Analysis
10/9/23
16 min read
Everything You Need to Know from NFL Week 5
Week 5 in the NFL featured an exciting upset in London, a blowout in New England and a nail-biter in Atlanta as teams continued to battle for an early edge in the 2023 season.
After an exciting slate of Sunday action in Week 5, The 33rd Team breaks down key plays, stats and insights from around the NFL.
>>READ: Biggest Winners, Losers From Week 5
Jaguars 25, Bills 20
Key Injuries Heading In
Jaguars: LB Devin Lloyd, DE Dawuane Smoot
Bills: DE Greg Rousseau, CB Tre'Davious White
Jaguars' Offense Dominates
QB Trevor Lawrence went 25 of 37 for 315 yards and a touchdown en route to a 102.9 rating for the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2). RB Travis Etienne had a monster game, rushing for 136 of his 184 all-purpose yards and running for two TDs. Jacksonville's offense amassed 474 total yards, 29 first downs and 38:12 time of possession.
Slow Start, Key Injury Doom Bills
All-Pro LB Matt Milano sustained a serious knee injury in the first quarter, which was a crushing loss for the Buffalo Bills (3-2). Milano led the Bills defense in five categories in 2022, including solo tackles (72), TFLs (12) and interception return yards (84).
The Bills' 11-7 halftime deficit marked the first time they did not lead a game by 10 or more points in 2023. Jacksonville's offense had more total yards, first downs and led time of possession.
Colts 23, Titans 16
Key Injuries Heading In
Titans: WR Treylon Burks, OL Nicholas Petit-Frere, DT Teair Tart, LB Luke Gifford
Colts: DE Kwity Paye, OL Bernhard Raimann, LB Shaquille Leonard
Minshew Mania Comes to Indy, Again
Indianapolis Colts rookie QB Anthony Richardson was knocked out of a game due to an injury for the third time this season. This one was to his shoulder and again came while running the ball, although X-rays came back normal. Backup Gardner Minshew directed the Colts to a victory in relief for the third time this season. The victory moved the Colts (3-2) into a tie for first in the AFC South.
Hopkins Torches Colts' Secondary
DeAndre Hopkins was one bright spot for the Tennessee Titans (2-3), catching eight passes for 140 yards. That continued a 2023 trend of opposing receivers lighting up Indianapolis' secondary. Calvin Ridley had an 8-140-1 line in Week 1, Nico Collins went 7-146-1 in Week 2, and Puka Nacua went 9-163-1 last week.
Titans' Run Defense folds
Colts RB Zack Moss had a career-high 165 rushing yards on 23 carries (7.2 average) against what had been the NFL's fourth-ranked rushing defense (2.9 yards per rush). Indianapolis averaged 5.7 yards per rush and that was with Jonathan Taylor only going for 18 yards on six carries. Tennessee had not allowed 100 yards to a team in its past 10 games and a 100-yard rusher in its past 20. The Colts, meanwhile, limited Derrick Henry to 43 yards on 13 carries (3.3 average).
Saints 34, Patriots 0
Patriots' Offense, Jones Struggle Again
Nothing went right for the New England Patriots' offense. QB Mac Jones (12 of 22 for 110 yards, two interceptions and a fumble) was replaced by Bailey Zappe early in the fourth quarter for the second week in a row. Zappe fared no better, going 3 for 9 for just 22 yards. One of Jones' interceptions was returned (by Tyrann Mathieu) for a score for the second game in a row. The ground game wasn't any better, generating just 45 yards on 18 carries (2.5-yard average). Add it up and the Patriots (1-4) have yet to top 20 points in a game this season and their 10 turnovers are the franchise's most through five games since 1995.
Saints Play Mistake-Free
The New Orleans Saints (3-2) were everything the Patriots weren't — turnover-free and efficient. Derek Carr went 18 of 16 for 183 yards and two TDs — and no interceptions. Alvin Kamara rushed for 80 of the Saints' 136 yards. New Orleans outgained the hosts 304-156, had a 17-8 first down edge and dominated time of possession (39:34-20:26)
Steelers 17, Ravens 10
Key Injuries Heading In
Ravens: DE Odafe Oweh, OL Morgan Moses
Steelers: TE Pat Freiermuth, OT Dan Moore, OL James Daniels
Points at a Premium
To the surprise of few, this game was low-scoring. The Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) won for the second time in 2023 while managing just one offensive touchdown and in the process pulled into a tie for first in the AFC North with the Baltimore Ravens. Ironically, WR George Pickens scored that TD each time (Sunday and Week 2 vs. the Cleveland Browns). Pittsburgh won despite leading for only the final 1:17 of the game.
