Cover 32: Aaron Rodgers is pulling off 'Last Dance' bid with Steelers, plus game balls and gaffes from Week 6

Don't look now, but the pieces are falling into place for Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

When the four-time NFL MVP decided he'd be heading to the Steel City for his latest stop in the NFL just before the start of mandatory minicamp this summer, I wasn't exactly rushing to put them in the Super Bowl conversation. After all, Rodgers, 41, was seemingly limping to his career finish line. His two-year stint with the New York Jets featured a season-ending Achilles tear in 2023 and then a 2024 campaign where we saw him post career lows (as a starter) in yards per attempt (6.7) and passer rating (90.5). 

If that's who Pittsburgh was going to have start under for them in 2025, he'd be an upgrade in name only while still producing middling results at the position that the organization has endured for the last handful of years. 

NFL Week 6 grades: Chiefs earn an 'A' for Sunday night win over Lions, Packers get 'B-' for beating Bengals

John Breech

But let's call it like we see it: Through six weeks, Rodgers' play has us firmly on "Last Dance" watch. 

After taking down the Cleveland Browns in Week 6, Pittsburgh finds itself 4-1 on the year and atop the AFC North. For his park, Rodgers completed 21 of his 30 throws in the win for 235 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions against one of the toughest defenses in the NFL. This is the third time this season Rodgers has registered a passer rating of at least 115.0, and his third multi-passing touchdown day. 

Aaron Rodgers

PIT • QB • #8

CMP%68.5

YDs786

TD8

INT3

YD/Att7.28

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On the year, Rodgers has thrown for 1,021 yards, 10 touchdowns, three interceptions, and has a passer rating of 105.4. Rodgers' current 34-passing touchdown pace would be the seventh highest of his career, which also falls in line with where his passer rating would be if it holds. While this isn't a vintage MVP version of Rodgers reborn in Pittsburgh, it's far closer to the median production of his career, which could be enough for the Steelers in 2025. 

With that said, he's still sprinkling in some of those Hall of Fame-worthy throws. 

Pulling the Rodgers lever has proven to be a smashing success for the Steelers, but they are also getting some luck outside of the organization. The seas have parted in the AFC North with injuries paving a smooth runway to a division title. Joe Burrow is sidelined until at least December, which drove the Bengals to trade for Joe Flacco and have since fallen to 2-4 after a defeat to the Packers. Meanwhile, injuries have also demoralized the Baltimore Ravens, who have been without Lamar Jackson for the past two games and are now 1-5 entering their bye week. And Cleveland is well ... Cleveland. 

This is quite the cushion that they've built up, and they are now the betting favorite (-125) to win the AFC North. Their improved play on defense in recent weeks, coupled with the play they are getting from Rodgers, should help them navigate the rest of the season. At this stage, if they are not hosting a playoff game this winter, there is a much bigger conversation that'll likely need to be had. 

So far, however, the Rodgers experiment in Pittsburgh has left skeptics looking foolish, and in a depleted AFC, they are one of the more dangerous teams in the conference at the moment. Rodgers may have a shot to end his career with a serious Super Bowl push, which felt impossible after his offseason divorce with the Jets just months ago. 

Whispers: They are +1700 (FanDuel Sportsbook) to win the AFC, behind teams like the Ravens and Jaguars. 

Game balls

Rico Dowdle

CAR • RB • #5

Att81

Yds472

TD2

FL0

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• Week 6 stats: 30 carries, 183 yards; 4 catches, 56 yards, 1 TD

The label of "revenge game" is often overused, but it was true in this contest for Rico Dowdle. The veteran back was squaring off against his former Dallas Cowboys team, whom he spent the first five seasons of his career. This offseason, Dallas chose to sign Javonte Williams in free agency, outright replacing Dowdle, who'd later go on to sign with Carolina. Filling in for Chuba Hubbard for the second straight week, a highly motivated Dowdle dominated against his former squad and helped the Panthers pull off the 30-27 victory. 

