JuicyTalk
Arizona Cardinals
They should trade Kyler Murray.
Since the start of the Jonathan Gannon era (2023 to now), Jacoby Brissett is the quarterback who has thrown for the most passing yards in a single game. And, he did it against the league’s fourth-ranked scoring defense. So this begs the important question: why do they need Kyler Murray? He doesn’t elevate his team or make the guys around him better, as proven by the embarrassing loss they suffered at the hands of the Titans. Kyler Murray’s stock will probably never be higher than it is this season, so why not move on from him and just start the rebuild already? The product that this team put on the field with Jacoby Brissett leading the charge was way more entertaining than the Kyler Murray-led Cardinals.
Atlanta Falcons
Bijan Robinson is the favorite to win the Offensive Player of the Year.
This kid is simply electric. Every time he touches the ball, he is a threat to take it the distance. He has gone over 100 scrimmage yards in every matchup this season and leads the league in scrimmage yards per game (164.4). If he maintains this pace, he will set a new single-season record for most scrimmage yards per game, surpassing the mark set by former Kansas City Chiefs running back Priest Holmes in 2002. Unlike Christian McCaffrey or Jonathan Taylor, he is the most important player on his team’s offense. Bijan continues to stuff the stat sheet and build on his Pro Bowl campaign from last season.
Baltimore Ravens
Now that those games are out of the way, they can start trying again.
The Ravens might be 1-5, but their toughest games are now over. If they can get Lamar Jackson back, then this team can legitimately make a push for the playoffs. Their next eight games are as follows: vs. Chicago, at Miami, at Minnesota, at Cleveland, vs. New York Jets, vs. Cincinnati, vs. Pittsburgh, and at Cincinnati. They should win at least five of those games. Realistically, they’ll probably win even more games than that. If they’re 8-6 after that stretch, look out.
Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen is entering his Aaron Rodgers 2010 era.
Josh Allen is not nearly as good as Aaron Rodgers was in the 2010s. However, he is an excellent player who can cover up the deficiencies of weak coaching and a poor roster. Aaron Rodgers had to deal with this almost every year after winning the Super Bowl. He had to be Superman every week. If he wasn’t, his team lost. That was the case on Monday when Josh Allen turned the ball over twice and the Bills lost. From here on out, Josh Allen must be perfect or near perfect for his team to have any chance to win because the Bills’ roster and coaching staff are not all that good.
Carolina Panthers
Rico Dowdle has earned the right to split carries with Chuba Hubbard.
Rico Dowdle just set a Carolina Panthers record for scrimmage yards in a game with 239 on Sunday. That’s a very impressive feat, considering this is a franchise that once had Steve Smith Sr. and Christian McCaffrey. In his last two starts, he has 473 total yards, which is an average of 236.5 scrimmage yards per game. He probably hasn’t overtaken Chuba Hubbard as the starting running back on this team since they just invested $33.2 million in him last season. However, they have a legitimate game-changing number-two running back in Rico Dowdle. That should allow them to slowly but surely work Hubbard back into the mix as he continues to battle back from an injured calf.
Chicago Bears
D’Andre Swift might be the answer at the running back position.
There was some speculation this off-season that Chicago would bring in another tailback to compete with D’Andre Swift for the starting job. After Monday’s performance, though, we can legitimately say that he has earned the right to at least play out the rest of his contract as the Bears’ starter. Simply put, Chicago does not win that game without D’Andre Swift’s efforts. Coming into Monday night, the Bears averaged 102.3 rushing yards per game. They easily surpassed that with 145 yards as a team. Swift accounted for 108 of those yards. He also had a 55-yard catch-and-run and almost single-handedly set up the game-winning field goal. I didn’t have high expectations for Swift, but I have to give the 26-year-old running back his flowers begrudgingly. He was awesome.
Cincinnati Bengals
That was better.
Look, they still lost by two scores, but that was way better than any game the Bengals have played since Week Two. Despite going down 10-0, they battled back and competed! Who knows, maybe if their starting quarterback had more than five days to actually learn the offense and get acclimated with the team, Cincy might have won! They still lost, but they didn’t look completely pathetic. That is a step in the right direction after this team was outscored by 76 combined points in their previous three games. On a short week, they’ll probably fall to the Steelers, but they can easily bounce back against the gutless Jets.
Cleveland Browns
They play the same game every week.
