One NFL crew seems prefer it’s standing ready of fact, whereas one other front-running squad could possibly be a mirage. Listed below are two truths and two lies from the NFL standings after Sunday’s Week 6 video games.
The 2025 season hasn’t gone off guide, however there have been a number of surprises. Included within the combine are two groups that at the moment lead their respective conferences. However are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts who we expect they’re?
Fact: Steelers will win AFC North
The standings present the Steelers with a commanding lead of their division. They’re up three video games over the Bengals, who haven’t any probability to be a playoff contender. And they’re up 4 video games over the one fringe menace the division can supply, the Ravens.
Now, it’s true that the Ravens’ schedule offers them an opportunity to go perhaps 8-3 in the event that they get Lamar Jackson again after the bye week. However that also places them at simply 9-8. That received’t be sufficient to catch the Steelers.
This isn’t concerning the Steelers being dominant, or Aaron Rodgers nonetheless being that man, however it’s the fact of the 2025 season. The Steelers are the one crew within the division that hasn’t fallen aside. And if Rodgers stays wholesome, they need to coast to the title.
Rodgers is attempting to speak like a man who isn’t overconfident, based on ESPN.
“That’s the place we wish to be, and we have put ourselves within the place to begin getting into the dialog,” Rodgers stated earlier than cautioning, “lots can occur.”
Head coach Mike Tomlin doesn’t let his groups fall quick. And he likes the hand he’s been dealt.
“Why is it beginning to look the best way that we need? We acquired a full complement of expertise,” Tomlin stated. “After we put this band collectively, we really feel like we will do the stuff you noticed right this moment.”
Fact: Patriots reliable menace to Payments
Two causes spotlight why the Patriots are undoubtedly within the combine. In the beginning, Drake Maye is that dude. He’s a playoff-level quarterback, and he places the Patriots on the menace stage.
Maye stated he likes what the crew has been doing, based on ESPN.
“It feels good getting within the win column persistently,” Maye stated, complimenting his receivers. “It was good to hit some deep photographs. And people guys, they made some nice performs.”
Second, the Patriots have already crushed the Payments, and their schedule offers them an opportunity to be in nice form when these groups meet once more in December. Because it stands now, the Patriots will probably be favored in six of their subsequent seven video games. At 4-2 now, they could possibly be — ought to be — 10-3 after they play host to the Payments in Week 15.
Nonetheless, head coach Mike Vrabel stated the Patriots haven’t arrived but.
“We’ll by no means not take pleasure in and embrace profitable on this league, however I do suppose guys are conscious of the truth that it may be higher,” Vrabel stated. “To do this on the street and have the ability to finish it with the ball offensively in victory formation is enjoyable.”
Lie: Buccaneers are NFC’s finest crew
The standings say they’re. They’re 5-1 and standing robust within the NFC South.
However it is a crew that has received 4 very shut video games. As true as it’s they’re 5-1, it’s additionally true they’re just a few blips from being 1-5.
Everyone appears to wish to crown Baker Mayfield because the MVP. However take a breath. We simply completed Week 6. Mayfield has been excellent. However let’s see him do it for 17 weeks.
Even Mayfield sees what is going on on proper now, based on ESPN.
“It’s Week 6, (we) have an enormous one subsequent week,” Mayfield stated. “It’s superior to have help. Don’t get me fallacious, however we’re simply getting began.”
After all, Mayfield’s brutal run added to the legend. Main by one level early within the fourth quarter and dealing with third and 14, Mayfield averted a sack, escaped one other defender, scrambled out of hassle, dodged different sort out makes an attempt, and dove headfirst for a primary down. Head coach Todd Bowles took discover.
“I used to be in disbelief like everyone else,” Bowles stated. “It occurs each different week or in order that he makes these forms of performs, and also you simply pray he does not get harm or something occurs to him. However he has a knack. He has a knack which you could’t train or coach. It was an unbelievable play.”
Lie: Colts are AFC’s finest crew
Like Tampa Bay, the Colts merely don’t have the pedigree to put declare to the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Now, the Colts are method higher than anyone anticipated. It is a good soccer crew. However it’s simply not true to place the Colts on the identical stage because the Payments and Patriots proper now.
Daniel Jones, nearly as good as he’s been, doesn’t have the identical ceiling as Maye. Additionally, the Colts have a unique schedule forward of them. And it begins this week on the Chargers. Sure, the Chargers have their points. However they are going to be at residence and stand with a file of 4-2.
The protection must be higher if the Colts are going to climb to the highest. They usually realize it after the sketchy 31-27 win over the tumbling Cardinals, based on Colts.com.
“It wasn’t our greatest sport in any respect, however we discovered a approach to win,” security Cam Bynum stated. “Particularly with a number of guys out, subsequent man up is at all times going to be probably the most actual phrase within the NFL, as a result of everyone must be ready to play.”
Steichen stated his crew is studying.
“I assumed these guys did make a play after they needed to,” Steichen stated. “And clearly you bought some younger guys on the market which are studying on the job, they usually competed their tails off. There wasn’t any lack of compete in any of these guys.”