Week 6 of the 2025 NFL season offered a mix of predictable dominance, jaw-dropping individual performances, and storylines that could shape the rest of the year. From historic achievements to emerging stars, here’s everything we learned.
1. The New York Jets are still searching for a win. Since former quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ final game with the team on January 5, the Jets have failed to secure a victory. Rookie head coach Aaron Glenn, now 0-6, has made history — becoming the first Jets coach to start his tenure with six straight losses.
2. Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle is on a historic tear. The undrafted back followed his 234-yard effort in Week 5 with an astonishing 239 yards from scrimmage (plus a touchdown) against his former team, the Dallas Cowboys. Dowdle has become the first player in five years to record back-to-back 200-yard games and set a record for most yards against a former team.
3. Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels will meet again. The top two picks from the 2024 NFL Draft, Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams and Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, face off Monday night for only the second time. Last season, Daniels’ Hail Mary against Chicago sparked Washington’s NFC title run, leaving the Bears in a ten-game slump.
4. Drake Maye is quietly becoming elite. The third overall pick of the 2024 draft, now with the New England Patriots, threw three touchdowns and posted a 140.1 passer rating against the Saints. Maye joins the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks to post five consecutive games with 200+ passing yards and a passer rating above 100 before turning 24.
5. Colts’ hot start draws comparisons to Manning’s prime. Indianapolis has already matched its six-win total from Peyton Manning’s 2009 campaign, a year that ended in Super Bowl XLIV. If the season ended now, the Colts and Buccaneers would claim the league’s top seeds.
6. Rookie Tyler Warren shines. The Colts’ versatile rookie caught six passes for 63 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals, showing the same position-less flexibility that made him a standout at Penn State.
7. Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa struggles continue. Once touted as a franchise savior, Tua threw three interceptions in a narrow loss to the Chargers and publicly criticized his teammates afterward. Meanwhile, Justin Herbert, drafted just after Tua in 2019, led LA to a comeback win with 264 passing yards and two touchdowns.
8. Seahawks’ road dominance continues. Seattle defeated Jacksonville 20-12, extending its record streak of consecutive road victories to nine. Coach Mike Macdonald is 10-1 in away games, a stark contrast to Seattle’s home struggles at Lumen Field.
9. Denver’s defensive mastery. The Broncos’ pass rush overwhelmed Jets QB Justin Fields, sacking him nine times and limiting New York to just 45 net passing yards — the fewest passing yards allowed in a game this century.
10. Browns’ offensive struggles persist. Cleveland has failed to score more than 17 points in 11 straight games. Rookie QB Dillon Gabriel threw 52 passes for only 221 yards, averaging 4.3 yards per attempt, yet coach Kevin Stefanski did not insert backup Shedeur Sanders.
11. Joe Flacco returns to the field. Now with the Bengals, Flacco passed for 219 yards and two touchdowns in his debut, but Cincinnati still fell to Green Bay due to offensive and defensive shortcomings.
12. 49ers suffer major injury setback. All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner’s dislocated and fractured ankle ends his season, putting more pressure on Christian McCaffrey, who continues to impress. CMC has gained at least 100 yards from scrimmage in each of San Francisco’s first six games, a feat last achieved by Saquon Barkley in 2018.
13. Chargers’ Cameron Dicker is unstoppable. The kicker went 5-for-5 on field goals and 2-for-2 on PATs, improving his NFL-record field goal percentage to 94.6% and remaining perfect on all 14 attempts in 2025.
14. Ravens need Lamar Jackson back. Baltimore held the Rams and WR Puka Nacua in check but still lost. Injuries have forced the team to rely on makeshift solutions, leaving hope that Jackson’s return post-bye will stabilize the offense.
15. Steelers dominate the AFC North. Pittsburgh now has as many wins as the rest of its division combined. Veteran DB Jalen Ramsey has become a defensive Swiss Army knife, recording his first multi-sack game while helping the Steelers maintain supremacy over the Browns in Pittsburgh, a streak dating back to 2003.
16. Maxx Crosby joins elite company. With two sacks against the Titans, Crosby now has 10 tackles for loss this season, becoming one of only three players in the 21st century to post at least 10 TFLs in each of their first seven seasons, alongside Jared Allen and Aaron Donald.
17. Patrick Mahomes reaches new milestones. In his 138th career game, Mahomes threw his 300th touchdown pass, nine games faster than Aaron Rodgers, solidifying his place among the NFL’s all-time elite quarterbacks.
18. Jacksonville’s mistakes add up. The Jaguars, normally opportunistic with takeaways, failed to record a single takeaway while committing 10 penalties and surrendering seven sacks against the Seahawks. Rookie Travis Hunter shined on both sides of the ball, joining Deion Sanders in rare company by recording multiple tackles and catches in the same game.
19. NFL shines off the field. Amid the competition, the Jaguars provided a heartwarming moment when DE Josh Hines-Allen’s son, a cancer survivor, participated in the pre-game coin toss as part of the league’s “Crucial Catch” campaign.
20. Week 6 MVP: Baker Mayfield. The Buccaneers’ quarterback continues to produce touchdowns despite losing key receivers to injury, keeping Tampa Bay atop the NFC. His resilience has become the defining story of the team’s season.
Week 6 of the 2025 NFL season reminded fans why football captivates: record-breaking performances, rookie standouts, and unforgettable personal stories combined to make another thrilling chapter in the league’s history.
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