This squad has not scored more than 17 points in a matchup since December 2nd, 2024. During that stretch, they’re 1-10 with an offense that averages fewer than 11.1 points per game. Here’s how every Cleveland Browns game goes: the defense plays well and keeps it close through the first two quarters of the contest, the offense fails to score, the defense gets tired after spending too much time on the field, and the opposing team outscores the Browns. One thing is certain: a rookie quarterback should not be attempting 52 passes in a game, especially against a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that is tenth in passer rating allowed.
Dallas Cowboys
The defense is costing the Cowboys like we all thought it would.
Dallas’ defense is 32nd in yards allowed (411.7 yards per game given up), allowing 17.5 more yards per game than the next closest team. They’re also 31st in scoring, giving up 30.7 points per game. Russell Wilson and the Giants put up 37 on your team in your house. Bryce Young and Rico Dowdle abused your defense and ran for 216 yards on you. Wasn’t the whole point of the Micah Parsons trade to make your rush defense better? There’s no way it can be any worse than it is right now. As good as Dak Prescott has been this season, and he has been great, the Cowboys’ defense is even worse than that.
Denver Broncos
That could’ve been disastrous.
The Broncos did everything they could to keep the momentum going after their signature win over the Eagles and still almost lost last weekend. If Aaron Glenn were even a slightly competent head coach, the Broncos probably would’ve lost that game. After beating Philly, Sean Payton didn’t let his team go back to Denver to celebrate the win. Instead, they got on the plane and headed straight to London. Guess that didn’t matter because the Jets were a 62-yard field goal away from beating you. Maybe they should focus more on actually playing games and not their travel plans.
Detroit Lions
Stop complaining about the referees.
Every penalty called on the Lions was accurate and the correct call. Jared Goff was illegally in motion when the Lions hiked the ball on that called-back touchdown. If he hadn’t spent the next minute arguing with the refs, there wouldn’t have been a delay of game called. Detroit’s defender committed a defensive pass interference on Travis Kelce. Aidan Hutchinson clearly roughed the passer. Lions fans should be more concerned with the fact that their team was outscored 24-7 after they went up 10-6. If a team needs referees to perfectly officiate a game in order to win, then they were never good enough to win in the first place. Stop crying about the loss and get prepared for your next game because it could determine who the number-one seed is in the NFC when the playoffs roll around.
Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love is an MVP candidate.
I don’t care that it came against the Cincinnati Bengals. I don’t even care that Trey Hendrickson didn’t play most of the game. Jordan Love is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and is therefore an MVP candidate. He is ninth in the league in QBR and fifth in passer rating. He ranks in the top ten in completion percentage, yards per pass attempt, and passing yards per game. He also made several game-changing plays this weekend that all but guaranteed the victory for the Packers. With only one loss under his belt through six weeks, we need to start putting some respect on Jordan Love’s name.
Indianapolis Colts
Jonathan Taylor is the best pure runner in the NFL.
There are running backs like CMC and Bijan Robinson, who are elusive and have the skills as a pass-catcher to hurt defenses through the air and on the ground. Then, there’s Jonathan Taylor, who doesn’t do anything all that flashy. He simply “runs through a motherf*cker’s face.” He’s currently the only player in the NFL averaging over 100 rushing yards per game. And he manages to do that without being much of a difference-maker in the passing game (24.5 receiving yards per game). By comparison, CMC averages 74 receiving yards per game while Bijan averages 67.6. Considering Saquon Barkley has struggled all year to get anything going on the ground, JT looks like the best pure runner in the NFL.
Jacksonville Jaguars
If they were going to lose a game, that was the one to drop.
They lost a game to a good team that was desperate to bounce back from a disappointing loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It might affect their record in the AFC South, but the loss to Seattle will likely not have any potential impact on playoff seeding in their conference. This is not the same as a loss to say the Denver Broncos or the Indianapolis Colts, who could potentially knock the Jaguars out of the playoff race with a head-to-head win. This game brings the Jags back down to Earth and reminds them that they still need to play hard, even though they picked up a signature home win against the Chiefs. Now, they can regroup and come out better prepared for the Los Angeles Rams in London.
Kansas City Chiefs
That was their first signature win of the season.
Let’s be honest, the Chiefs NEEDED that game to keep their season alive. They couldn’t afford to fall to 2-4 on the campaign. When it looked like the Lions would absolutely destroy them early on, they responded the way champions do and kicked Detroit’s teeth in. Patrick Mahomes showed that he is still the best quarterback in the NFL by dismantling a good defense. Outscoring a team 24-7 doesn’t happen by accident. You have to thoroughly outplay your opponent to pull off that kind of win, which is exactly what they did. Now, we can shut down the narrative that Kansas City hasn’t beaten a good team because they just slapped around what I previously thought was the best team in the NFL.
