NFL Week 6 winners and losers led by 3 hot-seat coaches at breaking point
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAYMon, October 19, 2026 at 10:07 AM UTC
For hot-seat coaches Shane Steichen and Nick SIrianni, "everything is on the table" after humbling Week 6 losses. That's a problem for both of them.
"Everything is on the table."
That platitude has emerged as the last gasp of a desperate coaching staff. On Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles' Nick Sirianni uttered the phrase verbatim, while two more coaches – the Indianapolis Colts' Shane Steichen and Los Angeles Chargers' Jim Harbaugh – said as much in their own words.
Between that and two more teams – the New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans – having entered the week after apologizing to their respective fan bases after lackluster starts to the season, it seems clear that Week 6 marked a time of desperation in the NFL.
And despite both the Saints and Titans winning on Sunday, it's safe to say that contrition shouldn't be in short supply throughout the league anytime soon.
Here are the biggest winners and losers from Sunday's NFL action:
NFL Week 6 winnersCaleb Williams
It's been a strange start to the season for the Chicago Bears, who have already packed more dramatic highs and lows into six weeks than many teams fit into a season. In getting back its scintillating quarterback, however, Ben Johnson's group gave reason to believe that they can rediscover a sense of normalcy and still be highly prolific. Williams completed 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown, comfortably dissecting the Atlanta Falcons defense from the pocket to key a 31-23 win.
The third-year signal-caller let his targets do a good deal of the work as he peppered targets underneath and behind the line of scrimmage. But he managed to leverage wide receiver Luther Burden III and tight end Colston Loveland, helping each to season highs in receiving yards. And his efficiency helped limit the defense's exposure to standout running back Bijan Robinson, who had just nine carries for 61 yards, while compensating for Chicago's own ground game, which averaged just 3 yards per carry as Kyle Monangai remained out. Williams wasn't alone in impressing in a return performance, either, as slot cornerback Kyler Gordon notched three sacks in his season debut.
J.J. McCarthy
Maybe it only seemed like a matter of time before the New York Giants turned to McCarthy, the quarterback reclamation project whom the team acquired in the aftermath of Jaxson Dart's season-ending knee injury. But while Jameis Winston opened the door for the backup in an eventual 34-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints, McCarthy did plenty to distinguish himself as merely an alternative to the volatile passer.
Finally granted more than a handful of designed runs, McCarthy took over in the fourth quarter and gave Big Blue – and everyone else – a reminder of the skill set that once made him such a compelling potential starter. In throwing for 243 yards, he struck a sharp contrast with Winston by repeatedly extending plays and mostly keeping his composure. There were plenty of mistakes, to be sure, including a breakdown on the final play, in which he appeared to miss a prime opportunity to find Malik Nabers in the end zone for a would-be game-tying score. But McCarthy managed to dial into a sustainable aggression that has largely eluded Winston this season.
With John Harbaugh's defense of the veteran amounting to "I have no problem with Jameis whatsoever," it would seem McCarthy's re-emergence to a QB1 role might be imminent. But is throwing him into the fray against the Houston Texans defense next week a proper solution for all parties? Harbaugh acknowledged that playing with the house money that is a fourth-quarter blowout is far different than managing an entire game as a starter, and Houston's defense – despite its struggles this season – could chew up the young passer. But no matter whether he starts before the Week 8 bye or after, McCarthy has re-established his relevance after it appeared a mere month ago as though he might spend this season in football purgatory.
Cleveland Browns defense
Feel free to keep trying to figure out a largely listless Browns offense that has a penchant for coming alive at the last possible moment to deliver a win, as it did again in a 13-10 triumph over the Baltimore Ravens. As Cleveland continues to scrape by in crunch time, it's clear that the true catalyst for this group is its defense.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger has been uneven at times in the follow-up to his NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign, but he delivered a key takeaway for the second straight week with a fourth-quarter forced fumble. Seven plays after cornerback Tyson Campbell recovered the ball, the Browns scored their lone touchdown of the day to tie the game. Schwesinger also led the charge in containing the Ravens' ground game, leaving quarterback Tyler Huntley out of sorts whenever the offense got off schedule or had to gain significant yardage on late downs.
The fourth-quarter magic might be the fun subplot to the surprising AFC North leaders, but the defense is what actually looks sustainable here.
