NFL Week 6 Shocker: Unexpected Heroes and Crushing Defeats Shake the League!
Week 6 of the NFL brought us that familiar mix of jaw-dropping brilliance and, well… moments you’d rather forget. It’s that unpredictable rollercoaster we all live for, right? But here’s a question buzzing in my mind: when a player gets injured and a backup rises like a phoenix from the ashes, should the coach stick with the original starter upon return or ride the hot hand? This dilemma isn’t just some sideline chatter — it shapes careers and seasons. As we dive into the highs and lows of this past weekend’s action, we’ll spotlight those who shattered expectations and those who, maybe, flopped a bit. Buckle up — it’s a wild ride through triumphs, slip-ups, and everything in between. LEARN MORE.
Like every weekend on the slate, Week 6 of the NFL had some incredible performances and some that were … not so incredible. Here were some of the highlights and lowlights.
Should a player lose his starting job due to injury?
It’s a situation that seems to pop up all the time … in every sport. And it seems as though every coach has his own philosophy when it comes to handling such an occurrence.
Some believe it should remain the starter’s job once he returns, while others believe in riding the hot hand. That’s why it should be interesting to see what happens to the first “winner” on our list.
Each week, some winners outperformed expectations and some losers underperformed expectations. So let’s take a look at some of those who did one or the other in Week 6 and whether their performance should reset expectations moving forward.
NFL Week 6 Winners
Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers
This is the situation referenced earlier, with Dowdle playing a starring role and the incumbent starter, Chuba Hubbard, expected to return in the upcoming weeks.
But how can the Panthers take the job away from Dowdle now?
One game may have been a fluke, sure. Dowdle opened eyes in Week 5 when he ran for 206 rushing yards on 23 carries and a touchdown in a 27-24 win over the Miami Dolphins.
But then Dowdle rushed for 183 yards on 30 carries again on Sunday in Carolina’s 30-27 win over his old team, the Dallas Cowboys. He also had four catches for 56 yards and a score.
In the past two weeks, Dowdle has gone from all-but-forgotten backup to a running back who put together one of the best two-game efforts of the past 25 years.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
Smith-Njigba is quickly ascending into the ranks of the top receivers in the NFL early in his third season. He stepped up again in Week 6, finishing with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown in Seattle’s 20-12 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars (more on them later).
Heading into the week, JSN was fifth in the league in receptions and second in receiving yards. But he surpassed the previous yards leader, Puka Nacua, on Sunday. After his two-catch, 28-yard performance in Week 6, Nacua has 616 receiving yards while Smith-Njibga now has 696.
He entered the week second behind Nacua (665) in total burn yards (589), but first in burn yards per route run (4.6) among WRs with at least 25 routes.
Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts
It didn’t take long for Warren to be mentioned with the best pass-catching tight ends in the league. The rookie had another big game on Sunday with six receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown as the Indianapolis Colts moved to 5-1 with a 31-27 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
The 14th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft entered the week fifth among TEs in catches and first in receiving yards. He was also third in the league in total burn yards (316) and sixth in big-play percentage (32.0), which is a weighted formula that shows how often a receiver generates “big plays” (burns of 20 yards or more or burns on TDs).
It hasn’t just been a great start for Warren. It’s been historic. Warren’s 370 receiving yards are the sixth-most by a tight end through the first six games of his career, going back to 1953.
Other Week 6 Winners: Drake Maye, New England Patriots; Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks; De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins; Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers; Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers
NFL Week 6 Losers
Jacksonville Jaguars
Coming off a big statement-making win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football, the Jaguars were 4-1 and looked like a team that could compete with the Colts for AFC South supremacy.
But in Week 6, the Colts beat the Cardinals and the Jags fell flat against the Seahawks to fall one game back in the division race. And it wasn’t just the loss. It was how they lost.
After he was sacked a total of six times over the first five games, Trevor Lawrence was dropped a career-high seven times by the Seattle defense. Travis Etienne Jr. was the team’s leading rusher with 27 yards on 12 attempts (2.3 yards per carry), and the team totaled 59 yards on 19 carries.
Brian Thomas Jr. was a bright spot with eight catches for 90 yards and a score, but his line would’ve been even more impressive if another TD wasn’t wiped off the board when rookie Travis Hunter was called for lining up offside.
And even Thomas didn’t get through the game without a crucial error. He had a critical drop in the fourth quarter on a 3rd-and-6 that caused the Jaguars to punt. He came into the game with four drops, tied for the most in the NFL with Jerry Jeudy.
Dallas Cowboys
Wins over the New York Giants and Jets, a close loss to the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles and a tie to an NFC contender in the Green Bay Packers might be acceptable.
However, a one-sided loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 3 and a last-second defeat at the 2-3 Carolina Panthers on Sunday are most certainly not OK. The Cowboys fell to 2-3-1 after a 30-27 loss when Ryan Fitzgerald’s 33-yard field goal went through the uprights as time expired.
Dak Prescott and George Pickens were bright spots. Prescott completed 25-of-34 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns with no picks, while Pickens hauled in nine catches for 168 yards and a score.
Dallas, however, couldn’t get anything going on the ground and couldn’t stop Carolina on the ground. Javonte Williams managed just 29 yards on 13 carries (2.2 yards per attempt), while the previously mentioned Rico Dowdle racked up 183 yards on 30 attempts (6.1 per carry).
The Panthers outgained the Cowboys 410-292 overall. That’s been a problem all season, as Dallas had given up a league-high 431.4 scrimmage yards per game entering Week 6.
The Cowboys are in third place in the NFC East behind the Eagles (4-2) and Washington Commanders (3-2) and just a half-game ahead of the Giants (2-4). The Opta supercomputer puts their playoff chances at just 16.8% – only the 11th-highest probability in the NFC.
Broncos-Jets Viewers
This was not the way to showcase American football in London. The Denver Broncos’ 13-11 (yes, you read that score right) win over the hapless New York Jets was a painful watch for those across the pond or anyone in the U.S. who woke up early to take it in.
The game featured five field goals, a safety, 10 sacks, eight penalties and 13 punts. Justin Fields completed 9-of-17 passes for 45 yards – not in a quarter or half, but for the game – and was sacked nine times.
The last player to throw for 45 yards or fewer on at least 17 attempts was Cooper Rush (45 yards on 23 attempts) for the Cowboys in a 34-6 loss to the Eagles on Nov. 10, 2024. Coincidentally, that was also the day of the last time a team sacked a quarterback nine times. The Patriots did it to Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears in a 19-3 win.
Breece Hall of the now 0-6 Jets was the game’s leading rusher with 59 yards on 22 carries (2.7 yards per attempt). Evan Engram was the top receiver with just 42 yards on five catches.
For the more than 61,000 folks in attendance at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, the league owes you an apology.
Other Week 6 Losers: Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins; Cooper Rush, Baltimore Ravens
For more coverage, follow along on social media on Instagram, Bluesky, Facebook and X.
The post NFL Week 6 Winners and Losers appeared first on Opta Analyst.
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