High Watt-age Performer
DE T.J. Watt has found another gear this season. His two sacks gave him eight through five games. He added a batted pass and a forced fumble.
Ravens Lose Their Grip
Ravens receivers dropped seven passes Sunday after having only three combined in the season's first four weeks. It was the worst performance by Baltimore's receivers since Week 3 in 2020.
Falcons 21, Texans 19
Key Injuries Heading In
Texans: LB Christian Harris, CB Shaquill Griffin
Falcons Ride Ridder to Victory
QB Desmond Ridder powered the Atlanta Falcons (3-2) to a comeback victory that featured Younghoe Koo's walk-off 37-yard field goal. Ridder's first career 300-yard passing game was a gem. He went 28 of 37 for 329 yards, passed for a score and ran for another while finishing with a 111.2 passer rating. Ridder was at his best when it counted the most, leading four drives of seven plays or more with three leading to scores. He was 5-for-5 on the winning drive.
Ground to a Halt
Atlanta's usually potent ground game was held to 96 yards, including just 46 by super rookie Bijan Robinson and 40 by Tyler Allgeier, a 2022 1,000-yard rusher. That was despite the duo combing for 31 carries.
Stroud Continues to Impress
Rookie QB C.J. Stroud isn't letting up for the Houston Texans (2-3). Stroud set an NFL record for most passing attempts to begin a career without an interception at 176 and extended it to 186 at game's end. He went 20 of 35 for 249 yards and a touchdown pass to TE Dalton Schultz with 1:49 remaining to cap a clutch, 75-yard drive for a short-lived 19-18 lead. Schultz had seven receptions for 65 yards.
Lions 42, Panthers 24
Key Injuries Heading In
Panthers: OL Austin Corbett, TE Stephen Sullivan, DB Xavier Woods
Lions: DB Brian Branch, LB Jason Cabinda, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
Lions Pick On Depleted Panthers
The Detroit Lions (4-1) jumped to a 28-10 halftime lead as QB Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes against a Carolina Panthers secondary that was missing three starters. Goff went 13 of 17 for 143 yards while ringing up a 140.4 passer rating (his fourth-best half as a Lion) in the first 30 minutes. Detroit also ran for 70 yards on 11 first-half carries. The Panthers (0-5) either turned the ball over or scored on every drive of the first half except the opening one.
Young Looks for Thielen
There is veteran Adam Thielen and then everyone else in QB Bryce Young's world. The rookie completed 11 of 13 passes to Thielen for 107 yards and a touchdown. That didn't help much in the third quarter, however, when the Panthers held the ball for just 3:02 - the fifth-lowest mark of any third quarter this season. Carolina's offense struggled so much at times that Lions WR Craig Reynolds gained more yards on one drive (49) than any Panthers back had the entire game.
Where's the Pressure?
Neither team had much success rushing the passer. The Lions pressured Young just 25.7 percent of the time, while the Panthers put the heat on Goff on only 13.3 percent of snaps.
Dolphins 31, Giants 16
Key Injuries Heading In
Giants: OT Andrew Thomas, OL John Michael Schmitz, OL Shane Lemieux, RB Saquon Barkley
Dolphins: OL Robert Jones, DB Nik Needham
Dolphins' Offense on Record Pace
The Miami Dolphins (4-1) amassed 524 yards, giving them 2,568 thus far, an NFL record through five games. The Dolphins averaged an incredible 9.7 yards per play. Rookie RB De'Von Achane rushed for 151 yards on only 11 carries (13.7-yard average) and dashed 76 yards for a touchdown, making him the only player in the Super Bowl era with seven touchdowns in his first four games. Achane also was the first Dolphin to rush for 100 yards in three consecutive games since Jay Ajayi in 2016. WR Tyreek Hill also had a big day with eight receptions for 181 yards and a touchdown. Hill has 651 receiving yards this season.
