Welcome to the Week 5 grades!
For the second straight week, the winner of the ugliest loss award goes to the New England Patriots. It's hard to put into perspective how ugly this loss was for New England, but we're going to try and do it anyway. The Patriots' 34-0 setback to the Saints was:
- Largest home shutout loss in Patriots history
- The first back-to-back 30-point losses for Patriots since 1970
- Second-largest loss of Bill Belichick's career (largest was last week against the Cowboys)
- Largest shutout loss AND largest home loss of Belichick's career
Also, the Patriots have now been outscored 72-3 in their last two games. In news that probably won't come as a surprise to anyone, the Patriots are getting an 'F' this week. However, the Patriots weren't the only team to get an 'F.' The Cowboys also got one after getting destroyed on "Sunday Night Football."
With that in mind, let's get to the grades starting with Monday's game between the Packers and Raiders.
Las Vegas 17-13 over Green Bay (Monday)
| C | |
| It's been five weeks, and the Packers still look like a team that's trying to figure out their offensive identity. Part of that might have to do with the fact that Matt LaFleur doesn't seem to know how much he can trust Jordan Love. The Packers QB had a disastrous game with three interceptions, including one that came on Green Bay's final offensive play. Although he did throw a 77-yard pass in the game, that was about his only highlight on a night where he was mostly inaccurate (he completed 16 of 30 passes for 182 yards). The Packers defense played well enough to win with four sacks and an interception, but the effort went to waste. The Packers have now lost three of their last four games, and they're going to have a lot of things they need to get figured out as they head into their Week 6 bye. | |
| B | |
| The Raiders defense has struggled at times this season, but on Monday night, they pulled off their best performance of the young season. The defense came up with multiple key stops, which included picking off Jordan Love twice in the fourth quarter to help seal the win for Las Vegas. The two defensive stars for the Raiders were Maxx Crosby and Robert Spillane. Crosby picked up one sack and FOUR tackles for a loss on a night where he manhandled the Packers offensive line. As for Spillane, he came up with two of the Raiders' three interceptions. Offensively, the Raiders weren't flashy, but in the end, they managed to make just enough big plays to get the win. At 2-3 and with a favorable schedule coming up, don't write off the Raiders just yet. | |
Packers-Raiders grades by John Breech (Love the grades? Hate the grades? Let him know on Twitter.)
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Jacksonville 25-20 over Buffalo in London
| A- | |
| The Jaguars might want to think about moving all of their games to London. For the second straight week, the Jags played in London and for the second straight week, they won. The Bills had no answers for a well-rounded Jags offense that saw Travis Etienne (181 total yards, two touchdowns) and Calvin Ridley (seven catches, 122 yards) both have huge games. The Jags defense was also impressive, especially during a first half where it held the Bills to just 122 yards. If the Jags proved one thing in this game, it's that they can play with the best teams in the AFC. | |
| C- | |
| This was an ugly game for Buffalo. The Bills had no rushing attack and every passing play was an adventure with Josh Allen facing constant pressure. The defense wasn't much better on a day where it gave up 474 yards of offense to Jacksonville. To make matters worse, the Bills lost several players to injury, including Matt Milano and DaQuan Jones. This London trip couldn't have gone worse for the Bills. | |
Jaguars-Bills grades by John Breech (Love the grades? Hate the grades? Let him know on Twitter.)
Atlanta 21-19 over Houston
| B- | |
| The Texans played well enough to win, but their defense faded down the stretch with the Falcons scoring on their final three possessions of the game. The Texans also couldn't put any pressure on Desmond Ridder, who was sacked exactly zero times. With no pressure, Ridder sat back and picked the Texans apart. If there's one positive takeaway for the Texans from this game, it's that C.J. Stroud continues to look like a franchise QB. Stroud led a key TD drive last in the fourth quarter that briefly gave Houston the lead. There's no reason this team can't compete for the division title in a wide-open AFC South. | |
| B | |
| After struggling in each of the past two weeks, Desmond Ridder finally managed to turn things around. The beleaguered quarterback threw for 329 yards and a TD and the most impressive part is how he played in the fourth quarter. With the game on the line, Ridder went 5 of 5 for 44 yards to set up Younghoe Koo's game-winning field goal on the final play. The Falcons roster is talented enough to compete for the NFC South title as long as Ridder is playing well and he definitely played well on Sunday. | |
Texans-Falcons grades by John Breech (Love the grades? Hate the grades? Let him know on Twitter.)
