NFL Week 6 takeaways: What We Learned from Sunday's 12 games

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• REWATCH: Broncos-Jets on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Jets' passing game 'non-existent' in loss to Broncos

Jeremy Bergman's takeaways:

1. Denver's pass rush dominant again. Vance Joseph's Mile High maulers continue to send quarterbacks six feet under. The Broncos entered Sunday leading the NFL in sacks (21) and ranked second in points allowed. They doubled down on those superlatives against New York, taking down Justin Fields nine times and limiting the Jets to just nine points (11, if you include the safety surrendered by the offense), eight first downs and 82 net yards. Jonathan Cooper led the way with two sacks, but he was one of seven Denver teammates to secure a QB takedown. Garrett Wilson, the Jets' lone star pass-catching option, was a non-factor thanks to the Broncos' quick pass rush and Patrick Surtain II's coverage. The result? Denver grounded the Jets through the air, to the tune of -10 net passing yards. On a day when the Broncos offense wasn't pulling its weight, Joseph's unit picked up the slack, keeping Denver atop the AFC West for now by sheer will.
2. Jets are scrambled on offense. New York's Justin Fields-led attack continues to lack any juice or semblance of an identity. Thanks to defense and special teams, the Jets started five drives at their 40-yard-line or better -- including their first two inside Denver's 40 -- but struggled to muster any positive momentum. The Jets' 32 first-half yards were the fewest by any team in the NFL this season. They didn't pick up a first down until just before the two-minute warning; that drive, which included a fake-punt conversion, ended with New York declining to run a play from midfield for the final 35 seconds, showing a bafflingly inconsistent level of urgency. Breece Hall, the one positive factor from last week's loss, was inefficient (59 yards on 22 carries), yet New York kept feeding him. Perhaps, though, it was best to keep the ball out of Fields' hands; the dual-threat QB was no threat against Denver, taking nine sacks and tossing as many completions. And still … the Jets were somehow in position to win the game late in the fourth quarter thanks to a rejuvenated defense, which played the best it had all year, limiting Denver to just 13 points in 11 drives. But breathing down field-goal range on Denver's 46, Fields and the Jets' offensive line crumbled to bits. The QB took a sack, completed a short pass to Wilson and then threw behind the star wideout on a third-and-8. Instead of opting for a game-winning 62-yard field goal from the veteran Nick Folk, the Jets went for it -- with a familiar result. Fields succumbed to pressure again, taking his final sack of the afternoon. New York's well-deserved winless start continues into Week 7. Last year's trip to London cost Robert Saleh his job. Could another change of personnel -- on staff or at QB -- be coming?
3. Broncos play down to opponent after win over champs. Denver escaped London with another tight result, this one a two-point win over a winless Jets team. It's a major letdown for the Broncos after pulling off one of the biggest wins of the Sean Payton era over Philly in Week 5. Bo Nix was effective in the first half, moving the ball with short passes and hitting on shot plays, including the first-half TD pass to fullback Nate Adkins out of the slot. But the QB was shut down for most of the second half, held to zero passing yards through four possessions and incurring a lead-shifting safety on a holding call in the end zone. But Nix finally woke up on Denver's ensuing possession, hitting Evan Engram, Pat Bryant and Marvin Mims Jr. for first downs to give Wil Lutz a chip shot to take the lead. The Mims third-down conversion, which went for 26 yards into Jets territory, was beautifully dialed up. The Broncos leaned on their defense and the sins of their opponent to secure this victory, which is their modus operandi. But for Denver to stay atop a competitive division and beat contenders with regularity, the offense can't fall into the ruts it did against New York.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Broncos-Jets (via NFL Pro): Jonathon Cooper generated seven pressures and two sacks on 18 pass rushes against the Jets for a career-high 38.9% pressure rate. Cooper accumulated five of his seven pressures and 1.5 of his sacks against Jets right tackle Armand Membou. The three plays on which Cooper generated sacks earned the Broncos a gain of +31.6% of win probability.

NFL Research: The Broncos' nine sacks were the most in a game by Denver since Week 1, 1996 (also against the Jets). Denver has 30 sacks through six games, which is tied for the most sacks through a team's first six games of a season since 1990 (2013 Chiefs).

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• REWATCH: Rams-Ravens on NFL+ Premium

Bobby Kownack's takeaways:

