The Sunday slate for Week 6 of the2026 NFL seasonkicked off in London with a thrilling matchup between theTexansand Jaguars. Wide receiverMarvin Harrison Jr. made his much-anticipated Texans debut, but it was quarterbackC.J. Stroud who was the star as Houston held off Jacksonville in a thriller.
Back in the United States, the Ravens struggled in their second full game without QBLamar Jacksonthis season, allowing the Browns to maintain first place in the AFC North. The Titans got their first win of 2026, the Bears avoided a late collapse against the Falcons, and the Eagles dropped their fourth straight game.
Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for teams that played Sunday. Fantasy football analysts Matt Bowen and Tristan Cockcroft also have fantasy takeaways from each matchup.
Let’s get to it with the biggest lessons from Sunday.
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Catch up on Thursday’s game:
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Patriots
Can A.J. Brown shake off the rust before Thursday night’s game against the Bears? In his first game back from a right high ankle sprain, Brown had a career-high three drops. He played 52 of a possible 67 snaps. Quarterback Drake Maye targeted Brown a team-high 10 times, and the connection usually wasn’t on target — Brown totaled three receptions for 27 yards. Perhaps most disappointing was when Brown had a beautiful deep ball up the right sideline go through his hands, and later dropped a pass on fourth down. Meanwhile, No. 2 WR Romeo Doubs (shoulder) was injured in the first quarter.
Key stats to know: Maye had 5.61 seconds to throw on his 42-yard touchdown pass to Doubs, according to NFL Next Gen Stats — the fourth highest on a passing touchdown in Maye’s career. Doubs hit a max speed of 21.44 miles per hour, the fastest speed as a ball carrier in his five-year career. — Mike Reiss
Next game: at Bears (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Jets
Why are the Jets struggling so much on offense? It’s a head-scratcher because they have dynamic players but have managed only 112 points. That’s 11 points fewer than last season’s six-game total, when Justin Fields was the QB. The offense can move the ball, as it did Sunday, but it’s poor situationally — on third down, in the red zone and with two minutes to go. Ultimately, that falls on offensive coordinator Frank Reich. Wide receiver Garrett Wilson, the offense’s best player, was targeted twice in the first three quarters. Inexcusable. Geno Smith‘s first interception of the season was a fourth-quarter crusher. Reich needs answers quicky because the season is on the verge of slipping away.
Key stat to know: One week after recording eight sacks, the Jets’ pass rush came up empty, with zero vs. the Pats. Rookie David Bailey was held to one quarterback hit. They should’ve been able to generate more heat, considering the Patriots lost three offensive linemen during the game. — Rich Cimini
Next game: vs. Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: Jets WR Omar Cooper Jr. returned following a four-week absence due to a high ankle sprain to score 22.3 fantasy points on seven targets, highlighted by a 48-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. Cooper’s big-play ability can make him a matchups-oriented fantasy WR3. — Cockcroft
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Panthers
Should the Panthers be concerned about the barrage of penalties against the Eagles? The Panthers notched 13 penalties for 149 yards — a franchise record that included three special teams penalties. Carolina had 105 penalty yards in the first half but still outplayed Philadelphia on the scoreboard. Quarterback Bryce Young and the offense had five scoring drives, compared to the Eagles’ two. Carolina produced 399 total offensive yards. The defense held tight, limiting Philadelphia to 222 total yards of offense, which was an impressive feat even with Tanner McKee at QB.
What to make of the QB performance: Young set a franchise mark for most passing TDs (11) through five games with his fourth-quarter strike to tight end Tommy Tremble. He continued to look sharp as a passer, even as his completion percentage (51.3%) dipped a bit. Wide receivers Jalen Coker and Tetairoa McMillan continued to be ideal targets with 12 combined catches for 183 yards. — Mike Kaye
Next game: vs. Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Eagles
How much trouble are the Eagles in? This season could get away from them quickly. They have lost four straight, will be without starting quarterback Jalen Hurts for at least the next three games because of a blood clot, and are a mess offensively. Sunday’s game followed a familiar script for the Eagles: the offense flickered but was generally unreliable, then the defense wore down after holding strong. Running back Saquon Barkley should be back from a hamstring injury soon, but the offensive line doesn’t look ready to pave the way for anybody. While Philadelphia has a manageable upcoming schedule with three straight divisional games, this hardly looks like a team poised to make a run.
