CODY STOOTS

The Friday NFL Stoots 6-pack for Week 6

Cody Stoots
Oct 12, 2018, 6:04 am
Tom Brady and the Patriots vs. the Chiefs? Count us in. Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

A spectacular Sunday is on deck for us, is London on deck for the Texans, how bad are the Giants, and getting you ready for the Bills. All for you to drink in on the Friday Stoots Six-Pack:

1. Oh my goodness will Sunday Night Football be a blast this week! Sure, Patrick Mahomes has passed every test he has faced to this point but this is the toughest task of all. The Chiefs defense is not good and Tom Brady and company got going last week and have had a long break to prepare. That also means the greatest coach in the history of football has had time to get his defense and their scheme ready for the "Showtime" second-year star. We will see greatness Sunday night. Either Bill Belichick takes down another promising quarterback or Mahomes continues to amaze. 

2. I like the games in London but I prefer them to start early so we can have football all day on Sunday. Also, now we know going to Mexico City doesn't keep you from going to London. The Raiders have been to Mexico City twice in the past two years and now they play the Seahawks across the pond and lose a home game doing so. The Texans are one of the only teams to never play in London, with Green Bay and Carolina being the other ones. It's coming; the Texans are going to go play in England and I believe a game against the Jaguars could occur there next year. Just a guess, but they can't avoid the trip forever. 

3. The Giants are one of the worst, and maybe the worst team in football. In large part thanks to Eli Manning's inability to play football at an acceptable level. The Giants should be set going forward though as they will surely have a top pick to spend on a quarterback which they can pair with Saquan Barkley who is just amazing to watch and Odell Beckham who will welcome the change at quarterback. Now, about their one win. It will likely be the last time Eli Manning has looked like himself in the NFL and the Texans should be very upset with themselves they allowed it to happen. 

4. DeAndre Hopkins in the best wide receiver in football. Combining longevity of success, durability, and who has thrown him the ball he is the best. He is quarterback proof and not many pass catchers can say that. Earlier this week Bill O'Brien mentioned Hopkins had worked hard on his yards after catch since O'Brien arrived here. I put O'Brien's claim to test and sure enough, he's right. Hopkins has jumped from 13 percent of his yards coming after the catch to 25 percent of his yards coming after the catch last year. He's dipped a little this year, just 16 percent, but you can forgive him. He's on pace for 1,900 total. It doesn't matter how the yards come if he keeps this pace up. 

5. The Bills are a bad team and if the Texans have truly turned this around found themselves they won't play down to the Bills level and allow Buffalo to muddy the game up and make it a close one. A good football team, a truly good one, would start fast against the Bills and not look back. Their offense can't score and their defense can't contain Deshaun Watson and Hopkins and company. The Texans can erase, or magnify, some doubts on Sunday. 

6. DeShaun Watson has a target on his back and he can't let the opposing defenses get to him. It is OK to take a few hits in the pocket and maybe stand and deliver on a couple of throws but the big crushing hits have to stop. Defenses know when opposing quarterbacks are hurting and while they're heavily protected in the pocket, rushing the football is a different story. With the beating from Sunday night football fresh, Watson has to live to throw another day. Brandon Weeden should play on Suandy, but hopefully it is because the Texans have a huge lead, and not because the injury bug caught up with Watson. 

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Lamar Jackson another clear hurdle in AFC

Lamar Jackson was perfect on Sunday. Yes, it was against the Bengals, but perfection should never be denied.

The ultimate hurdle in the AFC was Tom Brady. You almost always have to go through New England if you want to play in the Super Bowl. This year began with the added challenge of the MVP Patrick Mahomes and his Kansas City Chiefs.

Well, sub Mahomes out for Lamar Jackson and those nasty Ravens. The Texans will likely need to go through Baltimore or New England for their chance at a AFC Championship game.

The timing of course is fun with the Ravens hosting the Texans this weekend. It is one of the best showdowns left on the NFL schedule as Deshaun Watson clashes with another MVP candidate, and likely leader for the award.

