NFL Week 5 takeaways: What We Learned from Sunday's 12 games

FULL BOX SCORE

• REWATCH: Vikings-Browns on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Addison overcomes benching to score game-winning TD

Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. Wentz leads game-winning drive to escape London with victory. It was a rough afternoon for a hamstrung Vikings offense that continuously slipped on the uphill climb the unit faced against a strong Browns defense, but Carson Wentz saved his best drive -- and best throw -- for last to steal a win. Down three points with three minutes to play, Wentz diced up the Browns secondary as he marched the Vikings into the red zone seamlessly by completing all eight of his pass attempts to get there. The Vikings backup QB then fired a perfect back-shoulder strike to Jordan Addison from the 12-yard line for the go-ahead score with 30 seconds to play. Wentz went a perfect 9-for-9 passing (71 yards) on the game-winning drive, embellishing final numbers (25 of 34 for 236 yards, TD) that would've otherwise been a mistake-free but so-so line in a losing effort. With the Vikings down three starters on the offensive line against the Browns, Wentz felt the brunt, getting sacked three times and taking a hit that saw him momentarily exit the game with a left shoulder injury late in the second quarter. The 32-year-old's gutsy final drive seemingly came out of nowhere as the Browns defense had yet to break.
2. Gabriel solid, Judkins stellar for Browns in defeat. A solid first start from Dillon Gabriel might not have transpired without Quinshon Judkins providing a spark that nearly got the Browns a win. The rookie running back put on a magnificent performance in London, showing great patience as his blocking developed, exploding through holes with great burst to gain big chunks of yards and becoming an unrelenting force in short-yardage situations. Judkins finished with 110 yards on 23 carries (4.8 yards per carry). He didn't find the end zone, but a pair of key fourth-down conversions by the second-round pick were crucial on both of Cleveland's touchdown drives. With Judkins providing a fruitful run game, Gabriel wasn't asked to do too much, particularly downfield, but the rookie was accurate on short passing plays and limited any big mistakes outside of a couple of wayward throws. The third-rounder's best throw of the afternoon was his second touchdown of the game -- a bullet to tight end David Njoku up the middle in the third quarter to take a lead. Ultimately, the Browns defense faltered late as Gabriel finished 19-of-33 passing for 190 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers -- matching Joe Flacco in TD throws on the season. It was a winnable effort as Cleveland tied its season-high point total, but make no mistake -- Judkins was the straw that was stirring the offense.
3. Minnesota had to get creative to get past Cleveland's defense. Kevin O'Connell schemed up a game plan that prevented Myles Garrett from wrecking the Vikings' battered O-line and got the ball into Justin Jefferson's hands in several different ways. Jefferson finished with seven receptions for a game-high 123 yards but was missing for a long stretch in the first half with Denzel Ward looming around him. Jefferson was forced to work around the matchup, but on the game-winning drive he exploited the Browns' top cornerback with a 21-yard haul along the sideline -- his only target against Ward, per Next Gen Stats. Jordan Addison (five receptions, 41 yards and a TD) also came up clutch in big moments, especially on the game-winning score, but first had to sit through the first quarter on the bench in what was a coach's decision. At this point, there is no doubting O'Connell, who called for running back Cam Akers to throw a pass in the first quarter on a trick play that caught the Browns off-guard for the Vikings' first score.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Vikings-Browns (via NFL Pro): The Vikings limited Myles Garrett to two pressures on 35 pass rushes (5.7%), his second-lowest pressure rate in a game since 2021. The Vikings slowed him down by chipping Garrett on 42.9% of his rushes (15 of 35), the third-highest chip rate Garrett has faced since at least 2018. Justin Skule, who entered the game having allowed a 14.3% pressure rate, held Garrett without a pressure on 14 pass rush matchups.

NFL Research: Sunday's win marked Carson Wentz’s 14th career game-winning drive (his first since Week 18, 2023 as a Ram against the 49ers).

FULL BOX SCORE

• REWATCH: Texans-Ravens on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Henry ties Hall of Famer Payton for fifth all time in rushing TDs
• READ: Harbaugh calls 34-point loss to Texans 'a complete disappointment'