Detroit 42-24 over Carolina
| A | |
| The Lions were an unstoppable force against Carolina. Offensively, they were able to move the ball at will with Jared Goff playing nearly perfect football (He threw for 236 yards and three touchdowns). David Montgomery, who totaled 129 yards and a touchdown, continues to look like one of the smartest signings of the NFL offseason. The only thing more impressive than the Lions offense was their defense. It was almost like the Lions knew what the Panthers were going to do before they even did it. The Lions were already good and they seem to be getting better every week, which should scare the rest of the NFL. | |
| D- | |
| Bryce Young's rookie season continues to be a nightmare for the Panthers. Carolina turned the ball over three times in the first half with two of those coming on interceptions by Young, including a pick that came on a screen pass. The problem for the Panthers is the Lions ended up getting 21 points off of those turnovers. If Young doesn't get better soon, it's going to be a long year for the Panthers, who are now 0-5, making them the only winless team in the NFL. | |
Panthers-Lions grades by John Breech (Love the grades? Hate the grades? Let him know on Twitter.)
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Indianapolis 23-16 over Tennessee
| C | |
| The Titans went into Week 5 with the best rushing defense in the AFC, but that won't be case after they got gashed up by Indy. The Colts piled up 193 rushing yards on a day where Indy's offensive line manhandled the Titans up front. The Titans defense also struggled on third down with Indy converting 8 of 13 attempts. The defense also couldn't get off the field during a pivotal drive in the fourth quarter where the Colts burnt more than seven minutes off the clock. If the defense starts getting steamrolled like this regularly, it's going to be tough for the Titans to win games. | |
| B+ | |
| On a day where Jonathan Taylor returned, it was Zach Moss who stole the show for Indianapolis. The Colts running back ran for 165 yards and two touchdowns on just 23 carries. It was a wildly impressive performance considering the Titans were only surrendering 70 rushing yards per game headed into Week 5. The Colts also got a surprisingly good performance from Gardner Minshew, who completed 11 of 14 passes fo 155 yards after Anthony Richardson went out with a shoulder injury. The defense wasn't perfect, but it did come up with some big plays including a fourth-and-1 stop in the fourth quarter. With Moss playing so well, it will be interesting to see how Indy handles playing time at the running back position going forward. | |
Titans-Colts grades by John Breech (Love the grades? Hate the grades? Let him know on Twitter.)
Miami 31-16 over N.Y. Giants
| D | |
| If the Giants learned one thing in this game, it's that they don't have the offense to keep up with a team like Miami. The Giants' offensive line has struggled for most of the season and those struggles continued on Sunday with the line surrendering seven sacks. The Giants couldn't move the ball against a Dolphins defense that gave up 48 points last week. The only Giants TD in the game came from the defense when Jason Pinnock returned an interception 102 yards for a score. That was about the only highlight for a defense that surrendered 524 yards, which is the second-highest total the Giants have given up over the past 10 years. | |
| A- | |
| The Dolphins continue to have the most explosive offense in the NFL, but even the most explosive offense can hit a speed bump once in awhile. The Dolphins piled up more than 500 yards of offense, but two interceptions by Tua Tagovailoa allowed the Giants to stay in the game (One of those interceptions was a 102-yard pick-six). Other than that, the Dolphins were nearly perfect with De'Von Achane (165 total yards, one TD) and Tyreek Hill (eight catches for 181 yards and one TD) both having monster games. The Dolphins defense was also rock solid this game. The unit suffocated Daniel Jones, who got sacked six times before leaving the game with a neck injury. This was a strong bounce-back game for Miami following the loss to Buffalo last week. | |
Giants-Dolphins grades by John Breech (Love the grades? Hate the grades? Let him know on Twitter.)
New Orleans 34-0 over New England
| A+ | |
| The Saints defense opened this game by punching the Patriots in the mouth and then it proceeded to bully New England for four straight quarters. Not only did the defense force three turnovers, including a pick-six by Tyrann Mathieu in the first quarter, but they also shut down the Patriots on third down, holding them to just a 1 of 12 showing. The offense wasn't flashy, but it got the job done, especially Alvin Kamara, who totaled 97 yards and a touchdown in just his second game back from suspension. The Saints seem to have come back to life after losing two straight games. | |
| F | |
| The Patriots weren't just bad, they were embarrassingly bad. Mac Jones threw a pick-six in the first quarter and things only got worse from there for the offense. Jones was bad, but it's not all his fault that he was bad: He has no one to throw to and he got no help from his offensive line or the Patriots' ground attack. This team has now been blown out in two straight weeks and it's worth wondering if Bill Belichick's seat is starting to get warm in New England. | |
Saints-Patriots grades by John Breech (Love the grades? Hate the grades? Let him know on Twitter.)