What to make of the QB performance: Tanner McKee had some bright moments in his third career start, including a 19-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith early in the fourth quarter to pull Philadelphia within five. As Hurts experienced before him, though, the conditions are not conducive for consistent success. McKee was pressured on over 40% of his dropbacks, as the offensive line struggled with protection. Making matters worse, the ground game continues to do very little. — Tim McManus
Next game: vs. Cowboys (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard scored 19.1 points, rushing for 120 yards with a touchdown on 28 carries. It marked Hubbard’s second straight game with at least 19 points, a touchdown run and 120 yards on the ground. Playing in a volume role, he is producing RB1-level numbers. With the Bucs’ defense up next, however, Hubbard should be viewed as a high-end RB2. — Bowen
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Bears
How didCaleb Williams‘ return fix the Bears’ offense? Williams didn’t miss a beat and showed no physical restrictions in his return from a hamstring injury. He started the game with back-to-back touchdown drives and completed a career-high 12 consecutive passes in the process. Williams picked apart Atlanta when given time (26-of-26 for 255 yards when not pressured in the game) and remedied Chicago’s red zone issues (4-for-4 before a fourth-quarter kneel-down). He ignited a downfield passing attack that has been missing since Week 1 and orchestrated a potent third-down attack (Bears converted 9 of 17) to dominate time of possession.
Most surprising performance: Nickel corner Kyler Gordon made an immediate impact one day after being activated off the PUP list. Coordinator Dennis Allen deployed the nickel blitz with Gordon, an element that makes this defense so dangerous. In 16 snaps on defense, Gordon had a tackle for loss on third down, three sacks and a forced fumble. — Courtney Cronin
Next game: vs. Patriots (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Falcons
What can the Falcons do if Michael Penix Jr.’s rib injury — and struggles — continue to be an issue? One thing they need to do is protect Penix better. For the game, Penix was pressured on 46% of his dropbacks, and he was blitzed at the second-highest rate of his career. He was 1-of-4 with three sacks when pressured. That was an issue in last week’s loss to the Ravens. Penix is not a very mobile QB, so Atlanta needs to figure out a way to keep a cleaner pocket or call plays that take a shorter time to develop. But either way, they must ride with Penix. It was not pretty when he was out this season.
Most surprising performance:Wide receiverZachariah Branch has shown flashes as a rookie, but he lost two fumbles on returns — including a muffed punt when Atlanta was down a touchdown in the second quarter. Branch is the third player over the past 10 seasons to lose two fumbles on special teams in the same game, per ESPN Research. — Marc Raimondi
Next game: vs. 49ers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: –Bears TE Colston Loveland returned to TE1 status in a big way, turning seven targets into 18.5 fantasy points. The healthy return of QB Caleb Williams infused much-needed life into the Bears’ offense, and coach Ben Johnson’s renewed focus on Loveland in the passing game was a welcome sight. — Bowen
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Titans
Can the Titans’ defense find a spark after forcing three turnovers against the Colts? The defense willed the Titans back into the game, forcing interceptions by Cor’Dale Flott and Amani Hooker, as well as a fumble forced and recovered by defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. The defense had only two turnovers entering Week 6. Coach Robert Saleh’s challenge for his defense was to play “fast and violent,” and that’s exactly what they delivered. There is still work to do after giving up three drives of at least 70 yards, including a 75-yard drive that allowed the Colts to tie the game. But this was the kind of effort the defense can build on going forward.
What to make of the QB performance: Tennessee was averaging 11.6 points per game entering Week 6, but it scored 26 second-half points against Indianapolis. Part of the reason why was a better second half from Cam Ward, who attempted only one pass farther than 5 air yards in the first half. He went 7-of-15 for 55 yards, including an 8-yard TD to rookie receiver Carnell Tate, after halftime. — Turron Davenport
Next game: vs. Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Colts
Can the Colts get QB Daniel Jones on track? Jones hasn’t come close to matching the run he had at the start of last season, which was the basis for the Colts’ decision to re-sign him to a new deal following his ruptured Achilles in December. Jones had two more interceptions Sunday, tying for the NFL lead with nine turnovers (six interceptions, three lost fumbles). The turnovers are undermining whatever offensive consistency the Colts can muster, which has been a challenge in itself. They are unlikely to make a change to backup Anthony Richardson Sr., but that means they’ll potentially have to weather more inconsistency from Jones. Can they survive it?
