Week 5 of the NFL season was once full of pleasure around the board. The Pittsburgh Steelers had an exhilarating victory over the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars shocked the Buffalo Bills, whilst the Miami Dolphins persevered their offensive blitzkrieg on the league. Oh, and the San Francisco 49ers overwhelmed the Dallas Cowboys.
Ja’Marr Chase and A.J. Brown shined whilst De’Von Achane and Zack Moss flashed once more. Joe Burrow in spite of everything appeared like Joe Burrow as smartly.
As the Sunday video games wrapped up in Week 5, there have been various overreactions to head round. Which are overreactions and which can be reality?
The Cowboys are paper tigers
Overreaction or reality: Reality
The similar script persists. The Cowboys blew out unhealthy soccer groups just like the Giants and Patriots and misplaced to a crew they should not within the Cardinals thru their first 4 video games of the season. The 49ers have been the true take a look at to end up how just right Dallas was once some of the NFC hierarchy.
Instead, the Cowboys submit a whole dud. Dak Prescott threw 3 interceptions in opposition to a 49ers protection that has his quantity (has 21 in his final 19 video games performed together with postseason) and the protection allowed 42 issues, having no resolution for Brock Purdy (4 touchdowns).
The Cowboys protection ruled Daniel Jones, Zach Wilson and Mac Jones (Josh Dobbs was once the opposite quarterback they confronted in that extend). Facing Purdy, they allowed 4 touchdowns and a 142.0 passer ranking.
The mixed file of the primary 4 warring parties Dallas confronted was once 5-15, outscoring warring parties 124-41. The 49ers have been 5-0 and the Cowboys have been outscored 42-10. They allowed extra issues to the 49ers than they did the former 4 video games.
Of direction, the Cowboys may not be in the end judged till January. Through 5 video games, the Cowboys are nonetheless paper tigers.
This is Bill Belichick’s final season training the Patriots
Overreaction or reality: Reality
Belichick must be embarrassed over what thePpatriots have grow to be. After Sunday’s 34-0 loss to the Saints, the Patriots were outscored 72-3 during the last two video games. New England has simply 55 issues on the season — or the Dolphins have scored extra in a single sport (70) than the Patriots have all yr.
The Patriots have been dealt back-to-back 30-point losses for first time since 1970 and Belichick has suffered the 2 worst losses of his occupation in consecutive weeks. In his first 453 video games as a head trainer, Belichick misplaced via 30 issues one time — he is misplaced via 30-plus issues in his final two video games.
New England is injured on protection and terrible on offense, benching Mac Jones in consecutive video games. The Patriots must do the suitable factor and thank Belichick for his super occupation with the group after the yr.
Maybe Belichick wishes a contemporary get started in other places. Or most likely the sport has handed Belichick via.
Dolphins have better offense than ‘Greatest Show on Turf’
Overreaction or reality: Reality
The Dolphins are simply making NFL historical past via the week at this level. Take a have a look at what Miami has completed:
- Most general yards (2,568) in any crew’s first 5 video games in NFL historical past (handed the 2000 Rams)
- Most yards in keeping with play (8.3) in any crew’s first 5 video games since 2000 Rams
- Most issues (181) in any crew’s first 5 video games since 2015 Patriots and 2015 Cardinals
The Dolphins lead the NFL in passing yards (1,639), yards in keeping with strive (10.0), dashing yards (929) and yards in keeping with rush (6.9) this season. They lead the NFL in yards in keeping with sport (511.0), yards in keeping with play (8.02), firts downs in keeping with sport (25.5), and issues in keeping with sport (37.5).
Miami simply leads the league in each primary offensive class with a shockingly balanced assault. The 2000 Rams (the historical get started for the ones 1999-2001 “Greatest Show on Turf” groups) did rating extra thru 5 video games (43.4 issues in keeping with sport), however the Dolphins beat them in yards in keeping with sport (505.4) and clobber them on the bottom. The 2000 Rams averaged 395.4 passing yards in keeping with sport however best 110.8 dashing yards, whilst the Dolphins are at 327.8 passing yards and 185.8 dashing yards.
Both offenses are file atmosphere, however the Dolphins have the threshold.
Overreaction or reality: Overreaction
Burrow undoubtedly has made a case that he’s again, particularly since this week was once the primary week all yr he wasn’t on the injured checklist. He threw for 316 yards and 3 touchdowns within the Bengals’ 34-20 win over the Cardinals, shifting round within the pocket and finishing a season-high 78.3% of his passes.
