Okay, so the Bears got a win. Is this the apocalypse? No? Are you sure? I mean, the Bears just got a win, there’s no way…
The Niners are Super Bowl Favorites
The Niners have had a dominant run this year. They are 5-0, and have had large wins over many teams they face. They destroyed the Cowboys, Giants, Steelers, and Cardinals, as well as getting a close win over the Rams. They have an explosive offense run by (now-proven) Brock Purdy. I had my doubts about him last year, but he has proven that he is a great quarterback and is worthy of all the hype. This offense with playmakers such as Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey seems impossible to stop. And their defense, filled with Charvarius Ward, Nick Bosa, and Fred Warner, is a force as well. I feel like the only thing that could stop this team from going all the way is injuries and their offensive line. Other than Trent Williams, this offensive line is putrid and not worth risking Purdy’s health. The Niners need to trade for an offensive lineman (or two) to make sure they can contend. If they do that, there’s nothing that will stop this team.
The Patriots need a new Quarterback
Leading an offense that has been outscored by the Eagle’s kicker is rough, but the fact that Mac Jones has an average QBR of 36.34 is even worse. For perspective, Johnny Manziel’s career QBR average is only slightly worse, at 33.2. That is not good for Mac. Mac Jones can’t keep living off his Pro Bowl rookie year and needs to do something if he wants to keep his job. Last year, he got by because his offensive coordinator, Matt Patricia was horrible, so everyone blamed him. Now, Mac at least has a decent play-caller, so the pressure is on. However, last year, when Mac Jones went out with an injury, Bailey Zappe stepped up, and by the end of his short tenure of starting, he had Patriots fans screaming for him to be the starter. If Jones continues to have struggles, then Bill Belichick might just give up on him and start Zappe. Either way, the Patriots should be on the lookout for any trades or other options at quarterback, and Mac, he needs to pray for his job.
The Bengals are Back
After starting 0-2, and then 1-3, the Bengals looked like they would miss the playoffs. However, they beat the Cardinals in dominant fashion, with Ja’Marr Chase catching 3 touchdowns. They are now 2-3, still not great, however, they seem to have some momentum. Now, they do have the Seahawks to beat, and then the 49ers, and then the Bills and then eventually the Chiefs. So that’s not amazing. But they have some wins that they could squeeze out to make it to the playoffs. Now, let’s take a look at their stats. Burrow threw for 317 yards, 3 touchdowns to 1 interception. And Ja’Marr Chase caught 15 throws for 192 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Bengals’ offense woke up and in convincing fashion. Anyway, there’s only one way to find out how their season will go, and that’s by waiting. However, if you are a Bengals fan, I wouldn’t be too stressed out about this season.
The Gap Between the NFC favorites and the Cowboys has widened
Oh jeez. Yeah, I get it. Cowboys suck, they can’t win tough games, Mike McCarthy is a horrible play caller, their defense needs Trevon Diggs, Dak is not the gu- I get it. This game was horrible. Unacceptable. Pitiful. But that doesn’t mean our season is over. Now I am not going to be the Cowboys fan who says “it’s our year” or anything, but honestly, I am kind of glad that the Cowboys got whooped this badly. It serves as a wake-up call. A wake-up call for Jerry Jones, to figure something out in the front office. A wake-up call for Mike McCarthy, to find a game plan that supports hows this team operrates. A wake-up call for Dak, to find some rhythm with his receivers. A wake-up call for everyone, to figure out how to work together as a team. This team has the talent, it has the potential, but until we see anything of value, it doesn’t matter. The Cowboys have a Monday Night Football matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. They need to get back on track. A loss here would put them at .500, with little to no hope of winning the division. As of now, there are 3 teams better than the Cowboys on the NFC. Lions, 49ers, and Eagles. If the Cowboys don’t get back on track, then it will be a long season for Cowboy’s fans.
Everyone can celebrate that football is back, except Cowboys fans (sorry Cowboys fans). So there you have it. Four takeaways from the fifth week of the NFL season. How will these hold up during the season? I have no clue. But I guess we’ll find out. And yes, this conclusion is copied and pasted from my NFL Week 1 Overreactions: Being Way Too Conclusive article.
Part of this article series
NFL Week 1 Overreactions: Being Way Too Conclusive
NFL Week 2 Overreactions: Being Way Too Conclusive
