NFL Week 6 Exposed New Problems for Several Contenders

By Cameron Hale. Oct 20, 2026

Week 6 turned several early warning signs into real consequences. The Rams fell to 2-4 after losing at home to Arizona, Cleveland stunned Baltimore at the final whistle, and Philadelphia’s fourth straight defeat was followed by a more serious update on Jalen Hurts.

Houston moved in the opposite direction with a second straight win after starting 0-4. Indianapolis went from a blown halftime lead on Sunday to a front-office change on Monday.

The Rams Fell to 2-4, Then the Problems Got Worse

The Rams entered Sunday as 12.5-point favorites against Arizona. They left with an 18-16 loss, a 2-4 record and last place in the NFC West.

Los Angeles never led by more than three points, and its offense repeatedly stalled against a Cardinals defense that had entered the week last in the league in points allowed. The Rams were turned away twice on fourth down in the second half, lost a Tyler Higbee fumble, and still managed to drive 91 yards for a late go-ahead touchdown.

They could not hold it. With 47 seconds left, Arizona immediately gained 21 yards through the air, then another 15 on an unnecessary roughness penalty. Chad Ryland’s sixth field goal of the day, a 43-yarder, gave Arizona the win as time expired.

Sean McVay’s postgame assessment was blunt:

“We won’t win a game unless we figure out how not to beat ourselves.”

Monday made the situation more difficult. Davante Adams suffered a hamstring injury in the loss and is expected to miss six to 10 weeks, according to McVay. Adams had 480 receiving yards and four touchdowns through six games and had been averaging 16 yards per catch.

Defensive tackle Poona Ford and kicker Blake Grupe are also expected to miss the remainder of the season, while defensive tackle Kobie Turner is headed to injured reserve.

The calendar still gives Los Angeles time to recover, but the margin has changed quickly. A team widely viewed as a Super Bowl contender before the season is now 2-4, at the bottom of its division and preparing to play without one of its most productive receivers.

Cleveland’s Last-Second Win Changed the AFC North Race

Baltimore looked ready to control Sunday’s game after building a 10-0 lead in Cleveland. The Browns instead kept the Ravens scoreless over the remaining three quarters and waited until the final seconds to take their only lead.

A Derrick Henry fumble helped Cleveland stay alive late. On the Browns’ final possession, Deshaun Watson connected with Jerry Jeudy for 33 yards, putting kicker Andre Szmyt in position for another chance after he had missed earlier in the fourth quarter.

Szmyt made the 37-yard field goal as time expired. Cleveland won 13-10.

The standings consequence is immediate: Cleveland, Baltimore and Pittsburgh are all 4-2 in the AFC North. One late kick did not settle the division, but it erased the separation Baltimore had a chance to create and gave Cleveland a share of the lead.

For the Browns, the path to 4-2 has not been smooth. Their offense has been inconsistent, but the defense has repeatedly kept games close enough for a late possession to matter.

On Sunday, that formula held again.

Philadelphia’s Fourth Straight Loss Was Only Part of the Week

The Eagles entered Week 6 without Jalen Hurts and left it with their first four-game losing streak under Nick Sirianni.

Carolina won 25-14 in Philadelphia as Tanner McKee struggled to generate consistent offense behind a depleted lineup. McKee completed 26 of 45 passes for 215 yards and one touchdown, while the Eagles produced only 35 rushing yards.

Philadelphia fell to 2-4.

The football result became secondary to Monday’s update on Hurts. The Eagles and Hurts’ agent said further medical evaluation found a deep vein thrombosis as well as bilateral pulmonary emboli. Hurts is clinically stable and is expected to make a full recovery, according to the statement, but he cannot participate in contact activities while receiving anticoagulation treatment.

NFL Network and ESPN reported that Hurts is expected to miss the remainder of the 2026 season, with his recovery expected to take about three months.

That changes Philadelphia’s problem from a short-term quarterback absence into a much larger football adjustment. McKee is no longer simply covering one difficult Sunday while the Eagles try to stop a losing streak.

The team now has to find offense around him while Hurts focuses on treatment and recovery.

Houston Went From 0-4 to a Problem for Jacksonville

Houston’s season looked close to disappearing after four straight losses. Two Sundays later, the Texans have a very different argument to make.

C.J. Stroud threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns as Houston beat Jacksonville 34-31 at Wembley Stadium. The Jaguars entered Week 6 at 4-1 and had not allowed any opponent to score more than 20 points.

Houston reached 34.

Jacksonville kicker Cam Little tied the game at 31 with a 60-yard field goal late, only for Stroud and the Texans to create one more opportunity. Ka’imi Fairbairn made a 49-yard field goal as time expired.

Stroud completed 24 of 34 passes, and even his fourth-quarter interception carried an unusual distinction: it was his first interception of the season.

Houston is still only 2-4, so the opening month cannot simply be erased. But the Texans have now won two straight, beaten the AFC South-leading Jaguars head-to-head and produced their best offensive result against a defense that had spent the first five weeks keeping every opponent below 21.

The 0-4 team Jacksonville saw in the standings was not the team that left London.

Indianapolis Lost to a Winless Team, Then Fired Its GM

The Colts provided Week 6’s clearest example of a Sunday result producing a Monday consequence.

Indianapolis led Tennessee 13-0 at halftime. The Titans had entered the game 0-5.

Tennessee scored 26 points after the break and won 26-20. Daniel Jones threw two interceptions, the Colts lost a fumble, and Tennessee returned a blocked punt for a touchdown as Indianapolis let the lead disappear.

One day later, the Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard during his 10th season running the team’s football operation.

Ballard’s tenure ended with a 72-82-1 regular-season record and two playoff appearances. Indianapolis has not reached the postseason since the 2020 season.

Assistant general manager Ed Dodds will oversee the personnel department for now, while coach Shane Steichen and his staff will report to ownership, according to NFL.com.

The Colts did not frame the move as surrendering the rest of 2026. Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon said the team’s championship standard remained in place and that waiting until after the season would only postpone the search for new leadership.

Her explanation supplied the clearest measure of how seriously Indianapolis viewed the moment: