Week 5 may have raised more questions than it answered, but we still have some takeaways from the games that were on the docket.
WHO is the worst 3-1 Team?
The Giants entered this contest as 8.5-point underdogs and were being discussed as not only the worst 3-1 team in the NFL but one of the worst 3-1 teams of all time… and then they beat Aaron Rogers and the 3-1 Packers. This game was an exemplary performance by a Giants team devoid of reliant pass-catchers. The team’s ability to play to its strengths has been a revelation, and their lone loss to the Cowboys is growing less egregious by the week. The Giants deserve our consideration moving forward, whereas the Packers deserve our criticism.
The explosive offense we used to associate with Green Bay is gone, and the team’s defense has not been a strength. This won’t be the last close game the Packers play this season.
Bullish on Buffalo
The Steelers’ decision to insert rookie QB Kenny Pickett into the starting lineup at this juncture was a confounding one; even still, the young QB’s performance was exceptional. Disregarding the final score, Pickett showed composure and clearly defined himself as a better option for the team than now-backup Mitch Trubisky. The issue for Pittsburgh is that their elite defense of years past is just that, and the offense so clearly lacks a vision. This is not a fertile environment for a rookie QB, nor conducive to victories. Be reluctant to back the Steelers moving forward.
Conversely, the Bills gave us yet another reason to believe them to be the best team in the NFL. Few teams in the league are capable of such a lopsided score, and Buffalo was far from perfect on this day. Buffalo travels to Kansas City in Week 6 in the most anticipated game of the 2022 season.
Gusty Win
Sharp bettors adored the Browns, and the Chargers gutted out a victory. There are numerous angles from which to recap this game, but the chief talking point will/should be Chargers HC Brandon Staley’s 4th-down decision-making. The coach’s adoration for analytics is well known, but his knowledge of its utility is surely in question.
With 1:13 remaining, leading 30-28, and facing a 4th-and-1 from their own 46 yard-line, the Chargers spat in the face of conventional wisdom and elected to go for the yard. The issue with Staley’s decision-making is not that he misunderstood analytics but rather that he misunderstood his opposition.
Historically, there is a better chance of winning the game should one go for it on fourth down. However, this data is blind to the opposition, and a Cleveland offense fueled by its rushing attack would have likely been left for dead had the Chargers punted the ball. Here’s hoping that Staley learns how to use analytics to his team’s advantage and stops acting on it as gospel.
Are We Sure…
The Minnesota Vikings are good? The Vikings are cruising toward the playoffs, but it is fair to question their legitimacy as a 4-1 team. It’s easy to see the potential for this Vikings team, but just as easy to find reasons for skepticism. The Vikings quickly built and then lost a 21-3 lead and had to once again rally late for the victory. There are signals of an elite offense, and it is easy to see the potential of the 2022 Vikings. The issue, however, is that it is just as easy to be skeptical of the Vikings and their play through five weeks.
What Happens Outdoors
It alarming that the NFL’s highest-scoring offense was held without a point on this day. Lions QB Jared Goff reminded us of his California roots, and a road game in the brisk Northeast was not a conducive environment for the QB to thrive. Goff struggled, and a porous Lions defense could not exploit a favorable matchup versus backup Bailey Zappe. It may, once again, be a long season in Detroit.