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Stroud’s 4 TDs lead Texans to franchise’s first win in Baltimore. Facing a banged-up Ravens defense was the cure that C.J. Stroud and Co. needed after early season struggles. A 10-play, 67-yard touchdown drive on the opening possession set the tone for Houston. Finally given time, the signal-caller was decisive, dicing up the decimated Baltimore secondary. Stroud hit seven different targets, with two of his four touchdowns going to Xavier Hutchinson, as the Texans ran away from the Ravens. Houston did whatever it wanted Sunday – wide-open routes over the middle, deep bombs, and ground gashes up the gut. Houston scored on its first eight drives and didn’t punt until midway through the fourth quarter. The Texans put up 417 yards to 207. Stroud heads into a bye week with momentum after Sunday’s big game, which saw the Texans' first victory in Baltimore. He’ll have to keep things going against a much better Seattle defense in Week 7.
2. Ravens’ offense struggles sans Lamar. On paper, it was a bad matchup for Cooper Rush to make his first start in a Ravens jersey. That played out on the gridiron. Rush was under siege and could not establish a rhythm against a stout Texans defense. Between self-inflicted mistakes and penalties, Baltimore never gave itself much of a chance on Sunday. With little run help to speak of, Rush never found consistency, forced to mostly short throws. Of his 179 passing yards, 85 came on two plays (47.5%). The second drive of the second half underscored the Ravens' issues. Following a Rush INT, the Ravens attempted to jumpstart Derrick Henry. Three straight runs, however, only netted eight yards. Lined up to go for it on fourth-and-2 down 31-3, Baltimore false-started and was forced to punt. A big 54-yard pass to Zay Flowers, followed by a short Henry TD, gave some life late in the third quarter, but it was far too little, far too late. The veteran running back was surprisingly still taking handoffs deep into the fourth quarter of a blowout. If Henry is going to stay on the struggle bus, Baltimore’s offense will find it hard to move the ball as long as Lamar Jackson is out.
3. Houston’s defense controls the game. DeMeco Ryan’s defense knew that if it could stymie Henry, it would dictate the contest. Mission accomplished. The Texans set the line of scrimmage repeatedly, never allowing Henry to get a head of steam. In his first nine carries, the RB was held to 16 yards (1.8 YPC) with a long of 5. The smothered run game allowed the defensive backs to squat on short Ravens routes, with Jalen Pitre pouncing on an interception to open the second half. The safety was Johnny-on-the-spot in the fourth quarter, grabbing a bobbled Mark Andrews pass for another interception. A relentless Texans defense came in waves, allowing just 92 first-half yards, generating three turnovers, and didn’t allow more than three first downs on any drive.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Texans-Ravens (via NFL Pro): Nick Chubb rushed for 61 yards on 11 carries with one touchdown, generating +33 rushing yards over expected. This marks his highest RYOE output this season and his most since Week 17, 2022. 

NFL Research: The Ravens have now allowed 35 or more points in four games (most such games in a season in team history). Baltimore became the first team in the Super Bowl era to allow 37-plus points in four of their first five games.

FULL BOX SCORE

• REWATCH: Dolphins-Panthers on NFL+ Premium

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Dowdle powers Panthers’ 17-point comeback win over Dolphins. With Chuba Hubbard out for Week 5, Rico Dowdle took the lead role. He ran away with it. The running back dashed through the Dolphins’ defense repeatedly, gobbling up chunk gains. Dowdle generated 206 rushing yards and a TD on 23 rushing attempts for a whopping 9.0 yards-per-carry average. He blitzed the Miami second level, ripping off rushes of 53 yards and 43 yards. Between those big runs, Dowdle did damage, routinely picking up six and seven-yard gains to keep the offense in advantageous situations. After a rough start for Bryce Young, who turned the ball over on the first two possessions, credit Dave Canales for not getting away from the run game, down, 17-0. It was Dowdle’s prowess that spearheaded the comeback and flipped a would-be laugher into a win. Young also bounced back despite some bad misses. After the Dolphins retook the lead in the fourth quarter, the QB answered, calmly finding Mitchell Evans at the goal line for the winning score. Young still has to start better, but the ability to come back can be a building block for the 2-3 Panthers.
2. Dolphins' offense goes into the tank. After sprinting out to a lead with Tua Tagovailoa ripping passes to a rejuvenated Darren Waller down the seam, the Dolphins couldn’t keep things going. Miami scored on its first three possessions, benefiting from two short fields. Mike McDaniel’s crew then generated two first downs on its next five possessions, including three three-and-outs. The Dolphins' defense isn’t good enough for the offense to go into such lulls. The run game was nowhere to be found. The Dolphins earned just 19 total yards on the ground on 14 rushes (1.4 YPC). The lack of balance allowed the Panthers to control the trenches. Jaylen Waddle stepped up in the absence of Tyreek Hill, generating six catches for 110 yards, including a 46-yard TD. He and Waller paced the Dolphins' passing attack. However, Miami needed another wide receiver to fill the void. None did. The only other wideout to catch a pass was Malik Washington, who caught four balls for zero net yards (long of 8). It’s getting very late early for McDaniels’ 1-4 club. He won’t survive many more losses like Sunday.
3. Panthers show some grittiness in fighting back, twice. Ejiro Evero’s defense was put in a tough spot early after the Young turnovers. Credit the crew for not mailing it in. The Panthers' defense continually pushed the pocket, making life difficult on Tua. A once porous run defense dominated. Carolina generated nine tackles for loss and three sacks. The Panthers might not have forced a turnover, but the three-and-outs were massive as Carolina overcame its early deficit. Across the board, Dave Canales’ team didn’t give up. Struggling second-year receiver Xavier Legette made a great diving score for the club’s first touchdown. Young turned things around late. After giving up a long Dolphins TD, Carolina could have packed it in, but refused. If the Panthers can cut down on the self-inflicted errors, there is still time to turn around the year in the NFC South.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Panthers-Dolphins (via NFL Pro): The Panthers defense held the Dolphins to 14 yards on 13 designed runs, yielding -46 rushing yards over expected. No team has allowed a lower RYOE mark since the Browns in Week 17 last season; they held the Dolphins to -50. The Panthers stuffed 6 of the 13 runs at or before the line of scrimmage (46.1%), the highest rate since the same Browns-Dolphins game.

