Bleacher Report's Week 6 NFL Awards

It's been a good long while since we saw a rematch in the Super Bowl. Over two decades, in fact.

Don't hold your breath waiting for one this year. The New England Patriots are holding up their end, rising to a perfect 5-0 after downing the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night.

The Seattle Seahawks, on the other hand? Well, let's just say that all is most assuredly not well in the land of rain and legal marijuana.

In fact, it's a surprise in the Pacific Northwest where we kick off this week's look at the best (and worst) of Week 6, as voted on by the NFL National Lead Writers and NFL Analysts here at Bleacher Report.

Team of the Week

Stephen Brashear/Associated Press

Winner: Carolina Panthers (5 votes)

The Carolina Panthers just aren't that good. Sure, they were 4-0, but Sunday in Seattle a flawed Panthers team was going to be exposed for the paper tigers they are. Exposed!

That was the storyline heading into Carolina's Week 6 tilt with the Seahawks. There was just one problem with this school of thought.

No one told the Panthers.

Now, after sinking the Seahawks 27-23 thanks to a Cam Newton-to-Greg Olsen scoring strike with less than a minute left (Note to Seahawks: Might want to consider covering the tight end, guys. Just a thought.) the Panthers are 5-0 and pundits like Chris Chase of USA Today are changing their tune.

As in calling Carolina the best team in the NFC changing it:

"

So if we’re talking hypothetical top NFC teams, why not the Packers, who have an even better record (6-0, one game better than Carolina, which already had its bye) and some guy named Rodgers? Well, in a January game at Lambeau, you’d be stupid not to take the Pack. But right now, going to Seattle and getting a win >>> only avoiding overtime against the San Diego Chargers because Philip Rivers missed a wipe open Danny Woodhead. Also, I’d take Carolina over Green Bay in a playoff game in Charlotte because, again, they’re the best team in the NFC.

But that on October 18 and $6.50 will get you a cup of coffee at a football game. (I just assume that’s the price.) Anyway, being one of the NFC’s best hasn’t worked out well in the past for Carolina anyway: The last two times the team has earned a first-round bye, it lost its very first playoff game at home. So be careful what you wish for, Carolina fans. Sometimes it truly is too good to be true.

"

I don't know that I'd go that far, but as one of the "experts" who thought the Panthers would lose to Seattle, I will freely admit I underestimated Carolina.

Won't happen again.

Others receiving votes: Pittsburgh Steelers (3 votes)

Coach of the Week

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Winner: Dan Campbell, HC, Miami Dolphins (4 votes)

It's not easy being a first-time head coach in the National Football League. It's even harder when you're asked to take the job after a team that entered the season with playoff aspirations starts 1-3 and looks so flat that the incumbent head coach gets the ax.

That's the predicament Dan Campbell found himself in with the Miami Dolphins. And he wasted no time putting his stamp on the team. Gone was the laid-back attitude of Joe Philbin. Instead it was spirited bye-week practices and Campbell's fiery demeanor.

And given what wide receiver Rishard Matthews told Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, the players are buying what Campbell is selling: "Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to knock anybody, but coach Campbell gets you fired up. When he speaks, he gets in your blood and gets your hairs up. You just want to go out there and battle for him."

Campbell told reporters that he's trying to change the way the Dolphins view the game of football, while at the same time allowing that Sunday's 38-10 walloping of the Tennessee Titans was just one game:

"

I don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. That’s one. That’s just one.

I’ve changed the system and the model of what we’ve been doing, and [the players] were willing to hope. They felt it was a change in the right direction and they bought in for the week.

They practiced hard. Now when you come out and play the way they played today, it reinforces that. And now they know moving forward it works. And now they’re going to trust me a little bit more. Pretty soon, whatever you say, they believe in.

"

It is just one game, but if Campbell's Dolphins continue to play with the fire they showed against the Titans, Campbell isn't going to be the "interim" head coach for very long.

Others receiving votes: Ron Rivera, HC, Carolina Panthers (2 votes), Todd Haley, OC, Pittsburgh Steelers (2 votes)

Goat of the Week

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Winner: Whoever came up with that damn Colts fake punt (8 votes)

Granted, all of our experts didn't phrase their response quite that, um, colorfully, but every vote cast was for the same...I'll confess I'm not exactly sure what it was.

This is not something that can be easily described with the written word, but Victor Mather of the New York Times gave it a shot:

"

With 1 minute 14 seconds left in the third quarter, and trailing the Super Bowl champion Patriots by 27-21 and still very much in the game, the Colts had a fourth-and-3 at their own 37.

