Week 6 of the 2026 NFL season opens Thursday night with the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks visiting the Denver Broncos, while Sunday’s slate features an overseas game at Wembley Stadium and several teams dealing with major quarterback and injury questions. The San Francisco 49ers host the Washington Commanders on Monday night to close the week.
Thursday night: Seahawks favored by defensive edge
Seattle heads to Denver with the league’s top-ranked defense through five weeks, leading the NFL in total yards allowed, yards per play allowed and takeaways. The Seahawks are also second in pressure rate and third in third-down defense.
That profile held up despite last week’s 32-29 loss to San Francisco. Seattle limited the 49ers to a season-low 269 yards and forced three turnovers.
- Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the NFL with 116.6 receiving yards per game and seven touchdown catches after his Offensive Player of the Year campaign.
- Both Seattle and Denver have seen their quarterbacks regress early in the season.
- Denver’s defense has not matched its 2025 pass-rushing dominance following offseason losses up front and injuries in the secondary.
- Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald owns a 16-3 road record as a head coach.
Denver’s defense still showed its ability to carry a game in last week’s win over the Chargers, but Seattle enters the prime-time matchup with the stronger unit and the more explosive offensive weapon.
London game and Sunday’s quarterback watch
The Houston Texans face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium, where Jacksonville will play its second consecutive international game for the third time in four years. The Jaguars won the second overseas game in each of their previous two such stretches and are coming off an emotional victory over Philadelphia.
Houston, however, has momentum after beating Tennessee to end an 0-4 start and then acquiring former No. 4 overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr. in a trade. The Texans’ rushing attack remains a concern, particularly with their starting running back injured, but their defensive front presents a difficult assignment for Jacksonville’s injured offensive line. A low-scoring game is expected.
In Chicago, Caleb Williams is trending toward a return after missing three games with a hamstring strain. The Bears need a response after Green Bay routed them in Week 5. Atlanta leads the league with 97 pressures, so Chicago may need Williams to operate with quick, rhythm throws rather than rely heavily on his mobility.
- Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is expected to start after leaving the end of Atlanta’s overtime loss to Baltimore with a rib injury.
- Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen limited Bijan Robinson to 49.0 rushing yards per game in three earlier meetings while coaching the Saints.
- Chicago has confidence in coach Ben Johnson regardless of whether Williams or Case Keenum starts.
Baltimore also has uncertainty at quarterback, with Lamar Jackson’s status still unresolved. Tyler Huntley showed last week that he can run Declan Doyle’s offense, and the Ravens expect Derrick Henry to have opportunities against a Cleveland defense that could again be without linebacker Carson Schwesinger because of an ankle injury.
The Ravens received additional encouragement when defensive end Trey Hendrickson and wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane returned to practice. Baltimore’s sixth-ranked scoring offense should have an advantage against a Browns attack that has struggled to establish Quinshon Judkins, who is averaging three yards per carry while managing an ankle issue. Dylan Sampson could return after spending the past month on injured reserve, and rookie receiver Denzel Boston remains a downfield threat for Cleveland.
Division races and injury-hit contenders
Tennessee, still seeking its first win under Robert Saleh, gets a divisional opportunity against Indianapolis. The Titans rank last in both points and total yards, but their front can still create problems. Jeffery Simmons remains a disruptive force, while John Franklin-Myers has continued to defend the run effectively despite not yet delivering the expected pass-rush production after signing his $63 million deal.
Indianapolis has two wins, but both came against weakened opponents: Houston was without Nico Collins, and Washington did not have Jayden Daniels. Daniel Jones has not looked like himself in his return from a December Achilles tear, and the Colts are missing injured reserve receiver Alec Pierce, who carries a $114 million contract. Their defense has also ranked among the league’s weakest groups.
New England brings a revived offense into its division matchup with the New York Jets. Drake Maye has completed 71.4 percent of his passes over the past six quarters, throwing six touchdowns without an interception. The Patriots have averaged an NFL-best 37 points per game since Week 4 after managing only 12 per game across Weeks 1-3.
- Top receiver A.J. Brown, absent since Week 1, is eligible to return from injured reserve.
- Maye leaned on Kyle Williams, Demario Douglas and Efton Chism III against Las Vegas.
- Jets quarterback Geno Smith has six touchdown passes, no interceptions and a 69.4 completion percentage, third among qualified passers.
- New England could receive cornerback Christian Gonzalez back from injury.
