Week 5 of the 2025 NFL season kicked off with an overtime showdown between the 49ers and Rams on Thursday night. San Francisco secured the 26-23 win after stopping Los Angeles running back Kyren Williams on fourth-and-1 at the 11-yard line.
Sunday’s action began in London, as the Vikings salvaged their road trip thanks to a 12-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that lifted Minnesota to a 21-17 win against the Browns. Later, the Texans got revenge from last Christmas against the Ravens, beating Baltimore by 34 points. The Saints grabbed their first victory of the season, topping the Giants 26-14. And the Eagles suffered their first loss, falling 21-17 to the Broncos.
The late-afternoon slate brought two competitive outings: The Bucs won a 38-35 thriller over the Seahawks, and the Titans stormed back late to beat the Cardinals 22-21.
In prime time, the Patriots — led by Drake Maye and Stefon Diggs — handed the Bills their first loss of the season.
Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let’s get to it.
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Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Patriots
What does this win say about how close the Patriots are to the Bills? Patriots QB Drake Maye said the game would be a “great gauge and checkpoint to see what we’ve got and what we can handle” — and they gave the five-time AFC East champs all they could handle in an adverse environment in prime time. Given this is just the fifth game of coach Mike Vrabel’s tenure, it reflects progress for his program. At the same time, the Bills were uncharacteristically sloppy — some of which was caused by the Patriots, but it was also self-inflicted.
Stat to know: Stefon Diggs became the first Patriots player with at least 100 receiving yards in consecutive games within a season since Julian Edelman in 2019. Diggs also had 61 yards after the catch, according to ESPN Research, his most in a game since 2022 when he was on the Bills (62, Week 6 at Chiefs). — Mike Reiss
Next game: at Saints (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Bills
What can be taken away from this defensive performance? This is a unit that has some concerns, and for the first time this season, didn’t have a big-time play to close out a tight game. Injuries continue to plague the Bills’ defense — tackle Ed Oliver missed a fourth straight game, linebacker Matt Milano (pec) sat out the second half — and the secondary and pass rush have some questions evidenced in the struggle of slowing down Diggs, who had 146 yards. There’s work to be done and help needed.
Most surprising performance: Sloppiness. Quarterback Josh Allen had only one interception coming into the game, but had a fumble on an apparent miscommunication and an interception in the red zone. Keon Coleman also had a fumble. An NFL-record 26-game streak without losing the turnover battle (regular season or playoffs) came to an end. On top of that, the Bills had eight accepted penalties in the first half that played a major role (tied for their second most in the first half of a game under Sean McDermott, since 2017). — Alaina Getzenberg
Next game: at Falcons (Monday, 7:15 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Titans
Can the Titans go back-to-back following their first win of the season? After being down 21-6 early in the fourth quarter, the Titans somehow managed to put together a comeback win. Sure, there was a little luck involved when quarterback Cam Ward’s tipped pass was intercepted by the Cardinals’ Dadrion Taylor-Demerson: The safety promptly fumbled, and wide receiver Tyler Lockett recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown to pull Tennessee within two points. Ward then led the team on a scoring drive to set up a Joey Slye field goal for the Titans’ first win since Week 12 of last season. Tennessee will try to spin this momentum into another victory next week against the 1-4 Raiders in Las Vegas.
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What to make of the QB performance: Ward once again struggled with accuracy issues, but he was money when it mattered. His 47-yard throw to wideout Calvin Ridley on a seam route was right on target and breathed life into the offense. Ward hit tight end Gunnar Helm on an over-the-shoulder throw at the Cardinals’ 1-yard line to set up a touchdown by running back Tony Pollard. Perhaps Ward’s best throw was a deep pass to Ridley for 38 yards with 32 seconds left in the contest. Ward finished with a career-high 265 passing yards. — Turron Davenport
Next game: at Raiders (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Cardinals
Was this the worst loss of the Jonathan Gannon era? Undoubtedly. The way the Cardinals lost, with gaffe after gaffe costing them, Sunday’s performance will go down in Cardinals history. Arizona led 21-6 just about 20 minutes into the game and didn’t score another point, losing to a previously winless team at home. Arizona figuratively and literally dropped the ball in this one, capsulized when running back Emari Demercado dropped the football short of the goal line as he raced in for a 72-yard would-be touchdown. The Titans got the ball on the touchback and scored a TD of their own. Arizona now has a three-game losing streak, with games against the Colts and the Packers coming up.
Most surprising performance: Wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. picked up in the first quarter where he left off in the fourth quarter of Week 4. He had 79 yards on a three catches in the first quarter and finished with 98 yards on four catches (out of five targets), giving him the third-best outing of his career. — Josh Weinfuss
Next game: at Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Commanders
How did the offense help QB Jayden Daniels in his return from injury despite missing two top WRs? Washington played without wideouts Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown. But it hardly mattered after the first quarter, as the Commanders gained 381 of their 389 yards in the remaining three quarters. The O-line protected Daniels, who had 3.74 seconds before hitting WR Luke McCaffrey on a 50-yard strike to set up a game-tying field goal before halftime. The line also opened holes for RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who finished with 111 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. Daniels threw for 231 yards and a touchdown, and he ran for another 39 yards, but this was not a one-man show.
Turning point: Washington trailed 10-0 with 8:58 left in the second quarter when the Chargers reached the Commanders’ 26-yard line on a catch-and-run. However, at the end of the run, S Quan Martin jarred the ball loose while delivering a hit. CB Marshon Lattimore recovered, and Washington scored the next 27 points. — John Keim
Next game: vs. Bears (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
0:33
Jayden Daniels drops in TD pass to Deebo Samuel
Jayden Daniels lobs a touchdown pass to Deebo Samuel to ice the game for the Commanders.
Chargers
What’s the outlook for the offense given the shaky line and this performance? After last week’s loss to the Giants, Los Angeles coach Jim Harbaugh said that the hits QB Justin Herbert had been taking in recent weeks were “very concerning.” Harbaugh said the Chargers would fix these issues. But in Week 5, it was clear they hadn’t. Herbert was sacked four times and spent most of the game running from defenders. Things went from bad to worse when RG Mekhi Becton and RT Trey Pipkins III exited the game with injuries. As the Chargers move forward this season, their offensive line woes might significantly impact the team’s ceiling.
Stat to know: Perhaps the lone bright spot Sunday was WR Keenan Allen becoming the fastest player in NFL history to collect 1,000 receptions, which took him just 159 games. He finished with five catches for 58 yards, both team highs. Allen has been Herbert’s favorite target since he returned to the team during the offseason. He leads the Chargers in receptions with 29. — Kris Rhim
Next game: at Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Lions
Can we believe in Detroit’s defense? The D played well against the Ravens, the Browns and — in stretches on Sunday — the Bengals under first-year coordinator Kelvin Sheppard. But Cleveland and Cincinnati are struggling on offense, so how will the unit respond to a bigger test in Kansas City? The Lions had seven pass breakups in the first half at Cincinnati, tied for their most in a half since ESPN began tracking in 2009, along with three total interceptions. But Detroit did allow two fourth-quarter touchdown receptions by Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase, including a wide-open 64-yard grab.
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Stat to know: Lions RB David Montgomery, a native of Cincinnati, registered a rushing touchdown and a passing TD in his first NFL homecoming, while backfield mate Jahmyr Gibbs tallied a receiving TD. Gibbs and Montgomery now have 14 games in which they both have scored a TD, which ties the most for an running back duo in NFL history with the Cowboys’ Emmitt Smith and Daryl Johnston. — Eric Woodyard
Next game: at Chiefs (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Bengals
Should the Bengals end the Jake Browning experiment at QB? It would be hard to blame the Bengals if they did. With Browning at the helm, Cincinnati’s offense has been the worst it has ever been in coach Zac Taylor’s seven-year tenure — which includes the woeful 2019 season. Browning threw three interceptions on Sunday and struggled to move the offense except for rare instances, including his two late touchdown passes to Chase. The Bengals have looked nothing like they did in 2023, which was the last time Browning took over for an injured Joe Burrow. The way Cincinnati finished the game feels like fool’s gold.
