The NFL is a cutthroat league.
Don’t produce, and you might be out of a job earlier than anticipated. A couple individuals found that out the hard way this week.
There is still a lot of football to be played, but a few teams around the league are already turning to a dramatic change to kickstart their season.
So, to get you set for the Week 6 slate, we take a look at two AFC East teams that made major NFL headlines this week, a team facing a must-win just six weeks in and a game of the week between two MVP candidates.
Jets hoping for new-coach bump
The New York Jets sent shock waves through the NFL landscape on Tuesday when they fired head coach Robert Saleh after a disappointing 2-3 start.
As soon as it happened, speculation ran rampant — just how much influence did Aaron Rodgers have on the decision?
Rodgers came out and said he had nothing to do with the decision on “The Pat McAfee Show” show on Wednesday. Fox NFL insider Jordan Schultz also reported that Rodgers was “blindsided” by the decision.
Rodgers’ hands seem clean, but we may never get the full story on what transpired. What we do know, however, is that Rodgers and the Jets offence have been a disappointment through five weeks and need to get things on track in a hurry.
Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich is already making moves to spark the stumbling offence, as he demoted Nathaniel Hackett — who has an extensive history with Rodgers from their time in Green Bay — from play-calling duties and handed them to Jets’ passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Todd Downing instead.
It’s a lot of changes for the 40-year-old signal caller, but something clearly needs to change. Rodgers has had his struggles, but it’s the Jets’ lack of a running game that may be the biggest concern. Star running back Breece Hall has just 27 yards on 19 carries over the past couple of weeks.
Rodgers was forced to throw the ball 54 (!) times last week against the Vikings. He’s still got the arm talent, but that’s not a sustainable strategy, even if he was in his prime.
The Jets should play with renewed energy on Monday night. And if they don’t, things might be getting late, early.
Unfortunately for Rodgers and the Jets, they face a Bills team that is also looking to right the ship after dreadful fourth-quarter clock management led to a deflating loss to the Houston Texans last Sunday.
We’ll have to see if the bump of a new coach and play caller will be enough for the Jets to get past a hungry Bills team.
A fourth rookie QB enters the fold
Three rookie quarterbacks have started all five games for their teams this season, each with varying degrees of success.
Jayden Daniels (Commanders), Caleb Williams (Bears) and Bo Nix (Broncos) were thrown into the fire in Week 1. While each quarterback has had varying levels of success statistically, one thing they have in common is that they all have their squads above .500.
A fourth rookie gets his shot in Week 6, as the New England Patriots are handing the reins over to No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye.
The timing, however, seems curious.
Maye comes in for a matchup with the 4-1 Texans that made Williams’ life miserable last week as they pressured the Bears rookie on 48 per cent of his drop backs.
The Patriots offensive line has also been dreadful this year. Per PFF, they rank third last in team pass blocking grade (49.4) and are the lowest-rated team in pass block efficiency rating (72.1)
Talk about getting thrown to the wolves. Especially when a much easier test in the Jacksonville Jaguars is just around the corner in Week 7.
Clearly the Patriots have seen enough of Jacoby Brissett and are hoping Maye can channel the success of the other rookie starters and inject some energy into the team.
Expectations should be tempered, and the biggest success may just be Maye leaving the game unscathed.
Win or go home for Bengals?
It might seem dramatic to say that the Cincinnati Bengals season is on the line in Week 6, but that’s just the reality of where they find themselves.
A team many thought would be competing for a Super Bowl this year has stumbled out of the gate 1-4.
Star QB Joe Burrow even had one of the best games of his career last week against the Baltimore Ravens, throwing for a career-high five TDs, and they still couldn’t get in the win column.
The major reason for their struggles, especially as of late, lies with the Cincinnati defence, as the unit simply hasn’t been good enough to give Burrow and the offence any support.
Thankfully, the Bengals have a chance to string some wins together and gain some much-needed momentum as they take on the New York Giants in Week 6 and then the Cleveland Browns in Week 7. Anything less than 2-0, and it will be looking like another lost season for this talented group.
It might sound dramatic to say the Bengals’ season is on the line in Week 6, but after a 1-4 start, the team that many had as a Super Bowl favourite needs a win in the worst way.
Game of the Week: Commanders (4-1) @ Ravens (3-2) — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
How could it not be the game that features the two QBs who are playing the best football right now?
Not many would’ve predicted Jayden Daniels versus Lamar Jackson would be a matchup between two players who are MVP favourites, but here we are.
Jackson, last season’s MVP, was expected to be in the conversation of course. But not many saw this season coming from Daniels.
The Commanders’ rookie QB is currently the fifth in MVP odds (per BetMGM), while Jackson is third. Odds are stacked against Daniels as only one rookie has ever won the NFL MVP award — Cleveland Browns legendary running back Jim Brown in 1957.
Daniels also faces his stiffest test of the season on the road against a Ravens team that has won three in a row after starting the season 0-2.
But Daniels has played with poise beyond his years and is making teams pay even when the play breaks down. Per PFF, he’s currently the league’s highest-rated QB on plays outside of the pocket.
Remind you of anyone? Sounds similar to what Jackson has done to teams his whole career.
Will Daniels prevail and continue his rise up the MVP odds, or will Jackson and the Ravens teach the rookie a humbling lesson?
Forrest’s Favourites (Season record: 7-5 — All odds courtesy of BetMGM):
Commanders @ Ravens — Pick: Commanders +6.5 (-110): With the way Daniels has been playing, almost a full touchdown spread seems like a steal. Even if it’s on the road against the Ravens.
Cardinals @ Packers — Pick: Cardinals +5 (-110): The Cardinals had a huge momentum-building win on the road against the 49ers last week. They should ride that and keep things within at least a field goal against the Packers.
Lions @ Cowboys — Pick: Lions -3 (-110): The Cowboys scraped together a last-second win against the Steelers last week. But the Lions are a different beast and coming off a bye. Give us the Lions to win by more than a field goal.
Thursday, Oct. 11
San Francisco 49ers 36, Seattle Seahawks 24
Sunday, Oct. 13
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Chicago Bears (London), 9:30 a.m.
Washington Commanders at Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 p.m.
Arizona Cardinals at Green Bay Packers, 1:00 p.m.
Houston Texans at New England Patriots, 1:00 p.m.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints, 1:00 p.m.
Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles, 1:00 p.m.
Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans, 1:00 p.m.
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos, 4:05 p.m.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:05 p.m.
Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers, 4:25 p.m.
Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m.
Cincinnati Bengals at New York Giants, 8:20 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 14
Buffalo Bills at New York Jets, 8:15 p.m.