Dowdle's 239 yards from scrimmage were the most in a player's first game against his former team in NFL history. 

Ladd McConkey

LAC • WR • #15

TAR43

REC28

REC YDs313

REC TD2

FL0

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• Week 6 stats: 7 catches, 100 yards, 1 TD

It's been a quiet start to the season for McConkey, who was averaging just 42.6 yards per game entering Week 6. Well, the second-year wideout got back to his old ways with a 100-yard outburst in Los Angeles' nail-biter win over the Miami Dolphins. It wasn't just a strong statistical showing from McConkey, however, as he pulled off arguably the most clutch play of the afternoon, hauling in a 42-yard reception to set up the game-winning field goal. 

Kimani Vidal

LAC • RB • #30

Att22

Yds142

TD0

FL0

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• Week 6 stats: 18 carries, 124 yards; 3 catches, 14 yards, 1 TD

The 2024 sixth-round pick out of Troy made his first career start on Sunday, and it's safe to say he may have warranted some more playing time. Vidal exploded for 124 yards on the ground, which was, of course, a career high. Coming into Week 6, Vidal had 173 rushing yards for his CAREER. It's the third-most rushing yards in a first-career start in franchise history. 

Drake Maye

NE • QB • #10

CMP%73.2

YDs1522

TD10

INT2

YD/Att8.5

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• Week 6 stats: 18 of 26 passing, 261 yards, 3 TDs

We are knocking on the door of talking about Drake Maye as a possible MVP candidate. The Patriots quarterback moved his club to 4-2 on the season after outlasting the New Orleans Saints in Week 6. In the win, Maye was once again surgical, completing 69.2% of his passes with a 140.1 passer rating. 

What was so impressive about Maye's performance this week was that he flashed his explosiveness with his arm. As noted by Next Gen Stats, all three of Maye's touchdown throws came on passes of 20-plus air yards while the young QB was facing pressure. 

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

SEA • WR • #11

TAR55

REC42

REC YDs696

REC TD3

FL1

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• Week 6 stats: 6 catches, 162 yards, 1 TD

I hope you took Jaxon Smith-Njigba to lead the NFL in receiving yards when I suggested it a couple of weeks ago, when it was +600. The Seahawks wide receiver is firmly entering superstar status and is a legit OPOY candidate through six weeks, including this performance in Seattle's win over Jacksonville. As noted by Next Gen Stats, Smith-Njigba caught four of his five downfield targets of 10-plus air yards for 131 yards and a touchdown. He now has a league-leading 550 yards on downfield targets this season. 

Smith-Njigba's 696 receiving yards are the most through six games of a season in franchise history. 

Notable Week 6 gaffes 

New York Jets

Yes, we are placing an entire franchise into this section. The Jets dropped to 0-6 on the season in embarrassing fashion in Week 6, falling to the Broncos in London, 13-11. Most of the issues for the Jets were on the offensive side of the ball. Justin Fields simply is not the answer at the quarterback position after he completed just nine of his 17 pass attempts for 45 yards in the losing effort. When you account for yardage lost on his nine sacks, Fields ended the game with -10 net passing yards. Fields simply held onto the ball far too long, continually missed his receivers because of it, or was sacked. 

While the Fields experiment has certainly failed, so may have the Aaron Glenn experiment. The first-year Jets head coach made a number of questionable decisions throughout the contest, but none as egregious as the final moments of regulation. Remarkably, New York had an opportunity to win the game with the offense holding possession at the Denver 44-yard line just over a minute to play. Faced with a fourth-and-8 situation, Glenn decided to keep his offense on the field instead of opting for a 62-yard field goal. As you may have expected, the results were disastrous. 

If the offense had shown any signs of life throughout the game, I can somewhat see the logic to go for it, but that wasn't the case at all here. Nick Folk, who has hit from 51, 58, and 52 this season, provided a much better chance to win the game. 

