While NFL offenses were mostly a no-show in Week 6, teams were a bit more productive this past week. On Sunday, there were a pair of promising interconference showdowns that simply didn't live up to the billing as the Lions and Dolphins came up short in a big way at Baltimore and Philadelphia, respectively.
On the positive side, the Kansas City Chiefs retained the top spot in the NFL Power Rankings. However, the rest of the Top 10 saw plenty of upheaval.
They are the only winless team in the league, hence it's no surprise that the Panthers are where they are in the NFL Power Rankings. Rookie quarterback Bryce Young has had his ups and downs to date. He's thrown for 967 but he's totaled just as many touchdown passes (6) as turnovers (6) while being sacked 16 times in his five outings.
Carolina's biggest culprit has been a defense that has given up 22 offensive touchdowns, including 12 rushing. Frank Reich's squad is allowing 37.2 points per game and has forced only five turnovers in as many contests.
For the third time in four games, the Cardinals were on the road facing a divisional opponent as they made their way to the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately, it was more of the same for Jonathan Gannon and company as the club has now dropped all three contests vs. their NFC West rivals and scored a total of 35 points in those setbacks.
Quarterback Josh Dobbs scored the club's lone touchdown on Sunday via a 25-yard run in the second quarter. He was also sacked four times as the Arizona offense gained only 249 total yards. The Cards are 0-4 on the road.
The Broncos' 1-5 record entering Sunday's game with the Packers meant the team was off to its worst start since 1994. The offensive issues continued as the team managed only one touchdown despite gaining 339 yards of total offense. Sean Payton's team got a Russell Wilson TD pass to Cameron Sutton and four field goals from Wil Lutz.
The win was just the second of the season for Denver. On Monday, safety Kareem Jackson was suspended for four games for "multiple violations of unnecessary roughness." He was ejected for the second time this year on Sunday.
Dating back to the start of the 2022 season, the Giants owned a 1-6-1 record versus their division rivals that included a lopsided playoff loss to the Eagles. The good news was that the team did not lose to the Commanders (1-0-1) and on Sunday, Brian Daboll's struggling team looked to end a miserable four-game losing streak.
More good news. The Giants scored their first offensive TD in the first half of the season and actually turned the trick twice. New York held on for a seven-point victory, but the Giants' total of 85 points remains a league-low.
It hasn't been this ugly in New England in more than three decades as the Patriots played host to the rival Bills. Bill Belichick's club managed a combined 72 points in a 1-5 start. Kudos to Bill Belichick's team. When it was all said and done, the Patriots not only snapped a three-game losing streak but finished with a season-high 29 points.
New England squandered a 13-3 second-quarter lead and was down 25-22 with 1:58 to play. Quarterback Mac Jones capped off an eight-play, 75-yard drive with a one-yard TD toss to Mike Gesicki with 12 seconds to play.
For the second time in three games, the Raiders would be without starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Veteran Brian Hoyer got a nod against the Bears at Chicago. Once again, Josh McDaniels's offense struggled mightily and finished the day with 235 total yards. For the sixth time in seven games, the team failed to score at least 20 points.
Hoyer (2) and Aidan O'Connell (1) combined for three interceptions. The latter threw a nine-yard TD pass to Jakobi Meyers with 1:10 to play, little solace for a team that has scored 11 touchdowns and committed 15 turnovers.
It's surprising to see what has happened to Mike Vrabel's club since it opened last season with seven wins in their first 10 games. The Titans are 2-11 in their last 13 contests dating back to Week 12 of 2022. The offense has picked up from where it left off down the stretch last season. In six games in 2023, it's managed only eight touchdowns.
Tennessee's defense has done its part. The club has given up just 19.5 points per contest and opposing offenses have scored only nine TDs. Ryan Tannehill has thrown three times as many interceptions (6) as TD passes (2).
The Bears hosted the Raiders on Sunday and would be without quarterback Justin Fields, so enter undrafted free agent Tyson Bagent. The rookie signal-caller made it look fairly easy against a Las Vegas defense that has been mediocre against the run. Matt Eberflus' team finished the afternoon with 173 yards rushing on 38 attempts.
