What would it not take for the Cleveland Browns to bench quarterback Deshaun Watson? It’s the most important subject surrounding a floundering staff because it faces the Philadelphia Eagles, in want of a win of their very own coming off a bye.
Jayden Daniels has captivated the league to date in 2024. However has he seen a check like a highway recreation at Baltimore? What about among the league’s feistiest groups and hardest outs, such because the Arizona Cardinals or Denver Broncos? Is the postseason a sensible purpose?
And the way does the remainder of the season unfold for the New York Jets with interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, who takes over for the fired Robert Saleh?
Our NFL writers Mike Sando, Zak Keefer and Jeff Howe talk about Week 6 and extra.
Cleveland visits Philadelphia on Sunday. The Browns are a catastrophe. Would you bench Deshaun Watson proper now? The Eagles are underachieving. What’s Philadelphia’s most urgent problem?
Keefer: It is a mess of the Browns’ personal making, one with out a simple reply as a result of huge assured cash Watson remains to be owed ($46 million every of the following two seasons). Whereas the QB isn’t the one problem amid Cleveland’s disappointing 1-4 begin, he’s the most important: Watson is averaging simply 4.8 yards per try, worst within the league, and doesn’t have a completion of 30 yards or longer all season. He’s not even near the participant he was in Houston. On the danger of shedding the locker room, the Browns must maintain enjoying him within the hope he climbs out of this stoop. The Eagles, coming off a bye, had higher hope Jalen Hurts begins enjoying higher: Because the starting of final season, he’s turned the ball over 22 occasions, second most within the NFL.
GO DEEPER
Browns say they do not want main change, however are they on the precipice of it?
Sando: I’d bench Watson in favor of Jameis Winston after which see what occurs. If Winston faltered, the Browns might return to Watson. The Browns can fear about what occurs subsequent on the finish of the season. Within the meantime, they should prioritize successful. It’s troublesome to say you’re doing that with Watson remaining within the lineup.
Howe: If the Browns assume Watson wants time on the sector to rediscover the manufacturing that we haven’t seen since 2020, that’d be the one credible argument for sticking with him because the starter. In any other case, the offense regarded higher at occasions over the summer time with Winston on the sector. Whereas the Browns don’t look like almost the identical staff because the earlier model that made the playoffs — additionally notable, the protection has considerably regressed — however they’re extra gifted than 1-4. With higher quarterback play, they need to have already got three wins. They’re in a harmful spot with a staff that’s failing to satisfy expectations and crucial participant on the roster falling means, means beneath expectations, so the Browns want a jolt with Winston.
The Jayden Daniels Present travels to Baltimore this week for what ought to be the rookie QB’s greatest check to this point as a professional. What are your expectations for Daniels on Sunday?
Keefer: Daniels has been terrific to this point, however Sunday would be the rookie’s hardest check as a professional, even towards a Baltimore protection that simply allowed 38 to Joe Burrow and the Bengals. Kliff Kingsbury has accomplished a implausible job of simplifying the scheme round Daniels’ strengths whereas not asking him to hold an excessive amount of of the load within the passing recreation. This permits the Commanders’ run recreation (second greatest within the NFL) to steadiness out the assault, and Daniels is sweet sufficient to hit the occasional deep shot when the protection will get too targeted on the run. Baltimore, clearly, is operating the soccer higher than anybody. Actually, Sunday’s recreation would be the first between two groups averaging 175 speeding yards or extra in Week 6 or later in 46 years. Search for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to win a fourth straight.
Sando: I anticipate extra good issues from Daniels until Baltimore will get forward early and makes Washington one-dimensional. We’ve seen the Ravens do that many occasions, and so they have accomplished it some this season. Total, their protection hasn’t been what it as soon as was, so the chances favor a very good recreation from Daniels.
GO DEEPER
Commanders-Ravens is not a rivalry, however Jayden Daniels and Lamar Jackson might change that
Howe: The Ravens protection has been beneath common by 5 video games. And relative to the Ravens’ commonplace, “beneath common” can typically translate to “dangerous.” It’s clear why they’re bringing again Dean Pees. Anyway, I feel there’s purpose to consider Daniels can maintain it going. I’d prefer to see him play effectively and proceed making the performs which are in entrance of him. Rookie QBs who make the good performs are already means forward of the sport, after which simply make the well timed throws from there. Don’t fear about going play for play with Jackson. I’m unsure if the Commanders are able to win a recreation like this simply but, however I’m trying ahead to seeing the place they stack up.
The Broncos (vs. Chargers) and Cardinals (at Packers) are coming off good Week 5 wins. Feisty spoilers or might they sneak into the playoff hunt?
Keefer: It’s means too early to take a look at playoff seedings, however I did anyway: As of proper now, the Broncos are within the AFC playoffs, within the sixth seed. A part of that’s among the disappointing groups beneath Denver (Jacksonville, Cincinnati, the Jets). However it’s not that a lot of a stretch to think about the Broncos being within the combine as we enter December. Throughout their subsequent eight video games, they’ll see simply three playoff video games from a 12 months in the past, and a kind of groups is the Browns, who as famous above, are a dumpster fireplace. I just like the Broncos’ probabilities way more than the Cardinals’ probabilities in one of many hardest divisions in soccer, despite the fact that the NFC West isn’t trying as formidable because it has in years previous.
