Judging biggest overreactions for NFL Week 6 games

Being 0-6 is no fun, so it’s no surprise that Jets coach Aaron Glenn wasn’t in the best mood at his postgame news conference Sunday in London.

Asked whether Justin Fields would remain his starting quarterback next week against Carolina, Glenn said, “What kind of question is that?” After watching Fields look totally lost against the Broncos, I would say it’s a good one.

But is it an overreaction? Oh, I’m so glad you asked. Let’s tackle that and a few other potential overreactions to NFL Week 6 games, sizing up which ones are legitimate and which ones are irrational. (And we will also hit a few fantasy football topics at the bottom.)

Jump to:
Jets should bench Fields?
Maye is the top 2024 QB?
Cowboys need a trade on D?
Jags’ 4-1 start wasn’t for real?
Healthy Bucs would be unstoppable?
Five fantasy-related overreactions

The Jets need to bench Justin Fields

Fields was 9-for-17 for 45 passing yards against the Broncos, and because he took nine sacks for a total of 55 lost yards, the Jets finished the game with minus-10 net passing yards. This happened in 2025 … when the forward pass has been legal for over a century. Fields didn’t do much with his legs, either, rushing seven times for 31 yards. Overall, the team had 82 total yards of offense and went 2-for-15 on third down.

And it was a shame because the Jets’ defense actually stood up in this one. New York had a chance to win if it could have generated any offense at all. Thanks to a third-quarter safety, it led this game 11-10 until the Broncos kicked a go-ahead field goal with 5:06 left. The Jets got the ball back twice after that, but those two possessions generated minus-6 yards on nine plays. Fields was pressured on 14 of his 29 dropbacks, which obviously makes it difficult. But he was completely lost when facing pressure, completing just one pass for minus-1 yard and taking those nine sacks.

Denver’s defense is one of the best in the league, sure. But this isn’t the first time this season that Fields has looked very bad. He was a mess before garbage time in Week 5 against a Cowboys defense that has been torched this season by the likes of Russell Wilson, Caleb Williams and Bryce Young. Fields had an 0.9 QBR in Week 2 against the Bills before leaving because of a concussion. Fields and the Jets’ offense just don’t look like they’re on the verge of any kind of solution.

Verdict: OVERREACTION

Hear me out: What’s the point of switching to Tyrod Taylor? The Jets are 0-6. Their season isn’t going anywhere. They’re probably going to start trading away guys in the next couple of weeks ahead of the trade deadline. They gave Fields a $40 million contract last offseason and planned to evaluate him this entire season to decide whether he can be the future at the position. There’s no reason to move off that plan unless the Jets now think this is totally irretrievable.

And Fields has played a couple of very good games this season — against Pittsburgh in Week 1 (one of the best games of his career) and against Miami in Week 4. The Jets have a lot of issues on offense, and Fields might be the most glaring of them all. But as ugly as it looks — and as reasonable as the question is, Aaron Glenn — the rest of this season for the Jets has to be about evaluation. And Fields is probably the most important evaluation they need to make.

Drake Maye will turn out to be the best QB from the 2024 draft class

There was no letdown whatsoever for Maye and the Patriots after last Sunday night’s huge victory in Buffalo. They went down to New Orleans and beat a surprisingly game Saints team 25-19. Maye threw three touchdown passes in the first half, all of which traveled at least 20 yards in the air. At the time, at least, that tied the Giants’ Russell Wilson (yeah, Week 2 against the Cowboys) for the most such touchdown passes by any player in a game this season.

The Patriots are 4-2. The last time they started 4-2 without Tom Brady as their quarterback was 1999. They have won three games in a row for the first time since 2022 and are firmly in the AFC East division race thanks to that Week 5 victory. And the Patriots certainly aren’t coddling their second-year quarterback at all to do it.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

Yes, Washington’s Jayden Daniels is the clear leader right now and might always be the answer to this question. Chicago’s Caleb Williams has the talent to overtake both of these guys. But to think Maye could turn out to be the best of the bunch is not farfetched at all.

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Maye connects with Boutte for 2nd TD of the game

Drake Maye finds Kayshon Boutte for their second touchdown connection of the game.

This isn’t a scaled-down, dink-and-dunk offense in New England. In fact, it appears offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is making major alterations to the game plan week to week based on the opponent — the way he used to when Brady was there. You don’t do that if you don’t have tremendous faith in your quarterback’s ability to handle it. Maye is playing at a higher level than a lot of people realize, using his arm and his legs to beat teams with different receivers and a running back corps that has done a lot of fumbling. He’s already a star.

The Cowboys need to trade for defensive help this week

A week after beating the Jets in New Jersey, the Cowboys couldn’t keep Bryce Young and the Panthers off the scoreboard in Carolina. Dallas lost 30-27 when the Panthers kicked a tiebreaking field goal with no time left on the clock. Dallas allowed 410 yards of offense, 216 of which were rushing yards and 239 of which came from former Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle. Dowdle has been subbing in for injured Panthers starter Chuba Hubbard the past couple of weeks and surely enjoyed tearing through the team that let him walk in free agency.

This is the fourth game this season in which a Cowboys opponent scored at least 30 points, and Dallas gave up 24 and 22 in the other two contests. The 184 points the Cowboys have allowed are the third most through the first six games in franchise history.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

Once upon a time, the Cowboys were struggling on offense and traded a first-round pick for receiver Amari Cooper ahead of the trade deadline. That move worked out great. I’m not sure what the equivalent move is on defense this season, but if it’s out there, the Cowboys need to find it — and fast.

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Young finds Dowdle for 36-yard TD

Bryce Young escapes the pocket and finds Rico Dowdle for a 36-yard touchdown to give the Panthers the lead.

