NFL Week 6 Report Cards: 25 Winners and Losers From Sunday's Action
NFL Week 6 report cards are in. Now we are deep enough into the season to really grasp the character and expectations of each team. This is not to say that there are not surprises.
Every week will have their fair share of upsets and new found heroes. Sunday was no different.
So bear with me as I break down the day's events in this week's installment of NFL Winners and Losers.
25: Winner: Peyton Manning’s Consistency
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Peyton Manning is not that well liked by NFL fans. It could be any number of things: his Super Bowl ring, his MVP seasons, or his extremely large forehead.
I like to believe NFL fans are sensible enough to hate him from a jealousy standpoint. That's why I do.
The guy is just good. Every week you know you will get a solid effort and the Colts will again be put in a great position to win. In a sense, he is the Indianapolis Colts.
24: Loser: Donovan McNabb’s Mystique
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There was a time when I would buy Campbell's Chunky soup because I wanted to be big and strong like McNabb. I take that back. I did it because I am zaftig and I enjoy my foods like my women: chunky.
This does not in any way negate my point. McNabb has lost more than a few steps and Sunday illustrated that.
Never the QB who would be alarmed by the pass rush, tonight he seemed in awe of it. He was never able to orchestrate the types of drives we are used to seeing from him. And that makes me sad, and hungry.
23: Winner: Seattle’s Cal Tandem
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When the Seahawks traded for Marshawn Lynch, they solidified a tandem of running backs that graduated from Cal Berkeley.
The school that was once thought of to be a quarterback breeding ground, has of late, been more of running back producer.
Justin Forsett's touchdown run in the second quarter gave the Seahawks the lead. Marshawn Lynch scored later in the game to solidify the win.
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22: Loser: Jay Cutler
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If I were a Bears fan I would be pulling my hair out right about now, that and looking on eBay for a Jay Cutler voodoo doll.
But if you can't find that voodoo doll, you can always pray. Pray to any god you like that Jay Cutler learns how to release the ball. After he was sacked for a safety today, I realized that Cutler actually may like to get sacked.
I mean he does it regularly with an obvious outlet receiver in his peripheral. The man is a conundrum I don't have the time to crack right now.
21: Winner: Brandon Marshall
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It certainly is a thing of beauty when a guy fits nicely into a new system. Brandon Marshall is doing just that this year.
He may not have caught one in the end zone, but his presence and 127 yards receiving kept the Phins in striking distance all day.
20: Loser: Green Bay Rushing
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The Packers need to find a suitable running back. Their rotation of random dudes is just not working at the moment.
Without a viable threat, teams are stacking the box and subsequently killing Aaron Rodgers. But whatever, he is only your best player and all.
19: Winner: St. Louis Surprising Balance
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The Rams are a team on the rise. This basically means that some weeks they look good and some weeks they revert back to 2009 status. Today was a good day.
They were moving the ball effectively on offense and pounding Phillip Rivers on defense. What amazed me is the young core of receivers that were running routes perfectly. It seemed like Sam Bradford and company had been playing with each other for a couple of seasons.
18: Loser: Chargers On The Road
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The season may be still young but the Chargers' road act is getting old for their fans. This was the second consecutive loss for the Chargers, both of which were most likely penciled in as wins at the start of the season.
They are now winless when playing away from San Diego.
But fear not Bolts fans, you only have to play half your games on the road. Here is to a .500 season, Cheers!
17: Winner: Tom Brady’s Perseverance
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Tom Brady was playing, for lack of a better word, badly. But unlike McNabb wouldn't do later in the day, Brady showed that he can still enforce his will on a game.
In the fourth quarter, he capped off a 60-yard drive with a touchdown pass to newly acquired Deion Branch. He then drove the Pats 80 yards to set up a game-tying field goal.
16: Loser: Ravens Fourth Quarter Defense
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If you enter the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead, you may wish to exit with it as well.
The Ravens defense allowed two extremely time-consuming drives for successful conversions late in the fourth quarter.
The two Patriots drives took a grand total of more than nine minutes.
That gives Joe Flacco, who was on on Sunday, no time to make up the difference.
15: Winner: New York Giants Offense
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Things may be starting to click for the Giants. They were all over the field Sunday. Manning hooked up with Mario Manningham for a score in the second quarter. He then tossed one to Travis Beckham in the third.
Not to be outdone, the Giants running game produced with Brandon Jacobs adding two touchdowns of his own.
14: Loser: Detroit Lions Quarterback Situation
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Perhaps the Lions are cursed. They lose Matthew Stafford for the beginning of the season. Just when his backup Shaun Hill starts to feel it, he gets injured as well.
So now the Lions are forced to throw their third-string quarterback, who threw essentially like a backup today.
The only good news is that Stafford is close to a return. Rumor has it that he was close to coming in the game last this afternoon. Stanton had the wind knocked out of him and Stafford was ready to go.
