WEEK 6-NFL WRAP-UP

Indianapolis and Tennessee play  tonight in a boring Monday Night Football contest, and Seattle, Dallas, Buffalo and Cincinnati had byes this week, but here is the NFL wrap-up for Week 6. Upsets still abound in this wacky season...

* Eagles over Panthers

The Birds started off Week 6 by upsetting the Panthers in Carolina on Thursday night. The Eagles put themselves into another class with their win, setting themselves up to be one of the best teams in the NFC, if not the entire NFL. Carolina is still good but proved themselves to be beatable, even at home. They have no running game, and QB Cam Newton isn't that good.

The Eagles play next Monday night at the Linc against division rival Washington. Coming off a nice rest, Philadelphia can really take total control of NFC East by beating the 'Skins, the Birds sweeping Washington and going 3-0 inside their own division.  The Panthers go to Chicago in what is suddenly not a gimme game. Still, with Atlanta losing yesterday, along with Tampa Bay, the NFC South is up for grabs, with New Orleans suddenly in contention.

* Giants over Broncos-

This game knocked me out of the Last Fan Standing pool. The Giants had everything against them: they were 0-5, going into Denver, which hardly ever loses at home. New York had not won in Denver since 1989. The G-men were without Odell Beckham Jr. and two other receivers who played a lot. They had injuries on both offense and defense. Their coach suddenly gave up play-calling duties  to an assistant. Yikes.

However, the giants came out strong and didn't let up all night, forcing turnovers and taking the crowd out of the game. They played great defense and Eli Manning did just enough to win.They reshuffled their offensive line and it had positive effects.

Most of all, denser sucked. They totaled looked like they had taken the Giants for granted. Denver was full of themselves coming off a bye. Instead of appearing rested they looked out of sync.

I wasn't impressed with the Broncos at all. If they come to Philly in a few weeks and play like that, they will get their asses kicked all the way back to the Rocky Mountains.

 Denver had so much going for them, even knowing that division-rival Kansas City lost earlier in the day. The coach (who sounded like a goofball) said a halftime that he thought the Broncs were "right where we want to be" (14 points behind?). What world is he living in?

The Giants return to the Meadowlands next week to take on Seattle. The Seahawks need to make the long flight across country and play in the Eastern time zone, not an easy task.Seattle had a week off to rest.

The Giants have buried themselves, but a win at home against the Seahawks may give New York a little more life.

* Redskins over 49'ers-

Closer than expected. San Francisco hates playing in the Eastern time zone, but only lost by 2 points to a Washington club that also seemed to be on cruise control. The Niners fall to 0-6, one of two winless teams in the nFL ( along with the awful Browns). Lets hope San Fran beats the Cowboys next week at home before crossing the county yet again to take on the Eagles in Philly

.The 'Skins have an almost must-win game with the Birds next Monday night. They don't want to  be swept by the Eagles and lose another NFC east game.

* Dolphins over Falcons-

How do es Atlanta blow a 17 point lead at home agains t an average Miami team? How does a Super Bowl team lose two consecutive games at home against average competition?The Falcons were coming off a bye and still worn down in the second half.

Can't put my finger on it, but Atlanta may be good this year, win the NFC South and make another playoff run. But will they win the Super Bowl, let alone get back there again? I don't think so. ( and I said that before the season began).

Forget about choking last February in the Super Bowl. This Falcons team aren't winners.

The Dolphins get an unexpected win and hang in there in the wacky AFC East. They made a late run last year, but I still don't trust Miami.

Atlanta goes to New England for a Super Bowl rematch next Sunday night.The Patriots are shaky this year, but I can't see them losing another home game. But I also can't imagine the Falcons losing three in a row.

Miami goes home to play the upstart Jets in a key division game.

* Vikings over Packers-

The story of this game was the Aaron Rodgers injury. He fractured his collarbone and is out for the season. But even with Rodgers the Pack won, but not easily, barely beating Cincinnati in Green Bay in overtime, and squeaking by Dallas.

By the way, Rodgers was bitching about the hit laid on him. It looked like a clean hit to me. Rodgers is an arrogant prima dona. If you read my blog, in my football preview before the season began, I predicted an injury for Rodgers and wrote that I didn't like Green Bay this year.

Anyway, the Pack will have a challenge on their hands with Brett Hundley at quarterback. They may have a good team overall, but Hundley ain't no Rodgers.

Minnesota won an important division game at home. But Sam Bradford is out, and may be gone for the res tof the season, let alone his career. There's talk that also injured QB Teddy Bridgewater is going to try and practice this week, with hopes of an earlier-than-expected comeback.

Life after Rodgers begins in Green Bay next weekend against hot New Orleans. Nothing is assured now, not even a home game at Lambeau Field.

The Vikes stay home vs a really confusing Baltimore team..

* Rans over Jaguars-

LA came east and beat Jacksonville, the Rams going to 4-2 on the year. Are they real? They should've beaten Seattle last week and continue to play well with a fast, young squad. The Jags are such a schizo team, beating the Steelers in Pittsburgh and the Ravens in London, yet dropping a home game against the Rams.

