The Eagles aren’t performing as efficiently as last season, but they continue to find ways to win games. Philadelphia improved to 5–0 after defeating the Rams on the road Sunday.
Once again, the Eagles showed us they’re not looking for style points, and they appear to be a team determined to return to the Super Bowl. But we also learned Sunday that the Eagles and the rest of the NFC contenders will likely need to deal with the Lions in the postseason.
The Lions are on track to win their first NFC North title, but how far can they go after extending their winning streak to three games? The Bengals could also be a playoff team, especially if Joe Burrow continues to heal from his calf injury.
We also learned plenty about two quarterbacks who reside in the NFC South: Derek Carr guided the Saints to a shutout win against the Patriots, and Desmond Ridder had late-game heroics to help the Falcons rally vs. the Texans. The two teams might contend for the division crown, but we can’t forget about the Buccaneers, who had a bye week.
Here’s what we learned about the Bengals, Eagles, Lions, Saints and Falcons during Week 5 of the NFL regular season.
Burrow shows off mobility in win vs. Cardinals
Joe Rondone/The Republic/USA TODAY Network
The Bengals’ star quarterback had a 63-yard touchdown bomb to wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase during the win against the Cardinals. But the team’s favorite play from Burrow on Sunday might be the 10-yard run he had in the second half to pick up a first down. I’m obviously no doctor, but it appeared Burrow’s calf injury didn’t give him much fits vs. the Cardinals. If that’s the case, the Bengals could climb out of the 1–3 hole they dug themselves during the first quarter of the season. But the Bengals (now 2–3) still have a daunting schedule ahead, with their next three games against the Seahawks, 49ers and Bills. Burrow will get more time to heal when the Bengals have their bye week in Week 7.
Eagles spoil Kupp’s return to Rams
The matchup between the Eagles and Rams had plenty of intrigue because of the return of Cooper Kupp and the rise of rookie sensation Puka Nacua. Some even predicted the Rams to upset the Eagles because of the endless possibilities coach Sean McVay and his receiving duo had to exploit Philadelphia’s sluggish secondary. But, eventually, what most expected occurred late in the second half for the Eagles, who took command of the game because of their advantages in talent and experience. The pesky Rams put up a fight defensively, but they were unable to contain the abundance of weapons for Jalen Hurts, who dished the ball frequently to tight end Dallas Goedert and wide receiver A.J. Brown. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford had success throwing to Kupp and Nacua, but it seemed their drives required more effort and needed to be perfect for most of the day. It wasn’t the Eagles’ best performance, but again they found a way to remain undefeated. The Eagles and the Rams are on different levels, and it showed Sunday.
Lions appear to be more than NFC North favorites
Junfu Han/USA TODAY Network
Detroit had no trouble cruising by Carolina, 42–24, despite playing without the injured Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs. The Lions (4–1) are on a three-game winning streak and have beaten their opponents by 14 points or more. With the Lions taking care of business against teams they’re supposed to beat, perhaps they’re more than just NFC North favorites: The Lions could have enough firepower offensively and a good enough defense to make some serious noise in the postseason as well. They had a signature win vs. the Chiefs in Week 1, but lost a shootout to the Seahawks the following week. Detroit don’t have games scheduled against the 49ers and Eagles, and might not be tested again in the NFC until their meetings with the Cowboys on Christmas Eve. If the Lions continue to win easily in games they’re supposed to win, they might prove to be legit Super Bowl contenders before December.
Saints deliver best offensive performance with Carr
It had appeared the Saints’ adjustment phase with Carr was going to take longer than expected after the veteran quarterback suffered a shoulder injury in Week 3. But Carr’s injured shoulder didn’t hinder him Sunday as he guided the Saints to a dominant 34–0 victory against the Patriots. With Carr on the field, the Saints seemed to have finally gained an offensive rhythm after getting stellar contributions from Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas, Chris Olave and rookie Kendre Miller. Kamara’s two-yard touchdown run in the second quarter ended the Saints’ touchdown drought of eight consecutive quarters. The running back finished with 80 rushing yards on 22 carries, and Thomas contributed four receptions for 65 yards. Carr didn’t have a monster stat line (18-of-26 for 183 yards and two touchdowns), but he did throw his first touchdown pass to Olave in the second quarter to extend the lead 21–0. And we already knew the Saints had a stout defense—they held the Patriots to 156 total yards. They might be a playoff team if the offense plays the way it did Sunday.
Falcons QB displays improvements in comeback win
Falcons coach Arthur Smith received criticism this past week for sticking with Ridder as his starting quarterback. But Ridder made Smith look good in Atlanta’s 21–19 victory over the Texans, orchestrating a game-winning drive and marching the Falcons 56 yards in less than two minutes to set up Younghoe Koo’s 37-yard field goal as time expired. Ridder was impressive on the final drive, as he distributed the ball to tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Drake London. But the second-year quarterback also displayed improvements throughout the game, completing 28-of-37 for a career-high 329 yards, one touchdown and no turnovers. Ridder was also the first quarterback this season to throw for at least 300 yards against the Texans’ defense. Falcons rookie running back Bijan Robinson made more highlight plays, but he finally wasn’t a one-man team on the offensive side.
