Week 5 saw the Buffalo Bills return to form but the Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers suffer surprising setbacks against the New York teams.
Here’s what you need to know as we look at the winners, losers and must-see moments from Week 5.
Patriots 38, Steelers 3
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen picked apart a flimsy and injury-depleted Steelers secondary by throwing four touchdown passes in the first half alone — including two deep shots to Gabe Davis — in the Buffalo Bills’ 38-3 rout of Pittsburgh on Sunday.
After hitting Davis for a 98-yard TD on Buffalo’s third play from scrimmage, Allen all but sealed the win by hitting Davis for a 62-yard touchdown catch and Stefon Diggs for a 15-yard score a little over two minutes apart to put the Bills ahead 24-3 with 7:20 left in the second quarter.
Despite wind gusts of up to 20 mph, Allen’s 348 yards passing in the first half were tied for the second most over the opening two quarters in an NFL game since 1991, and 11 short of the 359 yards Patrick Mahomes had in Kansas City’s 27-24 win at Tampa Bay in 2020.
Pulled in favour of Case Keenum early in the fourth quarter, Allen finished 20 of 31 for 424 yards, the second most in team history, and most in a game ending in regulation.
Whatever spark the Steelers hoped rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett would provide in his first career start was negated by a defence missing top pass rusher T.J. Watt and starting safety Terrell Edmunds (concussion) and starting cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (hamstring). The injuries mounted during the game with cornerback Cam Sutton sidelined by a hamstring injury and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi ruled out with a back injury.
Pickett finished 34 of 52 for 327 yards and an interception, in taking over the starting job from Mitch Trubisky.
Jets 40, Dolphins 17
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — New York got a safety on Miami’s first offensive play, Michael Carter scored on a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs and the Jets ran past the Dolphins 40-17 on Sunday to snap a 12-game skid against AFC East opponents.
Zach Wilson, Breece Hall and Braxton Berrios also rushed for scores to help the Jets to their first 3-2 start since 2017. It was the franchise’s first win against a division rival since topping Buffalo in Week 17 of the 2019 season.
The Dolphins lost another quarterback to injury when Teddy Bridgewater — starting for Tua Tagovailoa — was hit by rookie cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner on a blitz as he was about to throw on Miami’s first play from scrimmage. Bridgewater was called for intentional grounding in the end zone on the play, resulting in a safety.
Bridgewater injured an elbow and was examined for a concussion before being ruled out. He was replaced by rookie Skylar Thompson, who had a few efficient drives for the Dolphins (3-2).
Thompson was 19 of 33 for 166 yards and an interception, and Raheem Mostert had 113 yards rushing and a TD for Miami, which dropped its second in a row after a 3-0 start.
Bridgewater was starting after Tagovailoa suffered a concussion Sept. 29 at Cincinnati. That came four days after Tagovailoa took a hit against Buffalo that caused him to slam to the ground. He appeared disoriented afterward and stumbled as he tried to get to his feet, but later returned after clearing the NFL’s concussion protocol.
Giants 27, Packers 22
LONDON (AP) — Saquon Barkley took a direct snap and ran for a 2-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to cap the New York Giants’ 27-22 comeback victory over the Packers on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, spoiling Green Bay’s international debut.
Aaron Rodgers drove the Packers to the 6-yard line, but his pass on fourth-and-goal was swatted down at the line of scrimmage by safety Xavier McKinney with just over a minute left.
After Giants punter Jamie Gillan ran out of the end zone for a safety, the Packers (3-2) got the ball back and set up a desperation pass, but Rodgers was sacked by Oshane Ximines at the Green Bay 29, fumbling as the clock ran out.
The Giants (4-1) scored 17 unanswered points in the second half as Daniel Jones, playing on a sprained ankle, led three scoring drives to erase a 20-10 deficit. It’s the Giants’ best start since 5-0 in 2009 and matches their win total from last season (4-13).
Gary Brightwell’s 2-yard touchdown tied the score at 20-20 to complete a 15-play, 91-yard drive with just over 10 minutes to play. On the drive, Jones scrambled for two first downs — after carrying just once in the first half for 3 yards.
Rodgers threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns, but couldn’t get any points on the board in the second half. Rodgers connected with Allen Lazard and Marcedes Lewis for first-half scoring strikes.
