Week 5 got off to a wild start.
How wild? It began with the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers accounting for 66 points while Kirk Cousins went for a career-high 509 passing yards in the Falcons’ 36–30 overtime win Thursday night.
On Sunday, the action began early in London, as the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings beat the New York Jets, 23–17.
Week 5 NFL takeaways | Jayden Daniels–Deshaun Watson comparison | Jets need Davante Adams
In the early window, the AFC took center stage. Stefon Diggs got his revenge as the Houston Texans beat the Buffalo Bills on Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 59-yard field goal as time expired. In Cincinnati, the Bengals hosted the Baltimore Ravens in a key AFC North matchup, with the Ravens winning an offense-fueled, overtime thriller behind 300-plus-yards passing by Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow.
In the late afternoon games, the Green Bay Packers (3–2) tallied another win with Jordan Love, beating the the Los Angeles Rams 24–19, while the Arizona Cardinals pulled off an upset with a 24–23 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
Finally, Sunday Night Football gave us a classic matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers, with Dallas winning 20–17 in the final seconds on a touchdown pass to Jalen Tolbert.
SUNDAY
Cowboys 20, Steelers 17
My take: Nobody is ever going to talk about this game in reverent tones. That said, Dallas (3–2) found a way Sunday night, beating Pittsburgh (3–2) on Tolbert's touchdown reception with 20 seconds left. However, the main takeaway from the game? Neither the Cowboys nor the Steelers are contenders in their current forms. Dallas makes too many mistakes, evidenced by its three turnovers (all by Dak Prescott) and 11 penalties, including two fourth-quarter personal fouls. As for Pittsburgh, it can’t generate consistent offense and has limited personnel on that side. Playoff teams? Maybe. Not serious Super Bowl threats.
Stock up: T.J. Watt continues to dominate. After posting three sacks in four games to start the year, Watt was everywhere Sunday night, registering 1.5 sacks along with eight tackles, including one for loss. There are other candidates, but Watt is the most dominant defender in the game.
Stock down: The Steelers are going to have a hard time competing against good teams with this passing attack. Justin Fields went 15-of-27 for 127 yards, albeit with two touchdowns and zero turnovers. It’s not good enough. Pittsburgh needs more punch in the passing game, and that might mean adding a receiver as well.
Up Next: Lions at Cowboys, 4:25 p.m. ET Oct. 13; Steelers at Raiders, 4:05 p.m. ET Oct. 13
Ravens 41, Bengals 38 (OT)
My take: Baltimore (3–2) scored 10 unanswered points to force overtime before surviving a missed field goal from Cincinnati (1–4), then winning two plays later. Suddenly, while there’s plenty to fix, the Ravens look like a strong contender once more behind Lamar Jackson, who accounted for 404 total yards and four touchdowns. As for the Bengals, it’s a crushing defeat. Joe Burrow threw for 392 yards and five touchdowns, while Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins accounted for four scores and 276 receiving yards, including 193 from Chase.
Stock up: Jackson is quietly putting up MVP numbers … again. He’s now thrown nine touchdowns against one interception while helping Baltimore get back into the AFC North conversation after the Ravens started 0–2 with wins over the Cowboys, Bills and Bengals. The Ravens have work to do seeding-wise, but they’re back in business.
Stock down: Baltimore’s pass defense is becoming a real problem. The Ravens came into Sunday’s game ranked 28th in passing yards per game allowed (257.5) and then saw that average soar after being sliced up by Burrow. Next up, Jayden Daniels and the Commanders.
Up Next: Commanders at Ravens, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 13; Bengals at Giants, 8:20 p.m. ET Oct. 13
Cardinals 24, 49ers 23
My take: What a win for Arizona (2–3) and coach Jonathan Gannon. After going 4–13 last year, the Cardinals have been highly competitive outside of a blowout loss last week to the Commanders. After falling behind 23–10 Sunday to San Francisco (2–3), Arizona looked finished. However, the defense secured three second-half turnovers, helping the Cardinals stun the Niners. For San Francisco, there’s no time to rest with a Thursday night affair on the road against the Seahawks.
