Week 5 was the week of the comeback, with five teams clawing back from double-digit points deficits to win their games.

Cam Ward got his first win as a starter as the Tennessee Titans rallied from 18 points down to beat the Arizona Cardinals, making Ward the first rookie quarterback to overcome an 18-point deficit and win since Daniel Jones (whatever happened to him?) in 2019.

There were also two blowouts on Sunday, with the same Jones leading the Indianapolis Colts to a 40-6 win over the Las Vegas Raiders and the Houston Texans beating down on the injury-ravaged Ravens by 44-10.

And, of course, there was also a last-minute win for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over the Seattle Seahawks, although that’s hardly a surprise at this stage, as the Bucs are the first team in NFL history to have each of their first four wins in a season come on a game-winning score in the final minute of regulation. All hail the new Cardiac Kids!

***

GAME OF THE WEEK

Detroit Lions (4-1) @ Kansas City Chiefs (2-3)

This clash looked a lot tastier before the season but should still be a fascinating clash between one of the league’s best offenses and a still dangerous Chiefs squad, even if they have yet to truly kick on in 2025.

Jared Goff is 8-1 in his last nine Sunday night games, while Patrick Mahomes is 9-1 in his last ten. Detroit leads the NFL in scoring offense this season, averaging 34.8 points per game, and have scored at least 34 points in each of their past four games, all of which they have won. Goff, who has somehow now started more games for the Lions than the Rams (where does the time go?) completed almost 83 percent of his passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns in the Lions’ beatdown of the Cincinnati Bengals last week and, after five games, has 1,187 yards, 12 touchdowns and just two interceptions to his name.

Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery both have over 300 rushing yards this season and four touchdown runs apiece. They each scored a touchdown last week, the 14th time they both found paydirt in the same game, tying Dallas’ Daryl Johnston and Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Emmitt Smith for the most games in the Super Bowl era. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St.Brown leads the NFL with six receiving touchdowns in 2025 and is coming off the 25th eight-catch game of his career.

Pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson is the only player in the league this season with 5.0 sacks and three forced fumbles, with at least one sack in his last four games and a forced fumble in his last three. Could be a long old day for the Chiefs offensive tackles trying to stop him on Sunday.

KC fell to a late loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars a week ago and now sit at 2-3 after five games. Mahomes set new season highs with 318 yards and a 70.7 percent completion rate, but he has only eight touchdown passes so far — a drop in the ocean compared to his career numbers, including the postseason, of 299 touchdown passes in 138 career games. With a touchdown pass on Sunday night, he will surpass Aaron Rodgers (147 games) as the fastest player to 300 career touchdown passes, again including the postseason.

Travis Kelce is coming off a season-high seven grabs for 61 yards against the Jaguars, while Tyquan Thornton led the team with 90 receiving yards. The ground game is yet to truly get going in 2025, with Mahomes again leading the team with 60 rushing yards against the Jaguars, although both Kareem Hunt and Isaiah Pacheco notched more than 50 yards from scrimmage in the loss.

PREDICTION: Lions win their fifth on the bounce, while the Chiefs’ slow start to the season continues.

***

WELL WORTH A WATCH

San Francisco 49ers (4-1) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-1)

The Steve Young Bowl takes place in Tampa on Sunday, as the Bucs and the 49ers clash for the 28th time in the regular season. The 49ers have won the last four meetings and come into the game after a last-gasp win over the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football in Week 5, while the Bucs have made a delightful habit of leaving it late to secure their wins this year.

If Mac Jones gets the start for the Niners, he’ll look to build on his 342 yards and two touchdowns against the Rams. In an offense beset by physical frailty, the oft-injured Christian McCaffrey has been the only true constant for the 49ers this season, with 100+ yards from scrimmage in his last five games while leading all NFL running backs with 39 receptions and 387 receiving yards. Kendrick Bourne popped up, seemingly out of nowhere, against the Rams to post ten catches for a career-high 142 yards, while stand-in tight end Jake Tonges has now found the end zone in back-to-back weeks.

Linebacker Fred Warner has the second most tackles in the NFC and has stuffed the stat sheet against the Bucs in his career, with at least seven tackles in five career meetings.

Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, meanwhile, was outstanding in their win over the Seahawks in Week 5, with 379 yards and two touchdown passes. Mayfield has at least one touchdown pass in 16 straight home games, the longest such current streak in the NFL, and has quickly established a fruitful partnership with wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, who had seven catches for 163 yards and a touchdown against the Seahawks. Egbuka leads all rookies with 25 grabs, 445 yards and six touchdowns this season, and is the first player to hit these marks after five career games. Veteran Chris Godwin is slowly making his way back to full fitness but has three catches in both of his games so far this season. The explosive Bucky Irving is out injured, so the Bucs will look to Rachaad White to build on his 71 yards from scrimmage a week ago.

PREDICTION: Buccaneers move to 5-1 in a high-scoring thriller.

Denver Broncos (3-2) @ New York Jets (0-5)

NFL International Series – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

The Broncos and the Jets face off at Tottenham, with the ‘away’ team looking to build on last week’s upset win over the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, while the Jets… become the seventh team to play in London in consecutive seasons.

Gang Green have won two of the last three meetings between these two sides, but are still seeking their first win under new head coach Aaron Glenn. The Broncos on the other hand are tied for first place in the AFC West.

Denver’s success this season has been down to their defense, which leads the NFL with 21 sacks while allowing just 16.8 points per game. Nik Bonitto, one of the most unheralded superstars in the NFL, leads the league with 7.5 sacks after notching at least 1.5 in his last three games, and has seven tackles for loss to boot.