13: Winner: Kevin Kolb
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Is the Eagles offense so good that you can throw anyone at quarterback and they would do well? Let's throw Jay Cutler in there and see what happens.
For the second week in a row, Kevin Kolb lit up the Eagles offense. There is no way now that this does not become a problem.
You have two quarterbacks who have made cases for the Pro Bowl this year. There is no way you can sit one of them. A trade is imminent.
12: Loser: Falcons Defense
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The Atlanta Falcons allowed 474 yards by the Eagles today. That was with one of Philadelphia's key receivers, DeSean Jackson, leaving early with an injury.
The goal of the defense is to limit production of the opposing team's offense. That um, didn't quite work out today.
The Falcons kind of let the Eagles do whatever they wanted today. They came in, put their feet all over the nice furniture and scored at will.
11: Winner: Ben Roethlisberger
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Ben Roethlisberger my not be winning humanitarian awards any time soon, but he may have just about won back the hearts of Steelers fans.
The Steelers were to be without their star QB for four games. They were supposed to have three losses at this point.
Now they have the momentum of a 3-1 record without their QB and the presence of mind to know that he will not be going anywhere for the rest of the season.
As long as he stays away from 18-and-over bars.
10: Loser: Browns Quarterback Situation
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This one is a bit more murkier than the Detroit situation. At least the Lions have Matt Stafford on the way back.
Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme are still on the mend for now. Another week under the helm of a rookie is not out of the question.
If it happens to be Delhomme to get healthy, I would much rather have McCoy, anyway. Especially after Delhomme's game last week.
9: Winner: Saints Re-Emergence
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They are not the same team. They are not the same team.
This is the mantra we were led to believe throughout the first five games.
On Sunday, Drew Brees and Co. looked an awful lot like the group of guys who won the Super Bowl last year. This is without their most versatile player in Reggie Bush.
8: Loser: Renaldo Hill
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Renaldo Hill did not lose the game all by himself today. But he makes a pretty good scapegoat.
Hill was in the unfortunate position of getting flagged for pass interference on a 46-yard pass. This penalty came on fourth down and set up an eventual LaDainian Tomlinson touchdown.
7: Winner: LaDainian Tomlinson
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If Tomlinson was upset about leaving San Diego before, he has to be ecstatic now. He has been born anew in New York.
Now the featured back, he had 56 yards on the day with two touchdowns. The load of red zone touches goes largely to Tomlinson, who has shown that he hasn't lost much since his Chargers days.
6: Loser: Kansas City Let Down
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With seven minutes to go, the Chiefs had the game. A road victory would go a long way to quiet their critics. Many, including myself, have said that their soft schedule has produced their 3-0 start.
But with the game in the balance, the Chiefs let it slip away. We should remember this one a great deal because their schedule gets awfully soft again.
Their next three games come against the Jaguars, Bills, and Raiders. They could be easily 6-2 and I will again hear about how good they are.
5: Winner: Matt Schaub
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Matt Schaub showed a great deal of leadership today in instigating three late drives that solidified the day's best comeback.
He ended the day throwing over 300 yards and for two touchdowns.
4: Loser: Jason Campbell
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Let me put the Raiders' day into some perspective. Sebastian Janikowski was a more potent offensive threat than their quarterback.
Jason Campbell laid an egg Sunday. He laid it right there on the field for everyone to look at and scoff at. He threw for 83 yards.
Well, it would be more if you count the yards he accumulated for the 49ers on the two interceptions he threw.
3: Winner: Alex Smith
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Whew. That was getting close. If the 49ers lost this one, I believe Mike Singletary would have gone a shooting rampage all around Candlestick. As it were, Alex Smith added a calm under pressure.
This was a must-win for the organization. They play in the soft NFC West, so a playoff berth is still not out of the question, but they needed to get a win Sunday for it to be still possible.
2: Loser: Cowboys Season
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There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. The end of what was supposed to be a glorious year for America's team.
By starting the season 1-4 their chances of making the playoffs are dire. They still play the Saints, Colts and the Eagles twice.
Add to the mix that their coach is a lame duck that is doing anything but motivating his team. This is a bad situation that is about to get worse. Enjoy.
1: Winner: Randy Moss
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I like many of you am not a fan of the modern wide receiver. Each one carries entirely too much baggage and ego to be liked.
But sometimes that athlete inside wins through and you get yourself a poignant moment where you thought none would ever exist.
After a slow first half, Randy Moss saw fit to wear the hat of the leader. He chided his comrades into buckling down and the young Percy Harvin took notice. He immediately ran back a 95-yard kick off for a touchdown.
This is what the Vikings have been lacking. A veteran who is willing to be a model to the youngsters on the team, I just never thought it would be Randy Moss, seeing as how he was thrown off the Patriots for being anything but a leader.
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