Stock up: Despite the loss, Brandon Aiyuk should be happy with his showing. After struggling throughout September after a prolonged holdout, the recently extended Aiyuk caught eight passes for 147 yards on 11 targets.
Stock down: The Niners’ front seven has to be better. Kyler Murray was only sacked once and hit twice in the upset win for Arizona, giving him time and space to find his weapons. San Francisco ranked third in pressure rate and fourth in sacks entering Sunday, but the pass rush had a down day.
Up Next: Cardinals at Packers, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 13; 49ers at Seahawks, 8:15 p.m. ET Oct. 10
Texans 23, Bills 20
My take: In what was a coaching disaster class by both sides, Houston (4–1) outlasted Buffalo (3–2) in a last-second thriller. While Josh Allen was atrocious (more on that below), C.J. Stroud went 28-of-38 for 331 yards despite losing Nico Collins in the first quarter, ironically on a 67-yard touchdown pass. With the win, Houston now leads the second-place Colts by two games in the AFC South, giving the Texans a cushion as they go to New England next weekend.
Stock up: After a slow start to his Houston career, Diggs is showing why the Texans gave up a second-round pick to acquire him. Diggs caught six passes for 82 yards against his old team Sunday, giving him 245 yards over the past three games.
Stock down: It has to be Allen, who had one of the worst days of his career. Without Khalil Shakir, the MVP candidate went 9-of-30 for 131 yards on 4.4 yards per attempt. While no receiver got consistent separation, Allen also misfired on two potential game-changing plays, missing Dalton Kincaid and Mack Hollins on deep shots.
Up Next: Bills at Jets, 7:15 p.m. ET Oct. 14; Texans at Patriots, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 13
Vikings 23, Jets 17
My take: Let’s be real about Aaron Rodgers. Outside of the win in Week 3 over the New England Patriots, Rodgers has struggled. In the other four games, he has thrown five touchdowns against four interceptions while completing 57.1% of his passes for 5.5 yards per attempt. By any measure, those are brutal numbers. Yes, dropped passes and shaky protection aren’t helping, but Rodgers was brought to New York (2–3) with the idea of him elevating the offense. That isn’t happening. Now, the Jets are at a crisis point and face the Bills next Monday night in a borderline must-win game.
Stock up: Stephon Gilmore deserves love. Gilmore is on his fifth team in as many years, and he’s still providing quality coverage while making big plays. On Sunday, the 34-year-old sealed the victory for Minnesota (5–0) , sending the Vikings into the bye with a perfect record.
Stock down: Where is Breece Hall? He was fantastic last year with 1,595 scrimmage yards. This season? Hall has run for 3.0 yards per carry while also fumbling twice (losing one). If the Jets are going to pull out of this funk, Hall has to be vastly better than what he’s been.
Up Next: Bills at Jets, 7:15 p.m. ET Oct. 14; BYE
Packers 24, Rams 19
My take: Despite one of the more ridiculous pick-sixes you’ll ever see, Green Bay (3–2) got a key road win while Los Angeles (1–4) is all but buried in the NFC standings. While the Packers have a rough climb in the division with the Vikings undefeated and the Lions and Bears over .500, Sunday’s victory keeps them within striking distance. Green Bay has a big homestand ahead with the Cardinals and Texans coming to Lambeau Field before visiting the one-win Jaguars.
Stock up: Tucker Kraft was having a middling start to the season with 12 catches and 130 yards through four games. On Sunday, he stepped up, scoring a go-ahead 66-yard touchdown in the third quarter. All told, Kraft went for four receptions, 88 yards and two scores.
Stock down: The Rams’ playoff hopes. At 1–4, they get Cooper Kupp back after the bye, and need to start rolling. That stretch will start with home dates against the Raiders and Vikings before a trip to Seattle. It’s now or never for an injury-ravaged Los Angeles squad.
