Bleacher Report's Week 6 NFL Awards

It was another wild and wacky week in the NFL.

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning continued his assault on the record books, moving to within two touchdown passes of Brett Favre's career record in a win over the New York Jets.

However, the story of that game may have been Aqib Talib's late pick-six, a play that allowed the Broncos to cover and cost the sportsbooks in Vegas a whole bunch of money.

With that said, Week 6 belonged to the Dallas Cowboys, who went to Seattle, beat the Seahawks and served notice that, at 5-1, the Cowboys are the real deal in 2014.

Let's take one last look back at the week that was, as the Bleacher Report national lead and division lead writers gather to distribute some awards for the best (and worst) of Week 6.

Team of the Week

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

Winner: Dallas Cowboys (14 votes)

Like it was going to be anyone else.

Sunday's 30-23 victory by the 5-1 Dallas Cowboys wasn't just the biggest win so far for them in 2014. It was the biggest win by any team this season.

After all, we're talking about the defending world champions in the Seahawks, a team who had lost all of once at home in over two seasons with Russell Wilson at quarterback.

The win is all the more remarkable given that the Cowboys were down, 10-0, early. The team also trailed late before quarterback Tony Romo engineered a masterful 80-yard scoring drive that included a ridiculous 3rd-and-20 completion to wide receiver Terrance Williams.

Head coach Jason Garrett told The Associated Press, via ESPN.com, that the victory sends a message about his ballclub. "Guys aren't going to back down," Garrett said. "We have the right kind of guys on this team."

Romo agreed: "I think our team now understands that we do a lot of things pretty well, and I think we have the ability to kind of impose yourself on other teams."

You can count ESPN Dallas' Jean-Jacques Taylor among those who believe these Cowboys are different from Dallas teams of the recent past, that teased with early success only to falter late in the season:

"

A different kind of vibe has enveloped the Cowboys for weeks. They talk with a confidence born from a belief in each other and a coaching staff that preaches the same message each day. Each win builds their confidence in each other and the message. And veterans like Jason Witten and Romo have persuaded their teammates that the sins of past Cowboys teams have zero to do with them.

"

Given how impressive the Cowboys looked Sunday in Seattle, it's hard to argue with them.

Others receiving votes: Cleveland Browns (1 vote)

Coach of the Week

USA TODAY Sports

Winner: Rod Marinelli, DC, Dallas Cowboys (5 votes)

Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray's torrid start to the 2014 season may be hogging all the headlines, but the Dallas defense has been even more remarkable this season.

Remember, this was a defense that ranked dead last in the NFL last year. There was no reason to think things would be one bit better in 2014, especially after the injuries started setting in on that side of the ball.

However, defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has done a phenomenal job with the Dallas defense this year. Through six games the team ranks a respectable 15th in the league in total defense.

After the Dallas defense dominated the line of scrimmage in its big win over the Seattle Seahawks coordinator Rod Marinelli was talking up his squad, according to Todd Archer of ESPN Dallas.

"I thought we really played hard and were very physical, Marinelli said. "That was our plan—how hard and how tough we could be. That’s kind of our calling card I think. It’s toughness. We’ve got a bunch of tough guys who play hard and really try to do everything we can to do things right."

Simply put, there hasn't been a positional unit in the NFL that's exceeded expectations more than the defense in Big D, and a large part of the credit for that goes to Marinelli.

Others receiving votes: Jason Garrett, HC, Dallas Cowboys (4 votes), Chip Kelly, HC, Philadelphia Eagles (2 votes), Kyle Shanahan, OC, Cleveland Browns (2 votes), Mike Pettine, HC, Cleveland Browns (2 votes)

Goat of the Week

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

"Winner": Mike Nugent, PK, Cincinnati Bengals (13 votes)

In some respects, it really isn't fair to label Cincinnati Bengals kicker Mike Nugent Week 6's biggest goat. The 10-year veteran did kick three field goals against the Carolina Panthers, after all.

However, Nugent missed the kick he needed to make, pushing a 36-yarder wide right as time expired in overtime of a 37-37 tie.