Key stat to know: The Colts, who were missing tight end Tyler Warren, resorted to a committee approach in the passing game, with eight different receivers catching passes from Jones. They even got reserve tight ends Will Mallory and Pharaoh Brown involved, with both making their first receptions of the season. Josh Downs continues to be targeted by the defense. He was limited to four catches for 40 yards. — Stephen Holder
Next game: at Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: Colts WR Keenan Allen has emerged as a reliable outlet for QB Daniel Jones because of limited vertical options in the Colts’ passing game. Allen had 16.2 points Sunday, catching eight of a team-high 11 targets for 82 yards. Allen, who has scored 14.7 PPG over his past three games, can be played as a deeper league WR3 in Week 7. — Bowen
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Browns
Is the Browns’ 4-2 start sustainable? Cleveland’s win puts the team back atop the AFC North with a 2-0 record in the division, but it’s been anything but pretty. The Browns overcame a 46-yard performance in the first half on the strength of a stout defense and clutch play from QB Deshaun Watson, who delivered his fourth game-winning drive of the season. The Browns haven’t accumulated many style points in their climb to the top of AFC North, but it could be enough in a less-than-stellar division.
Most surprising performance: Defensive tackle Maliek Collins recorded a sack Sunday, his third straight game with a QB takedown. The production from Collins has been key while defensive tackle Mason Graham (team-high 4.0 sacks) has been sidelined by injury for the past two games. Collins has 3.5 sacks on the season. — Daniel Oyefusi
Next game: at Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Ravens
How badly do the Ravens need Lamar Jackson to return from his ankle injury?The Ravens need Jackson back ASAP because this loss dropped them from first place in the AFC North to a crossroads in the season. Fill-in starter Tyler Huntley struggled to move the ball a week after that comeback win in Atlanta, completing 13 of 24 passes for 107 yards in the final three quarters against Cleveland. This marked the third time since the start of 2024 season that Baltimore was held to 10 or fewer points — and all three came without Jackson as the starting quarterback. The Ravens will now face a Bengals team coming off a bye next Sunday and then play at Buffalo, where the Bills are an NFL-best 17-3 at home since the start of the 2024 season.
Key stat to know: Running back Derrick Henry has now fumbled four times since the start of the 2025 season (23 games). That’s the second most in the NFL over that span behind Buffalo running back James Cook III (five fumbles). Henry’s fumble in the fourth quarter at the Ravens’ 35-yard line was converted into a game-tying touchdown for Cleveland. — Jamison Hensley
Next game: vs. Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: Ravens QB Tyler Huntley should be viewed as a superflex starter for Week 7 if Lamar Jackson (ankle) is still out. Huntley scored 13.4 points in Sunday’s loss, a week after posting 24.04 points versus the Falcons. In each start, he has thrown at least one touchdown, recorded 20 or more rushing yards, and hasn’t turned the ball over. — Bowen
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Texans
Can quarterback C.J. Stroud keep this hot start going? Even though Stroud did have an ill-timed interception that gave the Jaguars a chance late in the fourth quarter, he was stellar. The fourth-year quarterback is continuing to perform at an MVP level, but against the Jaguars, Houston needed him at his best — and he delivered. He led the game-winning drive to cap a 306-yard, three-touchdown outing in his first London performance.
Trend to watch: The Texans’ “elite” defense has been far from it. Coach DeMeco Ryans took over playcalling this week, but his unit allowed 31 points. It’s the third time this season that the Texans have allowed at least 30 points. — DJ Bien-Aime
Next game: vs. Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Jaguars
Is it time for the Jaguars to fully unleash Travis Hunter on offense? They may need to. Hunter had his best offensive game of the season. He caught four passes for 59 yards and a touchdown after having just two catches for 17 yards in the first five games. The Jaguars needed him to step up because receiver Brian Thomas Jr. struggled, dropping two passes — including one that would have given the Jaguars a chance to attempt a long field goal at the end of the first half. Thomas, who had an issue with drops last year, didn’t play an offensive snap in the second half after playing 15 in the first. Hunter, with a bigger offensive workload, could make up for Thomas’ struggles.
Trend to watch: The Jaguars are banged up at safety, with Antonio Johnson leaving the game with an ankle injury. They were already down Caleb Ransaw (IR) and went to Kaevon Merriweather, who was on the practice squad until he was signed to the active roster before last week’s game. With the bye next week, the Jaguars need to get healthy and possibly make another move depending on how long Johnson is out. — Michael DiRocco
Next game: vs. Colts (Nov. 1, 1 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: WR Jaylin Noel was the star of the Texans’ vertical game, catching a pair of deep throws and finishing with 20.7 fantasy points. Between his emergence and WR Marvin Harrison Jr.’s acquisition, Stroud’s receiving options are as strong and diverse as they’ve been since his rookie year in 2023. Stroud is a weekly superflex option. — Cockcroft
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