1. Rams overcome sloppy start to pull away. Almost nothing went right for Los Angeles in a slopfest of a first half. Kicker Joshua Karty missed a 26-yard gimme on the Rams’ opening drive and barely sneaked in an ugly 36-yard attempt a couple possessions later as Puka Nacua was in the locker room being evaluated for an ankle injury. In between those two field goal attempts, Matthew Stafford was the victim of a strip-sack immediately after his defense had gifted him the ball in Ravens territory on an interception of Cooper Rush. Another takeaway by the punt coverage team was wiped away by an illegal man downfield, with the redo resulting in a 36-yard LaJohntay Wester return that set Baltimore up 12 yards from the red zone. Things started to click after halftime, though, with a tremendous 30-yard catch by Blake Corum along the sideline helping wake the Rams from their stupor. Both of L.A.’s third-quarter drives went for touchdowns, turning a 3-3 score at intermission into a 17-3 advantage, and Nacua importantly returned to deliver a sigh of relief. It was neither easy or pretty for most the day, but against the depleted Ravens the Rams did enough.
2. Henry’s bounce-back performance can’t save sinking Ravens. Baltimore’s defense held up far better than it has in recent weeks and Derrick Henry looked back to his bruising self. Those are about the only positives the Ravens can take away from yet another loss. The Ravens’ strategy was clear as they attempted to ride the five-time Pro Bowler to victory. Henry, who hadn’t eclipsed 50 rushing yards since Week 1, did so before the first quarter came to a close. His 18 rushing attempts in the first half were the most by any player this season, per NFL Research, and it worked for a time. He tallied 90 yards on those 18 attempts, helping keep the score tight and the Rams off the field. However, even while providing that exorbitant amount of carries to Henry, the Ravens sabotaged themselves more than once by going away from their workhorse. They took him off the field for a third-and-2 run and subsequent failed fourth-down throw at the start of the second quarter, then wasted two goal-line snaps right at the end of the frame on two Mark Andrews tush pushes. Henry’s effectiveness waned as the game went on and the rest of Baltimore’s operation failed around him. Zay Flowers fumbled on a catch-and-run and also bungled a handoff on an end around. Cooper Rush, the other guilty party on that gaffe, threw for just 72 yards and was benched in favor of Tyler Huntley in the fourth quarter. Henry finished with 122 yards on 24 totes and made clear he’s not close to done, but the Ravens have yet to do the same. They head into their bye 1-5, with a long way to go to even think about playoffs.
3. Rams defense makes amends. Los Angeles had some soul searching to do on defense after its Week 5 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. That defeat came against a collection of Niners backups helmed by Mac Jones. Had the Rams defended poorly and lost a second straight game to a backup-led offense, it might have been panic time. Luckily, defensive coordinator Chris Shula pitched a shutout after allowing an opening field goal. The Rams had four fourth-down stops, including a goal-line stand just before half, and forced three turnovers. The stars showed out, as Byron Young and Jared Verse combined for 14 tackles (four for loss) and three sacks, and Nate Landman was everywhere with 17 tackles. Los Angeles was a bit leaky against Derrick Henry, but by game’s end the defense was facing Baltimore’s third-string QB due to rendering Cooper Rush ineffective. You can’t help who you play, but you can certainly help how you look doing it -- and the Rams D appeared dominant.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Rams-Ravens (via NFL Pro): Matthew Stafford was on the move often against Baltimore, with a season-high 21.4% of his dropbacks ending outside the pocket. He completed 5 of 6 passes for 74 yards from outside the pocket, more yards than he had in Weeks 1-5 combined (9 of 12 for 58 yards).

NFL Research: The Ravens have failed to score a touchdown in a game four times (including playoffs) since drafting Lamar Jackson in 2018, with all four occurrences coming when Jackson either didn’t start, didn’t play or left with an injury.

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• REWATCH: Cowboys-Panthers on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Dowdle says Cowboys weren't 'buckled' up as he goes for 239 scrimmage yards

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Dowdle pulverizes former team, leading Panthers to win over Cowboys. Rico Dowdle warned his ex-teammates to buckle their chinstraps this week. Then he broke them. Dowdle blasted through the Dallas defense over and over and over and over. Seemingly every time he touched the ball, especially early, it was a chunk gain. Eight yards here, 12 there, 15 here, 7 there. The bulldozer rocketed for 183 rushing yards on a career-high 30 carries. He also paced the Panthers with four catches on five targets for 56 yards and two touchdowns. Dowdle’s ability to avoid negative plays and keep the offense in great down-and-distance situations allowed Dave Canales to keep the pedal to the metal. Bryce Young's one interception wasn’t his fault, as it clanged off Tetairoa McMillan's hands in the first quarter. The QB was serine in the pocket all game, finding open receivers and smartly taking checkdowns. For the first time all season, he found deep shots, hitting all three of his passes of 20-plus yards with two TDs. If that part of the offense finds traction, the Panthers can stack wins. T-Mac made up for his early flub with two TDs. That connection will be key for the 3-3 club.
2. Prescott-Pickens connection shines, but offense comes up small late. Dak Prescott continues to light up the scoreboard. On Sunday, he picked apart the Packers' secondary, tossing three TDs. George Pickens tortured Carolina before and after the catch. The wideout was nearly uncoverable for stretches. He caught 9 of 11 targets for 168 yards and a score, including several for the highlight reel, like a fingertip snag turned into a leap over a defender. However, the offense sputtered down the stretch. Despite getting it inside Carolina’s 10-yard line midway through the fourth quarter, Dallas settled for a game-tying field goal. Then, after the defense got a stop and gave Prescott good field position, the offense went three-and-out, gaining negative-8 yards. They never saw the ball again. The final six offensive plays skuttled a good day. With a defense that can’t consistently get stops, the offense needs to be perfect. It wasn't late.
3. Panthers' defense stymied run, made big plays late. The middle of Carolina’s defensive line controlled the trenches. Derrick Brown clogged the lane, and Bobby Brown III played on the other side of the line of scrimmage, discombobulating the Cowboys' rushing attempts. Dallas rushed 19 times for 31 yards -- 1.6 yards per attempt. While Rico Dowdle ran unhinged, the Dallas backs were locked in a cellar. The Cowboys didn’t have a run for more than 6 yards. The secondary got picked on, but Carolina stuffed the Dallas screen game. Forcing a late three-and-out with back-to-back tackles for loss flipped the game for the Panthers. They still need pass rush help, but making opponents one-dimensional is a start after last year’s struggles sans Brown.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Panthers-Cowboys (via NFL Pro): Bryce Young faced zone coverage on 85.2% of his dropbacks, completing 14 of 21 passes for 174 yards, two touchdowns and one interception against zone.

