What would it take for the Cleveland Browns to bench quarterback Deshaun Watson? This is the most important topic about a team in crisis that has to face… The Philadelphia Eagles need their own victory after the bye.
Jayden Daniels has taken the league by storm so far in 2024. But has he seen a test like the road game in Baltimore? What about the league's scrapiest teams and toughest outings, like the Arizona Cardinals or the Denver Broncos? Is the postseason a realistic goal?
And how will the rest of the season go for the New York Jets with interim coach Jeff Ulbrich taking over for the fired Robert Saleh?
Our NFL writers Mike Sando, Zak Keefer and Jeff Howe discuss Week 6 and more.
Cleveland will travel to Philadelphia on Sunday. The Browns are a disaster. Would you sit on the bench? Deshaun Watson now? The Eagles do not achieve satisfactory results. What is Philadelphia's most pressing problem?
Keefer: It's a mess of the Browns' own making and one that has no easy answer due to the massive guaranteed money Watson still owes ($46 million each next season). While the QB isn't the only problem amid Cleveland's disappointing 1-4 start, it is the biggest one: Watson is averaging just 4.8 yards per attempt, which is the worst in the league, and has failed to rush for 30 yards or more all season. He's not even close to the player he was in Houston. At the risk of losing the locker room, the Browns must play him in the hope that he will get through his slump. The Eagles had higher hopes when they said goodbye. Jalen hurts is starting to play better: since the beginning of last season, he has thrown the ball 22 times, which is the second most in the NFL.
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The Browns say they don't need major changes, but are they on the cusp of making changes?
Shirt: I would go with Watson over Jameis Winston and then see what happens. If Winston falters, the Browns could go back to Watson. The Browns may be worried about what happens at the end of the season. In the meantime, their priority is to win. It's hard to say you're doing that when Watson remains in the lineup.
How: If the Browns believe Watson needs time on the field to rediscover the production we haven't seen since 2020, that would be the only credible argument for keeping him as the starter. Plus, the offense looked better at times in the summer when Winston was on the field. While the Browns don't appear to be nearly the same team as the previous version that made the playoffs – which is also noteworthy, the defense has gotten much worse – but they are more talented than the 1-4. With better play from the quarterback, they should already have three wins. They're in a dangerous spot with a team that's not living up to expectations and the most important player on the roster falling well below expectations, so the Browns need a shake-up for Winston.
The Jayden Daniels Show heads to Baltimore this week for the rookie QB's biggest test yet as a pro. What are your expectations for Daniels on Sunday?
Keefer: Daniels has been outstanding so far, but Sunday will be the rookie's toughest test as a pro, even against a Baltimore defense that just allowed 38 to Joe Burrow and the Bengals. Kliff Kingsbury has done a fantastic job of simplifying the scheme to accommodate Daniels' strengths while not requiring him to carry too much of the load in the passing game. This allows Commander to run (second best in the NFL) to balance the offense, and Daniels is good enough to take the occasional deep shot when the defense is too focused on the run. Baltimore obviously does football better than anyone else. In fact, Sunday's game will be the first between two teams to average at least 175 rushing yards in Week 6 or later in 46 years. Look for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens won their fourth straight game.
Shirt: I expect more good things from Daniels unless Baltimore gets out to an early lead and makes Washington one-dimensional. We've seen the Ravens do this many times, and it's happened to them at times this season as well. Overall, their defense wasn't what it used to be, so the chances of Daniels having a good game are high.
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Commanders-Ravens isn't a rivalry, but Jayden Daniels and Lamar Jackson can change that
How: The Ravens defense has been below average over the past five games. And compared to the Ravens' standard, “below average” can often be translated as “bad.” It's clear why they're bringing back Dean Pees. Either way, I think there's reason to believe Daniels can keep it up. I would like to see him play effectively and continue to play in the games that lie ahead of him. Rookie QBs who make smart plays are already well ahead of the game and only make timely throws from there. Don't worry about playing for fun with Jackson. I'm not sure if Commanders are ready to win a game like this yet, but I can't wait to see how they perform.
The Broncos (at Chargers) and Cardinals (at Packers) are coming off nice wins in week five. Cheeky spoilers, could they sneak into the playoff hunt?
Keefer: It's way too early to look at the playoff seedings, but I did it anyway: Right now, the Broncos are in sixth place in the AFC playoffs. Part of that is some disappointing teams below Denver (JacksonvilleCincinnati, Jets). But it's not much of a stretch to imagine the Broncos being in the mix as we enter December. Over the next eight games, they will see just three playoff games from a year ago, and one of those teams is the Browns, who, as mentioned above, are a dumpster fire. I like the Broncos' chances much better than the Cardinals' chances in one of the toughest divisions in football, even though the NFC West doesn't look as formidable as it has in years past.
