Most NFL fans aren't going to want to hear this, but the Kansas City Chiefs are still a problem.
After a shaky 2-3 start, there were rightfully questions about whether or not the Chiefs' glory days were behind them.
On Sunday night, the Chiefs had a perfect chance to announce to the entire league that they're still a force to be reckoned with, and they did just that.
Hosting a red-hot Detroit Lions team that had won four straight games, Patrick Mahomes led Kansas City to a convincing 30-17 win.
Mahomes was in control all night and finished 22-of-32 for 257 yards and three touchdowns. With his first TD toss of the night in his 139th career game, Mahomes became the fastest QB in NFL history to reach 300 career passing touchdowns (including post-season).
What makes the Chiefs even scarier is that they have yet to include arguably their most impactful wide receiver.
Third-year WR Rashee Rice will return from a six-game suspension next week, only adding to the arsenal that Andy Reid and Mahomes have at their disposal.
"We've been getting better and better each and every week," Mahomes told NBC after the win. "The results haven't been paying off, but it's nice to get one at home, and we will try and carry this momentum into this next game."
Unfortunately for all those NFL fans wishing upon the Chiefs' downfall, they once again look like a team that's going to be a real problem come playoff time.
Shake it off, Lions
Sunday's loss to the Chiefs shouldn't be taken as an overly concerning sign for the Lions.
Going up against a desperate Chiefs squad at Arrowhead Stadium is a very tall task, especially when the Lions were without practically their entire secondary.
And despite all the injuries, the Lions went toe-to-toe with the Chiefs for most of the game.
Thankfully, unlike last season when major injuries depleted Detroit's defence, Dan Campbell said he expects most of his key players to return at some point.
The Lions possess one of the best offences in the league, and reading too much into Sunday's result would be a fool's errand.
The only concerning thing that the Lions will have to address this week is defensive back Brian Branch igniting a brawl after the final whistle by taking a swing at Chiefs WR JuJu Smith-Schuster.
"I love Brian Branch, but that was inexcusable," Campbell said post-game.
Mayfield cements MVP case
If Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield wasn't at the top of most early-season MVP lists already, he certainly will be after this week.
Mayfield went into Sunday's game against the 4-1 San Francisco 49ers already without wide receivers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan and starting running back Bucky Irving. Then he lost star rookie Emeka Egbuka to a hamstring injury in the second half.
But no proven weapons, no problem for Mayfield, as he led an unheralded group to a convincing 30-19 win over San Francisco on Sunday as Tampa Bay improved to an NFC-best 5-1.
Mayfield finished the game 17-of-23 for 256 yards and two touchdowns, but his most miraculous play of the game came with his legs.
With the Bucs up 20-19 and facing a third-and-14, Mayfield ducked out of a sure sack, scrambled out of the pocket, juked one defender and then rumbled for a key first down.
Mayfield plays the game with his heart on his sleeve and has endeared himself to the Buccaneers faithful.
The home crowd rewarded him with a chorus of "MVP!" chants on Sunday.
But for Mayfield, it's far too early to be worrying about an award.
“It’s Week 6, (we) have a big one next week,” Mayfield said in anticipation of taking on the Lions. “It’s awesome to have support, don’t get me wrong. But we’re just getting started.”
Herbert puts Chargers on his back
Much like Mayfield, Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert willed a banged-up offence to a big win on Sunday.
After watching a 13-point fourth-quarter lead against the Miami Dolphins disappear, Herbert led the Chargers down the field with under a minute remaining for the game-winning field goal as time expired and a 29-27 win.
Herbert's signature play of the day was on the final drive when he miraculously avoided a sack before finding Ladd McConkey for a 42-yard reception that set up the winning kick.
"That play will be burning in my mind until they throw dirt over top of me," Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said.
Same here, Jim. Same here.
"Chargers gonna Charger" is a saying for a reason, as it was a game that many previous versions of the team would've found a way to lose in disappointing fashion.
But Herbert, despite missing a number of key pieces on offence, did his best to change the narrative around this team.
Injury bug hits 49ers hard ... again
It's getting hard to fathom what is happening to the 49ers.
Last season, key injuries derailed a talented 49ers squad as the team finished a disappointing 6-11.
It had to get better this season, right?
Wrong.
The 49ers, already the walking wounded this season, were dealt another huge blow in Sunday's loss to the Buccaneers when All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner suffered what is likely a season-ending ankle injury.
Star edge rusher Nick Bosa is already out for the season, and the 49ers were also without QB Brock Purdy, WR Ricky Pearsall and TE George Kittle on offence.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has done an incredible job to begin the season, as despite all the injuries, the 49ers are still 4-2 and tied atop the NFC West.
But now, without their two leaders on defence for the remainder of the season, Shanahan's job just got even harder.
Ravens in big trouble
If the panic button hadn't already been pressed in Baltimore, it certainly has been now.
A popular pick to win the Super Bowl this season, the Ravens fell to 1-5 on Sunday after a lacklustre 17-3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
And if history is any indication, forget a Super Bowl appearance, Baltimore is going to be in tough to even make the playoffs.
Since 1970, only four teams have made the post-season after starting 1-5. Thankfully for the Ravens' chances, the NFL added a seventh playoff spot in 2020. But even since that came into place, only Washington in 2020 has rallied to make the playoffs after such a slow start.
The only thing that should give Ravens fans any sort of hope is a well-timed Week 7 bye.
Injuries have been a major part of Baltimore's early-season struggles, none more so than a hamstring injury to Lamar Jackson, which has caused the face of the franchise to miss the past two games.
As we saw Sunday against Los Angeles, when Baltimore managed to score just three points, backup QB Cooper Rush certainly isn't going to be the one to lead the Ravens on a charge to the playoffs.
But with a bye next week, it should give Jackson and some of the other ailing Ravens enough time to heal and be ready for Week 8.
Still, even with the two-time MVP back in the fold, Baltimore's margin for error moving forward is razor-thin.
“We can accomplish what we want to accomplish,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said after the loss. “We can do it. We’re the kind of team that can do it.”
Cleveland's house of horrors
The Cleveland Browns must have nightmares about playing in the city of Pittsburgh.
Despite playing there just once a year, the Browns have not won a regular-season game in Pittsburgh since 2003.
And that streak won't be broken this season, as the Browns once again fell short in the Steel City on Sunday.
In a league where parity reigns, it's an incredible run of dominance by the Steelers, who are now 4-1 and sitting pretty atop the AFC North.
To make matters worse, the last time the Browns won a game in Pittsburgh was in 2021 in the AFC wild-card round, and their QB in that game was none other than Mayfield, who is now an MVP frontrunner for a different organization.
Meanwhile, rookie Dillon Gabriel is now Cleveland's 41st unique starting quarterback since 1999.
Jets hit new low
The NFL might owe London an apology.
In the first game of the day at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium overseas, the Denver Broncos beat the New York Jets 13-11 in what was a very underwhelming display of offensive football.
But nothing was more unpleasant than the Jets' offence. Justin Fields was sacked by the Broncos defence nine times, and the Jets finished with negative-10 net passing yards in the game — the lowest mark in franchise history.
Now 0-6 and the league's lone winless team, it's getting harder and harder to find where the Jets will get their first win of the season.
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