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Pittsburgh 17-10 over Baltimore
| C- | |
| The Ravens had several opportunities to put the game away, but they never did. Late in the first half, the Ravens came up empty after Lamar Jackson was able to connect with Zay Flowers on fourth down deep in Steelers territory. Two possessions earlier, the Ravens had to settle for a field goal after Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman both dropped passes in the end zone. Nelson Agholor would have likely scored (probably making it a 17-3 game in the process) had he hung on to Jackson's deep pass late in the third quarter. Baltimore's wideouts played a significant role in the loss, but the Ravens defense shouldn't be left off the hook. While it played winning football for most of the day, the unit failed to come up with a momentum-changing play following Miles Killebrew's blocked punt. | |
| B+ | |
| Pittsburgh capitalized on Baltimore's miscues while creating its own good fortune. Miles Killebrew's blocked was an exceptional play that set up the second of three Chris Boswell field goals. Joey Porter Jr.'s first career pick -- on a pass intended for Odell Beckham Jr. -- prevented the Ravens from putting the game away while also setting the stage for Kenny Pickett's game-winning pass. After a slow start, the Steelers defense took over the game in the second half. Along with T.J. Watt's two sacks and Alex Highsmith's strip-sack, Pittsburgh's defense received a big game from inside linebacker Kwon Alexander, who had a sack, six tackles and three stops for loss. Pickett also deserves credit for his perseverance on Sunday. Instead of sulking, Pickett kept throwing and was rewarded with his 10th win as the Steelers starting quarterback. | |
Ravens-Steelers grades by Bryan DeArdo (Love the grades? Hate the grades? Let him know on Twitter.)
Cincinnati 34-20 over Arizona
| A- | |
| It took five weeks, but Joe Burrow finally looks like Joe Burrow. The Bengals QB showed off his long ball (he threw a 63-yard TD to Ja'Marr Chase), he was finally able to scramble (he had a key 10-yard run at one point) and he was even able to dance around the pocket. Burrow, who threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns, had the offense humming and the biggest benefactor of that was Chase, who set a new franchise record for receptions with 15. Defensively, the Bengals came up with several big plays, including a pick-six by Cam Taylor-Britt just before halftime. As bad as things looked for the Bengals during the first four weeks of the season, the fact of the matter is that this team is only one game out of first place and with Burrow now looking much healthier, it feels like the Bengals are back. | |
| C | |
| After playing impressive football through the first four weeks, Joshua Dobbs finally came crashing back to earth. The Cardinals QB turned the ball over three times, including a pick-six in the second quarter that came after the Arizona defense had just pulled off a goal-line stand. It felt like a momentum-shifting stop, but the Bengals ended up getting a TD anyway due to the interception. This was a one-score game going into the fourth quarter, but the Cardinals just couldn't come up with any big plays on either side of the ball. | |
Bengals-Cardinals grades by John Breech (Love the grades? Hate the grades? Let him know on Twitter.)
N.Y. Jets 31-21 over Denver
| B | |
| After getting ripped by Sean Payton during the offseason, Nathaniel Hackett got his revenge by calling a nearly perfect game. The Jets offensive coordinator decided to focus the game plan around Breece Hall and that worked to perfection wth Hall rushing for 177 yards and a TD. With Hall running so well, that took a lot of pressure off of Zach Wilson, who had a somewhat efficient game (at least by his standards). However, the Jets did struggle in the red zone with ZERO touchdowns on five different trips inside of Denver's 20-yard line. The Jets defense picked up a safety while also forcing three turnovers, including a fumble return TD by Bryce Hall that iced the game. If the defense continues to play at this level, the Jets could come away with a few more wins than expected this year, even with Wilson at QB. | |
| C- | |
| The Broncos were actually leading this game at halftime, but then they forgot to show up for the second half. Offensively, the second half started with four three-and-outs and a lost fumble and then got worse from there (Denver didn't even total 125 yards in the second half). Russell Wilson, who took a safety in the first half, lost a fumble that was returned for a TD in the second half. The Broncos defense also had a bad second half with the Jets scoring on their first five possessions of the half. The Broncos simply had no answers for a Jets rushing attack that rolled through them for 234 yards. With this loss, it feels like the Broncos are the worst team in the AFC. | |
Jets-Broncos grades by John Breech (Love the grades? Hate the grades? Let him know on Twitter.)
