The NFL's march to midseason – and the trade deadline – is decidedly on.
With one-third of the 2025 campaign complete after Monday night's twin bill – the Buffalo Bills facing the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders hosting the Chicago Bears – it's time to put the excuses that abound in the early season to bed. Week 6's action was often close if not riveting, with six games Sunday decided by one score. But even with the lack of a clear pecking order atop each conference, teams have to face the emerging reality of the season at hand and decide on a path before the cutoff for in-season swaps, which lands on Nov. 4.
Here are the biggest winners and losers from Week 6 in the NFL:
Regardless of how long the Carolina Panthers running back's time in the spotlight lasts, Dowdle is unquestionably making the most of it. In stepping in for injured starter Chuba Hubbard once again, the sixth-year ball carrier racked up 183 yards and set the single-game franchise record for yards from scrimmage with 239. Even sweeter: That output came in a 30-27 win against the Dallas Cowboys, for whom Dowdle played for five years before the team opted to look elsewhere for a lead back this offseason. After warning the Cowboys last Sunday they needed to "buckle up" in preparation for him, Dowdle had a message for Dallas that was as blunt as his running style. "They wasn't buckled up," he said.