Trend to watch: Cincinnati has been uncompetitive in each of its past three outings. During that span, Cincinnati was outscored a combined 97-9. Even when the Bengals scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter against Detroit, Chase almost refused to celebrate. There has been little offensive joy for Cincinnati in recent weeks. — Ben Baby
Next game: at Packers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Buccaneers
What should we make of the Bucs’ performance in a back-and-forth game? The Bucs couldn’t get the necessary pressure they needed against Seahawks QB Sam Darnold, who escaped the grasp of LB Haason Reddick on a fourth-and-2 that helped Seattle grab the lead late in the fourth quarter. In fact, Tampa Bay didn’t sack Darnold at all, as he completed 82.4% of his passes. But the Bucs were missing two of their top outside cornerbacks — Jamel Dean and Benjamin Morrison — due to injury. And veteran ILB Lavonte David saved the day with an interception on a pass that bounced off DE Logan Hall’s helmet with 58 seconds remaining. It’s not always pretty, but this was an important bounce-back win for Tampa Bay after suffering its lone loss last week to the Eagles.
What to make of the QB performance: Going toe-to-toe with Darnold, a close friend of Tampa Bay QB Baker Mayfield who has enjoyed a similar career revival, Mayfield went 29-of-33 passing for 379 yards and two touchdowns. Mayfield found WR Sterling Shepard on an 11-yard TD with 1:15 to go to tie the score. The signal-caller then led the Bucs downfield once more for Chase McLaughlin’s winning field goal. Mayfield completed passes to 11 different receiving targets, with rookie WR Emeka Egbuka hauling in 163 receiving yards, a touchdown and a 2-point conversion. — Jenna Laine
Best quote from the locker room: Lavonte David on his game-clinching interception: “All 11 guys out there on the field was pissed off because we were in that situation. We shot ourselves in the foot throughout the whole game. We weren’t making plays. They were capitalizing on things we were doing. It was a moment to rise. Somebody had to rise, and everybody had that attitude. That’s what I love about this football team. Guys know the game’s not over until the game is over. Today I was able to be the one who made the play.”
Next game: vs. 49ers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
0:22
Baker Mayfield slings it to Sterling Shepard for Bucs TD
Baker Mayfield ties the score with an 11-yard touchdown to Sterling Shepard.
Seahawks
How good are the Seahawks feeling about their offseason QB swap? The Seahawks lost despite a masterpiece from Darnold, whose four touchdown passes kept Seattle in a shootout and continually bailed out their short-handed defense. Darnold (28-of-34 for 341 yards) was intercepted on a deflected throw to set up Tampa Bay’s winning field goal, but it was nonetheless the best performance of what’s been a strong start to his Seattle career. Raiders QB Geno Smith, meanwhile, was intercepted twice in Las Vegas’ blowout loss, giving him nine picks to six TDs. As disappointed as the Seahawks will be in losing another home game, they have to feel good about their pivot to Darnold, especially considering their new quarterback is seven years younger than Smith and on a contract that is less expensive, by $4 million per year. (The Hawks also picked up a third-round draft pick by trading Smith.)
Biggest hole in the game plan: Whether it was a flaw in Seattle’s defensive game plan or execution, Tampa Bay had receivers running wide open in the second and third levels all game. Combined with Mayfield’s scrambling ability, that allowed Tampa Bay to rack up 370 passing yards. Seattle finished with only two QB hits and just one sack. The Seahawks already were playing without three defensive starters in DE DeMarcus Lawrence, CB Devon Witherspoon and S Julian Love, and they lost two more in LB Derick Hall and CB Riq Woolen. — Brady Henderson
Next game: at Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Broncos
Did their win over the Eagles prove the Broncos are playoff worthy? After last-play losses to the Colts and the Chargers in the first three weeks of the season, coach Sean Payton has maintained “those are good teams and we’re a good team.” The Broncos proved it Sunday with perhaps the best win of Payton’s tenure in Denver. The Broncos, who trailed 17-3 in the fourth quarter, overcame penalties (12), their own offensive sluggishness for much of the day (5-of-15 on third down) and two more plays of 40 or more yards allowed on defense. Payton’s bold call for a two-point conversion — QB Bo Nix to WR Troy Franklin with 7:36 left — turned out to be the difference, as the Broncos head to London at 3-2.