Las Vegas Raiders
This team will not come close to sniffing the playoffs.
You beat the Tennessee Titans?! Woopty-doo. Who gives a sh*t? The Titans are 1-11 in their last 12 games and only have a win because the Cardinals are a bunch of clowns. All of the issues that have plagued the Raiders this season reared their ugly heads on Sunday. Geno Smith still can’t take care of the football. Ashton Jeanty still can’t break the four-yards-per-carry mark. The offensive line still can’t block anybody. I was a fool to think that this team was capable of putting together a winning record. They are terrible. The playoffs are a pipe dream. This squad will be lucky to win five more games this season.
Los Angeles Chargers
That was a get-right game if I’ve ever seen it.
This had everything you want to see from the Chargers: a comeback, a double-digit lead, and a game-winning field goal. Who cares if it came against the hapless Miami Dolphins? It’s hard to win games in the NFL, especially against a team that has shown some form of consistency at the quarterback and head coaching spots. They needed this win to right the ship and restore feelings of positivity before the Indianapolis Colts come to town. Now, instead of feeling like they desperately need a win against a really good Indy team, they can somewhat afford to lose that game, in that it won’t be an unmitigated disaster. They’re 4-4 and will still be above .500 even if they lose this coming weekend.
Los Angeles Rams
Enough with the miscues, already.
It’s shocking that a Sean McVay-coached team has this many mistakes. First, there was the epic collapse against the Eagles. Then, they lost to a completely injured Niners team. Now, they’re struggling to put away the Baltimore Ravens without Lamar Jackson? What is going on? They’ve given the ball away seven times this season. That means they’re already halfway to their turnover total from last year. The problem is that they’re tied for third in lost fumbles, which is a sign of carelessness. There are also the missed field goals and the failed fourth-down attempts to boot. This game should’ve been a 28-3 blowout. Instead, the Rams shot themselves in the foot and only won by two scores.
Miami Dolphins
The vibes in South Beach are HORRIBLE.
The Dolphins did everything they could to win that game, yet they still somehow lost. That led to Tua Tagovailoa making some shocking comments about his teammates and the franchise as a whole. He questioned the organization’s leadership and said that the guys are not showing up to player-only meetings. The head coach, Mike McDaniel, refuted those claims and said that he believes the team has been very accountable. The mixed messaging does not instill confidence that things are going well in Miami. This is all going to come crashing down sooner rather than later; it’s a matter of when, not if.
New England Patriots
Drake Maye is playing at an elite level.
He checks all the boxes. He already led his team to a win over the division-leading Bills in THEIR building. Over the weekend, he threw three touchdowns of 25+ yards against the New Orleans Saints. Maye is fifth in passing yards, second in completion percentage, and ranked in the top ten in passing touchdowns this season. He is playing like a top now that the Pats have provided him with decent offensive weapons and meaningful blocking up front. It also helps that he has the most cupcake schedule in the NFL for the remainder of the season.
New Orleans Saints
Any hope of this team getting out of the basement is gone.
If there were ever a time to string together a few wins, it was last weekend. The New England Patriots were riding high coming off their best win in years. They were lulled into a false sense of security and had an “easy” game on the road against one of the league’s worst teams. Instead of taking advantage of the Pats, who probably had their guards down, the Saints lost because of dumb mistakes and cowardice. First, they fumbled the football away near midfield, killing a potential game-tying drive. After that, they chose to punt the ball back to New England with roughly four minutes to go in the game, an incredibly stupid choice considering they trailed by just six points. The Saints are who we thought they were: a bottom-feeder.
New York Giants
The Giants are actually fun to watch!
The rookie duo of Cam Skattebo and Jaxson Dart is arguably the second-most entertaining thing the NFL has to offer its viewers at the moment, outside of the near-weekly comeback efforts of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cam Skattebo is an energized, young runner who looks like he will willingly give himself a concussion if it will amp up fans and his teammates. Meanwhile, whenever Jaxson Dart has a football in his hands, he is looking to extend plays and make something happen down the field. There is a noticeable night-and-day difference from how this team looked through the first three weeks of the season to now.
