Week 5 was a superb one for assertion wins, however none was greater or louder than the New England Patriots’ gutsy 23-20 effort over the Buffalo Payments.
Shout it from the Sunday Night time Soccer stage: The Patriots are again — again in prime time, again within the win column in opposition to a well-known foe, and again to relevance. It wasn’t simply that they took down the Payments in Buffalo to ship the league’s final undefeated group its first lack of the season. It’s how they did it — with a clutch defensive efficiency that gained the turnover battle in opposition to Josh Allen & Co. 3-1, a whole sport from quarterback Drake Maye to place the Patriots in place to win, an elite exhibiting by ex-Invoice Stefon Diggs, and one completely positioned kick proper down the center to take the lead with 15 seconds to go.
Alongside the way in which, we discovered a couple of issues about this New England group:
Drake Maye has arrived. There have been a couple of doubts heading into Sunday’s matchup, and none after it. Maye was poised, environment friendly, and excellent within the fourth quarter, unfazed by the hostile surroundings.
The Vrabel-led Patriots come as marketed. They’re a defence-first group with a quarterback that may put them in place to win.
Stefon Diggs continues to be a No. 1 WR. With 10 catches for 146 yards, he was a person on a mission in opposition to his former squad. He’s additionally the primary Patriots receiver to file back-to-back video games with 100-plus yards since Julian Edelman in 2019.
The inspiration is in place. Extra wins ought to observe. The Payments are nonetheless on prime of the division, however may they’ve firm quickly?
Right here’s what else we discovered on a busy Sunday of soccer, together with one other assertion victory in opposition to one other now-formerly undefeated squad.
Broncos ship a message with comeback win over Eagles
For the primary time in 2025, the Philadelphia Eagles misplaced a soccer sport. The reigning Tremendous Bowl champs began their run-it-back bid with an ideal September file earlier than falling to the Denver Broncos 21-17 on Sunday.
Philly’s loss adopted a script that’s grow to be type of acquainted early on on this season: The offence builds up a wholesome lead, after which clams up within the fourth quarter. One week after being blanked within the fourth quarter in opposition to the Buccaneers — however surviving by the pores and skin of their enamel — Philly was outscored 18-0 within the last body in opposition to Denver because the Broncos stole the win. The NFC’s final remaining undefeated group now has a digit within the loss column.
The Broncos, who began somewhat gradual this season with a 1-2 file, dismantled the Joe Burrow-less Bengals final Monday however had but to defeat a top quality opponent. (They beat Tennessee in Week 1, then misplaced back-to-back shut matchups in opposition to the Colts and Chargers by a mixed 4 factors.) Toppling the Eagles sends a message that the 3-2 Broncos are hitting their stride and might take down the very best. Did they get a couple of calls? Undoubtedly. However the Broncos earned this one on each side of the ball — whereas the defence shut out Hurts & Co., Bo Nix threw for 127 yards and a landing within the fourth quarter to say the win that felt each literal and ethical in style. Upcoming dates in opposition to the Jets in Week 6 and the Giants in Week 7 ought to see them climb the standings rapidly.
Cardiac Bucs strike once more
In case your NFL fandom is spent driving bandwagons, take into account hopping on the Buccaneers’ — they’re already piling up the wins, and no matter how the season in the end unfolds, it’ll be a enjoyable trip. Tampa Bay has developed a status for last-minute victories, and Sunday’s thriller in opposition to Seattle adopted that template and ended with a walk-off subject purpose from Chase McLaughlin to seal the 38-35 victory. That’s 4 wins on the season for the Buccaneers now, with all 4 coming within the last minutes — or last seconds.
Baker Mayfield has taken his sport to a different degree, and was elite on Sunday: 29 of 33, 379 yards, two touchdowns, no fumbles, no INTs, and only one sack taken. With the victory, Tampa Bay now sits third within the NFC, with some large challenges forward — Mayfield & Co. host the second-place 49ers subsequent Sunday, adopted by a date in Detroit. Loads extra enjoyable to return, absolutely.