Punter Pat McAfee came out on the field, but suddenly he and eight other players shifted to the far right side. That left only two Colts players over the ball: Griff Whalen at center and Colt Anderson at quarterback.

It might be worth mentioning at this point that Whalen is a wide receiver and Anderson is a safety.

A number of Patriots shifted, too, but at least three or four remained in the vicinity of the ball. Perhaps the ruse was to lure New England offside? If so, it did not succeed, as the Patriots players kept their discipline and stayed put.

So, delay of game and then punt, right?

Nope. Whalen snapped the ball.

It turns out that a single wide receiver cannot hold off several defenders for very long. Before he could do a thing, Anderson was swarmed and tackled.

"

It was...it...just watch the video.

If you can figure out the point of that, then you should be an NFL head coach.

The Patriots took the ball in for a touchdown on the ensuing possession, went up two scores, and that was that.

So congratulations, whoever. You just came up with the worst trick play in NFL history.

Rookie of the Week

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Winner: Stefon Diggs, WR, Minnesota Vikings (8 votes)

With wide receiver Charles Johnson sidelined by injury, a depleted Minnesota Vikings wideout corps badly needed someone to fill the void in their Week 6 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Enter fifth-round rookie Stefon Diggs, who did that and more. Not only did Diggs pick up Johnson's slack, but he paced all Vikings pass-catchers with seven grabs for 129 yards in a 16-10 Minnesota win.

Veteran wideout Mike Wallace told Matt Vensel of the Star-Tribune he wasn't at all surprised by the outburst, stating that Diggs reminds him of former teammate Antonio Brown:

"

You can tell from Day One who can play football or not. They have some exceptions where guys get better drastically over time. But for the most part, you can tell from Day One, can he play or can he not play? And I always felt like he could from Day One. … Just the skill set, the way he runs his routes, the energy that he has. It reminds me of him.

"

Diggs for his part, deflected the praise: "I believe everyone is different. Antonio Brown, excuse my language, is a hell of athlete and a hell of a receiver, and I have yet to work to that point. I’m just trying to earn my stripes."

Comparing Diggs to arguably the NFL's best wide receiver may be a stretch, but if Diggs keeps posting numbers like this, there's going to be a lot more praise to deflect.

Best QB Performance

Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals (3 votes)

People waiting for Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton to turn back into a pumpkin might want to pull up a chair and get comfortable.

Because to this point in the 2015 season, The Red Rifle isn't misfiring often.

On the road, against one of the NFL's better defenses in the Buffalo Bills, Dalton was once again precise and in command. The fifth-year veteran completed two-thirds of his passes, threw three touchdown passes with no interceptions and posted a passer rating of over 115 for the fifth time in six games this season.

Teammate Andrew Whitworth told the Associated Press' Joe Kay (via WCPO) that Dalton has heard the criticisms. He can't win at night. Or in the playoffs. And Dalton is dead-set on proving the doubters wrong.

"He's in what I call that constant pursuit of greatness, and that's what he wants. He wants to be great," Whitworth explained. "He'll never say that because that's the kind of person he is, but that's what he wants. Every week I see him trying to do something to achieve that."

Granted, Dalton's performance Sunday might not have been the biggest statistically, but there's no dodging this fact.

There's isn't a signal-caller in the NFL playing better football than Andy Dalton right now.

Others receiving votes: Tom Brady, New England Patriots (2 votes), Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (1 vote), Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets (1 vote), Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers (1 vote)

Best RB Performance

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: Chris Ivory, New York Jets (8 votes)

The New York Jets may have a new head coach, but they are winning games under Todd Bowles in much the same way they used to win them under Rex Ryan.

Run the ball and play defense.

Just a few days after teammate Brandon Marshall called Chris Ivory "the best running back in the NFL," the sixth-year pro did his best to back up that claim, gaining 146 yards on 20 carries against a Washington Redskins defense that had played well against the run.

As Zach Braziller of the New York Post reported, this time it was guard Willie Colon heaping accolades on Ivory:

"

Chris has an ability, he can outrun a lot of guys. A lot of safeties and corners don’t want to tackle him one-on-one. When they see him coming, they start back-pedaling a little bit. That’s on us to get him going. When we’re able to do that, it puts pressure on the defense.

"

And as for Marshall? Well, after Ivory's second straight 100-yard game, the veteran receiver wasn't backing off his claim.

“There was a couple of guys, I wish I could remember their names, that laughed at me when I said Ivory was the best,” Marshall said. “He is and he proved it again today.”

