NFL first-quarter report: Biggest surprises and disappointments so far
It's Week 5 and the NFL already is at its quarter point of the season. Before we dive in, enjoy these:
- NFL at first-quarter mark: Biggest surprises and disappointments so far
- We started to unveil our list of the top 100 NFL players ever.
- Khalil Mack ready to make former team "pay."
- Week 5 picks: Can the Cowboys rebound against the Packers?
- Who does Jerry Rice pick as the best player in NFL history?
Now for a closer look at the action:
Week 5's best and brightest
About last night: Seahawks 30, Rams 29 -- In what might have been the game of the year so far, the Seahawks escaped when Greg Zuerlein missed a 44-yard field goal attempt with 15 seconds remaining. While the Rams (3-2) have lost two straight, the Seahawks improve to 4-1.
Quick look at Week 5:
- Game of the Week: Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys -- Each team is coming off its first loss of the season -- both in front of national television audience -- so these squads will be eager for a bounce-back effort. The Packers have won seven of the last eight in the series, including the last three at Jerry World.
- Sneaky-Good Game of the Week: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints -- The showdown in the Superdome could tip the balance of power in the NFC South. No big deal.
- Sunday Ticket Game of the Week: Chicago Bears vs. Oakland Raiders in London -- Tune in for the schadenfreude of watching Khalil Mack play against his former team. Poor Derek Carr.
- Survivor Pool Game of the Week: New York Jets at Philadelphia Eagles -- Granted the sample size is small at just 10 meetings dating back to 1973, but the Eagles have never lost to the Jets. Sam Darnold might play, but are the Jets taking an unnecessary risk? Full disclosure: The previous picks have been been the Ravens (Week 1), Texans (Week 2), Vikings (Week 3) and Chargers (Week 4).
- Dud of the Week: New England Patriots at Washington Redskins -- We hit Friday morning not even knowing who the Redskins' starting quarterback will be on Sunday.
TOP PICS: Seahawks-Rams | Cheerleaders | NFL at 100
Week 5 essentials: Picks, rankings and more
- Week 5 picks: Paste BN Sports' panel of experts has provided fans with the great public service of making prognostications for every NFL game this weekend.
- First quarter review: While the AFC has two teams out in front of the rest, the NFC race looks wide open through the first four weeks of the season.
- Roundtable: Biggest surprise of first quarter: Paste BN Network reporters and editors reveal their biggest surprises so far this season.
- 10 biggest disappointments so far: The season is only through its first quarter, but plenty of players have fallen well short of expectations.
- Sam Darnold might play Sunday: The Jets QB was cautious, yet optimistic, about possibly playing against the Eagles, saying, "I want to make sure I'm safe out there and that I'm not going to die."
- 'There's truth to all rumors': Vikings WR Stefon Diggs gives cryptic answer on trade speculation amid reports he's dissatisfied with the team.
- Tracing Vontaze Burfict's aggression: Burfict's latest controversial hit got him suspended for the rest of the season. He's been playing this way "since he was a little kid."
- Jon Gruden 'not happy ... at all' about Burfict ban: Gruden said he is "obviously upset about" Burfict's suspension for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Colts TE Jack Doyle.
- Was AFC team's hot start to year just a mirage? Lamar Jackson certainly has displayed signs of growth, but Ravens need more from their defense, Mike Jones writes.
- Officiating headaches won't go away: New replay rules were supposed to clean up errors on the field, but that hasn't happened.
- Khalil Mack faces his former team: Mack is headed to London to face his former team, the Raiders, after a falling out with coach Jon Gruden.
- Power rankings: See how each team stands entering Week 5. There's a surprise team in the top five.
- Jerry Rice's selection as NFL's greatest-ever: Rice stands alone with several NFL records, but the Hall of Fame receiver made a throwback pick for his greatest player in NFL history.
Fantasy football: Get your lineup right
As always, we're here for you, helping you out with your most important weekly decision: Setting that fantasy football lineup.
- Fantasy rankings for Week 5: For your convenience, these position-by-position rankings were updated for this week's games.
- Studs, duds and sleepers: Here we examine players with good matchups (Jameis Winston), bad matchups (Gardner Minshew) and non-stars you might want to consider starting (Kirk Cousins).
- Waiver wire: Pro tip: If you're not actively investigating which players are available, you're doing fantasy football wrong. Here are some players who -- if not already on somebody else's team -- you should consider picking up.
- Sizzlers and fizzlers: Consider this your weekly fantasy football stock report.
Week 5 schedule
(All times Eastern)
Bye week: Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins
Thursday
Sunday
Jacksonville Jaguars at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. (CBS)
New England Patriots at Washington Redskins, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Buffalo Bills at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Arizona Cardinals at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Atlanta Falcons at Houston Texans, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Chicago Bears vs. Oakland Raiders (in London), 1 p.m. (FOX)
New York Jets at Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Monday
Cleveland Browns at San Francisco 49ers, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN)
#NFL100
As the NFL celebrates its 100th season, we are unveiling our all-time 100 lists:
- 100 greatest players ever: Paste BN Sports is counting down the all-time greatest NFL players, with Nos. 81-90 being the most recent reveal. Nos. 71-80 will be unveiled Monday.
- Greatest players ever for every team: The Paste BN Sports Network unveils the best players for each NFL team.
- 100 greatest teams in league history: 1962 Green Bay Packers. 1972 Miami Dolphins. 1985 Chicago Bears. 1994 San Francisco 49ers. 1999 St. Louis Rams. 2013 Seattle Seahawks. 1920 Akron Pros. Which is the greatest ever?
- Greatest players ever by jersey number: From No. 00 Jim Otto to No. 99 J.J. Watt, these are the best players at 100 different uniform numbers.
- Greatest players from HBCU programs: The HBCU schools have a storied history and have produced many Pro Football Hall of Famers. These are the 100 greatest NFL players from HBCU programs.
- 100 biggest draft busts ever: The NFL draft has an extensive history of top picks who would only be remembered as busts.
- NFL's best and worst uniforms ever: Throughout the NFL's history, there have been some fantastic uniforms, and there are some that have been widely scorned.
- 100 greatest fantasy football performances: Going all the way back to its humble origins in 1962, these are the best fantasy seasons ever produced.
NFL Facebook group: Join now!
If you love talking football (and who doesn't, amirite?), we have the perfect spot for you. Join our Facebook Group, The Ruling Off the Field, to engage in friendly debate and conversation with other football aficionados and our NFL insiders.
Life at the bottom
You've come this far, so this is your reward. Here are the biggest celebrity fans for every NFL team.
Enjoy your football-filled weekend!
Want to keep this conversation going? Head to Facebook, and/or give a Twitter follow to your friendly neighborhood football guy who put together this newsletter, @jimreineking.