Week 5 of the NFL season started with a very exciting Thursday game between the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks, but there’s much more on deck. The Packers and Cowboys will provide an early glimpse of who’s for real in the NFC, while the Browns take a trip to the unbeaten 49ers in a very intriguing matchup. Every game has at least something to watch.
Here are 15 key questions for NFL Week 5.
1. Can the Bengals show some urgency?
It was downright shocking how lackadaisical the Bengals looked against the Pittsburgh Steelers a week ago as they fell to 0-4. The Arizona Cardinals are a vulnerable opponent, though the Bengals will have to contain both Kyler Murray and especially David Johnson. The losses will likely keep piling up for both of these teams, so it’s imperative that Cincinnati gets itself together and takes advantage of a fairly good chance to win.
2. Can the Bills find a way to manage themselves to a win over Tennessee?
Bills-Titans probably won’t be the most exciting game of the weekend, especially as Josh Allen recovers from a concussion. Buffalo’s quarterback will essentially be tasked with managing the Bills’ offense against Tennessee. The Titans have been tough on opposing QBs, allowing 6.9 yards per pass attempt, and that’s rough news for a team that has a murky situation here. Someone is going to have to find a way to move the ball here against a tough foe.
3. How big will Khalil Mack’s revenge game be?
Mack has made it very clear that he’s really looking forward to going against the Oakland Raiders. It’s not like the fearsome pass rusher needs that much motivation to wreck opposing offensive gameplans, but Derek Carr should probably be a little nervous before this one. Mack feels poised for a very big game against the Raiders, and the question might be how dominant he is. On the other hand, there’s always the chance he tries a little too hard and winds up more contained than expected.
4. How real was Jameis Winston’s breakout Week 4?
Winston posted one of the finest games of his entire career against the Los Angeles Rams, as his Buccaneers put up 55 points on the reigning NFC champions. He was protected well, got good field position, and had a ball against a Rams defense that very much had an off-day. Things may be different against a New Orleans Saints team that bottled up the Dallas Cowboys a week ago. Winston needs to exhibit some real growth this year, and following up that outstanding performance with another good week would be key.
5. How will Daniel Jones cope with the toughest defense he’s faced?
The Minnesota Vikings may be underwhelming in some aspects, but they’re still a very good defensive team. That means Daniel Jones is up against a real test after seeing off some easier foes since taking over the Giants’ starting role. This will be an excellent barometer of where Jones is at as an NFL quarterback. If he can do well against Minnesota, especially without Saquon Barkley in the lineup, it’s definitely time for Giants fans to get excited.
6. Is Jordan Howard locking up Philadelphia’s role as lead back?
The Eagles have been devotees of the running back-by-committee approach, but Jordan Howard appears to be breaking out of that some. Howard got more touches than fellow back Miles Sanders against Green Bay a week ago, and he parlayed that into an 87-yard, two-touchdown performance. Look for Howard to try to consolidate his status as the closest thing Philadelphia has to a lead back as he runs against a vulnerable Jets defense.
7. Is the Wildcat the way forward for Mason Rudolph?
The Steelers needed to find something to spark them, and they turned to the Wildcat against the Cincinnati Bengals with real success. To be clear, the Bengals were a weak opponent, and their lackluster talent level definitely had something to do with Pittsburgh’s success. However, Rudolph looked comfortable in the Wildcat, finding real success against Cincinnati. The Ravens will provide a sterner test, but the Steelers have no reason to stop rolling with the system until it stops working.
8. Can Colt McCoy offer a solution to Washington’s quarterback nightmare?
As Jay Gruden wanted, McCoy will start against the New England Patriots. That’s a pretty awful matchup to be thrown into, but it would have been worse for Case Keenum or Dwayne Haskins, so that’s the way it is. The Redskins will probably be searching for basic competence from McCoy, which they haven’t really had from any of their quarterbacks this season. Gruden clearly trusts him, and he does know the system. Whether that matters at all against New England remains to be seen.
9. Will Minshew Mania fall victim to a tough Carolina defense?
Even without Cam Newton, the Panthers have remained competitive on account of a defense that has significantly limited the effectiveness of opposing quarterbacks. They lead the league in both sacks and quarterback hits, and nobody has been truly effective against them this season. Gardner Minshew, who hasn’t exactly thrown downfield a lot, is the next challenge, and it could be bad news for the Jaguars. The Panthers deserve a lot of credit for what they’ve done, and it makes them a team to watch going forward.
10. Can Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins find the magic again against Atlanta?
Hopkins keeps drawing top corners and has failed to find the end zone for the last three weeks, and even Watson has struggled a bit against pressure from opposing defenses. The Falcons should help with both of these problems, as their secondary is suspect while their pass rush isn’t all that dynamic. That’s good news for Watson, who should have time to work, and for Hopkins, who’s badly in need of a breakout game. This has as good a chance of being it as any.
11. Will Philip Rivers pick apart the ailing Broncos?
The Broncos won’t have Bradley Chubb, who tore his ACL and will miss the season. They weren’t really getting a ton of pressure on opposing quarterbacks even with him, which could make this a very good game for Rivers to simply sit back in the pocket and sling it. That could very well set him up for a big game, as the Broncos look like they can’t really stop anyone consistently right now after making Gardner Minshew look great a week ago.
12. Will Dallas rebound or face further questions against Green Bay?
After looking like one of the best teams around for the first three weeks, the Cowboys surprisingly ran into a brick wall against New Orleans. That has raised some questions about their offense, and they face a tough matchup with an improved Packers defense looking to answer them. If the Dallas offense can look a bit more like it used to, they’re going to put those questions to rest, but a loss to Green Bay would make some people wonder if they were fool’s gold early on in the campaign.
13. Can the Colts control the game against Kansas City?
The Colts have adopted a more conservative offensive approach this season in light of Andrew Luck’s retirement, which will be put to the test against the high-powered Chiefs. The Detroit Lions found some success a week ago limiting the amount of time the Chiefs’ offense had on the field, and that approach, while much easier said than done, is probably one Indianapolis will take as well. Jacoby Brissett needs to keep his team on the field. The Chiefs’ defense is still vulnerable, and their offense not being on the field is always good news.
14. Is a statement win up for grabs in San Francisco?
It’s not the 49ers, not the Browns, who enter this one unbeaten. That’s a bit of a surprise, but it sets up one of the more intriguing games of the week. The Browns may have won back some skeptics with a convincing win at Baltimore last week, and another road victory against the unbeaten Niners could put them right back on track to contend for the AFC North. The 49ers, however, will be looking to prove they’re for real. This will feel like a big win for whoever gets it.
15. Might Chase Daniel prove a solid fit for the Chicago offense?
The Bears haven’t really gotten it done this year on offense, at least overall. Mitchell Trubisky being sidelined means Chase Daniel will take over, and few know Matt Nagy’s offense better. The Raiders should be a decent matchup, too. Daniel is unlikely to take Trubisky’s starting job away, but he may provide a surprising jumpstart to the Chicago offense, as the circumstances certainly seem to favor him.