NFL Research: Rico Dowdle is the first Panthers RB with 200 or more rushing yards in a game since DeAngelo Williams in 2012.

FULL BOX SCORE

• REWATCH: Raiders-Colts on NFL+ Premium

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Colts steamrolled Raiders, looked like legit contenders. The Colts bounced back in a big way following their first loss of the season, thumping the Raiders. Even though the Raiders actually controlled the first quarter, the Colts were able to explode for six straight TD drives. Two of those drives came on very short fields – both inside the Vegas 8-yard line – thanks to a blocked punt and an interception. The Colts converted eight of their first nine third downs and operated with their now-typical execution, not turning the ball over and punting only once. Defensively, the Colts allowed the Raiders to move the ball, but they played great red zone defense; the Raiders were 0 for 4, including 0 for 2 in goal-to-go situations. So far this season, the Rams loss has been the only aberration in terms of self-defeating mistakes for the Colts. The only negative was missing three straight two-point tries after losing kicker Spencer Shrader to injury mid-game. This Colts are for real, folks. They’re balanced and disciplined and are a threat to be recognized at 4-1.
2. Raiders might have to consider QB change. The Raiders now have turned the ball over 10 times this season, with eight coming via Geno Smith interceptions. It’s been hard watching the Raiders’ passing game, and Sunday was no different. Smith was without his top two tight ends, Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, and the offense struggled to convert drives. Ashton Jeanty had 59 yards from scrimmage on the opening drive but had only another 50 yards the remainder of the game and was stuffed on one fourth down. So it was a less-than-fertile offensive environment for Smith to operate in, but he also struggled largely. Even with completions for 33 and 29 yards, he averaged only 6.3 yards per attempt for the game and had two painful picks that led to Indianapolis touchdowns. The Raiders were down 40-3 entering the fourth quarter, and they might have to consider making a QB switch at some point. Who knows if Kenny Pickett offers more upside or productivity, but Smith hasn’t justified being the unquestioned starter. 
3. Jones delivered another clean performance for Colts. With just under 12 minutes remaining on Sunday, Daniel Jones' day was done – another successful showing this season – giving way to Anthony Richardson in garbage time. Jones had some tough moments against the Rams last week but otherwise has been terrific this season. His TD throw to Michael Pittman late in the second quarter was the type of throw that showed he’s playing at a level higher than he has consistently at any point in his career. Jonathan Taylor was terrific again Sunday, and the Colts’ pass catchers once again combined to give Jones strong options all game. But Jones has also converted some lower-percentage plays this season and also kept great care of the ball. His two picks against the Rams have been Jones’ only turnovers through five games, and he’s taken only four sacks. If Jones and the Colts can keep up this elite level of efficiency, they’re absolutely a team that must be taken seriously come January.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Raiders-Colts (via NFL Pro): Daniel Jones’ 4-yard TD pass to Michael Pittman Jr. on Sunday had only a 22.4% completion probability.

NFL Research: The Colts have won three games by 20-plus points in 2025 after having zero such games from 2022 to 2024 combined – and zero wins by 10 or more points in the 2024 season.

FULL BOX SCORE

• REWATCH: Giants-Saints on NFL+ Premium

Nick Shook's takeaways to come:

