Welcome to the Monday edition of the Pick Six newsletter!
I’ll be honest, I didn’t think any of us were going to live long enough to see the Jaguars win another game, but I was wrong, because they actually won a game on Sunday. That team can’t win a game in this country, but if you ship them overseas, they turn into the 1985 Bears.
I’m glad the Jags finally got a win, because I was starting to feel like I was personally jinxing them. I’ve been writing this newsletter since Oct. 1, 2020 and in that time, the Jaguars didn’t win A SINGLE GAME.
Now that Jacksonville’s streak is over, we can start focusing our attention on the team that now has the longest losing streak in the NFL: The Detroit Lions. After becoming the NFL’s first 0-16 team in 2008, the Lions are more than one-third of the way to becoming the NFL’s first 0-17 team. Surprisingly, the Lions did not make our losers list for Week 6.
Alright, we’ve got a lot to cover today, so let’s get to the rundown.
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1. Today’s show: Week 6 winners and losers, plus full recap
It’s Monday, which can only mean one thing: I stayed up until 3 a.m. last night recording a podcast with Will Brinson and Ryan Wilson that touched on everything you need to know about Week 6, and let me just say, it’s probably for the best that you listen. We covered all 12 games from Sunday and even though 25% of those games went into overtime, I promise you the podcast did not go into OT.
One thing we do every week is hand out our weekly winners and losers from Sunday’s action. For our winners this week, Wilson took a team that hadn’t won in more than a year, Brinson took a team that suddenly looks like the best one in the AFC and I took a team that won a game without its head coach.
Ryan Wilson
- Winner: Jaguars. After going 399 days without winning a game, the Jaguars finally ended their 20-game losing streak, which was the second longest in NFL history. They’re also 1-0 in Europe, which makes them tied with the Falcons (also 1-0) for the title of Europe’s best NFL team.
- Loser: Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers won, but it was in spite of Ben Roethlisberger, who continues to play like someone who should have retired during the offseason. Wilson, who is our resident Steelers homer here at CBSSports.com, says it’s time for Pittsburgh to start someone else because the Steelers are figuratively and literally going backwards with Big Ben at QB.
Will Brinson
- Winner: Ravens. If there was one team that made a statement on Sunday, it was the Ravens. Baltimore humiliated the Chargers in a 34-6 win. The Ravens steamrolled them from start to finish in a game that was never in doubt.
- Loser: Panthers owner David Tepper. All Tepper wants is a franchise QB and it’s pretty clear he doesn’t have one. The Panthers’ current QB, Sam Darnold, had a mostly disastrous day in a 34-28 overtime loss to the Vikings. Darnold completed just 41.5% of his passes (17 of 41) in the loss. If you see Tepper on the phone this week, he’s probably calling the Texans about Deshaun Watson.
John Breech
- Winner: Cardinals. They traveled across the country in a game they had to play without their head coach and apparently, this team is so good that they can coach themselves, because they laid waste to the Browns in a 37-14 win. This now marks the third time in franchise history that the Cards have started 6-0.
- Loser: Bears fans. Not only did they have to watch their team lose, but if verbal contracts are binding in the state of Illinois, Aaron Rodgers now owns every Bears fan. I think he also technically owns Solider Field, that bean in Grant Park and the rights to Chicago style pizza.
Not only did we list our winners and losers, but we also recapped every game from Sunday. To listen to today’s episode — and to subscribe to the best daily NFL podcast out there — be sure to click here. You can also WATCH today’s episode on YouTube by clicking here.
2. Week 6 grades: Bengals get an ‘A+’ for embarrassing the Lions
Every week I team up with six of my colleagues here at CBSSports.com to hand out grades, and this week, the Bengals got an ‘A+’ for embarrassing the Lions.
Here’s a look at the grades from two notable games that were played Sunday:
Bengals 34-11 over Lions (Click here for full recap)
- Lions takeaway: For the first five weeks of the season, the Lions actually looked like a competitive football team, but this week, they did not. The Lions got embarrassed in every way an NFL team can be embarrassed: They couldn’t run the ball, they couldn’t pass the ball and they couldn’t stop anything the Bengals did. The Lions were so bad that Dan Campbell called out Jared Goff after the game. Goff is now 0-13 when playing for any coach besides Sean McVay. Grade: F
- Bengals takeaway: At the rate things are going, Ja’Marr Chase might have the Offensive Rookie of the Year award wrapped up before the end of October. The Bengals receiver had another huge game with four receptions for 97 yards, including a 53-yard catch. Joe Burrow had another efficient game, throwing for 271 yards and three touchdowns, including a 40-yard TD that came on fourth-and-1 in the third quarter. Although the Bengals’ offense was good, their defense was better. The Lions didn’t reach the red zone or score a single point until garbage time in the fourth quarter. Before that, it was total domination by a Bengals defense that limited Detroit to just 228 yards. This marks the first time since 2017 that the Bengals have held multiple opponents to under 230 yards in a season. Grade: A+
Rams 38-11 over Giants (Click here for full game stats)
- Rams takeaway: After six weeks, you’d think that opposing defenses would realize they need to cover Cooper Kupp, but it didn’t happen this week and once again, the Rams receiver went off. Kupp caught nine passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns, marking the fifth time this year he’s gone over 90 yards. As great as Kupp was, the Rams’ defense was even better. The unit forced four turnovers, including two interceptions by Taylor Rapp, and they also sacked Daniel Jones four times. Grade: A+
- Giants takeaway: If Daniel Jones has done one thing well in his career, it’s turning the ball over, which is something you actually don’t want to do well in the NFL. Jones has more turnovers than any other QB since 2019 and he added to that total with FOUR more against the Rams. Jones threw three interceptions and lost a fumble and the Rams took advantage of those turnovers by turning them into 21 points. Although it’s easy to blame Jones here, it was an embarrassing all-around effort from a Giants team that was never in this game after the first quarter. Grade: F
As for the other 20 grades we handed out on Sunday, you can check those out by clicking here.
