Two of the NFL’s three remaining undefeated teams sit in the NFC, but the conference still feels anything but settled heading into Week 6. The strange part is that every 4-1 team in the league plays in the AFC, while the NFC’s best clubs come with their own obvious warts.
That leaves the conference looking top-heavy and wide open at the same time. Nothing would really be a surprise here.
At the bottom of the latest NFC power rankings, Arizona sits last at 16th after a 1-4 start. The Cardinals were expected to be a bad team, and they have lived up to that billing.
Jacoby Brissett is still under center, but there’s skepticism about how much longer that makes sense, especially if the team isn’t getting anything out of it. A look at rookie quarterback Carson Beck, at minimum, would offer the franchise a small dose of hope.
As it stands, Arizona is struggling on both sides of the ball and could also be heading toward an unusual setup where the front office changes while the head coach stays put.
Right ahead of them is Washington at No. 15, and the start to the year has been ugly enough to raise real questions about how long this can go on. The Commanders are 1-3-1, and the final play of their Week 5 tie with the New York Giants was hard to watch.
There’s already a sense that an in-season head coaching change could be coming, because that’s the feeling around this team right now. After going 5-12 in 2025, Washington might be staring at another five-win type of season.
The roster has problems, and the coaching has been described as flat-out atrocious across the board.
In Other News...
C.J. Stroud Is Already Sending A Clear Message About Marvin Harrison Jr
Marvin Harrison Jr. is heading to Houston, where the Texans will get a rare opportunity to reunite a quarterback and receiver who already know how each other thinks. C.J. Stroud is clearly energized by the move, and his reaction has offered an immediate glimpse into how Houston plans to use the former Cardinals wideout. Beyond the obvious chemistry angle, there is a familiarity here that should matter as the Texans sort through what Harrison can become in a new setting.
Strouds support also carries weight because it comes with specifics, not just the usual welcome-to-the-team optimism. He pointed to Harrisons maturity, work ethic and route running as traits that should translate well in Houston, while also making it clear he has no concerns about Harrisons ability to handle the spotlight. For Arizona, it is another reminder of what the Cardinals are giving up, and for the Texans it adds to the expectation that Harrison could quickly become a central part of what they are building. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Just Benefited From A Cardinals Decision That Stung Arizona
Michael Wilsons rise put the Cardinals in a position they didnt reach often last season, and Arizona made a major commitment to him with a three-year, $75 million extension after his breakout. The move signaled that the Cardinals were ready to reshape the offense around Wilsons role, even as the wider receiver room continued to shift around him.
Marvin Harrison Jr.s departure to Houston only sharpened that change, sending another high-profile piece out of Arizona in exchange for draft capital and leaving the Cardinals to recalibrate again. Wilson did not hide how much the move affected him, speaking warmly about Harrisons work ethic and character while making clear the transition was a difficult one for the locker room. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Defense Reaches Breaking Point Before Rams Showdown
The Cardinals early-season slide has put their defense in an uncomfortable spotlight, and the numbers have been rough enough to demand a response. Arizona has stumbled to a 1-4 start, sitting near the bottom of the league in points and yards allowed, with too many explosive plays and touchdowns turning promising snaps into immediate damage.
Defensive coordinator Nick Rallis has already acknowledged the issue and signaled that he is open to changes to get the unit moving in a better direction. The timing matters, too, with the Rams coming up next and little margin left for a defense that has spent the first part of the season trying to find answers it has not yet settled on. [Read more 🡒]