1. Saints win with total team effort. The box score does a pretty good job of telling this story from New Orleans' perspective. The Saints forced five (!) turnovers, converted 7 of 15 third downs, held New York to 3 of 10 on third down, Spencer Rattler overcame a pressure rate of 54.8% without taking a single sack, the Saints scored a defensive touchdown and completed an explosive touchdown pass to check nearly every box on their way to their first win. Efforts (and success) in all three phases of the game were essential. Kool-Aid McKinstry notched his first two interceptions of his career, stopping threatening Giants drives in their tracks in order to maintain the lead. Rattler found ways to keep the offense moving with his arm and legs, and the combination helped New Orleans overcome some missed scoring opportunities to wrap up Kellen Moore's first victory as a head coach and Rattler's as an NFL starter.         
2. Dart whiffs in second start. Fresh off his first victory in his first career start, rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart carried the momentum built from his first triumph with him into Sunday's showdown in the Big Easy. The same couldn't be said by the time the clock expired. Dart led two impressive touchdown drives in the first 17 minutes of game action, completing 6 of his first 7 passes for 52 yards and a touchdown while rushing twice for 26 yards in the first quarter. After that, the wheels began to fall off. Dart fumbled away possession early in the third quarter, tossed two interceptions while trying to throw the Giants back into the lead and missed a handful of excellent opportunities along the way. The worst was a well-timed flea flicker called by Brian Daboll, which freed Darius Slayton deep downfield. Attempting to make what appeared to be a layup of a pass, Dart underthrew the ball, leaving it hanging for a defensive back to swat away. His first interception came in a desperate moment on fourth-and-6 in the fourth quarter in which Dart didn't have anywhere else to go with the ball, and his second pick was largely the fault of receiver Beaux Collins, who stopped his route short of Dart's intended target. Both halted New York's comeback attempt and illustrated how a once-promising outing became a frustrating day that will require the Giants to regroup entering Week 6.
3. New Orleans might have a kicking problem. Blake Grupe entered Sunday's game with a field goal conversion rate of just 66.7, including misses in each of the Saints' first three games. Grupe appeared to get back on track with a perfect 2-for-2 day in Buffalo last week, but inconsistency reappeared Sunday when he missed wide left from 52 yards out, preventing the Saints from taking their first lead of the 2025 season. Grupe made good on a second attempt in the final two minutes of the first half, converting from 29 yards out, but he missed again (this time, wide right) from 46 yards out late in the fourth quarter. It didn't factor into the final score (other than preventing New Orleans from winning by as many as 18 points) but does inspire a bit of concern going forward, especially for a Saints team that will likely live on the scoring margins and need their kicker in key spots going forward.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Giants-Saints (via NFL Pro): Rashid Shaheed reached 21.72 mph on his 87-yard touchdown catch, the fastest speed reached on a touchdown in the 2025 season.

NFL Research: The Giants became the first team to commit a turnover on five consecutive possessions in a game since the Jets did so in Week 3 of the 2016 season.

FULL BOX SCORE

• REWATCH: Cowboys-Jets on NFL+ Premium

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Cowboys' offense keeps rolling. Brian Schottenheimer's play-calling artistry was not a first-month fluke and he proved as much Sunday, continuing to dial up creative designs and empowering Dak Prescott to push this offense forward (see: Prescott's 43-yard touchdown pass to George Pickens over former All-Pro corner Sauce Gardner). Arguably even better was Javonte Williams' day, a 16-carry, 135-yard outing that included a 66-yard run to set up a touchdown pass to Jake Ferguson as part of a scoring barrage in the final minute of the second quarter that also saw Williams run for a touchdown from 5 yards out. Williams' hard running balanced out Dallas' offense and allowed Schottenheimer to mix things up, maintaining unpredictability and helping Dallas rack up over 400 yards of offense despite losing the time of possession battle significantly. We've known the Cowboys would likely need to be an offensive machine in order to contend this season, and on a rare day in which their defense stifled an opposing offense, Dallas' scoring unit didn't relent.
2. Jets repeat familiar mistakes. Fresh off a frustrating loss in Miami filled with self-inflicted wounds, the Jets returned home only to make similar mistakes again. New York continued to struggle with pass protection (both in execution and pre-snap adjustment, with some responsibility falling on Justin Fields), fourth-down decisions produced a strange (and doomed) call in one instance and an even more mystifying execution on another, penalties piled up again and Breece Hall's ball security issues (two fumbles, one lost) cost a chance to stay in a game that eventually became a blowout. The Jets had opportunities in this game; their opening drive saw them move all the way down to Dallas' 7 before settling for a field goal. But as has been the case too often in the last two weeks, the Jets cannot get out of their own way.
3. Houston is earning his keep. With Micah Parsons now employed in Wisconsin, the Cowboys have needed somebody else to step up in the pass-rushing department. Enter James Houston, Dallas' sack leader (albeit with only 2.0) entering Sunday. Houston tacked another 1.5 sacks onto his season total as part of a Dallas front that recorded a QB pressure rate of 50% and had five players notch at least half a sack against the typically elusive Fields. This isn't the new standard for Dallas' defense but players like Houston and Dante Fowler are going to play crucial roles in keeping this defense from getting shredded by better offenses. On Sunday, they starred.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Cowboys-Jets (via NFL Pro): Javonte Williams forced seven missed tackles and gained 76 yards after missed tackles, both season highs. He also generated 92 yards after contact in the game, contributing to his 357 yards after contact on rushing attempts this season, the second-most in the NFL entering Sunday afternoon.

NFL Research: Javonte Williams became the fifth Cowboys player with five-plus rushing touchdowns in the team's first five games of a season, joining Ezekiel Elliott, DeMarco Murray, Emmitt Smith and Calvin Hill.

