able to prepare for the Thursday Evening Soccer recreation between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, now we have to look again on the fallout from Week Six. With 30 of 32 NFL groups in motion, let’s run down the record of the most popular takes from Week Six to find out what’s an overreaction and what’s a correct response.
The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs will attain the Tremendous Bowl.
Correct response
The Chiefs haven’t been taking part in their greatest soccer by way of the primary six weeks of the season, but they discover themselves sitting at 3-3 with a marquee win in primetime over what was broadly thought of to be the perfect crew within the Nationwide Soccer League. Consider, they received that recreation with out their number-one broad receiver, Rashee Rice, who returns to the sphere this weekend after finishing his six-week suspension. There are even rumors going round that members of the Chiefs organization have had private conversations with reporters stating they feel better about this year’s team than last year’s team. That ought to strike concern all through the NFL as a result of final yr’s squad made all of it the way in which to the Tremendous Bowl. They aren’t taking part in each recreation shut. They’re truly exhibiting dominance over different groups, one thing we didn’t see lots through the 2024-25 marketing campaign. Based mostly on how this group is constructed and the truth that they’ve reached three straight Tremendous Bowls, they’re an apparent menace to make it again to the Huge Sport for a fourth consecutive yr.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the perfect crew within the NFL.
Overreaction
We’ve got been doing this tune and dance for a number of weeks now. Two weeks in the past, the Philadelphia Eagles were the best team in the NFL. Final week, the crown was passed along to the Detroit Lions. Now, it’s the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We’ve got to keep in mind that the NFL is a week-to-week league. A crew that killed any individual in Early October can appear to be dogsh*t two weeks later. Don’t imagine me? Simply have a look at the Buffalo Payments! Do the Tampa Bay Buccaneers appear to be the perfect crew within the league RIGHT NOW? Sure, they do. Will that be the case when the season is over? It’s onerous to say. Heading into Week Seven, they’re taking part in the perfect soccer of any crew within the NFL. Then once more, they misplaced to the Eagles two weeks in the past. By default, shouldn’t that imply Philly is the perfect crew within the league? However they simply misplaced to the Giants. So by that logic, Huge Blue is the perfect crew within the NFL. There isn’t one crew that’s the runaway favourite to win the Tremendous Bowl. My cash remains to be on the Lions to have the perfect document within the league as a result of they’re actually good, despite the fact that they’re nowhere close to full well being. However, for now, Tampa takes the Week Seven title of the league’s greatest crew.
Jaxson Dart will win the NFL’s Rookie of the Yr Award.
Correct response
Although this award ought to be going to Tampa Bay Buccaneers broad receiver Emeka Egbuka, two elements are working in opposition to him. First, he’s at the moment coping with an harm, and if he has to overlook any prolonged time or a number of video games, that will probably be an enormous blow to his candidacy. Second, and extra importantly, the NFL and its voters will all the time worth a quarterback over every other place. Since 2019, 4 of the final six winners of the AP Offensive Rookie of the Yr award have been QBs. Followers are much more shallow. Because the league partnered with Pepsi and allowed followers to vote for the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Yr award beginning in 2002, 11 of 23 winners have been quarterbacks. Amongst 33 quarterbacks, Dart is seventeenth in QBR. He additionally has a greater passer score than long-time starters like Trevor Lawrence, Brock Purdy, Michael Penix Jr., and Geno Smith. Although I don’t imagine wins are a quarterback stat, Dart can simply find yourself being the Rookie of the Yr if the G-Males hold piling up victories.
The Philadelphia Eagles will miss the postseason.
Overreaction
They may have misplaced two video games, however let’s not act just like the sky is falling. They’re nonetheless main the race for the NFC East with a 4-2 document, have a recreation in hand over the Cowboys, and still have head-to-head wins in opposition to potential playoff groups just like the Buccaneers and the Rams. That’ll assist them lots in the event that they find yourself not profitable their division and competing for a Wild Card spot. They’re schedule isn’t the simplest, however there are some possible wins on the docket. They need to beat the Vikings, the Giants at dwelling, the Bears at dwelling, and the Raiders at dwelling. That may give them eight wins. From there, they need to have the ability to win the division in the event that they beat the Cowboys once more and break up the season collection with the Commanders. Actually, their playoff hopes will come all the way down to the ultimate three weeks of the yr once they must go to Washington, to Buffalo, after which face the Commanders at dwelling. If they will win each of their matchups in opposition to Washington, Philly will make the playoffs with out having to fret an excessive amount of. Even when the Commanders win BOTH of these video games, they will discover another victories alongside the way in which in opposition to possibly the Packers or the Lions.
The Chicago Bears are a playoff crew.
Correct response
The Chicago Bears are now not a foul crew, which is a step in the suitable route in direction of ultimately turning into a playoff crew. If we’re being trustworthy, the 2024-25 Bears most likely lose the video games they performed in Weeks 4 and Six of this season. The truth that they really managed to tug out back-to-back wins in matchups the place it felt like every part was going flawed is an effective signal for the Windy Metropolis trustworthy. They need to have the ability to beat the Saints, Bengals, and Browns, which will get them to seven wins. If they will steal a recreation in opposition to the Packers, Giants, Vikings, or Eagles, then they’ll be poised to make a run on the playoffs. They’ve already performed fairly properly with a decimated secondary. As soon as these guys get absolutely wholesome, their protection will look a lot better. Extra importantly, Caleb Williams is exhibiting significant progress beneath the steerage of head coach Ben Johnson. Proper now, they’re a frisky crew that’s most likely on the skin wanting in. However they’ll be an issue if they will string collectively two extra victories to increase their win streak to 5 straight video games.
Firing Brian Callahan will proper the ship in Tennessee.
Overreaction
Don’t get me flawed. Firing Brian Callahan was the suitable transfer. He was a buffoon of a head coach who harm his crew greater than he helped it. With that being stated, this franchise remains to be completely dreadful and makes use of one of many weakest rosters within the NFL. Defensive finish Jeffery Simmons is an effective participant. Exterior of him, all people on the roster is suspect, together with Cam Ward, the number-one general decide within the 2025 NFL Draft. He has been making bone-headed errors for a number of weeks now, and followers ought to begin to fear if this group has stunted his improvement or carried out irreversible injury to the child. It’s a miracle he hasn’t stated something about seeing ghosts, contemplating he has been sacked greater than 4 instances per recreation this season. The offensive line sucks, two of their high three receivers are harm, and the protection is twenty sixth in factors allowed per recreation. There isn’t any righting the ship for this model of the Tennessee Titans. All they will do is strap themselves in and maintain on for pricey life as they give the impression of being to search out two or three extra wins this season. Callahan or not, it is a bottom-five crew within the NFL.
The Buffalo Payments is not going to win their division.
Correct response
It’s not that the Payments aren’t an excellent crew. It simply appears far more possible that the New England Patriots could have a greater document than the Buffalo Payments when the common season ends. The Pats have the simplest remaining schedule within the NFL. That’s not simply my opinion; that may be a factually correct assertion based mostly on the mixed profitable percentages of each crew’s future opponents (.308). Buffalo nonetheless has to play New England once more, the Chiefs, the Buccaneers, the Texans, the Steelers, and the Eagles. The Pats may simply win six of their final 11 video games in blowout style. They will additionally most likely defeat the Falcons, Giants, and Ravens (relying on how wholesome these groups are once they play). Buffalo remains to be going to make the playoffs as a result of they’ve the reigning MVP and are already 4-2, however profitable the division will probably be extremely troublesome, particularly with that early head-to-head loss at dwelling in opposition to the Patriots.
