It seems like something interesting always happens in the National Football League and Week 6 was no exception. For the first time in five years, fans witnessed the New England Patriots take control of the AFC East, while two potential Super Bowl-winning teams lost. In this week’s edition of Tyler’s Take, I unravel the unexpected events that happened from Week 6 of the NFL.
New York Giants (2-4), Surprise:
The Giants defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 34-17 after holding them scoreless in the second half.
The difference maker came defensively, as the Giants consistently pressured quarterback Jalen Hurts. With nearly 11 and a half minutes remaining in the game, cornerback Cor’Dale Flott picked off Hurts at the Giants’ 9-yard line and returned it for 68 yards. With possession at the Eagles’ 23-yard line, the franchise extended their lead 34-17.
In the Eagles’ final offensive possession of the match, safety Dane Belton punched the ball out of running back AJ Dillon’s hands, with cornerback Dru Phillips recovering it. Even with seven minutes left in the contest, the Eagles never saw the ball again.
Linebacker Brian Burns devoured the NFC East rival’s offensive line, as he was responsible for two of the three sacks on Hurts for a loss of 17 yards.
In the wideout room, the squad held A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith to a combined total of 129 yards. With less than two minutes left in the first quarter, tight end Dallas Goedert crossed the goal line after catching a 3-yard pass.
When it comes to the Giants’ offensive production, rookie running back Cam Skattebo stole the show. The former Arizona Sun Devil ended the day rushing 98 yards for three of the team’s five endzone appearances.
With wide receiver Malik Nabers out for the year, Wan’Dale Robinson and Lil’Jordan Humphrey excelled. The duo collectively gained 139 receiving yards, with Robinson hauling in a 35-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
In the pocket, Quarterback Jaxson Dart completed 17 of 25 (68%) throws for 195 yards and a touchdown.
The Giants travel to clash with the Denver Broncos on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. on CBS.
Buffalo Bills (4-2), Underperformed:
The Bills fell into the losing column for the second straight week after the Atlanta Falcons stunned them 24-14 on Monday.
The Bills struggled defensively all match, as running back Bijan Robinson fueled the Falcons’ offense by rushing 170 yards and scoring six points.
Alongside the former Texas Longhorn, the team conceded 158 yards to receiver Drake London.
Offensively for the Bills, quarterback Josh Allen connected on 15 of 26 (57.7%) passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Things took a turn for the worse as the reigning MVP threw two interceptions that concluded the first and second halves. Additionally, the Falcons’ defense sacked Allen four times for a loss of 23 yards.
In the backfield, the franchise faced challenges to get anything going. Running back James Cook carried the ball 17 times for 87 yards. In total, the Bills entered the Falcons’ red zone just three times.
The Bills take Sunday off, as they head into bye week.
Arizona Cardinals (2-4), Surprise:
In Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans, starting quarterback Kyler Murray suffered a foot injury. This resulted in the team sidelining Murray for Week 6 versus the Indianapolis Colts and giving the job to second-string quarterback Jacoby Brissett.
With limited weapons, the veteran nearly toppled the Colts.
The Cardinals lost 31-27, but Brissett showcased an impressive fight. The 32-year-old completed 27 of 44 (61.4%) passes for 320 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
In the second quarter, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. exited the clash early after sustaining a concussion. Wideout Zay Jones and tight end Trey McBride filled the shoes of Harrison Jr. and together racked up 151 yards. To start the third quarter, on the Colts’ 1-yard line, McBride visited the end zone to hand the Cardinals a 17-14 lead.
Over the past weeks, issues began sprouting in the run game as injuries and self-inflicted wounds hurt the squad. However, running back Bam Knight fixed the problem as he plowed through for 34 yards and crossed the goal line.
Currently, Brissett is expected to start against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. Fans can tune into the matchup on Fox.
New York Jets (0-6), Underperformed:
The Jets fell 13-11 to the Broncos on Sunday. This marks as the third season the franchise has started 0-6, with the first two occurring in the 1996 and 2020 campaigns. The last time an NFL team posted a 0-6 record was in 2021, which was owned by the Detroit Lions.
The Broncos’ defense refrained the Jets from finding the end zone all contest.
Quarterback Justin Fields registered nine of 17 (52.9%) throws for just 45 yards. By the end of the meeting, the Broncos sacked Fields nine times for a loss of 55 yards. With that in mind, the Jets totaled -10 passing yards.
The squad struggled to gain a first down, as they moved the chains for the first time with a minute remaining before halftime.
In the backfield, running back Breece Hall could not get the wheels going. The 24-year-old rushed 59 yards within 22 attempts. In the receiver room, Josh Reynolds, who accumulated 25 yards, was the only player on the Jets to reach 20-plus receiving yards.
The team’s defense gave the offense several opportunities as they forced seven punts, a fumble and a safety.
The Jets travel to take on the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at 1 p.m. on Fox.