Chicago also snapped a 10-game home losing streak. For the second straight week, the Bears' defense gave up fewer than 250 total yards. Has this unit turned the corner? Eberflus' club allowed an NFL-high 463 points in 2022.
Last Sunday at Atlanta, Washington's defense let the Falcons move the ball up and down the field but limited Atlanta to just 16 points. Ron Rivera's team looked to get back above the .500 mark once again as they battled the Giants at MetLife Stadium. The defense came up big again and allowed a season-low 14 points on Sunday.
However, the Commanders self-destructed and lost for the fourth time in their last five games. San Howell threw for 249 yards and one interception, and was sacked six times. He's been dropped 40 times in seven contests.
The Packers had last week off and took on the Broncos at Denver. Matt LaFleur's team was shut out in the first half and would trail 16-3 midway through the third quarter before quarterback Jordan Love and the offense awoke. Jayden Reed caught a deflected pass via teammate Romeo Doubs and suddenly the Packers owned a one-point lead.
Unfortunately, the Green Bay defense didn't hold up and the Broncos got a late field goal. Love threw for two scores but was picked off for the fourth straight game, this after totaling zero interceptions in his first two outings.
Kevin O'Connell's team was coming off its second win in three games when it hosted San Francisco on Monday night. Embattled quarterback Kirk Cousins threw an early interception but bounced back in a very big way. He connected on 35 of his 45 throws for 378 yards and two scores. Incredibly, the 12-year pro was not sacked.
Minnesota's much-maligned defense forced three turnovers. That was quite the story considering the Purple Gang came up with only six takeaways in their first six outings. The Vikings inched closer to the Lions in the NFC North.
The battered Rams hosted the well-rested Steelers on Sunday. Sean McVay's team had its way for the first three quarters. Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 231 yards and one score, but was sacked twice, picked off once and completed less than 50 percent of his passes (14-of-29). The Rams took a 17-10 lead into the fourth quarter.
Los Angeles' defense surrendered 190 total yards and two touchdowns in those final 15 minutes. The game ended on a controversial fourth-down spot. After a Week 1 win at Seattle, the Rams have lost four of their last six games.
Dennis Allen's team hosted the surging Jaguars on Thursday night. The Saints had some early opportunities thanks to a pair of Jacksonville turnovers but couldn't really capitalize on their fortunes. The team would fall behind, 24-9, in the third quarter after veteran quarterback Derek Carr, who threw for 301 yards, served up a pick-six.
Carr rallied his team and his 17-yard TD strike to Michael Thomas with 6:38 to play (and the PAT) knotted the game at 24-all. The Saints' defense was burned by Trevor Lawrence for a 44-yard score roughly three minutes later.
Last Sunday, the Colts once again fell short at Jacksonville. They hope to rebound at home against the improved Browns. Veteran Gardner Minshew once again got the nod at quarterback and he enjoyed his good and bad moments. He threw for 305 yards and two TDs and ran for two scores, but also committed four turnovers.
Indianapolis finished with 456 total yards, easily the most allowed by the heralded Cleveland defense in 2023. A year ago, the Colts led the NFL with 34 turnovers. This season, they have given up the ball 12 times in seven games.
Back-to-back victories over the Cardinals and Seahawks has Zac Taylor's talented team at the .500 mark following a 1-3 start. However, the Bengals remain in last place in the AFC North. The division-leading Ravens, along with the Steelers and Browns, have at least four wins. Like Taylor's club, those three are riding two-game winning streaks.
The team entered Week 7 with the NFL's bottom-ranked offense and ground attack. Cincinnati's defense has also struggled, ranking 27th vs. the run. So, can the reigning division champions build on their two consecutive wins?
From the disappointment of losing quarterback Aaron Rodgers four plays into the season, to last week's upset of the previously undefeated Philadelphia Eagles. It has been some kind of ride for Robert Saleh's resilient club. However, the Jets find themselves right in the middle of a muddled AFC East where no team has pulled away.