3. Major injuries from Week 6: Dak Prescott and Baker Mayfield both get banged up
There were some big injuries from over the weekend and since it’s not easy to keep track of them all, I went ahead and rounded them up here.
Here’s a look at who went down and what they’re dealing with:
- Baker Mayfield dealing with a shoulder injury. The Browns QB was already dealing with a partially torn labrum and he added to his personal injury list on Sunday by separating his shoulder. Mayfield is undergoing an MRI today and you’ll want to keep your eye on that if you’re a Browns fan, because if that shows anything, the Browns starting QB might have to sit out this week since Cleveland plays on Thursday.
- Browns also dealing with injury to Kareem Hunt. The Browns were already down one running back on Sunday with Nick Chubb sitting out, and now, they’re down another one after Hunt was forced to leave the Cardinals game with a calf injury. Hunt is reportedly expected to miss several weeks and is likely headed to injured reserve, which means the Browns could be extremely short-handed Thursday against the Broncos.
- Dak Prescott admits he has an injury. The Cowboys QB had a boot on his leg in postgame on Sunday and that’s because he injured his calf on the game’s final play. Prescott is expected to undergo further testing today and no matter what that testing shows, there is some good news here for the Cowboys: They’re on a bye this week, so Prescott will have some extra time to heal.
- Ravens might have just lost another running back. After scoring a touchdown against the Chargers, Latavius Murray didn’t get to do much else against them and that’s because he went down with an ankle injury. Although it’s not believed to be severe, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Ravens hold him out this week against the Bengals so that he can rest it for two weeks (Baltimore has a bye following the Bengals game).
- Seahawks‘ Darrell Taylor taken to hospital. The Sunday night game was stopped for nearly 25 minutes after Taylor suffered what appeared to be an ugly injury against the Steelers. The Seahawks defensive end had to be immobilized before being placed on a cart. After being carted off the field, he was immediately taken to a Pittsburgh-area hospital. The good news here is that Taylor was able to fly home with the team, and also, his CT scans were “clear,” according to coach Pete Carroll.
4. Five crazy facts from Week 6
Every Sunday night, I get an email from our research department here at CBS Sports, and every Sunday, that email always includes some amazingly wild facts about the games that were just played.
With that in mind, here are five crazy facts about Week 6:
- Cowboys make history against Bill Belichick. The Cowboys piled up 567 yards of total offense on Sunday, which is notable, because it’s the most any team has ever gotten against a Belichick defense. This includes his time as both a head coach and defensive coordinator, which spans 619 career NFL regular season and playoff games. Dak Prescott’s 445 yards were also the most the Patriots have given up to a QB since Belichick became coach.
- Cardinals off to best start in 47 years. The Cardinals are 6-0, marking the third time in franchise history and first time since 1974 that they’ve started off a season with six straight wins. Of course, this year’s team probably doesn’t want to emulate that 1974 team. That season ended with the Cards going 4-4 down the stretch to finish 10-4. That team also lost its opening playoff game. The 1922 Cardinals, who played in Chicago, also started their season 6-0.
- Ja’Marr Chase off to historical start. With 97 yards on Sunday, Chase now has 553 for the season, which is the second most in NFL history for a receiver through the first six games of his career. The only receiver who had more was Anquan Boldin, who had 593 yards through six weeks in 2003.
- Jaguars finally kick a field goal. The Jaguars went through the first five weeks of the season without making a field goal, which was the longest streak in NFL history. However, that streak ended on Sunday in resounding fashion with Matthew Wright hitting three field goals, including a 53-yarder as time expired to give the Jags their first win. Wright also had a 53-yarder that looked like it was going to miss before curving in at the last second. You can see that crazy kick by clicking here.
- Free football is coming at a ridiculous pace. There were a total of three overtime games on Sunday, which means we’ve now had 11 for the season. That’s the second-highest total through six weeks since OT was implemented in 1974. The only season with a higher total was 1995, which saw 12 overtime games through the first six weeks.
