Six weeks are officially in the books, and some teams are running out of excuses.
Some problems can be brushed off as a bad week. Others are becoming harder to ignore. With six games behind us, we’re starting to get a better idea of which teams can turn things around and which ones might be in trouble.
This week, we’re looking at coaching questions, quarterback struggles, defensive issues, and teams that might need to start thinking about next season. Here are the teams giving us the most reason to panic after Week 6.
7/7 — Fire sale. Time to gather draft capital.
6/7 — Full-blown panic. Someone needs to answer some questions.
5/7 — Sound the alarms.
4/7 — Serious concerns.
3/7 — Keep an eye on it.
2/7 — Not great, but relax.
1/7 — Probably nothing to worry about.
NFL Panic Meter – Week 6
Los Angeles Chargers — Panic Meter: 7/7
I honestly don’t know what else to say about the Los Angeles Chargers.
At 0-6, their season is slipping away fast, and it’s fair to question where they go from here. Is the coaching staff the problem? Should they consider moving players before the trade deadline? Whatever the answer, something clearly isn’t working.
A winless start leaves little room for optimism, especially with the playoffs becoming an increasingly distant possibility. The Chargers need to decide whether a realistic path forward exists this season or it’s time to look ahead.
At this point, standing pat isn’t going to solve anything. If Los Angeles can’t turn things around soon, the focus may need to shift toward gathering draft capital and preparing for next season.
Panic Meter: 7/7
Dallas Cowboys — Panic Meter: 5/7
Sunday night’s loss to the Green Bay Packers was an embarrassing performance for the Dallas Cowboys.
The offense struggled to get anything going, Dak Prescott faced constant pressure, and the running game once again failed to establish itself. It’s difficult to sustain drives when the offensive line struggles and the ground game offers little help.
The defense hasn’t done the Cowboys any favours, either. Its struggles continue to put more pressure on Prescott and the offense to keep games competitive.
Dallas managed just seven points before adding a late touchdown in garbage time, making the final score look more respectable than the performance deserved.
The Cowboys have too much talent to keep producing performances like this. One bad game isn’t necessarily a reason to panic, but the same problems continue to show up.
Dallas doesn’t need to blow everything up just yet, but it needs to start finding answers. If the offense can’t become more consistent and the defense continues to struggle, these concerns could get much worse as the season progresses.
Panic Meter: 5/7
Indianapolis Colts — Panic Meter: 4/7
Things have taken a difficult turn for the Indianapolis Colts.
General manager Chris Ballard has been fired, questions are emerging about Daniel Jones‘ future as the starting quarterback, and the team’s struggles on both sides of the ball are becoming difficult to ignore.
The defense has been one of the biggest problems, ranking among the league’s worst across several statistical categories. The offense hasn’t been consistent enough to make up for those struggles, leaving Indianapolis with plenty of issues to address.
Jones’ future adds another layer of uncertainty. Discussions about potentially benching him are beginning to surface, raising questions about whether the Colts still view him as their long-term answer at quarterback.
Benching Jones might shake things up, but it wouldn’t fix the defensive problems or suddenly make the offense consistent. Indianapolis has bigger issues to sort out than who’s taking the first snap.
There are also questions about whether the Colts should consider trading players to acquire draft capital. With Ballard gone and uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position, the organization needs to establish a clear direction.
Indianapolis isn’t necessarily at the point where a complete rebuild feels inevitable. However, if the struggles continue, expect more questions about selling off pieces and preparing for next season.
Panic Meter: 4/7
Los Angeles Rams — Panic Meter: 3/7
The Los Angeles Rams have been difficult to figure out this season.
Their results tell the story: loss, win, loss, win, loss, loss. Every time they lose, questions emerge. Then they bounce back with a win, and things look a little better again.
Unfortunately, their latest performance against the Arizona Cardinals did little to inspire confidence.
This should have been a game the Rams could handle, but the offense looked flat in a disappointing 16-point performance. Matthew Stafford was sacked three times, and the offense struggled to sustain momentum.
Things became even more concerning when Davante Adams limped off in the fourth quarter. Any potential injury to one of Stafford’s key targets is worth monitoring, especially with the offense already struggling to find consistency.
Then there were Kyren Williams postgame comments when he was asked why the Rams couldn’t sustain their energy from drive to drive.
“Can’t tell you bro, probably because I’m not out there.”
That’s a blunt answer, and it doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in an offense that’s already struggling to find its rhythm. It isn’t proof of a bigger problem inside the locker room, but it’s fair to question what’s going on when the offense can’t consistently put together productive drives.
The Rams still have enough talent to turn things around, which is why they’re not higher on this list. However, they can’t keep following good performances with frustrating losses. Eventually, that inconsistency will catch up with them.
Panic Meter: 3/7
Seattle Seahawks — Panic Meter: 2/7
The Seattle Seahawks have a few questions to answer, particularly on offense.
The loss of offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and running back Kenneth Walker is starting to show. Seattle’s offense hasn’t looked quite the same, and the numbers help explain why.
Kubiak’s new team, the Las Vegas Raiders, are averaging 26.4 points per game, compared to 24.7 for Seattle. That’s not a massive difference, but it shows there’s room for the Seahawks to improve offensively.
The rushing numbers are even more interesting. Seattle is averaging 107.2 rushing yards per game, while Walker alone is averaging 133 rushing yards per game.
That comparison highlights the impact Walker can have on the ground game. Losing a productive running back can change an offense, especially when the team is also adjusting to a new offensive coordinator.
The good news is that Seattle’s defense remains elite. That’s a major reason why there’s no need to hit the panic button just yet. A strong defense gives the Seahawks a foundation to lean on while the offense works through its issues.
Still, Seattle can’t expect its defense to carry the team every week. The coaching staff needs to find ways to generate more offense and get the rushing attack back on track.
There’s plenty of reason to believe the Seahawks can work through these struggles, but the offense needs to improve if they want to repeat last season’s success.
Panic Meter: 2/7
The Last Word
Six weeks into the season, the pressure is starting to build for several teams.
The Chargers need to find a way to get their season back on track, while Dallas has to prove its offense can be more consistent. Indianapolis faces an uncertain future following Ballard’s departure, and the Rams need to clean up their early-season issues. Seattle is in a better spot, but its offense needs to improve if the Seahawks want to remain a contender.
There’s still plenty of football left to play, but the next few weeks could determine which teams get back on track and which ones start looking toward the future.
Main Image: Ross Harried-Imagn Images
