Six weeks into the season, division races are starting to shape up.
We might not have a clear favorite to win the Super Bowl this time around, and the league’s worst teams are sinking to the bottom.
Three of the league’s eight division races look like they may be over by Thanksgiving. The Packers (NFC North), the Buccaneers (NFC South), and the Bills (AFC East) have all built sizable leads and look like the clear No. 1 team in the divisions.
Meanwhile, other teams once labeled contenders before the season are floundering.
After getting drilled by the undefeated Cardinals, the injury-wrecked Browns have major problems. The issues are nothing compared to what is happening in Washington, where a supposedly elite defense can’t even stop an NCAA team.
Let’s get to the power rankings.
#32: Detroit Lions
Week 6 vs. CIN: L, 11-34 | Record: 0-6
Previous Rank: #31
The Lions are losing their competitive spirit slowly as the defeats are becoming more devastating. They’re either a team that is really bad or a team that is really unlucky. Last week, it was really close against the Vikings, but they ultimately lost on a last-second field goal. Week 6 was gut-wrenching, but this time around, they got dominated by the Bengals where the Lions failed to reach 250 yards of offense and Jared Goff barely cracked 200 passing yards with a passer rating of 67.8. He’s not the only reason why the Lions are the last winless team in the NFL, but he left Dan Campbell scratching his head. “I feel like he needs to step up more than he has,” said Campbell. “I think he needs to help us. Just like everybody else.” The long pause in that answer seemed to last forever, but he’s not wrong that Goff hasn’t played well this season. But very few players for the Lions have. The offense is bad. The defense is even worse. Campbell even admitted they need more help so they can properly evaluate their offensive talent, specifically Goff. Forget about beating the Rams, because that’s not going to happen, especially when they have the Lions’ former QB. If the Lions don’t beat the Eagles in Week 8, their first win might not come until December.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Jared Goff
RB: D’Andre Swift
WR: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kalif Raymond, KhaDarel Hodge
TE: TJ Hockenson
OL: Penei Sewell (LT), Jonah Jenkins (LG), Evan Brown (C), Halapoulivaati Vaitai (RG), Matt Nelson (RT)
DL: Michael Brockers (LDE), Alim McNeill (NT), Nick Williams (RDE)
EDGE: Trey Flowers (WLB), Charles Harris (SLB)
ILB: Alex Anzalone (LILB), Jalen Reeves-Maybin (RILB)
CB: Amani Oruwariye (LCB), Jerry Jacobs (RCB)
S: Will Harris (SS), Tracy Walker III (FS)
ST: Austin Seibert (K), Jack Fox (P), Scott Daly (LS)
RS: Godwin Igwebuike (KR), Kalif Raymond (PR)
#31: Houston Texans
Week 6 @ IND: L, 3-31 | Record: 1-5
Previous Rank: #29
The Texans are officially imploding. After winning in Week 1, the Texans have now lost five straight games, having been outscored 71-3 in their last two road games. In some of their losses, they showed more than a little fight, including a close one against the Patriots. But after getting obliterated by the Colts, they now have two defeats by at least 28 points in the last three weeks. Yes, David Culley was going to have a challenging time as the Texans’ head coach, but this is starting to feel like an impossible task now that the season is taking shape and that the Texans are getting outmanned on a weekly basis. They actually had only 35 fewer yards than the Colts and converted over half of their 3rd downs, but they committed three costly turnovers and allowed a lot of big plays. Now they have to prepare for two of the hottest teams in the league. They travel to face the undefeated Cardinals in Week 7 and follow it up with a home match against the 5-1 Rams. But at this point, losing games won’t be all that bad for them. With Deshaun Watson reportedly being linked to the Dolphins in trade rumors, the Texans are going to be in for a new franchise QB in 2022.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Davis Mills
RB: Mark Ingram
WR: Brandin Cooks, Nico Collins, Danny Amendola
TE: Pharaoh Brown
OL: Geron Christian Sr. (LT), Tytus Howard (LG), Justin Britt (C), Max Scharping (RG), Charlie Heck (RT)
DE: Jonathan Greenard (LDE), Jacob Martin (RDE)
DT: Maliek Collins (LDT), DeMarcus Walker (RDT)
LB: Zach Cunningham (WLB), Christian Kirksey (MLB), Garrett Wallow (SLB)
CB: Vernon Hargreaves III (LCB), Terrance Mitchell (RCB)
S: Eric Murray (SS), Justin Reid (FS)
ST: Ka’imi Fairbairn (K), Cameron Johnston (P), Jon Weeks (LS)
RS: Desmond King III
#30: Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 6 vs. MIA: W, 23-20 | Record: 1-5
Previous Record: #32
The streak is FINALLY over. All the Jaguars needed to do to snap the 3rd-longest losing streak in NFL history was a change of scenery. All it took was a flight to the United Kingdom to do that. Thanks to Trevor Lawrence’s 319 passing yards, James Robinson’s 101 total yards, and Marvin Jones’s 100-yard receiving effort and a game-winning field goal from Matthew Wright, who they signed to their practice squad late last month, their 20-game losing skid is finally over and they hit their bye week with a lot of optimism, getting their first win since “NOT SATISFIED WITH 1-0.” It was the performance of a lifetime for Wright, who kicked a 54-yarder to tie the game in the 4th quarter and later the game-winner from 53 yards out. But this wasn’t a win full of style points. They were outgained offensively, 431-396, converted just 3 of 12 3rd downs and allowed nine 3rd down conversions on 17 attempts for the Dolphins. But the only stat that matters to them is that they came away with a win for the first time in 400 days, so they will take it when they get it.
Week 8 Projected Starters
QB: Trevor Lawrence
RB: James Robinson
WR: Marvin Jones Jr., Laviska Shenault Jr., Tyron Johnson
TE: Dan Arnold
OL: Cam Robinson (LT), Andrew Norwell (LG), Tyler Shatley (C), Ben Bartch (RG), Jawaan Taylor (RT)
DL: Malcom Brown (LDE), DaVon Hamilton (NT), Dawuane Smoot (RDE)
EDGE: Josh Allen (WLB), Jihad Ward (SLB)
ILB: Damien Wilson (LILB), Myles Jack (RILB)
CB: Tyson Campbell (LCB), Shaquill Griffin (RCB)
S: Andrew Wingard (SS), Rayshawn Jenkins (FS)
ST: Matthew Wright (K), Logan Cooke (P), Ross Matiscik (LS)
RS: Jamal Agnew
#29: Miami Dolphins
Week 6 @ JAX: L, 20-23 | Record: 1-5
Previous Rank: #27
The only good news for the Dolphins is that Tua Tagovailoa threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns against the Jaguars in his return from IR. The bad news is everything. Despite outgaining the Jaguars and converting 9 of 17 3rd downs, they have now lost five in a row after blowing a double-digit lead, along with some dreadful in-game management decisions and were left to watch the Jaguars celebrate a walk-off win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. That defense is going into the tank with injuries and ineffectiveness, which is a really bad look for a team that was supposed to have a top defense heading into the season. A season that started off with a lot of promise is now practically lost. When he spoke to reporters after the game, Brian Flores, clearly dejected, put himself on blast. “I’m not doing a good enough job,” said Flores. “Not playing consistently enough. Not coaching well enough. Not playing well enough. And not playing consistent enough. Some positive plays. Consistent ball—first half, a little bit in the second half but we’re just not putting it together. That starts with me.” Aspiration has quickly turned into desperation in South Florida.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Tua Tagovailoa
RB: Myles Gaskin
WR: DeVante Parker, Jaylen Waddle, Preston Williams
TE: Mike Gesicki
OL: Liam Eichenberg (LT), Austin Jackson (LG), Greg Mancz (C), Robert Hunt (RG), Jesse Davis (RT)
DL: Christian Wilkins (LDL), Emmanuel Ogbah (RDL)
EDGE: Andrew Van Ginkel (WLB), Brennan Scarlett (SLB)
ILB: Elandon Roberts (LILB), Jerome Baker (RILB)
CB: Xavien Howard (LCB), Byron Jones (RCB), Justin Coleman (NB)
S: Eric Rowe (SS), Jason McCourty (FS)
ST: Jason Sanders (K), Michael Palardy (P), Blake Ferguson (LS)
RS: Jaylen Waddle
#28: New York Giants
Week 6 vs. LAR: L, 11-38 | Record: 1-5
Previous Rank: #28
Through the first five weeks of the 2021 season, Daniel Jones avoided the mistakes and turnovers that plagued him throughout his career. They came back in Week 6 as the real Daniel Jones decided to show up. The injury-plagued Giants needed a nearly perfect game to beat a superior Rams team, but instead, they played how we expected them to play: Dead out of the gate. They had two costly turnovers deep in their own territory during a nightmare 2nd quarter that had them give up 28 unanswered. It’s a surprise to see him on the field after he sustained a nasty concussion in Week 5, but by any measure, his performance in Week 6 was dreadful: 242 passing yards, no touchdowns, three picks, and two fumbles. His supporting cast was compromised at the moment—practice squad call-up Dante Pettis was targeted 11 times in this game (!!!). However, Jones’ failure to protect the ball is very worrisome after his promising start to the season. In his 32 starts, the Giants have gone 9-23, and it’s looking more evident that he is not the answer for Big Blue. Whether it be the lack of support around him or the Rams being a dominant team, this was a brutal performance for Jones. The offense can’t find its consistency with line and backfield deficiencies, and the defense is looking like a shell of what it was last season. They’re 1-5 and it’s likely they will face yet another losing season with a difficult schedule ahead of them.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Daniel Jones
RB: Devontae Booker
WR: Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, Dante Pettis Jr.
