The NFL Roundup 2020: Week 6 – What We Learned

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It’s funny, but it seems as though the wild year that is 2020, is actually bringing out the best in sports teams. Because we keep seeing teams from every league out there, seize the moment and offer up incredible play, as if they understand now is the perfect moment to do something special with everyone watching, and that includes the NFL. Because we saw some inspired performances take place over the last few days, the kind that left us in awe and left us talking long after the clock struck zero. Which means that the time has come to reflect upon those epic moments and all the important lessons that they, and every other game from Week 6 in the NFL, sent our way.

A coaching change is exactly what the Atlanta Falcons needed.
It's always tough when a head coach has be relived of their duties, since so much time and effort went into their scheme and development and plans for the future. But the instant their message no longer resonates with the locker room, a change has to come about and that's exactly why Dan Quinn was let go in Atlanta. Because the team was no longer responding to him or his teachings and for proof, then just look at Sunday's game. Because interim coach Rahim Moore ignited something special in regard to this team. Because they played some inspired football on Sunday, the kind that showed everyone that the talent they have on this roster is solid and productive and hopefully this resurgence on the team and Morris' dynamic new message will allow for this squad to finish the season on a far more hopeful note, and who knows? If Morris completely turns this season around, then his message and direction, might become the standard for the Falcons.

The New England Patriots need to be concerned about their offense.
While Cam Newton claims that there is ‘no need to hit the panic button’ (Per ‘The Greg Hill Show’ on WEEI) after losing to the Denver Broncos, there actually needs to be some serious cause for concern out in Foxboro. Because the Broncos Defense exposed the flaws in the New England offense. Because their heavy blitz packages contained the run game and Newton’s ability to scramble, which forced Newton to throw and that was uh… that was bad. Because Cam was off target all day and that’s what this team really needs to be worried about; the fact that the Pats offense is one-dimensional at best and is designed around a heavy dose of RPO over anything else. Which means that if the Pats can’t get Cam to be a dual threat, more teams are going to do what Denver did and it should be interesting to see if Josh McDaniels can morph Cam Newton into a dynamic pocket passer, this late in his career.
 
The road to the Super Bowl in the AFC, might have to go through Pittsburgh and Nashville.
For the most part, the Kansas City Chiefs have been viewed as the team to beat in the AFC and understandably so. Because they’re the champs, they invested internally in the offseason and they’re having a great start to the year. But one cannot discount what Pittsburgh and Tennessee are accomplishing right now. For both of those teams are playing some incredible football, to the point where they seem outright invincible, and when considers how well they are playing and the fight they exhibit when they take the field, there is a strong chance that home field advantage and a spot in the Super Bowl might go to one of these two teams. Granted, it is still early in the season, but this kind of quality play cannot be ignored, and no one should be surprised if these two teams remain undefeated for a better part of the season, as they continue to work toward locking up their respective divisions and the conference.
 
Is it time to think about a coaching change in Dallas, already?
One would think, that having a former franchise quarterback as your backup is a good thing. Because they have the experience and the ability to carry your team when your franchise quarterback goes down, as evidenced by what happened in Philly when Nick Foles took over for Carson Wentz. And a strong showing from Andy Dalton is what should have happened during his first start under center for the Dallas Cowboys, since he’s done it all. But instead… his first outing was a disaster. The kind that made him look like a rookie and well, that speaks more to the coaching than the player. Which leaves one to wonder, if Jerry Jones made the wrong hire in Mike McCarthy and whether or not he needs to make a change now, and that isn’t a bad thought at this point. Because the Cowboys just look lost on the field and there is no reason that this should be happening with the talent present on this team. Which means that maybe it is time to just let McCarthy go, so that the franchise can get a head start on finding the right person to coach his team.
 
Where do the New York Jets go from here?
At this point I think it is outright safe to say, that the New York Jets are a disaster this season. After all, they can’t get a quarterback to stay healthy or play well, the offensive play calling stinks, the defensive play calling stinks. Coaches are starting to revolt since DC Gregg Williams is throwing shade at his boss and their 0-6 record is an accurate reflection of this long list of issues. So, with that in mind, where the heck does this team go from here? Because this is about as low as it gets and well, at this point, firing Adam Gase would be a great way to improve this team immediately, since he is ineffective as a leader. Plus, now is the perfect time to purge the roster a la Miami to prepare for the future, and the team should start playing some of the young guys over veterans that aren’t producing. Because at this point, the season is done and the future is all that matters and making some hard choices and trying new things at least lets the fans know, that this once storied franchise still cares about winning and will do whatever it takes to reverse their sour fortunes.

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