Week 5 of the NFL common season had no scarcity of thrilling moments, beautiful comebacks and questionable teaching choices.
Amid the craziness of this week’s slate, the Jacksonville Jaguars earned their first win of 2024, whereas the San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets have formally entered panic mode. In the meantime, the Cincinnati Bengals wasted one other distinctive efficiency from QB Joe Burrow in a loss that primarily ended their season.
Listed here are some knee-jerk reactions from the fifth week of the NFL season:
Not even Davante Adams can save the Jets offense
Regardless of having a wholesome Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, it is clear these are the identical outdated Jets. New York’s offense adopted up an embarrassing efficiency throughout final week’s 10-9 loss to Denver with one other tough efficiency towards the Vikings in London on Sunday. Not solely did the Jets offense muster simply 36 dashing yards within the 23-17 loss, however Rodgers additionally appeared as if his age has caught as much as him.
The 40-year-old completed 29-of-54 passing for 244 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions, certainly one of which was returned for a landing. By means of 5 video games, the Jets offense ranks twenty sixth in factors (18.6) and twenty seventh in yards per sport (286.6) after ending twenty ninth and thirty first in every division with a far much less proficient unit last season. Buying and selling for the six-time Professional Bowler Adams may assist Rodgers’ manufacturing, however New York’s points will not be fastened so long as OC Nathaniel Hackett calls performs.
Sean McDermott’s newest blunder provides to skepticism about his potential to steer the Payments to Tremendous Bowl title
McDermott has been no stranger to poor clock administration choices throughout his tenure as Payments head coach, however his gaffe throughout Sunday’s 23-20 highway loss to Houston is perhaps his worst but. Buffalo trailed 20-3 early within the third quarter earlier than scoring 17 unanswered factors to tie the sport with beneath 4 minutes remaining in regulation. After getting the ball again with 32 seconds remaining and the Payments at their very own three-yard line, McDermott questionably referred to as three straight passing performs, all of which resulted in incompletions.
Buffalo was pressured to punt, and after a 13-yard return, Houston wanted only one play to get into area aim vary earlier than Ka’imi Fairbairn hit the 59-yard game-winner. It is not possible to foretell whether or not the Payments may’ve prevailed in additional time, however McDermott’s choice was nothing in need of teaching malpractice. Sooner or later, the Payments should ask themselves whether or not they can proceed to spend QB Josh Allen’s prime years with McDermott on the helm.
Caleb Williams has arrived
After displaying indicators of progress throughout his earlier two video games, Williams lastly put all of it collectively throughout Sunday’s 36-10 drubbing of Carolina, delivering one of the best efficiency of his younger profession. The USC product appeared extra assured within the pocket and was an all-around higher decision-maker with the ball in his arms, finishing 69% of his passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns. Williams additionally would’ve scored a dashing landing within the third quarter, however the play was nullified because of a clipping penalty.
Though Williams hasn’t had the seamless transition to the NFL that No. 2 general decide Jayden Daniels has loved, this was the kind of outing that exhibits why he was worthy of being chosen first general. It’s going to be tough to supplant Daniels because the Offensive Rookie of the Yr front-runner, but when Williams can proceed to steadily enhance, the race for the award might be extra aggressive than initially anticipated.
Colts ought to promote excessive on Joe Flacco
Irrespective of the scenario, regardless of the uniform, it seems Flacco will at all times discover a solution to make an influence. After throwing two touchdowns in reduction throughout final week’s win over Pittsburgh, the 39-year-old began rather than Anthony Richardson for Sunday’s 37-34 highway loss to Jacksonville and delivered a heroic efficiency. Flacco threw for 359 yards and three touchdowns, together with a 65-yard strike to WR Alec Pierce, placing Indianapolis ready to tie the sport with 2:40 remaining in regulation earlier than Jacksonville kicked an eventual game-winning area aim.