Buccaneers 21, Falcons 15
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tom Brady threw for 351 yards and a touchdown, helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers end a two-game losing streak with a 21-15 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Brady completed 35 of 52 passes without an interception, avoiding his first three-game losing streak since 2002, when he was with the New England Patriots. Leonard Fournette scored two TDs for the Bucs (3-2) on a 1-yard run and a 1-yard reception.
A boy ran onto the field after Fournette’s first TD and was tackled hard by a security guard at the opposite end of the field. Police said there would be no charges and no arrest was made.
The Falcons (2-3) trimmed a 21-0 deficit to six on Marcus Mariota’s 19-yard TD throw to Olamide Zaccheaus and subsequent 2-point conversion pass to KhaDarel Hodge with 4:38 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Atlanta did not get the ball back as Brady, aided by a disputed roughing-the-passer penalty against defensive lineman Grady Jarrett on a third-down sack, led a game-clinching drive deep into Falcons territory.
Saints 39, Seahawks 32
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Taysom Hill ran for three touchdowns, including a 60-yarder in the fourth quarter, and threw for another score, and the New Orleans Saints snapped a three-game skid with a 39-32 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Hill, a versatile player who this season is listed as a tight end, also rushed for touchdowns of 8 and 9 yards, and completed the only pass he’s attempted this season for a 22-yard score to fellow tight end Adam Trautman.
Alvin Kamara returned from his rib injury and contributed 194 yards from scrimmage for New Orleans (2-3), with 103 yards rushing and 91 receiving.
Andy Dalton, starting his second straight game in place of the injured Jameis Winston, completed 16 of 24 passes for 187 yards with one TD pass and one interception. Rookie receiver Chris Olave caught Dalton’s lone scoring pass early in the third quarter, but Olave’s head was slammed into the end zone turf on the play and he did not return.
The game was marked by big plays and dramatic swings of momentum. There were six lead changes, five touchdowns that spanned 35 or more yards and even two 56-yard field goals — one for each team.
Geno Smith’s exceptional first season as starter for Seattle (2-3) continued, but was not enough to overcome a defence that has struggled and now has allowed at least 27 points four times, including 39 or more twice.
Smith passed for 268 yards and three scores, hitting DK Metcalf for a 50-yard TD and Tyler Lockett for touchdowns of 35 and 40 yards.
Chargers 30, Browns 28
CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie Cade York missed a 54-yard field goal with 11 seconds left as Los Angeles held on for a 30-28 victory over the Cleveland Browns after Chargers coach Brandon Staley inexplicably gambled on a fourth down.
York’s kick sailed right and allowed the Chargers (3-2) to escape with a win Staley tried to give away.
With his team at its own 46 and leading by two, Staley called a timeout and then had Justin Herbert attempt a short pass on fourth-and-2 that fell incomplete, giving the ball back to the Browns with 1:10 left.
Cleveland had no timeouts and drove to the Chargers 35 to set up a shot for York, but the big-legged draft pick from LSU, couldn’t convert. He earlier missed a 45-yard attempt.
Austin Ekeler rushed for a career-high 173 yards and scored twice as Los Angeles, which came in last in the NFL in rushing, leaned on its ground game to win its second shootout in two seasons with the Browns (2-3).
The teams combined for 908 total yards and 53 first downs.
Patriots 29, Lions 0
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Rookie Bailey Zappe threw a touchdown pass in his first career start, Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for a career-high 161 yards, and the New England Patriots overwhelmed the Detroit Lions 29-0 on Sunday.
Kyle Dugger returned a fumble 59 yards for a touchdown for the Patriots as the defence and ground game gave Zappe plenty of support. The rookie completed 17 of 21 passes for 188 yards with Mac Jones out for the second straight week with an ankle injury and backup Brian Hoyer on injured reserve following a concussion.
Zappe had miscues, including a fumble after a botched exchange with Stevenson. He also had a pass intercepted when his slant to Nelson Agholor was mishandled, tipped in the air and picked off by De’Shon Elliott.
Matt Judon had a pair of sacks for New England (2-3), which held Detroit’s top-ranked offence without a touchdown for the first time this season. The Lions (1-4) were shut out for the first time since 2020.
Stevenson carried the ball 25 times and had a 49-yard run to set up New England’s second field goal of the game. Jakobi Meyers had seven catches for 111 yards and a touchdown.