Is the NFL sure they can't put this on Sunday night football?

Tennessee isn't going away

The Titans surprised the NFL, and Patrick Mahomes, pulling off one of the many upsets on Sunday.

They have a weapon that few in the NFL possess in Derrick Henry who was a monster in the second half of the season last year. There is little reason to think he won't be a force down the stretch for the Titans again.

Ryan Tannehill has breathed life into a Titans team that looked to be headed nowhere earlier in the year. The Titans have four AFC South games left, including both of their games with the Texans. They aren't going to lose all of those and they're a threat to win them all too.

Their offensive line is shaky as it has been in a long time. Their defense is banged up but their bye week hits this week so they should get a little healthier. They have enough to annoy any good team, and as evidenced on Sunday, beat them. Tennessee might not make the playoffs, but they can keep someone else from making the playoffs.

Colts sunk with Hoyer as quarterback

This isn't Hoyer's fault. Not by a long shot. The Colts are just very limited with him and any mistakes get magnified. The Dolphins are playing their asses off but they don't have the talent that should hold offenses to 12 points.

They also have a flawed kicking game right now. Their defense is solid, very solid in fact, but if they can't put up points they will be in trouble.

Jacoby Brissett coming back is a must for them to stay in the hunt in the AFC. If he gets banged up at all, or isn't 100 percent, the Colts are not a danger to make the playoffs.

Do you think the Rams regret paying Jared Goff?

Jared Goff has the worst contract in the NFL. I am sure of it. The Rams rushed to pay a guy Sean McVay propped up after they rushed to pay their running back. The only guy they've paid on schedule and had it make sense was Aaron Donald and they played hard ball with him.

Goff has regressed and so has the whole Rams offense. They scored zero offensive points coming out of a bye. I get the Steelers have had some success on defense but that's a joke for what should be a top offense. Goff is a huge problem right now and so is Gurley. They might be saving Gurley for later in the year but those games might be meaningless.

Goff had shown very little that was extremely unique. Sure, he made some big throws and had a lot of success but there were a lot of plays most quarterbacks can make. If you are going to make a player the highest paid in the league at his position, make sure he does something other players can't do.

That's where Deshaun Watson comes in. He is special, regularly makes plays only he can make, or maybe one or other guy. Watson will likely head to the table this offseason to talk about beating Goff's deal. He will be worth it, or close to it, unlike Goff.

Do you think the Texans regret not paying Jadeveon Clowney?

I believe the answer is no.

Do they perhaps regret not paying him for one year and getting one last season out of him?

Sure. Easy to say now. He was a monster on Monday against the 49ers. The entire league was watching, including Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins who tweeted about the performance. It was a typical dominant Clowney performance. And, the first of the season from Clowney. He has been pedestrian for the Seahawks at times. Sure, stretches of impressive play appeared. Clowney's best games before tonight were against the Bengals, Cardinals, and Falcons.

Plenty of shots were taken at the Texans for dumping Clowney for a third round pick. He certainly seemed to have a bit more value than just a third round pick. Obviously if Clowney had been on board with the Miami idea the Dolphins wouldn't have ended up with so many draft picks.

2019 should have been the last season for Clowney in a Texans uniform. The defense could have used him, especially with the Watt injury. He could have built his value more in Houston than in Seattle.

Don't forget, the Texans did Clowney a favor. In his own words, Clowney said he was planning to report until the Texans told him he was going to be traded. Houston could have not said anything to Clowney, let him report, and then traded him wherever they wanted. Regardless of Clowney's wishes.

I bet the Bills have a collapse in them

The Bills have six wins already. They still have contests with the Broncos, Cowboys, Ravens, Steelers, and Patriots. All these games are very possible losses for Buffalo. Not to mention, the Dolphins are no slouches right now and the Jets at the end of the year could be rolling.

If Buffalo falls apart, it won't shock me. If they hang tough and annoy more than a few teams, it won't surprise me either. The Bills making the playoffs would make them ripe for the picking for whatever team ends up hosting them.

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