By Aidan Mastandrea
Staff Writer
Week 6 in the NFL has come to a close, and as Week 7 begins, there are no remaining undefeated teams. The NFC powerhouses, the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers both suffered ugly losses this past weekend.
The reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs have looked nothing like they did just a year ago, and the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills have been inconsistent. So far, no single team has jumped ahead of the pack and solidified themselves as the clear front runner and there are questions all over the league needing to be answered as the season goes on.
Can Brock Purdy be trusted?
The San Francisco roster is undisputedly the best in the league. With All-Pros on both sides of the ball, they seem like the obvious NFC favorite. But with former seventh-round pick Brock Purdy under center, people believe they can run into problems.
This past week, Purdy played the worst game of his young career, resulting in his first regular season loss as the quarterback of the Niners. This can be chalked up as just a one off for now, but Purdy’s play will be something to keep an eye on as this uber-gifted squad eyes a Super Bowl.
What is going on with the Eagles?
The Eagles' run to the Super Bowl last year was dominant, losing just one game the entire season when QB Jalen Hurts was healthy. Philadelphia fans expected much of the same heading into this season.
Their 5-1 record does not do justice to the poor play so far for this group. A loss has been knocking on the door for weeks and it finally came this past week against the Jets. They went away from what works, rushing the ball only 22 times, and letting Hurts attempt 45 passes, leading to three interceptions.
The Eagles remaining schedule is daunting, and they will need to fix their issues quickly to remain on pace in the NFC.
The Chiefs have a problem on one side of the ball… and it is the offense?
For years, NFL fans have grown accustomed to watching Kansas City put up 30 points a game, while Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce dice defenses with ease. That has not been the case so far in 2023.
Fresh off their second Super Bowl of the Mahomes era, the Chiefs offense has been lackluster. The defense has been a surprise with newly paid Chris Jones on the line and young star Trent McDuffie anchoring the secondary. At 5-1, the Chiefs are in a great spot. However, they have yet to be truly tested and still have many tough matchups left on the schedule.
Other teams around the league have shown flashes of greatness. Whether it be the Lions, Dolphins, Ravens or Bills, it is anyone's year. We are only a third of the way through the season, so things will inevitably change, and someone may cement themselves as the favorite, but for now, anyone can win or lose any given Sunday.
