NFL Week 6 Preview: Storylines, Stats and Matchups

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NEW YORK — Week 6 of the NFL season is here, and the league has no shortage of storylines. Twenty-four games this season have featured a game-winning score in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or in overtime, tied for the third-most such games through Week 5 in NFL history, according to the league.

Three teams remain undefeated: Kansas City (4-0), Minnesota (5-0, on a bye in Week 6) and San Francisco (5-0). Eight teams that missed the playoffs in 2025 have a winning record through five weeks.

Here’s a look at what to watch in each game, in kickoff order.

Thursday

Seattle (3-2) at Denver (3-2)

Thursday, Oct. 15, 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video

This one pits the NFL’s best road team against one of its best home teams. Since the start of the 2024 season, Seattle has the highest road winning percentage in the league (.842, 16-3), while Denver has the second-highest home winning percentage (.842, 16-3) over that span.

Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the NFL with 583 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches. Last week, he became the fourth player in NFL history with at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown in four of his team’s first five games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch (1951 with the Los Angeles Rams), Randy Moss (2007 with New England) and Jerry Rice (1989 with San Francisco).

Denver quarterback Bo Nix led the Broncos to 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter last week in a 23-17 win at the Los Angeles Chargers. He has 13 career game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime, tied with Justin Herbert and Matt Ryan for the second-most by a player in his first three seasons since 1970. Only Dak Prescott, with 14, has more.

Sunday

Houston (1-4) vs. Jacksonville (4-1)

Sunday, Oct. 18, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network (London)

For the third straight week, the NFL is playing a regular-season game in London, this time at Wembley Stadium. Jacksonville beat Philadelphia 19-17 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last week. Houston earned its first win of the season with a 26-3 victory at Tennessee.

The Jaguars lead the NFL in rushing defense at 63.8 yards per game and became the second team in the Super Bowl era not to allow an opposing player to rush for 40 or more yards in its first five games, joining the 1969 Dallas Cowboys. With another game like that, Jacksonville can tie the 1998-2000 Baltimore Ravens (23 straight games) for the third-longest streak in the Super Bowl era without allowing an opposing player to rush for 75 or more yards.

Houston defensive end Will Anderson leads the NFL with 7.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss. He’s one of three players since 2000 with at least 7.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss in his team’s first five games, joining Clay Matthews (2010, Green Bay) and J.J. Watt (2012, Houston).

New York Jets (2-3) at New England (3-2)

Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

The Jets had eight sacks last week, the most by any team in a game this season, in a 17-12 win over Cleveland. Rookie edge rusher David Bailey had three of them. He’s one of three players in the last 24 seasons to record three sacks in a game within his first five career games, joining Aidan Hutchinson (2022, Detroit) and Elvis Dumervil (2006, Denver).

New England quarterback Drake Maye had a Week 5 to remember. At 24 years and 42 days old, he became the youngest player ever, and the fourth all-time, with at least 350 passing yards (374), four touchdown passes, a passer rating of 150 or higher (150.9) and a rushing touchdown in a single game. He joined Pro Football Hall of Famer Drew Brees (Dec. 29, 2013), Ryan Fitzpatrick (Sept. 9, 2018) and Aaron Rodgers (Oct. 20, 2019).

Baltimore (4-1) at Cleveland (3-2)

Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

The Ravens and Browns are two of the eight teams with at least three wins this season that missed the playoffs last year. Cleveland can win its first three home games for the third time since 1999 (2004 and 2020). Baltimore can win its first four road games for the second time in franchise history (2020).

Ravens running back Derrick Henry can become the third running back age 32 or older with a touchdown in each of his team’s first six games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Walter Payton (1986, Chicago) and John Riggins (1983 and 1984, Washington).

Cleveland rookie Denzel Boston leads all rookies with 330 receiving yards and leads the NFL at 20.6 yards per reception (minimum 10 catches). He’s one of five players in the Super Bowl era with a catch of 25 or more yards in each of his first five career games, joining Ja’Marr Chase (2021), Stefon Diggs (2015), CeeDee Lamb (2020) and Earl McCullouch (1968).