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What to make of the QB performance: Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has made a career out of testing quarterbacks’ patience, and for three quarters Nix was 1-for-10 for 20 yards on throws 10 or more yards downfield. But Nix eventually found the composure to get the win — going 4-for-4 for 82 yards on such throws in the fourth, finishing the game 24-of-39 for 242 yards and a touchdown. It was probably no accident that Nix settled down when the Broncos committed to some better work in the run game in the second half. Nix found his rhythm on the game-winning drive midway through the fourth quarter, as well as on a field goal drive over the final three minutes of the game. — Jeff Legwold
Next game: vs. Jets in London (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET)
Eagles
Is the passing game back on track? It looked like it for a while there. QB Jalen Hurts set a season high in passing yards and hit on some long pass attempts, including a 52-yarder to WR DeVonta Smith to set up a second-quarter score and a 47-yard touchdown throw to RB Saquon Barkley early in the third quarter. Frustrations surrounding the aerial attack were most publicly expressed by WR A.J. Brown, who wrote a cryptic message on social media following the Eagles’ Week 4 win and later emphasized that he wants to be called upon in big moments and to get the offense going. Brown grinded out a solid performance despite being shadowed by Broncos CB Pat Surtain II for much of the day, while Smith went over 100 receiving yards for the first time this season. The offense went cold for a long stretch in the second half, however, with Philadelphia forced to punt on four consecutive possessions as Denver mounted its comeback.
Most surprising performance: Edge rusher Azeez Ojulari was active for the first time all season due to injuries at the position and made the most of it. He registered a pressure, a stuff and three tackles and forced a key Nix incompletion on third down late in the first half. Ojulari was widely expected to be the No. 3 edge after being signed to a one-year deal during the offseason, but he had a slow summer and got buried on the depth chart. His opportunity comes at an intriguing time with the Eagles set to face his old squad (the Giants) in two of their next three games. — Tim McManus
Next game: at Giants (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Panthers
Did QB Bryce Young save his job? Young had two turnovers for the third time this season and trailed 17-0 — it looked like Andy Dalton time. Then Young led a drive that he finished with one of his best throws of the season for a touchdown, a 7-yard pass to WR Xavier Legette. Then with 1:59 to play, he had a 4-yard pass to TE Mitchell Evans for the game-winning touchdown. Young finished 19-of-30 with 198 yards and two TDs. He saved his job and potentially saved the Panthers’ (2-3) season.
Most surprising performance: Running back controversy? Rico Dowdle had 83 yards on 28 carries coming into this game. He started for RB Chuba Hubbard (quad) and responded with a career-high 206 yards on 23 carries and a touchdown. His 53-yard run in the third quarter was Carolina’s longest play from scrimmage this season. He was explosive. — David Newton
Next game: vs. Cowboys (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Dolphins
What did we learn about the post-Tyreek Hill Dolphins offense? The Dolphins will stress balance, balance, balance. Six players touched the ball on Miami’s opening drive, and all six of those players finished with multiple catches. Replacing Hill’s production will not fall on one player but will be addressed by committee — which is what players and coaches said throughout this past week. TE Darren Waller was a huge part of the game plan in limited snaps, recording 78 yards and a touchdown in the first half.
Trend to watch: The Dolphins owned the league’s ninth-best run defense last season, but it hasn’t transferred over to 2025. Miami allowed a season-high 239 rushing yards. This defense has allowed at least 150 rushing yards in four of its five games this season — a stat that will create job openings in Miami if it continues. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next game: vs. Chargers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Cowboys
Did the Cowboys defense turn a corner? You don’t want to get carried away because of the ineptness of the Jets offense, but this was a Cowboys defense that was shredded by the normally offensively challenged Giants and the Bears, and gave up 40 points to the Packers — all in their three previous games. The key play: a forced fumble by LB Marist Liufau at the Dallas 9-yard line with the score 10-3 in the second quarter. But add in five sacks and two fourth-down stops, and this was the type of outing the Cowboys were hoping for when the season started, despite the Jets adding 16 points late with the game out of reach. Can Dallas do it again next week against the Panthers?