NFL Research: Rico Dowdle's 239 scrimmage yards are the most by a player in a game versus a former team in NFL history.

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• REWATCH: Cardinals-Colts on NFL+ Premium

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Taylor, Colts keep rolling. Through six weeks, the Daniel Jones-led offense in Indianapolis is a well-oiled machine. Jones was sharp again Sunday, completing 22 of 30 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns and keeping it on a play-action bootleg for a rushing score. He made one mistake on a very athletic play made by Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson for an interception. Otherwise, Jones was stellar. It helps to have a back like Jonathan Taylor, who racked up 123 yards and a rushing touchdown, and bulled his way through the teeth of Arizona's defense to seal the victory in the game's final minute. The combination of Jones and Taylor alone is enough to propel an offense to consistent success, but when you add rookie tight end Tyler Warren (six catches, 63 yards, one touchdown) into the mix, the Colts appear even more menacing. Four games of 30-plus points will have that effect, and Indianapolis has shown no signs of slowing down.
2. Brissett steadies Cardinals offense. With Kyler Murray sidelined, veteran Jacoby Brissett received his first chance to start for Arizona in the fitting setting of Indianapolis, Brissett's former home where he essentially launched his now 10-year NFL career. He served his purpose, bringing a sense of calm and consistency to an offense that had previously proven rather volatile, if not frustratingly unreliable. With Brissett under center, the Cardinals converted 9 of 14 third-down attempts, compiled three scoring drives of 10-plus plays and battled with a team most expected to cruise to victory. He scrambled when necessary, fired plenty of on-target passes of varying depths and kept Arizona's offense moving even after it lost Marvin Harrison Jr. to injury. Perhaps most importantly, Brissett's insertion seemed to provide the Cardinals with a ship captain capable of guiding them through the storm. Thanks to Brissett's performance, Arizona picked itself up off the mat after a Week 5 meltdown and battled through four quarters of a brawl with the Colts Sunday, matching Indianapolis' output in the second half before unfortunately falling short in the final minute. Though they lost, the Cardinals looked much more like a professional outfit than in previous weeks.
3. Anarumo's crew finds its groove. Indianapolis entered Sunday's game with a middling defense that had been better against the run than the pass, primarily because the Colts didn't consistently pressure the passer. That changed Sunday. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's Colts pressured Brissett on 48.9% of his dropbacks, their highest rate of the season (and 17.1 percentage points higher than their season average), hindering Brissett's otherwise consistent afternoon by limiting him to 6 of 20 on pressured attempts. Those pressures -- plus a timely interception in their own red zone -- were crucial, because Brissett was excellent when free from pressure. Credit is due to the usual suspects: DeForest Buckner (five pressures), Kwity Paye (five pressures, two sacks), Laiatu Latu (five pressures) and Samson Ebukam (four pressures). But Adetomiwa Adebawore was the real star, registering three quick pressures in key spots. If the Colts can maintain this level of production, they'll continue to win games.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Cardinals-Colts (via NFL Pro): Daniel Jones completed all nine of his passes under pressure for 93 yards and a touchdown, good for his highest success rate under pressure (63.6%) in a game for Jones since 2022.

NFL Research: The Colts' 194 points scored through the first six weeks are the most by an Indianapolis team in the Super Bowl era, besting the 2007 Peyton Manning-led Colts by one point.