New York Jets
Gang Green is in a rebuild, which is a problem.
When Aaron Glenn was hired, Jets fans were not promised a rebuild. They were told that this was going to be a retooling year and that this team would be competitive. Hell, there were even some people who said that the Jets would compete for a spot in the playoffs. That is obviously not the case. This is the worst team in football. New York is clearly in a rebuild, which is not what fans or ownership were told when Aaron Glenn was brought in. The Jets are not even close to being a competitive football team this year. They’ll genuinely be lucky to win three games. Aaron Glenn should be fired after the season is over.
Philadelphia Eagles
Stop making Jalen Hurts throw the ball so damn much.
Since the start of last season, the Eagles have only lost five games. Jalen Hurts started and ended the game as Philly’s quarterback in four of those matchups. In all four of those losses, Hurts attempted at least 30 passes. It’s pretty clear that this team does not play well when Jalen Hurts is asked to throw the ball a lot. Over the last two weeks, Hurts has averaged 35.5 pass attempts per game, which would explain why they’re 0-2 during that time. In Philly’s first four games of the season, Hurts averaged 25.3 pass attempts. The Eagles need to get back to running the ball if they want to start winning again.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Don’t drop the ball this coming week.
Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers will almost certainly be looking ahead to Week Eight when the Green Bay Packers come to town. But before that, they have to take care of business against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday Night Football. That has all the makings of a trap game. The Bengals are bad, it’s a short week, and the Steelers will be distracted with their next matchup the following week. All I’m saying is, keep your eye on the ball and focus on the team that’s in front of you. Make sure you beat the Bengals the way you should in Week Seven.
San Francisco 49ers
They desperately need to figure out their injury issues.
I don’t know if it’s their field, their medical staffers, or something else, but the 49ers have been dealing with injury issues for several years now. Their quarterback injuries cost them the 2023 NFC Championship Game. They played most of last season without Trent Williams and CMC. Brock Purdy, George Kittle, and multiple pass catchers have missed games due to injury. Nick Bosa has already been ruled out for the year, and that’ll probably be the case with Fred Warner after he suffered a horrific leg injury last weekend. They need to make some type of change to the way they’re doing things because these injuries are wasting their best players’ primes.
Seattle Seahawks
That was a statement win.
After suffering a disappointing last-second loss at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (like so many teams have this season), they had to then hop on a plane and fly across the country to Jacksonville, Florida to play a Jaguars team coming off its best win in years. In the face of that daunting task, the Seahawks responded perfectly by sacking Trevor Lawrence a career-high seven times and hitting wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba for 162 yards and a touchdown on eight catches. In a game that they had to have, Seattle answered the call to improve to 4-2 and return to the race for first place in the NFC West.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
They currently look like the best team in the NFL.
We are running out of accolades and adjectives to describe how good Baker Mayfield is. He’s the undeniable MVP frontrunner, but more importantly, he’s wildly entertaining. Some teams are a bore to watch (see the New York Jets or the Denver Broncos), but that is not the case with the Buccaneers, who are wildly enjoyable to viewers of all backgrounds. They’re ranked in the top ten in passing and points per game. They’re sixth in fourth-down defense and tied for sixth in turnover differential. They did most of that without their top three receivers and an All-Pro left tackle. Once they get healthy, this will be the most dangerous team in the National Football League.
Tennessee Titans
This team is mired in dysfunction.
Firing head coach Brian Callahan was an obvious and necessary move, but it doesn’t change the fact that this franchise will probably screw up the head coaching search they conduct this coming off-season. They’re on their fourth GM since the beginning of the 2022-23 season. Now that Brian Callahan is gone, they’re on their third coach in two years. It doesn’t matter who they bring in or name the interim head coach. This season is a complete wash. They just need to pray that they didn’t do irreversible damage to Cam Ward.
Washington Commanders
The defense cannot be trusted.
How are you going to let the Chicago Bears run over you for 145 yards? This team was barely averaging 100 rushing yards per game through the first five weeks of the season! Chicago’s offense isn’t even that good. So what’s going to happen to the Commanders when they have to face a competent offense? The beginning of the year was supposed to be the easy part of their schedule. Their next four games are against the Cowboys, Chiefs, Seahawks, and Lions. Every team just mentioned has either an elite quarterback or a top-flight scoring offense. For a defensive-minded head coach, Dan Quinn doesn’t know how to run an effective defense.
Teams on a bye: Minnesota Vikings, Houston Texans