Yes, a tie. Nugent kissed his sister.

Cornerback Adam Jones was not pleased with his teammate after the game, according to Conor Orr of NFL.com:

"We were in a perfect position to win the game, two seconds left on the clock, we've got to win the game," Jones said. "Everybody in here gets paid to do a job and that's what everybody needs to do."

Nugent hasn't done that job very well in 2014. The 32-year-old has now missed 6-of-17 field-goal attempts this year for a miserable success rate of 64.7 percent.

OK, maybe it's fair after all.

Others receiving votes: Matt Kalil, OT, Minnesota Vikings (1 vote), D.J. Swearinger, SS, Houston Texans (1 vote)

Rookie of the Week

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Winner: Derek Carr, QB, Oakland Raiders (11 votes)

It's shaping up to be another long season for the Oakland Raiders. At 0-5, the Raiders are one of two NFL teams that have yet to win a game. Head coach Dennis Allen has already been fired.

Still, there have been bright spots through all the darkness, among them the play of rookie quarterback Derek Carr.

Carr had by far the best game of his professional career in last week's loss to the San Diego Chargers, throwing for 282 yards and four touchdowns.

As Scott Pianowski of Yahoo Sports reports, that showing was a continuation of a solid first season from Carr:

"

Carr's Week 6 tape showed plenty of moxie. He's already developed a valuable mix of presence and patience in the pocket, and he's capable of adjusting his velocity and ball position based on the throw he's asked to make (contrast this to Geno Smith, who always wants to throw the heater, or EJ Manuel, who consistently set up teammates to fail before he got benched).

"

Now if they could only get Carr some receivers. And some blockers. And maybe a defense. A running back would be nice, too.

Other than that, though, he's pretty much set.

Others receiving votes: Zack Martin, OG, Dallas Cowboys (4 votes)

Best QB Performance

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Winner: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (5 votes)

This past Sunday, Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers played in his 100th career game. As Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports, the game came complete with a bit of history:

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Sunday was Rodgers’ 100th career game and his three touchdown passes put him at 203 for his career. Only Dan Marino, who threw 217 touchdown passes in his first 100 games, had more touchdown passes than Rodgers at that point in his career. Rodgers' 25,616 passing yards ranks fourth among players in their first 100 games.

"

Even more important than those career milestones was the task at hand. Rodgers, who now has 15 touchdown passes and only a single interception this year, was up to that as well in a 27-24 Green Bay win.

The 10-year veteran engineered a 60-yard, game-winning drive against the Miami Dolphins that culminated in a touchdown pass to tight end Andrew Quarless with three seconds left.

After the game, head coach Mike McCarthy told the Associated Press, via ESPN.com, that he's running out of ways to describe his superstar signal-caller.

"I need to work on my vocabulary," McCarthy said. "The guy is a remarkable player."

McCarthy could go with "dreamy." After all, it seems to work for Olivia "The Jinx" Munn.

Others receiving votes: Tom Brady, New England Patriots (4 votes), Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens (4 votes), Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys (2 votes)

Best RB Performance

Scott Eklund/Associated Press

Winner: DeMarco Murray, RB, Dallas Cowboys (15 votes)

If you drafted Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray in your fantasy football league this year, odds are you're pretty happy.

Lord knows the Cowboys are.

On Sunday, Murray gained 115 yards on 29 carries in the win over Seattle, scoring a touchdown in the process. It was the sixth straight game to open the season in which Murray eclipsed the 100-yard mark on the ground.

In the long and storied history of the NFL, only one other running back has opened a season with six straight 100-yard efforts—the great Jim Brown, all the way back in 1958.

Not bad company to keep at all.

Murray's latest effort was all the more impressive given that Seattle entered the game first in the NFL in run defense, allowing less than 65 yards a game. Tight end Jason Witten credited a team effort and a more mature Murray for the team's success running the ball, according to Calvin Watkins of ESPN Dallas:

"

We just stuck with it. Coach [Scott] Linehan talked about that early, they are No. 1 in the league in rush defense. Those short runs can turn into long ones. We were able to a good formation and DeMarco has hard runs. I really think he has shown his maturity as a back, sticking with us and sticking with it and coming out on the back end on a couple of those late in the game.

