NFL Sorting the Sunday Pile, Week 6: Joe Burrow-led Bengals fully back; no more undefeated teams remain

Confession? I shouldn’t have a freaking clue how Joe Burrow’s calf magically healed over the remaining two weeks. And I used to be indubitably involved Burrow may have compelled issues towards the Cardinals remaining week in a “must win” spot and, very similar to the fallout from his efficiency towards the Rams, we may see a bit damage regression towards Seattle in Week 6. That wasn’t the case in any respect, with Burrow taking a look downright spry now and then, together with a virtually stunning scramble round with a number of Seahawks defenders chasing him. 

The field rating does not scream “explosive offense” — Cincy received a grinder 17-13 — however Burrow used to be environment friendly, appeared wholesome and, most significantly, the Bengals moved to 3-3 as they head right into a much-needed bye week. 

Burrow mentioned previous this week he felt “close to 100 percent” again from the calf damage and, somewhat frankly, I did not imagine him. Did this dude fly to Germany midweek to get some kind of Kobe Bryant knee treatment on his calf? The NFL on CBS group handed alongside Burrow’s rationalization: leisure, higher nutrition, hydration and regimen, mainly. 

Whatever came about, it is operating. Burrow suffered the damage in coaching camp on July 27 — it is been not up to 3 months since the preliminary damage, but it surely seems like an eternity since the ones steamy summer time days — ahead of tweaking his injured calf in a Week 2 loss to the Ravens. Things were given so darkish some lunatic fringe Bengals lovers urged throwing Burrow on injured reserve to “save the season.”

Instead, Burrow labored via it and did simply that with out lacking any time. Getting to .500 is not the Bengals function. They wish to win the Super Bowl. But at more than a few issues already on this younger season it felt like a conceivable misplaced 12 months for Burrow and Co. Instead, they are heading right into a Week 7 bye figuring out Burrow will handiest get more healthy over the subsequent two weeks with huge matchups towards the 49ers and Bills looming right away after the ruin. 

Ja’Marr Chase did not apply up his Week 5 explosion with a repeat efficiency, however he did end with six catches (on 13 objectives) for 80 yards. Tyler Boyd stepped up with Tee Higgins harm and the Bengals controlled to transport the ball lovely successfully with none semblance of a run recreation. 

Burrow is also beginning to push the ball downfield a more successfully, despite the fact that his Next Gen Stats passing chart from this week used to be rather less vertical than remaining week’s breakout recreation. 

Still, the taste of offense is so much much less relating to to me than Burrow passing the eye check from a motion viewpoint. He used to be utterly hobbled in the pocket from Week 2 via Week 4. Scrambling wasn’t even an possibility. The remaining two weeks he is been a distinct participant, motion smart. 

There is not anything simple about the Cincy time table popping out of the ruin: They head to San Francisco in Week 8, get the Bills at house after that after which the Texans, Ravens, Steelers and Jaguars are on deck after that. Every unmarried a kind of teams is a playoff contender. But the Bengals with a wholesome Burrow can run as sizzling as any crew in the league and with a morbid sense of dread now changed with renewed optimism, Bengals lovers must pass into each and every unmarried recreation the remainder of the season believing they may be able to win.

Adios, Undefeateds

And similar to that … there have been none. The 1972 Dolphins, the handiest crew to ever pass undefeated, can pop the champagne, and they are most certainly somewhat shocked they were given the probability, taking into consideration the 49ers and Eagles each misplaced to backup quarterbacks in Week 6.

That’s the fashionable NFL. Parity reigns splendid and on any given Sunday, Zach Wilson can take down Jalen Hurts regardless of his protection lacking its most sensible two cornerbacks (Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed have been each out) and P.J. Walker can hand Brock Purdy the first lack of his profession. 

Reading an excessive amount of into the precise losses is most certainly just a little foolish, but if speaking about the Eagles and 49ers, now we have all season wondered the Eagles offense just a little and identified accidents are the Niners’ largest worry. Well, bet what … 

Philly did not rating a unmarried level on its ultimate seven possessions and nary a dent on the scoreboard in the 2d part. Jalen Hurts threw 3 interceptions, despite the fact that a minimum of one used to be fluky unhealthy good fortune. It used to be a disastrous just about a extremely popular get started for the Philly passing assault — DeVonta Smith had a horrific drop that can have been a protracted landing as smartly. The tempo and manufacturing shifts in Philly and Indianapolis with Shane Steichen’s transfer indubitably beg further questions on the constant viability of the Eagles offense. They’ll be wonderful, however that used to be tough taking into consideration the accidents the Jets have been scuffling with on the again finish of the protection.

