Turnover machine Geno Smith turning into historic catastrophe for Raiders, plus NFL Week 5 sport balls, gaffes

When your telephone buzzed final spring and also you checked your notifications to search out that the Las Vegas Raiders struck a cope with the Seattle Seahawks to accumulate veteran quarterback Geno Smith, you in all probability raised your eyebrows barely, shrugged, and went about your day. It was not a deal designed to cease you in your tracks or go away your jaw on the ground with ideas of Las Vegas out of the blue thrusting itself into the Tremendous Bowl dialog. Actually, it was a commerce to deliver them to respectability on the place. Via 5 weeks, that effort has failed miserably. 

With their 40-6 loss by the hands of the Indianapolis Colts, the Raiders have dropped to 1-4 on the season. That document is sweet for final place within the AFC West, and any considered even being within the hunt by the point Thanksgiving rolls round is fleeting. Worst of all, they whiffed on the quarterback place with Smith, who has been a turnover machine since touchdown in Sin Metropolis. 

On this newest defeat, Smith endured his third multi-interception sport of the season, tossing two into the arms of Indy defenders. Each have been compounded by the Colts scoring a landing on the following possessions, additional fueling the blowout. Smith’s turnovers turning into factors for the opposition have been a theme all through his brutal begin with the Raiders. So far, he is tossed 9 interceptions. Seven of these picks have resulted in scoring drives by the intercepting crew to a complete of 35 factors (4 touchdowns and three area targets). 

Smith’s 9 interceptions are tied for the second-most by a Raiders quarterback by way of his first 5 video games with the franchise since 1970. He joins Josh McCown (2007) and Kerry Collins (2004) in that no-so-illustrious group, who’re solely wanting as much as Jay Schroeder (1988). On condition that, it isn’t out of bounds to speak about Smith’s tenure with the Raiders getting off to one of many worst begins within the crew’s historical past. 

Once more, this was an acquisition supposed to lift the ground of the Raiders’ passing assault after a lackluster effort in 2024, unfold throughout Gardner Minshew (9 begins), Aidan O’Connell (seven begins), and Desmond Ridder (one begin). Thus far, it is both been ever so barely higher or worse. 

On prime of buying and selling for Smith, the Raiders additionally signed him to a two-year, $75 million extension that has him at the moment tied to the group by way of the 2027 season. Nonetheless, the majority of Smith’s assured cash got here on this season ($40 million), in response to Over the Cap. For 2026, Las Vegas may launch Smith with a post-June 1 designation and save about $8 million in wage cap house, however it is going to even be required to eat $18.5 million in lifeless cash. 

If Smith continues on this present trajectory — and he is displaying no indicators of turning a nook — that is the highway we’re heading down. After which it’s going to be again to sq. one for the Raiders beneath heart but once more, and that would trigger a cascading flip of occasions the place Las Vegas can also be resetting throughout the board as 74-year-old Pete Carroll hasn’t appeared dialed-in both to start his tenure.  

This example screams one-and-done. 

Recreation balls

• Week 5 stats: 21 of 39 passing, 265 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT

The No. 1 total choose has earned his first profession win in dramatic trend. Ward and the Titans rallied from a 21-3 deficit to defeat the Cardinals to maneuver to 1-4 on the season. Ward was spectacular on the game-winning drive, finishing 5 of his six passes for 67 yards to arrange the game-winning area purpose. That included a 38-yard dart to Calvin Ridley to place them in vary. 

• Week 5 stats: 23 carries, 110 yards; 1 catch, 18 yards

For my cash, Quinshon Judkins has been probably the most spectacular rookie operating again we have seen this season. Dealing with a stout Vikings protection and tasked with serving to ease in a rookie quarterback making his first profession begin, Judkins put collectively a profession day. The Ohio State product rushed 23 instances for a career-high 110 yards in London, albeit in a 21-17 defeat. That is the third time in his 4 video games performed this season that Judkins has topped 80 yards speeding, and his touches out of the backfield are rising by the week. Bear in mind, Judkins basically got here into this season chilly as he missed coaching camp and the preseason resulting from off-the-field points and a contract dispute. The arrow ought to solely be pointing up from right here.

• Week 5 stats: 23 carries, 206 yards, 1 TD; 3 catches, 28 yards

Sluggish clap for the fantasy managers (not me) who picked up and began Rico Dowdle. Your bravery was rewarded. With Chuba Hubbard injured and inactive, Dowdle — who signed a one-year deal again in March — went nuclear. The veteran rushed for 206 yards and a landing on 23 carries. He additionally added three catches (4 targets) for 28 yards as Carolina rallied to defeat the Miami Dolphins, 27-24. As you would possibly count on, this was Dowdle’s profession excessive in speeding yards, and it was tied for the second-most speeding yards in a sport in Panthers historical past. 

• Week 5 stats: 23 of 27 passing, 244 yards, 4 TD; 1 carry, 30 yards

Can I give a half-game ball? On the one hand, C.J. Stroud was superior in Week 5. He had 244 yards passing and threw as many touchdowns (4) as he did incompletions (23 of 27). He additionally rushed for 30 yards. That mentioned, he posted this 44-10 win in opposition to perhaps probably the most injured crew within the NFL within the Baltimore Ravens. The protection has been in shambles and was lacking Kyle Hamilton, Roquan Smith, Marlon Humphrey, and Nnamdi Madubuike. Even with that in thoughts, we’ll give him his flowers, particularly has he is helped Houston resurrect itself a bit after successful two straight. 

