The List: Big offensive performances highlight Week 5 schedule
The List: Big offensive performances highlight Week 5 schedule
The NFL’s schedule in Week 5 featured more than a few close games, as well as several top-notch offensive performances. Here is a look back at the best and worst of the week.
WINNERS
Russell’s got muscle – The week started on Thursday night with a pivotal NFC West showdown between the Rams and Seahawks. Los Angeles quarterback Jared Goff might have had the better overall numbers (395 yards), but Russell Wilson turned in a great performance. The Seattle starter completed 17 of 23 passes for 268 yards and four touchdowns, but it took a late missed field goal by Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein to cement a 30-29 win for the home team.
Texans win offensive showdown – Offense was the name of the game in Houston, where the Texans and Falcons put on an expected slugfest. Matt Ryan threw for 330 yards and three scores, but Deshaun Watson countered with a highlight performance. Watson threw for 426 yards and five touchdowns and helped Will Fuller put up some gaudy numbers of his own (more on that later), as the host Texans prevailed, 53-32.
Meet the Smiths and Mr. Jones – Although Smith and Jones are pretty common surnames, the top players in the Packers win in Dallas on Sunday certainly did not turn in pedestrian games. Aaron Jones ran for 107 yards and four touchdowns in Green Bay’s 34-24 victory. The stars on the defensive side were Za’Darius and Preston Smith, collectively called the “Smith Brothers” (although they are not related). Za’Darius totaled three tackles and two sacks, and Preston added four tackles, a sack, and a pass defended. Dak Prescott threw for 463 yards and two touchdowns, but the Cowboys’ comeback effort fell short.
The best of the rest – Those were not the only great individual performances in Week 5. Among passers, Gardner Minshew threw for 374 yards, but the Jaguars fell to the Panthers. Tom Brady totaled 348 yards and three scores in New England’s win over Washington. Teddy Bridgewater tossed four touchdowns to lead the Saints over the Buccaneers. Finally, Pat Mahomes threw for 321 yards on Sunday night, but the Chiefs fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, thanks to a 19-13 loss to the Colts.
Many of those performances included passers finding with their favorite targets. Prescott’s big game benefitted Amari Cooper (11 catches, 226 yards) and Michael Gallup (seven catches, 113 yards) despite the Dallas loss. The aforementioned Fuller stepped up with 14 receptions, 217 yards and three touchdowns from Watson in Houston’s win over Atlanta. Bridgewater’s top target, Mike Thomas, collected 11 catches for 182 yards in a New Orleans victory. Chris Godwin caught seven passes for 125 yards in Tampa Bay’s losing effort in that same game, and the new top receiver in Jacksonville, D. J. Chark, had eight receptions for 164 yards against Carolina.
On the ground, Christian McCaffrey was the week’s top rusher with 176 yards and three total touchdowns in a Panthers victory. Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook dominated the Giants with 132 yards rushing and 86 receiving. While the defense gets quite a bit of credit in the Colts’ win over the Chiefs, Marlon Mack ran for 132 yards in the game. The fact that the Raiders-Bears game took place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London should take nothing away from Josh Jacobs’ performance. The rookie ran for 124 yards and two scores in Oakland’s 24-21 victory.
No problems in Minnesota – Despite one starting wide receiver (Adam Thielen) calling out quarterback Kirk Cousins in the media and the other (Stephon Diggs) publicly asking for a trade, everything seemed to work out well for the Vikings in a 28-10 win over the Giants on Sunday. Besides Cook’s performance, Cousins threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns, Thielen caught both scoring passes among his seven receptions for 130 yards and Diggs had three catches for 44 yards. The defense forced an interception out of rookie Daniel Jones and sacked him four times.
And then there were two – The Chiefs lost their first game of the season, leaving just the Patriots and 49ers as the remaining undefeated teams. New England struggled early but pulled away from the Redskins for a 33-7 win on Sunday afternoon, and the 49ers dominated throughout their game, topping the Browns, 31-3, on Monday night.
The epitome of toughness – The Buccaneers might be having a rough season, but Sunday’s loss to the Saints featured a gritty performance from one of their offensive linemen. Ryan Cappa played all 59 offensive snaps in the game, which isn’t surprising … until you factor in that he broke his arm in the second quarter and continued to play. He told reporters after the game that his injury was “just a bruise,” but he will miss several weeks. Tampa Bay might have a whole new right side of the offensive line next week, since tackle Demar Dotson suffered calf and hamstring injuries on Sunday.
LOSERS
Redskins find their scapegoat – After a 0-5 start that included blowout losses to the Bears, Giants, and Patriots the past three weeks, Washington fired head coach Jay Gruden on Monday. Just how early did he learn of that decision? Gruden was summoned to a meeting at the team’s facility at 5 a.m. by owner Daniel Snyder and team president Bruce Allen. Gruden was in the midst of his sixth season with the team, and he compiled a 35-49-1 record with one playoff appearance. The Redskins are scoring the fewest points in the NFC and giving up the second-most. Taking his place on an interim basis will be offensive line coach Bill Callahan, who had a 15-17 record in two seasons as Oakland’s head coach. In 2002, he took over for Jay’s brother, John, who left the Raiders to coach the Buccaneers. The teams met in Super Bowl XXXVII, with Tampa Bay winning, 48-21.