TE: Evan Engram
OL: Matt Peart (LT), Ben Bredeson (LG), Billy Price (C), Will Hernandez (RG), Nate Solder (RT)
DL: Dexter Lawrence (LDE), Austin Johnson (NT), Leonard Williams (RDE)
EDGE: Lorenzo Carter (WLB), Oshane Ximines (SLB)
ILB: Tae Crowder (LILB), Reggie Ragland (RILB)
CB: James Bradberry (LCB), Adoree’ Jackson (RCB)
S: Jabrill Peppers (SS), Logan Ryan (FS)
ST: Graham Gano (K), Riley Dixon (P), Casey Kreiter (LS)
RS: Jabrill Peppers
#27: New York Jets
Week 6 Bye | Record: 1-4
Previous Rank: #30
The Jets had multiple issues to work during their bye week, but none is bigger than their problem with slow starts on offense. They are five games into the season and they had just one total touchdown in the 1st half. Back in Week 5, Matt Ryan and the Falcons had 14 1st downs before Wilson and the Jets got one. This struggle keeps leaving the defense out for long periods of time, and they were exhausted in the 4th quarter of that game. Mike LaFleur runs a Kyle Shanahan offense that is supposed to appeal to young quarterbacks. But through the first five games, Zach Wilson averaged less than 225 passing yards per game, has just four touchdown passes to nine interceptions and a pitiful passer rating of 62.9. He’s hardly the only reason the Jets are 1-4, and he’s not the first rookie quarterback to have a rough first season. But it’s no secret the Jets are terrible, and it’s not like they will be any better coming off their bye week.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Zach Wilson
RB: Michael Carter
WR: Corey Davis, Jamison Crowder, Keelan Cole
TE: Tyler Kroft
OL: George Fant (LT), Alijah Vera-Tucker (LG), Connor McGovern (C), Greg Van Roten (RG), Morgan Moses (RT)
DE: John Franklin-Myers (LDE), Bryce Huff (RDE)
DT: Sheldon Rankins (LDT), Quinnen Williams (RDT)
LB: Blake Cashman (WLB), CJ Mosley (MLB), Quincy Williams (SLB)
CB: Brandin Echols (LCB), Bryce Hall (RCB)
S: Ashtyn Davis (SS), Marcus Maye (FS)
ST: Matt Ammendola (K), Thomas Morstead (P), Thomas Hennessy (LS)
RS: Braxton Berrios
#26: Washington Football Team
Week 6 vs. KC: L, 13-31 | Record: 2-4
Previous Rank: #26
There were a lot of players, teams, and units failing to meet expectations over the first six weeks of the 2021 season, but none has disappointed more than Washington’s defense. Anchored by a line filled with 1st round picks, they were supposed to be among the league’s elite in 2021. Instead, it has been outright terrible. After surrendering 499 yards to the Chiefs, they have given up 423 yards per game, the 2nd-most league. They have allowed over 30 points in five straight games and rank dead last in scoring defense. Things went as bad as it would have been, as they decided to retire Sean Taylor’s No. 21 at the worst possible timing as they decided to do it as a distraction in the wake of the email scandal they are involved in. The first half gave their fans optimism, picking off Patrick Mahomes twice and with Taylor Heinicke’s touchdown pass to Ricky Seals-Jones, but the Chiefs would slap Washington back to reality in the 2nd half as Heinicke regressed to being a below-average passer. Washington got shut out in the 2nd half, while Mahomes bounced back and led the Chiefs to a blowout win. Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio called criticism of his defense predictable. He mentioned that it was about execution, but whatever that “execution” was, there’s going to be a lot more criticism. Simply put, this defense is far too talented to get constantly ripped apart, and now they travel to Green Bay with a 2-4 record. If this defensive core doesn’t get things together, big changes must be made in the offseason.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Taylor Heinicke
RB: Antonio Gibson
WR: Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, Adam Humphries
TE: Ricky Seals-Jones
OL: Charles Leno Jr. (LT), Ereck Flowers (LG), Chase Roullier (C), Brandon Scherff (RG), Sam Cosmi (RT)
DE: Chase Young (LDE), Montez Sweat (RDE)
DT: Da’Ron Payne (LDT), Jonathan Allen (RDT)
LB: Cole Holcomb (WLB), Jamin Davis (MLB), Khaleke Hudson (SLB)
CB: Kendall Fuller (LCB), William Jackson III (RCB)
S: Landon Collins (SS), Kamren Curl (FS)
ST: Chris Blewitt (K), Tress Way (P), Camaron Cheeseman (LS)
RS: DeAndre Carter
#25: Philadelphia Eagles
Week 6 vs. TB: L, 22-28 | Record: 2-4
Previous Rank: #20
The Eagles are now a hot mess on offense. After showing signs of improvement in September, Jalen Hurts took a giant step backward in this game, completing just 12 of 26 passes for 115 yards. He had one interception and very easily could have had three. The Eagles had just 213 total yards and didn’t surpass the 100-yard mark until the 4th quarter. The run game was basically abandoned against the Buccaneers’ top-ranked rushing defense, which put them in a deep hole in a 1st half that featured four three-and-outs and one pick. They ran just one play in Bucs territory on the 1st half. Their two longest plays of the game were on pass interference calls drawn by Jalen Reagor. It got so bad that fans were calling for the Eagles to run the ball, and the Philadelphia Inquirer even called for the Eagles to bench Hurts in favor of Joe Flacco. But Hurts is the least of the problems. The problems are more on Nick Sirianni and the coaching staff. They are far too dependent on Hurts on a weekly basis. The play calling is just horrendous, getting so bad that it is making Eagles fans want Doug Pederson back. All that Sirianni wanted to call in the first three quarters was RPOs and bubble screens. Sirianni may be competing with Matt Nagy and Urban Meyer for the NFL’s worst head coach.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Jalen Hurts
RB: Miles Sanders
WR: DeVonta Smith, Jalen Reagor, Quez Watkins
TE: Dallas Goedert
OL: Jordan Mailata (LT), Landon Dickerson (LG), Jason Kelce (C), Jack Driscoll (RG), Lane Johnson (RT)
DE: Josh Sweat (LDE), Derek Barnett (RDE)
DT: Javon Hargrave (LDT), Fletcher Cox (RDT)
LB: Alex Singleton (WLB), Eric Wilson (MLB), Genard Avery (SLB)
CB: Darius Slay Jr. (LCB), Steven Nelson (RCB)
S: Rodney McLeod Jr. (SS), Anthony Harris (FS)
ST: Jake Elliott (K), Arryn Siposs (P), Rick Lovato (FS)
RS: Jalen Reagor
#24: Atlanta Falcons
Week 6 Bye | Record: 2-3
Previous Rank: #24
