NFL Week 5 Takeaways: What We Learned (2022)
Week 5 may have raised more questions than it answered, but we still have some takeaways from the games that were on the docket.
New York Giants 27 – Green Bay Packers 22
WHO is the worst 3-1 Team?
The Giants entered this contest as 8.5-point underdogs and were being discussed as not only the worst 3-1 team in the NFL but one of the worst 3-1 teams of all time… and then they beat Aaron Rogers and the 3-1 Packers. This game was an exemplary performance by a Giants team devoid of reliant pass-catchers. The team’s ability to play to its strengths has been a revelation, and their lone loss to the Cowboys is growing less egregious by the week. The Giants deserve our consideration moving forward, whereas the Packers deserve our criticism.
The explosive offense we used to associate with Green Bay is gone, and the team’s defense has not been a strength. This won’t be the last close game the Packers play this season.
Buffalo Bills 38 – Pittsburgh Steelers 3
Bullish on Buffalo
The Steelers’ decision to insert rookie QB Kenny Pickett into the starting lineup at this juncture was a confounding one; even still, the young QB’s performance was exceptional. Disregarding the final score, Pickett showed composure and clearly defined himself as a better option for the team than now-backup Mitch Trubisky. The issue for Pittsburgh is that their elite defense of years past is just that, and the offense so clearly lacks a vision. This is not a fertile environment for a rookie QB, nor conducive to victories. Be reluctant to back the Steelers moving forward.
Conversely, the Bills gave us yet another reason to believe them to be the best team in the NFL. Few teams in the league are capable of such a lopsided score, and Buffalo was far from perfect on this day. Buffalo travels to Kansas City in Week 6 in the most anticipated game of the 2022 season.
Los Angeles Chargers 30 – Cleveland Browns 28
Gusty Win
Sharp bettors adored the Browns, and the Chargers gutted out a victory. There are numerous angles from which to recap this game, but the chief talking point will/should be Chargers HC Brandon Staley’s 4th-down decision-making. The coach’s adoration for analytics is well known, but his knowledge of its utility is surely in question.
With 1:13 remaining, leading 30-28, and facing a 4th-and-1 from their own 46 yard-line, the Chargers spat in the face of conventional wisdom and elected to go for the yard. The issue with Staley’s decision-making is not that he misunderstood analytics but rather that he misunderstood his opposition.
Historically, there is a better chance of winning the game should one go for it on fourth down. However, this data is blind to the opposition, and a Cleveland offense fueled by its rushing attack would have likely been left for dead had the Chargers punted the ball. Here’s hoping that Staley learns how to use analytics to his team’s advantage and stops acting on it as gospel.
Minnesota Vikings 29 – Chicago Bears 22
Are We Sure…
The Minnesota Vikings are good? The Vikings are cruising toward the playoffs, but it is fair to question their legitimacy as a 4-1 team. It’s easy to see the potential for this Vikings team, but just as easy to find reasons for skepticism. The Vikings quickly built and then lost a 21-3 lead and had to once again rally late for the victory. There are signals of an elite offense, and it is easy to see the potential of the 2022 Vikings. The issue, however, is that it is just as easy to be skeptical of the Vikings and their play through five weeks.
New England Patriots 29 – Detroit Lions 0
What Happens Outdoors
It should be alarming that the NFL’s highest-scoring offense was held without a point on this day. Lions QB Jared Goff reminded us of his California roots, and a road game in the brisk Northeast was not a conducive environment for the QB to thrive. Goff struggled, and a porous Lions defense could not exploit a favorable matchup versus backup Bailey Zappe. It may, once again, be a long season in Detroit.
New Orleans Saints 39 – Seattle Seahawks 32
Swiss Army Man
This was an essential win for the Saints and a Mount Rushmore game for QB/TE Taysom Hill. The Saints gashed Seattle on the ground, and QB Andy Dalton was good enough to will this team to victory. It was clear that New Orleans had a plan of attack, and they executed it to a tee. The question now will be if the Saints can maintain this offensive momentum moving forward and what that might look like once the team gets healthy.
New York Jets 40 – Miami Dolphins 17
Young Talent
The Jets have the infrastructure for a potentially great offense, and Sunday was a welcome indication of what the future of this team may look like. Second-year QB Zach Wilson played well, and the team’s RB tandem of Breece Hall and Michael Carter has the makings of an elite one-two punch.