Up Next: Cardinals at Packers, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 13; BYE
Commanders 34, Browns 13
My take: Bench Deshaun Watson. Bench him now. Cleveland (1–4) has watched Watson play horrific football for portions of the past three seasons. The result is an offense without any punch and a record that now puts the Browns into the role of sellers at the Nov. 5 trade deadline. The only questions are whether coach Kevin Stefanski finally turns to Jameis Winston, and which team is going to be lucky enough to land Amari Cooper? Meanwhile, Washington (4–1) looks like the class of the NFC East with Jayden Daniels playing splendidly. Daniels threw for 238 yards and ran for 82 more, helping the Commanders to a home win.
Stock up: Every team who wants to acquire a receiver. The Bills and Chiefs are a few teams that come to mind. Washington, ironically, is another. The best news coming out of this game for Cleveland is there will be many bidders for Cooper, who should officially be on the market.
Stock down: The Browns have one of the worst offensive lines in football. Entering Week 5, Cleveland permitted 19 sacks, most in the NFL. Against Washington, the Browns saw Watson sacked seven times, putting the unit on a pace of 88 for the season.
Up Next: Browns at Eagles, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 13; Commanders at Ravens, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 13
Bears 36, Panthers 10
My take: This was Caleb Williams’s best game as a rookie to date. Chicago (3–2) got a much-needed win at home and its quarterback looked far more comfortable against a bad Carolina (1–4) team, throwing for 304 yards and two touchdowns. If Williams and the offense can stay on schedule and score 20-plus points, the Bears are going to be in the playoff hunt behind a marvelous defense. Chicago now goes to London for a date with the Jaguars before their bye week. Despite offensive struggles, the Bears could get to 4–2 and feeling good with a week off.
Stock up: D’Andre Swift is starting to earn that new contract. After gaining just 68 rushing yards through the first three weeks, Swift has now rushed for 166 yards on 4.4 yards per carry in wins over the Rams and Panthers.
Stock down: Andy Dalton had a tough day. Dalton deserves a ton of credit for stabilizing the team after replacing Bryce Young in Week 3, but Dalton only threw for 74 yards before the game got out of hand. For Carolina to have any shot, Dalton has to be efficient.
Up Next: Falcons at Panthers, 4:25 p.m. ET Oct. 13; Jaguars at Bears, 8:30 a.m. ET Oct. 13
Giants 29, Seahawks 20
My take: New York isn’t a playoff contender, but give the Giants credit. After being blown out by the Vikings in Week 1, they’ve split four games against the Commanders, Browns, Cowboys and Seahawks. Daniel Jones also deserves some acclaim, throwing for 257 yards and two touchdowns in the road win. Seattle (3–2) had a chance to extend its NFC West lead with a victory, but instead suffered its second consecutive loss, largely because the pass defense stunk again. Last week, Jared Goff went 18-of-18. This week, it was Jones hitting for good yardage early and often.
Stock up: Tyrone Tracy Jr.? Tyrone Tracy Jr.! After having a total of 12 carries and 29 rushing yards in his young career, Tracy took over the workload for Devin Singletary and gained 129 yards on 18 carries. It’ll be interesting to see how coach Brian Daboll uses Tracy once Singletary returns.
Stock down: Mike Macdonald’s calling card is being a defensive guru. Against the Lions, Macdonald’s defense couldn’t force an incomplete pass while permitting 389 yards and 42 points. This Sunday, it’s a convincing loss to the Giants, who moved the ball relentlessly. Not a great look.
Up Next: Bengals at Giants, 8:20 p.m. ET Oct. 13; Seahawks at 49ers, 7:15 p.m. ET Oct. 10
Broncos 34, Raiders 18
My take: It’s time for Las Vegas (2–3) to be honest with itself. After losing to Denver (3–2) in a game where the Raiders scored the first 10 points, there’s no reason to continue thinking about anything other than the future. General manager Tom Telesco should jettison Davante Adams to whoever will either give the highest pick or eat the most salary. As for the Broncos, they continue winning despite uneven production from Bo Nix. If Denver is going to remain competitive, Nix has to start hitting passes for chunk yardage on intermediate and deep throws.