Not much has gone right for the Falcons for the first six weeks of the season. Unless if you count for the play of Cordarrelle Patterson. For most of his career, he was one of the most dangerous kick returners in the league and sparingly played wide receiver. His career high in receiving yards was 469, in his rookie year with the Vikings in 2013. Since then, he is now with his 5th different team, making multiple Pro Bowls as a returner, but with little offensive impact. Now he is experiencing a revival as a “tweener” who can play both running back and wide receiver in Atlanta. His 25 receptions for 295 yards and his 41 rushes for 173 yards on the ground are putting him on pace for career highs in all categories. Don’t forget he has five total touchdowns. What he is doing with the Falcons, albeit their bad start, make them an exciting team to watch as he is putting up the best season of his career. That’s not to forget about Kyle Pitts’ breakout game against the Jets in Week 5. Now is the time for head coach Arthur Smith to get Pitts on the same pace as Calvin Ridley. Ridley turned 42 targets into just 27 catches for 295 yards and one touchdown. With no Julio Jones to throw to, the Falcons need Ridley to play at the elite level he established last season, and Pitts’ rise can only help Ridley get things going.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Matt Ryan
RB: Mike Davis, Cordarrelle Patterson (RB/WR)
WR: Calvin Ridley, Russell Gage
TE: Kyle Pitts
OL: Jake Matthews (LT), Jalen Mayfield (LG), Matt Hennessy (C), Chris Lindstrom (RG), Jason Spriggs (RT)
DL: Jonathan Bullard (LDE), Tyeler Davison (NT), Grady Jarrett (RDT)
EDGE: Steven Means (WLB), Dante Fowler Jr. (SLB)
ILB: Deion Jones (LILB), Foyesade Oluokun (RILB)
CB: AJ Terrell (LCB), Fabian Moreau (RCB)
S: Duron Harmon (SS), Erik Harris (FS)
ST: Younghoe Koo (K), Dustin Colquitt (P), Josh Harris (LS)
RS: Cordarrelle Patterson (KR), Avery Williams (PR)
#23: Indianapolis Colts
Week 6 vs. HOU: W, 31-3 | Record: 2-4
Previous Rank: #25
There’s not much for Colts fans to cheer for this season, but they buried the pain of their Monday Night Football collapse from last week and took all their anger out on the Texans, pummeling them to the tune of a 31-3 win. Carson Wentz was efficient, passing for 223 yards and two touchdowns and looked like his 2017 self. Jonathan Taylor continued his rampage across defenses with 145 rushing yards and two touchdowns, which featured his 83-yard run, while averaging over 10 yards per carry. TY Hilton is back, which is huge for the Colts, as he caught all four of his targets for 80 yards. Darius Leonard was an absolute menace on the field, forcing a fumble, picking off Davis Mills, and swarming all over the field for four quarters. A win over a bad team won’t fix all the problems the Colts have, but Frank Reich says that it feels good to get back on track for once. Yes, playing the Texans can make any team look like a playoff contender, but as bad as the Colts have been, they are in 2nd place in a weak AFC South. The Colts have a trip to San Francisco followed by a trip back home to face the Titans on Halloween. Don’t rule out a season turnaround here. They have done it before in 2018; can they do it again?
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Carson Wentz
RB: Jonathan Taylor
WR: Michael Pittman Jr., TY Hilton, Zach Pascal
TE: Jack Doyle
OL: Eric Fisher (LT), Chris Reed (LG), Ryan Kelly (C), Mark Glowinski (RG), Braden Smith (RT)
DE: Kwity Paye (LDE), Al-Quadin Muhammad (RDE)
DT: DeForest Buckner (LDT), Grover Stewart (RDT)
LB: Darius Leonard (LILB), Bobby Okereke (RILB)
CB: Rock Ya-Sin (LCB), Xavier Rhodes (RCB), Kenny Moore II (NB)
S: Khari Willis (SS), Julian Blackmon (FS)
ST: Michael Badgley (K), Rigoberto Sanchez (P), Luke Rhodes (LS)
RS: Isaiah Rodgers (KR), Nyheim Hines (PR)
#22: Chicago Bears
Week 6 vs. GB: L, 14-24 | Record: 3-3
Previous Rank: #21
For the Bears, all that matters for them is that they lost at home to the Packers to fall back two games in the NFC North. But the truth is that they weren’t going to challenge the Packers in the division anyway. The odds that the Bears can even get back to the playoffs aren’t that good. This season is more about their future than it is about their present. In that regard, there was some hope in this game. Justin Fields, although he has a long way to go in his development, showed signs of progress: 16 completions on 27 attempts for 174 yards. There were bumps, too—a terrible decision resulting in an interception and four sacks allowed. But they got an impressive performance from 6th round rookie running back Khalil Herbert, who racked 112 total yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. The Bears got out of the gates with a scoring drive, but everything went cold after that. When a Darnell Mooney touchdown got the Bears within a field goal in the 4th quarter, Aaron Rodgers led a 75-yard touchdown drive capped off by his scramble to the end zone where he reminded the Bears who owns them. The Bears aren’t ready to compete with the NFL’s elite, but as the season goes on, the young guys are going to get more comfortable and more confident, so this is a team to watch. Their record might not show it, but things are getting exciting in the Windy City.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Justin Fields
RB: Khalil Herbert
WR: Allen Robinson II, Darnell Mooney, Marquise Goodwin
TE: Cole Kmet
OL: Jason Peters (LT), Cody Whitehair (LG), Sam Mustipher (C), James Daniels (RG), Elijah Wilkinson (RT)
DL: Akiem Hicks (LDE), Eddie Goldman (NT), Bilal Nichols (RDE)
EDGE: Khalil Mack (WLB), Sam Kamara (SLB)
ILB: Roquan Smith (LILB), Alec Ogletree (RILB)
CB: Jaylon Johnson (LCB), Kindle Vildor (RCB)
S: Tashaun Gipson Sr. (SS), Eddie Jackson FS)
ST: Cairo Santos (K), Pat O’Donnell (P), Patrick Scales (LS)
RS: Khalil Herbert (KR), Jakeem Grant (PR)
#21: Seattle Seahawks
Week 6 @ PIT: L, 20-23 (OT) | Record: 2-4
Previous Rank: #18
This season is officially a lost cause in Seattle. They needed Geno Smith to do something special in a must-win game in Week 6. But his overtime fumble on a TJ Watt strip sack, the second turnover by Smith in as many weeks with the game on the line, was the difference in that 23-20 loss to the Steelers at Heinz Field. The revelation is that Geno is not that guy to save a season. This might be a harsh thing to say about a team six weeks into the season, but they are not like the other teams in the bottom of the power rankings, or that they were supposed to be. This is a team that was supposed to be a playoff contender. That’s not happening. They’re not the same team without Russell Wilson’s magical and eye-dazzling play, which should attest that he should have gotten MVP votes and arguably was the league’s MVP based on how much the team relies on him to win. But now him and Chris Carson are on IR and won’t be back for a few weeks. The defense is historically bad. And with the Rams and Cardinals rolling, the Seahawks are buried deep in a hole within their own division. The Seahawks have major problems and it’s not going to get any better as three of their next four games are against teams with winning records.
