NFL Week 6 Sees Titans Fire Callahan, Mayfield’s MVP Push, Dowdle’s Breakout, and AFC West Dominance Across the Map
- Mateo Siman
- Oct 17
- 4 min read
By Mateo Siman
Week 6 of the NFL season featured the first coach firing, an MVP case heating up, and surprising breakout performances.
Callahan Out
After a 1-5 start to the season, the Tennessee Titans have fired Head Coach Brian Callahan. The team has been struggling to make plays on the field all season long. The new interim head coach will be Mike McCoy.
Mike McCoy brings over two decades of NFL coaching experience, including a four-year stint as head coach of the San Diego Chargers from 2013 to 2016, where he led the team to a playoff berth in his first season. He has also served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Broncos, Cardinals, and Jaguars, most recently helping develop Trevor Lawrence.
This job won't be easy, as the Titans’ young talent isn’t transferring to the field. Injuries don’t help either, as we saw Pro Bowl Wide Receiver Calvin Ridley come down with a hamstring injury on Sunday. The time missed for this injury is still undetermined. McCoy will need to make many changes to help turn this team around and make them seem promising again.
Dowdle’s Dominance
During a week 4 matchup vs. the New England Patriots, Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard went down with a calf injury, which has had him sidelined for the last 2 weeks. Due to this injury, the Panthers had to lean towards their backup running back, Rico Dowdle.
There wasn’t much expectation for his start in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins. He ended the game with an astonishing 234 yards and a touchdown. Many thought this game was a fluke. They believed that once Chuba Hubbard returned, Dowdle’s production would diminish.
However, during the week 6 matchup against his former team, he silenced skeptics by running for 239 total yards, his second straight week having over 230 yards—a number unheard of for a player of his caliber. He’s taken the league by storm with these performances. Questions have surfaced as to whether Rico Dowdle or Chuba Hubbard will be the team’s lead back for the remainder of the season.
Baker Mayfield's MVP Case
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has made a real case to be in this year's MVP race. His Bucs have a 5-1 record going into Week 7 of the NFL season. Even more impressive, he is putting up 1,539 yards (4th in the league), 12 touchdowns (tied for 3rd), just 1 interception (tied for 26th), and a 71.1 QBR (Total Quarterback Rating).
All these feats have been accomplished in spite of his long-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans’ absence, who has been sidelined for the past 3 weeks due to a hamstring injury. Baker Mayfield's grit and pure dominance have been put on full display during the first 6 weeks of the NFL season. This Bucs offense has looked unstoppable all season long; it's indisputable that they are a top team. The debate lies in whether Baker keeps this play up all season long and eventually wins an MVP award.
Steelers are Back For Now?
After a decade of mediocre seasons and heartbreaking playoff losses, the Pittsburgh Steelers are finally looking legit. With a 5-1 record to start the season, Pittsburgh's future appears incredibly promising.
Some argue that their veteran leadership is the difference maker in week-to-week outcomes. Offseason pickups Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay have shown a big impact on and off the field. These players have been anchors on the defensive end and have shown the value of experience and leadership.
On the other side of the ball, new additions DK Metcalf and Aaron Rodgers have been balling out. The 4-time MVP has been playing like his former self, and it’s looking better than ever. It’s been vintage Rodgers so far, cool under pressure, unshaken in big moments, and unafraid to take deep shots when the game is on the line. The Steelers offense now has some type of swag that hasn't been shown in years. If the momentum is conserved, the team is bound to be a noteworthy force in the AFC.
AFC West masterclass
On Sunday every team in the AFC West left the field with a win.
In primetime against a hot Detroit Lions team coming off 4 straight wins, the Kansas City Chiefs escaped with a 2-touchdown win. Patrick Mahomes put up a classic Mahomes stat line: 4 touchdowns against this Detroit defense. His performance ultimately resulted in a 30-17 win, improving their record to 3-3.
The Los Angeles Chargers went into Miami and took care of business. Cameron Dicker knocked in a game-winning 35-yard field goal to put the Chargers up 2 points with 5 seconds to go in the game. The Chargers came out of Hard Rock Stadium with a scary 29-27 win against the struggling Dolphins.
The Las Vegas Raiders put up a dominating performance against the dismantled Tennessee Titans. Even without All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, the Raiders came out on top with a score of 20-10. Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty led the way with 86 total yards and a touchdown.
On the other side of the world, the Denver Broncos played against the New York Jets in front of 60,000 fans in London. This Denver Broncos defense held Justin Fields to an absurd 45 passing yards, which is unheard of in today’s NFL. The Broncos increased their win total to 4-2 in this 13-11 defensively fought victory.
The AFC West proved that they should be feared, with every team firing on all cylinders. Their ability to secure these hard-fought wins sends a daunting message to every other team.
Week 7 TNF Bengals v Steelers
In what could only be described as the “Unc Bowl,” two of the NFL’s elder statesmen turned back the clock for a Thursday night classic. Joe Flacco, 40, outlasted 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers as the Bengals edged the Steelers 33–31 in a game that had more wrinkles than a retirement home film session. Flacco threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns, including a late drive that set up Evan McPherson’s game-winning field goal with seven seconds left. Rodgers wasn’t far behind with four touchdowns of his own, but two costly picks and one batted-down Hail Mary sealed the deal.
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