FULL BOX SCORE

• REWATCH: Broncos-Eagles on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Payton passes mentor Parcels on all-time wins list

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Broncos earned a signature victory. The Broncos looked overmatched at one point, trailing by two touchdowns in the fourth quarter in Philadelphia, but they found a way to fight back, converting a gutsy two-point play midway through the fourth quarter, ending the Eagles’ 12-game win streak at Lincoln Financial Field. Bo Nix was averaging 4.0 yards per attempt entering the fourth quarter, but he completed 9 of 10 passes for 127 yards and a TD in the fourth, leading three scoring drives that ate up nearly 12 minutes of clock in the final stanza. Two critical calls went the Broncos’ way late: a grounding flag against Nix that was picked up and an unnecessary roughness call against the Eagles’ Zack Baun that allowed Denver to run more clock with the lead. The Broncos’ defense allowed some long scoring drives but clamped down in the final 20-plus minutes and withstood the Eagles’ Hail Mary attempt as time ran out. This was arguably Nix’s biggest NFL victory and one of the biggest for the Broncos since Sean Payton took over. 
2. Eagles’ offense once again goes into a shell. Early on Sunday, the Eagles were doing pretty much whatever they wanted, staying ahead of the chains with good early down gains and taking a 17-3 lead early in the third quarter on Saquon Barkley’s 47-yard catch. But Philly punted on its next four possessions, converting only one first down. It has mirrored the Eagles’ offensive issues this season, often looking competent for one half and downright icy in the other. They handed off only nine times all game, and eight of those came in the first half. It appeared as if the Eagles wanted to test Denver’s secondary, and they narrowly missed connecting on a few deep shots that could have changed the game’s complexion, but it wasn’t to be. The Broncos sacked Jalen Hurts six times and batted down nine of his 38 pass attempts. It was the first loss with Hurts starting in more than a calendar year, and though the sky isn’t suddenly falling, the Eagles’ offensive concerns cannot be dismissed.
3. Broncos must find ways to avoid penalties, slow starts. There’s no looking past Denver’s dramatic road victory, one that announced this team’s arrival as a contender this season. But the Broncos were playing with fire early, struggling to get much going offensively and giving ground on defense. Penalties have been a problem all season. The Broncos had 12 on Sunday for 121 yards, giving them six or more flags in every game so far, and they were fortunate that Bo Nix’s second grounding flag late in the game was picked up. Offensive penalties have especially been an issue, but on Sunday they also had two big pass interference calls on defense and two holds on kickoff returns, hurting field position and keeping the Broncos behind on the scoreboard for nearly half the game, including down 14 points to start the fourth quarter. The Broncos’ offense and defense stepped up for the final 20-plus minutes, but they were fortunate that their early struggles didn’t hurt them more. The slow starts have been a chronic issue that need fixing.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Broncos-Eagles (via NFL Pro): Saquon Barkley hit a top speed of 19.80 mph on his 47-yard receiving TD.

NFL Research: The Broncos had 15 sacks coming into Sunday’s game, adding six more against the Eagles to raise their season total to 21 through five games.

FULL BOX SCORE

• REWATCH: Titans-Cardinals on NFL+ Premium

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Ward leads Titans to first win of 2025. It took three quarters, but the No. 1 overall pick splashed big plays in the final stanza to cap a wild finish in the desert. After a solid opening, 44-yard drive, Cam Ward and the Titans' offense couldn’t move the ball. They generated 72 total yards on their next eight non-kneel possessions. Then Ward exploded. He hit a massive, 47-yard bomb to Calvin Ridley. The Titans capped that drive off with a TD. Ward continued to dice up the Cardinals' defense on the next drive. A helter-skelter interception turned fumble turned into a Titans TD, pulling Tennessee within two. After the defense got a stop, Ward made another beautiful strike to Ridley for 38 yards, showing off his world-class whip. The pass put Tennessee in position for the game-winning field goal. Scoring 19 unanswered was an unbelievably crazy way for the Titans and Ward to pull off their first win of the season, ending the franchise's 10-game losing streak.
2. Cardinals collapse in every way imaginable. Kyler Murray and the Arizona offense got off to a quick start, moving up and down the field at will. Murray opened up with an electric deep shot on the move to Marvin Harrison Jr. for 43 yards down to the goal line. The Cardinals reached pay dirt on three of their first four possessions, running out to a big lead. On those four drives, Arizona went for 173 yards. Then the bottom fell out. The offense couldn’t move the ball, going three-and-out on four of its next eight possessions. Murray had a snap go off his facemask for a fumble. An inexcusable flubbed touchdown by Cardinals running back Emari Demercado, who lost the ball after a 72-yard run, spearheaded the collapse. The touchdown turned touchback, which should have given the Cards a 28-6 lead, instead opened the door for a dreadful loss. The Arizona defense gave up big plays late. A would-be interception turned into a fumble into the end zone, recovered by Tennessee for a score. The offense couldn’t get a needed first down to ice the game. Then on the Titans' final drive, Arizona allowed Ward to pick it apart. It was an epic, all-time collapse by Jonathan Gannon’s club.
3. Give Simmons his flowers. The Titans' defense deserves kudos for the comeback. After getting diced up early, Tennessee’s defense settled in, making life miserable on Kyler Murray and stuffing the run. Jeffery Simmons completely controlled the line of scrimmage, altering the game in ways few interior linemen can. The big man generated six QB pressures, 1.5 sacks, forced holds, discombobulated plays, and created havoc play after play after play. Cedric Gray gobbled up 12 tackles and earned a team-high three stuffs. Yes, the Cardinals choked, but the Titans' defense stepped up to help cause that asphyxiation in Arizona.  