Sando: I see these groups extra as feisty spoilers than as playoff contenders, however while you have a look at the state of the AFC specifically after which think about the playoff subject has expanded from six to seven, there’s a gap for the Broncos. Can the Jets, Dolphins, Jaguars and/or Bengals shut that opening? In all probability. The Cardinals’ general depth will doubtless maintain them again.
Might quarterback Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals discover a means into the playoff race this season? (Darren Yamashita / Imagn Pictures)
Howe: I feel the Cardinals are adequate to sneak into the playoffs, and it helps their trigger that the NFC West is so badly injured throughout the board. They’re going to must discover a approach to steal some wins, although, as a result of the NFC North is so good and the South and East are deeper than most likely anticipated. I have a look at the Broncos as extra of a spoiler as a result of their offense has been far too inconsistent. But when Nix continues to enhance, that protection can carry them. This weekend would possibly inform their story. If they will take down the Chargers, the Broncos can proceed to construct confidence the following two weeks towards the Saints and Panthers earlier than a measuring-stick stretch towards the Ravens, Chiefs and Falcons.
How involved ought to the Bengals be at 1-4 and on the highway in prime time towards one other surprisingly feisty staff within the Giants?
Keefer: Joe Burrow’s proper — this isn’t a championship staff. Not once they blow video games like they did Sunday towards the Ravens, one that would’ve swerved the course of their season. The difficulty isn’t Burrow and the offense, exterior of Zac Taylor’s questionable late-game decision-making, however the protection, which has regressed considerably since this staff’s run to the Tremendous Bowl after the 2021 season. To date Burrow is within the prime 5 in EPA per drop again and passer score; the Bengals’ protection is thirtieth in EPA per play, thirtieth in factors allowed and thirty first in sacks and pressures. Cincy ought to be frightened already, however a loss Sunday to this Giants staff? That will be inexcusable.
Sando: The Bengals ought to be very involved about each opponent as a result of their protection has been so susceptible. That mentioned, I feel they’ll fare higher as they face much less dynamic offenses. Cincinnati ought to be capable of outscore the Giants even with Daniel Jones enjoying higher of late.
Howe: On the plus aspect, Joe Burrow is enjoying in addition to nearly anybody, and the Bengals might completely rip off 4 consecutive wins towards the Giants, Browns, Eagles and Raiders to get to 5-4 earlier than a rematch with Baltimore. On the down aspect, they only gave away one other recreation and the protection has allowed the second-most factors within the league. It’s going to be unattainable to climb out of a 1-4 gap if the protection doesn’t get it again collectively. They’ve acquired a good schedule over the ultimate three months to tug it off, although. And in the event that they get into the playoffs by successful 9 or 10 of their ultimate dozen video games, nobody will wish to see them in January.
GO DEEPER
Can Bengals protection be salvaged? Canvassing these within the know for ideas, options
Payments-Jets is ready for “Monday Evening Soccer.” What can we anticipate from the Jeff Ulbrich-led Jets? Does the Payments offense actually solely want one other receiver or is teaching the most important problem in Buffalo?
Keefer: No staff loves drama greater than the Jets, and I anticipate them to play effectively Monday evening towards the Payments with first place within the AFC East on the road. Ulbrich may have his guys prepared, conscious that that is his 12-game audition to be a head coach. The issue is that firing Robert Saleh doesn’t remediate the offensive points, stemming from the poor job coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is doing to date and Aaron Rodgers’ shaky efficiency to begin the season. As for the Payments, the offense must get the run recreation again on observe; it’s simple to inform how way more harmful Josh Allen is when the speeding assault has the protection crowding the road of scrimmage. Throughout Buffalo’s 3-0 begin, when James Prepare dinner was rolling, Allen’s passer score was 133.7. In two losses since, his passer score has regressed to 65.
Sando: There was an honest probability the Jets would beat the Payments at residence with or with out a teaching change. This Jets season stays one in every of attrition whatever the change. This staff ought to enhance considerably on offense over the second half of the season because the schedule of opposing defenses lets up. The problem stays protecting Aaron Rodgers wholesome sufficient for lengthy sufficient to maximise that chance. Shorter time period, the problem for Ulbrich might be in ensuring the Jets’ in-game processes are sound. How does he plan to navigate conversations on the headsets? How will his situational methods work? It is a troublesome place for him to be in, particularly whereas holding onto defensive play-calling duties.
Howe: The Jets have had Allen’s quantity throughout their final pair of conferences on the Meadowlands, successful each occasions with the QB tossing 5 interceptions. So there’s undoubtedly a path for the Ulbrich period to get off to a pleasant begin if the Jets can handle the distraction of the Saleh firing. However until there’s some huge shift in offensive philosophy or in need of Rodgers turning again the clock a half-decade, I’m unsure this can be a playoff staff. The Payments have the items, however they have been flat throughout the board towards the Ravens and made far too many errors to steal a comeback victory in Houston towards a high quality opponent. Possibly the errors, comparable to dropped passes, might be argued as an absence of expertise on the ability positions. However with how explosive they regarded for 3 weeks, I’m not prepared to put in writing off that unit after a few dangerous days.
(Prime photograph of Jayden Daniels: Dylan Buell / Getty Pictures)