Germie Bernard
When Bernard backtracked after catching a fourth-down pass in the first quarter to put himself behind the sticks as he was tackled, it seemed as though the Pittsburgh Steelers rookie had committed the kind of error that might compel Aaron Rodgers to freeze him out. From there on, however, the receiver was a heady and vital presence in a 26-19 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With his focus tuned almost exclusively to the short game, Rodgers repeatedly turned to the second-round pick to keep a rickety attack on track. Bernard's 11th reception on the day – a single-game rookie record for the franchise – put Pittsburgh over the top with a touchdown in extra time. Despite the outcome, the rampant offensive limitations and inability to develop anything downfield should leave the Steelers with a distinctly sour aftertaste. But with Bernard largely playing beyond his years – outside of that one significant blunder – Rodgers and coach Mike McCarthy might at least have one key source of comfort.
San Francisco 49ers
Before even suiting up Monday to protect their unblemished start, Kyle Shanahan's crew saw its NFC West lead grow courtesy of ugly losses by the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday and the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Before the year, the trio of Super Bowl contenders seemed destined to jockey with one another all the way through Week 18 for the division crown. With San Francisco potentially creating some serious separation, might this race be settled much earlier than anyone anticipated? Additional rest time at the end of the regular season would surely benefit this perpetually shorthanded roster.
NFL Week 6 losersShane Steichen
In explaining why she retained both Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard, owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon said in January that "urgency for them to deliver and perform has never been higher." Now, however, the imperative for the Colts might have shifted from coming through on the field to making changes off it in order to instill some accountability.
Indianapolis faithful were restless throughout the 26-20 loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans, with the home crowd repeatedly jeering the team. That sense of angst amid a 2-4 opening has clearly permeated the club. "I don't blame them for booing one freaking bit," Steichen said. Added standout defensive tackle DeForest Buckner: "I'm sick and tired of the same song and dance every year."
Daniel Jones' regression to his pre-2025 form has been debilitating for this regime, which bet big on the quarterback this offseason but was left to give him a vote of confidence after another ugly outing Sunday. Between the offense's three turnovers and the special teams gaffe that led to a blocked punt being returned for a field goal, losing a game like this on the margins is a severe indictment of both leadership and this roster.
Steichen offered up the obligatory "looking at everything" explanation in his postgame remarks, but this shapes up as a franchise more in need of a reckoning than reform. Some fans left at the end of the game chanted "fire Ballard," and the team obliged Monday morning. Even if Steichen gets a more extended run, he could be on borrowed time barring a massive turnaround.
Jim Harbaugh
With a 22-6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs dropping the team to 0-6, the Los Angeles Chargers are at a level of pain not felt by the organization since, well, 2000 – when Harbaugh was leading his group as a quarterback rather than a head coach.
The gravity of his team's dour outlook seems to have finally hit Harbaugh, whose typically upbeat demeanor has given way to a more somber tone. "I feel bad for our players, our team, our coaches, our fans," Harbaugh said after the game. "And (the offense) needs to be addressed." No one will challenge him on that, but that still seems like a significant shift from just two weeks ago, when he declared Mike McDaniel's job safe and lauded his offensive coordinator's credentials.
Even if the Chargers make a change, however, it's difficult to see how things might get better in the near term. Dysfunction and discord have seeped into every crevice of this attack, with even the brief bursts of brilliance – such as Justin Herbert's dazzling 57-yard connection with Quentin Johnston – being blotted out by the offense's wider ineptitude. To streamline the operation, Harbaugh might have to strip things down and sit among the wreckage for a bit before there's any opportunity to build back up.
Nick Sirianni
It was probably unreasonable to expect backup quarterback Tanner McKee to energize a severely shorthanded offense in the first truly consequential start of his pro career. Still, outside of his touchdown connection with DeVonta Smith, nothing came easily to the passer or the rest of this unit in a 25-14 loss to the Carolina Panthers.
