Winners and losers from NFL Week 6: Panthers may be back, Jets sure aren't

While September in the NFL shows us which teams may be factors throughout the season, October is a time for teams to either prove it or earn their way back into the playoff picture. Week 6 was a notable moving day for several teams, including the Carolina Panthers, who made a big statement by toppling Dallas 30-27 on the strength of a historic rushing performance from Rico Dowdle.

There were also plenty of losers, with the hot seats growing ever warmer in Miami and Arizona while the Jets found a new way to embarrass themselves in London. Let's look back at Week 6 as we break down the biggest winners and losers from Sunday's NFL action.

NFL Week 6 winners and losers

Winner: Carolina Panthers

Just two weeks after hitting rock bottom with a 42-13 loss in New England where their defense surrendered 42 straight points, Carolina is suddenly back in the NFC Wild Card picture after another comeback win against the Cowboys. Former Dallas back Rico Dowdle torched his old team, setting a Panthers' franchise record for most scrimmage yards in a single game by piling up 239 while Bryce Young made some clutch plays down the stretch to set up a go-ahead field goal attempt.

With a trip to take on the hapless Jets on tap next week, Carolina is well-positioned to be above .500 before Buffalo comes down to Charlotte in Week 8. The middle of the NFC is wide open and the fact that Young has the Panthers in the hunt at this point is a huge step in his development, making it more likely that Dave Canales can turn him into a guy that Carolina can win with in the coming years.

Loser: Mike McDaniel's Job Security

Another week, another disappointing finish for the Dolphins. Just seven days after coughing up a late lead to Young's Panthers, Miami rallied late against the Los Angeles Chargers, turning a 26-13 fourth quarter deficit into a 27-26 lead with 46 seconds to go, only to allow Justin Herbert to march right down the field to set up a game-winning field goal from Cameron Dicker. Dolphins' quarterback Tua Tagovailoa aired some of the club's dirty laundry after the game, revealing that a lot of players are late to meetings or simply not showing up to them.

That is a poor reflection on McDaniel, who appears to have lost control of the locker room after entering the year on the thinnest of ice with owner Stephen Ross. Next Sunday's game at Cleveland figures to be a must-win for McDaniel, who could find himself fired if his team doesn't show up to take on an anemic Browns' offense led by struggling rookie Dillon Gabriel.

Winner: George Pickens

The injury to CeeDee Lamb appeared to sink Dallas' offense, but the Cowboys are doing just fine thanks to an absolute eruption from George Pickens. Acquired from Pittsburgh in the offseason to be the Robin to Lamb's Batman, Pickens has done well as the leading man, catching a touchdown in five straight games from Dak Prescott as he racked up 168 yards on nine catches in the Cowboys' loss to Carolina on Sunday.

This performance has been absolutely massive for Pickens, who was entering the final year of his rookie contract needing to step up to get paid. With a ton of new-found cap space after not paying Micah Parsons, Jerry Jones may look to deliver his fans a make good by keeping Pickens around, and even if he doesn't stay this kind of effort will attract a ton of attention from teams in need of weapons around the league.

Loser: Jacksonville Jaguars

The next game off an emotional victory for a young team is always a challenge and the Jacksonville Jaguars weren't ready for that moment on Sunday. With a short turnaround after beating the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night, Jacksonville came out flat and was pushed around by the Seahawks in a 20-12 lost. They came alive a bit too late to make a comeback.

This kind of game is a life lesson for a young team, albeit a painful one that could cost them dearly if they are a game shy of snagging a playoff spot at the end of the year. While beating Seattle at any time isn't easy, the Seahawks were flying East for the game and playing at 10 a.m. body time on a hot day in Jacksonville, which is the kind of game a competent home team should find a way to win.

Winner: Green Bay Packers

It has been a long wait for Green Bay to win a game after a shocking loss to Joe Flacco and Cleveland in Week 3 before a baffling tie in Dallas in Week 4. Stewing in those efforts during an early Week 5 bye appears to have focused the Packers, who got a measure of revenge against Flacco by topping his new team, winning 27-18 against Cincinnati to get to 3-1-1 on the season.

There are still things to clean up for Green Bay, but the Packers were in complete command for most of the day, which is encouraging after some sloppy efforts following their 2-0 start. With Detroit surging to four straight wins after their loss at Lambeau in Week 1, it was imperative for the Packers to get back on the board to keep pace in the NFC North and that's exactly what they did on Sunday.

Loser: Justin Fields And Aaron Glenn

This is a two-for-one special for the Jets, who found a way to bore the international audience with one of the worst offensive displays in years, producing a net of -10 passing yards as Justin Fields looked completely incompetent. Aaron Glenn appeared to lack faith in his quarterback, running a fake punt late in the first half just to run out the clock in a brazen display of cowardly coaching, but bristled at reporters who questioned Fields' job security after the game.

Fields didn't exactly take accountability for his own failures either, telling reporters after the game that Denver covered the Jets' receivers very well as the main reason for the offense's issues when a look at the game tape showed plenty of opportunities for Fields to get rid of the football to open receivers that he bypassed.

With the Jets rapidly approaching Urban Meyer-levels of bad, the odds of Glenn not surviving the season have been on a rise. If the Jets hit their bye week at 0-9 with losses to Carolina, the Flacco-led Bengals and Cleveland (with the Panthers and Browns contests at home), it's not out of the question that Woody Johnson pulls the plug if the contests look more like this one.

Winner: Aaron Rodgers

Aside from dodging a huge bullet by getting out of the Jets' dumpster fire, Rodgers continued to showcase why he is the right choice to help Pittsburgh become a more competent offense. Facing a Browns' defense that has befuddled opponents all year, Rodgers effortlessly dissected them by completing 21-of-30 passes for 235 yards with two touchdowns in a 23-9 victory.

While the Jets wanted Rodgers to carry them to the playoffs and gave him too much say in their personnel decisions, he has done a good job fitting into Mike Tomlin's culture with the Steelers. With the Ravens in a 1-5 hole and quarterback issues in Ohio, Rodgers could be well set up to host a home playoff game for the first time in four years.

Loser: Arizona Cardinals

The theme of Arizona's season so far has been an inability to finish games, mostly by blowing leads late, but you have to give the Cardinals credit for putting a new spin on their m.o. on Sunday. With backup Jacoby Brissett under center, Arizona tried to drive down the field late for a game-tying touchdown before turning the ball over on downs, sealing their fate in a competitive 31-27 loss to the now 5-1 Indianapolis Colts.

The defeat was the fourth in a row for Arizona, which had been expected to contend for the postseason in Jonathan Gannon's third season at the helm. The Cardinals are now in deep trouble at 2-4 and Gannon has taken heat for his treatment of Emeri Demeraco on the sideline after the running back's costly fumble in Week 5, setting up a situation where things can spiral out of control the longer this losing streak extends.