Tuesday 10 October 2017 21:55, UK
Week Five of the 2017 NFL season was a real closely-contested affair, with only three games won by more than one score, but who were the top-performing teams and who must do better?
There are top marks for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs, while Ben Roethlisberger's five interceptions earns him and the Pittsburgh Steelers an F.
Here's a look at our weekly team grades...
Philadelphia Eagles (W 34-7 v Arizona)
Carson Wentz and this Eagles side continue to impress. It was Arizona this week that felt the full force of the Philadelphia passing attack, with Wentz throwing for 304 yards and four TDs, including two deep hits to Torrey Smith and Nelson Agholor of 59 and 72 yards. Grade A+
Dallas Cowboys (L 31-35 v Green Bay)
Dallas lose a second-straight high-scorer at home. The Cowboys have scored 30 plus points and gained more than 400 yards in each of last two games but failed to triumph in either - the rest of NFL combined has only two such losses this season. They now have as many defeats this year (three) as they managed in the whole 2016 season. Grade C-
New York Giants (L 22-27 v Los Angeles Chargers)
It goes from bad to worse for the Giants! They've now lost five straight to start the year, with Odell Beckham Jr's season-ending injury well documented. But, there were also injuries to fellow receivers Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard too. Grade E
Washington Redskins (Bye)
Green Bay Packers (W 35-31 @ Dallas)
Aaron Rodgers was at it again on Sunday! The Packers QB loves a late game-winning drive, particularly in Dallas, as the Cowboys were guilty again of giving him too much time left on the clock. Also, how about rookie running back Aaron Jones? His haul of 125 yards off 19 carries, with one TD, was hugely impressive. This team with a consistent run game: scary! Grade A+
Minnesota Vikings (W 20-17 @ Chicago)
It wasn't perfect, but, given the injury troubles they've had this season - starting QB Sam Bradford going down again in this game - to come away from Chicago with only their third win on their last 17 trips is a big plus. RB Jerick McKinnon had a very good game in covering for one of their injured, rookie Dalvin Cook, as he picked up 146 yards from scrimmage and scored a TD. Grade B+
Detroit Lions (L 24-27 v Carolina)
Late on, it looked like Matthew Stafford might well have been leading one of those fourth-quarter comebacks he has made a career out of. Though, even for him, the 27-10 deficit going into the final period proved one too great to overcome as Detroit slipped to a second defeat at home on the season. Grade C-
Chicago Bears (L 17-20 v Minnesota)
Disappointing defeat for Chicago, who were hoping they could ride the positivity surrounding their starting or rookie QB, and No 2 overall pick, Mitchell Trubisky, to a home win. Trubisky looked comfortable for large parts, but threw a debilitating pick in the final few minutes to allow Minnesota to score the game-winning field goal. Grade D
Carolina Panthers (W 27-24 @ Detroit)
After a difficult week, although a self-inflicted one, Cam Newton got back on track by doing what he does best on the football field - the Carolina QB threw for 355 yards and three TDs as the Panthers triumphed in what looked to be a tricky assignment in Detroit. Also, what a day for tight end Ed Dickson, who picked up 175 yards off five catches. Grade A
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (L 14-19 v New England)
Oh dear, Nick Folk! How the mighty have fallen… one week on from nailing a game-winning kick as time expired against the Giants, Folk was unsuccessful with all three of his attempts against the Patriots - from 56, 49 and 31 yards out. One positive for Tampa Bay, at least, was the sight of running back Doug Martin back on the field following suspension, and he rushed to the tune of 74 yards off 13 carries, with one TD. Grade C-
New Orleans Saints (Bye)
Atlanta Falcons (Bye)
Seattle Seahawks (W 16-10 @ Los Angeles Rams)
Not exactly a statement win, but a handy divisional one against their closest rivals for the NFC West, and it was certainly classic Seahawks football, with their Legion of Boom defence at their brutal best! Grade B
Los Angeles Rams (L 10-16 v Seattle)
Jared Goff was back to being the Jared Goff of 2016 vintage as he threw two interceptions. Possibly a bit harsh, as this has been his only poor outing of the season so far and it still brought 288 yards through the air. The Rams defence kept them competitive, but they just couldn't add any further to their 10 second-quarter points. Grade C-
Arizona Cardinals (L 7-34 @ Philadelphia)
Arizona weren't as bad as the scoreline suggests, but their defence were unable to keep pace with Philadelphia's vertical passing attack, and the running game - or lack of it, with only 31 yards tallied - continues to be a concern following the early season loss of David Johnson to injury. Grade D-
San Francisco 49ers (L 15-18 @ Indianapolis) (OT)
Again, the 49ers were much improved but, again, they weren't able to get over the line for a first win of the season. San Francisco have now suffered crushing defeats of three points or fewer for the last four successive weeks, with the two most recent of those both coming in overtime. This team has to find a way to win! Grade E
New York Jets (W 17-10 @ Cleveland)