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• REWATCH: Seahawks-Jaguars on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Coen bemoans 'undisciplined operation' in loss to Seahawks

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Seahawks’ defense stepped up after tough loss. One of the outliers in Seattle’s Week 5 loss to the Buccaneers was the play of the Seahawks’ defense. But that unit turned in a statement performance Sunday, logging seven sacks against Trevor Lawrence and keeping the Jaguars’ offense under wraps for most of the game, adopting a blitz-heavy approach that was out of character but highly effective. Demarcus Lawrence and Byron Murphy II each registered two sacks and seven QB pressures, and Uchenna Nwosu had 1.5 sacks and a whopping nine pressures. It was a full-on assault of the Jaguars’ passing game, holding them to 4 of 16 on third downs and defending the deep pass well. Lawrence was only 1 of 5 passing for 22 yards on deep passes (20-plus air yards), per Next Gen Stats, and he got little going as a scrambler. Seattle contained the Jags’ run game, keeping them to a long run of 8 yards and rendering them one-dimensional. Drops hurt the Jags, but the Seahawks deserve credit, too. Considering the shape of the Seahawks’ secondary, missing three key contributors, this was a massive effort from the defense on the road against a quality opponent.
2. Jaguars’ crippling penalties, lack of pass rush cost them. If there had been a consistent bugaboo for the Jags during their 4-1 start, penalties might have been high up on the list. On Sunday, flags hurt them dearly in the loss to Seattle. The majority of Jacksonville’s 10 penalties were on offense, including a wicked one when Travis Hunter was lined up offsides on Brian Thomas Jr.’s nullified 61-yard TD pass. They eventually scored on that drive but used another eight plays and more than three minutes to do so. The Jaguars found themselves in a ton of long-yardage situations they couldn’t get out of, consistently playing behind the sticks. Two other flags on special teams wiped out good returns and hurt field position. And though it’s perhaps a tad unfair to criticize Jacksonville’s defense, which had Travon Walker on a pitch count and held the Seahawks to 20 points and 13 first downs, but the pass rush wasn’t good enough. DaVon Hamilton seemed to be the only one supplying much pressure up front as Sam Darnold had an efficient game throwing the ball.
3. Seahawks improved to 3-0 on road as pass game came through. Who knows why the Seahawks have been so much better away from home under Mike Macdonald, but the facts are the facts. They’re 10-1 on the road since he’s taken over as head coach, including 3-0 this season, winning a big game after dropping last week’s thriller in Seattle to the Buccaneers. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was once again a monster, with eight catches for 162 yards and a TD. He did most of his work in the first half, with 117 yards, but no matter who the Jaguars put on him, JSN abused them, including new Jaguars cornerback Greg Newsome II on a post in the first half for Seattle’s first TD. The Seahawks took the lead there, turned the game over to Sam Darnold and the Seattle defense and won impressively, even if it wasn’t the prettiest game. Against a Jaguars defense that had 14 takeaways coming in, the Seahawks didn’t turn the ball over a single time. That’s always a good formula for winning on the road.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Seahawks-Jaguars (via NFL Pro): Brian Thomas Jr. was pressed (less than 3 yards of cushion) on a season-high 47.6% of his routes in Week 6 against the Seahawks, but he managed to catch all six of his targets on such snaps for 81 yards and a touchdown. Entering Week 6, Thomas Jr. had caught just two of his eight targets against press coverage for 30 yards.

NFL Research: The Seahawks have run the ball one more time than they’ve passed the ball this season.

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• REWATCH: Chargers-Dolphins on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Tua calls out attendance at players-only meetings following loss

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Herbert, McConkey pull out magic to escape Miami with victory. The Chargers surrendered a 13-point fourth-quarter lead to trail by one point with under a minute remaining. It was enough time for Justin Herbert. The quarterback twice avoided a potentially game-deciding sack. On second down, Herbert somehow avoided a rush behind a sieve offensive line and found Ladd McConkey in space. The wideout avoided a tackle and sprinted 42 yards to set up the game-winning play. It wasn’t always pretty, with the Chargers' offense stalling repeatedly in the red zone (2 of 7), allowing Miami to stay in the game. Behind a banged-up offensive line, Herbert avoided sacks all afternoon (one on the day), dicing up the Dolphins' secondary to the tune of 264 yards and two touchdowns. Kimani Vidal spearheaded an injured backfield, gobbling up 124 yards on 18 carries, including several gashing runs to move the chains. Avoiding a three-game skid with all the injuries on offense was massive for Jim Harbaugh’s club.
2. Dolphins flounder once again. The first interception wasn’t Tua Tagovailoa's fault, as Jaylen Waddle bobbled it right to a defender. The other two were on the QB. Miami’s pass offense remains feast or famine, with a couple of big Waddle plays pacing the unit. De'Von Achane led the offense, scampering for 128 yards on 16 carries with two scores. When the shifty back wasn’t part of drives, Miami stumbled. Tagovailoa thrived in the fourth quarter, leading two TD drives and calmly found Darren Waller for the go-ahead score. But with a defense that struggles to get a stop, the offense can’t afford the early empty possessions. Mike McDaniel’s club is in a bad spot, with Hard Rock fans relentlessly booing ahead of the comeback bid. At 1-5, the coach’s future is in jeopardy.  
3. Chargers' special teams step up. With the offense sputtering often in the red zone, Cameron Dicker calmly kept stacking points. The booter made all five of his field goal attempts, including nailing the game-winner. Give holder J.K. Scott his flowers for handling an off-the-mark snap on the game-winning kick. The punter also landed both of his punts inside the 20. L.A. returner Nyheim Hines also added a massive return on the final drive, taking the kickoff to the 41 to set up the win. It took all three units for the Chargers to pull off the road win.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Chargers-Dolphins (via NFL Pro): On Ladd McConkey’s game-changing catch, the wideout had an expected yards after catch of 12 yards. He went for 39.3 YAC -- 27.3 YAC over expected. 

