NFL Week 6 knee-jerk reactions: Jaguars need a coaching change, Lions OC aces potential audition

Week 6 of the regular season featured several blowouts, as well as a number of poor quarterback performances and even worse displays of coaching.

Amid the chaos of this week’s slate, the Detroit Lions spoiled Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ 82nd birthday, while the Chicago Bears may end up forcing the second coaching change of the season. Meanwhile, rookie QBs Drake Maye and Spencer Rattler made their first career starts with the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints, respectively, though the results were mixed. 

Here are some knee-jerk reactions from the sixth week of the NFL season:

London game result should lead to another coaching change 

Last week, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson fired former HC Robert Saleh following an embarrassing 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London. After watching his team get outscored 35-13 across the final three quarters of Sunday’s blowout loss to the Chicago Bears to fall to 1-5, Jaguars owner Shad Khan should follow suit and cut ties with HC Doug Pederson.

Pederson, who led the Philadelphia Eagles to a win in Super Bowl LII, has seen his time with the Jaguars take a similar path to his Eagles tenure, with Jacksonville enjoying success early before turning into one of the NFL’s worst teams. Sunday’s loss, which featured “a lot of quit” as safety Andre Cisco told reporters, gives Jacksonville just a 2-10 record over its last 12 games, with the only wins coming against Bryce Young- and Joe Flacco-led teams. 

Latest sideline antic is another reason why HC Nick Sirianni will never lead the Eagles over the hump

Philadelphia moved to 3-2 on Sunday, surviving an upset bid by the Cleveland Browns to secure a 20-16 home win. The offense struggled for much of the contest, though, which naturally drew boos from the Lincoln Financial Field crowd as well as chants for Sirianni to be fired. The 43-year-old Sirianni took issue with the criticism and clapped back at the Eagles fans with under a minute remaining in the game, yelling and gesturing at the crowd that he couldn’t hear them anymore.

Since being hired by Philadelphia, Sirianni has had his fair share of controversial sideline antics, though gloating to his own fans after beating a 1-5 team with a historically inept offense by four points is the worst by far. Underachieving with one of the NFL’s most talented rosters is one thing, but being thin-skinned to the point that fans’ reasonable criticism causes you to respond like that proves Sirianni is in over his head. 

Lions OC Ben Johnson makes decision for next Cowboys head coach an easy one

It seems like a matter of “when” not “if” the Dallas Cowboys part ways with HC Mike McCarthy following yet another humiliating home loss, this time falling to the Detroit Lions 47-9. Fortunately, Jones doesn’t need to spend any time mulling over who McCarthy’s replacement should be. Johnson, who figures to be one of the most sought-after coaching candidates in the upcoming hiring cycle, aced his potential audition for Dallas, showing Jones just how creative the Cowboys offense could look under his tutelage. 

In addition to scoring 47 points, the Lions ran multiple trick plays — including a 52-yard flea-flicker touchdown to TE Sam LaPorta — en route to racking up 492 yards of total offense without punting or turning the ball over. Considering QB Dak Prescott and WR CeeDee Lamb are under contract for the foreseeable future, it only makes sense for the Cowboys to hire one of the brightest offensive minds in the league as their next coach. 

Sticking with Will Levis as starting quarterback would be a mistake for Titans

The Tennessee Titans have a solid roster on paper, but they find themselves with a 1-4 record largely because of their starting quarterback. Levis continues to add to his reel of low-lights by committing an egregious turnover each game and the story was no different during Sunday’s 20-17 home loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The 2023 second-round pick finished 16-of-27 passing for a mere 95 yards, one touchdown and an interception.

Levis has committed a league-leading 10 turnovers (seven interceptions and three fumbles) this season. It’s an impressive feat, considering Tennessee was on bye last week and he exited the team’s Week 4 road win over the Dolphins in the first quarter due to injury. If first-year HC Brian Callahan doesn’t want to risk losing his locker room, he must insert QB Mason Rudolph into the starting lineup, especially with road games against Buffalo and Detroit on the horizon. 

Commanders’ hot start wasn’t a fluke

The Washington Commanders (4-2) had their four-game winning streak snapped on Sunday, falling to the Ravens 30-23 in Baltimore, but despite the loss, they should be encouraged by the results. Washington’s defense was exposed, allowing 484 total yards, though it put up a respectable fight against one of the best teams in the NFL.

Washington fell behind by multiple scores several times only to repeatedly find a way to remain in the game, thanks largely to rookie QB Jayden Daniels, who threw for a career-high 269 yards and two touchdowns. While the loss hurts, not only does Washington’s performance suggest that its rebuild is ahead of schedule, but it also provides optimism that the team can legitimately contend for a playoff spot this season. 

The Offensive Rookie of the Year race is far from over

Although Daniels is enjoying as seamless a transition to the NFL as a team could ask for out of a rookie signal-caller, Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams is starting to gain ground in the Offensive Rookie of the Year Race. Each week, Williams continues to improve and prove why he deserved to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft. 

During Sunday’s 35-16 win over the spiraling Jaguars, Williams completed 79.3% of his passes for 226 yards, four touchdowns and one interception while adding 56 yards on the ground. According to the NFL Communications department, Williams is the fourth rookie quarterback in league history with at least four touchdown passes and 50 rushing yards in a game. Williams is also the first quarterback selected with the first overall pick in the common draft era to win four of his first six career starts. 

Drake Maye gives Patriots fans a reason to keep watching

Maye, the third overall pick in this past April’s draft, made his first career start during Sunday’s 41-21 home loss to Houston. While the results were mixed, the former UNC quarterback showed encouraging flashes, finishing 20-of-33 passing for 243 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, along with a fumble.

Despite making a few rookie mistakes, Maye led the Patriots offense to the unit’s highest-scoring outing of the season. Additionally, Maye’s 243 passing yards were a single-game high for New England in 2024 and he already has more passing touchdowns than former starter Jacoby Brissett. Even though the rebuilding Patriots probably won’t win many more games this season, Maye gives fans a reason to continue tuning in on Sundays and believe that better days are ahead for the franchise.