Zay Flowers' butterfingers

The Baltimore Ravens have hit rock bottom, dropping to 1-5 on the season with a defeat at the hands of the Rams. While the offense was going to be limited with Cooper Rush starting in place of the injured Lamar Jackson, Flowers didn't do his club any favors. The wideout was involved in two fumbles on back-to-back possessions. When it was a 10-3 L.A. lead in the third quarter, Flowers caught a pass from Rush, but had the football punched out and recovered by the Rams, who proceeded to extend their lead with a touchdown on the ensuing possession. 

On the next Baltimore possession, Rush and Flowers weren't on the same page on a handoff, and the ball again hit the ground with Los Angeles recovering. Rush was credited for the fumble, but Flowers didn't help things. 

Juwan Johnson fumbles away Saints comeback hopes

The Saints largely hung around in their contest with the Patriots, despite being home underdogs. However, they couldn't put New England on upset alert, despite a couple of opportunities late in the game. Trailing by just six points at the 8:50 mark of the fourth quarter, the Saints had the football at their own 36-yard line when Spencer Rattler completed a 14-yard pass to tight end Juwan Johnson to midfield. Right as Johnson was going down at the 50-yard line, he had the football punched out, and the Patriots were able to recover. 

This allowed New England to burn roughly three minutes of game clock and eventually pin New Orleans down at their 10-yard line for what would be the final and unproductive possession. 

Cam Ward sloppy with the football

In all, the Tennessee Titans quarterback had three turnovers on the day. Ward tossed one interception and had two fumbles lost in what was a winnable game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Instead, it was a 20-10 defeat to drop them to 1-5 on the season. The icing on the cake was Ward's final turnover with less than a minute to go in regulation. Ward simply had the football slip out of his hands and the Raiders were quick to recover. 

... Not exactly a No. 1 overall pick-type of showing. 

Penalty leads to back-breaking Mac Jones interception

San Francisco found itself down by eight, but were threatening with the football at the Tampa Bay 29-yard line with six minutes to play. Faced with a fourth-and-1 situation, Kyle Shanahan kept his offense on the field, but a false start penalty by guard Dominick Puni pushed them back four-yards. The offense remained on the field, but, instead of running the football like they probably would have prior to the penalty, Mac Jones dropped back to pass. His throw was short and picked off by corner Jamel Dean to eliminate their last true comeback opportunity. 

Two-minute drill

Here are some of my quick-hitting takeaways/notes from Week 6:

• The injuries to the Buccaneers receiver room is only enhancing Baker Mayfield's MVP résumé. If/when he gets Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Emeka Egbua together on the field at the same time, look out. 
• The Cowboys have one of the more exciting offenses in the NFL, but that only helps fantasy owners. Their defense is going to prevent them from making the playoffs if they don't fix that in a hurry. 
• Even in the loss, Joe Flacco was impressive in his Bengals debut. That's only further evidence that Cincinnati should have improved its quarterback situation sooner than they did. 
• Suddenly, the Chiefs are .500, are averaging roughly 30 points per game, and are getting Rashee Rice back in the fold in Week 7. 
• Detroit's secondary needs to get healthy in a hurry or else they'll be sliced up again next week against Tampa Bay. 
• Matthew Golden (three catches for 86 yards) is starting to break out for the Packers, which could have huge ramifications for the second half of the season. 
• Carolina is sneakily 3-0 at home this season. 
• Dillon Gabriel threw the football 52 times in Week 6 ... and averaged 4.3 yards per attempt. Shedeur Sanders should start getting his arm loose. 
• Jacoby Brissett's performance (320 yards passing, two touchdowns, one interception) doesn't do Kyler Murray any favors. 
• Jonathan Taylor is the best running back in the NFL right now (and that includes Cam Skattebo). 
• The Broncos were abysmal today offensively, but the Jets issues masked how bad they looked. 
• If Philly doesn't get back in the win column in a hurry, the A.J. Brown chatter will only increase and may get to a point of no return. 
• Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen have saved their jobs by bringing in Jaxson Dart.