The Never-Ending Flacco Bowl, Rico's Roughnecks, and Other Week 6 Mayhem

In this stuffed-to-the-gills Week 6 edition of NFL Walkthrough:

• The World Health Organization declares a state of emergency during the Buccaneers defeat of the 49ers. Citizens around the world are advised not to play for the Buccaneers or (especially) the 49ers.
• The Cardinals discover they might be better without Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr., though still not good enough.
• Rico Dowdle is now Emperor of the Galaxy. And I, for one, welcome our new overlord.
• The Chiefs are Back again! Tune in next week when the Chiefs are in Big Trouble again!
• Justin Herbert does what he does best: outperforms Tua Tagovailoa.
• The Ravens, my friends, are blowin’ in the wind. The Ravens are blowin’ in the wind.

And much more!

Week 6 was filled with wacky subplots. So let’s jump straight into a mid-October version of Bowl Mania!

Injury Apocalypse Bowl: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30, San Francisco 49ers 19

The Story So Far

The 49ers were missing Ricky Pearsall, Brock Purdy (don’t read anything into that order; I’m just being alphabetical) and others, including the Nick Bosa/George Kittle types who have been on IR for a while. Mac Jones, who rattles like a sack of tambourines when he jogs onto the field, was limited to practice all week after stepping in front of a bus against the Rams.

The Buccaneers, not to be outdone, were without Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Bucky Irving on Sunday, plus two starters on the offensive line and a smattering of others.

Both the 49ers and Bucs would be seven-point underdogs to their own injured lists right now. Yet both teams entered Sunday 4-1 thanks to outstanding coaching and heroic performances from their few healthy stars.

What Happened

49ers linebacker Fred Warner and Bucs Rookie-of-the-Year frontrunner Emeka Egbuka were evacuated to the M*A*S*H 4077th with injuries as the Buccaneers limped out to a 20-16 lead.

Facing third-and-14 late in the third quarter, Baker Mayfield ducked away from two defenders as they were about to sandwich him, weaved through the 49ers defense and dove through a tackle for a first down. Two plays later, Mayfield stepped up and launched a 45-yard rocket to tiny rookie Tez Johnson, giving the Bucs a 27-16 lead.

The Bucs kept things interesting by missing a field goal and running into 49ers punter Thomas Morstead to extend a fourth quarter drive.

Mac Jones gimped and grunted for all the offense he could muster. Facing third-and-1 in what was still a one-score game, Jones got stuffed on a sneak. Guard Dominick Puni then jumped offsides on fourth-and-1. Finally, Jamel Dean intercepted Jones on fourth-and-6, and a roughness penalty by a frustrated Trent Williams put the Bucs on track for a game-clinching field goal.

What It Means for the Buccaneers

Anyone who doesn’t have Baker Mayfield at the top of their MVP board in Week 6 needs to stop getting hung up on their priors and get with the times.

Mayfield (1,539 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, 1 interception, 7.9 yards per attempt for the season) manufactured offense out of guys like Tez Johnson and Kameron Johnson behind a patchwork offensive line on Sunday. He’s making unbelievable plays in high-pressure situations, despite an ever-changing cast of playmakers.

Given an “average” quarterback, the Bucs might be 1-5. Mayfield has been resourceful, gutsy, mostly mistake-free and a thrill to watch.

But keep an eye on the Egbuka injury situation, especially against next week’s opponent.

What It Means for the 49ers

Take it away, friend-of-Too-Deep-Zone JP Acosta:

Niners optimism after their Week 5 upset of the Rams was based on the assumption that they will soon start getting healthy. If that’s not the case, there is no way they can continue to keep pace with the Rams and Seahawks.

(Kyle Shanahan announced after the game that Warner will undergo season-ending surgery on his ankle.)

Also, it was fun trolling about a Mac-versus-Purdy controversy for a while, and Mac may have earned a starting job somewhere in 2026. But I am worried that if he were to show up at the doorstep of the Mayo Clinic, they would not let him leave. The 49ers need Purdy back.

What’s Next

What’s left of the Bucs visit the Lions, who they upset last year.

The 49ers must duct-tape themselves together to host the Falcons.

Never-Ending Flacco Bowl: Green Bay Packers 27, Cincinnati Bengals 18

The Story So Far

With their season sinking into icy waters after Joe Burrow struck an iceberg, the Bengals traded for Joe Flacco midweek and inserted him directly into the lineup. Zac Taylor hopes to save his job by clinging to the recently-benched-by-the-Browns 40-year old like a wooden plank.

Flacco, who now moves like a cherry picker, faced Micah Parsons for the second time in three weeks on Sunday. Flacco did not so much defeat the Packers in Week 3 as stand like a treaty elm and bear witness to their self-destructive spree of penalties, turnovers and blocked field goals. But surely the Packers got all of that sloppiness out of their system during their bye. Right???