Though Flacco has been extra productive than the oft-injured Richardson, there should not be a quarterback controversy in Indianapolis. The Colts spent the fourth general decide on Richardson simply final 12 months and should proceed to develop the uncooked expertise, regardless of how ugly the outcomes could have a look at occasions. Nonetheless, Indianapolis has one of many NFL’s most intriguing commerce candidates in Flacco, and it ought to capitalize on his worth by buying and selling him to a quarterback-needy group on the Nov. 5 deadline.
Can the Browns finish the Deshaun Watson experiment, please?
Browns HC Kevin Stefanski already shut down a possible quarterback change throughout his postgame information convention on Sunday, however at what level does sufficient turn out to be sufficient? Watson was disastrous towards a Commanders secondary that allowed 933 passing yards via the primary month of the season, ending Cleveland’s 34-13 highway loss 15-of-28 passing for 125 yards and one landing. The three-time Professional Bowler really performed worse than his lackluster stat line suggests, too, as his lone landing go got here in rubbish time.
By means of 5 video games, Watson has solely thrown 5 touchdowns and three interceptions whereas rating final amongst certified signal-callers in QBR (20.4). It would not matter that Watson is within the third season of a five-year, $230M assured deal. The 1-4 Browns must swallow their delight and begin Jameis Winston going ahead, or danger dropping the locker room, assuming Stefanski hasn’t already.
Packers’ Xavier McKinney needs to be within the dialog for greatest free-agent signing
Whereas Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley and Kirk Cousins are proving to be unbelievable additions to their new groups, McKinney has made a case to be thought of the highest signing from this previous offseason’s free company cycle. McKinney, who signed a four-year, $68M take care of Inexperienced Bay, has been a game-changer for a Packers protection that completed final season with the second-fewest interceptions within the NFL (seven).
Throughout Sunday’s 24-19 highway win over the Rams, McKinney added to his NFL interception lead, selecting off his fifth go in his fifth consecutive sport. In accordance with WIFR’s Mike Garrigan, McKinney is the fifth participant within the Tremendous Bowl period to have an interception in every of the primary 5 video games of a season. The previous New York Big can also be the primary participant to perform this feat with a brand new group.
49ers are proving the Tremendous Bowl hangover is actual
Is it technically a Tremendous Bowl hangover in case you aren’t the group that hoisted the Lombardi Trophy? Possibly, possibly not, however regardless, the reigning NFC champion 49ers are undoubtedly feeling some residual results from final season, contemplating they blew one more fourth-quarter double-digit throughout Sunday’s 24-23 house loss to Arizona. The loss marked the sixth time San Francisco blew a double-digit lead within the fourth quarter since Shanahan was employed in 2017, tied for probably the most within the NFL.
In fact, accidents have performed a component in San Francisco’s disappointing 2-3 begin to 2024. Nonetheless, the group’s struggles within the purple zone and lack of ability to shut out video games are of even larger concern for the 49ers. There is not any clear reply for methods to get issues again on observe, however Shanahan desperately wants to search out a solution shortly, or his group’s season will solely proceed to unravel.
Lamar Jackson is… higher than he was final season?
The Ravens signal-caller is a two-time MVP and is coming off a season the place he completed one first-place vote shy of changing into the primary participant to win the award unanimously twice. But, one way or the other, it is honest to say that Jackson has been extra spectacular to start this season than he was in 2023. Jackson was sensible throughout Baltimore’s thrilling 41-38 additional time highway win over Cincinnati, throwing for 348 yards and 4 touchdowns whereas dashing for 55 yards.
It is not possible to debate Jackson’s efficiency with out mentioning the ridiculous fourth-quarter touchdown pass to TE Isaiah Doubtless, a play throughout which he fumbled the snap, stiff-armed Bengals edge-rusher Sam Hubbard and threw a dime on the run.
To this point this season, the dual-threat Jackson ranks seventh in each passing (1,206) and dashing yards (363) and has accounted for 11 total touchdowns, tied for the third-most amongst quarterbacks. Jackson has been nothing in need of outstanding, particularly throughout Baltimore’s present three-game win streak, and thru 5 weeks, he is made a compelling case to be thought of the MVP front-runner.