The offense is elite, even without top wideout CeeDee Lamb and with the O-line all banged up. Dak Prescott has 11 total touchdowns in his past three games, and the Cowboys are 1-2 in those matchups. That is the first time a quarterback has had that many touchdowns and a losing record over a three-game span since at least 1950. That speaks to a really big problem on the other side of the ball.

Dallas has an extra first-round pick as a result of the Micah Parsons trade and should see what kind of Parsons replacement they might be able to get for it.

The Jaguars’ 4-1 start was just a mirage

Jacksonville could not build on the momentum from its thrilling Monday night victory over the Chiefs, falling 20-12 at home to the Seahawks on Sunday. Trevor Lawrence and an offense that’s clearly a work in progress in its first year under coach Liam Coen looked sleepy against a Seattle defense that was missing three starters in its secondary.

The Jaguars’ defense was OK — it held the Seahawks to 1-for-12 on third down, making Seattle the first team this season to win despite converting fewer than two third downs. But for the first time this season, the Jags didn’t get a takeaway. And without that part of the game, they weren’t able to keep Seattle off the scoreboard in the key moments. Jacksonville is now 4-2 and feeling a bit more disappointed headed into next week’s game in London against the Rams.

Verdict: OVERREACTION

Nope, not buying it. There will be better days for the Jacksonville offense, which was done in by some penalties. Lawrence was able to make magic a couple of times on third and fourth down to keep drives alive. The offense, which was playing Sunday without starting center Robert Hainsey and starting tight end Brenton Strange, will continue to improve. And the defense has shown that it can be relied on to hold things down in the meantime.

The Jaguars are a good team that lost to another good team Sunday. That happens. It doesn’t mean their season is headed for the drain.

If the Buccaneers get healthy, they’re the best team in the NFL

Honestly, this is getting ridiculous. Already without injured star wide receivers Mike Evans (hamstring) and Chris Godwin Jr. (fibula) and starting running back Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder), the Bucs lost rookie star Emeka Egbuka to a hamstring injury during Sunday’s game against the 49ers.

Baker Mayfield couldn’t care less.

He’s just out here throwing long touchdown passes to random dudes named Johnson. These Bucs have been playing without starting right guard Cody Mauch (out for the year), starting right tackle Luke Goedeke (currently on injured reserve) and starting defensive tackle Calijah Kancey (out for the year). Wide receiver Jalen McMillan, who came on strong as a rookie at the end of last season, hasn’t played yet this season. Godwin has played one game. And the Bucs didn’t have left tackle Tristan Wirfs to start the season and moved their center out there to replace him.

That is not even a complete list of their injuries. But in spite of all of that, they took out the 49ers 30-19 and improved to 5-1 for the season.

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Tez Johnson celebrates 1st TD of season with backflip

Tez Johnson hauls in Baker Mayfield’s dart and celebrates his first touchdown of the season with a backflip.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

The 49ers certainly aren’t going to feel sorry for the Bucs, not with the injury issues they’re dealing with right now. But you have to be impressed with the fact that Tampa Bay keeps finding ways to win. Mayfield is the clear MVP of the league through Week 6. Not all of the injured guys are coming back, but many are, and if the Bucs can get to something resembling full strength, they’re going to be very tough to handle.

This four-time defending division champion is determined to go further in the playoffs than it has during that span. Winning these games early with all that’s going wrong sets the Buccaneers up for a high playoff seed and could put them on a path toward that goal.

Quick-hitter fantasy overreactions

• Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a top-five fantasy receiver. NOT AN OVERREACTION. Seattle-Jacksonville was a game in which almost nobody looked good on offense. The Seahawks were playing a more conservative game plan than usual because of the Jaguars’ takeaway proficiency. Still, Smith-Njigba had eight catches for 162 yards and a spectacular 61-yard touchdown catch. It’s his fourth 100-yard game this season, and outside of Puka Nacua, it’s hard to find a more reliable high-end contributor at receiver.

• Cam Skattebo is an RB1. NOT AN OVERREACTION. He’s not getting three touchdowns every week, but you can’t argue with the workload, especially on a short week. Tyrone Tracy Jr. being back and healthy didn’t cut into Skattebo’s production at all. Keep firing him up as long as he stays healthy. Vibes are high with the Giants right now.

• Kendrick Bourne is a starting WR in fantasy. OVERREACTION. Yeah, he has had exactly 142 receiving yards in each of his past two games, and he did it on half as many catches this week. But once receiver Ricky Pearsall and QB Brock Purdy are healthy, Bourne slides back down the depth chart. He’s had fun catching a bunch of passes from his old New England pal Mac Jones these past couple of weeks, but he’s there for depth and should fade back into the shadows once the Niners are back to full strength.

• You missed your chance to get Ladd McConkey at value. NOT AN OVERREACTION. Seven catches for 100 yards Sunday, his second game in a row with a touchdown catch. Quentin Johnston missed this game because of a hamstring injury, which helped, but don’t be surprised if this keeps up even once Johnston is back. Justin Herbert got hit seven more times Sunday, and the Chargers’ tackle injuries are causing pass protection problems. With less time to throw, McConkey will be an even more trusted outlet for Herbert moving forward.

• George Pickens is the best Cowboys receiver for fantasy. OVERREACTION. Pickens is awesome and has caught at least one touchdown in every game. And in that Dallas offense, he’s going to be a fantasy starter even once CeeDee Lamb is back from injury. But we know what Lamb is for fantasy, and Pickens’ target share will drop once Lamb is back. And Pickens’ 17-touchdown pace isn’t sustainable. His value might actually be an opportunity to sell high — just make sure it’s really high.