The only good news for the Seahawks is that Darrell Taylor is expected to play in their Monday Night game against the Saints after suffering a scary neck injury during the loss to the Steelers. That almost looked like another Ryan Shazier situation as Taylor was stretchered off the field.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Geno Smith
RB: Alex Collins
WR: DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Freddie Swain
TE: Gerald Everett
OL: Duane Brown (LT), Damien Lewis (LG), Kyle Fuller (C), Gabe Jackson (RG), Brandon Shell (RT)
DE: Rasheem Green (LDE), Kerry Hyder Jr. (RDE)
DT: Poona Ford (LDT), Al Woods (RDT)
LB: Jordyn Brooks (WLB), Bobby Wagner (MLB), Benson Mayowa (SLB)
CB: DJ Reed (LCB), Sidney Jones IV (RCB)
S: Jamal Adams (SS), Quandre Diggs (FS)
ST: Jason Myers (K), Michael Dickson (P), Tyler Ott (LS)
RS: DJ Reed (KR), Freddie Swain (PR)
#20: New England Patriots
Week 6 vs. DAL: L, 29-35 (OT) | Record: 2-4
Previous Rank: #19
As said in Week 1, there are no moral victories in sports, but the Patriots have two “moral” victories in their losses to the Buccaneers and Cowboys, but remain winless in New England. They gave the Cowboys a run for their money, but in the end, it still wasn’t enough from them losing their 4th consecutive game at Gillette Stadium. Now they hold a title no team wants: They’re the best 2-4 team in the AFC, if not the whole NFL. Mac Jones kept the Pats in the game with his dramatic 75-yard touchdown strike in the 4th quarter that followed a pick six thrown to Trevon Diggs. Ironically, the touchdown pass was thrown towards Diggs’ direction, as Diggs and Damontae Kazee blew coverage on the touchdown. However, the defense gave up a game-tying field goal with 20 seconds left in regulation. Later, Nelson Agholor dropped a crucial pass in the Pats’ overtime drive, forcing the Pats to punt, then Jalen Mills blew his coverage on CeeDee Lamb, which had Eagles fans putting on their “I Told You So” hats. “We went toe-to-toe with them for 60 minutes,” said Bill Belichick after the game. “They just made a few more plays than we did.” This is an organization that is not used to “moral victories.” Despite giving the Bucs and Cowboys all they can handle, their only wins still were against the Jets and Texans. They should be able to get back to .500 against the miserable Jets, but then comes the stretch that defines their 2021 season. Their biggest test comes against the Chargers, but their games against the flawed Panthers and Browns are both winnable games, and they are certainly capable of beating the Falcons in Week 11. While in terms of talent, they shouldn’t be a playoff team, if they can go 6-5 throughout that stretch, the playoffs can be in play once again.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Mac Jones
RB: Damien Harris
WR: Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne
TE: Hunter Henry
OL: Isaiah Wynn (LT), Mike Onwenu (LG), David Andrews (C), Shaq Mason (RG), Trent Brown (RT)
DE: Deatrich Wise Jr. (LDE), Matt Judon (RDE)
DT: Lawrence Guy (LDT), Davon Godchaux (RDT)
LB: Dont’a Hightower (MLB), Kyle Van Noy (SLB)
CB: JC Jackson (LCB), Jonathan Jones (NB), Jalen Mills (RCB)
S: Adrian Phillips (SS), Devin McCourty (FS)
ST: Nick Folk (K), Jake Bailey (P), Joe Cardona (LS)
RS: Gunner Olszewski
#19: Minnesota Vikings
Week 6 @ CAR: W, 34-28 (OT) | Record: 3-3
Previous Rank: #23
For the second week in a row, the Vikings don’t have a clue on how to play a normal game. They blew a two-score lead in the final minutes against an inferior opponent, but once again survived a near-epic collapse. In Week 5, Greg Joseph ended it with a 54-yard field goal against the Lions, but in Week 6, although the Vikings kicker curse got the best of Joseph this time, the Vikings were unbothered by his miss on his 47-yarder as Kirk Cousins’ 27-yard dime to KJ Osborn sealed a 34-28 win over the Panthers to rebound from a 1-3 start to get back to .500 and tied for 2nd in the NFC North. What led their win over the Panthers was their offense, which put up a whopping 571 yards, with Cousins throwing for 373 yards and three touchdowns, while Dalvin Cook gashed the Panthers for 140 yards on 29 carries. This was a good offensive effort, and the defense played one of their better games this season on the way to their third okay win to balance out their three tough losses in their tough early schedule. This is a confusing team to figure out, as they can beat anyone, but at the same time, they can lose to anyone. They get a bye in Week 7 before a brutal November against the Cowboys, Ravens, Chargers, and Packers. There’s no telling on how they will do in that four-game stretch, as they are perhaps the most inconsistent and most intriguing team in the league at the same time.
Week 8 Projected Starters
QB: Kirk Cousins
RB: Dalvin Cook
WR: Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, KJ Osborn
TE: Tyler Conklin
OL: Christian Darrisaw (LT), Ezra Cleveland (LG), Garrett Bradbury (C), Oli Udoh (RG), Brian O’Neill (RT)
DE: Danielle Hunter (LDE), Everson Griffen (RDE)
DT: Michael Pierce (LDT), Dalvin Tomlinson (RDT)
LB: Nick Vigil (WLB), Eric Kendricks (MLB), Anthony Barr (SLB)
CB: Mackensie Alexander (LCB), Patrick Peterson (RCB)
S: Harrison Smith (SS), Xavier Woods (FS)
ST: Greg Joseph (K), Jordan Berry (P), Andrew DePaola (LS)
RS: Ihmir Smith-Marsette (KR), Dede Westbrook (PR)
#18: Denver Broncos
Week 6 vs. LV: L, 24-34 | Record: 3-3
Previous Rank: #16
Remember when the Broncos started 3-0? Pepperidge Farm remembers. Those three wins were against some of the worst teams in football. In the past three games, the Broncos got exposed for the frauds that they are and are revealed as an average football team. Their loss in Week 6 was the most troubling, as a Raiders team coming off the email scandal linked to the Washington Football Team that led to Jon Gruden’s resignation came out and outclassed the Broncos in every facet of the game. Even with some garbage time production from Teddy Bridgewater, the Broncos could not patch up another inefficient offensive performance that included four turnovers, including three Bridgewater interceptions, five sacks, and a lot of missed opportunities. Defensively, they also had little answer for the Raiders, allowing 426 yards of offense and 340 yards through the air as Derek Carr got big play strikes going, as the Broncos rarely got hands on Carr. They face another team desperate to stay in the playoff mix in an injury-ravaged Browns team. Even if the Browns are ravaged with injuries, they should not take them so lightly.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Teddy Bridgewater
RB: Melvin Gordon III
WR: Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, Kendall Hinton
TE: Noah Fant
OL: Garett Bolles (LT), Dalton Risner (LG), Lloyd Cushenberry III (C), Graham Glasgow (RG), Bobby Massie (RT)
DL: Mike Purcell (LDL), Shelby Harris (RDL)
EDGE: Malik Reed (WLB), Von Miller (SLB)
ILB: AJ Johnson (LILB), Justin Strnad (RILB)
CB: Kyle Fuller (LCB), Pat Surtain II (RCB), Bryce Callahan (NB)
S: Kareem Jackson (SS), Justin Simmons (FS)
ST: Brandon McManus (K), Sam Martin (P), Jacob Bobenmoyer (LS)
RS: Diontae Spencer
#17: Carolina Panthers
Week 6 vs. MIN: L, 28-34 (OT) | Record: 3-3
Previous Rank: #14
Just like the team they lost to in Super Bowl 50, the Panthers, after opening the season with three straight wins, dropped three in a row after falling to the Vikings in Week 6. Sam Darnold showed promise during the 3-0 start, but the absence of Christian McCaffrey took a toll on the Panthers. And hard. More offensive pressure was on him as of late. The results have not been pretty: HE completed just 17 of 41 passes with a passer rating of 55.6. The struggles have left the Panthers defense on the field more, and they were getting exhausted as they were carved up to the tune of 571 yards allowed. Give Darnold credit for leading the Panthers to 11 unanswered points to force overtime, but he was really ineffective before those final two drives. He threw an interception, lost a fumble, and didn’t cross the 100-yard mark until the clock showed 6:30 left in the 4th. But his game wasn’t solely his fault. His receivers dropped several passes that hit them in the hands, but there have been enough flashbacks of the Darnold who struggled so badly under Adam Gase in New York to get that concern level up in Charlotte. Matt Rhule told reporters that he is aware the offense needs to improve substantially. “Again, I think we had a plan,” said Rhule. “I think we felt good about it. Obviously, today, it didn’t look very good at times.” Rhule also declared that the Panthers’ days as an air-it-out offense are over. But the question is when McCaffrey will return from IR.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Sam Darnold
RB: Chuba Hubbard
WR: DJ Moore, Robby Anderson, Terrace Marshall Jr.
