Brock Purdy is playing the best football of his career through the first four weeks of the 2026 NFL regular season.
He ranks among the early favorites for NFL MVP.
And he faces an enormous test, as the undefeated San Francisco 49ers (4-0) travel to face the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks (3-1) on Sunday, Oct. 11, for control of the NFC West.
It is the only game between teams with winning records in Week 5 of the NFL schedule.
Purdy, a Gilbert Perry High grad, has elite, league-leading numbers, despite a wave of injuries hitting the 49ers’ receiving corps and defense.
Purdy leads the league in passing touchdowns (11), passer rating (126.2), quarterback rating (89.7) and yards per pass attempt (8.9), with just one interception.
He is the first Niners quarterback since Steve Young in 1998 to throw multiple touchdown passes in each of the first four games of a season.
And he is the first NFL quarterback since Peyton Manning in 2005 to start a season with four consecutive games without taking a sack, a feat attributed to stellar protection, his great pocket awareness and quick decision-making. Every other NFL quarterback who has started four games this season has been sacked at least five times.
Purdy has also been effective with his legs, adding 122 rushing yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.
Premier matchups to watch include Niners left tackle Trent Williams against Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams, who leads the team with three sacks. The job of containing Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba on the outside will primarily fall to cornerbacks Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green.
Expect the Niners to lean on running back Christian McCaffrey to control the game’s tempo and neutralize the hostile Lumen Field crowd.
Also on the NFL radar in Week 5:
Jayden Daniels returns for Washington
Jayden Daniels is on track to return and start for the Washington Commanders on Sunday against the New York Giants, barring any late-week setbacks.
The former Arizona State and LSU quarterback’s return comes at a crucial time for Washington (1-3).
Daniels has missed the past two games after suffering a dislocated left elbow in Week 2 against Dallas. The Commanders’ quarterback depth was pushed to the limit last week when backup Marcus Mariota suffered an MCL sprain, forcing third-string rookie Athan Kaliakmanis into the game during an ugly 30-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Daniels will wear a heavy protective brace on his non-throwing arm to protect the elbow.
Bears favored at Lambeau for first time in 20 years
The Chicago Bears opened as 2 1/2- to 3-point road favorites against the Green Bay Packers, according to major sportsbooks, the first time since Week 1 of the 2006 season that Chicago is favored to win at Lambeau Field.
The Rex Grossman-led Bears entered that game as 3 1/2-point favorites and shut out Brett Favre and the Packers, 26-0, beginning the season that Chicago reached Super Bowl XLI.
What makes this line even more remarkable is that the Bears (3-1) are expected to start a backup quarterback for the third consecutive week, as Caleb Williams continues to recover from a hamstring injury. Tyson Bagent is expected to start ahead of Case Keenum.
The betting public has faded the Packers (2-2) this week following an uninspiring 17-14 victory over Tampa Bay, combined with a brutal wave of injuries, including star receiver Jayden Reed being ruled out for the season.
As of midweek, the Bears have garnered 69% of moneyline bets placed on DraftKings, and 59% on the spread.
Banged-up Eagles face Jaguars in London
The Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars cross the Atlantic for a morning showdown at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The major on-field stories here revolved around the Eagles’ banged-up offense, after a stunning home collapse last week against the Los Angeles Rams.
Saquon Barkley is nursing a hamstring injury and backup Tank Bigsby is on injured reserve with a core muscle injury, leaving third-string running back Will Shipley likely to carry the load against a fierce Jaguars defense that allows just 74.3 rushing yards per game.
The task is made more difficult by this week’s sudden retirement of left tackle Lane Johnson and the trade of center/guard Cam Jurgens to Baltimore. DeVonta Smith is also likely to miss a second consecutive week with a hamstring injury.
Lamar Jackson injury clouds AFC North
The Baltimore Ravens are tied with the Cleveland Browns for first place in the AFC North, but they face immense pressure after quarterback Lamar Jackson suffered a left ankle injury. The two-time NFL MVP was hurt just before halftime of the Ravens’ Week 4 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
While the team confirmed the injury is not structural and will not require surgery, Jackson could miss multiple games, including this week’s road matchup against the resurgent Atlanta Falcons and a critical Week 6 trip to Cleveland.
Tyler “Snoop” Huntley in line to start. His skill set mirrors Jackson’s as a mobile, dual-threat playmaker, allowing the Ravens to run their offensive system without having to completely change their playbook.
Expect head coach Jesse Minter to lean incredibly heavily on Derrick Henry and the ground game, while using Huntley for short, efficient passes to Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews to minimize turnovers.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Brock Purdy, Jayden Daniels, Lamar Jackson top stories in NFL Week 5