Zach Wilson has been awful at times but also came up big when it counted most in wins over the Broncos and Eagles. The team has struggled early in games and been outscored a combined 44-5 in the first quarter this year.
It was a short week for Brandon Staley's team after a Monday night loss to Dallas. A 2-3 start saw the club play five games that were all decided by seven points or less. That would not be the case on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Chargers' disappointing defense simply had no answers for Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was sacked just once. Staley's inconsistent team entered the game with the league's worst pass defense and that was certainly evident as the reigning NFL MVP threw for 424 yards and four touchdowns, albeit one interception.
The Steelers were back in action after a week off and in Los Angeles to face Sean McVay's Rams. Embattled coordinator Matt Canada's offense totaled just 110 yards in the first three quarters, and Mike Tomlin's team trailed 17-10 with 15 minutes to play. Pittsburgh rolled up 190 total yards and two touchdowns in the final quarter.
Tomlin's team got a generous spot on a fourth-down sneak by Kenny Pickett which enabled the Steelers to run out the clock. Despite the early struggles, the Steelers played turnover-free football. Pickett threw for 230 yards.
The Buccaneers failed to score a touchdown last Sunday in a frustrating loss home loss to the Lions. The team hosted the rival Falcons on Sunday. The team's offensive issues continued on Sunday. Todd Bowles' team would recover three fumbles by Atlanta quarterback Desmond Ridder and still managed to come up with only 13 points.
Of course, Bowles' club had two turnovers of its own, including a Baker Mayfield interception. More disappointing was the performance of the Bucs' defense, which allowed 401 total yards – including 156 yards on the ground
There was a lot of excitement with the hiring of former Texans' Pro Bowl linebacker DeMeco Ryans to be the franchise's newest head coach. Houston was busy in free agency. General manager Nick Caserio was aggressive and drafted quarterback C.J. Stroud and pass rusher Will Anderson with the second and third overall picks.
After a 0-2 start, the Texans have won three of their last four contests, including a 37-17 victory at Jacksonville. That means the team has already equaled their 2022 victory total. It's a team with a very promising future.
Winners of three straight games, Doug Pederson's club was in the Crescent City to take on the up-and-down New Orleans Saints. There were some early missteps by the first-place Jaguars but the club regrouped and took a 24-9 lead midway through the third quarter. Trevor Lawrence finished the game with 203 passing yards and one score.
That touchdown came with 3:08 to play, a 44-yard connection with wideout Christian Kirk. It came after the Saints staged a rally which saw the game tied at 24-all. Travis Etienne ran for two scores for the third consecutive game.
The Falcons were looking for their first win at Tampa since 2019 as Arthur Smith's club took on the first-place Buccaneers. The team once again struggled to find the end zone, but Atlanta's defense would be the big story as it made its share of key plays and overcame second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder's three lost fumbles.
With the scored tied at 13-all with less than a minute to play, Ridder found Kyle Pitts for a 39-yard gain, It helped set up Younghoe Koo's 51-yard field goal on the final play of the game as Smith's team stole a victory.
Last Sunday was a frustrating afternoon for the Seahawks as they moved the football against the Bengals but managed only 13 points. The team looked to get back on track when they hosted the Cardinals. Pete Carroll's team came up with a 10-point win, but it was a pretty sloppy effort as Seattle turned over the ball three times.
Second-year running back Kenneth Walker finished with 105 of the team's 115 rushing yards. More importantly, the rival San Francisco 49ers have lost two straight games and now have just as many losses as Carroll's club (2).
Including a playoff victory in 2021, the Bills were 6-1 in their last seven meetings with the Patriots as they took on Bill Belichick's club at Foxborough. However, the reigning AFC East champions dug themselves an early hole and played catch-up for most of the afternoon. In the end, Buffalo's disappointing defense couldn't close the door.
Sean McDermott's team never made quarterback Mac Jones uncomfortable. Buffalo sacked him only once and allowed him to hit on 25-of-30 throws for 272 yards and two TDs. The Bills' three losses equal their 2022 total.