Jared Goff was 19 of 35 for 229 yards with an interception and a fumble.
Vikings 29, Bears 22
MINNEAPOLIS — Kirk Cousins scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak with 2:26 remaining on Minnesota’s fifth third-down conversion of its go-ahead drive, and the Vikings snapped out of their mid-game slump just in time to beat the Chicago Bears 29-22 on Sunday.
Cameron Dantzler sealed the victory that put the Vikings (4-1) alone in first place in the NFC North by ripping the ball away from former teammate Ihmir Smith-Marsette near the one-minute mark after a pass from Justin Fields to the Minnesota 39.
Fields went 15 for 21 for a season-high 208 yards and his first touchdown pass in 15 quarters and rushed eight times for 47 yards, but the Bears (2-3) didn’t have enough defence to pull it out.
Justin Jefferson finished with a career-high 12 catches for 154 yards and caught a 2-point conversion pass from Cousins to push the lead to seven, and Dalvin Cook rushed for 94 yards and two scores.
Cousins set a franchise record with 17 consecutive completions to start the game, and coach Kevin O’Connell put on a play-calling clinic as the Vikings reached the end zone on their first three possessions for a 21-3 lead midway through the second quarter. Three times last week against New Orleans, they had to settle for field goals after crossing the 20.
Titans 21, Commanders 17
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Derrick Henry rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown, and the Tennessee Titans made a last-minute goal-line stand to beat the Washington Commanders 21-17 Sunday, rolling into their bye week on a three-game winning streak.
David Long Jr. intercepted Carson Wentz at the 1-yard line with 6 seconds left — the second time in three games Tennessee’s defence has preserved a victory.
Getting there was all about Henry, who also had two catches for 30 yards, including a screen pass that set up Dontrell Hilliard’s 13-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter. He surpassed 100 yards on the ground for the second consecutive game, and the Titans improved to 24-3 when Henry reaches that mark.
When Henry got into the end zone in the third quarter, it was Tennessee’s first second-half touchdown since the season opener. It also tied him with Earl Campbell for second on the franchise TDs list with 73, one back of Eddie George.
Leaning on Henry allowed the Titans (3-2) to handle five sacks of Ryan Tannehill, who was 15 of 25 for 181 yards and the TD pass to Hilliard.
Washington (1-4) lost its fourth straight. Carson Wentz was 25 of 38 for 359 yards with two TD passes to Dyami Brown, but the Commanders were 1 of 11 on third down, including the interception.
Texans 13, Jaguars 6
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Dameon Pierce ran for 99 yards and a touchdown, a score set up by the rookie’s 20-yard gain in which he broke six tackles, and the Houston Texans beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 13-6 on Sunday to extend their winning streak in the series to nine.
Houston picked up its first win of the season and fifth straight in Jacksonville despite finishing with just 248 yards.
The Texans (1-3-1) got a huge assist from the top pick in April’s NFL draft. Jaguars linebacker Travon Walker rag-dolled quarterback Davis Mills after whistles stopped a third-and-20 play. Walker was going to be flagged for a neutral-zone infraction and penalized 5 yards. But his inexcusable mistake gave Houston 15 yards and an automatic first down.
Pierce took it from there. The former Florida standout, who played collegiately about 75 miles west of Jacksonville, made the Jaguars (2-3) look silly on his longest run of the day. He slipped through the line of scrimmage and then wiggled and willed his way through half the defence.
Tyson Campbell finally brought him down just shy of the goal line. Pierce scored up the middle two plays later, putting the Texans up 13-6 in an otherwise ugly game that up to that point featured four field goals, eight punts and 10 penalties.
Trevor Lawrence delivered a second straight stinker. The second-year starter, coming off a five-turnover game at Philadelphia, completed 25 of 47 passes for 286 yards and two interceptions. Texans rookie Derek Stingley Jr. picked off a Lawrence pass in the end zone early in the third quarter.
It was the latest miscue for Lawrence, who has turned in more downs that ups this season.
Lawrence and the Jaguars had two chances in the closing minutes, but the quarterback misfired on a fourth-down pass on the first and was picked off to end the game.
Davis Mills played error-free football for Houston. He completed 16 of 24 passes for 140 yards. He was sacked once.