Most surprising performance: Three starters on the offensive line — LT Tyler Guyton (concussion), RG Tyler Booker (ankle) and C Cooper Beebe (foot) — did not make the trip. A fourth, LG Tyler Smith, was at least a reserve but was not going to play because of a knee injury. And yet, by the time the first half ended, the Cowboys had a 100-yard rusher (Javonte Williams), a 100-yard receiver (Ryan Flournoy) and QB Dak Prescott had two touchdown passes to TE Jake Ferguson. Besides Nate Thomas making his first start at LT and LG Hakeem Adeniji making his first start as a Cowboy, other moving pieces included Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass as starters at C and RG, with only RT Terence Steele in his normal spot. — Todd Archer
Next game: at Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
0:54
Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Jets Game Highlights
Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Jets Game Highlights
Jets
Is coach Aaron Glenn’s message failing to get through? It sure seems that way. The Jets, who dropped to 0-5 for the third time in the past 30 years, continued to regress in all the key areas that Glenn has emphasized since Day 1 — tackling (14 missed), penalties (10), ball security (another fumble) and situational football. Glenn keeps saying, “We’re not the ‘Same Old Jets’,” but there’s no evidence to support his claim. The Jets were outplayed and outcoached by a flawed Dallas team. Glenn became the first coach in Jets history to start 0-5 in Year 1. It’s as bad as it ever was.
Trend to watch: The Jets made history, becoming the first team since 1933 (when turnovers became an official stat) to record zero takeaways in the first five games of a season. How is that possible? Their defense isn’t devoid of talent, but it’s playing like an expansion unit. At their current pace (31.7 points per game), they would set the franchise record for most points allowed in a season. — Rich Cimini
Next game: vs. Broncos in London (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Saints
How can the Saints build off their first win of the season? The Saints ended an eight-game losing streak, winning their first game since Dec. 8, 2024. There were still mistakes, including red zone issues, two missed field goals and plenty of pressure allowed on QB Spencer Rattler. But the Saints were able to capitalize on every mistake the Giants made, getting a takeaway on five straight New York possessions. With the Patriots up next at home, the Saints need to keep figuring out ways to improve on both sides of the ball.
Most surprising performance: The secondary, particularly the young safeties. Rookie Jonas Sanker has had an impressive start to the season, and Jordan Howden was able to fill in nicely for an injured Justin Reid on Sunday. The duo had a takeaway each, with Sanker recovering a fumble forced by LB Demario Davis, and Howden scooping up a ball punched out by DT Bryan Bresee before running it back for an 86-yard touchdown. CB Kool-Aid McKinstry also had two interceptions. — Katherine Terrell
Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
0:33
Saints get 86-yard defensive TD off Cam Skattebo’s fumble
Jordan Howden picks up Cam Skattebo’s fumble and returns it 86 yards the other way for a Saints touchdown.
Giants
What did we learn about QB Jaxson Dart in this loss? The rookie did some good things, such as hitting TE Theo Johnson for a pair of touchdown passes. But this is still his first season, and he can’t carry a team at this point. The Giants had way too many losing plays, including Dart’s fumble near midfield to cut short the opening drive of the second half and a pair of interceptions. Rookie RB Cam Skattebo also had a fumble in the red zone returned for a touchdown, and the Giants had five turnovers overall. Dart went 26-of-39 for 202 yards with two touchdown passes and two interceptions. The Giants will have to deal with the rookie’s growing pains.
Biggest hole in the game plan: What the heck is going on with the Giants’ secondary? It was a mess in this contest, committing penalties and allowing receivers to run wide open. There was plenty of blame to go around, too. CBs Deonte Banks, Paulson Adebo and Dru Phillips committed costly penalties. S Tyler Nubin lost his leverage, which resulted in an 87-yard touchdown for Saints WR Rashid Shaheed. Rough afternoon for this group. — Jordan Raanan
Next game: vs. Eagles (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Colts
Is this Colts offense for real? Everyone keeps waiting for the old Daniel Jones to reappear, but five weeks in, there’s no sign of the QB who was underwhelming with the New York Giants. Jones completed 20 of 29 attempts for 212 yards on Sunday — hardly eye-popping numbers, but certainly efficient. The Colts have continually maximized their offense this season, with Jones making the most of the short passing game and the production of RB Jonathan Taylor. Taylor has seven total touchdowns this season, including three rushing scores on Sunday. The Colts’ offensive balance and versatility has made them tough to defend.