Jets stand alone as NFL’s final remaining winless group
Aaron Glenn has acknowledged a number of occasions that his squad is just not “the identical outdated Jets.”
And perhaps he’s proper. Possibly these aren’t truly the identical outdated Jets. Possibly they’re worse. That’s a troubling thought, contemplating the practice wreck that unfolded final season. The pinnacle-scratcher of all of it is the defence — one that’s excessive on expertise, and but woefully low on outcomes underneath a head coach whose whole resume is constructed on being a defensive specialist.
Beneath Glenn’s steerage, the winless Jets have but to file a single takeaway — that’s an NFL file, and one nobody noticed coming. Add up their handful of losses, and so they’ve been outscored by a mixed 45 factors. Sunday’s 37-22 loss to Dallas got here lower than per week after Glenn yelled at his roster so loudly it might be heard by means of the locker-room partitions. Clearly, after posting their worst defensive efficiency but (and ready till rubbish time to attain greater than a subject purpose) his message didn’t resonate. What now?
With dominant bounce-back win, Colts present they’ve obtained all of it
If final week’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams urged there could be a couple of weaknesses within the Colts’ sport, Sunday’s dominant 40-6 victory over the Raiders made it clear this membership is stronger than ever. Yeah, it was in opposition to Vegas — a membership whose struggles have been mighty this season to this point — however the way in which Indianapolis was enjoying, it was virtually prefer it didn’t matter who their opponent was: They have been going all-in to get again within the win column.
Daniel Jones was again to enjoying INT-free soccer, ending the sport with 20 completions on 29 makes an attempt for 212 yards and two touchdowns. The run sport was dominant, led by Jonathan Taylor posting a hat trick of TDs. The offensive line stored Jones on his toes, whereas the defence sacked Raiders quarterback Geno Smith 4 occasions, picked him off twice, and held Vegas’ offence to simply two subject objectives.
Raiders have a obvious INT downside
When the Raiders acquired Geno Smith from the Seahawks final spring, reuniting him with one other ex-Seahawk in Pete Carroll, it felt just like the membership had solved — not less than for a couple of years — its QB downside. Final season wasn’t fairly, with a rotating solid behind centre, and it seems this yr could be even uglier.
By 5 video games, Smith has thrown 9 interceptions, main the league within the class. The Raiders are as soon as once more on the backside of the AFC West — although, because of the Chiefs’ season-opening struggles, the Chargers’ back-to-back defeats, and the Broncos’ pair of losses, there’s no runaway chief within the early goings. There’s nonetheless not less than somewhat little bit of hope in that regard.
Is Kenny Pickett the reply? The No. 2 man on Vegas’ depth chart doesn’t precisely have probably the most flattering profession stats in the case of INTs — in 30 appearances throughout three seasons, he’s thrown 14 interceptions, which is one shy of his TD complete. Carroll is receiving some criticism for not placing Pickett into Sunday’s sport. Will he flip to the backup subsequent week in an effort to spark somewhat change? Certainly, it could’t be worse than a 40-6 loss.
No fireworks for Browns, however Gabriel’s first begin affords spark
Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel didn’t get the win throughout the pond in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings in his first profession NFL begin, however he did provide up one thing completely different — and after a month of uninspiring offence, together with a mixed 2-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio with veteran Joe Flacco on the helm, “completely different” has obtained to not less than really feel like an ethical victory.
As the sport’s 21-17 last rating signifies, this wasn’t an offensive showdown. As Gabriel’s completion rely (he was 19 of 33 for 190 yards) suggests, he didn’t gentle up Minnesota’s defence. However Gabriel did tally two touchdowns and posted a clear sheet — no turnovers! — and confirmed some robust chemistry along with his weapons as he unfold the ball out to eight completely different receivers.