J-E-T-S. Jets! Jets! Jets! New York's wonderfully surprising success (well, the green half of the city, at least) continues as they secure a third straight win, admittedly over a clueless Cleveland. Not a huge amount to crow about - just the 212 total yards of offence, almost half that of their opponents, but that's all you need to beat the Browns. Grade A-
New England Patriots (W 19-14 @ Tampa Bay)
Tom Brady and the Patriots get back on track, although with a not-all-too-convincing five-point triumph on the road in Tampa that owed as much to three missed field goals by the Buccaneers. Still, the defence was (slightly) improved, and Brady continues to play lights out in his 40s - he completed 30 of 40 passes for 303 yards and one TD (and, admittedly, one interception). Grade B+
Miami Dolphins (W 16-10 v Tennessee)
A win is a win, but this one from Miami was certainly one of the more ugly variety. The offence continues to misfire under Jay Cutler (92 yards, one TD, one INT) as they tallied just the 178 total yards. Still, at least the defence did well… their six sacks and two forced fumbles was ultimately the difference. Grade C
Buffalo Bills (L 16-20 @ Cincinnati)
A slight hiccup in Buffalo's otherwise impressive start to the season. One week on from rolling into Atlanta and inflicting a first defeat of the season on the Falcons, the Bills slipped up on their banana-skin of a game against the one-win Bengals in Cincinnati. Grade C-
Cincinnati Bengals (W 20-16 v Buffalo)
Signs of life from Cincinnati! Far from their Week Four win over Cleveland being just that, a win over the 'everybody-beats-us' Browns, the Bengals showed their mettle with a gutsy home win over the upstart Bills. A.J. Green - what a day he had! Just the 189 yards and one monster 77-yard touchdown reception for the receiver. Grade A
Baltimore Ravens (W 30-17 @ Oakland)
Baltimore got back to winning ways in Oakland, with Joe Flacco and the offence finally getting things going after a couple of barren weeks - Flacco threw for 222 yards, with 133 of those coming to deep threat Mike Wallace on only three receptions. Grade B
Cleveland Browns (L 14-17 v New York Jets)
Another week, and another agonising loss for Browns fans. Oh, and another change at quarterback! Cleveland have lost all five of their games this season, with their latest two being winnable home games against Cincinnati and New York. Rookie QB DeShone Kizer was woeful (8 of 17 for 87 yards and one INT) and so was benched for second year passer Kevin Hogan, who was slightly better, throwing two TDs to go with his one pick. Grade F
Pittsburgh Steelers (L 9-30 v Jacksonville)
What's happened to Big Ben? Or 'moderately-sized Ben' as the Around the NFL podcast team have since re-named him… Roetlisberger threw five (five!) interceptions against the Jags, including two pick-sixes. "Maybe I don't have it anymore," was Ben's own damning verdict on his display. Grade F
Jacksonville Jaguars (W 30-9 @ Pittsburgh)
Jacksonville's topsy-turvy campaign continues! A week on from a disappointing loss in New York to follow their impressive efforts in London, against Baltimore at Wembley, the Jaguars were back to winning ways on the strength of their defence (five interceptions, including two pick-sixes) and Leonard Fournette's running (181 yards, two TDs). Grade A
Indianapolis Colts (W 26-23 v San Francisco) (OT)
Jacoby Brissett (22 of 34 for 314 yards, one INT) is keeping this team competitive. That's all the team ask of him ahead of starting QB Andrew Luck's eventual return… The Colts hope that comes sooner than later in a wide-open AFC South division, of which they are still very much in the race for after picking up their second win of the season, an admittedly edgy overtime triumph over the 49ers. Grade B
Houston Texans (L 34-42 v Kansas City)
Wow! What a display by Deshaun Watson! Sure, it was ultimately in a losing cause, but the QB became the first rookie with four or more touchdown passes in back-to-back games since Robert Griffin III in 2012 as he threw for five against the Chiefs. The loss of J.J. Watt, likely for the year, is a massive blow though. Massive! Grade C
Tennessee Titans (L 10-16 @ Miami)
Another example of how different a team can look with a change at QB. After starting the season brightly, winning two of their first three, the Titans have since suffered a heavy loss at the hands of the Texans and now this low-scorer against the uninspiring Dolphins while without their starter Marcus Mariota. Grade D-
Kansas City Chiefs (W 42-34 @ Houston)
The Chiefs are now unbeaten through five on the season, having safely negotiated what looked like a tricky trip to Houston to take on the free-scoring Texans under rookie QB Watson. Though the Texans were indeed heavy scorers, most of that was late on, and, their defence couldn't stop Kansas City without talismanic defensive end Watt, lost to a broken leg. Grade A+
Los Angeles Chargers (W 27-22 @ New York Giants)
The Chargers get their first win on the year over the equally troubled Giants, leaving it late till Melvin Gordon's second receiving touchdown of the day edged them ahead - the running back added 105 yards on the ground to his 58 catching. Grade B+
Oakland Raiders (L 17-30 v Baltimore)
Hard to believe, but the Raiders are 2-3 on the season all of a sudden. Looking for all the world potential Super Bowl contenders as they raced out to a 2-0 start, they've now lost three straight and are struggling to cope with the loss of their starting QB Derek Carr. Grade D
Denver Broncos (Bye)