Falcons staying with Quinn – The only team in the NFC giving up more points than the Redskins is the Falcons. Although Atlanta is respectable on offense, a 1-4 record has some calling for Dan Quinn to be the next coach fired. However, owner Arthur Blank is sticking with Quinn, at least for now. Quinn is in his fifth season, and he has led the team to a 37-32 record. The Falcons were one colossal meltdown away from being Super Bowl champions three seasons ago, but Quinn tops the list of coaches who could be let go at the end of the season, if not sooner.
More Jets woes – The only saving grace for the Jets this season is that they share a division with the Dolphins. New York fell, 31-6, to the Eagles on Sunday, and the team has only scored 39 points in four games this season. Philadelphia forced Luke Falk into three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble), returned two for touchdowns and sacked him 10 times. Sam Darnold cannot return from mononucleosis soon enough.
All hype, little substance – Coming into the season, there was plenty of focus on the Cleveland Browns. What would Baker Mayfield do in a full season as a starter? How good will the tandem of former LSU teammates Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. be in the NFL? Beckham and Mayfield talked a lot of smack about Beckham’s old team, the Giants, but both currently have 2-3 records. The only difference is the Giants were SUPPOSED to have that record. Meanwhile, Mayfield has received plenty of hype then laid an 8-for-22 egg on Monday night in a 31-3 loss to the 49ers. Beckham, who was supposed to be the team’s offensive catalyst, only has 23 catches for 335 yards and a touchdown. He caught two passes for 27 yards and lost a fumble against San Francisco. Landry has been held scoreless and has hauled in just 22 passes for 403 yards. If Mayfield isn’t careful, his next Progressive commercial will feature him sweeping off the “Home” mat he put down at FirstEnergy Stadium in an apron instead of jeans and a flannel shirt.
How does this happen? – During Sunday’s game between the Steelers and Ravens in Pittsburgh, quarterback Mason Rudolph was knocked unconscious midway through the third quarter. Rudolph scrambled and completed the pass to James Washington for the first down, but Earl Thomas caught Rudolph with his helmed against the facemask, and replays show Rudolph going limp before dropping to the ground. Although the hit was dangerous, the next part was inexcusable. The medical cart at Heinz Field broke down, so instead of being carted off the field, Rudolph had to walk off with the help of teammates and trainers. I’m not sure how this can happen, NFL (or Steelers). How can these things not be checked out before each game? The NFL is a $10 billion a year industry. Even if you value those carts at the price of a small car (let’s say, $20,000), replacing the cart at every NFL stadium every year would cost around $640,000. You need to step up and spend the money so this doesn’t happen again.
Injuries, Week 5 edition – Cowboys right tackle La’el Collins sprained the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his left knee during Sunday’s loss to the Packers. He has not been ruled out for this week’s game against the Jets, but he may sit through Dallas’ bye on October 27. Chargers center Mike Pouncey left the game against the Broncos with a neck injury. His status for Sunday night’s game against the Steelers is unknown. Bengals tackle Andre Smith has the same status for this week so far. Smith left Sunday’s game against the Cardinals with an ankle injury. Ravens safety Tony Jefferson sustained an ACL tear and possibly more during the overtime win against the Steelers. Jefferson will miss the rest of the season. Three more players are in the league’s concussion protocol this week: Bengals wide receiver/kick returner Alex Erickson, Packers center Corey Linsley and Giants running back Wayne Gallman. Finally, after getting kicked by Seahawks running back Chris Carson during Thursday night’s game, Rams linebacker and longtime Packer Clay Matthews suffered a broken jaw. He will undergo surgery and miss at least four games.
Zay Jones era ends in Buffalo – The search for a true number one receiver in Buffalo continues. Jay Jones, an East Tennessee State product the Bills drafted in the second round in 2017, was traded to the Raiders on Tuesday for a 2021 fifth-round pick. Jones has never lived up to his potential, totaling 90 receptions for 1,037 yards and nine touchdowns in 36 games, including just seven catches for 69 yards this season. The trade should open up more snaps for receivers Isaiah McKenzie, Robert Foster and Duke Williams in Buffalo, while Jones will look for catches behind Tyrell Williams and J.J. Nelson in Oakland.
Cardinals owner Bidwill dies - Bill Bidwill, the longest-tenured owner in the NFL, died last Wednesday at age 88. He started as a ball boy when the team played in Chicago and his father, Charles, bought the team in 1933. After Charles’ death in 1947, his wife, Violet took control. Bill and Charles Jr. inherited the team upon their mother’s death in 1962, but Bill bought out his brother 10 years later. Under Bill, the Cardinals moved from St. Louis to Arizona in 1988. The Cardinals reached their only Super Bowl after the 2008 season (a loss to the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII) and also played in the 2015 NFC Championship Game. Bill’s son, Michael, will take over control of the team. He has served as team president since 2007.
-By: Kevin Rakas