Next Gen Stats Insight for Titans-Cardinals (via NFL Pro): The Titans’ win probability was as low as 1.8% in their comeback win over the Cardinals, the second-most improbable comeback of the season. The Titans had an average win probability of 12.1%, the lowest average WP in a win in the NGS era (since 2016).

NFL Research: The Cardinals are the first team since the 1970 merger to lose on a walk-off field goal as time expires in three consecutive games.

FULL BOX SCORE

• REWATCH: Buccaneers-Seahawks on NFL+ Premium

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Buccaneers win another thriller. The Bucs have established a heart-stopping identity through five weeks this season and cemented their reputation with their most impressive victory yet Sunday by outlasting the Seahawks in a fireworks-filled affair in Seattle. It required a full 60-minute effort, a fortunate deflection and the same determination that has powered them to each of their four final-minute wins this season. This time around, Baker Mayfield delivered an explosive display rivaling the greatest Fourth of July celebration, completing 29 of 33 passes for 379 yards and two touchdowns and stuffing the stat sheet with big-time throws in a hostile environment. And for the first time this season, Mayfield truly had to carry his team, especially in the absence of starting running back Bucky Irving. The task wasn't too great for Mayfield, who led an electric game-tying touchdown drive in a little over two minutes, then received a gift in the form of a timely defensive takeaway to set up Chase McLaughlin's game-winning field goal. Buccaneers games should be appointment viewing for football fans going forward. They're thrilling, the Bucs play football at a high level and they're firmly in the race for the NFC crown. Sunday only strengthened this summary.
2. Seattle makes a statement in defeat. The average fan might not have spent much time monitoring what Mike Macdonald's team has been doing over the last month, but a thrilling game like this is sure to elevate it from prior anonymity. Seattle is for real, folks, and proved it by going toe to toe with a strong Buccaneers squad over four quarters. Sam Darnold produced a masterful performance, completing 28 of 34 passes for 341 yards and four touchdowns, and if Logan Hall hadn't deflected an under-pressure Darnold pass late in the fourth, he might have marched the Seahawks down the field to a walk-off win. Instead, the Seahawks leave the field with the bitter taste of defeat, but have sent a message to the rest of the NFL: Take us seriously. We're only just getting started (even if the defense needs to fix some things).
3. Egbuka has gained a massive lead in the OROY race. When the Buccaneers spent a first-round pick on Emeka Egbuka in May, it seemed as if Tampa Bay was investing in a long-term replacement at the position with the luxury of adding a first-round talent to a loaded corps immediately. What we didn't realize was how important Egbuka would be to the Buccaneers' offense immediately. Egbuka has raced out of the gate over the first five weeks, and with Mike Evans sidelined by a hamstring and Chris Godwin still finding his footing after returning from a significant injury, Egbuka has become an essential piece in this offense. Mayfield clearly already deeply trusts the Ohio State product, and that faith has produced a fantastic start: 25 catches, 445 yards and five touchdowns in five games. Egbuka was a vital part of Sunday's shootout victory, catching majestic passes and laser-like bullets for big gains and a touchdown. Although there's plenty of season left to play, Egbuka is in the driver's seat for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Consider Egbuka became just the fourth player in the Super Bowl era to record 20-plus receptions, 400-plus receiving yards and five-plus receiving touchdowns in their first five career games, joining Ja'Marr Chase, Terry McLaurin and Randy Moss. Chase and Moss won OROY in those seasons. What a find for Tampa Bay.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Buccaneers-Seahawks (via NFL Pro): Baker Mayfield completed 9 of his 11 passes of 10-plus air yards for 227 yards and two touchdowns, the third-most downfield passing yards in a game this season. Mayfield was also pressured on 34.2% of his dropbacks, and completed 8 of 9 such passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. Mayfield now has the fourth-most deep passing yards (681) and the third-most passing yards under pressure (440) entering Sunday Night Football.

NFL Research: The Buccaneers became the first team in NFL history with four wins in their first five games of a season in which they either were tied or were trailing in the final minute of regulation.