"

Through six games this season, Murray has 785 rushing yards.

No other back in the league has 550, and no other back got a vote from our panel this week.

Best WR Performance

Bob Levey/Getty Images

Winner: T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts (12 votes)

T.Y. Hilton really likes playing in Houston.

The last time Hilton played at NRG Stadium, the third-year pro torched the Texans to the tune of seven catches for 121 yards and three touchdowns.

That probably seems like a fond and distant memory to Houston now.

Hilton actually one-upped those gaudy numbers in last week's win, pulling in nine catches for a staggering 223 yards and a touchdown.

Hilton repeatedly got behind the Texans defense, but general manager Ryan Grigson told Kevin Bowen of the team's website that the youngster's much more than just a deep threat:

"

I was talking to a couple of guys last week on the sidelines. Even out of your periphery, sometimes you think that it’s 87 catching the ball with the way (Hilton) frames the catch because I think Reggie frames the ball better than anyone I’ve ever seen. It’s just almost an art form how he actually brings the ball in with his hands and you start seeing T.Y. making those catches but it’s not by mistake. It’s because he’s basically learned at his feet (Wayne’s) since the day he arrived and that’s very wise of him to do. The sky’s the limit for him.

"

As great as the performance was, it came with just a touch of frustration, as Hilton came up a single yard short of Raymond Berry's 57-year-old team record for receiving yards in a game.

Others receiving votes: Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos (3 votes)

Best TE Performance

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Winner: Jordan Cameron, Cleveland Browns (7 votes)

In a 2014 season that's been full of surprises, there may not be a larger one than the 3-2 Cleveland Browns.

The Browns played their most impressive game of the season in Week 6, and tight end Jordan Cameron was a big part of the team's 31-10 shellacking of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The fourth-year veteran, who is working his way back into shape after a shoulder injury limited him earlier in the year, managed only three catches in the win. But Cameron certainly got good bang for his buck, turning those three catches into 102 receiving yards and a score.

As Terry Pluto of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports, the return of a healthy Cameron can only help the Browns' odds of building on their surprisingly fast start:

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If Cameron returns to being the offensive force of 2013 (80 catches, seven touchdowns), the offense has even more variety. It's still built around the power running game combined with Hoyer's play-action passing. A 6-foot-5, athletic tight end with good hands will make the Browns even tougher for defensive coordinators.

"

Well, Cameron certainly looked healthy gliding through the Pittsburgh secondary in Week 6.

Others receiving votes: Scott Chandler, Buffalo Bills (6 votes), Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers (2 votes)

Best Defensive Performance

Bob Levey/Getty Images

Winner: J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans (11 votes)

In a week loaded with obvious calls for this week's individual awards, the top defensive performance of the week may have been the biggest no-brainer of the bunch.

This season, Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt has been doing everything in his power to justify the $100 million contract the team handed him in the offseason.

In the loss to the Colts, Watt piled up seven tackles, two sacks and three of his patented batted balls.

Oh, and Watt returned a fumble for his third touchdown of the season.

That's as many touchdowns as Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy and Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson have this year—combined.

In fact, Watt has played so well in 2014 that some have mentioned the fourth-year pro as an MVP candidate. However, Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells told Peter King of the MMQB that Watt faces an uphill battle in that regard.

"I think it will be very difficult," Parcells said. "The kid is making his case. But they’re 3-3. He’s going to have to help them be better than .500. Possible [to win it]? It is. Probable? Not really—the game is distorted so much toward the offense right now."

Parcells should know a little something about defensive MVPs. He was the head coach of the New York Giants back in 1986, when outside linebacker Lawrence Taylor became the last defender to bring home that award.