• Week 5 stats: 10 catches, 142 yards

We’re going again to Thursday evening with this sport ball, but it surely’s deserving. With San Francisco’s receiver room depleted, somebody wanted to reply the decision. In Week 5, that was Kendrick Bourne. He was the go-to choice for Mac Jones within the Niners’ extra time win over the Rams, catching 10 of his 11 targets for 142 yards. Fairly spectacular to be probably the most prolific large receiver in a sport that additionally featured Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. 

Gaffes

A.J. Brown with a PBU on Eagles Hail Mary

Brown made waves this week as his frustrations of not being as concerned within the Eagles passing sport as he’d like took heart stage, regardless of his crew being 4-0 after the opening month. Nicely, fast-forward per week, and Brown could have been a bit too desperate to get his arms on the soccer in probably the most vital state of affairs. As Philadelphia was backed into needing a Hail Mary to keep away from its first lack of the season, Jalen Hurts chucked up a prayer, and it was practically answered. The soccer landed completely into the arms of DeVonta Smith for what would’ve been a game-winning landing. Nonetheless, Brown was additionally within the neighborhood of the soccer and leaped behind Smith, blocking his avenue for the ball, which fell incomplete. Ballgame. 

Oh no, Emari Demercado

How? How does this hold taking place? You’d assume that after Indy’s Adonai Mitchell did it final week, each head coach within the NFL would take 30 seconds sooner or later earlier than Week 5 to remind his gamers to hold onto the soccer by way of the purpose line. Guess not. Fashion factors should not price precise factors.

Cam Ward INT by some means turns into Titans TD

Typically the ball bounces your manner, and that was actually the case right here for Tennessee. After Ward threw an interception, security Dadrion Taylor-Demerson fumbled the soccer, and it was recovered by Tyler Lockett for a Titans landing. You need to see it to consider it.  

Browns poor clock administration

For a minute, it appeared just like the Browns have been going to surrender an early-morning upset over the Vikings in London. Cleveland held a 17-14 lead and had simply compelled Minnesota to punt with roughly 3:30 to play in regulation. After back-to-back runs by Quinshon Judkins have been met with timeouts referred to as by the Vikings. As a substitute of choosing one other run to additional bleed the clock and pressure the Vikings to burn their remaining timeout, head coach Kevin Stefanski referred to as a cross for rookie Dillon Gabriel, who threw the ball incomplete. That stopped the clock, permitting Minnesota to maintain a timeout in its pocket to associate with the two-minute warning. That helped them take possession and drive 80 yards for the game-winning landing. In all, Cleveland took simply 22 seconds off the clock on that possession. 

Kyren Williams fumbles away win

It has been a number of days, and I nonetheless cannot consider Williams fumbled on the purpose line. The Rams have been on the doorstep of escaping Thursday evening with a win after falling behind early in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers, however the victory fairly actually slipped by way of their fingers. Williams now has two fumbles this season after 5 in 2024. I will not be stunned if Blake Corum additional eats into the backfield touches. 

Two-minute drill

Listed here are a few of my quick-hitting takeaways from Week 5:

• Andrew Berry completely crushed the 2025 NFL Draft. Mason Graham, Carson Schwesinger, Quinshon Judkins, Dylan Sampson, and Harold Fannin Jr. all seem like set-and-forget starters/high-level contributors. If one of many quarterbacks hit, look out for Cleveland within the close to future. 
• Sure, it is gone haywire for the Baltimore Ravens, however the 1-4 document should not have any bearing if Lamar Jackson performs in Week 6 or not. Cannot compound the issue with coming again too early and struggling a good worse harm. 
• The Darren Waller resurgence — 5 catches for 78 yards and a landing in Week 5 — was not on my 2025 bingo card. 
• We’re underscoring how effectively Shane Steichen is doing in Indy. The entire consideration is paid to Daniel Jones, but it surely’s his head coach who’s pushing the precise button. He is firmly within the Coach of the Yr race after saving his job by going with Jones. 
• Did we fall for it once more with the Los Angeles Chargers? They’ve misplaced two-straight. 
• I’ve a ton of Detroit Lions inventory, however how they performed down the stretch (21 fourth quarter factors allowed) did not precisely make me really feel nice though it was rubbish time. 
• Jacory Croskey-Merritt — aka Invoice — had his breakout sport, speeding for 111 yards and two touchdowns whereas including 39 yards on two catches. 
• The Cardiac Bucs! They’ve had 4 game-winning scores within the last minute of the sport this season. Baker Mayfield and Co. have the “it” issue. 
• Congrats to Spencer Rattle for getting his first win as a beginning quarterback. He’d beforehand gone 0-10 to start his profession. 
• An Aaron Glenn-led crew having zero takeaways within the first 5 video games (first crew to do this since no less than 1940) is inexcusable. The Jets coach wants to show the tide defensively in a rush, or we may very well be speaking about him being one-and-done. 
• Do not look now, however Dak Prescott is placing up MVP numbers.