FULL BOX SCORE

• REWATCH: Lions-Bengals on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Browning takes ownership for Bengals' third-straight loss after INTs

Bobby Kownack's takeaways:

1. Lions spread wealth around. Detroit is so powerful that a 37-point outing feels ho hum. Jared Goff and Co. didn’t do anything too explosive against the Bengals, rather they chipped away and tired out a defense that performed much better than recent weeks. Goff benefitted from several short fields, but he also produced a sterling 153.0 passer rating with 258 yards and three touchdowns on 19-of-23 passing. David Montgomery wowed his hometown with a Wildcat touchdown pass and a score on the ground, while his partner in crime Jahmyr Gibbs bruised his way to the end zone on a catch and run. Amon-Ra St. Brown led the team, per usual, with 100 yards on eight catches. Most importantly, the Lions got Sam LaPorta involved in the operation. The third-year tight end caught his first TD of the year and his 92 receiving yards nearly matched his combined total (98) from the past three weeks. He does so much more for this team than catch passes, and there are countless mouths to feed, but it’s always nice to remind opponents how dangerous he can be. One player notably absent from the party was Jameson Williams, who’s been disappearing too frequently of late. He had one target -- a 9-yard catch -- despite leading Lions wideouts with 50 offensive snaps.
2. Browning wakes up too late. For most of three quarters, it was a third consecutive dreadful start for Jake Browning. Cincy’s backup quarterback didn’t hit 100 passing yards until the third frame, and at that time was trailing, 28-3, with three interceptions. He finally found a groove, leading a 67-yard drive that ended with a pinpoint touchdown toss to Ja'Marr Chase to begin the fourth quarter and connecting with the star wideout minutes later for a 64-yard score, but the deficit and the opponent were far too tough to overcome by then. Before the final 19 minutes and change, Browning was consistently slow reading the field, missed a handful of big plays by leading open pass catchers back into coverage and took unnecessary risks with the ball. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday morning that the Bengals have faith in Browning and have not had trade talks for other veteran options. Perhaps his late surge will keep Cincinnati convinced of his ability, but until he woke up late, the Bengals had gone 19 straight drives (not including a Week 4 first-half kneel down) without reaching the end zone, per NFL Research. His best hasn’t been nearly good enough, and in this most recent case it came far too late.
3. Hutchinson continues to be an absolute menace. Aidan Hutchinson’s Comeback Player of the Year campaign is off to a roaring start. The Pro Bowler tallied eight pressures, just one fewer than the Bengals’ entire pass rush put together. The only downer to his performance is it could have been even better. Hutchinson converted only one of his pressures into a sack, during which he stripped Jake Browning to blow up a flea flicker. He saw two other sacks wiped away by penalties, first due to his own error being offsides and again when a defensive holding penalty nullified a safety. Despite the sloppiness, Hutchinson’s late takedown still extended his streak of games with one or more sacks to four, which tied the franchise’s single-season record (since sacks became official in 1982). When Hutchinson’s firing on all cylinders, the Lions defense is nearly impossible to navigate. That much was clear on Sunday, as Amik Robertson, Kerby Joseph and Alex Anzalone all collected interceptions and Cincinnati looked lost most of the game.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Lions-Bengals (via NFL Pro): Jake Browning was 2 of 9 for 40 yards and three interceptions on downfield passes (10-plus air yards) in the first three quarters against the Lions, but he completed all four of his downfield passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

NFL Research: Safety Kerby Joseph became the sixth player since 2000 with at least 20 interceptions in his first four seasons.

FULL BOX SCORE

• REWATCH: Commanders-Chargers on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Chargers' Allen becomes fastest in NFL history to 1,000 receptions

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Daniels led Commanders to impressive victory after early drought. Jayden Daniels wore pink cleats to start the game as a nod to Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but he needed to make an equipment change after a few series. Daniels had completed only 1 of 3 passes for 7 yards and was having trouble getting his footing as a runner, with Washington in a 10-0 hole early. It was all Chargers at that point, but Daniels – with black cleats – looked like the quarterback who took the league by storm as a rookie, and not the one who returned from two weeks off with a knee injury. The Chargers opened the door with some critical mistakes, and Daniels and the Commanders took advantage. His 50-yard pass to Luke McCaffrey in the waning seconds of the first half set up a shocking field goal to tie the game, and the opening touchdown drive of the second half shifted the tides, with Washington scoring 27 unanswered points. And for the cherry on top, Daniels hit Deebo Samuel on a lollipop TD to beat the blitz. Daniels’ composed play after the footwear change -- and without Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown -- was impressive and a sign the Commanders are back.
2. Three massive mistakes doomed banged-up Chargers. The Chargers dominated the first quarter and then flushed the game away. You can point to three critical mistakes -- in a day full of errors -- as to why. Up 10-0, Justin Herbert hit Quentin Johnston for a big third-down conversion just outside the red zone. But Johnston coughed up his first NFL fumble, and the Commanders promptly marched 74 yards for a TD for at least a 10-point swing. There was another 10-point swing in the closing moments of the first half, as Marlowe Wax’s roughing the kicker penalty erased Ladd McConkey’s punt return TD. That gave Jayden Daniels a first down, and he somehow converted that into a field goal. The game fully swung the other direction, and the Commanders took a two-score lead. Herbert drove the Chargers into first-and-goal from the Washington 1, but his tipped-pass interception at the goal line ended any hope of a comeback. The Chargers were hit hard by injuries in this game, on both lines of scrimmage and to rookie running back Omarion Hampton (ankle). That’s now two straight painful losses, and the 3-0 start feels like a lifetime ago.
3. Croskey-Merrit has taken the lead role, even with a fumble. The Commanders had maintained some semblance of backfield parity the first four games, divvying up the carries a bit. But Sunday felt like a breakthrough for rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who did more as a runner (111 yards) and receiver (39) than he had to this point. His two TDs and a brilliant 27-yard run in the third quarter helped the Commanders wrest back control of the game. But the most telling moment about his status was when Croskey-Merritt fumbled on the first play of the fourth quarter, giving the Chargers life when it looked like they were about to be choked out. This was Croskey-Merritt’s fifth NFL game, and it might have been easy for Dan Quinn to give the rookie the hook. Instead, they fed him more. Protecting a 20-10 lead, Croskey-Merritt rewarded his coach’s faith and atoned for his mistake by ripping off runs of 10, 9 and 15 yards to close out the game. There’s no doubt who the Commanders’ RB1 is now: It’s the seventh-rounder known simply as “Bill.” Bill paid off in a big way Sunday.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Commanders-Chargers (via NFL Pro): Justin Herbert was sacked four times, took nine QB hits and was pressured 12 times before being replaced by Trey Lance. Herbert averaged only 3.0 yards per pass attempt and threw his only INT when pressured by the Commanders.