Miami Track Team
Achane reached 21.76 mph on his touchdown run, while Hill hit 22.01 mph on his 64-yard reception. Those gave the Dolphins the seven fastest runs in the NFL this season — Hill and Achane each have three and RB Raheem Mostert has one.
Jones Adds to Giants' Injury Woes
Already down four starters on offense, the New York Giants (1-4) lost QB Daniel Jones to a neck injury in the fourth quarter after Miami sacked him a sixth time. The Dolphins also sacked backup Tyrod Taylor once and had a total of 14 quarterback hits.
Pinnock INT Return Sets Giants Record
New York forced three turnovers, including Jason Pinnock's 102-yard interception return for a touchdown. That tied for the longest in the Giants' history and marked the team's first first-half score this season. It also was their only touchdown Sunday.
Bengals 34, Cardinals 20
Key Injuries Heading In
Bengals: WR Tee Higgins, CB Chidobe Awuzie, LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, C Trey Hill
Cardinals: DL Jonathan Ledbetter, S Budda Baker
Bengals Offense Breaks Out
Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase returned to normal. The Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) scored a first-half touchdown for the first time this season, and their three touchdowns matched the offense's total through the first four weeks. Burrow completed his first 10 passes and finished 36 of 46 for 317 yards with three touchdowns to Chase and an interception. Chase set a franchise record with 15 receptions for 192 yards. Chase surpassing the 100-yard threshold bodes well for the Bengals, who are 9-2 when he does so. Fourteen of Chase's catches went for first downs.
Not To Be Outdone ...
The Bengals defense generated three turnovers, including Cam Taylor-Britt's interception return for a touchdown right before halftime.
Cardinals Endure Two More Key Injuries
RB James Conner sustained a second-quarter knee injury, while safety Jalen Thompson left with a hamstring injury in the same quarter for the Arizona Cardinals (1-4). ... WR Marquise Brown had another solid game, hauling in four passes for 61 yards and a touchdown.
Eagles 23, Rams 14
Key Injuries Heading In
Eagles: S Sydney Brown, DT Fletcher Cox
Rams: OL Joe Noteboom, OL Zach Thomas
Philly Road Warriors
The Philadelphia Eagles have won 11 straight road games with Jalen Hurts at quarterback as the Eagles' offense controlled the game in their win over the Los Angeles Rams. Philadelphia posted 454 total yards — 159 rushing yards and 295 passing yards. The Eagles ran 78 offensive plays and dominated in time of possession (37:55) against the Rams (22:05). Philadelphia’s offense excelled on third down, allowing them to extend drives. They converted 13 of 18 (72.2 percent) third down attempts. The Eagles scored points on drives of 12, 15, 17 and 10 plays.
Hurts to Goedert a Winning Combo
Dallas Goedert had eight receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. His targets and receptions in the game were season-highs for the tight end. He entered this game with only 88 receiving yards over the first four weeks.
Brotherly Shove
The Eagles leaned on their version of the QB sneak versus the Rams. Since 2022, the QB sneak conversion percentage on third or fourth and 1 for the Eagles is 92.5 percent, while the rest of the NFL averages 81.4 percent. They were three for four with a touchdown versus the Rams on QB sneaks and, since 2022, have run the play 42 times and have scored nine touchdowns.
Kupp’s Return No Harm to Nacua
Cooper Kupp finished the game with eight receptions on 12 targets for 118 yards. However, he did most of his damage early in the game and only had two receptions for 23 yards in the second half. Puka Nacua brought in seven receptions on 11 targets with one receiving touchdown. Quarterback Matthew Stafford finished the day 21 for 37, adding 222 yards and two touchdowns.
Jets 31, Broncos 21
Key Injuries Heading In
Jets: DB D.J. Reed, DB Brandin Echols
Broncos: RB Javonte Williams
Jets Snap Three-Game Losing Streak
Nathaniel Hackett gets the win over his former team as the New York Jets record safeties in back-to-back games for the first time in franchise history.
Breece Hall Unleashed
In his first game without a snap count, Breece Hall finished with 22 rushes for 177 yards (eight yards per rush), including a 72-yard touchdown.
