NFL WEEK 5 RECAP
NFL Week 5 Recap
By: Andrew Ferguson
This week on the country’s most watched reality TV series, the NFL did not disappoint once again. The drama is just nonstop and I truly feel like I’m invested into the most twisted TV series I’ve ever watched and the writers are… a chef’s kiss. Week 5 had upsets, trades (secret trades), come from behind wins and heavyweight matchups. Are you not entertained?!?! Seriously, there are people in this world that don’t care about football or the NFL and I just don’t get it. I think they’re just trying to prove a point and like the attention. All you’re proving to me is that you’re a huge douchebag. “I’d rather just ride dirtbikes.” Okay that’s cool, but you can also still be a fan of this stuff! Whatever, more for me.
The drama all started Thursday, and didn’t stop until Monday night’s potential Super Bowl matchup preview. What.A.Week. And how about that London game? Now, being on Mountain time and watching an NFL game at 7:30 am is a little early. But you’re gosh darn right I woke up and watched the whole thing. It was a struggle of a game, but I never looked away. Not like that crying little Eagles fan. But having 4 windows of football on a Sunday is a wife’s worst nightmare. Thankfully mine was out of town and I CRUSHED each time block. And as always, I’m here to break down what in the hell is going on in 2026.
1) Who’s Your Favorite Undefeated Team?
After week 5, we have 3 undefeated teams. So nothing has changed. But the Chiefs sitting at 4-0 already had a bye and the Vikings and 49ers moved to 5-0. Let’s start with the Vikings. Once again, they got the win, but it wasn’t something I’m foaming over the mouth at. Kyler was efficient, the run game was good and their stars showed up. I’m still not 100% sold on this team as being Super Bowl contenders, but winning is winning and I think I need to finally put them into my top 5 power rankings. If Kyler can continue to play like this, this team is legit. The defense literally shut down the Saints as they had 150 yards of total offense. So to answer the question, the 49ers proved to me why they’re my favorite undefeated team over the Chiefs. I just feel San Francisco has answered more questions for me than the Chiefs have. The 49ers have already beaten solid opponents in the Rams, Seahawks and Broncos while Purdy is putting up MVP numbers. Even with the weapons that are hurt in San Fran, the others are stepping up big time. Kittle looks like his old self, Mike Evans looks 23 instead of 33 and CMC is having his reps managed, but still efficient. I don’t see a hole in this team and they should be on everyone’s list as NFC title contenders.
I have doubts with the Chiefs on a few things. We’ve already seen some of their pass catchers go down so I question if Mahomes is going to be able to get the ball downfield like he used to. I love what Ken Walker is doing but I just don’t know if it is sustainable given his injury history and volume he’s currently receiving. He’s been the biggest offensive free agent signing in my mind this year and if he were to go down at any point, this team would struggle big time. But overall, I love what I’m seeing out of the 49ers and they’re number 1 in my power rankings.
2) Bo Nix Isn’t and Won’t Be the Reason the Broncos Win Anything
Have you seen the meme of the guy that looks skeptical with the eerie music playing in the background. It says “Me trying to claim Bo Nix is ass but I just can’t prove it.” I love this meme because it’s so true. Even with the playcalling change in Denver, Bo had no success. He’s currently managing this offense at the bare minimum. He makes bad reads, makes bad decisions and just overall misplaces the ball. The Broncos are sitting at 3-2 because they keep getting bailed out by their defense. Bo doesn’t pass the eye test or number’s test and we’re seeing regression from last year. They were one game away from the Super Bowl last year but again, it came with a historic defense behind them. I’m interested to see how long the Bo Nix era lasts and between him and Peyton, who is here longer. My money is on Sean Peyton. But with the surrounding weapons the Broncos have on offense, it’s crazy to see these struggles and all fingers point to Bo.
3) The NFC East is Wide Open
Let’s start with my favorite topic of the entire week. What were the Commanders thinking?!? The question is, ‘who's to blame?’ and I keep hearing one or the other. How about you blame both Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels? I think they’re both idiots for how that game ended. Why are you running the clock down in a game where the next score wins the game anyway? Just kick the field goal and you win! Dan Quinn should’ve known what to do better, and regardless, Jayden Daniels should know to look at the clock and throw the ball away. Just an inexcusable way to not win a game and the Commanders get out with a tie against the Giants. But the tie is big for one team, the Dallas Cowboys. We started this week with one of the biggest upsets this year with the winless Tampa Bay Bucs going into Dallas with a backup QB and literally ran all over them. There has to be some personnel changes in Dallas because that defense doesn’t look like it could stop a division 2 school. But now with 2 teams tying in their division, they’re right there in the thick of things for the NFC East. I think things settle down, the Cowboys defense gets right and they eventually win this division. I have no faith in the Eagles right now, the Commanders looked like what they’re supposed to look like, but is it sustainable and the Giants will go as far as Jameis allows them. I wouldn’t bet on him playing well over an entire season. The Cowboys put themselves in a hole early, but it’s not that deep and they can definitely claw their way out of it. But as bad as the tie was for the Commanders and Giants, the Eagles lost in an even worse fashion. Some pretty mad clock management allowed Jacksonville to get in position and hit a game winning field goal as time expired. It was the first time in NFL history there were 2 lead changes in the last 10 seconds of a game. Congrats on making history Philly, and for proving to everyone why you’ve already peaked and this ain’t your year.
4) Should Herbert Leave LA?
The way he’s playing, a lot of people would say he should quit football entirely. Being 0-5 was on nobody’s radar for this team. Something is going on where Herbert is not the right fit here. Mike McDaniel was able to get Tua to lead the league in passing one year. But can’t seem to get Herbert going. So what’s the long term plan here? Do you switch up coaching and coordinators and stick with Herbert? Or is he just simply mesmerized but his hot fiance, got the bag and doesn’t play well anymore. This coaching staff marriage with Herbert isn’t working out and instead of a divorce, just get it annulled. At this point, one of the following is going to happen this year, McDaniel is a one-and-done OC, Harbaugh is fired, or Herbert asks to be traded. Where would he go and where would he fit in? Herbert reminds me of Drake Maye. Can make plays with his legs, big arm and has an ideal stature for a QB. Here’s my list of fun teams he could end up with; Colts, Steelers, Dolphins, Cardinals and Jets. Keep an eye on the teams with a high draft pick in a QB heavy class along with who thinks Herbert could be the missing piece. We haven’t seen a big QB trade in a while, not since Matthew Stafford went to the Rams. Could Herbert be the next one out? We may find out at the end of this regular season.
5) Who’s the Biggest Sleeper Team Right Now?
My list of sleepers typically range in the 3-2 or 2-3 record range. However, the Ravens are sitting at 4-1 and lead their division and got a big win with their backup QB. But they seem sort of slept on. Is it just me? And, Lamar could be back by next week. But you have teams like the Bengals, Steelers, Giants and Packers that are all in the middle of the pack right in this playoff hunt. Technically the Giants are leading their division but I already mentioned I don’t think they win it which is why they’re on this list. So out of these teams, it’s weird to say, but I really like what Aaron Rodgers is doing in Pittsburgh right now. Him and McCarthy reuniting is looking to be a good fit but they need to figure out how to win on the road. They have a very favorable schedule the rest of the way so they could do what they always do and get into the playoffs at 10-7 as a wild card team. Do they make a Super Bowl run? I doubt it but Aaron Rodgers is giving his all in his last season in the NFL and I’m impressed. The Bengals let me down every year and without a consistent defense or run game, what’s there to like besides the passing game? I just won’t bet on it. The Packers need to also figure out their run game before I’m putting them as a wild card team. They have some run friendly defenses ahead of them over the next 3 weeks so they could get back on track. Love is showing he can be the guy though, but he needs some help from the other sides of the ball and his own coach.
6) Who’s Entering Fraud Territory?
I love this topic because I piss off a lot of people that are happy that are happy that their team is 3-2. Guess what, the Colts were 8-2 last year and were the 1 seed in the AFC. Then they 0-7 and miss the playoffs entirely. So with my own two eye balls and a big brain in my head, I can see who I don’t believe in. My biggest fraud watches right now are the Raiders, Broncos, Browns and Saints. So let’s get the easy two out of the way. Do I need to even elaborate on the Browns? Deshaun had another mediocre showing and the run game didn’t help him out either. I have 0 faith in this team because… they’re the Browns. The Saints now sit at 1-4 after many people were excited about the start they had to the season. Beating Baltimore on the road then going toe-to-toe with Detroit had people thinking they could win the division. Not me. I’ve always known they’re trash, they have absolutely no run game, and the reason you’re seeing Tyler Shough chuck the ball around so much is because they’re always in catch up mode. Minnesota came to town and made it look like he doesn’t even exist. I’m happy the Falcons came in on the Katrina anniversary night and dominated. They had the crowd out of the game after the first play of the game. I’m writing them off. Goodnight. So let’s get into the Raiders. The start Kirk Cousins had was fun and all but we’re starting to see them get beat by good teams now I just don’t know how much Cousins has left in the tank. The only playmaker on the team is Brock Bowers and it just isn’t enough for me to have any confidence in them. The Raiders went 3-0 against the Dolphins, Chargers and Saints. Yeah it’s nice to be undefeated after that but probably the easiest 3 game stretch to start the season. The middle of their season is a gauntlet and we’re about to see their true colors. Do I need to even talk about the Broncos anymore being frauds? I think I already made my point and don’t want to beat a horse blue. Get it? ;)
7) Takeaways From Heavyweight Matchups: Rams/Bills, Seahawks/49ers
4 of the top Super Bowl favorites squared off against each other this weekend. And neither of these two games disappointed us. Both had high scoring affairs and came down until the very end. So what did we actually learn about these games in such an early matchup in the season? Let’s start with the Seahawks and 49ers. Both of these defenses have been top tier this year and one of my biggest takeaways from this is both teams QB play. But for different reasons. Brock Purdy is an MVP candidate and put up respectable numbers against one of the toughest secondaries in the league. I’ll talk more about Purdy later but you can throw him in against anybody these days and feel good about it. However, the other end of the stick had Sam Darnold struggle. Emmanuel Wilson has been a savior to their run game but I’m not sold on the offense with Darnold struggling in a sense and this committee run game right now. It’s obvious they’re missing Ken Walker. But my overall takeaway, the 49ers should be NFC favorites to make it to the Super Bowl and the Seahawks to still make a wild card sitting at 3-2. Their defense and having Mike McDonald running the show still makes them elite.
Monday night saw the Rams and Bills go to overtime. This game was what everyone was hoping for as a ton of points were scored and the stars shined. Josh Allen is a beast and again, we’ll talk more about him later. They moved to 4-1 and it’s obvious, they’re the AFC favorites to matchup against the 49ers in the Super Bowl after 5 weeks. The Bills are doing all of this with a top 5 rushing offense and it helps when your QB can go for 120 on any given day. Here’s the thing with the Bills though, we’ve seen this before. This team is all Josh Allen. This defense isn’t really stopping anybody and without DJ Moore healthy, he still lacks the big playmakers to throw to. I want to see this offense healthy in the playoffs to finally claim this is the Bills year. And as for the Rams, is it finally, officially time to hit the panic button? I mean, they’re sitting at 2-3 and 3rd in their division. My answer is still no. The Rams 3 losses have come in Australia, in Denver and overtime against the Bills. I understand to be elite, you need to win some of these but overall, this team has shown it’s capable of a Super Bowl run still. They have a 4 game stretch coming up where they could easily go 4-0 and get to 6-3 to get back on track. However, after that stretch, they better start winning against good opponents. They have all the talent in the world and I like McVay. There is no reason to doubt this team even with their current record.
8) Is Penix That Important to the Falcons?
Holy crap, I guess he is! The guy misses 3 plays and the backup comes in and blows it immediately. What we’re seeing out of Atlanta’s offense with Penix running the show is mindblowing. It’s a shame they blew the game against the Ravens because if they were sitting at 3-2, they’d be one of the hottest teams in the league and potentially playoff bound. Instead, Falcons nation is sitting around, waiting to hear how bad Penix’s injury is if we’re about to go through hell with Tua starting and will have to battle it out with Carolina for this division a little harder. The general consensus with Penix is tough because people love him, he’s proven he can zip the ball with accuracy and be clutch, but he keeps getting hurt. It’s just something I can’t rely on if I’m the GM of this team. My fear is he has a great season then they want to re-sign him then he has an injury filled career like he already has. 3 ACLs, a new rib injury and who knows what else is to come. I’ll enjoy this year with him and keep him around as long as possible before he wants that second contract. However, I’m already shopping FAs in the future or even looking at this stacked draft class for a franchise QB. Especially since this current regime didn’t even bring in Penix in the first place.
9) Teams I’m not Giving Up On
I’ve already expressed how I’m not giving up on the Rams and Cowboys as they both sit at 2-3. But for two different reasons. The NFC East is a struggle and I can see the Cowboys getting out of it as division winners. However, the division the Rams are in is much tougher but I believe in the talent and coaching staff. They can get in as a wild card and anything can happen. But there are some other teams that don’t meet my sleeper qualifications but I’m not totally giving up on. The Bears are at 3-2 and they’re managing to get by without Caleb Williams. However, this past week was the first week without him that they looked absolutely atrocious. Once Caleb is back and gets these offensive weapons involved the way they need to be utilized, they can get back into this wild card race and maybe even chase the Vikings. Again, are the Vikings that good? Still questioning what this team is right now. The Falcons almost got to 3-2 but in Atlanta typical fashion, blew it in the 4th quarter and overtime. And how perfect that it was Tua that threw the game losing interception. As long as Penix is healthy, Atlanta is actually my favorite to win this division even though they’re sitting at 2-3. But a team that’s surprisingly on my list is the 1-4 Texans. Houston actually has a stretch of games coming up where if they can get to 5-5, they can get their season back on track. They just traded for Marvin Harrison Jr. and this was a reunion from college so the chemistry should click quickly. I am still concerned about their run game but Stroud and their elite defense is enough for me to not give up on them. They’re not going down without a fight.
10) Who’s the MVP Right Now?
Right now, the top 3 MVP candidates are Patrick Mahomes, Brock Purdy and Josh Allen. After watching last night’s Monday Night game, Josh Allen is the clear front runner. On top of throwing for over 1,200 yards through 5 games, he already has 239 rushing yards and 8 rushing TDs. That’s insane. He’s on pace for 27 rushing TDs as a QB. I doubt that happens but he could get close to 20. I know anybody that drafted him on their fantasy team is happy. But, Mahomes and Purdy are both putting up huge numbers at the QB position while keeping their teams undefeated. So even though I still think Josh Allen is the favorite no matter what, what is more important to you for this award? Is it the numbers? Or is it the winning? In the past, it’s the numbers but voters will still look at the record too. Your team is most likely in the playoffs if you have the MVP. Give me Josh Allen on whatever moneyline it is to win the MVP after week 5. Let’s go.