Others receiving votes: Connor Barwin, OLB, Philadelphia Eagles (4 votes)

Best Decision

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Winner: Aaron Rodgers' fake spike (12 votes)

Dan Marino must be madder than all get out. Not only was this week's winner for Best Decision a play right out of Marino's bag of tricks, but Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers pulled it against Marino's old team.

Bleacher Report's Kyle Newport has the play-by-play of Rodgers' South Florida chicanery in the fourth quarter of Green Bay's win over the Miami Dolphins:

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With no timeouts remaining and the clock running in the final minute of the fourth quarter, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers caught the Miami Dolphins by surprise by turning a fake spike into a completion.

Down 24-20 with less than 15 seconds remaining, the Packers needed to find a way into the end zone. Instead of just spiking the ball and huddling up, Rodgers was able to get the ball to Davante Adams, who was able to get out of bounds to stop the clock.

"

As Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports, the Dolphins weren't the only folks caught off guard by Rodgers' trickery:

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So what exactly was said, signaled, whatever between quarterback and receiver that play?

Inside the visitor's locker room, Davante Adams laughed out loud and turned to teammate Randall Cobb.

'They’re trying to be a part of the offense,' he said, then turning serious. 'He does what he does. It’s little subtle signals. Things like that. We have a million of them. You just have to see the right thing.'

"

In other words, Adams didn't know it was coming, either.

Others receiving votes: Cleveland Browns' usage of play-action on third downs against the Pittsburgh Steelers (2 votes), Philadelphia Eagles blitzing Eli Manning (1 vote)

Worst Decision

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"Winner": Jacksonville Jaguars' third-down field-goal attempt (6 votes)

On some level, it's understandable that the Jacksonville Jaguars would be eager for any opportunity to win a football game. It's a feeling the team has yet to experience during the 2014 season.

Still, in the eyes of our voters, the Jags' zeal to get their first win of 2014 may have been what cost them the game.

With 12 seconds left in their matchup with the Tennessee Titans and the Jaguars out of timeouts, Jacksonville chose to attempt a 55-yard field goal on third down rather than try to run another play and get closer.

The kick was blocked, and the hapless Jags fell to 0-6.

As Ryan O'Halloran of The Florida Times-Union reports, head coach Gus Bradley both defended his decision and accepted responsibility for its outcome.

“Generally, a ‘May Day’ [last-second] field goal situation for us is 17 seconds with no timeouts so with 12, we felt we couldn’t take that chance,” he said. “Josh said his limit was the 37 and we got to the 37.”

Bradley's honesty is commendable, even if it isn't going to help save his job.

Others receiving votes: Seattle Seahawks' use of Percy Harvin (3 votes), Miami Dolphins' throwaway while nursing a lead against the Packers (2 votes), Detroit Lions signing Matt Prater (1 vote), San Diego Chargers' fake punt on 4th-and-30 (1 vote), Duke Williams' pass-interference call (1 vote), Tampa Bay Buccaneers' game plan (1 vote)

Player of the Week

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Winner: Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore Ravens (5 votes)

Since leading the Baltimore Ravens to a victory in Super Bowl XLVII and signing a massive contract extension, quarterback Joe Flacco has caught his fair share of criticism.

Flacco is wildly overpaid, they say. His huge cap number prevents the Ravens from adding pieces around him. His unibrow frightens small children.

Seriously. Joe. Do something about that thing. You look like this guy.

However, for one week at least, everyone just needs to back up and leave Bert alone.

Yes, it came against the hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but Flacco had a huge game in Week 6, passing for 306 yards and five touchdowns in a blowout win.

Flacco told ESPN's Mike and Mike, via Sarah Ellison of the team's website, that the Ravens offense is firing on all cylinders right now.

“I think as an offense, we’re playing about as well as I can remember,” Flacco said.

In Week 6 at least, that was certainly the case, and Flacco's big day was enough to earn the pride of the Delaware Blue Hens the nod as the NFL's top player from a week ago.

Others receiving votes: DeMarco Murray, RB, Dallas Cowboys (3 votes), Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots (3 votes), Brian Hoyer, QB, Cleveland Browns (2 votes), Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers (1 vote), J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans (1 vote)