October 08, 2024
Week 5 of the NFL season is in the books, and all but three teams in the NFC already have at least two losses. There are no new obituaries this week, so let's get right to the Hierarchy.
15) Rams (1-4): If the NFC West weren't so surprisingly winnable this season I'd consider killing off the Rams this week. But, we'll wait and see if they can handle the Raiders at home Week 6. If not, they're probably done.
Last week: 13
14) Giants (2-3): During a 16-play first quarter drive, the Giants were trying to punch it in the end zone from the 1, when... OH NO!
One thing I HATE about NFL telecasts is that they'll go to commercial breaks during official reviews instead of showing replays, which is exactly what happened after the Seahawks' touchdown return. In this case, it was a 14-point swing. Viewers were forced to watch political ads instead of getting clarity on what happened on the play and what the ruling would be. IT'S INSANE!
Anyway, to their credit, from there on out the Giants outscored the Seahawks 29-13, and won the game late on a blocked kick that was returned for a TD. Watch Dexter Lawrence (97) pull the RG down, making it easier for Isaiah Simmons to hurdle him. It would've been a penalty if Simmons had a running start or used another player as leverage, but was clean the way the Giants executed it.
Pretty cool play.
Daniel Jones had a legitimately good game, and not just on the Daniel Jones scale of good games. 23-34 for 257, 2 TDs, 0 INTs.
The Giants should probably give him another contract extension.
Last week: 15
13) Cardinals (2-3): Credit to Jonathan Gannon where it's due — he did something on Sunday that most coaches wrongly don't. He went for two when down by four. The Cardinals scored a TD with 11:25 left in the fourth quarter, and they were down 23-19. Gannon went for two, and got it. 23-21. Why was that the right strategy? Per FiveThirtyEight:
If you’re down 4 points after scoring a touchdown (with 10 minutes left), you should go for 2, because being down 2 points instead of 3 helps you more than being down 4 points instead of 3 hurts you... If you think ahead, the second point means a future field goal could win the game (and if you don’t convert, you just have to adjust to go for winning touchdowns instead of tying field goals).
And sure enough, when the Cardinals kicked a field goal with 1:37 left, they went up 24-23, which ended up being the final score of the game.
Last week: 14
Derek Carr | Comp-Att (Comp %) | Yards (YPA) | TD-INT | Rating |
First 2 games (2-0) | 30-39 (76.9%) | 443 (11.4) | 5-1 | 142.4 |
Last 3 games (0-3) | 60-89 (67.4%) | 546 (6.1) | 3-3 | 81.0 |
Peyton was so mad at Derek Carr over that INT 😂 #ManningCast pic.twitter.com/jUFRTiyPTt
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 8, 2024
11) Bears (3-2): Caleb Williams took some heat after his slow start (and Jayden Daniels' immediate success), but he's been a lot better.
Caleb Williams last 10 quarters have been spectacular.
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) October 7, 2024
I’ve always preached patience with him as the OC & him get on the same page.
4-2 after London is a real possibility.
(@TheAthletic👇) pic.twitter.com/y4JMYeEIxu
The three teams the Bears have beaten — the Titans, Rams, and Panthers — have three combined wins, so we'll get a better idea of what they are soon enough, but they also have another easy opponent Week 6 in London against the Jaguars.
Last week: 12
NFC East | Record | Div record | GB |
Commanders | 4-1 | 1-0 | - |
Cowboys | 3-2 | 1-0 | 1 |
Eagles | 2-2 | 0-0 | 1.5 |
Giants | 2-3 | 0-2 | 2 |
• 2020: 3rdSo far in 2024... 27th.Last week: 5
• 2021: 5th
• 2022: 4th
• 2023: 8th
7) Falcons (3-2): The Falcons' three wins have all been of the "other team is going to win this game, and then OH MY GOD NO!" variety.
Credit them for taking advantage of their opponents' mistakes, but they're also lucky to be 3-2.
I will say, credit where it's due. Kirk Cousins absolutely diced up the Buccaneers' defense from the pocket with anticipation throws all day. Week 1 he could barely move. He looks like a different player now.
Last week: 10
6) Cowboys (3-2): We were this close 🤏 to all all-timer Cowboys prime time choke job Sunday night.
Give it time. We'll get one this year.
Last week: 9
4) Packers (3-2): Jayden Reed is really good.
That's an incredible catch.
Reed had 64 catches for 793 yards and 8 TDs as a rookie last season. So far in 2024 he has 21 catches for 414 yards (19.7 YPC), and 2 TDs, plus 8 rushes for 110 yards and a TD.
Last week: 7
3) Commanders (4-1): Jayden Daniels is a more accurate Lamar Jackson.
Jayden Daniels was able to make free rushers miss and create big plays under pressure in the Commanders win over the Browns
— Shawn Syed (@SyedSchemes) October 6, 2024
Daniels was blitzed on more than half of his dropbacks but was 8/12 for 150 yards in those situations, per NFL Pro pic.twitter.com/HKwQIMnHU8
I don't know if it'll happen this season, but we might be looking at a shift in power in the NFC East from the Eagles and Cowboys to the Commanders.
Last week: 10
2) Lions (3-1): The Lions were on their bye this week. I believe the Eagles benefited from the early bye, on the premise that they could take a step back, get their best players healthy again, maybe get their s*** together schematically, etc. The Lions, however, are mostly healthy and were doing just fine. They kinda got screwed by the early bye.
Last week: 2
1) Vikings (5-0): It was noted during the Jets-Vikings telecast on Sunday that the Vikings drafted all five of their offensive line starters:
• LT Christian Darrisaw: 2021, Round 1
• LG Blake Brandel: 2020, Round 6
• C Garrett Bradberry: 2019, Round 1
• RG Ed Ingram: 2022, Round 2
• RT Brian O'Neill: 2018, Round 2
And as you can see, they've used significant draft resources on building their line. During the telecast Kurt Warner wondered aloud when the last time a team had that kind of setup along their offensive line. I don't know if it was the last time, but the 2022 Eagles that went to the Super Bowl had an entire OL lineup of homegrown draftees.
• LT Jordan Mailata: 2018, Round 7
• LG Landon Dickerson: 2021, Round 2
• C Jason Kelce: 2011, Round 6
• RG Isaac Seumalo: 2016, Round 3
• RT Lane Johnson: 2013, Round 1
The Vikings' 5-0 start has largely been attributed to Brian Flores' swarming defense and the surprisingly solid play of Sam Darnold (though Darnold had a bad game on Sunday, in my opinion). But there's also something to be said for offensive line continuity, and the Vikings' talent at tackle in Darrisaw and O'Neill.
Last week: 1
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