Trend to watch: Rookie TE Tyler Warren has done it all this season, just as the Colts promised. He had previously lined up and run the ball as a fullback and taken a direct snap under center. But on Sunday, he tried his hand at actually throwing a pass. The goal-line play was well defended and the pass was incomplete, but keep an eye out for the variety of ways the Colts plan to use Warren — something they plan to lean into. — Stephen Holder
Next game: vs. Cardinals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
0:29
Jonathan Taylor dances to celebrate his 3rd TD of the game
Jonathan Taylor finds the end zone for the third time vs. the Raiders and dances with his teammates in celebration.
Raiders
How much blame should be placed on the coaching staff? Pete Carroll and the Raiders’ coaching staff deserve plenty of blame for the disastrous performance that took place in their fourth straight loss. Sure, the Raiders were down four starters. That’s still not an excuse for another week of special team struggles — namely a blocked punt in the second quarter — in addition to missed tackles, mental errors and an inability to execute in the red zone. Carroll was meant to change the culture in Las Vegas. However, he might’ve underestimated the challenge of doing so in Year 1; this team is a reflection of those from years past.
Stat to know: Geno Smith’s nine interceptions (two on Sunday) are the most by any Raiders QB in the team’s first five games of a season since Jim Plunkett in 1982 (nine). The last NFL quarterback to record nine picks in his team’s first five games was Zach Wilson in 2021 (also nine). — Ryan McFadden
Next game: vs. Titans (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Texans
Has the offense finally broken through? The Texans offense had its first 40-point outing of the season, scoring a season-high 44 points in Sunday’s win. Everything was working for Houston: QB C.J. Stroud threw four touchdowns with three in the first half (a career first), and the running game totaled 167 yards, led by RB Nick Chubb, who also hit a season-high 61 yards on the day. Even though the Ravens defense was missing multiple Pro Bowl starters, it’s always a good thing to see the offense put up big numbers as the Texans did Sunday.
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What to make of the QB performance: Stroud quieted some of the critics after a four-touchdown outing, the second most in his career. He now has thrown for six touchdowns over his past two games, and finished the day completing 85% of his passes (23-of-27) for 244 yards and no interceptions. Stroud looked decisive throughout, taking what the defense gave him, and when it was time to push it down the field, he took his shots. — DJ Bien-Aime
Next game: at Seahawks (Oct. 20, 10 p.m. ET)
Ravens
Have the Ravens hit rock bottom? Baltimore certainly has on defense, which carries most of the blame for the Ravens falling to 1-4 for the second time in the franchise’s 30-year history. It’s also the biggest reason why the Ravens lost by 34 points, which is tied for the second-worst margin of defeat in coach John Harbaugh’s 18 seasons. With three Pro Bowl defenders sidelined by injury (S Kyle Hamilton, LB Roquan Smith and CB Marlon Humphrey), it didn’t seem like a fair fight. But the Ravens defense didn’t show much fight either, even after defensive coordinator Zach Orr called for more physicality this week. Baltimore allowed five touchdowns to a Texans team that had only six touchdowns total on the season. This marks the most points allowed by the Ravens in a home game under Harbaugh, which will put pressure on Harbaugh to make a change at defensive coordinator.
Trend to watch: The Ravens fall to 4-11 (.266) (which includes the playoffs) without two-time MVP QB Lamar Jackson. Baltimore has lost its past five games when Jackson hasn’t played. There’s a good chance that Jackson doesn’t play Sunday against the Rams because Baltimore has a bye the following week. In his first start for the Ravens, QB Cooper Rush failed to consistently move the ball, finishing with four three-and-outs and three interceptions. — Jamison Hensley
Best quote from the locker room: Harbaugh on the loss: “It was a complete disappointment. We’re going to have to find a way to turn it around and figure out who we are this next week and then into the bye and after the bye. We’re going to have more than half the season left and we’re going to have to find ourselves.”
Next game: vs. Rams (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Vikings
Would the Vikings do a trip like this again? The team was eager to accept the NFL’s offer to become the first team in NFL history to play consecutive international games in different countries, believing it would neutralize the home-field advantage of what would otherwise have been two AFC North road games. They also were confident that their internal infrastructure could plan well for the challenge. In the end, after losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin, they salvaged the trip with a touchdown with 25 seconds remaining to beat the Browns. But given the challenges they faced overseas with an injury-ravaged offensive line, among other issues, it’s fair to assume the Vikings won’t be signing up for another 10-day road trip anytime soon.
