Each Sunday, three of The Athletic’s NFL writers react to the biggest news, plays and performances from the day’s games.
Week 6’s Sunday action began with an unsightly offensive showing in London, where the Denver Broncos outlasted the New York Jets, 13-11. Those weren’t the only sluggish offenses of the day. Six teams in Sunday’s early window failed to surpass 20 points — including the Los Angeles Rams, who beat the toothless Baltimore Ravens, 17-3. Four more teams in Sunday’s late window also failed to top 20 points.
NFL writers Ted Nguyen, Dan Pompei and Jourdan Rodrigue share their thoughts on a Week 6 in which points may have been hard to find, but meaningful storylines were not.
The 49ers, who lost in Tampa Bay, have stayed afloat despite incessant injuries. Now that Fred Warner (dislocated ankle) has joined Nick Bosa in being out for the season, does that end San Francisco’s hopes of contending?
Rodrigue: That the 49ers entered this matchup 4-1 with all the injuries they are facing is a minor miracle, and also a credit to the coaching staff, players and front office, because depth and youth have had to step up everywhere. Don’t forget, the 49ers have one win apiece over NFC West foes Arizona, Seattle and Los Angeles. While this defense certainly won’t hum without Warner (a clear miscommunication between linebackers and safeties that led to a coverage bust on Kameron Johnson’s touchdown catch in the second quarter would probably not have happened with Warner rearranging player responsibilities off a pre-snap motion), those early wins will at least keep the playoffs within reach, with Brock Purdy and George Kittle potentially returning soon. Contenders for more than a shot at the playoffs? It might be that the injuries are simply too much to overcome.
Pompei: The 49ers’ chances certainly would be better with Bosa and Warner, arguably their two best players. But they have shown remarkable pluck through six games, winning without Bosa, Purdy, Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall and others. Maybe they are reaching a point of diminishing returns, but it’s a good bet that they will be a tough out through December — especially because some of their wounded are expected to return. Playing in the NFC West, where the Seahawks and Rams also are 4-2, won’t make their path easier. Still, we can’t count out this team yet.
Nguyen: The Warner injury means that, on top of all the other injuries that the 49ers have dealt with, the defense has lost two of the top players in their position groups. Warner is unquestionably in a class of his own at the linebacker position. I don’t know how any unit can withstand that sort of depreciation. Their best hope is that the offense gets healthy and they can win games in shootouts. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh had already gone to a more aggressive blitzing style, so maybe San Francisco can create some havoc on that side of the ball, and it could work if the offense is elite. Ultimately, this could be a season in which the 49ers are feisty and a tough out, but not real contenders until next season. The team plays with admirable determination and focus, but the injury list was already at a critical mass before the Warner injury.
Aaron Rodgers looked spry as the Steelers dominated the Browns to move to 4-1. Should we start asking if they’re real contenders in the AFC?
Nguyen: I don’t think this win tells me too much about Rodgers or the Steelers. The Browns have essentially signaled that they’re punting this season, going to a youth movement. The Steelers have a quality defense despite their play not quite matching their payroll, and they held rookie QB Dillon Gabriel in check throughout the day. Rodgers connected on a few pinpoint designed shots downfield, and he was effective on the boots, as he has been all season. We should be able to tell a lot more about what kind of team the Steelers are when they play the Packers in two weeks, but credit to them for taking care of business. Rodgers gives them more competency than they’ve had under center in a long time.
Pompei: There is no question the Steelers are a contender in the AFC, especially considering the unexpected struggles of the Ravens, Bengals and Chiefs. Rodgers might not be leading the league in passing, as he often has, or dominating the highlight shows, but he is playing effective, winning football, as the Steelers anticipated he would. The Steelers have revived Rodgers and Rodgers might be reviving the Steelers, as much as a 10-win team last year can be revived. The defense also has improved significantly since giving up 63 points in the first two weeks of the season.
Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers have a clear path to an AFC North title. (Joe Sargent / Getty Images)
Rodrigue: Points are always impressive against a Jim Schwartz-coached defense, even if the first 9 for the Steelers were mid- to long-range field goals of 44, 50 and 48 yards. I don’t really evaluate Rodgers or Pittsburgh overall against a Browns team that, while playing well defensively and with some really promising rookies, has now signaled it is going for the partial rebuild behind those young players. But the Steelers’ record and the injuries around the AFC (including to Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow in the AFC North) make them feel like at least a playoff certainty early on. The floor is higher if Rodgers keeps making the throws he should make, of course. The upcoming Bengals should be a pushover, but I’m looking at the matchups with the Packers and Colts in Weeks 8 and 9 to really see if this team is made of true “contender” stuff.
The winless Jets had negative-10 net passing yards in a 13-11 loss to the Broncos, the NFL’s worst showing in that category in 27 years. Where do they go from here on offense?
Rodrigue: Aaron Glenn seemed to bristle at a question in his postgame news conference as to whether quarterback Justin Fields will remain the starter, but it may be something the coaching staff should discuss this week, especially with capable veteran backup Tyrod Taylor on the roster. Fields, who took nine sacks and was 9-for-17 for 45 yards and no touchdowns, had the third-worst EPA per dropback of any quarterback in any game to that point of the season, according to TruMedia. Fields is also the owner of the second-worst EPA-per-dropback game this season (Week 2, Buffalo). Simply put, they have to pass the ball better (and further downfield; Fields’ 2.6 yards per attempt were the lowest of any quarterback so far this year), they have to protect better and they have to be more situationally ready from coaching staff to players (what was that clock management and play calling at the end of the first half?!). There’s no quick fix here. Glenn was well known for his leadership and development ability in Detroit, and now he has to take a close look at every position — importantly, including his and his coaches’ situational management with a Jets team whose failures are compounding.
Nguyen: I thought it was a pretty cowardly performance by the Jets’ coaching staff. It seems like they were afraid of the Broncos’ pass rush. I understand the Jets have struggled to pass block and Fields has been inconsistent, but when you’re an underdog, you have to take chances to win. The series that really encapsulated the game was that final drive of the half. The Jets got the ball with 3:22 left in the second quarter. They had a chance to double up scores, because they would be getting the ball first in the second half. But they moved at sluggish pace, and after converting on a fake punt they elected to play conservatively near midfield instead of trying to get a field goal. If you don’t trust your quarterback that much, bench him. I’m not sure Taylor would fare much better, but he could take fewer sacks. Either way, this team and this offense won’t go anywhere with the current approach.
Pompei: There isn’t much the Jets can do to salvage their offense at this point, given what they have at the quarterback position behind Fields. They probably should consider having Scott Turner call plays instead of first-time play caller Tanner Engstrand. Turner is experienced, and a change could be helpful just for the sake of change. Big picture, though, the front office needs to be focusing hard on quarterback prospects in the 2026 draft. They might want to put together a team of consultants who have demonstrated they know a quarterback when they see one. They can start with Bruce Arians, Bill Polian and Ron Wolf.
What in the world do you make of the Panthers, who upset the Cowboys and have now won two straight since that 29-point loss to the Patriots?
Rodrigue: Two words: Run game. The Panthers have found theirs after a second consecutive game with 200-plus yards on the ground, led by Rico Dowdle (183 rushing yards on 30 carries plus 56 receiving yards and a touchdown against his old team). It’s clear how much a steady, physical rushing attack settles down quarterback Bryce Young, who had one of his best performances of his career despite a first-half interception that we can’t really credit to him because it bounced off rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan’s hands. The Panthers have the second-best run game in the NFL since Week 4 in terms of rushing success rate, per TruMedia, and yes that includes the pounding by the Patriots. They’re blocking things open for Dowdle with a fourth-best 2.19 yards before contact per rush, too. This is an improving team that might be developing something really special on the ground — but they’ll start to see heavier boxes now, and currently are only facing a loaded box on 34.4 percent of carries (20th in the NFL through that span). Then it will be Young’s turn to prove he has truly turned a corner.
