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NFL filled with mediocrity 6 weeks into 2021 campaign

Six weeks into the NFL season and each conference has only six teams with a winning record.

A league that prides itself on parity is loaded with mediocre and poor teams.

Five clubs have one win, the Lions are winless and four division races are all but over, barring major injuries to the first-place teams. Even the two-time defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs are just 3-3.

At least the race for the No. 1 overall draft pick will be intriguing.

Detroit (0-6) is the front-runner, but Houston, Miami, Jacksonville, the Giants and Jets each have a real shot with only one win.

The Dolphins traded the pick to the Eagles, so they can’t even benefit from losing. Miami expected to compete for a playoff spot after finishing 10-6 last year, but the Dolphins have lost five in a row after letting the Jaguars snap a 20-game losing streak on Sunday in London. Passing up Justin Herbert for Tua Tagovailoa may haunt Miami for a decade. They’ll need Jaylen Waddle to become a superstar to justify giving up an extra first-rounder to draft him at No. 6.

The Lions may be the best of this bunch despite a 34-11 loss to Cincinnati. They were close to two wins before losing to Baltimore on Justin Tucker’s record-setting 66-yard field goal and to Minnesota on a 54-yarder as time expired.

The Texans should be the favorite to finish with the worst record if they stick with rookie Davis Mills when Tyrod Taylor returns. Houston has been outscored by an average margin of 13.3 points per game and still hasn’t resolved the Deshaun Watson dilemma.

The Jags had to leave the country to finally earn their first win with Urban Meyer and Trevor Lawrence. Meyer’s transition to the NFL hasn’t been smooth, but he has a franchise quarterback in Lawrence.

The banged-up Giants keep losing players as the losses pile up. They had no chance against the Rams, who weren’t satisfied with a 38-11 rout over New York.

The Jets (1-4) enjoyed their bye more than most of their Sundays.

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