NFL Week 6: Biggest questions and takeaways for each game

Week 6 of the 2024 NFL season saw another game in London, and another strong performance for the Chicago Bears, who took on the Jacksonville Jaguars. On Thursday night, the upset San Francisco 49ers earned an important NFC West win on the road over the Seattle Seahawks.

Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and breaking down everything else you need to know for each team. Let’s get to it.

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Bears

Has the Bears offense finally established its identity? Caleb Williams threw for four touchdowns by doing what coaches have been stressing for weeks: playing as a point guard. One week after Williams and DJ Moore reconnected, the rookie threw two TDs each to Keenan Allen and Cole Kmet. Chicago showed the balance it was looking for with another 91 yards and a touchdown from D’Andre Swift and heads into the bye week feeling confident about the state of its offense.

Describe the game in two words: Williams ordered. The touchdown passes Williams threw to Allen are an example of the quarterback’s accuracy — putting the ball in tight windows where only his receiver can get it — and control. On multiple occasions, Williams maneuvered the pocket and created outside structure (particularly a crossover layup made to Kmet that set up Chicago’s fifth TD). Williams’ four touchdown passes brought his passing total to nine through six games, the second-most ever by a Bears rookie QB.

Most surprising performance: Elijah Hicks, who played in safety Jaquan Brisker (concussion), helped ease the sting that came with the Bears’ secondary falling three times (Tyreke Stevenson was ruled out of the game with a calf injury and nickel Kyler Gordon left the third quarter with a hamstring injury). hamstrings). Hicks came up with five tackles, recovered a fumble and broke up a pass in the end zone. –Courtney Cronin

Next match: In Commanders (October 27, 1 p.m. ET)

Jaguar

How does the loss affect the job security of coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke? This doesn’t help. A day after owner Shad Khan said he still had faith in Pederson and Baelke, the Jaguars played a sloppy game to fall to 1-5. This makes reaching the playoffs – which Khan said before the start of the season was his expectation – highly unlikely. Of the 201 teams that have started 1-5 since 1966, only four have reached the playoffs. The Jaguars are now 2-10 in their last 12 games, with the only wins coming against Carolina and Indianapolis, which is a good indicator of where the franchise is headed.

The biggest flaw in the game plan: The Jaguars did not pressure rookie QB Caleb Williams. By the time the Bears took a 35-10 lead, Jacksonville had blitzed him just six times and pressured him on 10 of their 32 putbacks. That includes just one blitz and five pressures on 18 putbacks in the first half, when Williams torched them for 128 yards and two TDs.

Eye-catching stats: The Jaguars had four potential touchdown passes dropped, including two by Gabe Davis. Christian Kirk also dropped a potential TD pass — the ball went through his hands and hit him in the facemask — and rookie Brian Thomas Jr. had a potential deep TD pass in his hands and couldn’t catch it. -Mike DiRocco

Next match: vs. Patriots in London (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET)

49ers

What does a win in Seattle do for the 49ers as they embark on an important stretch? It’s an exaggeration to say it saved the ’49ers’ season, but it’s not far off. Instead of 2-4 and 0-3 in the NFC West, the Niners are tied at 3-3 with Seattle for first place (with a leg in the tiebreaker). They’ll get a few extra days of rest, no small feat given their injury issues, and they’ll face the Chiefs and Cowboys coming off each bye week. If the 49ers get into Week 9 with a record of at least 4-4, they can regroup and get healthy and make a run in November and December when they’ve traditionally been at their best under coach Kyle Shanahan.

Most surprising performance: The 49ers rookie class was filled out admirably. Safety Malik Mustafa made his first career interception to thwart Seattle’s first drive in the red zone before leaving with a sprained ankle. Cornerback Renardo Green had his first career pick in the fourth quarter, and running back Isaac Guerendo sealed the win with a 76-yard run to set up the final touchdown.

Eye-catching stats: QB Brock Purdy was excellent on throws of 10+ air yards. He went 6 of 8 for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Seahawks QB Geno Smith was 5 of 14 for 89 yards and two interceptions on such throws. – Nick Wagner

Next game: vs. Chiefs (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Seahawks

Are the Seahawks closer to beating the 49ers? The 49ers had won the previous five meetings by an average of 15.2 points, either dominating throughout or pulling away in the second half. This game was competitive as the Seahawks pulled within five points in the fourth quarter and needed one defensive stop to have a chance at the win. Then again, Seattle capitalized on a missed call that cost San Francisco at least three points. The 49ers were also without Christian McCaffrey and were down to their third line by the end of the game. The Seahawks have had their own injury issues, but if they can’t beat the 49ers at home while San Francisco is missing their best offensive player, when will they?

Eye-catching stats: Seattle pressured Brock Purdy on 15 of 31 dropbacks (48.4%). For context, the Dolphins led the NFL heading into Sunday with a 40% pressure rate this season. But while the Seahawks got close to the 49ers’ quarterback often, they couldn’t get to him, finishing with no sacks and just four QB hits. They will be happy to face a quarterback next week in Kirk Cousins ​​who is less elusive than Purdy.

Early predictions for next week: Byron Murphy II will return from his hamstring injury and will make an impact. The absence of Seattle’s first-round pick over the past three games has forced them to play with Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed and Jonathan Hankins more often than they would prefer. With Murphy back, the D-line rotation will be deeper, and life will be easier for second-level defenders as well, with Murphy there to command gaps and lead double teams. – Brady Henderson

Next game: At Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)