Week 5 of the NFL season was crammed with pleasure throughout the board. The Pittsburgh Steelers had an exhilarating victory over the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars surprised the Buffalo Payments, whereas the Miami Dolphins continued their offensive blitzkrieg on the league. Oh, and the San Francisco 49ers crushed the Dallas Cowboys.
Ja’Marr Chase and A.J. Brown shined whereas De’Von Achane and Zack Moss flashed once more. Joe Burrow lastly regarded like Joe Burrow as effectively.
Because the Sunday video games wrapped up in Week 5, there have been loads of overreactions to go round. That are overreactions and that are actuality?
The Cowboys are paper tigers
Overreaction or actuality: Actuality
The identical script persists. The Cowboys blew out unhealthy soccer groups just like the Giants and Patriots and misplaced to a staff they should not within the Cardinals via their first 4 video games of the season. The 49ers have been the true check to show how good Dallas was among the many NFC hierarchy.
As a substitute, the Cowboys put up an entire dud. Dak Prescott threw three 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 factors, having no reply for Brock Purdy (4 touchdowns).
The Cowboys protection dominated Daniel Jones, Zach Wilson and Mac Jones (Josh Dobbs was the opposite quarterback they confronted in that stretch). Going through Purdy, they allowed 4 touchdowns and a 142.0 passer ranking.
The mixed file of the primary 4 opponents Dallas confronted was 5-15, outscoring opponents 124-41. The 49ers have been 5-0 and the Cowboys have been outscored 42-10. They allowed extra factors to the 49ers than they did the earlier 4 video games.
In fact, the Cowboys will not be finally judged till January. By 5 video games, the Cowboys are nonetheless paper tigers.
That is Invoice Belichick’s final season teaching the Patriots
Overreaction or actuality: Actuality
Belichick ought to be embarrassed over what thePpatriots have turn out to be. After Sunday’s 34-0 loss to the Saints, the Patriots have been outscored 72-3 during the last two video games. New England has simply 55 factors on the season — or the Dolphins have scored extra in a single recreation (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 profession in consecutive weeks. In his first 453 video games as a head coach, Belichick misplaced by 30 factors one time — he is misplaced by 30-plus factors in his final two video games.
New England is injured on protection and horrible on offense, benching Mac Jones in consecutive video games. The Patriots ought to do the correct factor and thank Belichick for his large profession with the group after the yr.
Possibly Belichick wants a recent begin some other place. Or maybe the sport has handed Belichick by.
Dolphins have higher offense than ‘Biggest Present on Turf’
Overreaction or actuality: Actuality
The Dolphins are simply making NFL historical past by the week at this level. Check out what Miami has achieved:
- Most complete yards (2,568) in any staff’s first 5 video games in NFL historical past (handed the 2000 Rams)
- Most yards per play (8.3) in any staff’s first 5 video games since 2000 Rams
- Most factors (181) in any staff’s first 5 video games since 2015 Patriots and 2015 Cardinals
The Dolphins lead the NFL in passing yards (1,639), yards per try (10.0), speeding yards (929) and yards per rush (6.9) this season. They lead the NFL in yards per recreation (511.0), yards per play (8.02), firts downs per recreation (25.5), and factors per recreation (37.5).
Miami simply leads the league in each main offensive class with an extremely balanced assault. The 2000 Rams (the historic begin for these 1999-2001 “Biggest Present on Turf” groups) did rating extra via 5 video games (43.4 factors per recreation), however the Dolphins beat them in yards per recreation (505.4) and clobber them on the bottom. The 2000 Rams averaged 395.4 passing yards per recreation however solely 110.8 speeding yards, whereas the Dolphins are at 327.8 passing yards and 185.8 speeding yards.
Each offenses are file setting, however the Dolphins have the sting.
Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction
Burrow definitely has made a case that he’s again, particularly since this week was the primary week all yr he wasn’t on the injured listing. He threw for 316 yards and three touchdowns within the Bengals’ 34-20 win over the Cardinals, transferring round within the pocket and finishing a season-high 78.3% of his passes.
