Another exciting day of NFL action is in the books, with Week 6 almost over, just waiting for Monday night’s showdown between the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams to close out the slate of games.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers had Week 5 off, while the Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked up their first wins of the season. The Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chargers continue their respective struggles, with each team sitting at 0-5.
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The San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs are the last three teams to go undefeated.
Several players who could return to action next week are worth keeping an eye on. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams appears on track to make a potential return from a hamstring injury in Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons. It remains to be seen, however, whether the Falcons will have a starting quarterback of their own, after Michael Penix Jr. suffered a rib injury on “Sunday Night Football.” He reportedly underwent further imaging of the injury on Monday.
The biggest news of the weekend came Sunday afternoon, as Texans head coach Demeco Ryans confirmed to reporters that the team had traded for WR Marvin Harrison Jr. in a deal with the Arizona Cardinals. The former first-round pick is now getting a fresh start with his college quarterback, CJ Stroud, as he looks to rekindle his spark on offense.
Follow Yahoo Sports for the latest NFL news, injury updates and more following Week 5.
Ian Casselberry
The Minnesota Vikings drafted wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on Monday, The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero reported.
Smith-Schuster, 29, played last season with the Kansas City Chiefs, recording 33 receptions for 345 yards and 1 touchdown in 17 games (12 starts).
Jordan Addison missed the Vikings’ 23-13 win over the New Orleans Saints with a hamstring injury. Justin Jefferson was questionable due to an ankle injury last week, but played against the Saints and had 6 catches for 79 yards and a touchdown.
Minnesota has a bye for Week 6.
Ian Casselberry
The Dallas Cowboys have the second-worst defense in the NFL in terms of total yards allowed (1,977) and yards per game (395.7).
Hoping to help improve this unit, the team is adding veteran defensive coach Mike Pettine to the staff to work with defensive coordinator Christian Parker. He will be a senior defensive assistant, head coach Brian Schottenheimer announced.
“He’s a top-seven expert,” Schottenheimer said of Pettine. “A guy with that type of experience, he’s done it all and that’s what I like about him.
Pettine, 60, has coached in the NFL since 2002, with the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers. He also served as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns for two seasons, from 2014 to 2015.
Parker worked under Pettine with the Packers from 2019 to 2020. When he was hired by the Cowboys as a DC before this season, he attempted to hire Pettine.
Teddy Ricketson
San Francisco player Deeb Samuel left Sunday’s win over Seattle with a hamstring injury.
The wide receiver is now expected to miss “a few weeks” due to his injury. This shouldn’t sideline him for long, but it will depend on how he heals and whether he suffers any setbacks that will affect the time he misses.
Teddy Ricketson
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson missed the team’s overtime victory against the Falcons in Week 5.
To open Week 6, head coach Jesse Minter mentioned that Jackson is “definitely doing better.”
The Ravens hope to know more about his recovery from his sprained ankle by midweek, but Minter said he doesn’t yet know if the QB will practice Wednesday.
The Baltimore head coach also said, “He’s doing everything he can to get back on the field.”
The Ravens face the Browns on Sunday.
Ian Casselberry
Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger and running back Quinshon Judkins deal with ankle injuries “on a daily basis,” head coach Todd Monken told reporters Monday. Neither player has been ruled out for the Browns’ Week 6 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
Schwesinger, 23, suffered a Grade 1 ankle sprain during Cleveland’s 17-12 loss to the New York Jets, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. However, he continued to play in the game and picked off quarterback Geno Smith as the Browns clung to a 2-point lead. He made 8 tackles in the game.
Judkins, 22, suffered an ankle “injury” against the Jets, according to Monken. Yet, like Schwesinger, Judkins wore a walking boot after the game. He rushed for 44 yards on 14 carries and hasn’t rushed for 100 yards in any of Cleveland’s five games this season.
Teddy Ricketson
Last summer, Packers linebacker Micah Parsons had the team’s Week 6 game against the Dallas Cowboys circled on his calendar to motivate him for his return.