NFL Research: With 39 rushing yards Sunday, Jayden Daniels became the first player in NFL history with 4,000 or more pass yards and 1,000 or more rush yards in their first 20 career games.

FULL BOX SCORE

• REWATCH: Patriots-Bills on NFL+ Premium

Grant Gordon's takeaways:

1. Maye, Diggs lead Patriots’ way to upset. Unbelievably, Drake Maye nor Stefon Diggs had any kind of touchdown on Sunday night. No, it was Rhamondre Stevenson who scored both of the Patriots’ TDs, emerging from the doghouse after a first-carry fumble. Maye and Diggs undoubtedly were catalysts for the Pats’ stunning upset win, though, with the second-season quarterback leading his first career game-winning drive. Since he entered the league last year, many have compared Maye to his Week 5 counterpart, Josh Allen, and he showed it with moxie, clutch play and an overall stellar evening. Maye (22 of 30 for 273 yards, no interceptions) connected with Diggs and then Kayshon Boutte to begin a 37-yard yard drive that ended with rookie kicker Andres Borregales converting a 52-yard game-winner. Diggs was sensational, turning in 10 receptions for 146 yards against his former squad. It marked his first instance with consecutive 100-yard outings since four straight in Weeks 3-6 of the 2023 season -- his last with Buffalo. Maye and Diggs have developed something quickly and New England knocked off the last undefeated team in the NFL. The Patriots grabbed some notice in this one. 
2. Should Bills be worried? The Bills were the last undefeated team standing and still are atop the AFC East, but perhaps the prime-time lights shined a light on some concerns. Buffalo has faced just one team this season with more than one victory: the Patriots. It was a struggle all night, much of that coming as Josh Allen and the offense had three turnovers after just one over the previous four weeks. After starting the season on this very same Sunday night stage with an improbable comeback win over a Ravens squad that’s currently 1-4, the Bills had double-digit victories over the Jets, Dolphins and Saints -- who boast just two combined wins. NFL math doesn’t always add up, but the Bills’ schedule has been a friendly one so far, facing squads with a combined 6-19 record -- half of those wins owned by the Pats. The turnovers, the penalties (11 accepted for 90 yards against the Patriots) and the struggles on Sunday evening might well be an aberration, but they could also be a foreshadowing of some tougher times to come. Back in prime time on Monday next week against the mercurial Falcons, perhaps we’ll see. 
3. Patriots defense stands tall. Through four weeks, the Bills had just one turnover. On Sunday night, the Patriots forced three, thanks to a Marcus Jones interception and fumble recoveries by Jaylinn Hawkins and Joshua Farmer. Those turnovers led to 10 points for the Pats and were part of a defensive effort that held the Bills -- boasting the No. 2 scoring offense in the NFL -- to a season-low 20 points. In Mike Vrabel’s first season, the Patriots are trying to put down a winning foundation. Unexpected wins such as these are just what they want and need. A multi-time Super Bowl winner as a linebacker with the Pats, Vrabel saw his squad earn a hard-hitting, ugly, grind-it-out win that can only bode well for what lies ahead. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Patriots-Bills (via NFL Pro): Drake Maye was pressured on 38.9 of his dropbacks (14 QB pressures) and sacked four times, but he fared well under duress. Maye was 7 of 10 under pressure for 72 yards and a plus-20.1 completion percentage over expected. 

NFL Research: Since taking over as head coach of the Bills in 2017, Sean McDermott has a .500 record or worse against every Patriots head coach he’s faced after Sunday (6-8 versus Bill Belichick; 1-1 versus Jerod Mayo; 0-1 versus Mike Vrabel).