Jacksonville had big pockets of empty seats in their stadium. no wonder they escape to England every year. The Jags also have a young team with a good defense, but without a stud quarterback they are stuck in neutral.

The Rams go back to Los Angeles to face their NFC West rivals Arizona, while the Jags travel to Indianapolis to take on the Colts in an AFC South battle.

* Chargers over Raiders-

The Chargers won their second game of the season in an ugly 17-16 win in Oakland. They aren't going anywhere. Meanwhile, the Raiders lost their fourth game in a row. QB Darrick Carr is back, but is he fully recovered from a broken bone in his back?

That Christmas night game in Philly may not matter if the Raiders keep playing bad. They stay in Oakland for a big Thursday night showdown with Kansas City. If the Raiders hope to stay in AFC West contention they need to beat the Chiefs. LA  goes home to take on Denver.

* Bears over Ravens-

The Bears have some quality wins so far this season, beating the Steels at Soldier Field and yesterday in Baltimore.With their rookie QB, they have life in the chaotic NFC North. Baltimore continues to astound, losing at home to Pittsburgh, Chicago and getting blitzed in London by Jacksonville .I've heard there are locker room problems in Baltimore. Something is wrong. QB Joe Flacco doesn't look like himself.

The Bears take on Carolina in Chicago next Sunday. Baltimore goes to Minnesota to continue their puzzling season. AFC North is up for grabs. Not too late for the Ravens to get it together and take charge.

* Texans over Browns-

Houston romped over the hapless Browns, with QB Deshaun Watson having another big day. The Texans will miss J.J. watt, but they are young and talented. In the mediocre AFC South thye are average at 3-3- as is everyone else.

Cleveland is a mess. How did they feel, facing Watson, whom they passed on last spring in the draft? They passed on Carson Wentz in 2015. No wonder they have only won one game in two seasons. Play against Cleveland and you have a good chance of surviving your suicide pool or making money on your pool.

Cleveland has two home games coming up, against Tennessee and Minnesota, but will it matter?

Houston has a bye week before going to Seattle.

* Saints over Lions-

New Orleans is a hot team. They beat Detroit yesterday, 52-38. QB Drew Brees  is playing well. In the jumbled NFC South, with Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Carolina stumbling, the Saints are suddenly in the picture.

The Lions are proving to be flashes in the pan, losing big in New Orleans. Still, with the Rodgers injury, anything goes in NFC North, so I think the Lions will contend for the division. If they make the playoffs, they won't go far, especially if they are playing outdoors.

The Saints go to Green Bay ia suddenly different- and winnable game- against the Pack.

* Patriots over Jets-

Due to a conversational call at the goal line  the Jets were cheated out of a touchdown yesterday agains the Patriots, but that didn't cost the New Yorkers this game. They couldn't stop Tom Brady in the waning seconds of the fist half. The Jets had a 14 point cushion in the first quarter and blew it.

New York has a better team than expected in AFC East.. I don't buy it, not with Josh McNown quarterbacking.

New England won, but once again, looked shaky in doing so. Are the Pats just not as good a previous years? Are they too full of themselves after winning the championship again? Or are teams getting up to play the defending champs, making life harder for Brady & crew?

The Jets travel to Miami for a surprisingly important AFC East game, while New England finally goes home to take on Atlanta Sunday night, in a big Super Bowl rematch.

* Cardinals over Buccaneers-

Arizona got RB Adrian Peterson from New Orleans recently, and Peterman immediately pays off dividents by scoring two TDs in a win over Tampa Bay on Sunday. After seeing the Cardinals last week in Philly, I still don't like their team, but Peterson will help, as the NFC West is wide open.

Meanwhile, the Bucs, a trendy pick before the season, continue to be hot and cold.They lose QB Winston to an injury- MRI schedule today on his shoulder.

The Cards have a key game against the surprising Rams in LA on Sunday, while the Bucs stay on the road and go to Buffalo. to play the Bills. Tampa Bay in chilly Buffalo? Usually a bad mix, but right now it's suppsoed to be mild this weekend in upstate New York. Imagine if Tampa Bay had to travel to Buffalo in December?

* Steelers over Chiefs-

Pittsburgh beat KC twice last year, including a playoff win, so they turn around and hand Kansas City their first loss in 2018,a defeat at Arrowhead Stadium no less. Some teams just match-up better than others. Add in the fact that Coach Andy Reid goes brain-dead sometimes, and the Steels love playing the Chiefs.

KC lost their first game but with the Raiders and Broncos losing as well, they stay ahead in AFC West. I don't see anyone challenging them in the division. The playoffs are another matter.

Pittsburgh has a NFC North division game against Cincinnati on tap at home, while KC plays Thursday night- a short turnaround after a home loss- to play Oakland. Not a good scenario for the Chiefs, although visiting teams have won 5 of 6 games in 2018 on Thursday nights.