The Jets won a game that they should have, and they did so in a dominant fashion. Bravo, New York.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21 – Atlanta Falcons 15
Backdoor ATL
Tampa Bay has limped their way to a 3-2 start, and the Falcons continue to be frisky. The Buccaneers flirted with their first dominant victory of the season, but consecutive three-and-outs in the fourth quarter allowed the Falcons to sneak in the backdoor and nearly steal this game.
It is becoming clearer by the week that Tampa is not on par with their teams of years past.
Tennessee Titans 21 – Washington Commanders 17
NFC Least
Another pathetic performance by Washington, and this regime is surely feeling the heat. Head Coach Ron Rivera can no longer preach patience. The team’s investment in QB Carson Wentz signaled intent to compete, and the team is far from doing so. It is appropriate that the game ended with a Wentz INT at the goal line.
“It’s not panic time, but there is a sense of urgency.â€
Houston Texans 13 – Jacksonville Jaguars 6
Slow Down, Jags Truthers
Those who were bullish on this Jacksonville team were loud and proud heading into this game and have not been heard from since. This score is shocking. Jacksonville was favored by more points than the team scored, and a second consecutive poor performance from QB Trevor Lawrence is cause for concern.
Jacksonville played impatiently, and their reluctance to lean into an effective rushing attack proved costly. The Jaguars were the club favorites through four weeks to win the AFC South. That is no longer the case, and a pivotal matchup with the Colts looms large for their season.
San Francisco 49ers 37 – Carolina Panthers 15
Time for a Change
The Panthers were 11-27 under HC Matt Rhule and consistently exercised organizational impatience. Rhule was given a seven-year contract with the promise of long-term success, but hasty quarterback acquisitions signaled intent to win now, and the results had only gotten worse since Rhule’s arrival.
I wouldn’t expect things to change for Carolina. The infrastructure is in place for failure, and the team would be wise to lean into the rebuild.
Dallas Cowboys 22 – Los Angeles Rams 10
Dominant Dallas Defense
There is a chance that the reigning champs are the worst rendition of the Rams since McVay’s arrival in 2017. The Rams have struggled to sustain offense, and the team has been bullied by elite defensive fronts in consecutive games. The O-Line is a glaring weakness of the Rams and has handicapped Los Angeles’ ability to compete.
Conversely, Dallas may be one of the best teams in the NFL. The Cowboys had ten first-downs all game, backup QB Cooper Rush threw for 106 yards, and the team’s path to victory was never in question. The chatter surrounding Cooper Rush’s claim to the starting job is nonsensical, and the pending return of QB Dak Prescott should complement this team’s defense in a way that propels Dallas to the top of the NFC hierarchy.
Philadelphia Eagles 20 – Arizona Cardinals 17
Don’t Blame the Kicker
It is frustrating that this is likely the best game the team has played all year. The Cardinals have yet to score in the first quarter this season, and an early deficit was not unfamiliar territory for a team that is so accustomed to playing from behind. Once again, Arizona asked QB Kyler Murray to will them to victory– and he nearly did so.
The issue in Arizona is that they are at their best playing out of a structure, which should not be the case. Quarterback Kyler Murray’s playmaking ability should not be the basis of their offense but rather a bonus to it. The Cardinals should not be this frustrating to watch, and at some point, the team’s struggles will need to be an indictment on HC Kliff Kingsbury and his staff.
Baltimore Ravens 19 – Cincinnati Bengals 17
A Tier Below
Justin Tucker’s right foot willed the Ravens to victory in what was a necessary yet concerning win for Baltimore. Quarterback Lamar Jackson played his worst game of the season, and HC John Harbaugh got bullied into kicking a field goal from the Bengals’ three-yard line when a touchdown would have put this game out of reach. Had Baltimore blown their third consecutive double-digit home lead, the narrative around this team would be much more pessimistic this week.
Conversely, the Bengals’ playoff run a season ago was synonymous with an explosion on offense. It is very concerning that this team has been incapable of replicating such chunk plays versus a Baltimore Defense susceptible to the big play.
Clearly, these two AFC contenders are a rung below the class of Buffalo and Kansas City, and the parity in the NFL is as great as ever.
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