TE: Ian Thomas
OL: Cam Erving (LT), Dennis Daley (LG), Matt Paradis (C), John Miller (RG), Taylor Moton (RT)
DE: Brian Burns (LDE), Morgan Fox (RDE)
DT: Derrick Brown (LDT), DaQuan Jones (RDT)
LB: Shaq Thompson (WLB), Jermaine Carter Jr. (MLB), Haason Reddick (RILB)
CB: Donte Jackson (LCB), CJ Henderson (RCB)
S: Sean Chandler (SS), Jeremy Chinn (FS)
ST: Zane Gonzalez (K), Ryan Winslow (P), JJ Jansen (LS)
RS: Chuba Hubbard (KR), Alex Erickson (PR)
#16: San Francisco 49ers
Week 6 Bye | Record: 2-3
Previous Rank: #15
The Niners’ bye week came at an ideal time for them, as they stumbled into their week off on a three-game losing streak. They face a lot of questions coming out of the bye week. Can they find consistency on offense? Who can stay healthy and be critical to the running game? But the biggest question of all is this: Who will be the starting quarterback when the Niners host the Colts? Trey Lance is a guy who can be a solution to the latter two questions, and there is no shortage of people who believe that he showed enough in his performance against the Cardinals to earn another start. However, former Niners left tackle Joe Staley believes the team should go back to starting Jimmy Garoppolo. “I think when you look at the quarterback situation, you know what you’re going to get out of Jimmy,” said Staley. “He has the understanding of the offense, and I think he does probably give this team the best opportunity to consistently win games throughout the whole entire year because of the understanding of where to go with the football.” Emphasize that by the fact that Lance is dealing with a knee injury and doesn’t appear to have earned Kyle Shanahan’s trust. But there’s no telling on if Garoppolo will be a Niner by the end of the season.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Jimmy Garoppolo
RB: Elijah Mitchell
WR: Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Mohamed Sanu Sr.
TE: Ross Dwelley
OL: Trent Williams (LT), Laken Tomlinson (LG), Alex Mack (C), Daniel Brunskill (RG), Mike McGlinchey (RT)
DE: Arik Armstead (LDE), Nick Bosa (RDE)
DT: Javon Kinlaw (LDT), DJ Jones (RDT)
LB: Fred Warner (LILB), Azeez Al-Shaair (RILB)
CB: Josh Norman (LCB), Emmanuel Moseley (RCB), K’Waun Williams (NB)
S: Jaquiski Tartt (SS), Jimmie Ward (FS)
ST: Joey Slye (K), Mitch Wishnowsky (P), Taybor Pepper (LS)
RS: Trenton Cannon (KR), Brandon Aiyuk (PR)
#15: Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 6 vs. SEA: W, 23-20 (OT) | Record: 3-3
Previous Rank: 3-3
Just whenever you think the Steelers will lie down and die, they find ways to come back from the dead. As Halloween approaches, the Steelers are doing their best imitation of It. This team won’t go away. They’re not getting a lot of style points, but after back-to-back wins against the Broncos and Seahawks, they now sit at .500 heading into the bye. That it took overtime to beat a Seahawks team quarterbacked by Geno Smith is not all that encouraging, but the importance of TJ Watt to the Steelers is one that can’t be described with words. He is the team’s best and most impactful player, and his ability to raise his game in the clutch makes him the best edge rusher in the league. That was seen again in this game in his dominant performance capped off by his strip-sack on Smith that set up Chris Boswell’s game-winning field goal. A closer study on that play shows his IQ: He was defending against the run, reacted to Smith’s play action, fought through being triple teamed and delivered a perfect punch at the ball just as the QB thought he escaped the pocket. He is what happens when elite talent meets max effort. While the defense looked like it was back in 2017 form in the 2nd half, as they allowed opponents to move the ball, they stepped up when it mattered. They are also riding the strength of Najee Harris, and he and the defense was their season-long gameplan, and these past two games, it has been working to fruition. With a trip to Cleveland next, the Steelers look to take their playoff loss from last season personally against the Browns, as they will have what the Browns would give its right arm for: A week off to rest.
Week 8 Projected Starters
QB: Ben Roethlisberger
RB: Najee Harris
WR: Diontae Johnson, James Washington, Chase Claypool
TE: Pat Freiermuth
OL: Dan Moore Jr. (LT), Kevin Dotson (LG), Kendrick Green (C), Trai Turner (RG), Chukwuma Okorafor (RT)
DL: Chris Wormley (LDE), Isaiah Buggs (NT), Cameron Heyward (RDE)
EDGE: TJ Watt (WLB), Alex Highsmith (SLB)
ILB: Devin Bush Jr. (LILB), Joe Schobert (RILB)
CB: Joe Haden (LCB), Cam Sutton (RCB)
S: Terrell Edmunds (SS), Minkah Fitzpatrick (FS)
ST: Chris Boswell (K), Pressley Harvin III (P), Christian Kuntz (LS)
RS: Ray-Ray McCloud
#14: Las Vegas Raiders
Week 6 @ DEN: W, 34-24 | Record: 4-2
Previous Rank: #17
It’s been quite the week for the Raiders. After three in a row to start the season, they lost two straight. Then head coach Jon Gruden resigned after multiple emails tied to the Washington Football Team’s email scandal showed him using racist, homophobic and misogynistic language. Heading into Week 6, they had every excuse to pull a no-show at Mile High. It would have been understandable if they weren’t at their best. Instead, the opposite happened. They rallied behind interim head coach Rich Bisaccia and downed the Broncos in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score. The Raiders dominated on both sides of the ball. Derek Carr threw for 341 yards and two touchdowns while continuing to show his chemistry with Henry Ruggs III and his underrated receiving core, while the defense picked off Teddy Bridgewater and rattled him to the tune of five sacks. The Raiders looked like an inspired team under tough circumstances. After the game, Carr made a point on giving credit to offensive coordinator Greg Olson, who pushed the right buttons in his first game as the play caller in place of Gruden. Now the Raiders have a chance at being one of the best stories of the 2021 season, and they are in the mix for playoffs now. With the Raiders and Giants next, they can easily go 6-2.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Derek Carr
RB: Josh Jacobs
WR: Henry Ruggs III, Bryan Edwards, Hunter Renfrow
TE: Foster Moreau
OL: Kolton Miller (LT), John Simpson (LG), Andre James (C), Alex Leatherwood (RG), Brandon Parker (RT)
DE: Maxx Crosby (LDE), Yannick Ngakoue (RDE)
DT: Johnathan Hankins (LDT), Quinton Jefferson (RDT)
LB: Cory Littleton (WLB), Denzel Perryman (MLB), KJ Wright (SLB)
CB: Nate Hobbs (LCB), Casey Hayward Jr. (RCB)
S: Johnathan Abram (SS), Tre’von Moehrig (FS)
ST: Daniel Carlson (K), AJ Cole III (P), Trent Sieg (LS)
RS: Kenyan Drake (KR), Hunter Renfrow (PR)
#13: Cleveland Browns
Week 6 vs. ARZ: L, 14-37 | Record: 3-3
Previous Rank: #9
The Browns really need a wake-up call. It’s tough to find any positives from their game against the Cardinals. They weren’t competitive at all during the 37-14 loss. And it’s not just a matter of getting stomped by the Cardinals in a game where Baker Mayfield turned the ball over three times while his Oklahoma successor, Kyler Murray, threw four touchdown passes. That’s bad enough. But there’s even more to this. Mayfield was playing through a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder, and it was revealed that he dislocated that same shoulder in the loss. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are not going to be available for Week 7 as they are nursing calf injuries, with the latter expected to be sidelined 4-6 weeks. With the Browns playing on a short turnaround against the Broncos, they’re going to have to rely on Case Keenum and D’Ernest Johnson at quarterback and running back, respectively, as they try to avoid falling further behind the Ravens in the AFC North race.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Case Keenum
RB: D’Ernest Johnson
WR: Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Donovan Peoples-Jones
TE: Austin Hooper
OL: Jedrick Wills Jr. (LT), Joel Bitonio (LG), JC Tretter (C), Wyatt Teller (RG), Blake Hance (RT)
DE: Myles Garrett (LDE), Jadeveon Clowney (RDE)
DT: Malik Jackson (LDT), Malik McDowell (RDT)
LB: Mack Wilson (WLB), Anthony Walker Jr. (MLB), Sione Takitaki (SLB)
CB: Denzel Ward (LCB), Greg Newsome II (RCB)
S: Ronnie Harrison Jr. (SS), John Johnson III (FS)
ST: Chase McLaughlin (K), Jamie Gillan (P), Charley Hughlett (LS)
RS: Anthony Schwartz (KR), Demetric Felton (PR)
#12: New Orleans Saints
Week 6 Bye | Record: 3-2
Previous Rank: #12
