As it turns out, Week 6 of the 2026 NFL season turned out to be a pretty pivotal one for a number of reasons.
It's still incredibly early in the season, but the sample size is big enough at this point for some teams to already start making massive organizational changes (looking at you, Colts and Chargers).
We saw an unexpected resurgence from JJ McCarthy in his most extensive action with the New York Giants yet, as well as some huge developments with both the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Rams following upsetting losses.
Let's unpack what could be three season-altering developments that went down in NFL Week 6.
4 potentially season-altering developments that went down in NFL Week 6
1. JJ McCarthy's 4th-quarter surge for the New York Giants
As we have seen in the 2026 season, the NFC East is one of the most wide-open divisions in all of football. The New York Giants are 3-2-1 after losing to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, but what we saw from quarterback JJ McCarthy in the 4th quarter of that particular game was noteworthy.
McCarthy replaced a struggling Jameis Winston for the Giants, and absolutely came out firing. He started off 1-of-4 with an interception, but from that point on, he was absolutely dialed in. He threw for 243 yards, averaging over 11 yards per completion, and almost brought the Giants all the way back from a 34-10 deficit in the 4th quarter.
His attempt to Isaiah Likely on the last play of the game fell incomplete, but the effort did not go unnoticed.
This is a huge development for multiple reasons. Of course, the primary reason it's noteworthy is because JJ McCarthy might have a little more going for him than the Vikings seemed to think. The other reason is that if he can play even close to the level we saw against the Saints on a consistent basis, the Giants might be able to run away with the NFC East in John Harbaugh's first year at the helm.
We can't get too far ahead of ourselves, but that's certainly not out of the question right now. The element of upside has returned at the QB position for the Giants for the time being.
2. Los Angeles Rams' loss vs. Cardinals and subsequent injuries
When it rains, it pours.
After cutting kicker Harrison Mevis after a disastrous Monday night effort against the Buffalo Bills, the Los Angeles Rams signed Blake Grupe to be their kicker, only to lose him to injury trying to make a tackle against the Arizona Cardinals.
And they didn't just lose Grupe, but they ended up losing the game against the Arizona Cardinals. Ironically, it was all points scored by a kicker that caused the Rams to drop to 2-4 on the season, and the injury woes continued in the Monday aftermath.
Star wide receiver Davante Adams suffered a ruptured hamstring and is going to be out for 6-10 weeks. Defensive tackle Poona Ford suffered ruptured triceps and will miss significant time. Grupe's time with the Rams was over before it started. Defensive lineman Kobie Turner is out for at least a month with a groin injury.
With the Rams sitting at 2-4, they have no choice but to just keep competing this season...right? Well, they do have the Ty Simpson card in their back pocket if they want to play it. The Rams clearly anticipated the future would be coming sooner or later, and you can't help but wonder if they'll start selling off some parts and putting one eye on the future if the losses keep stacking up.
3. Indianapolis Colts blow it vs. Titans and fire GM Chris Ballard
After losing to the Tennessee Titans in Week 6, the Indianapolis Colts made the decision to fire general manager Chris Ballard.
Typically, firing a GM before the trade deadline means there is about to be a fire sale, and that's something we're monitoring closely right now. With that in mind, this was a substantial individual loss that could have ripple effects not only this season but in 2027 as well.
The most significant impact on this season is going to be the fallout of whatever trades end up going down. The Colts don't have a 1st-round pick in 2027 (Sauce Gardner trade), so they are going to be working to replenish some NFL Draft capital.
It could mean the end is near for players like DeForest Buckner, Quenton Nelson, and possibly even running back Jonathan Taylor. Maybe others. This could also be a precursor to Shane Steichen being fired at the end of the season and the Colts looking for a new GM/head coach/quarterback brain trust.
Starting fresh.
There have also been plenty of rumblings that Steichen would be wanted back by the Philadelphia Eagles as their OC, maybe even their head coach beyond this season.
Keep your eyes fixed on what the Colts do, because they might send quality players to contending teams in the near future.
4. Jalen Hurts goes on IR and will likely miss the season
One of the most shocking developments of the week was the report that came out about Jalen Hurts having a superficial blood clot in his calf. It was later discovered that he has blood clots in both lungs as well.
This is a scary situation that obviously had to be addressed immediately. The Eagles likely won't be getting Hurts back this season, even if they make the playoffs, but the expectation is reportedly that he will eventually make a full recovery. That's a huge relief, but his absence this year could also cause Howie Roseman to reset the deck a little bit.
The Eagles will be rolling with a backup quarterback (Tanner McKee), and they have had issues this season beyond the play and health status of Jalen Hurts. Lane Johnson up and retired out of the blue. Cam Jurgens was traded. Saquon Barkley hasn't been able to play, and the run game has been non-existent.
The offense is not in a great spot right now, and there's a chance we could also see the Eagles do a little surprise selling this year as they look toward 2027.
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