At the rate things are going, I’m guessing we’re going to get nine more overtime games in Week 7.
5. Monday preview: Prepping you for Bills at Titans
The last time the Bills went to Nashville, they had to play on a Tuesday and we found out they’re not very good on Tuesdays, because they lost 42-16. That was last season. This year, the Bills get to play on a normal day and if they win, they’ll be tied with the Ravens for the best record in the AFC. On the other hand, if the Titans can pull off the upset, it will give them some breathing room in the AFC South as they’ll have a two-game lead over the Colts.
My good buddy Jared Dubin wrote our deep-dive preview for this game here at CBSSports.com, and here’s how he sees the game playing out:
- Why the Titans can win: This one is pretty simple: They have Derrick Henry. The Titans’ monstrous running back gives them a chance to win in every game they play in and that’s because if Henry gets going, the Titans offense is almost impossible to stop. Henry is averaging 145.5 yards per game over the past four weeks and if he gets anywhere near that number, the Titans will likely be in a good spot to pull off the upset.
- Why the Bills can win: Not only do the Bills have the highest scoring offense in football (34.4 points per game), but they’ve also given up the fewest points (12.8 points per game). Basically, when you’re playing that well on both sides of the ball, you can win any game you play in. The Bills are so good on both sides of the ball that they can still win a game even if one side has a slightly off night.
You can get a full preview of the game from Dubin by clicking here.
Dubin’s pick: Bills 34-20 over Titans.
My pick: Bills 37-30 over Titans.
If you’re thinking about betting on the game, Tyler Sullivan put together a full gambling preview.
- ONE PROP TYLER LIKES: Josh Allen OVER 31.5 rushing yards (-110): “Josh Allen has gone over this rushing yards number in four of his five games played this season, including a 59-yard rushing performance last week in Kansas City, so this would be a strong lean for this matchup.”
- ONE PROP I LIKE: Randy Bullock OVER 2.5 extra points made (+165): This prop offers a ton of value (To put the +165 in perspective, Bills kicker Tyler Bass is at -160 for the same prop. A $100 bet on Bullock would win $165 while a $100 bet on Bass would win just $62.50). Bullock has gone over 2.5 in two of his four games with Tennessee, plus I’m expecting this game to be a shootout where the Titans end up scoring at least three touchdowns.
- Long shot prop I’m thinking about betting: Bills To Win, Ryan Tannehill Over 299.5 Passing Yards and Josh Allen Over 299.5 Passing Yards (+1400). This is a long shot prop for a reason, but like I said, I’m fully expecting a shootout, so I feel like there’s at least a chance that both quarterbacks could hit 300 yards. If that happens combined with a Bills win, you’d profit $140 off of a $10 bet.
You can check out Sullivan’s full gambling preview by clicking here.
6. Rapid-fire roundup
It was a busy weekend in the NFL and since it’s nearly impossible to keep track of everything that happened, I went ahead and put together a roundup for you.
- Raiders working out settlement with Jon Gruden. According to NFL.com, the Raiders still owe Jon Gruden $40 million, but it’s highly unlikely he’s going to see all of that. The two sides are currently working on a settlement and if Gruden doesn’t like what he eventually gets, his only option is to file a grievance with the commissioner, who may not be on his side after what was said in Gruden’s leaked emails.
- Lane Johnson is finally returning to the Eagles. After missing three games, the Eagles will finally be getting their starting tackle back. Johnson released a statement on Twitter revealing that he had been dealing with some mental issues, including stress and anxiety.
- Cam Newton is vaccinated, wants to play. The free agent QB announced that he’s now vaccinated in a YouTube video that he released over the weekend. If you’re not vaccinated, you have to go through a five-day waiting period before joining a team after they sign you, so there’s definitely an advantage to getting the shot if you’re a free agent. In the video, Newton said that “hell yea,” he still wants to play and that he’s going to look for a team that has the right situation.
- Russell Wilson officially placed on IR. The Seahawks waited until the last possible second to make this move, but they did finally make it, which means Wilson will have to miss at least three games. The clock started ticking on Sunday night against the Steelers, which means he now only has to miss two more games before he’ll be eligible to return.
- Christian McCaffrey surprisingly placed on IR. At certain points last week, it looked like McCaffrey might be able to play in Week 6 — he even practiced on Wednesday — but then the Panthers pulled a surprising move by placing him on IR. The decision means that McCaffrey will have to miss two more games after sitting out the Vikings game on Sunday.
- David Baker retires as Hall of Fame president. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is going to have a new president in the near future and that’s because Baker has decided to retire after seven years on the job. You’ve probably seen Baker at least once and that’s because one of the most notable aspects of his job is that he gets to knock on the door and let each Hall of Famer know that they’ve been selected to the Hall (You can see his video with Peyton Manning by clicking here).