There was no shortage of things written about Jameis Winston ever since he was draft first overall in 2015, whether it be good or bad. The media praised his cannon of an arm and criticized his penchant for throwing interceptions. But there is not enough about how well he is playing in his first season with the Saints. So far, he has threw for almost 900 yards for 12 touchdowns and just three interceptions during the Saints’ 3-2 start. But a closer study of his game shows that this is the same Jameis in NOLA who ran himself out of Tampa Bay. His completion percentage (60.3) isn’t that high, but he has thrown four times as many touchdowns as he has interceptions so far this season. His passer rating of 108.1 is easily a career-high. And keep in mind he averaged 21.5 pass attempts per game before the Saints’ Week 5 match against Washington, where he had a season-high 30 pass attempts, and that his best receiver throughout the first five games of the season was Marquez Callaway—Michael Thomas was on the PUP list for said first five games and is said to be multiple weeks away from a return. This speaks to how Sean Payton has done a great job of having the Saints play complementary football and getting mostly good play out of Jameis. With them on the verge of getting multiple players back, watch out for them when they get fully healthy.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Jameis Winston
RB: Alvin Kamara
WR: Marquez Callaway, Deonte Harris, Kenny Stills
TE: Adam Trautman
OL: Terron Armstead (LT), Andrus Peat (LG), Erik McCoy (C), Cesar Ruiz (RG), Ryan Ramczyk (RT)
DE: Cameron Jordan (LDE), Tanoh Kpassagnon (RDE)
DT: Albert Huggins (LDT), Shy Tuttle (RDT)
LB: Pete Werner (LILB), Demario Davis (RILB)
CB: Paulson Adebo (LCB), Marshon Lattimore (RCB), Bradley Roby (NB)
S: Malcolm Jenkins (SS), Marcus Williams (FS)
ST: Brian Johnson (K), Blake Gillikin (P), Zach Wood (LS)
RS: Deonte Harris
#11: Tennessee Titans
Week 6 vs. BUF: W, 34-31 | Record: 4-2
Previous Rank: #13
The Titans might not be perfect, but they are an unafraid team with competitive spirit, even when it matters most. If they make any noise in the playoffs, they’re going to look back at their wild Week 6 win over the Bills as the start of their positive momentum. Granted, they were 3-2 heading into the game and in 1st in the AFC South, but this wasn’t a team that was talked about as a contender in the AFC. They lost to the Jets. The defense was bad. The offense was one-dimensional. But when that one dimension is Derrick Henry, that’s not bad. Henry rushed for 143 yards and three touchdowns before the defense sent the sold-out crowd in Nashville crazy with a masterful goal-line stand. Ryan Tannehill made his fare share of completions down the stretch, but the Titans don’t taste victory without another ferocious performance from King Henry, who may be the greatest running back of this generation. The Titans could also have easily lost this game. Sean McDermott’s decision on going for it on 4th & Inches with lest than a minute left rather than kicking a chip-shot field goal to force overtime was a gutsy call. But the Titans’ D-line held their ground and forced the Bills to commit a turnover on downs, making the 4th down stop, matching a Bills team that spanked the Chiefs in Week 5 blow for blow. This makes the Titans the biggest winners of Week 6.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Ryan Tannehill
RB: Derrick Henry
WR: AJ Brown, Julio Jones, Josh Reynolds
TE: Anthony Firkser
OL: Kendall Lamm (LT), Rodger Saffold III (LG), Ben Jones (C), Nate Davis (RG), David Quessenberry (RT)
DL: Jeffery Simmons (LDE), Teair Tart (NT), Denico Autry (RDE)
EDGE: Harold Landry (WLB), Bud Dupree (SLB)
ILB: David Long Jr. (LILB), Rashaan Evans (RILB)
CB: Janoris Jenkins (LCB), Elijah Molden (RCB)
S: Amani Hooker (SS), Kevin Byard (FS)
ST: Randy Bullock (K), Brett Kern (P), Morgan Cox (LS)
RS: Marcus Johnson (KR), Jeremy McNichols (PR)
#10: Cincinnati Bengals
Week 6 @ DET: W, 34-11 | Record: 4-2
Previous Rank: #11
For years, the Bengals were a dreadful team that seemingly served as a soft landing spot for contenders. It’s shocking to watch a game in which the Bengals were on the other side of that. All that offseason talk in Ohio centered on the Bengals’ neighbors four hours to the northeast. In a twist of events, it’s the Bengals that are 2nd in the AFC North and not the Browns. Offensively, the Joe Burrow-to-Ja’Marr Chase connection looks as dangerous as it did in their LSU days. Joe Mixon scored the Lions defense for over 150 yards. And the Bengals’ defense continues to exceed expectations, holding the Lions to just 228 yards of offense. Every elite offense has their own version of the Big 3. The trio of Burrow, Chase and Mixon has the firepower to overwhelm opponents. However, they haven’t faced the stoutest of opponents, as they haven’t beaten a team with a winning record this season. They will get their first true test when they face Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. If they find a way to win this game, the Bengals will be in first place in the AFC North, something nobody even expected.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Joe Burrow
RB: Joe Mixon
WR: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd
TE: CJ Uzomah
OL: Jonah Williams (LT), Quinton Spain (LG), Trey Hopkins (C), Trey Hill (RG), Riley Reiff (RT)
DE: Sam Hubbard (LDE), Trey Hendrickson (RDE)
DT: DJ Reader (LDT), Larry Ogunjobi (RDT)
LB: Logan Wilson (LILB), Germaine Pratt (RILB)
CB: Eli Apple (LCB), Chidobe Awuzie (RCB), Mike Hilton (NB)
S: Vonn Bell (SS), Jessie Bates III (FS)
ST: Evan McPherson (K), Kevin Huber (P), Clark Harris (LS)
RS: Brandon Wilson (KR), Darius Phillips (PR)
#9: Kansas City Chiefs
Week 6 @ WSH: W, 31-13 | Record: 3-3
Previous Rank: #10
At first, it looked as if the Chiefs were going to be lost and going to fall short of a win against Washington. The turnover epidemic intensified, as they committed three in the first half, including the ugliest single play in Patrick Mahomes’ career, upping the turnover count to 14, the most in the NFL. They were pressing, but didn’t panic. They came out of the tunnel and dominated, shutting out Washington in the 2nd half, while Mahomes delivered the cleanest half of his 2021 season, completing 19 of his 24 attempts for 175 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover, en route to 397 yards on the day. A blowout is what the Chiefs needed, but they need to generate complete games if they want to truly turn their season around. The offense is just as good as any other offense in the league. But with a defense that can’t seem to make stops and their proclivity for turning the ball over, this is a team with serious issues that need to be fixed should they head back to the Super Bowl. While the Chiefs may not be as well-rounded as they have been in previous years, this is still a dangerous team, as evidenced by this 506-yard effort.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Patrick Mahomes II
RB: Darrel Williams
WR: Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman, Demarcus Robinson
TE: Travis Kelce
OL: Orlando Brown Jr. (LT), Joe Thuney (LG), Creed Humphrey (C), Trey Smith (RG), Lucas Niang (RT)
DE: Chris Jones (LDE), Frank Clark (RDE)
DT: Jarran Reed (LDT), Derrick Nnadi (RDT)
LB: Nick Bolton (WLB), Anthony Hitchens (MLB), Willie Gay (SLB)
CB: Charvarius Ward (LCB), L’Jarius Sneed (RCB)
S: Tyrann Mathieu (SS), Juan Thornhill (FS)
ST: Harrison Butker (K), Tommy Townsend (P), James Winchester (LS)
RS: Byron Pringle (KR), Mecole Hardman (PR)
#8: Los Angeles Chargers
Week 6 @ BAL: L, 6-34 | Record: 4-2
Previous Rank: #5
Every team is going to have a bad day. The Chargers are hoping it doesn’t get worse than this humbling 34-6 loss to the Ravens where they were outmanned on offense, defense, and special teams. Justin Herbert was virtually unstoppable in the team’s Week 5 shootout win over the Browns, but the Ravens knew how to counter that with their blitz-heavy scheme, keeping the second-year QB uncomfortable and leading to an uncharacteristically inaccurate performance. The entire offense had 21 more total yards (208) than the Ravens had rushing yards (187). Even the Chargers’ aggressiveness backfired in this game: Herbert threw a pair of incompletions on two 4th & short attempts in Chargers territory where Marlon Humphrey was in coverage, with both turnovers leading to Baltimore points. When speaking to reporters after the game, Herbert admitted that the Chargers had no answer for the Ravens defense. “It’s a lot of looks that we didn’t see on film that they kind of constructed for us,” said Herbert. “They did a great job of disguising their looks and bringing pressure from one way and hiding from another. Looks like they haven’t showed all season, looks that we have to be better at adjusting to during a game.” It’s not the way the Chargers wanted to enter their bye week, but they will have two weeks to think about what went wrong ahead of their Halloween match against the Patriots. Chargers fans should still be optimistic of what is to come.