The reasoning is obvious: He started his career in Dallas and was traded to Green Bay before last season.
On Monday, it was reported that the Packers do not expect Parsons to return to practice this week, as he is still recovering from the knee injury he suffered last season. Green Bay still doesn’t know exactly when he will return, but I hope it will be sometime in October.
Teddy Ricketson
Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters that the departure of running back David Montgomery was “week to week.”
The veteran guard is dealing with a groin injury he suffered in the Week 5 win over the Titans. If he misses time, backup RB Woody Marks should see more work.
Teddy Ricketson
Deebo Samuel was lost in Sunday’s win against the Seahawks. It was a hamstring injury and we were quickly ruled out.
Samuel will have an MRI on Monday, and there are fears that a player of his talent could actually be hampered by a hamstring problem.
Chris Cwik
Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Javon Hargrave is expected to miss the remainder of the 2026 season after tearing his Achilles tendon, according to ESPN.
Hargrave was injured during the team’s blowout win over the Chicago Bears in Week 5.
In four games, Hargrave has recorded six combined tackles and two quarterback hits this season.
Teddy Ricketson
The Patriots play two games over the next 11 days and deal with two notable injuries.
Offensive tackle Will Campbell likely sprained his knee, but further testing Monday will confirm that.
Running back TreVeyon Henderson is also dealing with an ankle injury. No one knows yet how serious the illness is, and he will also have tests Monday to determine that, although it is not expected to be long-term at this point.
Kate Magdziuk
The Green Bay Packers suffered another significant loss on defense Sunday, with defensive tackle Javon Hargrave feared he suffered a torn Achilles during their Week 5 win over the Chicago Bears.
It’s yet another blow to their defensive depth, just a week after linebacker Edgerrin Cooper tore his Achilles tendon himself.
Jason Owens
The San Francisco 49ers lost another key offensive weapon… but still emerged victorious in Seattle.
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel left Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks with a hamstring injury in the second half and was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game.
The injury occurred in the third quarter as Samuel ran around the edge on a first down. As he collapsed, he dropped the ball and fell facedown on the field.
It was a scary moment because Samuel’s condition was initially unclear. He finally managed to get up and limp off the field.
But he clearly wasn’t right, and he gripped his right thigh as he walked toward the sidelines. The 49ers announced minutes later that he had been ruled out of the game with a hamstring injury.
The 49ers will host the Commanders in Week 6.
Jason Owens
With Sunday’s game long lost, the Las Vegas Raiders decided to take a first look at the NFL at rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Indiana’s No. 1 overall pick took over to lead the Raiders’ offense on their final drive in Sunday’s 45-17 loss to the New England Patriots. He managed to move the ball on a low-stakes possession that ultimately failed to produce points.
His first NFL snap produced a handoff for a 3-yard gain from the Las Vegas 35-yard line. But head coach Klint Kubiak and offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko gave him the opportunity to showcase his talent against a real, live NFL defense from there.
Learn more about how Mendoza looked in his regular season debut.
Kate Magdziuk
The big question at the end of the Washington Commanders’ incredible draw on Sunday was, “What were Jayden Daniels and head coach Dan Quinn thinking?”
They provided some answers after the match.
A matchup with the NFC East rival New York Giants reached the final minute of overtime, when Washington had the ball on second and eight in field goal territory with 13 seconds left and no timeouts.
A game-winning field goal would have been about 42 yards. Commanders rookie kicker Drew Stevens hasn’t missed any of his seven career attempts from within 50 yards, although he missed an extra point attempt earlier in the game.
Calling even a single offensive play in this situation is incredibly risky, because failing to stop the clock will cost you a chance at that field goal. And yet the Commanders appeared to call a passing play, then watched in horror as Daniels scrambled, got picked off and then couldn’t get another play to punch the ball.
Game over. A 27-27 tie.
Learn more.
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