NFL Week 6 overreactions and reality checks: Patriots should bench Mac Jones? Jets a playoff team?

Week 6 in the NFL was as unpredictable as ever, as a changing of the guard seems to be upon us in the league. Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are both .500 or worse this late in the season for the first time since 2012, and the New York teams are a combined 9-3. 

The Giants are 5-1 for the first time since 2009, while the Jets have their best start to a season since 2015. The Jets matched their win total from last season while the Giants passed it — in just six games. The Packers have lost consecutive games in the regular season for the first time in four years and suffered their worst loss ever under Rodgers at Lambeau Field. 

Plenty of overreactions are in store for Week 6. Let’s see if these are deserved or need to be dialed down a bit. 

The Bills will get home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs

Overreaction or reality: Reality 

Sunday’s win over the Chiefs wasn’t big in determining the Super Bowl favorite coming out of the AFC, but the road to the Super Bowl will likely be going though Buffalo. The Bills defeated the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium and have pulled off wins in two straight one-score games, so that hex on the Super Bowl contenders is gone. 

Buffalo is the only one-loss team in the conference and owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Kansas City. The Bills are the clear favorite in the AFC East and own a two-game lead on the Dolphins and a one-game lead over the emerging Jets. They also beat the Ravens earlier this year (and Baltimore is 3-3 after six games).

The road to the Super Bowl in the AFC looks like it’ll go through Orchard Park in January. That’s a scary thought. 

Injuries are going to cost the 49ers a playoff berth

Overreaction or reality: Overreaction

Here’s the biggest issue with the 49ers. How many injuries can this team withstand? On San Francisco’s defense, Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw are the only two starters that didn’t suffer an injury during Sunday’s loss to the Falcons, nor had an injury prior to the game. 

Charvarius Ward left the game with a groin injury. Talanoa Hufanga had to be evaluated for a concussion (but did return), and Samson Ebukam left with a leg injury (he returned as well). Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, Javon Kinlaw, Emmanuel Moseley, Jimmie Ward, and Azeez Al-Shaair all missed the game with various injuries. 

The 49ers defense didn’t overcome their injuries in the loss to the Falcons, but this team has the depth to…