NFL Research: Justin Herbert has 18 game-winning drives since entering the league in 2020, which is tied for second in the NFL with Kirk Cousins and trails only Patrick Mahomes' 19.

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• REWATCH: Browns-Steelers on NFL+ Premium

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Rodgers lets it fly. Aaron Rodgers started Sunday's contest with a long completion to Darnell Washington, igniting the crowd at Acrisure Stadium. The Steelers could have settled in for a nap from then until halftime because they didn't do much else until after the break. Fortunately, football is played over four quarters and Rodgers embraced the final two periods, making vintage Rodgers plays on his touchdown pass to DK Metcalf and a true beauty of an off-platform, on-the-run rocket fired across his body to Connor Heyward in the back of the end zone for a score. Rodgers looked totally comfortable in the second half, picking apart Cleveland's defense with short and intermediate completions to keep drives moving before they turned to the ground game to grind out the rest of the clock. It certainly wasn't a four-quarter display of aerial mastery, but it became clear in the third quarter that Pittsburgh was going to cruise to a win because Rodgers was going to guide it there.
2. Different day, same story for Browns. Every Sunday is proving to be groundhog day for Cleveland in 2025. It begins with the same plot. The Browns' defense shuts down or limits an opposing offense, keeping them in the game in what is usually a low-scoring first half. Conversely, Cleveland's offense struggles to do much outside of scripted opening drives. Eventually, the defense wears down, the opposition breaks through and flattens the Browns on the way to a win. That's what happened again Sunday in a game in which Cleveland limited Pittsburgh to three field goals in the first half and trailed 9-3 entering the break. The Browns' low-ceiling offense couldn't match the Steelers as they found new avenues toward success over the final two quarters, and although rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel managed to convert a few third-down opportunities with accurate passing, it became clear Cleveland wasn't threatening to overcome its growing scoreboard deficit. There isn't much of an answer for these Browns because Gabriel isn't playing poorly, he just doesn't offer much more than a typical backup quarterback. Perhaps they'll turn to Shedeur Sanders before long; just don't expect it to improve their output much.
3. High-energy Steelers need to clean up the details. Pittsburgh played with palpable passion Sunday, flying around the field and delivering many crushing hits to Cleveland ball carriers. Patrick Queen was a man on a mission, racking up nine tackles and eagerly flying in to clean up takedowns all afternoon. The display harkened back to the glory days of past great Steelers defenses, an encouraging sight after six weeks for the first-place squad. However, there is plenty to correct. Pittsburgh entered Sunday as the least penalized team in the NFL (4.8 per game), yet the Steelers were uncharacteristically undisciplined Sunday, committing 10 penalties (accepted for 59 yards), which represented the most penalties committed by the Steelers in a game since Week 2 of the 2024 season. Fortunately, Cleveland doesn't bring a whole lot to the table offensively, so the Steelers were able to weather their own mistakes. Against better teams, these mistakes will crush Pittsburgh's hopes and momentum. There's no better time than now to focus on ensuring this collection of errors was nothing more than an aberration.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Browns-Steelers (via NFL Pro): DK Metcalf took advantage of a new face in the Browns' secondary Sunday, catching three of six targets when matched up with Tyson Campbell for 70 yards and a touchdown. 

NFL Research: Aaron Rodgers is 4-0, with a 70.8 completion percentage, 11-0 pass TD-INT ratio, a 124.4 passer rating and 0.25 sacks per game against the Browns, all his best against any team in his career.

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• REWATCH: Patriots-Saints on NFL+ Premium