Stock up: Give Vance Joseph his flowers. Denver’s only defensive star is Patrick Surtain II and yet the Broncos have one of the league’s best defenses by a litany of metrics. Joseph is the single biggest reason Denver isn’t 0–5.
Stock down: Antonio Pierce needs to figure out how to manage a team, and a game. The Raiders had a third-and-5 from the Broncos’ 45-yard line in the first half. They then ran for three yards … and punted. Meanwhile, he’s called out guys for making business decisions, benched Gardner Minshew II and liked an Instagram post about Davante Adams being traded. It’s a bad job.
Up Next: Steelers at Raiders, 4:05 p.m. ET Oct. 13; Chargers at Broncos, 4:05 p.m. ET Oct. 13
Jaguars 37, Colts 34
My take: At least for a week, Doug Pederson won’t have to hear about calls for his job. Jacksonville (1–4) finally won a game, beating Indianapolis (2–3) for the 10th consecutive game. The Jaguars were buoyed by Trevor Lawrence having the best performance of his season by a wide margin, going 28-of-34 for 371 yards and two touchdowns. Conversely, the Colts should be sick. Indianapolis could have gotten over .500 for the first time this season but instead watched the defense play horribly again, allowing 497 total yards to an offense ranked 25th entering the weekend.
Stock up: Brian Thomas Jr. has been overshadowed nationally by collegiate teammate Malik Nabers, but he’s been excellent. Through five weeks, Thomas has caught 17 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns, including an 85-yard spectacular against the Colts.
Stock down: The Colts’ defense. Indianapolis came into Sunday’s action dead last, permitting 399.8 yards per game. Jacksonville came in and shredded the unit with ease, consistently finding chunk plays in the passing game, including a 61-yard reception to Christian Kirk and an 85-yard touchdown to Thomas.
Up Next: Colts at Titans, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 13; Jaguars at Bears, 8:30 a.m. ET Oct. 13
Dolphins 15, Patriots 10
My take: Ugly as it was, Miami (2–3) saved its season going into the bye week. The Dolphins got just enough from Tyler Huntley, who threw for 194 yards on 31 attempts with an interception. Moving forward, the question is when will Tua Taglvailoa return to action from his Week 2 concussion? As for New England (1–4), a season-opening win may have obscured the fact that the Patriots are the worst team in football. It might be time to play Drake Maye if coach Jerod Mayo believes the line can hold up enough.
Stock up: After fumbling each of the first four weeks, Rhamondre Stevenson had to earn his role back. Stevenson did exactly that, scoring on a 33-yard rumble while amassing 89 yards on 12 carries. Most importantly, no fumbles.
Stock down: Everyone who decided to watch this game. A complete disaster of a choice. Raking leaves, cleaning the garage with a toothbrush or going to the DMV would have been more enjoyable.
Up Next: BYE; Texans at Patriots, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 13
THURSDAY
Falcons 36, Buccaneers 30 (OT)
My take: Cousins is showing why he’s a difference-maker. After struggling in Week 1, he has had Atlanta (3–2) in position to win every week, and had a career night against Tampa Bay (3–2) with 509 passing yards and four touchdown passes. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers have to be sick. The Falcons missed a field goal and threw an interception in the last seven minutes of the fourth quarter, but Tampa Bay couldn’t finish the game. Now, it trails Atlanta in the division via tiebreaker instead of having a two-game lead.
Stock up: Darnell Mooney signed a three-year deal with the Falcons this offseason, and he showed why Thursday. The former Chicago Bears wideout caught nine passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns. If Mooney can become a consistent weapon, it takes ample pressure off Drake London.
Stock down: Tampa Bay’s pass defense needs to be called out. The Buccaneers allowed Bo Nix to throw all over them (by his standards) in Week 3, giving up 216 passing yards and 26 points. Then this fiasco. It needs to be fixed with the Ravens, Falcons, Chiefs and 49ers coming up over the next five weeks.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as NFL Week 5 Recap: Who’s Up, Who’s Down, What’s Next for Every Team.