With a rock-solid defence and a dependable run sport, the Browns gained’t want Gabriel to be a game-breaker. He wasn’t requested to do an excessive amount of in his debut, thanks largely to a breakout efficiency by fellow rookie Quinshon Judkins. Judkins had 23 carries for 110 yards, and whereas he didn’t money in a rating, he was instrumental on each of Cleveland’s scoring drives and helped his fellow first-year quarterback settle in.
Is there any hope for the down-and-out Ravens?
Contemplating C.J. Stroud simply racked up 244 yards and 4 touchdowns with a mere 4 incompletions and 0 INTs for a large 44-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens, we must always most likely spend not less than a couple of sentences praising Houston’s revived offence. A efficiency like this one virtually makes you overlook simply how lifeless this unit regarded to start out the season.
Nevertheless it’s onerous to have a look at this 34-point margin and never fixate on the Ravens’ facet of issues. We knew it wouldn’t be fairly — the defence has already been demolished by the harm bug this yr, with the record of starters sidelined virtually hitting double digits. However when Lamar Jackson was dominated out as a consequence of a calf harm sustained final week? Properly, that felt like the ultimate straw.
Sure, it’s nonetheless early. And no, we don’t even have a timeline for Jackson’s return — although, Week 8 — subsequent week’s date in opposition to the Rams is adopted by a Week 7 bye that may’t come quickly sufficient — would possible be the betting favorite. Contemplating Baltimore’s 1-4 file already, and add one other L that’s virtually assured if Jackson can’t go well with up in opposition to L.A., Baltimore’s season may already be over by then.
Cardinals reward Ward his first profession NFL win
On the danger of failing to offer Cam Ward due credit score for pulling off a wild fourth-quarter comeback to earn the primary win of his NFL profession — as a result of he did earn it — the No. 1 general decide had somewhat assist from his foes to file win No. 1.
It was virtually just like the soccer gods watched Ward’s impassioned, pissed off post-game press convention after Week 4’s dismal loss and determined to intervene — that’s how unbelievable the occasions of this fourth quarter in opposition to the Cardinals have been.
It began early within the body, when Cardinals operating again Emari Demercado confirmed everybody he wasn’t listening to the don’t-celebrate-early lesson Colts receiver Adonai Mitchell taught his friends final week in opposition to the Rams… as a result of as an alternative of finishing an unimaginable 71-yard run for the TD, with L’Jarius Snead sizzling on his tail, Demercado held out the ball simply earlier than he crossed the purpose line, with Snead knocking it unfastened to negate the rating and provides Tennessee the ball as an alternative.
The Titans went on the rating 16 unanswered factors (soccer gods hate early celebrations), with Ward throwing for 196 yards within the fourth quarter and executing a game-winning drive that was as clutch as they arrive. The ultimate drive was fairly, however the last TD was not. Ward’s move was tipped, picked, kicked, bounced round, and at last pounced upon by a Titan within the endzone for what may simply be the ugliest rating of the season. Even Joey Slye’s game-winning subject purpose to ship the walk-off win was simply barely contained in the uprights.
A win is a win, although, and Tennessee’s first of the yr was actually memorable.
Daniels’ return brings spark again to Washington
After Marcus Mariota stored the group afloat with a 1-1 file in Jayden Daniels’ two-week harm absence, the return of the QB1 introduced a return of the Commanders’ dynamic model of offensive soccer.
With Daniels again the helm, Washington immediately appears like a contender once more. Daniels, who missed time with a knee sprain, was again to his big-yardage methods with a 231-yard outing by means of the air. He averaged 8.9 yards per throw in opposition to one of many league’s stingiest defences, connecting with Deebo Samuel on a passing TD, and ran the ball eight occasions. Working again Jacory Croskey-Merritt took the majority of run performs, racking up 111 yards and two TDs on the bottom in a sport that was all Commanders after the primary quarter. Washington’s defence shut out L.A. after the Chargers kicked off the sport with a 10-0 lead on the finish of the primary body.
Daniels’ return to the sector didn’t simply convey a spark to the Commanders’ lineup, it despatched a message that this group intends to construct on final yr’s success and contend once more — so long as Daniels can keep wholesome.