The NFC North-leading Lions hit the road for the second consecutive week and took on the Ravens at Baltimore. A year ago, the Lions won eight of their final 10 games, but one of those losses was an ugly 37-23 setback at Carolina (Week 16) in which the defense allowed 570 total yards, including a disturbing 320 yards on the ground.
Sunday's loss at Baltimore was reminiscent of that performance. Dan Campbell's club wasn't very competitive in giving up 503 total yards, and the Ravens' touchdown drives covered 75, 68, 92, 80 and 94 yards, respectively.
The team was in Indianapolis hoping to avoid a letdown against the Colts. Deshaun Watson got the start but was sidelined late in the first quarter. P.J. Walker came up big when it counted most in the fourth quarter. He led the team on a 12-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a Kareem Hunt one-yard touchdown run with 15 seconds to play.
Talk about a performance? Defensive end Myles Garrett finished the game with nine tackles, a pair of sacks and two forced fumbles. He knocked down a pass and a blocked a field goal and the Browns need every bit of it.
Mike McCarthy's club has been somewhat of a mystery to date. The Cowboys have alternated wins and losses in their last five games. In four victories, the club has outscored the opposition by a comfortable 128-30 count. On the other hand, losses at Arizona (28-16) and at San Francisco (42-10) saw them downed by a 70-26 score.
Quarterback Dak Prescott has dealt with his share of criticism and some of it warranted. He's thrown just six TD passes compared to four interceptions, but three of those picks came in the Sunday night loss to the 49ers.
It was an interconference showdown in Philadelphia as the Dolphins and Eagles clashed in a battle of division leaders. A few weeks ago, Mike McDaniel's team was pushed around at Buffalo and hoped to make amends.
Miami's issues in the trenches remain an issue. The Dolphins totaled minus-7 yards rushing in the first half, albeit on four attempts, and finished the evening with a season-low 244 total yards while the offense scored just one touchdown. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 216 yards and one score but was sacked 10 times and picked off once.
The Niners saw their 15-game regular season winning streak end last week at Cleveland. Kyle Shanahan's team was at Minnesota on Monday night looking to bounce back. The San Francisco offense would be a bit shorthanded on Monday night. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel was out, however running back Christian McCaffrey was available.
It was the 49ers' heralded defense that laid an egg in the Twin Cities. It allowed a whopping 452 total yards in the five-point loss. Perhaps the biggest surprise was that Nick Bosa and company failed to sack Kirk Cousins.
John Harbaugh's team hosted the red-hot Detroit Lions. The Ravens' offense started hot and really never cooled off. It finished the game with a season-best 503 total yards. Lamar Jackson was sizzling. He wasn't sacked and did lose one fumble, but he hit on 21-of-27 throws for 357 yards and three TDs and also ran for one touchdown.
The Baltimore defense certainly did its share, sacking Lions' quarterback Jared Goff five times (2 by linebacker Kyle Van Noy), forcing him into two fumbles while picking him off once. The Ravens allowed just 84 yards rushing.
After stubbing its toes last week against the Jets, Nick Sirianni's team came up with a solid victory over a fellow division leader as the determined Eagles cooled off the highest-scoring team in the league. The Birds rebounded from their first loss of the season and limited the Dolphins' offensive unit to 244 total yards and one touchdown.
Jalen Hurts was far from perfect. He threw for 279 yards and two scores and ran for another. However, he also committed two more turnovers, giving him 10 for the season. That has to be an area of concern for Sirianni.
Andy Reid's team had not lost since Week 1. Off a Thursday night win over the Broncos, the Chiefs hosted the rival Chargers and looked to make it 13 straight wins vs. divisional rivals. The teams traded scores in the first half but it was all Kansas City after that. Patrick Mahomes threw for 424 yards and four scores (1 interception).
Travis Kelce caught 12 passes for 179 yards and one TD. However, the Chiefs' defense has been the team's most consistent entity, and the biggest reason Reid's team still owns the top spot in these NFL Power Rankings.