NFL Week 5 overreactions: Eagles collapse? Jets, Cardinals firings?

What initially gave the impression to be an unspectacular Week 5 of the NFL season turned out to offer a slew of thrilling finishes. The Denver Broncos erased a 14-point deficit to upset the Philadelphia Eagles (and hand them their first lack of the season), whereas the Carolina Panthers rallied from 17 all the way down to defeat the Miami Dolphins.

The New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans will not go winless, because the Titans mounted a storming comeback to beat the Arizona Cardinals. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Seattle Seahawks in a thriller, and the Washington Commanders are again within the NFC East race with Jayden Daniels returning to the lineup.

There have been loads of overreactions to go round from the Sunday slate. Which of them are actually overreactions and that are actuality?

Drake Maye is a franchise quarterback 

Overreaction or actuality: Actuality

Drake Maye has been enjoying good soccer all through the season, however the Patriots quarterback lastly had a chance to showcase his skills on the “Sunday Evening Soccer” stage. He did not have a Josh Allen- or Patrick Mahomes-type efficiency, however emerged victorious because the Patriots handed the Payments their first lack of the season.

The second-year quarterback completed 22 of 30 for 273 yards with a 100.1 passer ranking, enjoying turnover-free soccer in a recreation with loads of errors. The Patriots have been anticipated to be a greater workforce this yr, however Maye’s offered performances his rookie season with a nasty workforce have carried over to a greater workforce. 

Maye has thrown for 1,261 yards by means of 5 video games whereas finishing a formidable 73.9% of his passes with seven touchdowns to 2 interceptions (107.8 ranking). He is enjoying like a prime 10 quarterback in soccer, getting essentially the most out of a Patriots offense that has its flaws.

Because the Patriots develop underneath Mike Vrabel, so does Maye. Their rebuild will go easily as a result of they’ve a franchise quarterback in Maye, one thing they have not had since Tom Brady left. 

Eagles on the heels of one other collapse

Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction

The Eagles lastly misplaced a recreation, however this was one they have been presupposed to win. Philadelphia was up 17-3 over Denver within the fourth quarter earlier than permitting 18 unanswered factors in a 21-17 loss — their first of the season. The offense modified it up this week, throwing the ball 37 occasions and operating simply 11. Saquon Barkley had a career-low six carries in a recreation he began and completed.

The Eagles clearly aren’t on the identical web page offensively, and it is exhibiting week to week. After going up 17-3, the offense ran 14 performs for 27 yards — punting 4 occasions. The protection, in flip, allowed Bo Nix to go 9 of 10 for 127 yards and a landing within the fourth quarter (152.1 ranking). The Broncos scored two touchdowns and a discipline purpose on their last three possessions, because the Eagles’ protection could not get off the sphere.

Philadelphia has been outgained in each recreation this season, but is someway 4-1. The Eagles do not flip the ball over, however they’re retaining groups in video games because of offensive inconsistency and an incapability to search out the correct mix of passing and operating. Additionally they have not gotten Barkley going, which is a significant downside.

Does this imply the Eagles are collapsing? No. This workforce is proficient and making sufficient performs to win video games. The schedule will get simpler earlier than the bye week, and there is a good probability they’re going to be 7-1 by November.

The offense has points that want fixing, however this Eagles workforce is not collapsing regardless of the yardage differential and inconsistency. Sunday’s recreation ought to have been a win, however this group has nonetheless emerged victorious in 20 of its previous 22 video games.

No collapse is occurring in Philadelphia.

Aaron Glenn will not final the season as Jets coach 

Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction

Glenn has been a scorching matter within the overreaction room over the previous few weeks, particularly for the reason that Jets have regarded abysmal each single week. They have been down 30-3 late within the third quarter in Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys, falling to 0-5 on the season — and failing to document a single takeaway in any recreation (Glenn is a defensive coach).

The checklist of coaches to start out a season 0-5 with the Jets? Adam Gase (2020), Wealthy Kotite (1996) and Walt Michaels (1980). That is not a really encouraging signal for Glenn, even when he is in his first yr as a head coach. Issues could also be getting even worse for New York, because it heads abroad to face Denver — which simply handed Philadelphia its first lack of the season.

The Jets have been noncompetitive on this one and ill-prepared. The message Glenn is attempting to ship is not resonating with this locker room, and the tradition is nonexistent. There’s little cause to imagine in Glenn at this level.

Despite the fact that the Jets appear to be the worst workforce within the NFL, they’ve the Panthers and Bengals after they get again from London. Let’s reserve full judgment on Glenn, but when they lose each of these video games, he might not survive the bye week.

Raiders will bench Geno Smith sooner or later this yr

Overreaction or actuality: Actuality

Smith was presupposed to be a superb commerce for the Raiders, who picked up a veteran quarterback who might be a bridge signal-caller for a yr or two as Pete Carroll regarded to determine an id in Las Vegas. Here is the problem — Smith has been atrocious.