Rico Dowdle and the Panthers have won two straight after going right through the Cowboys. (Cory Knowlton / Imagn Images)
Pompei: Credit where it is due — the Panthers just found ways to win two straight. They beat teams that have self-destructive tendencies, but they still took care of business. The Cowboys, however, have allowed the Giants, Bears, Packers and now the Panthers to put up season highs in points. So a grain of salt is in order. The Panthers are good enough to surprise teams that don’t bring their best, and they can flirt with .500. If they are better than that, they will need to prove it against the Bills, Packers, 49ers, Rams, Bucs (twice) and Seahawks — teams that are expected to be better than the Panthers.
Nguyen: One, the Patriots are legitimately one of the NFL’s most improved teams this season. Two, it definitely helps to go against two of the worst run defenses in the league (Miami and Dallas) and the Panthers are just letting Dowdle, who has been fantastic, eat. He’s run for 389 yards in the last two games. Life is a lot easier for quarterbacks when you’re handing the ball off for 5 or 6 yards a pop. To Young’s credit, he’s starting to hit the type of big plays downfield that he was hitting down the stretch last season. The rest of the Panthers’ schedule is manageable, so they have a shot at a playoff push if they take care of business. It’ll help to get slot receiver Jalen Coker back as well. They desperately need a complement for the rookie phenom McMillan, who should just keep getting better as the season progresses.
More impressive road win in Florida: the Seahawks knocking off the one-loss Jaguars, or the banged-up Chargers rallying in the final minute to beat the Dolphins?
Nguyen: By far, the Seahawks beating the one-loss Jaguars while missing almost their entire secondary due to injuries. Seattle’s offense was inconsistent, but the defense played hard and held the Jaguars to just 12 points in Jacksonville. The Jaguars have one of the best run defenses in the league, so the Seahawks had to put the ball in Sam Darnold’s hands. He made a few pinpoint throws and the offense did just enough. His touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba couldn’t have been placed any better. The Chargers’ win was good, especially with all of their injuries, but the Dolphins are struggling right now and that game shouldn’t have been as difficult as it was, with the Chargers needing to rally for a field goal in the final seconds.
Pompei: Both were big wins, but the Chargers’ victory was impressive because of the circumstances. After losing two straight, they traveled across the country and trailed the Dolphins by four at halftime. Then they blew a 13-point fourth quarter lead, as the Dolphins scored a go-ahead touchdown with 46 seconds remaining. Playing without injured receiver Quentin Johnston and tackle Joe Alt, the Chargers got to the Miami 17 on a Ladd McConkey 42-yard catch-and-run. After three runs, Cameron Dicker’s 33-yard field goal effectively ended the game. The victory reflected a resourceful, resilient team that is well-coached.
Rodrigue: Readers, you may roast me for this, but I can’t pick between the two. I expected the Seahawks to win, and I expected the Dolphins to lose. Now, the fashion in which each scenario unfolded was thrilling for the Chargers and commendable for the Seahawks. The Seahawks, while one of the most impressive and explosive offenses in the NFL, were missing most of their starting secondary and couldn’t find a pass rush in Week 5. The Chargers were without their starting tackles, and Johnston, their No. 1 receiver, was out too. But Seattle pressured Trevor Lawrence (behind the Jaguars’ previously stout offensive line) 22 times, per TruMedia’s early statistics, and coached around their deficiencies on the back end. Meanwhile, Justin Herbert’s late-game heroics (under pressure, shocker) put a small Band-Aid over their multi-game slide. Still, Seattle feels like an ascending-to-dominance team while the Chargers still feel as if they are reeling — maybe sinking.