Shirt: I view these teams more as scrappy spoilers than playoff contenders, but when you look at the state of the AFC in particular, and then consider that the playoff field has increased from six to seven, there's an opening for the Broncos. Can Jet Dolphins, Jaguars and/or Bengals close this opening? Probably. The Cardinals' overall depth will likely hold them back.
Can quarterback Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals find a path to the playoffs this season? (Darren Yamashita/Imagn Images)
How: I think the Cardinals are good enough to sneak into the playoffs, which helps their cause since the NFC West is so badly injured across the board. However, they will need to find a way to steal some wins because the NFC North is so good and the South and East are deeper than probably expected. I look at the Broncos as more of a spoiler because their offense has been far too inconsistent. But if Nix continues to improve, this defense could carry them. This weekend could tell their story. If they can beat the Chargers, the Broncos can continue to build confidence over the next two weeks against the Liverpool Saints and Panthers before stretching the measuring stick against the Ravens, Chiefs and Falcons.
How concerned should the Bengals be at 1-4 and playing on the road in prime time against another surprisingly feisty team in the league, the Giants?
Keefer: Joe Burrow is right – this is not a championship team. Not when they blow away games like they did on Sunday against the Ravens, which could have determined the course of their season. The problem isn't Burrow and the offense, outside of Zac Taylor's questionable decision-making late in games, but the defense, which has regressed significantly since the team's Super Bowl run in the 2021 postseason. So far, Burrow is in the top five in EPA ratings in terms of the number of returns and passers-by; The Bengals defense ranks 30th in EPA per game, 30th in points allowed and 31st in sacks and pressures. Cancy should be worried now, but Sunday's loss to the Giants? That would be unforgivable.
Shirt: The Bengals should be very worried about any opponent as their defense has been very poor. However, I think they will do better when faced with less dynamic attacks. Cincinnati should be able to outperform the Giants even Daniel Jones has been playing better lately.
How: On the plus side, Joe Burrow is playing as well as almost anyone, and the Bengals could certainly rattle off four straight wins against the Giants, Browns, Eagles and Raiders to get to 5-4 before a rematch with Baltimore. The downside is that they just lost another game and the defense secured the second-most points in the league. Getting out of a 1-4 hole will be impossible if the defense doesn't get its act together. However, they have a favorable timeline for the last three months to make this happen. And if they make the playoffs by winning nine or 10 of their last dozen games, no one will want to watch them in January.
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Bills-Jets is set for “Monday Night Football.” What can we expect from the Jets under Jeff Ulbrich? Are the bills insulting and do I really just need another receiver or is coaching the biggest problem in Buffalo?
Keefer: No team loves drama more than the Jets, and I expect them to play well on Monday night against the Bills with first place in the AFC East at stake. Ulbrich will prepare his players, keeping in mind that this is his 12-game audition for the head coaching position. The problem is that firing Robert Saleh does not solve the offensive problems resulting from the poor work of coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and the poor performance of Aaron Rodgers at the beginning of the season. As for the Bills, the offense needs to get the game back on track; it's easy to say how much more dangerous Josh Allen is when the rushing attack causes the defense to crowd the line of scrimmage. When did Buffalo start the game with a 3-0 record? James Cook was rolling, Allen's passer rating was 133.7. Since then, his passer rating has dropped to 65 following two losses.
Shirt: There was a good chance the Jets would beat the Bills on their home field, with or without a coaching change. Regardless of the changes, the Jets' current season remains a season of attrition. This team should improve significantly offensively in the second half of the season as opponents' defensive schedules deteriorate. The challenge remains keeping Aaron Rodgers around long enough to maximize that opportunity. In the short term, Ulbrich's challenge will be making sure the Jets' in-game processes are working properly. How do you plan on navigating conversations on your headphones? How will his situational strategies work? This is a difficult position for him, especially when he has defensive duties and checks.
How: The Jets have had Allen's number in the last two meetings at the Meadowlands, winning both times, with the QB throwing five interceptions. So there's certainly a chance for a strong start to the Ulbrich era if the Jets can divert attention away from Saleh's barrage. However, unless there is some radical change in offensive philosophy or Rodgers turns the clock back half a decade, I'm not sure this is a team that will make the playoffs. The Bills have pieces, but they had no chance against the Ravens and made far too many mistakes to secure a comeback win in Houston against a quality opponent. Perhaps mistakes such as dropped passes can be explained by a lack of talent in the required positions. But considering how explosive they've looked over the past three weeks, I'm not ready to write this unit off after a bad few days.
(Top photo of Jayden Daniels: Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
