Week Five Headlines
Giants surprise Packers, Jets crush Miami, Matt Rhule fired after Panthers loss, Patriots shutout Lions
New York gets statement win in London
The Giants were 3-1 going into this matchup, but it was mostly against lackluster opponents. However, getting a comeback victory against the Packers is definitely a way to put doubters on notice. Saquon Barkley is continuing his redemption tour, crossing the 500-yard mark on the season. Daniel Jones, despite throwing no touchdowns, went 21-27 for 217 yards. The NFC East went from the NFL’s laughing stock to the most competitive division in the league.
Miami drops another game without Tua
This game resulted from the poor handling of Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion. Miami was down to their third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson after Teddy Bridgewater went down with a concussion. Miami held on for a while until Breece Hall unleashed for nearly 200 total yards. The two-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter turned into a 40-17 blowout. Part of me was hoping Bridgewater would come out and surprise people like he did as a backup in New Orleans. Sadly, he suffered the same fate as usual. Some players just can’t catch a break.
Matt Rhule is fired after Panthers’ 1-3 start
After Carolina’s latest underwhelming performance, head coach Matt Rhule was officially fired from the team. His tenure as head of the Panthers has been disappointing, to say the least. His collegiate success and Baylor and Temple could not translate into the NFL. Panthers fans have urged Rhule to be fired since the middle of last season. He held an 11-27 record as the head coach in Carolina.
As for the game itself, Baker Mayfield once again proved his doubters correct, going 20-36 for 215 yards and one interception. His QBR (16.6) and passer rating (71.9) are both last in the league among active quarterbacks.
Bailey Zappe gets his first win as a starter
With Mac Jones out for the second straight week, Bailey Zappe was placed as the Patriots QB on Sunday. Zappe went 17-21 for 188 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He found some chemistry with Jakobi Meyers, who finished the day with seven receptions for 111 yards and one touchdown. There were concerns about the run game without Damien Harris, but Rhamondre Stevenson carried that load, ending the day with 161 yards on the ground.
As likable as Dan Campbell is, games like this are starting to raise some eyebrows. He made questionable fourth down decisions while letting a third-string quarterback hang 22 points on his defense. Detroit has allowed their opponent to score more than 25 points on them every game this year.