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Boutte comes up big in home state. In last week’s massive victory over the Bills, the Patriots featured Stefon Diggs heavily in his return to Buffalo, where he played several seasons. On Sunday, the Patriots’ showcase receiver was Kayshon Boutte, who grew up in Louisiana. Boutte hauled in two touchdown passes and also a key late conversion to vault the Patriots to 4-2. Boutte has been one of the Patriots’ more consistent second- and third-level receivers, but he’d been relatively quiet since Week 1. Drake Maye changed that by hitting Boutte on a great contested-catch TD to put New England up, 14-6. After the Saints gained the lead, Boutte’s next target was also a score, putting the Patriots back on top, 22-16. They would not look back. Diggs did more harm than good in this one, with two critical penalties, including one that negated a 61-yard TD to Demario Douglas. But after Boutte caught a 21-yard third-down conversion late, the Patriots were able to bleed the clock to earn their third straight win. 
2. Saints’ mistakes once again cost them in close loss. The Saints dropped to 1-4 thanks to too many big plays allowed on defense and not enough on offense. They had their chances to beat the Patriots at home but cost themselves dearly. They scored only three points in the final 31-plus minutes. Chris Olave struggled with drops. New Orleans’ run game struggled, therefore eliminating play-action possibilities. The coverage in the secondary was a hot mess, especially on third down and long. Eight penalties were painful. And Juwan Johnson coughed up a fumble at midfield as the Saints were driving, down six points midway through the fourth quarter. That’s how you lose a game in which the Patriots also made their share of mistakes, keeping the door open for the Saints to steal it. Blake Grupe solved his kicking issues, making four field goals, but the Saints bogged down, crossing midfield six times but only scoring 19 points.
3. Maye making an early MVP case for Patriots. The Patriots are suddenly 4-2, and their young quarterback is making splash plays every game. Drake Maye threw for three TDs – and it should have been more – in another terrific showing, exhibiting the kind of poise you don’t always see in second-year QBs. In a game where Stefon Diggs was ineffective, Maye found Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas and also used his running ability effectively, with two third-down conversions and a 20-yard scramble that set up a field goal that made it a two-score game. Maye was only sacked once and hit a few times, but the pressure was there quite often. Time and time again, Maye stared down the rush and delivered accurate throws all over the field – even with the Patriots making their share of self-inflicted errors. He also had a TD and nearly 100 passing yards negated by Patriots penalties, and Maye wasn’t at fault on a bad fourth-down snap that led to a turnover on downs. He’s the biggest reason the Patriots are two games over .500 right now, even with some early-season miscues to factor in.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Patriots-Saints (via NFL Pro): Drake Maye was under pressure on all three touchdown passes in the first half against the Saints. All three were deep passes (20-plus air yards) thrown to the left side of the field. Maye was 10 of 16 for 177 yards versus pressure, including 7 for 8 for 144 yards and the three TDs in the first half alone.

NFL Research: Taysom Hill now has 34 career rushing touchdowns, surpassing Hall of Famer John Elway, to move into a tie for 15th all time among non-running backs. Hill is now tied with Daunte Culpepper and Lamar Jackson. 

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• REWATCH: Titans-Raiders on NFL+ Premium

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Raiders get right. There was no better time to meet the Titans than Week 6 for Las Vegas, a team that was reeling after four straight losses, including a 34-point drubbing last week. The Raiders took advantage of the opportunity, emerging from a first-quarter sleepwalk with plenty of energy in the middle quarters to claim a 17-0 lead with relative ease. Geno Smith finally looked more like himself for most of the day (albeit in a shortened, checkdown-reliant fashion), Ashton Jeanty found a bit of a rhythm on the ground and Las Vegas' defense suffocated Tennessee's offense for most of the afternoon, making for a joyous day inside Allegiant Stadium. It was sorely needed, especially when considering what awaits the Silver and Black: dates with Kansas City, Jacksonville and Denver in the next four weeks. It's a daunting stretch ahead, but one that is more palatable after ending a four-game losing skid.
2. Titans remain a sloppy team. The story of this loss can be told by Tennessee's list of miscues. Three turnovers (one Cam Ward interception, two lost fumbles), seven penalties, 3 for 13 on third down and six sacks given up illustrate all that went wrong for the Titans. They are a squad that produces plenty of unmemorable moments and only seems to find a rhythm when they're forced to operate at a faster tempo in the late stages of a game. Tennessee's investment in the offensive line has not paid off, and without Calvin Ridley, Ward doesn't have much to work with when throwing -- that is, when he even has time to throw. I admit it's a crazy thought, but perhaps this offensive might benefit from adopting an identity along the lines of the Chip Kelly-led Oregon Ducks, relying on up-tempo offense as the basis of their attack. At minimum, it might put opposing defenses on their heels instead of allowing them to pin their ears back as they often do against the Titans.
3. Las Vegas has work to do up front. The Raiders are going home happy on Sunday evening, but they still need to clean up their blocking. It's been a persistent theme this season, limiting Jeanty's potential as a difference-making back, and crept up again Sunday. Consider: Jeanty was stuffed for a loss or no gain on four of his 10 attempts against light boxes, and Raiders rushers were stuffed 11 times on 29 total attempts, the most run stuffs by any team in a game this season, per Next Gen Stats. Tennessee's defensive strength exists up front, but that rate of failure is unsustainable across a full season for any NFL team. Las Vegas overcame these struggles with a healthy dose of play action and creative design that leaked out tight end Michael Mayer into soft spots in zone coverage via block-and-release assignments, which Smith was happy to use to his benefit, including on his touchdown pass to Mayer. That's merely a bandage for the greater issue, though.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Titans-Raiders (via NFL Pro): Geno Smith completed 17 of 23 passes for 174 yards, a touchdown and an interception in the Raiders’ Week 6 win, averaging 2.7 air yards per attempt, his fewest in a game since Week 9, 2022. He attempted only one pass beyond 10 air yards (16-yard completion), his fewest in a game since Week 6, 2016. 