In their previous two losses, the Eagles showed signs of being able to overcome their inert offense before unraveling late. That at least lent some hope to the notion that this team might be able to hang on until later in the season, when it might finally be closer to full health and find some level of comfort within new coordinator Sean Mannion's scheme. Sunday, however, seemed to put an end to what now appears to be a pipe dream. Carolina was hardly in top form as it set a franchise record with 149 penalty yards. But from the massive personnel attrition to the schematic and play-calling shifts made in light of the lineup changes, the on-field product hardly resembled the initial vision for Mannion and his offense. And any hopes of a late surge were undermined by a blocked punt and a blown coverage on a touchdown to Tommy Tremble.
The abject state of the NFC East should leave the playoff possibility open for the Eagles for a good while. And maybe things could improve a bit when Saquon Barkley returns to the lineup, though it should be clear by now that he can't go it alone. Yet despite general manager Howie Roseman's objections, this team has all the trappings of a trade deadline seller, and it shouldn't resist any substantive offers to sell off key parts and reload further down the line.
Los Angeles Rams
For several weeks, it was possible to buy that the Rams might merely be slow starters once again under Sean McVay. But after suffering one of the most inexplicable losses of the coach's career, it's difficult to assume that things will merely fall into place for a group that seems so out of sync.
The Arizona Cardinals defense had been one of the league's most maligned units through five weeks, having surrendered more points per game than any other team entering Sunday. But with Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson serving a one-game suspension, Arizona unleashed a bevy of blitzes that kept Matthew Stafford consistently uncomfortable. The reigning NFL MVP was unable to buy extra time in the pocket to let things unfold downfield, as he finished with a season-low 4.8-yard average depth of target, according to Next Gen Stats.
Unrest is clearly building, with a frustrated McVay after the game unable to account for his team's myriad missteps. Running back Kyren Williams also surprised many with his pointed remark when asked why the offense couldn't string together any offensive consistency, saying, "I couldn't tell you, bro - probably because I’m not out there.” The four-game stretch before the Week 11 bye features a forgiving slate that could be conducive to a turnaround. But the beginning of the get-right effort was supposed to start Sunday.
A.J. Brown
With Drake Maye engineering a dramatic turnaround for the New England Patriots' passing attack, everything seemed to be shaping up for Brown to make a triumphant return from a sprained ankle that had kept him sidelined since Week 1. Yet despite Maye and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels making him a clear priority in the game plan, the wide receiver had just three catches and 27 yards on 10 targets in a 26-19 win over the New York Jets. Some rust, of course, is understandable. The offense is also clearly significantly more threatening with Brown's mere presence, as the coverage he drew on Romeo Doubs' 42-yard touchdown helped reinforce. Still, Brown closed a day in which he had several near misses by letting the ball go through his hands on the Jets' late onside kick attempt, which his teammates would then recover. With the offense taking a step back after two superlative showings, Brown and the Patriots were fortunate that they had enough of an advantage over the Jets to overcome their own miscues.
Zachariah Branch
At a time when several other rookie wide receivers – such as Bernard, Omar Cooper Jr. and Carnell Tate, among others – were showing how far they've come early in their careers, Branch ended up displaying how much distance he has to cover before he can become a trusted part of the Falcons' core. The speedster not only muffed a punt deep in his own territory just before halftime, but he also fumbled on a kickoff return late in the third quarter. The Bears scored 10 points off those two turnovers, which took on added significance as Atlanta's furious fourth-quarter rally fell just short. A gadget receiver who's yet to demonstrate he can handle the rigors of running a full route tree, Branch should have been able to count on his special teams contributions to open new doors for him. While coach Kevin Stefanski last week said Branch's role could expand as the season rolls on, it's hard to envision many more chances materializing right away after this week's setbacks.
Cam Skattebo
John Harbaugh doesn't want to call it a benching. All right. When your leading rusher ends up with zero carries despite being healthy and playing sparingly relative to the other three backs in the rotation, the branding of the move might be immaterial. Harbaugh said Skattebo falling out of the game plan wasn't by design and was instead a product of how the contest unfolded. Skattebo, however, clearly had a different interpretation, as he concluded he "got punished" for his overtime fumble in a tie against the Washington Commanders. Regardless of the gulf between the two parties in their respective explanations for how they each got here, it seems clear they both understand that Skattebo has to be more reliable to start seeing more opportunities. Yet Harbaugh's postgame comments reinforced that he might not think the potential payoff with Skattebo is worth the risks that seem inherent to the ball carrier's game.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL Week 6 winners and losers led by 3 hot-seat coaches at breaking point
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