Quarterback Bo Nix didn’t look at his sharpest last week, but he has now passed for at least 240 yards in his last two games. J.K. Dobbins leads the team with 402 rushing yards and four touchdowns, while Courtland Sutton — who had the best of his duel with Quinyon Mitchell a week ago — has at least five grabs and 80 yards in his last three games.

The Jets’ defense, thought to be an area of strength for the side — especially with Glenn having been hired on the basis of his performance as DC in Detroit — is currently allowing 31.4 points per game, so it could be a fruitful harvest moon weekend for the Broncos’ offensive unit.

Jets quarterback Justin Fields posted an impressive stat line last week, with 283 passing yards and two touchdowns, but most of this came in garbage time as the Dallas Cowboys never looked in danger during their 37-22 win. Fields, it should be noted (if we’re looking for notable achievements at least) is yet to throw an interception this season.

Breece Hall posted his sixth game with at least 150 yards from scrimmage since 2022 against the Cowboys, and has 351 rushing yards this season, while wide receiver Garrett Wilson is dominating the team’s receiving output, with 33 receptions and 382 yards so far this season, and at least 50 yards in all five games in 2025.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, Quinnen Williams, one of the most impact defensive linemen in the game, has a tackle for loss in every game this season, as cornerback Sauce Gardner looks to add to his five pass breakups in three career meetings with the Broncos.

PREDICTION: The Jets search for the first win of the Aaron Glenn era continues as the Broncos squeeze out another win.

***

ALSO ON IN WEEK 6

Philadelphia Eagles (4-1) @ New York Giants (1-4)

The first leg of the 2025 Saquon Barkley Bowl takes place on Thursday night, with both teams coming off disappointing outings in Week 5. Can the Eagles beat the Giants in primetime for the 11th game in a row, or will Jaxson Dart and the Big Blue pass rush frustrate the Eagles and drop the champs to 4-2?

Dallas Cowboys (2-2-1) @ Carolina Panthers (2-3)

Both sides won a week ago, the Cowboys quite comfortably and the Panthers dramatically. Can the Cowboys offense continue to cook with Dak Prescott playing at an MVP level, or will Rico Dowdle build on his epic outing against the Miami Dolphins to take revenge on his old club?

Arizona Cardinals (2-3) @ Indianapolis Colts (4-1)

The Cardinals have lost three in a row, while the Colts looks like an offensive juggernaut. Can Jonathan Gannon’s troops get back to winning ways, or will Shane Steichen and the Indiana Joneses have the best of this clash between two former Eagles coordinators?

Seattle Seahawks (3-2) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1)

The Seahawks go on the road after losing an eighth home game in their last ten last week, to face a Jaguars team that is 4-1 for the first time since 2007. Will Sam Darnold keep up his fine early season form, or will Trevor Lawrence’s topsy-turvy play lead his team to another wacky win?

Los Angeles Chargers (3-2) @ Miami Dolphins (1-4)

The Chargers have lost two in a row and the injuries are starting to mount up, while the Dolphins melted down in their loss to the Panthers. Can the Chargers get back to winning ways, or will the Dolphins find a way to post the home side’s third win in the last four meetings in this series?

New England Patriots (3-2) @ New Orleans Saints (1-4)

In an unintended battle of Week 5 ‘giantkillers’ after the Patriots took down the mighty Bills in primetime and the plucky Saints picked up their first win of the season of the, ahem, New York Giants, can Drake Maye lead his side to the fourth straight away win in the series, or will the Saints go back-to-back to give Spencer Rattler his first ever NFL winning streak?

Cleveland Browns (1-4) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)

The Steelers are back off their bye while the Browns are back from London knowing they let a possible win slip through their fingers. Can Dillon Gabriel build on the positives from his first career start and pick up a maiden win, or will the Steelers’ suffocating defense do enough to allow the offense and Aaron Rodgers to flex their muscles and move to 4-1?

Los Angeles Rams (3-2) @ Baltimore Ravens (1-4)

The Rams have lost two in a row and the Ravens have a Pro Bowl-shaped hole in their roster with many of their studs injured. Can the Rams get back to winning ways, or will the Baltimore Backups burst their bubble?

Tennessee Titans (1-4) @ Las Vegas Raiders (1-4)

Shockingly, this game was somehow not considered for primetime, as two of the most hapless offenses clash in Sin City. The Titans and Cam Ward got their first win last week, while the Raiders lead the league in turnovers. Can Tennessee launch a winning streak against the punch-drunk silver-and-black, or will Geno Smith get back on the straight-and-narrow and lead his side to just a second win of the Pete Carroll era?

Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) @ Green Bay Packers (2-1-1)

The Bengals traded for Joe Flacco this week as they look to arrest a three-game losing streak since having to replace Joe Burrow with Jake Browning. The Packers, meanwhile, are without a win in two games after a dominant start to the season. Which of these two sides will halt their slide?

Buffalo Bills (4-1) @ Atlanta Falcons (2-2)

The Bills lost against the Patriots last week, while the Falcons enjoyed their bye week. Can the AFC powerhouse bounce back against a surprisingly efficient defense, or will the Falcons win their second game in a row?

Chicago Bears (2-2) @ Washington Commanders (3-2)

While the Bears were enjoying a bye week, Jayden Daniels returned from injury to lead the Commanders in their win over the Chargers. Can the Bears pull off their third win of the season, or will the Commanders come out on top in this battle between the top two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft? Whatever the case, don’t expect any Chicago player to be entertaining the crowd on a 4th-and-very-long with time expiring…

***

Global fans give 100% so NFL Game Pass on DAZN gives it back. 100% NFL. 0% Compromise.

Find out more at DAZN.com/NFL