The 49ers problems were not in point of fact with the offense, in line with se, however more about going towards a stout Cleveland protection in some reasonably gnarly climate and … everybody getting harm. Deebo Samuel left the recreation, Christian McCaffrey left the recreation, it felt like all linemen have been on the floor all through the recreation. San Francisco’s run recreation by no means were given going, Brock Purdy completed simply 12 for 27 and the Browns mainly performed keepaway, attempted to stay the recreation shut with Walker operating the offense and scouse borrow a win. 

Rookie kicker Jake Moody had to convert a brief box function to win the recreation at the finish, however driven it proper. If you instructed Kyle Shanahan everybody used to be going to be wonderful for the lengthy haul health-wise he’d most certainly simply take the L and transfer on. This crew is ok, so long as it is wholesome. 

Detroit Rock City

Heading out on the street as a three-point favourite with the hype teach construction is a perilous spot, however the Detroit Lions did not balk as soon as on its trade commute to Tampa Bay. The Lions did not come on my own both, with Jeff Darlington of ESPN taking pictures a HUGE crowd of Lions lovers celebrating the win in the stands “well after the game ended” and getting a chairman quote from Jared Goff. 

The Lions being just right is superb for the league and in point of fact nice for his or her lovers and bet what: The Lions are GOOD. I’ve written about them in right here in the past however after a letdown blip at house in Week 2 towards Seattle, the Lions had been dominating inferior warring parties. 

David Montgomery out and the Bucs bottling up the run? No downside, Jared Goff will simply uncork to his guns in the passing recreation. Amon-Ra St. Brown returned from damage and racked up 12 catches for a 124 yards and a rating. Second-year burner Jameson Williams used to be intended to be completing his playing suspension this week and as a substitute he used to be torching the Bucs deep for a protracted landing that gave Detroit a double-digit lead and put this recreation away.

We’ll see what occurs if the Lions need to play a high-octane offense, however this can be a hugely advanced protection from remaining 12 months and the Lions seem like an entire crew. They belong in the identical membership as the Niners and Eagles, despite the fact that no one needs to confess it simply but.

When the Vikings have been each 0-3 and 1-4 it felt very just like their season used to be toast. Even more so when Justin Jefferson used to be knocked out for a minimum of a month with a hamstring damage. They nonetheless may well be toast. And Minnesota did not lob out some magically inspirational efficiency all through its 19-13 street win over the lowly Bears. 

The run recreation with Alexander Mattison remained nonexistent. T.J. Hockenson, Jordan Addison and Ok.J. Osborn stuffed the Jefferson void properly sufficient. Kirk Cousins used to be wonderful. Weather used to be an element that hampered each offenses and Justin Fields were given harm so it is exhausting to mention simply how a lot the protection may have advanced or if it used to be merely blitzing Fields (a weak spot of his) after which getting a backup in unhealthy climate.

Regardless, the Vikings at the moment are 2-4. Their wins are towards Carolina and Chicago so I do not wish to overreact to anything else. But all six in their video games had been inside one rating this 12 months. A season after going 11-0 in one-score video games, they are coping with some regression and more real looking effects. 

What intrigues me about this crew is Cousins made it transparent via pregame studies he isn’t going to waive his no-trade clause with a purpose to let the Vikings send him out, get some capital and tank for the long term, if that is what they even sought after. 

Monday evening in Week 7 will function the Vikes internet hosting the banged up, single-loss 49ers. That’s no longer simple, clearly, however the Niners a minimum of appeared inclined on Sunday, so who is aware of. 

After that? There are some critically winnable video games: the Packers (street), Falcons (street), Saints (house), Broncos (street) and Bears (house) is a stretch that would utterly reinvigorate this season, simply in time for Jefferson’s go back. Keep a watch in this crew.