Slow Starts Continue for Jets’ Defense
The Jets' defense continued to get off to a slow start as they allowed scores on their first three defensive series. This season, in the first quarter, they are 31st in yards per play, 32nd in yards per first quarter and 28th in opponents points per game.
Jets’ Offense Didn’t Make It Easy
The Jets’ offense did not score a single touchdown on their five red zone trips and converted on 25 percent of third downs. They also had terrible clock management at the end of the first half, preventing them from getting a field goal attempt before time expired. Zach Wilson had a costly pick at the end of the game while in field goal range.
Jets OL Injuries
Mekhi Becton, Alijah Vera-Tucker and Joe Tippmann got hurt during the game. Vera-Tucker did not return to the game.
Russell Wilson’s Woes
Russell Wilson had just 66 passing yards before the fourth quarter and fumbled on the game's last drive, leading to a Jets defensive touchdown. Wilson averaged just 5.7 air yards per pass attempt against a banged-up Jets secondary, and he was pressured on 40 percent of his dropbacks.
Denver’s Disappointing Rush Defense
In the first four weeks of the season, the Denver Broncos allowed the most rushing yards in the league (704). Their struggles continued as they allowed 234 rushing yards to the Jets, allowing eight rushes for first downs.
Chiefs 27, Vikings 20
Key Injuries Heading In
Chiefs: DT Matt Dickerson, LB Nick Bolton, OL Wanya Morris
Vikings: S Lewis Cine, DL Khyiris Tonga
Vikings Fall Just Short
One score separated these teams for 54 minutes and 26 seconds of the game. The Minnesota Vikings had six drives where they could have taken the lead with a touchdown but could not. The Vikings could not consistently get it done on third down, converting six of 14 chances (42.9 percent). Although, they did convert four of five fourth-down chances (80.0 percent). The Vikings fumbled on the first play of the game and have lost a league-high eight fumbles this season. That was their only turnover of the game, though.
Second Half Struggles
The game was tied at halftime at 13-13. During the third quarter, the Vikings ran nine offensive plays for 45 yards and three first downs. They did not score a point, while the Kansas City Chiefs completed 81.3 percent of their passes and gained 133 yards from scrimmage during two scoring drives spanning 11 minutes and 17 seconds. The Vikings scored a touchdown at the beginning of the fourth quarter to bring them within seven but could not find a way to score on their next two chances. The series after the touchdown, the Vikings failed to convert on fourth down for the first time in the game on fourth and 12 on the Kansas City 24-yard line after gaining 56 yards on the previous nine plays. And on the last possession of the game, Minnesota advanced from their 19-yard line to the Kansas City 43-yard line with six seconds left, but the game ended with a sack on Kirk Cousins.
Kansas City’s Concerns
The Chiefs struggled in the first half, scoring a touchdown and two field goals. Patrick Mahomes completed 74.2 percent of his passes in the first half, going 15 for 22, racking up 105 yards and a touchdown. Mahomes completed just one of his four pass attempts of 20+ yards or more. In the first half, the Chiefs ran the ball nine times for 36 yards (4.0 yards per carry) and a touchdown. The Vikings played in dime defense (40.6 percent) and nickel defense (43.8 percent), a combined 84.4 percent of the time. But, the Chiefs only gained 18 yards on five rushes facing seven or fewer defenders in the box, compared with 18 yards on four attempts and a touchdown against eight or more defenders in the box.
Can’t Close it Down
Defensively, they allowed 4.3 yards per rush but denied the Vikings on third down, allowing them to convert on 42.9 percent of chances. They also struggled to close the door on the Vikings. In the fourth quarter, they ran seven times and passed only three. Mahomes completed all three passes for 17 yards. They gained only 21 yards on those seven rush attempts (3.0 yards per rush). They held the ball for one minute and 45 seconds more than the Vikings in the fourth, but the failure to score is a concern.
Quiet Day from Skill Position Group
Travis Kelce and Justin Watson were the only receivers to gain more than 50 yards (67 and 56, respectively). Isiah Pacheco struggled to find room, gaining 3.4 yards per rush on average. Pacheco ran 16 times for 55 yards and a touchdown. His longest run of the night was 11 yards, but he also averaged 0.94 yards before contact and 2.56 yards after contact.
