Last Fan Standing: Week 6
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Stand up! Is there anybody there? Hello? Where is everybody? It's only Week 6, what happened? The 2015 NFL season, that's what happened. This league full of untrustworthy turncoats has left the Last Fan Standing pool with fewer fans than a rainy Phillies doubleheader. It would be impressive if it weren't so damn frustrating.
For those knocked out last week, I don't know what else you could have done. The Cleveland Browns needed a leg-catch to beat the Ravens, and Andy Reid went all Andy Reid (on top of losing his team's best offensive player in the third quarter) in a loss to the Bears.
Baltimore lost its running back too. Late in the fourth quarter with the game tied, Justin Forsett sprained his ankle on what would have been the game-winning touchdown drive. Without him they had to try to run it in with Javorius Allen or throw it to Kamar Aiken, two names I had to copy and paste from the box score. Not a good sign for offensive productivity. The Ravens had to settle for a field goal, Forsett didn't return and Josh McCown went 4-for-4 in overtime (JOSHUA MCCOWN THREW FOR 457 YARDS AND NO TURNOVERS. FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SEVEN) setting up the game-winning field goal.
All I can say for the Chiefs is the Jamaal Charles injury was the saddest on-field moment of the season (on-field because nothing is going to top this. Or this). Also, Alex Smith is a horrible mess, come back Jeremy Maclin and more Travis Kelce. As a Kelce fantasy owner, I'd like to point out that Kansas City is undefeated when he goes for 100 yards and two touchdowns, and 0-4 when he does not.
Those two games eliminated just shy of 500 fans and we are now below the 1,000-remaining mark, 759 to be exact. Checking… yup, it's still only Week 6. So if you are still standing that's good news, but also terrible news because this week is another tornado of chaos headed straight for Sunday. It could even start tonight.
There are two heavy favorites, the Patriots (at Colts in the Deflated Revenge Game) and the Packers (vs. Chargers). Once again, if you still have Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers available you will get by.
Two other games have spreads sitting right around a touchdown, the Seahawks (vs. Panthers off the bye) and Jets (off the bye vs. Washington).
Seattle at home is always a safe road, but undefeated Carolina is a strange matchup. The Panthers four wins have come against teams with a combined record of 5-15, doing it mostly on defense (allowing 17.8 points per game, 4th in the NFL). Cam Newton has been much better than Russell Wilson this season, but Newton is 0-4 against the Seahawks despite that only one of those games has been in Seattle.
This could be a classic "Hawks at home" game, where they've lost just two regular season games since 2012, or a defensive struggle that comes down to kickers. I'm taking the points, but closing my eyes and giving you Seattle. The Seahawks over the Panthers.
Let's see what else is out there.
Oh right, I mentioned tonight. The 5-0 Falcons are at the Saints, which screams "divisional road game plus weird Thursday night things equals stay away!" Add in an injured Julio Jones who will likely play, but be limited. The Saints, as we saw last Sunday, have no pass rush and struggle to defend behind it. Atlanta isn't as dependent on Matt Ryan and the air game as we thought they might be thanks to Devonta Freeman's 400 rushing yards and EIGHT touchdowns. Logic says Falcons roll but the cardinal rules say don't do it. I can't do it.
Two other undefeated teams are on the road, and I'll gladly give you both of them. The Broncos are in Cleveland, and even though McCown lit the field on fire last week, if he beats this Denver defense I might have to give up on football. The Broncos over the Browns. And the Bengals are in Buffalo, which smells like a letdown game but no Tyrod Taylor means EJ Manuel will start. The Bengals over the Bills.
The rest of the slate is a bunch of Don't Trust Me Bowls. Chiefs-Vikings, Texans-Jags, Bears-Lions, Cardinals-Steelers, Dolphins-Titans, Ravens-49ers, Giants-Eagles: you tell me which team you want to put your faith in. All 14 could lose and I wouldn't bat an eye.
Which brings us back to the Jets hosting Washington. Eric Decker and Chris Ivory are back to full practice participation, while Sheldon Richardson rejoins a defense that is already no. 1 in run defense DVOA. Washington has lost 15 of its last 16 road games with 36 turnovers in that span, and the Jets are second in the NFL in takeaways with one less game under their belt.
You know it's a bumpy week when you feel good about riding with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Whichever road you take, buckle up. The Jets over the Washingtons.
