Media by Associated Press – Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) signals during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Orchard Park, NY. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)
Week 6 of the NFL season included more surprising wins and impressive performances by MVP frontrunners. Josh Allen stole the spotlight against Pittsburgh with four touchdown passes, while Jalen Hurts ran in two scores to lead the unbeaten Eagles past Arizona. With the Houston Texans win in Jacksonville, every team has a win this season, while Philly is the only team without a loss.
It wasn’t all good news around the league, though. A variety of injuries plagued the weekend, including more concussion controversy. And a series of bad decisions and bad play led to the first 2022 coaching change.
Time For a Change in Carolina
As the NFL begins to turn toward Week 6, we have our first coaching change of the season. Fresh off a 1-4 start, the Carolina Panthers fired head coach Matt Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow on Monday.
Another defensive coach, Steve Wilks, was named interim head coach. Wilks went 3-13 as the Arizona Cardinals’ head coach in 2018 and was fired after just one season. He was a Panthers assistant coach from 2012-17 under Ron Rivera.
Rhule signed a $62 million, seven-year deal in 2020 as the Panthers hired him away from Baylor University. But he had five wins in each of the first two seasons and is the first head coach in team history to be fired before coaching at least three seasons.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield came in this year but was unable to help the offense improve. Even getting oft-injured running back Christian McCaffrey back on the field didn’t help. Rhule will get more than $40 million remaining on his contract until he takes a new head job, likely back in the college game.
The Panthers are +11 in Week 6 as they head west for a NFC matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. They expect to be without Mayfield, who suffered a high ankle sprain after throwing a pick-six in the Sunday loss to San Francisco.
Injury Roundup
In addition to the Mayfield injury, there are others banged up around the league in week 5. Teddy Bridgewater is in concussion protocol after being hit on a blitz by the Jets’ Ahmad Gardner on Miami’s first play of the game. Rookie Skylar Thompson went 19-for-33 for 166 yards with an interception as the Jets won 40-17.
With Tua Tagovailoa’s return unknown, the Dolphins will have to get Thompson ready to face Minnesota at home this week. Bridgewater could still play if he doesn’t have concussion symptoms. The Dolphins have lost two straight and are +3 at home against Minnesota.
Cleveland’s Denzel Ward is also in concussion protocol, as is Detroit safety Saivion Smith. Smith was taken off the field by ambulance in New England on Sunday. The Browns are -3 against the Pats this week, while the Lions have a bye week.
Two players in the NFC West suffered what are expected to be season-ending injuries on Sunday. San Francisco cornerback Emmanuel Moseley tore his ACL, and Seattle running back Rashaad Penny fractured his fibula and will need surgery.
Moseley had a pick-six in the win over Carolina and will be a free agent after the season. Penny had 346 yards on the season with two touchdowns, and he had 54 yards on Sunday against the Saints before going down. The 49ers are -5.5 at Atlanta this week, while the Seahawks are +3 at home against Arizona.
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