Best WR Performance

Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans (4 votes)

Make no mistake. The Houston Texans are not an especially good football team. There won't be a trip to the playoffs in 2015.

But in addition to having the NFL's best defensive player in J.J. Watt, the Texans just might have the NFL's best wide receiver.

At least, DeAndre Hopkins is doing his best to make a solid case for that honor.

Nuk reeled in 10 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns in Houston's Week 6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, and as Chris Wesseling of NFL.com wrote, that explosion is simply the continuation of a season-long tear:

"

This game featured two of the NFL's most acrobatic catch-point receivers in Hopkins and Jacksonville's Allen Robinson. It was Hopkins who stole the show as the best player on the field, pulling off a series of circus plays including a 32-yard "helmet" catch that set up his own 9-yard touchdown. With 15 more targets, Hopkins now has 89, more at this point in the season than any wide receiver since 1991. "Nuk" is now on pace for a mind-boggling 139 receptions, 1,936 yards and 13 touchdowns on the season.

"

Bear in mind, Hopkins is posting those numbers without a viable secondary target to take defensive attention away, and with the pupu platter of Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer at quarterback.

Imagine what he could do in New England. Or Green Bay. Or New Orleans.

Others receiving votes: John Brown, Arizona Cardinals (2 votes), Keenan Allen, San Diego Chargers (1 vote), Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh Steelers (1 vote)

Best TE Performance

Ryan Kang/Associated Press

Winner: Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers (8 votes)

The Seattle Seahawks have developed a habit of late. A rather nasty one, at least from their perspective.

The habit of being absolutely abused by opposing tight ends.

Two weeks ago, it was Cincinnati's Tyler Eifert who shredded the supposedly stout Legion of Boom.

Sunday, it was Greg Olsen's turn. And the ninth-year veteran didn't disappoint.

For the second time in three weeks, Olsen topped 130 receiving yards for the Panthers. Olsen caught seven passes for 131 yards and the game-winning touchdown against the Seahawks. However, Olsen told Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer that he didn't get any attaboys from quarterback Cam Newton after his big catch.

“I thought he was going to say awesome job but he said, ‘Man you should have had three touchdowns!’” Olsen said.

The 30-year-old also made it clear that he isn't interested in playing hero. "I have one simple job every play. I try to do what’s asked of me, and when Cam needs me the most, I need to be there for him. That’s been my approach my entire career. I think he knows he can rely on me and I try to never let him down."

Of course, it doesn't exactly suck when you can do both.

Best Defensive Performance

Weston Kenney/Associated Press

Winner: Cameron Wake, DE, Miami Dolphins (6 votes)

Over the first four games of the 2015 season, Miami Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake did not record a sack. Or a forced fumble. Or a fumble recovery. Or a batted pass. Or a solo tackle.

Wake had a single assist. In four games. That is, um, not good.

To say that Wake woke up (see what I did there?) Sunday against the Tennessee Titans is one whopper of an understatement.

Not one sack. Or two. Or even three. Try four sacks.

In the first half.

Wake insisted to David Neal of the Miami Herald that he didn't do anything differently against the Titans than he has all season long other than get healthy:

"

I’m still the same guy from Week 1.

We’re still the same team from Week 1. Same players with the same abilities. It’s playing consistently, playing together. Having enthusiasm and fun. That’s probably the difference. It’s not that the me today isn’t the me from two weeks ago. Other than the hamstring issue.

"

The results, on the other hand, would beg to differ.

Others receiving votes: NaVorro Bowman, ILB, San Francisco 49ers (1 vote), Karlos Dansby, ILB, Cleveland Browns (1 vote)

Best Decision

Stephen Brashear/Associated Press

Winner: Panthers going for the win against Seattle (5 votes)

Riverboat Ron rides again.

With the Panthers down three and driving late in Sunday's matchup in Seattle, the team moved within the range of kicker Graham Gano. With less than a minute left on the clock and fearful of a game-sealing turnover or sack, many coaches would have centered the ball, called timeout and played for overtime.

However, as Grantland's Bill Barnwell pointed out, Carolina head man Ron Rivera is not most head coaches:

"

After a Newton spike, he dialed up a game-winning touchdown pass that was aided by a disastrous blown coverage at exactly the wrong time. The Seahawks apparently intended to run their “L.A.” coverage look, which is their equivalent of the Tampa 2 with two deep safeties. For some reason, however, two different calls went into the huddle, leaving Sherman playing as a Cover 2 corner and Earl Thomas playing a shallower hook zone like the Seahawks were in Cover 3. The result was Olsen running right by Thomas and Sherman for one of the easiest game-winning touchdowns you’ll ever see.

"

Yes, the Panthers were aided by that blown coverage. And had Newton taken a sack that knocked the team from field-goal range or thrown an interception, Rivera would be getting blasted for taking an unnecessary risk.

The thing is, he didn't. Newton found Olsen wide-open, delivered a perfect pass and the Panthers remain undefeated.

That's the beautiful thing about gutsy calls.

Sometimes they work.

Others receiving votes: Patriots attacking underneath coverage against the Colts (1 vote), Saints using Ben Watson as a primary part of offense (1 vote), Andy Dalton taking what the Bills gave him (1 vote)

Worst Decision

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

"Winner:" Whatever it was the Colts did on that fake punt (All the votes ever)

I just...

But it was...

What the...

I have already tried to impart upon you, dear reader, the abomination that was whatever that thing the Colts ran Sunday night. Barnwell nicknamed it "the snapfu," which seems as good a name as any.

Like everyone else, he's still trying to wrap his head around exactly what the Colts were trying to accomplish on the play:

"

The most plausible explanation is that Griff Whalen and [Colt] Anderson were only supposed to actually run a play if the numbers were favorable for a fake. If the numbers weren’t right, which they were not, Whalen wasn’t supposed to snap the football. The Colts were surely hoping the motion would force Bill Belichick to burn a timeout or that one of the Patriots defenders would make some sort of mental mistake and step offside at the sound of the vaunted Colt Anderson hard count, but that didn’t happen, either.

Instead, Whalen snapped the football. I wish I could tell you why Whalen snapped the ball. Maybe he didn’t bother to sufficiently look around and recognize that he didn’t have the appropriate numbers in the box to run the play as planned, which is possible when you use a player who isn’t normally a center to snap the ball. Maybe Whalen saw the play clock about to strike double-zero and panicked. Maybe he went all Leeroy Jenkins and decided to snap the ball, damn the torpedoes. I suspect we’ll never get a straight answer, in part because Whalen himself may not even know why he snapped the ball.

"

As Zack Cox of NESN reported, Indianapolis head coach Chuck Pagano took the blame for the gaffe afterward:

"

The punt play, again I take responsibility there. The whole idea there was, on a 4th-and-3 or less, shift (our) alignment to where you either catch them misaligned, they try to sub some people in, catch them with more men on the field, 12 men on the field. And if you get a certain look, you’ve got three yards, two yards — you can make a play. But again, we shifted over, and I didn’t do a good enough job of coaching it during the week. Alignment-wise, we weren’t lined up correctly, and then a communication breakdown between the quarterback and the snapper. And that’s all on me. I take full responsibility on that, and I didn’t do a good enough job of getting that communicated to the guys. And obviously, it played a huge factor in this loss, given the field position and the point in the game and the touchdown that resulted from that.

"

Let's put it this way. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, barring a miracle Super Bowl run, that play probably just got Pagano fired.

Other than that, though, it really wasn't that bad.

Player of the Week

Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

Winner: Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers (5 votes)

When talk of the NFL's elite quarterbacks comes up, you'll hear a number of names. Tom Brady of the Patriots. Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers. Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks, who somehow manages to avoid the stigma of being labeled "just a running quarterback."

The same stigma that has dogged Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers for most of his career.

And you know what? Newton's numbers against the Seattle Seahawks weren't even that great. He completed less than 60 percent of his passes and threw a pair of interceptions against only one touchdown pass.

But it's that late touchdown pass to Greg Olsen that has everyone talking, including Pete Prisco of CBS Sports:

"

This was Cam Newton telling the football world: Forget about just calling him a big, strong, power-running weapon. You can now consider him a pocket passer as well. With a band of weapons outside that are limited -- and that's being kind -- Newton went 6-for-6 for 89 yards on the drive. He was sacked once -- and the only incomplete pass was a spike. He hit tight end Greg Olsen with a 26-yard touchdown strike with 32 seconds left and a stunning 27-23 victory over Seattle.

Down 23-14 in the fourth quarter, and his team's unbeaten record on the line, Newton hit on 12 of his final 15 passes for 169 yards and led the Panthers on two 80-yard scoring drives against a defense considered almost impenetrable at home at times.

"

And it's those late heroics that got Newton the nod as the Bleacher Report Week 6 Player of the Week.

What? It's a quarterback's world. The rest of us are just living in it.

Others receiving votes: Greg Olsen, TE, Carolina Panthers (3 votes)