Sunday’s NFL Week 5 action featured upsets, blowouts, and career performances. We saw our usual questionable calls, clutch plays, and of course, magical moments. Throughout it all, who were the biggest winners and losers from NFL Week 5?
Winner: Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals WR
Ja’Marr Chase’s 193 receiving yards were good for the third-most in his career, but not even his production, which also included two touchdowns, was good enough to help the Bengals avoid a loss. Still, this is a big personal victory for Chase as he continues angling to become one of the highest-paid receivers of all time. It’s just his second 100-yard game of the season, but it adds to an already impressive resume in his career.
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Loser: Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals head coach
The Bengals entered Week 4 as one of the most desperate teams in the NFL. Yet, their pressure will only increase after an overtime loss that puts Cincinnati at 1-4. Bengals coach Zac Taylor made the biggest blunder of all by running three consecutive HB dive plays by Chase Brown, which only gained three yards. This put a lot of unnecessary stress on Evan McPherson to hit a 53-yard-kick, which went awry from the snap. Making the kick would have given the Bengals a win, but missing it helped the Ravens emerge victorious just two plays later.
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Winner: Daniel Jones, New York Giants QB
Daniel Jones is slowly winning back the hearts of Giants fans and performances like Sunday show exactly why. The Giants scouted his replacement, but in his first season since tearing an ACL, Jones is showing he’s not the problem in New York. In Week 5, that included a total of 295 yards and two touchdowns against a top-15 Seahawks defense.
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Loser: Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets QB
So much for those Super Bowl aspirations. Falling to 2-3 is not what the Jets had in mind after getting Aaron Rodgers back from last year’s season-ending Achilles tear. But the four-time MVP hasn’t looked in sync with his receivers, and the Jets’ defense hasn’t been elite enough to stifle their opponents, either. This week, it all came together, with Rodgers throwing three interceptions in a frustrating day in London.
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Winner: Trevor Lawrence and Travon Walker, Jacksonville Jaguars
Travon Walker feasted as the Jaguars finally got their first win of the season. The former No. 1 overall pick recorded a career-high three sacks to place himself among the NFL’s sack leaders this season. It has to be considered one of the best games of the 23-year-old’s career. Meanwhile Trevor Lawrence also had a career-high 371 passing yards. It was a small step, but it’s nice to see two young Jags moving in the right direction.
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Loser: Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers QB
The NFC representative of last season’s Super Bowl doesn’t look the same this year. Maybe Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams’ holdouts are leading to a slow start, or maybe we’re witnessing a team that’s simply failing to live up to the pressure. That was the case on Sunday for Brock Purdy who had two second-half interceptions to help the Cardinals erase a 13-point deficit. Suddenly, the 49ers are 2-3, and Purdy’s turnovers on Sunday are a big reason why.
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Winner: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears QB
Five games into his career, and Caleb Williams already has two 300-yard games. But his latest performance was his best. The No. 1 overall pick averaged 10.5 yards per attempt while passing for two touchdowns in a convincing 36-10 win over Carolina. Don’t look now, but the Bears are 3-2 and the offense looked good, for a week anyway.
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Loser: Las Vegas Raiders
Who are the Las Vegas Raiders? Because they looked like one of the worst teams in the NFL in Week 5, losing 34-18 to the Broncos. Both quarterbacks threw interceptions, and their best offensive player is begging for a trade. The Raiders look well on their way to a top-ten pick, and Sunday’s effort was simply the latest example.
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Winner: Pat Surtain, Denver Broncos CB
He may be just 24 years old, but Pat Surtain II is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. Yet, until Week 5, he only ever had one multi-interception game. Facing the Raiders helped him double that total, and he even returned one for a touchdown. Without Surtain, the Broncos wouldn’t have one of the NFL’s best defenses, but he’s been superb all season long.
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Winner: Xavier McKinney, Green Bay Packers safety
The Green Bay Packers were in desperate need of a safety upgrade, so they handed Xavier McKinney a four-year, $67 million contract in free agency. He’s never been a Pro Bowler or an All-Pro, but he’s well on his way to earning both honors in 2024. After another interception on Sunday, the 26-year-old has picked a ball off in all five of his games in a Packers uniform. He’s playing like the best safety in the NFL.
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