Week 8 Projected Starters
QB: Justin Herbert
RB: Austin Ekeler
WR: Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Jalen Guyton
TE: Jared Cook
OL: Rashawn Slater (LT), Matt Feiler (LG), Corey Linsley (C), Michael Schofield III (RG), Storm Norton (RT)
DL: Jerry Tillery (LDL), Christian Covington (RDL)
EDGE: Joey Bosa (WLB), Uchenna Nwosu (SLB)
ILB: Drue Tranquill (LILB), Kyzir White (RILB)
CB: Chris Harris Jr. (LCB), Michael Davis (RCB), Asante Samuel Jr. (NB)
S: Derwin James Jr. (SS), Nasir Adderley (FS)
ST: Tristan Vizcaino (K), Ty Long (P), Matt Overton (LS)
RS: Andre Roberts (KR), Jalen Guyton (PR)
#7: Green Bay Packers
Week 6 @ CHI: W, 24-14 | Record: 5-1
Previous Rank: #8
With each passing week, the Packers are putting their blowout loss to the Saints further and further in their rear-view mirror. Aaron Rodgers remains a fierce competitor with an MJ-like ability to find motivation raising his play. That was seen at Soldier Field, when the reigning MVP iced the game with his touchdown scramble, then delivered his message to Bears fans. “All my f*cking life, I own you!” shouted Rodgers. “I still own you! I still own you!” His 22-5 record against the Bears is the 3rd-best winning percentage (.815) by a QB against a single opponent since at least 1950 (minimum 25 starts), per ESPN Stats & Information. While the win over the Bears wasn’t the prettiest of wins, as Rodgers threw for less than 200 yards, and the Packers were just 2 for 8 on 3rd down, the Packers defense limited the Bears to just 277 yards of offense and Rodgers, Aaron Jones, and Davante Adams did just enough to leave Soldier Field with a 10-point win. In beating the Bears, the Packers now lead the NFC North by two games, ahead of the Bears and Vikings, and established themselves as the runaway favorites for the division. However, they still remain a tier below teams with explosive offenses like the Cardinals and Rams. They still have a chance on being exactly that. Over their next six games, they will face both NFC West powerhouses and the Chiefs.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Aaron Rodgers
RB: Aaron Jones
WR: Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb
TE: Robert Tonyan
OL: Elgton Jenkins (LT), Jon Runyan (LG), Lucas Patrick (C), Royce Newman (RG), Billy Turner (RT)
DL: Dean Lowry (LDE), Kenny Clark (NT), Kingsley Keke (RDE)
EDGE: Preston Smith (WLB), Rashan Gary (SLB)
ILB: De’Vondre Campbell (LILB), Krys Barnes (RILB)
CB: Eric Stokes (LCB), Kevin King (RCB)
S: Adrian Amos (SS), Darnell Savage Jr. (FS)
ST: Mason Crosby (K), Corey Bojorquez (P), Hunter Bradley (LS)
RS: Kylin Hill (KR), Amari Rodgers (PR)
#6: Dallas Cowboys
Week 6 @ NE: W, 35-29 (OT) | Record: 5-1
Previous Rank: #6
The Cowboys are running away with the NFC East. After outlasting the Patriots, the Cowboys are just one win off last season’s total. The offense is rolling both through the air and through the ground. The defense has shown a lot of improvement, with Trevon Diggs emerging as the early Defensive Player of the Year favorite. Dak Prescott kept the Cowboys in business with his clutch 24-yard completion to CeeDee Lamb in the final seconds of regulation, then connected with him again on the 35-yard game-winning touchdown in overtime to seal the 35-29 win. However, the Cowboys head into the bye week with more than just anxiety after Prescott injured his calf on the final play of the win. He was in a walking boot after the game, but he told reporters that he expects to be fine. “Life keeps throwing punches, and I’m going to keep throwing them back,” said Prescott. “It’s a part of it. It’s part of this game. It’s a physical game we play. I’ll be fine. I’ve got a lot of confidence in myself, the medical team. I feel good. Obviously, [the boot] is a precaution.” The Cowboys will take their bye week to get their star QB right. But there is going to be a lot of breath-holding in the 214 until Prescott can sling the ball again. But as of now, the Cowboys look like a team that can make noise in the playoffs.
Week 8 Projected Starters
QB: Dak Prescott
RB: Ezekiel Elliott
WR: Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, Cedrick Wilson
TE: Dalton Schultz
OL: Tyron Smith (LT), Connor Williams (LG), Tyler Biadasz (C), Zack Martin (RG), La’el Collins (RT)
DE: Randy Gregory (LDE), Micah Parsons (RDE)
DT: Osa Odighizuwa (LDT), Carlos Watkins (RDT)
LB: Leighton Vander Esch (WLB), Keanu Neal (MLB), Jabril Cox (SLB)
CB: Anthony Brown (LCB), Trevon Diggs (RCB)
S: Donovan Wilson (SS), Damontae Kazee (FS)
ST: Greg Zuerlein (K), Bryan Anger (P), Jake McQuaide (LS)
RS: Tony Pollard (KR), CeeDee Lamb (PR)
#5: Baltimore Ravens
Week 6 vs. LAC: W, 34-6 | Record: 5-1
Previous Rank: #7
After playing down against the Raiders, Lions, and Colts, and coming back against the latter two teams and the Chiefs, the Ravens pull off their second win of double digits on the season. Their game against the Chargers was supposed to be a marquee high-scoring affair to take the throne as the top team in the AFC. The Chargers were coming off a high-scoring game where they dropped 47 on the Browns, while the Ravens came off a 19-point comeback on the Colts. Another high-scoring affair coming, right? Wrong. While Lamar Jackson threw for just 167 yards and two interceptions, with just 51 yards on the ground, which, normally, screams bad news for the Ravens, the defense took care of business as they allowed just 208 yards of offense and six points. The Chargers managed just 26 yards on the ground and converted only three 3rd downs in 12 attempts and one 4th down in 4 attempts. Offensively, the Ravens blazed through the Chargers’ defense on the ground, with 187 yards on 38 attempts, with Devonta Freeman, Latavius Murray, and Le’Veon Bell all scoring touchdowns. And this is considering that they have 17 players on the IR. One side of me thinks that they are a repeat of the 2017 Pittsburgh Steelers. The other side of me thinks that they are the most resilient team in the league. With the Browns being an injury-ravaged mess and the Bengals up next, the Ravens have a Grade-A opportunity to be the runaway favorites for the AFC North. The defense is coming together, and they can make a huge statement against their division rivals from Southwest Ohio.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Lamar Jackson
RB: Devonta Freeman
WR: Marquise Brown, Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay
TE: Mark Andrews
OL: Alejandro Villanueva (LT), Ben Powers (LG), Bradley Bozeman (C), Kevin Zeitler (RG), Patrick Mekari (RT)
DL: Justin Madubuike (LDE), Brandon Williams (NT), Calais Campbell (RDE)
EDGE: Tyus Bowser (WLB), Justin Houston (SLB)
ILB: Josh Bynes (LILB), Patrick Queen (RILB)
CB: Anthony Averett (LCB), Marlon Humphrey (RCB)
S: Chuck Clark (SS), DeShon Elliott (FS)
ST: Justin Tucker (K), Sam Koch (P), Nick Moore (LS)
RS: Devin Duvernay
#4: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 6 @ PHI: W, 28-22 | Record: 5-1
Previous Rank: #3