NFL Research: With one passing touchdown Sunday, Cam Ward has just three passing touchdowns in his first six career starts. The only No. 1 overall quarterbacks with fewer passing touchdowns through their first six career starts since 1970 are Terry Bradshaw (2), John Elway (1) and Alex Smith (0).

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• REWATCH: Niners-Buccaneers on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Niners' Warner likely out for rest of season after dislocating, breaking ankle

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Mayfield puts on MVP performance in win over 49ers. Already without Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan, the Bucs lost star rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka for the second half. It didn’t matter to Baker Mayfield. The quarterback still diced up the Niners' defense with a trove of backup receivers. The key sequence came deep in the third quarter of a one-point game. Facing a third-and-14, Mayfield miraculously ducked out of a sack, scampered out of the pocket, juked a defender, and broke through two other tackle attempts to stretch for the first down. Two plays later, Mayfield pump-faked the safety and unleashed a bomb to rookie Tez Johnson for a diving touchdown. MVPs are made of those sequences. It wasn’t just the splash plays for Mayfield. Even with backup wideouts, the QB rifled chunk passes over the middle for key first downs to extend drives. Mayfield has lifted all boats of an offense littered with injuries. The 5-1 Bucs earned their first win of more than three points.
2. Injury-ravaged Niners suffer another big loss. The best linebacker in the NFL, Fred Warner, suffered a gruesome ankle injury in the first quarter, leaving on a cart and likely to miss the rest of the season, per NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. It’s the latest injury to a team that already is without Nick Bosa for the duration of the season, and didn’t have Brock Purdy or Ricky Pearsall on offense, among other absences, on Sunday. Mac Jones, also playing through injury issues, battled, putting up 347 yards, finding chunk plays to Kendrick Bourne (five receptions for 142 yards). However, the inability to churn out yards on the ground (3.0 yards per carry) and six sacks left the Niners short, finding paydirt once and settling for four field goals. The loss pushed San Francisco (4-2) into a three-way tie atop the NFC West.
3. Bucs defense steps up. Todd Bowles didn’t unleash a ton of blitzes early, but when he dialed them up, they got home. With the balance in doubt, Lavonte David came screaming in on a key third down and leveled Mac Jones for a massive sack that took the Niners out of field goal range and forced a punt. After a missed field goal, the Bucs then forced a heave on fourth down that cornerback Jamel Dean picked off. The Bucs controlled the pocket, consistently forcing Jones off his spot and gobbling up six sacks. Vita Vea was a beast in the middle, earning five QB pressures -- several of which led to teammates’ sacks. Bowles’ crew consistently stiffened in its own end, forcing field goals until the offense got going, then shut the door in the fourth quarter. It was a complementary win in Tampa.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Buccaneers-49ers (via NFL Pro): On the third-and-14 rush, Baker Mayfield had just a 3.7% chance of picking up the first down with his legs. He had 27 yards after contact on his 15-yard run.

NFL Research: The Buccaneers led for all 30 minutes of the second half in their Week 6 win versus the 49ers. Prior to Week 6, the Buccaneers had been tied or trailing in the final minute of regulation in each of their first four wins of 2025.

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• READ: Bengals-Packers on NFL+ Premium

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Packers avoided another letdown, finished strong offensively. This game was looking eerily similar to the Packers’ only previous loss, in which they nursed a 10-0 lead with Joe Flacco on the other sideline. This time, Flacco was quarterbacking the Bengals – five days after being traded from Cleveland – and the game played out similarly, with Green Bay also tripping over a few cords to take a 10-0 halftime lead. When Flacco led the Bengals on a 17-play, 10-minute TD drive, a hush fell over Lambeau Field. But the script would be scrapped, as the Packers responded with back-to-back touchdown drives and a late field goal to finish off the scrappy Bengals. Josh Jacobs fueled the offense in the second half, and it was a collective effort in the passing game after a slow start. The Packers’ offense was a little underwhelming against a Bengals defense that entered the game near the bottom of the defensive rankings and lost Trey Hendrickson to injury, but it finished the game strong. 
2. Flacco gives heroic effort, but Bengals come up short again. Considering how little time Joe Flacco had to mesh with his new team and learn the playbook, it wasn’t stunning to see the Bengals come out ice cold against the Packers, netting 23 yards and one first down on their first four series. But Flacco found some rhythm prior to halftime, setting up a field-goal try (that missed from 67 yards) and came out hot in the second half. Looking like the Flacco of old, he led the Bengals on a game-changing 17-play drive that ate up more than 10 minutes to open the third quarter, hitting Tanner Hudson on fourth-and-goal and cutting Green Bay’s lead to 10-7. Even with Green Bay taking a two-TD lead, Flacco refused to give up, hitting Ja'Marr Chase on an absurd TD, with the two-point pass to Chase Brown stunningly making it a six-point deficit.  There were some misfires along the way, but three of Flacco’s second-half incompletions came on Andrei Iosivas drops. Flacco’s first effort actually gave the Bengals some life, and hope might not be completely dead, even with the Bengals falling to 2-4.
3. Golden provided big-play threat for Packers. Rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden’s footprint on this Green Bay offense has seen incremental increases with each passing game. But Sunday’s performance was by far Golden’s most important since joining the Packers, totaling 102 yards on his five touches. None was more important than Golden’s 31-yard catch on third-and-9 from the Green Bay 40 with just over two minutes left. Jordan Love bought time and found the rookie on an over route that crushed the Bengals’ hopes. Golden also had a pair of 8-yard runs, a beautiful 20-yard catch and run on a spot route and a 35-yarder on third-and-10 to set up Green Bay’s first TD of the game. Love still looks for Romeo Doubs and Tucker Kraft in key spots, and Josh Jacobs is always going to have a big role in the pass game. But the Packers keep adding more and more to Golden’s plate, and he keeps rewarding them.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Bengals-Packers (via NFL Pro): Jordan Love was 2 for 7 passing for 36 yards on intermediate routes (10-19 air yards). Love was 4 for 4 for 7 yards on passes behind the line of scrimmage, 10 for 12 for 126 yards and an INT on short passes (0-9 yards) and – interestingly – 3 for 3 for 90 yards on deep passes (20-plus yards).

