NFL Under Duress List - Week 6

Before we delve into Week 6's duress list, let's take a moment to reflect on the performances of the individuals featured on last week's list.

First and foremost, Bill Belichick and Mac Jones endured a horrendous week, suffering a disheartening 34-0 loss at home to the New Orleans Saints.

A well-deserved shoutout goes to the Pittsburgh Steelers and their head coach, Mike Tomlin, who managed to secure a hard-fought victory over their divisional rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, with a score of 17-10. However, it's worth noting that offensive coordinator Matt Canada remains under scrutiny, as the offense continued to struggle, prompting fans to demand his removal.

Lastly, Zac Taylor's decision to stick with Joe Burrow paid off handsomely, as the quarterback delivered a stellar performance, throwing three touchdowns and accumulating 317 passing yards in a convincing 34-20 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

With those reflections in mind, let's now turn our attention to this week's duress list...

1. Dak Prescott

In a challenging week for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, his team suffered a resounding 42-10 defeat at the hands of their rivals, the San Francisco 49ers. This 32-point loss marked their largest since a 2013 defeat against the New Orleans Saints. Prescott struggled, going 14-24 for 153 yards, with just one touchdown and three interceptions. Dak himself called it one of his most humbling games, making it six interceptions in his last three games against the 49ers, all resulting in losses. The defeat has called into question whether the Cowboys can beat the big sides given all their wins this season have come against mediocre teams in the Jets, Patriots and Giants.

The Cowboys' offence, led by Dak, couldn't reach the red zone on any single drive, staying far from the goal line throughout the game. Their lone touchdown came through a 27-yard pass to KaVontae Turpin. With only eight first downs compared to the 49ers' 25, many labelled this Dak's worst career performance. The play-calling has also come under scrutiny given the departure of Kellen Moore in the offseason and the now Los Angeles Chargers OC has got Justin Herbert, excelling with the third-best passer rating this season.?

An interesting suggestion by Nick Wright proposed that the Cowboys emulate the 49ers by focusing on skill positions and employing a young, cost-effective quarterback. The Cowboys' nine offensive touchdowns in their five games so far this season rank 19th in the league, while the 49ers, Lions, Seahawks, Eagles, and Rams have all shown more promise in offensive creativity.

As the Cowboys face Kellen Moore's Chargers this weekend, Moore has a score to settle given how things ended last season for him in Dallas. It’s also a big game for Dak because the Chargers are a legit good team and a loss with Dak performing poorly would further the narrative that Prescott may not be the quarterback to lead the Cowboys to a Super Bowl victory.

Next Game: Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium

1. Bill Belichick

Firstly, Mac Jones' recent benchings in favour of Bailey Zappe are raising eyebrows, but the focus here is on Coach Bill Belichick.

Belichick is in the midst of a rough stretch. Following his career's worst defeat last week, the New England Patriots suffered another devastating loss with a 34-0 defeat at home to the New Orleans Saints. While not considered a standout team, the Saints delivered a resounding blow.

As a result, there are growing questions over whether Belichick is still the right man to lead the New England Patriots. They've been outscored 72-3 in the past two weeks, marking the two worst losses in Belichick's illustrious career. The team itself seems to be facing issues, particularly with a subpar offensive line, a lack of playmakers in the running game and at wide receiver, and a defence that has underperformed in the past two weeks. The collective performance leaves much to be desired, with problems ranging from blocking to creating scoring opportunities.?

Notably, from 2013 to the present, Belichick has only drafted two All-Pros, and one was a punter, while the other was a punt returner. This raises questions about his talent identification skills. Additionally, his choice to employ Matt Patricia as the offensive coordinator has seemingly hindered Mac Jones' development. Some are calling for Belichick to relinquish his General Manager role and focus solely on coaching.

An interesting point to consider is Belichick's record without Tom Brady. His career record without Brady at the helm stands at 72-79, with just two playoff appearances and one playoff victory. This record suggests that Belichick, without Brady, may not stand out as a coach and instead fall into the realm of a regular coach.

With a 1-4 record, the Patriots face a must-win game against the Las Vegas Raiders this weekend if they hold any hope of an unlikely playoff push. Even in the event of a loss, they need to display character and offensive prowess. However, at this juncture, their prospects of securing a high draft pick seem more likely than a playoff berth.

Next Game: Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium

1. Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans encountered a significant setback in Week 5 when they lost 23-16 to the Indianapolis Colts.

Against the Colts, the Titans unexpectedly allowed backup running back Zack Moss, who has been having a standout season, to rack up 165 rushing yards on just 23 carries. This was a surprising turn of events for a defence that had typically been reliable against the run.

What made this result even more disappointing is that the Colts are a divisional rival who had been on a seven-game losing streak at home. Furthermore, they were fielding a lineup with their backup quarterback, a backup running back, and a backup left tackle. It was a result that stung for the Titans and their fans.

Mike Vrabel's team have had offensive struggles this season, with an average of 27 points scored in both of their home wins but a meagre 11.3 points in their three road losses. The silver lining is that they have a home game this weekend, but the challenge is that it's in London!

This week's matchup is as daunting as they come. The Baltimore Ravens currently boast the fourth-best rushing offence in the NFL, consistently averaging over 146 yards per game. With a deep roster of running backs to rotate through and the formidable Lamar Jackson at quarterback, the Ravens present a formidable rushing threat that the Titans must grapple with.

While Lamar Jackson could arguably have been added to the list of concerns after a disappointing 10-point performance in their loss to the Steelers last week, it's important to note that he has had to contend with a slew of injuries this season. Additionally, he's still adjusting to working with new offensive coordinator Todd Monken, all while competing in one of the toughest divisions in football.

Conversely, the Titans now sit at the AFC South's bottom, which is arguably the conference's least competitive division. It's a far cry from their 17-7 lead against Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs in the 2019 AFC Championship Game. Currently, they trail behind the Texans and the Colts, both fielding rookie quarterbacks this season. As they head into their bye week following this week's London matchup, a 3-3 record could be a game-changer compared to a 2-4 record.

Next Game: Baltimore Ravens at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium