Watching Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold square off in a "Hold My Beer" matchup on Sunday makes it hard to believe these are cast-off quarterbacks who've had to journey around the NFL to find homes with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Seattle Seahawks.
Both were excellent in a game where neither deserved to lose. The offensive prowess and scoring firepower became so prolific that, at one point, these two veteran signal-caller directed seven touchdown drives in a row.
Tampa Bay eventually took the contest 38-35 thanks to a Chase McLaughlin field goal as time expired — even then, it was unlucky from a Seahawks' point of view, with a deflected pass from Darnold hitting a defender's helmet before being intercepted by Lavante David to set up the winning kick.
Both quarterbacks are fearless, attacking defenses as if playing with house money — like, "You can't hurt me anymore. I've been cut too many times. This is my chance to shine." I loved the way both played, and their receivers – Emeka Egbuka (seven catches for 163 yards and a touchdown for Tampa) and Jaxson Smith-Njigba (eight receptions for 132 yards and a score for Seattle) were excellent.
Both quarterbacks have matured and grown in confidence. They have become genuine franchise quarterbacks capable of making every throw in the book and playing in tense, big-time games like the one we enjoyed on Sunday. And they've shown they can keep their teams in playoff contention throughout the 2025 season. I believe that will be the case for both Tampa Bay and Seattle.
But it might not always be pretty or easy from the Bucs because they are a wild ride. They're the first team in NFL history to win four of their first five games when tied or losing in the final minute. I don't know if that's sustainable, but it speaks volumes about Baker Mayfield's character. He's the ultimate gamer who loves a challenge and never knows when he is beaten.
Enjoy the ride while it lasts, Bucs fans.
Who's Hot…
The Indianapolis Colts… Five weeks into the new season, we have a solid body of work that suggests the Indianapolis Colts might be a serious contender in the AFC. They took care of business on Sunday with a 40–6 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. This was a game they were expected to win, and they did just that, sending Daniel Jones, Jonathan Taylor, and key starters to the bench for a rest with 11 minutes left. The Colts have now seen three of four victories come by 20 points or more, and they're highly efficient. Daniel Jones threw no interceptions and added a couple of touchdown passes, proving he is the steady hand Shane Steichen was hoping for when he chose Jones over Anthony Richardson this past summer. These Colts look poised to hang around — they're off to their best start since 2013.
Rico Dowdle… If you saw this one coming, you're a much better NFL prognosticator than I am. I did not expect Rico Dowdle to rush for 206 yards and a touchdown as the Carolina Panthers overcame a 17–0 deficit to beat the Miami Dolphins 27–24. Dolphins fans, take note: the rushing numbers here are shocking. Running the football is a measure of toughness, and stopping it is just as much a sign of grit. In this game, the Panthers racked up 239 rushing yards, while Miami managed just 19. Alarm bells should be ringing in South Florida.
Dak Prescott… I had real concerns for Dak Prescott when Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb went down with an ankle injury a couple of weeks ago. All Dak has done since is throw seven touchdown passes with no interceptions. He was outstanding on Sunday in a 37–22 win over the hapless New York Jets, passing for 237 yards, four touchdowns, and no picks. The Cowboys are very much alive at 2–2–1. George Pickens has stepped up to fill Lamb's role, and while Dallas' defense isn't stellar, they're finding ways to get the job done — including five sacks of Justin Fields on Sunday. It hasn't been smooth sailing for the Cowboys, but thanks to Dak Prescott and his offensive running mates, they're very much in the NFC playoff race.
Who's Not…
The Baltimore Ravens… The Baltimore Ravens fell 44–10 at home to the Houston Texans on Sunday, and while boos echoed through the stands, it's hard to be too angry at this team given the number of injuries they've endured. Their defense has been brutally decimated, as evidenced by giving up 37 points to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4 and 44 to a Texans team that has struggled offensively all season in Week 5. What the Ravens need most in these circumstances is Lamar Jackson at quarterback — he can turn high-scoring shootouts into wins — but with him sidelined, things are as bad as they could be in Baltimore right now. The key will be holding on, getting healthy, and hoping to mount a run in the second half of the season. These are dark days that need to be battled through, but I'm not writing this team off just yet.
The Arizona Cardinals… It's often said that more games are lost than won in the NFL, and that was certainly true for the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. They let a 21–6 lead slip away in a 22–21 defeat to the Tennessee Titans, losing in spectacular fashion. Emari Demercado appeared to have a game-sealing 72-yard touchdown run with just under 13 minutes left — only to drop the ball in celebration before reaching the end zone. That's the second week in a row we've seen a play like that in the NFL. Instead of a 28–6 lead, the Titans stayed alive, and they capitalised after Dadrion Taylor-Demerson intercepted Cam Ward but then fumbled into his own end zone. Tyler Lockett recovered for a touchdown late, followed by a Joey Sly field goal, allowing Tennessee to escape with the win — one that was effectively handed to them by the Cardinals. That's a loss that will be tough to shake off.
The Fast Five…
- Carson Wentz hung in there against a tough Cleveland Browns defense to deliver a 21–17 win for the Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It wasn't always perfect, but the veteran quarterback looked comfortable on a big stage and found a way, connecting on a beautiful game-winning touchdown pass to Jordan Addison with 25 seconds left. Addison overcame an early first-quarter suspension from his coach, Kevin O'Connell, and Justin Jefferson went over 100 receiving yards once again — a reminder of the firepower in Minnesota's passing attack. Wentz has now won two of three starts in relief of J.J. McCarthy. Honestly, it leaves questions about the team's future at quarterback, especially when McCarthy is healthy.
- That was a statement win by the Denver Broncos on Sunday as they overcame a 17–3 fourth-quarter deficit to beat the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 21–17. Bo Nix showed his moxie, Sean Payton displayed the full measure of his NFL coaching experience, and the defense came up big when it mattered most. These Broncos looked impressive. As for the Eagles, I think they had this one coming to them.
- Jayden Daniels returned after missing two games with a knee injury, and his impact on the Washington Commanders was immediate and obvious — far beyond what his 231 passing yards and one touchdown would suggest. He contributes as much emotionally as he does physically, and he was one of the biggest differences in a 27–10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
- It was that kind of weekend across the NFL, but I have to admit I didn't see the New England Patriots beating the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football. Stefon Diggs went over 140 receiving yards in a big revenge game, but a 23–20 win for the Patriots was sparked by quarterback Drake May. The Bills were sloppy, committing three costly turnovers. It was the first time this season they hadn't scored 30 points in a game, and their first home loss in 14 games — making this result completely unexpected.
- And who saw this one coming? Without quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle, wide receivers Juauan Jennings, Brandon Aiyuk, and Ricky Pearsall — and missing former Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa — the San Francisco 49ers went to Los Angeles and beat the Rams 26–23. Mac Jones showed tremendous fight and character; while he's not expected to be the starter moving forward (that is very much Purdy's job in San Francisco), he proved he's a valuable reserve. Kendrick Bourne had a standout game as well. This is why they play the games — you never know what's going to happen in the NFL.
Fact of the Week
Sunday's win over the Cleveland Browns means the Minnesota Vikings are now a perfect five for five in regular season games played in London. And those wins have come in three different stadiums (Wembley, Twickenham and Tottenham) with five different quarterbacks… Matt Cassel (2013), Case Keenum (2017), Kirk Cousins (2022), Sam Darnold (2024) and Carson Wentz (2025).
Final Thought…
This week in the NFL has been a stark reminder that the race to Super Bowl 60 in Santa Clara is far from straightforward. Early in the season, the Buffalo Bills looked like strong Super Bowl contenders, and it seemed as if the rest of the AFC would have their work cut out if the road to the title game were to run through Buffalo. But the Patriots have just shown that the Bills can be beaten. Across the NFC, the Detroit Lions started the season in a world of hurt, yet they've now won four games in a row. The defending champion Eagles have been inconsistent, and questions remain about what Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers will deliver come playoff time. You know it's going to be exciting, whatever it is. With twists and turns ahead over the next few months, it's shaping up to be a remarkable story as we head toward the 60th Super Bowl, which will take place in California.