NFL Research: Matt LaFleur lost his first two post-bye games as Packers head coach in 2019 and 2020. However, the Packers are now 4-1 in post-bye games since then.

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• REWATCH: Lions-Chiefs on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Campbell: Branch's postgame strike on Chiefs WR is 'inexcusable'

Grant Gordon's takeaways:

1. Mahomes guides Chiefs offense to impressive showing. On the ropes following a dismaying Monday night loss to the Jaguars, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense were excellent from start to finish. Mahomes, who threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another TD, orchestrated five scoring drives in seven non-kneel-down possessions. The Chiefs punted just once, with Mahomes taking what the Lions defense would give him, picking at Detroit short and finding Xavier Worthy (9-yard TD) and Marquise Brown (two TDs on 9- and 3-yard plays) for scores that were symbolic of K.C.’s cerebral approach on Sunday night. Mahomes had just one attempt (an incompletion) beyond 20 yards, completing 17 of 21 passes for 164 yards and all three of his scores on short (zero to 9 yards) or behind-the-line-of-scrimmage passes. At 3-3, it’s difficult to make a case that the Chiefs are humming along in pristine form, but the offense has really been stellar through the majority of the season. Being able to turn a back-and-forth game early into a comfortable win over a heavyweight such as Detroit, which entered Week 6 on a four-game win streak, is a feather in the helmet of Mahomes and Co. 
2. Lions defense can’t cut down tall task. With Terrion Arnold out and Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch both playing injured, it was a lot to ask a banged-up Detroit defense to hold down Kansas City. For the most part, the Lions did not. They allowed a season-worst 355 yards of offense and didn’t force a turnover for the first time since Week 1. Still, there were commendable efforts from Alex Anzalone (12 tackles, two QB pressures) and Joseph, who was solid despite clearly playing through the noticeable pain of a knee injury. Through the last four weeks -- all wins -- the Lions' defense had nine takeaways. They had none in a Week 1 loss to the Packers, while the offense scored a season-low 13 points. Detriot had no takeaways in K.C., and the offense mustered its second-lowest scoring output of the year. It was losing combination again. Perhaps most troubling was that Branch was the centerpiece of a postgame skirmish. Following the final Chiefs kneel-down, Branch refused to shake Mahomes' hand and went straight to Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who appeared to offer Branch a handshake. Smith-Schuster was instead met with an open-handed strike from Branch. A pull-apart ensued and cooler heads prevailed. Branch, already fined three times this season, could be in line for another fine or even a suspension. It was a bad ending on a bad night for the Detroit D. 
3. Jones brings pressure after being under it. Chris Jones faced a mountain of criticism after he essentially watched Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence stumble to six points and a game-winning touchdown on Monday. Six days later, Jones had a clutch play and an overall good night. Jones had a game-high four QB pressures (three of them quick pressures -- under 2.5 seconds). Following Marquise Brown’s second TD, the Chiefs held a 27-17 lead with 9:30 to play. Detroit needed an answer. Instead, Jones shut the door for all intents and purposes. Facing third-and-10, Jared Goff was pressured by Jones and Charles Omenihu cleaned it up with a sack. Backed up to its 22, Detroit had no option but to punt. Jones remains an all-star player who responded well after his lack of awareness and hustle in his previous outing was called out.  

Next Gen Stats Insight for Lions-Chiefs (via NFL Pro): Lions tight end Sam LaPorta’s 4-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter, one in which he was blanketed by coverage and came away with a one-handed grab while he toe-tapped inside the back line of the end zone, had just a 23.4% completion probability.

NFL Research: Patrick Mahomes rushed for his fourth touchdown this year, a team high and tied for second among QBs in the league through Sunday night. It also matches Mahomes career-high (2022) in just the sixth game of the year.