2025 has seen one of the strangest starts to an NFL season in a long time. There are no undefeated teams heading into week five for the first time since 2014 and, if we’re being honest, it is hard to say there are any great teams at this point in time. In fact, the latest upset of the 2025 season was week six’s opener, as the New York Giants comfortably beat the Philadelphia Eagles. So, as we head into Sunday of week six, in one of the most unpredictable seasons in recent memory, here are five storylines to watch out for.
Number 1 – Bryce Young Prove It Game
We have seen talented quarterbacks be held back by bad situations before. Just look at Sam Darnold last season and now this season, as well as Daniel Jones’ career rejuvenation on the Indianapolis Colts this year. Bryce Young is now in year three with the Panthers after being the number one overall pick in 2023 and, while a bad situation can be used as an excuse on occasion, there needs to be some sort of potential shown and Young is yet to show it. The Panthers had a big 30-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons and then a victory filled with late drama against the Miami Dolphins. Young certainly showed some flashes of brilliance in the 17-point comeback against Miami, with an 83-yard game-winning touchdown drive, but he needs to build on that this week. Going up against the worst pass defense in the league, and the fourth worst scoring defense in the form of the Dallas Cowboys, this isn’t a prove it game for Young in terms of proving he’s a great quarterback, he has a long way to go in that sense. This is a game where the 2023 number one overall pick has to prove he is an NFL starting quarterback. A win isn’t necessarily the be all and end all here, he just needs to prove he can put up a good performance in this one because if he can’t do it against Dallas’ defense, he won’t be able to do it against many.
Number 2 – Are the 49ers Super Bowl Contenders?
This might sound harsh given that the San Francisco 49ers just went on the ‘road’ against the Los Angeles Rams and defeated their divisional rival, who many consider a Super Bowl contender, but its hard to believe San Fransisco is a real contender. Upsets happen all the time in the NFL, particularly divisional upsets. However, this week the 49ers travel to Tampa Bay to face a Buccaneers team that is red hot, with a chance to prove to the league they are for real. Baker Mayfield is many people’s MVP front-runner at the moment and while the Bucs’ wins have all been close calls, they are another team that most would call a contender. If Mac Jones and his team can go into Raymond James Stadium and get a win, then not only would they establish themselves as the NFC’s one seed (potentially tied with the Detroit Lions), but they would show with back-to-back road wins against established playoff teams, that they are a true contender, despite the plethora of injuries they have suffered. Kyle Shanahan is looking to make a statement this season and, as good as the win in LA was, this would be his and his team’s biggest one yet.
Number 3 – Is Aaron Glenn Head Coaching Material?
There is one remaining winless team in the NFL. The New York Jets hold that dubious honour as they sit at 0-5. In fairness to Aaron Glenn, the Jets organisation has been a place where most head coaches have struggled historically. However, an 0-5 start is not a good look wherever you are coaching. An optimist would say that they have been in close games against the Steelers and Buccaneers, two teams with good records. The other way of looking at that is the Steelers were starting Aaron Rodgers for the first time, who threw four touchdowns on his debut and torched a supposedly strong defensive unit. Then, against Tampa Bay, while the Jets did show fight to not just make a game of it, but take a late lead with a field goal block returned for a touchdown, that defensive unit then let the Buccaneers back into field goal range, as they lost to a walk off kick. Glenn is supposed to be a defensive minded coach, and with the talent he has at his disposal on that side of the ball, with the likes of Sauce Gardner in the secondary, as well as Quinnen Williams and Will McDonald on the defensive line, this group should be proving harder to beat given how good Glenn showed he can be coaching a defense when he was in Detroit. No one will be shocked if they lose to the Denver Broncos in London, but wins have to come from somewhere, the Jets can’t just be expected to lose every game because they are supposedly inferior to their opposition. They need to start outcoaching and outplaying teams in at least some aspects, or patience will run thin with Glenn. Of course, time often needs to be given to new head coaches, with Dan Campbell in Detroit, where Glenn used to work, being a prime example. But the NFL is a what have you done for me lately league and lately, the Jets have been a feeble team.
Number 4 – Mahomes versus Goff
There is one NFL quarterback that Patrick Mahomes has faced multiple times and not defeated. That quarterback is Jared Goff. Back in 2018, these two faced off in one of the greatest games in NFL history, as Goff’s Rams defeated Mahomes’ Chiefs 54-51. In 2023, Goff’s Lions went into Arrowhead and defeated the defending Super Bowl champions 21-20 on the opening night of the season. In those two games, the three-time Super Bowl MVP had 704 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions combined. Goff, the victor in both matchups, had 666 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions combined. In the first face-off between these two, they were both leading juggernaut offenses, with Mahomes in the midst of his first MVP season. In the second, the Chiefs got off to a rough start to the season, but bounced back to win the Super Bowl, while the Lions ended their impressive season with a heartbreaking NFC Championship loss. This year, the Chiefs seem to be in a sport where they can’t afford a loss. A 2-4 start would not end their season, but it would be an unfamiliar spot for a team that has made three straight Super Bowls and won three of the last six. A loss for Mahomes would leave his team with a huge mountain to climb, a win and a stellar performance might just put him back into MVP talks. A win for Goff would establish his team as the best in the league at the moment, and possibly put himself as the MVP favourite if he plays well. Victory on the road against a Lamar Jackson led Ravens team, and then the same against a Patrick Mahomes led Chiefs team would be a statement to the league that Goff and this team can beat anyone, anywhere.
Number Five – Sophomore Quarterbacks Rematch
2024, week eight. The 4-2 Chicago Bears lead the 5-2 Washington Commanders 15-12 with two seconds left as the Commanders possess the ball at their own 48-yard line, facing their third loss of the season. It’s going to be a big win for the 2024 number one overall pick, Caleb Williams, on the road against the number two overall pick, Jayden Daniels. Then, about 17 seconds later, with the clock at triple zeroes, a 65-yard heave from Jayden Daniels somehow finds its way into the hands of Noah Brown. Commanders players spill onto the field while the Bears are left shocked. For the former, it was an iconic moment in a legendary season, led by one of the best rookie quarterback years we have ever seen by Daniels, as he eventually took his team to the NFC Championship. For Chicago, the crushing loss was the start of a 10 game losing streak as Williams’ rookie season turned from prosperous to disastrous, and one play seemed to be the turning point. Fast forward one year and the Commanders have a shot to tie the lead for their division, while we are yet to see whether the Bears are a proper playoff contender. Williams has certainly shown improvement in 2025 with eight touchdowns and two interceptions in four games. This is a chance for the former number one pick, who was the consensus first choice before the 2024 draft, to prove his franchise made the right decision. While Daniels has proved more in the NFL so far, both players’ careers are incredibly young, and Williams can still prove himself as the best quarterback from his draft class. A revenge win against the 2024 draft’s number two pick would be a great start and put his team on the map as a playoff contender.