The Giants, unbeaten in Jameis Winston’s three starts since Jaxson Dart was injured, take a 2-0-1 stretch into a matchup with New Orleans. Winston has helped New York survive games against Tennessee, Arizona and Washington, all teams currently positioned among the top seven selections in the 2026 draft order. The Saints own the NFL’s worst combination of point differential, worse than minus-30, and turnover margin, worse than minus-five. New Orleans will need an injured Tyler Shough to handle New York’s pressure while avoiding the type of giveaways that could decide the game.
Philadelphia’s problems are more severe entering its home game against Carolina. Jalen Hurts is out with a superficial blood clot, and the Eagles return from London after surrendering the lead in the final 10 seconds against Jacksonville. Carolina comes in rested after its bye week.
- Right tackle Lane Johnson retired abruptly last week.
- Philadelphia traded offensive lineman Cam Jurgens.
- Saquon Barkley is recovering from a hamstring injury.
- Tank Bigsby is on injured reserve.
- Will Shipley could miss multiple weeks after a partial plantar fascia tear.
The injury pileup may prevent the Eagles from exploiting Carolina’s 31st-ranked run defense. Philadelphia was already producing only 170.6 passing yards per game with Hurts in the lineup.
Late window features offense, defense and a Monday rematch of styles
Pittsburgh hosts Tampa Bay in a game that could hinge on ball security. Buccaneers quarterback Jalon Daniels is expected to make his third start for the injured Baker Mayfield after helping Tampa Bay upset Dallas. But the undrafted rookie has gone 4-for-10 for 121 yards, no touchdowns and one interception on throws traveling at least 10 air yards in his two starts.
The Steelers have a clear Aaron Rodgers formula: they are 11-1 in his starts when he does not turn the ball over and 2-8, including the playoffs, when he commits at least one giveaway. Tampa Bay’s defense shut down the league’s No. 2 scoring offense last Thursday and has had extra preparation time, setting up a likely low-scoring contest.
The Los Angeles Rams carry the NFL’s most productive offense, averaging 424.4 yards per game, into a meeting with Arizona’s last-ranked scoring defense. Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay’s offense has not yet reached its perceived ceiling, while the Rams’ defense ranks third in yards allowed and fifth on third down.
Arizona tight end Trey McBride could create chunk plays, but the Cardinals may struggle to sustain possessions against Los Angeles. The Rams also made a kicking change after Monday night’s special-teams problems, replacing Harrison Mevis with Blake Grupe.
Kansas City returns from its bye undefeated and hosts an injured, winless Chargers roster. Winless teams are 2-11 against opponents that are at least 4-0 since the 1970 merger, and no winless club has beaten a 4-0-or-better team since 2002. Los Angeles gave Denver a challenge last week but has been undermined by injuries and uneven offense.
Buffalo faces a Las Vegas team attempting to recover from a 45-17 loss to New England. The Raiders opened 3-0, lost narrowly to Kansas City and then allowed 34 points per game over their past three outings. Their rushing attack ranks 28th and has produced 72 or fewer yards in three of five games.
Josh Allen has not been at his best as a passer in recent weeks, but he leads the league with eight rushing touchdowns and has gained 239 yards on the ground. His 5.6 yards per carry is tied for fourth in the NFL with teammate James Cook. That tandem faces a Raiders run defense that has not held an opponent below 120 rushing yards since Week 1.
Sunday night brings Green Bay to Dallas, where the Cowboys are the only NFL defense to allow at least 375 yards in every game this season. Dallas has also permitted 20 or more points in 12 straight games dating to last season, the league’s longest active streak.
- Jordan Love threw for 367 yards and two touchdowns against Chicago last week.
- Christian Watson and Matthew Golden are the only teammate pair with at least 375 receiving yards each.
- Dak Prescott and the Cowboys have a rest advantage, with nine days between games compared with six for Green Bay.
- Dallas defensive coordinator Christian Parker and newly hired assistant Mike Pettine must find answers against Green Bay’s deep passing game.
Monday night finishes with Washington visiting San Francisco. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels returned from a dislocated left elbow last week and completed 17 of 25 passes for 199 yards. He added 103 rushing yards and two touchdowns on only nine carries before Washington’s late-game collapse turned a likely win into a tie.
Daniels looked much closer to the player who won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2024 and led Washington to the NFC Championship Game. But San Francisco will have linebacker Dre Greenlaw suspended, leaving a greater spotlight on Fred Warner. More than a year removed from the ankle fracture and dislocation that ended his 2025 season, Warner has again played at an elite level and could strengthen his Defensive Player of the Year case with a standout performance against Daniels.