Los Angeles Chargers (0-5) at Kansas City (4-0)

Sunday, Oct. 18, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS

The Chiefs are coming off a Week 5 bye and can start 5-0 for the fifth time since Andy Reid was hired in 2013. Reid also led Philadelphia to a 5-0 start in 2004, so he can become the third head coach ever to lead a team to a 5-0 start in six seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers George Halas (10 seasons) and Paul Brown (six).

Kansas City running back Kenneth Walker has 621 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns this season. He’s one of two players in NFL history with at least 175 scrimmage yards in three of his first four games with a franchise, joining Billy Sims (1980, Detroit). With another multi-touchdown game, he can become the first running back in 60 seasons, since Emerson Boozer with the 1967 Jets, to score multiple touchdowns in four of his team’s first five games.

Buffalo (4-1) at Las Vegas (3-2)

Sunday, Oct. 18, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS

Bills quarterback Josh Allen became the fourth quarterback in NFL history with at least 100 wins, including the postseason, in his first nine seasons, joining Patrick Mahomes (112), Russell Wilson (107) and Tom Brady (101). In last week’s win, he totaled 331 yards (210 passing, 121 rushing) and two touchdowns, and became the first quarterback ever with a rushing touchdown in each of his team’s first five games.

Raiders tight end Brock Bowers is one of two tight ends in NFL history with at least 80 receiving yards and a touchdown in each of his first three games of a season, joining Rob Gronkowski (2011, New England). This week, he can become the fifth tight end ever with five receptions, including a touchdown, in five straight games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Tony Gonzalez (six, 2008-09) and Antonio Gates (five, 2010), plus Travis Kelce (six, 2020-21) and Trey McBride (five, 2025).

Dallas (2-3) at Green Bay (3-2)

Sunday, Oct. 18, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC

Packers wide receivers Christian Watson (six catches, 143 yards and two touchdowns) and Matthew Golden (six catches, 123 yards) became the fourth pair of teammates since 2000 to each average 20 or more yards per catch on six or more receptions in the same game. They joined San Francisco’s Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel (Dec. 10, 2023), Arizona’s Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald (Sept. 14, 2008), and Indianapolis’ Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison (Nov. 10, 2002).

For the season, Watson has 26 catches for 474 yards (18.2 per catch) and Golden has 24 catches for 397 yards (16.5). They’re one of four pairs of wide receiver teammates since 2000 to average at least 16 yards per catch on 20 or more catches in their team’s first five games, joining Dallas’ Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup (2019), Green Bay’s James Jones and Jordy Nelson (2013) and the St. Louis Rams’ Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce (2000).

Monday Night

Washington (1-3-1) at San Francisco (5-0)

Monday, Oct. 19, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC

The 49ers can win their first six games of a season for the fourth time in franchise history, joining the 1984, 1990 and 2019 teams. They’ll do it without linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who was suspended one game for headbutting Seattle’s Ernest Jones IV last Sunday.

Quarterback Brock Purdy leads the NFL with 13 touchdown passes and ranks second among qualified passers with a 119.3 rating. In Week 6, he can become the first quarterback since 2018 (Philip Rivers) to throw multiple touchdown passes with a passer rating of 90 or higher in each of his team’s first six games. Linebacker Fred Warner forced the 20th fumble of his career last week, and he’s one of three players under 30 with at least 20 forced fumbles and 10 interceptions since 2000, joining Lavonte David and Charles Tillman.

Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels ran for touchdowns of 38 and 26 yards in Week 5. He became the second quarterback since 1950 with multiple rushing touchdowns of 25 or more yards in the same game, joining Mike Vick (Dec. 1, 2002).

Please check before publishing:

Dates: The release gives days of the week but not dates. I filled in Thursday, Oct. 15, Sunday, Oct. 18 and Monday, Oct. 19 based on the Oct. 13 release date, and those match the Rams and 49ers dates in your earlier items. Confirm them.
Greenlaw line: The note that the 49ers will be without Greenlaw isn’t in the league’s release. It comes from your earlier suspension item, so cut it if you don’t want it, or update it if his appeal changes anything.
Minnesota’s bye: I mentioned it up top and didn’t give it its own section, since it isn’t playing.
Capsules link: The release says “click here” for the Week 6 capsules. I left it out since there’s no link in your text. Add it if you want to point readers to it.
Stat attribution: The numbers are all from the league’s release. The intro line cites “the league” for the late-game stat, and you can add that credit to the other sections if you want it consistent.