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Philadelphia 23-14 over L.A. Rams
| A- | |
| The Eagles deserve a ton of credit for how they played in the trenches. The offensive line gave Jalen Hurts plenty of protection to get rid of the football and Hurts was able to make plays with his arm and legs. The defensive line was dominant with Jalen Carter controlling the line of scrimmage and getting two sacks and Haason Reddick closing it out with two sacks on consecutive plays. The defense allowed 0 points and 50 yards in the second half on the first four possessions and made the adjustments necessary to win. The offense still has red zone woes to clean up (2 of 5), but Philadelphia finds different ways to win each week. They're good. | |
| B | |
| Credit to the Rams for getting Cooper Kupp acclimated early (six catches in the first half) and using their All-Pro and standout rookie Puka Nacua well. The Rams scored 14 points in the first half, but were held scoreless in the second half as the offensive line couldn't protect Matthew Stafford and the defensive line had issues stopping the Eagles on third down (Eagles were 13 of 18). Los Angeles couldn't run the ball efficiently either, but the Rams have the look of a team that will battle for a playoff spot come January. Halftime adjustments by the Eagles and a late TD allowed by the defense in the final 32 seconds in the first half was the difference. | |
Eagles-Rams grades by Jeff Kerr (Love the grades? Hate the grades? Let him know on Twitter.)
Kansas City 27-20 over Minnesota
| B- | |
| It wasn't pretty, that's for sure. Even before Travis Kelce briefly left with an injury, the Chiefs offense remained hit or miss, with Patrick Mahomes struggling to connect downfield. The secondary also worked overtime to contain Jordan Addison in key spots, barely avoiding some late-game penalties that would've fueled a Vikings comeback. And yet they got the job done on third downs and in the red zone, with Kelce gutting through his injury and the D-line stepping up down the stretch. They haven't yet hit their stride, but they'll take it. | |
| C+ | |
| A lot to like -- a beautifully executed fake punt at midfield, clutch connections between Kirk Cousins and Jordan Addison, a lot of fight from a sub-.500 team against the reigning champs. And a lot to question -- another non-factor of a ground game, a first-play fumble that set them in a hole from the jump, little downfield action for Justin Jefferson before he exited with an injury. It was a valiant effort, for the most part, but you need more than effort to win in the NFL | |
Chiefs-Vikings grades by Cody Benjamin (Love the grades? Hate the grades? Let him know on Twitter.)
San Francisco 42-10 over Dallas
| F | |
| If this was a measuring stick game, not only did the Cowboys come up short, but the 49ers took the stick from them and beat them over the head with it. This was an all-around embarrassing loss for the Cowboys, who just aren't in the same league as the 49ers right now. The once-vaunted Cowboys defense had no answers for anything the 49ers did. On offense, the Cowboys simply couldn't move the ball. It's back to the drawing board for Mike McCarthy, who got outcoached and outclassed by Kyle Shanahan. | |
| A+ | |
| The 49ers' win over the Cowboys was an old-fashioned beatdown and that's mainly because Kyle Shanahan was one step ahead of the Cowboys coaching staff at every turn. A big reason why the 49ers had so much success on offense is because Brock Purdy was on fire. The 49ers QB threw for 252 yards and four touchdowns with three of those going to George Kittle. The 49ers tight end was one of three receivers who finished with at least 50 yards. The only thing more impressive than the 49ers offense was their defense, which racked up three sacks and three interceptions on Dak Prescott. After this win, not only does it feel like the 49ers are the best team in the NFL, but it feels like they have an outside shot of going undefeated. | |
Cowboys-49ers grades by John Breech (Love the grades? Hate the grades? Let him know on Twitter.)
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Chicago 40-20 over Washington (Thursday)
| A+ | |
| On a day where Dick Butkus passed away just hours before kickoff, the Bears seemed to channel the inner-spirit of their legendary linebacker. Justin Fields player a nearly perfect first half, throwing for 189 yards and three touchdowns as the Bears shot out to a 27-3 lead. Fields ended up throwing for 282 yards with almost ALL of that going to D.J. Moore, who finished with 230 receiving yards and three touchdowns. As good as the offense was, the biggest surprise for the Bears was the play of their defense. Going into the game, the Bears had only totaled two sacks through four weeks, but they more than DOUBLED that total by picking up five sacks on Sam Howell. This was a masterful performance from a team that looked much better than its 0-4 record. | |
| F | |
| The Commanders played so badly that giving them an "F" is almost too generous. Washington was especially bad in the first half, with the offense and defense both falling on their face to start the game. In the first two quarters, the Commanders totaled just 84 yards of offense against a Bears defense that has struggled all year. Not to be outdone, the defense was even worse, surrendering more than 300 yards in the first half alone. The most embarrassing part of this game for the Commanders is that Sam Howell got sacked five times by a defense that only had two sacks through the first four weeks. This was an all-around failure for a team that's suddenly fading fast after a 2-0 start. | |
Bears-Commanders grades by John Breech (Love the grades? Hate the grades? Let him know on Twitter.)