Whereas Burrow’s numbers have been good, he averaged simply 5.9 yards per try. This was with Ja’Marr Chase going off for 15 catches for 192 yards and three touchdowns. This was a wonderful step in the correct route for Burrow, wanted in opposition to a rebuilding Cardinals staff. The Seahawks — and getting Tee Higgins again — will likely be a great check for Burrow subsequent week.
Lamar Jackson simply is not a clutch quarterback
Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction
Video games like Sunday are troublesome to defend Jackson, particularly after how two of his closing three possessions went in opposition to the the Steelers late within the fourth quarter. If the objective line interception on third-and-goal up 10-8 wasn’t unhealthy sufficient, Jackson fumbled on the Ravens’ subsequent offensive possession on the second play after the Steelers scored a landing to take the 14-10 lead (Alex Highsmith compelled the fumble and TJ Watt recovered). The Ravens ended up shedding as Jackson had two turnovers within the fourth quarter.
Doesn’t suggest Jackson is not a clutch quarterback. He has a profession 94.6 passer ranking within the fourth quarter with 25 passing touchdowns and 12 interceptions — whereas additionally having seven speeding touchdowns and 4.1 yards per carry. Jackson does have 9 game-winning drives since changing into a starter in 2019 (however the Ravens have usually been forward in fourth quarters underneath him since he is 42-17 as a starter.
The numbers say Jackson can get the job finished, even when he is thirteenth within the NFL out of 30 quarterbacks in passer ranking within the fourth quarter and extra time since 2019 (minimal 300 makes an attempt). Jackson is an enigma and Sunday added to that.
Overreaction or actuality: Actuality
The reply to it is a resounding sure. After a 1-2 begin, who would have thought being the primary staff to play consecutive weeks in London can be sufficient for the Jaguars to get their act collectively? Jacksonville by no means let up in opposition to a Buffalo Payments staff that regarded like they performed in London for the primary time, speeding for 196 yards in opposition to a Payments protection that allowed simply 100.7 yards on the bottom to that time.
The protection additionally held Buffalo to only 20 factors, this after the Payments averaged 41 factors per recreation the earlier three weeks. Buffalo was the most popular staff within the NFL heading into this recreation and by no means led.
This will likely have been Doug Pederson’s signature win with the Jaguars, because the Jacksonville protection has held the Payments and Kansas Metropolis Chiefs to 20-or-less factors of their matchups. Each have been believed to be two of the most effective three groups within the AFC heading into the yr. The Jaguars have entered that dialog.
With the Indianapolis Colts, new Orleans Saints, and Pittsburgh Steelers arising earlier than the bye week, the Jaguars have a golden alternative to solidify that Super Bowl contender standing by getting off to a 6-2 begin.
Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction
The Colts simply paid Taylor and made him the highest-paid working again in soccer. That is not going to occur.
Nonetheless, Moss introduced the dialogue up after ending with 23 carries for 165 yards and two touchdowns (7.2 yards per carry) 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 recent hand, however Moss is likely one of the greatest working backs within the NFL via 5 video games.
Moss is third within the NFL in speeding yards (445) and is one among 12 gamers to common 5.0 yards per carry or greater (5.0). He is additionally tied for ninth in speeding touchdowns (3). The Colts are paying Moss $1.1 million to be this productive.
Maybe Moss will not begin, however his manufacturing via 5 video games could have induced Indianapolis to overthink paying Taylor.
Jalen Carter is the Defensive Rookie of the 12 months
Overreaction or actuality: Actuality
What Carter has finished via 5 video games for the Eagles has been particular. Carter was a recreation changer for the Eagles protection in Sunday’s win over the Rams, ending with two sacks, three pressures, and two quarterback hits. Carter is the third Eagles participant to have 3.5-plus sacks of their first 5 profession video games, becoming a member of Corey Simon (4.0 in 2000) and Reggie White (4.5 in 1985).
Carter is tied for seventh within the NFL in pressures (23), main all defensive tackles. His strain fee of 17.8% can also be seventh within the NFL (minimal 100 cross speeding snaps) and leads all NFL defensive tackles. He is additionally tied for third amongst all defensive tackles in sacks, trailing solely Chris Jones and Ed Oliver.
Who is aware of the place the Eagles protection can be with out Carter, however his influence is felt each week. He is the most effective defensive rookie in soccer via 5 video games.