Most surprising performance: Receiver Jordan Addison didn’t play in the first quarter, missing all 14 of the Vikings’ plays over two series, before taking his first snap on the first possession of the second quarter. The team attributed his absence to a coach’s decision. Addison played nearly all of the Vikings’ 24-21 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 4, his first game back from a three-game suspension. Addison is one of the team’s best playmakers, and having him sidelined for any part of a game has an impact on the Vikings’ offense. His three consecutive catches in the fourth quarter, capped by a 12-yard touchdown for the win, was more than enough proof. — Kevin Seifert
Next game: vs. Eagles (Oct. 19, 1 p.m. ET)
1:03
Vikings spoil Dillon Gabriel’s first start with win in London
Carson Wentz comes up clutch in the end as the Vikings take down the Browns 21-17 in London.
Browns
What’s next for Dillon Gabriel after his first NFL start? Though his first start ended in a loss, Gabriel was decisive and composed. He got the ball out quickly (2.54 seconds average time to throw) and tossed two touchdowns. Most importantly, he didn’t turn the ball over like Joe Flacco did in his first four starts. Combined with a strong running effort (140 yards) and a stingy defense (two takeaways), the Browns have something to build around, albeit in a defeat, as Gabriel gets more comfortable running the offense.
Key stat to know: With 110 rushing and 18 receiving yards Sunday, running back Quinshon Judkins is the first Browns rookie with 100 scrimmage yards in consecutive games since Nick Chubb in 2018. — Daniel Oyefusi
Next game: at Steelers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
49ers
At 4-1 and 3-0 in the division, how good can these 49ers be? The reality is the 49ers will never be “fully” healthy this season, but it’s not hard to envision this team playing meaningful football late in the season. It’s a big if, but if the 49ers do have a bit better injury luck, get their stars (tight end George Kittle, quarterback Brock Purdy, as well as receivers Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall) back, and the young talent on defense continues to ascend at a rapid pace, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be positioned to return to the postseason field.
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• Darnold proved point in loss to Bucs
Most surprising performance: WR Kendrick Bourne. Given all the injuries at receiver, Bourne came up huge. He had a couple of hiccups, including a third-down drop in the first half, but he bounced back strong after his three-drop performance against Jacksonville on Sunday. Bourne emerged as Mac Jones’ top option in the passing game, finishing with 10 catches for 142 yards, a career high, and only his second time reaching triple-digit yardage in a game.
Best quote from the locker room: 49ers linebacker Fred Warner said a win like Thursday’s is a credit to Kyle Shanahan, Robert Saleh and the coaching staff for getting an undermanned team ready to play and compete regardless of who is available. “They’re the best in the game,” Warner said. “A game like [Thursday] speaks to that completely, right? You’re on a short week, you’re wounded, you’re down a bunch of guys, and to get your players prepared enough to go out there and compete at the level that we did, I think the intensity was there from the first snap.” — Nick Wagoner
Next game: at Buccaneers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Rams
How concerned should the Rams be about their kicking unit? With a missed field goal and a blocked extra point attempt Thursday, it’s definitely a concern for a Rams team whose other loss this season came in a game with two blocked field goals. Rams kicker Joshua Karty has five missed kicks this season. According to ESPN Research, that is tied with the Chiefs’ Harrison Butker for the most in the NFL. Four of the kicks by Karty have been blocked, the most for any kicker.
Trend to watch: Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua continued his torrid start, catching 10 of 12 targets for 76 yards and a touchdown. With 50 catches this season, he passed former teammate Cooper Kupp (49 in 2022) for the most receptions by a player in his team’s first five games of a season in NFL history, according to ESPN Research.
Best quote from the locker room: Running back Kyren Williams said he felt he let his team down with his fourth-quarter fumble. “I just got to hold onto the ball,” Williams said. “I feel like I let the team down at the 1-yard line, not securing the one thing that matters and scoring the touchdown. So for me, I put this all on me, honestly.” According to ESPN Research, Williams’ seven fumbles lost since the start of 2023 are the most among running backs over that span. — Sarah Barshop
Next game: at Ravens (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
