A Harbaugh in trouble, problems in the City of Angels and a London showdown: What to watch in Week 6 of the NFL

Five weeks into the NFL season, three teams remain unbeaten, a Super Bowl favorite is suddenly struggling and one high-profile head coach is already feeling the heat. With division rivalries, a Sunday night shootout and a crucial London showdown on tap, Week 6 could tell us a lot about which teams are legitimate contenders and which are headed for disappointment. Here’s what to know ahead of this week’s NFL action. The Undefeateds We’re down to just three undefeated teams, and none has been more impressive than the San Francisco 49ers. Kyle Shanahan has his team off to a 5-0 start for the third time in seven years, and the wins couldn’t be much more impressive. The 49ers have already beaten three of last season’s conference finalists: the Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams. They’re the first team since the 1981 Broncos to notch three wins over the previous season’s conference finalists in their first five games. If the MVP award were handed out today, it would be going to Brock Purdy. The former Mr. Irrelevant was fabulous once again in San Francisco’s 32-29 win over division rival Seattle. Purdy leads the NFL with 13 touchdown passes and has thrown just two interceptions. And 6-0 appears to be on the horizon. The reeling Washington Commanders (after last week’s brutal tie to the New York Giants) come to town for Monday Night Football, where Shanahan has been nearly unbeatable at 7-1. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings sail into their bye week with a perfect 5-0 record. Their flawless start has been one of the season’s biggest surprises. The Kansas City Chiefs return from their bye week well-rested and sitting at 4-0. Waiting for them are the lowly, winless Chargers, who are having an absolute nightmare of a season (we’ll get to them later on…). And if things weren’t already bad enough for Los Angeles, facing Andy Reid coming off a bye is about the last thing any team wants. Reid is an incredible 22-5 in games following a bye week. Harbaugh on the hot seat Week 6 is right around the time when NFL coaches start feeling their seats getting a little warmer. But right now, nobody’s seat is hotter than the one under Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. Many expected LA to be a playoff team this season, but through five games, it’s looked like anything but. Once again, injuries have taken a toll on the offensive line, but that’s far from the only problem. Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel’s system doesn’t seem to be clicking, and a defense that was expected to be a strength hasn’t gotten going at all. Remember, Harbaugh was the blockbuster hire of January 2024, fresh off winning a national championship at Michigan. The Chargers handed him a reported five-year, $80 million contract with one goal in mind: Get this franchise to the Super Bowl. Well, that’s certainly not happening this year. At this point, the bigger question might be whether Harbaugh even makes it through the season. And with a trip to Kansas City up next, things could get even uglier before they get better. Another reason to panic in the City of Angels? Things aren’t exactly sunny over at the neighbor’s place, either. Rams head coach Sean McVay said he felt sick after Monday night’s stunning overtime loss to the Bills dropped his team to 2-3. It’s easy to understand why. The Rams became the first team in NFL history to lose a game despite piling up more than 400 total yards, recording at least 30 first downs, scoring five touchdowns, converting at least 50% of their third downs and committing zero turnovers. That’s almost impossible to do. Yet somehow, the Rams found a way. A blocked potential game-winning field goal proved costly, and the Rams have already moved on from kicker Harrison Mevis following his early-season struggles. So, is it time to panic in Los Angeles? Probably not. The Rams’ next four games are against the Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, Chargers and Commanders. They’ll likely be heavy favorites in all four, giving them a golden opportunity to turn things around in a hurry. And here’s the craziest part: Despite sitting at 2-3, the Rams are still the betting favorites to win the Super Bowl. Clearly, the oddsmakers aren’t ready to hit the panic button just yet. Sunday night shootout? The Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers renew their rivalry on Sunday Night Football, and if recent history tells us anything, we should probably expect plenty of points. The last two meetings between these teams have produced absolute fireworks. Last September, they played to a wild 40-40 tie. In the 2024 playoffs, Green Bay went into Dallas and embarrassed the Cowboys in a 48-32 rout. That’s 160 combined points in two games! Dallas has tried just about everything to fix its struggling defense. The latest move was trading for cornerback Joey Porter Jr., although he missed last week’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The good news for the Cowboys is they’ll have 10 days of rest heading into this matchup at Lambeau Field. The bad news? They’re running into a red-hot Jordan Love and a Packers offense that just put up 31 points against the Chicago Bears. If Dallas can’t find a way to slow down Love, this could turn into another long night for the Cowboys’ defense. One thing seems pretty safe to predict: The scoreboard operator at Lambeau could be busy. Texans’ season on the line in London For the third time since 2023, the Jacksonville Jaguars have made London their home away from home for two straight weeks. After beating the Eagles 19-17 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Jags now head to famed Wembley Stadium looking for a London sweep against the Houston Texans. Jacksonville swept both of its London games in 2023 and split its two games across the pond in 2024. While another win would be nice for the 4-1 Jaguars, this game is an absolute must-win for the 1-4 Texans. Houston managed to keep its season alive last week with a victory over the lowly Tennessee Titans, but there’s still almost no margin for error if a postseason berth is on the cards. Remember, only one team in NFL history has started 0-4 and made the playoffs: the 1992 San Diego Chargers. The Texans avoided that fate by picking up their first win, but at 1-4, they’re still facing a massive uphill battle. And losing to an AFC South rival would only make things worse. The good news is that the schedule offers some hope. After Jacksonville, Houston’s next four games are against the Giants, Chargers, Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts. That’s a stretch where the Texans could realistically put together a winning streak and climb right back into the playoff picture. But first, they have to take care of business in London. A win keeps hope alive. A loss could have Houston looking toward next season before Halloween. Full Week 6 schedule Thursday Seattle Seahawks @ Denver Broncos, 8:15 p.m. ET Sunday Houston Texans @ Jacksonville Jaguars (in London, UK), 9:30 a.m. ET New York Jets @ New England Patriots, 1 p.m. ET Carolina Panthers @ Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m. ET Pittsburgh Steelers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m. ET Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m. ET Chicago Bears @ Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m. ET New Orleans Saints @ New York Giants, 1 p.m. ET Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles Rams, 4:05 p.m. ET Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. ET Buffalo Bills @ Las Vegas Raiders, 4:25 p.m. ET Dallas Cowboys @ Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m. ET Monday Washington Commanders @ San Francisco 49ers, 8:15 p.m. ET