The Buccaneers toyed with the Eagles all Thursday long. Playing their 3rd game in 12 days, they built a 28-7 lead in the span of three quarters and held the Eagles offense to 99 yards by that point. When the Eagles made things interesting by cutting the deficit to 6, Tom Brady iced the game away with a 27-yard completion to Antonio Brown on 3rd & 7 from near midfield with less than four minutes left on the way to extending his record as the NFL’s all-time leading passer with 297 yards and two touchdowns. When asked by Hannah Storm and Andrea Kramer of Amazon Prime Video on how much longer he can play, he says that he “could literally play until I’m 50 or 55 if I wanted to.” 50? That’s a Jaromir Jagr type beat that we’re seeing, except in football. There’s no question that the Bucs offense is firing on all cylinders, especially with Leonard Fournette on his hot streak in the past few games. However, the defense continues to be hampered by injuries, with Richard Sherman being the latest cornerback to be injured. Once they get fully healthy on defense, they will look like the Super Bowl team they were last season.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Tom Brady
RB: Leonard Fournette
WR: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Tyler Johnson
TE: Cameron Brate
OL: Donovan Smith (LT), Ali Marpet (LG), Ryan Jensen (C), Alex Cappa (RG), Tristan Wirfs (RT)
DL: Ndamukong Suh (LDE), Vita Vea (NT), William Gholston (RDE)
EDGE: Jason Pierre-Paul (WLB), Shaquil Barrett (SLB)
ILB: Devin White (LILB), Kevin Minter (RILB)
CB: Jamel Dean (LCB), Pierre Desir (RCB)
S: Antoine Winfield Jr. (SS), Jordan Whitehead (FS)
ST: Ryan Succop (K), Bradley Pinion (P), Zach Triner (LS)
RS: Jaydon Mickens
#3: Los Angeles Rams
Week 6 @ NYG: W, 38-11 | Record: 5-1
Previous Rank: #4
Sean McVay’s Rams have never lost a game when leading at halftime. The streak continues against a completely overmatched Giants team. The Rams did anything they wanted to do offensively. Matt Stafford had just two more incompletions in Week 6 (six) than touchdown passes (four). Two of those touchdown passes were for Cooper Kupp, who racked up 130 receiving yards. And not much is being made about Kupp’s fantastic season, as he has established himself as an important part of the Rams’ pass attack, but he has made the leap from difference-making starter to superstar in his first year with Stafford. He is just the 2nd player in the last 35 years to have 600+ yards and at least seven touchdowns through six weeks, joining Randy Moss. As for the running backs, Darrell Henderson Jr. had 107 total yards and two touchdowns of his own. Defensively, the Rams clamped down on Daniel Jones. Most of the Giants’ 261 yards of offense came when it was already too late. The Rams forced four turnovers and didn’t let the Giants into the end zone until garbage time. This game was the first of three winnable games for the Rams, who will host the Lions next week before they head to H-Town to dominate the Texans. Expect 7-1 to happen before the Titans come to SoFi Stadium in Week 9, and don’t expect the Rams to be underdogs until they take on the Packers at Lambeau Field in Week 12.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Matt Stafford
RB: Darrell Henderson Jr.
WR: Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, Robert Woods
TE: Tyler Higbee
OL: Andrew Whitworth (LT), David Edwards (LG), Brian Allen (C), Austin Corbett (RG), Rob Havenstein (RT)
DL: A’Shawn Robinson (LDE), Sebastian Joseph-Day (NT), Aaron Donald (RDE)
EDGE: Terrell Lewis (WLB), Leonard Floyd (SLB)
ILB: Kenny Young (LILB), Troy Reeder (RILB)
CB: Robert Rochell (LCB), Jalen Ramsey (RCB)
S: Jordan Fuller (SS), Taylor Rapp (FS)
ST: Matt Gay (K), Johnny Hekker (P), Matt Orzech (LS)
RS: Tutu Atwell (KR), Cooper Kupp (PR)
#2: Buffalo Bills
Week 6 @ TEN: L, 31-34 | Record: 5-1
Previous Rank: #1
Sean McDermott’s decision to pass up a chip shot field goal to send the game to overtime and call a Josh Allen sneak on 4th & Inches, which was unsuccessful, was met with a lot of criticism. Undeservedly so. The coaches who matter in today’s NFL pass up conservative calls in favor of trusting their best players. He put faith in Allen to snag the win. What happened on the play was a disaster: The O-line was overwhelmed by the Titans D-line and Allen lost his footing short of the 1st down marker. It’s unfortunate, but the Bills went to the locker room knowing that this is a game they win 9 out of 10 times. The decision to go for it on 4th & Inches was not why they lost. The reason why they lost is because the defense had no answers for Derrick Henry, who steamrolled for 143 yards and three touchdowns. They lost because the defense, which has been playing lights out for the first five weeks of the season, allowed the Titans to score on six consecutive drives, excluding a one-play “drive” that ended the first half. You can call this a letdown considering they beat the Chiefs in Week 5, but it can also be possible that the Titans were taking their anger out and the Bills were their victims. Whatever the reason is, the Bills will get the week off wondering what went wrong and to remedy this loss.
Week 8 Projected Starters
QB: Josh Allen
RB: Zack Moss
WR: Emmanuel Sanders, Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley
TE: Tommy Sweeney
OL: Dion Dawkins (LT), Jon Feliciano (LG), Mitch Morse (C), Daryl Williams (RG), Spencer Brown (RT)
DE: Gregory Rousseau (LDE), Jerry Hughes (RDE)
DT: Star Lotulelei (LDT), Ed Oliver (RDT)
LB: Matt Milano (LILB), Tremaine Edmunds (RILB)
CB: Tre’Davious White (LCB), Levi Wallace (RCB), Taron Johnson (NB)
S: Jordan Poyer (SS), Micah Hyde (FS)
ST: Tyler Bass (K), Matt Haack (P), Reid Ferguson (LS)
RS: Isaiah McKenzie
#1: Arizona Cardinals
Week 6 @ CLE: W, 37-14 | Record: 6-0
Previous Rank: #2
The Cardinals flew to Cleveland with a coaching staff depleted by COVID and a roster depleted by injuries. Neither affected them in their game against the Browns as they beat them up in a decisive 37-14 win. This was a quintessential team win: Offensively, they converted 8 of 15 3rd downs and got four touchdown passes from Kyler Murray, two of them to DeAndre Hopkins. Defensively, the Cardinals allowed just 290 yards, gangbanged on Baker Mayfield for five sacks and three turnovers. It’s a statement win in every sense, considering they didn’t have head coach Kliff Kingsbury, QBs coach Cam Turner, star pass rusher Chandler Jones or interior linemen Zach Allen and Corey Peters. Plus, starting center Rodney Hudson was placed on the IR. However, the Cardinals improve to 6-0 for the first time since 1974, and it’s very likely they will improve to 7-0 after a home date with JJ Watt’s former team. They have shown they can beat teams in numerous different ways. None of this is a fluke.
Week 7 Projected Starters
QB: Kyler Murray
RB: Chase Edmonds
WR: DeAndre Hopkins, AJ Green, Christian Kirk
TE: Zach Ertz
OL: DJ Humphries (LT), Justin Pugh (LG), Max Garcia (C), Josh Jones (RG), Kelvin Beachum (RT)
DL: Leki Fotu (LDE), Jordan Phillips (NT), JJ Watt (RDE)
EDGE: Dennis Gardeck (WLB), Markus Golden (SLB)
ILB: Jordan Hicks (LILB), Isaiah Simmons (RILB)
CB: Byron Murphy Jr. (LCB), Robert Alford (RCB)
S: Jalen Thompson (SS), Budda Baker (FS)
ST: Matt Prater (K), Andy Lee (P), Aaron Brewer (LS)
RS: Rondale Moore (KR), Christian Kirk (PR)
Comments