TOP TWO TEAMS
NFL Week 6 in review — and a sneak peek at Week 7
The Cardinals and Ravens are rolling, but the Lions and Texans aren't even worth trolling.
October 19, 2021 at 4:42PM
1. Cardinals (6-0)
His coach and play-caller sidelined by COVID-19, all Kyler Murray did was throw four touchdowns in a rout in Cleveland. In his past three games, he has no interceptions and passer ratings of 120.3, 104.1 and 129.0 in wins over the Rams, 49ers and Browns.
1. Ravens (5-1)
Just when you think it's time to worry about Baltimore's defense, it goes to Los Angeles, stonewalls the ascending Chargers and makes Justin Herbert post the second-worst passer rating (67.8) of his brilliant young career.
BOTTOM TWO TEAMS
16. Lions (0-6)
A 34-11 home loss to Cincinnati was Detroit's first 60-minute no-show of the Dan Campbell era.
16. Texans (1-5)
A four-touchdown loss to a one-win Colts team dropped pitiful Houston to a league-worst minus-80 point differential.
WHERE ARE THE VIKINGS?
No. 16. Don't look now, Zimmer-Haters, but your squad currently holds the NFC's seventh playoff spot. Last week: 22.
TRENDING UP
Dallas. The Cowboys (5-1), winners of five straight, have intercepted 11 passes, seven by Trevon Diggs. They had 10 picks all of last season.
TRENDING DOWN
Carolina. Can a guy win MVP based on how his team has unraveled in his absence? The Panthers were 3-0 with Christian McCaffrey. They're 0-3 without him.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dak Prescott. The Cowboys QB threw for 445 yards, the most ever against a Bill Belichick defense. He also dropped Billy's record to 109-4 when leading at halftime at home.
RANKING NFC'S MVP CANDIDATES
The NFC is wide open with five teams with fewer than two losses. Considering the MVP race is really a MVQB race, let's rank the five quarterbacks as top contenders:
1. Murray
2. Prescott
3. Matthew Stafford
4. Tom Brady
5. Aaron Rodgers
If the Vikings can keep winning – a big if given their schedule — Kirk Cousins will no doubt enter the discussion.
WEEK 7 PREVIEW
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff. It's only fitting Stafford can/will surpass his 2020 win total and post the best seven-game start of his 13-year career when his current team, the Rams (5-1), host his former team, winless Detroit. Standing partly in his way, of course, is former Rams and current Lions QB Goff.
STAT TO WATCH
1-0. The record Raiders interim coach Rich Bisaccia takes into his first home game since replacing Jon Gruden. With offensive coordinator Greg Olson taking over Gruden's play-calling duties, Derek Carr posted his fourth 300-yard passing game in six weeks. The last Raider to do that was Rich Gannon in 2002 when he won league MVP. Next up for 4-2 Vegas: Philly's No. 5-ranked pass defense.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Bengals (4-2) at Ravens (5-1). The Bengals have arrived. And the Ravens haven't left. First place in the AFC North is on the line.
LOCK OF THE WEEK
Rams (-15 ½) over Lions. Give the points, relax and enjoy the fact there is no way an emotionally beat-down Detroit gets within two scores of the Rams on the road. Season Lock record: 4-1 straight up, 3-2 vs the spread. Last week: Rams (-10½) over Giants.
EARLY UPSET SPECIAL
Giants (+3) vs. Panthers. The Giants are bad, but Sam Darnold will prove to be worse in a fourth consecutive loss. Season Early Upset Special record: 5-1. Last week: Vikings (+1 ½ when pick was made) over Panthers.
TURNAROUND IN TENNESSEE FOR MAHOMES?
The Chiefs have a league-high 14 giveaways. They had 16 in all of 2020. Patrick Mahomes has thrown eight interceptions, already two more than last season. Fortunately, K.C. heads to Tennessee to face one of the least opportunistic defenses in the league.
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