Smith threw two interceptions and had a 63.8 passer ranking within the Raiders’ 40-6 loss to the Colts, which is basically par for the course this season. He has six touchdowns to 9 interceptions and a 75.6 passer ranking by means of 5 video games, rating twenty seventh out of 30 certified quarterbacks in passer ranking and first in interceptions (by three over Joe Flacco, who was benched).

The Raiders haven’t got a superb roster, however Smith was presupposed to be higher. With out Brock Bowers, he was horrible.

In some unspecified time in the future, the Raiders are going to go to Kenny Pickett, it doesn’t matter what they gave up for Smith this offseason — and regardless of the two-year, $75 million extension they agreed upon as properly. Smith simply is not a beginning NFL quarterback anymore, and the Raiders want to show the web page.

Ravens will hearth Zach Orr as defensive coordinator this season

Overreaction or actuality: Actuality

Irrespective of what number of starters are injured on protection (5) or how a lot wage cap is lacking on the roster (43%), the Ravens’ protection has been ridiculously dangerous. In a weekend filled with dangerous performances, the Ravens’ protection might have been the worst of all — giving up 44 factors to the Texans at house.

Baltimore’s protection is the rationale the Ravens are 1-4, as they’ve given up 37-plus factors in 4 of their first 5 video games. They’re the primary workforce in 71 years to permit 37 or extra factors in 4 of their first 5 video games and are permitting 35.4 factors per recreation this season.

Kyle Van Noy gave a noncommittal reply on Orr, and John Harbaugh is doubling down on his defensive coordinator. Fact is, the Ravens simply aren’t aggressive — and have been dangerous on protection even earlier than they have been lacking 5 starters.

This protection is not good, and getting gamers wholesome will not repair all the problems. Orr should not survive this season, not whereas underperforming with this a lot expertise on protection.

Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction

Getting Dowdle on this dialog showcases the wonderful day he had. Dowdle led Carolina’s comeback victory over Miami, dashing for 206 yards — the second-most in a participant’s first begin with a workforce since 1970.

Dowdle torched the Dolphins’ run protection, averaging 9.0 yards per carry and including 74 dashing yards and a rating within the fourth quarter. Because of Dowdle, the Panthers are 2-3. Ought to they go to him because the RB1 over Chuba Hubbard if he is wholesome sufficient to return subsequent week?

The Dolphins’ run protection is not excellent, which is why Dowdle had such an enormous day. They rank thirtieth within the NFL in yards per carry allowed (5.6), twenty ninth in yards earlier than contact per try (2.03) and twenty eighth in yards after contact per try (3.56). This is not a superb unit, which makes Dowdle’s efficiency considerably deceiving.

Dowdle deserves extra touches, however he should not be thrust into the RB1 function simply but.

Emeka Egbuka will break the rookie receiving yards document 

Overreaction or actuality: Actuality

Look out, Puka Nacua — Emeka Egbuka is coming to your mark of 1,486 receiving yards, essentially the most ever by a rookie in league historical past. Egbuka was dominant in Tampa Bay’s thrilling win over Seattle, catching seven passes for 163 yards and a landing. This was Egbuka’s second straight recreation with 100-plus receiving yards — and the second straight recreation through which he had a 50-plus-yard reception.

Merely put, Egbuka is figuring issues out within the NFL. He has 25 catches for 459 yards and 5 touchdowns by means of 5 video games — a mean of 18.4 yards per catch. He is averaging 91.8 receiving yards per recreation and is on tempo for 1,561 yards this season.

The Buccaneers have already got a WR1 in Egbuka, and he’ll preserve getting focused with Baker Mayfield slinging the ball downfield and Mike Evans sidelined with a hamstring harm. They might have already got a top-10 wideout within the NFL, and Egbuka is exhibiting no indicators of slowing down.

If Egbuka would not hit the rookie wall, he’ll get that document.

Jonathan Gannon will not final previous this season in Arizona

Overreaction or actuality: Actuality

The Cardinals regarded sturdy with a 2-0 begin, even with unimpressive victories over the Saints and Panthers. Then they misplaced a pair of one-score video games to division foes — the 49ers and Seahawks — each on walk-off discipline targets.

Arizona misplaced to Tennessee on a walk-off discipline purpose Sunday to fall to 2-3, however this one ought to have been preventable. Emari Demercado dropped a ball going into the tip zone that resulted in a turnover — and would have put Arizona up 28-6 within the fourth quarter. The Cardinals then both fumbled or punted on six of their last eight possessions. Additionally they allowed Cameron Ward to go 13 of 18 for 193 yards within the fourth quarter, together with the game-winning drive that arrange Joey Slye’s walk-off discipline purpose.

The Titans are one of many worst groups within the NFL, and the Cardinals blew a commanding lead at house. For a workforce that should both make the playoffs or be aggressive sufficient to push for one, that may’t occur.

The losses are shut, however Gannon has little wiggle room. He wants to show this round, or his tenure with the Cardinals will not final for much longer.