While Burrow’s numbers have been just right, he averaged simply 5.9 yards in keeping with strive. This was once with Ja’Marr Chase going off for 15 catches for 192 yards and 3 touchdowns. This was once a very good step in the suitable course for Burrow, wanted in opposition to a rebuilding Cardinals crew. The Seahawks — and getting Tee Higgins again — can be a just right take a look at for Burrow subsequent week.
Lamar Jackson simply is not a grab quarterback
Overreaction or reality: Overreaction
Games like Sunday are tricky to shield Jackson, particularly after how two of his ultimate 3 possessions went in opposition to the the Steelers past due within the fourth quarter. If the target line interception on third-and-goal up 10-8 wasn’t unhealthy sufficient, Jackson fumbled on the Ravens’ subsequent offensive ownership on the second one play after the Steelers scored a landing to take the 14-10 lead (Alex Highsmith pressured the fumble and TJ Watt recovered). The Ravens ended up dropping as Jackson had two turnovers within the fourth quarter.
Doesn’t imply Jackson is not a grab quarterback. He has a occupation 94.6 passer ranking within the fourth quarter with 25 passing touchdowns and 12 interceptions — whilst additionally having seven dashing touchdowns and four.1 yards in keeping with elevate. Jackson does have 9 game-winning drives since changing into a starter in 2019 (however the Ravens have in most cases been forward in fourth quarters below him since he is 42-17 as a starter.
The numbers say Jackson can get the process completed, even though he is thirteenth within the NFL out of 30 quarterbacks in passer ranking within the fourth quarter and time beyond regulation since 2019 (minimal 300 makes an attempt). Jackson is an enigma and Sunday added to that.
Overreaction or reality: Reality
The resolution to it is a resounding sure. After a 1-2 get started, who would have idea being the primary crew to play consecutive weeks in London could be sufficient for the Jaguars to get their act in combination? Jacksonville by no means let up in opposition to a Buffalo Bills crew that appeared like they performed in London for the primary time, dashing for 196 yards in opposition to a Bills protection that allowed simply 100.7 yards on the bottom to that time.
The protection additionally held Buffalo to simply 20 issues, this after the Bills averaged 41 issues in keeping with sport the former 3 weeks. Buffalo was once the freshest crew within the NFL heading into this sport and not led.
This will have been Doug Pederson’s signature win with the Jaguars, because the Jacksonville protection has held the Bills and Kansas City Chiefs to 20-or-less issues of their matchups. Both have been believed to be two of the most productive 3 groups within the AFC heading into the yr. The Jaguars have entered that dialog.
With the Indianapolis Colts, new Orleans Saints, and Pittsburgh Steelers bobbing up earlier than the bye week, the Jaguars have a golden alternative to solidify that Super Bowl contender standing via getting off to a 6-2 get started.
Overreaction or reality: Overreaction
The Colts simply paid Taylor and made him the highest-paid operating again in soccer. That is not going to occur.
However, Moss introduced the dialogue up after completing with 23 carries for 165 yards and two touchdowns (7.2 yards in keeping with elevate) in Indianapolis’ 23-16 win over Tennessee. Moss completed with 195 yards of offense and had 26 touches to Taylor’s 7. The Colts clearly rode the new hand, however Moss is likely one of the absolute best operating backs within the NFL thru 5 video games.
Moss is 0.33 within the NFL in dashing yards (445) and is one in every of 12 avid gamers to moderate 5.0 yards in keeping with elevate or upper (5.0). He’s additionally tied for 9th in dashing touchdowns (3). The Colts are paying Moss $1.1 million to be this productive.
Perhaps Moss may not get started, however his manufacturing thru 5 video games will have led to Indianapolis to overthink paying Taylor.
Jalen Carter is the Defensive Rookie of the Year
Overreaction or reality: Reality
What Carter has completed thru 5 video games for the Eagles has been particular. Carter was once a sport changer for the Eagles protection in Sunday’s win over the Rams, completing with two sacks, 3 pressures, and two quarterback hits. Carter is the 0.33 Eagles participant to have 3.5-plus sacks of their first 5 occupation video games, becoming a member of Corey Simon (4.0 in 2000) and Reggie White (4.5 in 1985).
Carter is tied for 7th within the NFL in pressures (23), main all defensive tackles. His force price of 17.8% may be 7th within the NFL (minimal 100 cross dashing snaps) and leads all NFL defensive tackles. He’s additionally tied for 0.33 among all defensive tackles in sacks, trailing best Chris Jones and Ed Oliver.
Who is aware of the place the Eagles protection could be with out Carter, however his have an effect on is felt each week. He’s the most productive defensive rookie in soccer thru 5 video games.