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NFL Nation, ESPN
Week 5 of the 2024 NFL season began Thursday night with the Atlanta Falcons escaping with an overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
London’s first three games of three straight weeks began Sunday morning with the Minnesota Vikings remaining undefeated after taking down Aaron Rodgers – who became the ninth quarterback to throw for 60,000 yards – and the New York Jets.
Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and breaking down everything else you need to know for each team. Let’s get to it.
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Vikings
Is this a perfect start for the Vikings? Certainly, despite the dramatic nature of the second half. The Vikings will enter Week 6 undefeated, just two wins shy of their projected win total (6.8), according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. In London, they proved they have plenty of ways to push the game over the finish line, a key trait for any team hoping to make a deep playoff run. In the worst game of quarterback Sam Darnold’s short tenure with Minnesota, after losing running back Aaron Jones (hip) in the first half, the Vikings got a defensive touchdown and picked off Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers three times, tying his career single-game high.
Describe the game in two words: Wild day. Rookie center Will Richard had a perfect day in a wild day for the special teams units. The Vikings probably wouldn’t have won without Richard’s conversions from 54, 53 and 41 yards. He’s 9-for-9 on field goals and 16-for-16 on extra points this season.
Most surprising performance: Darnold. He had by far his worst performance since signing with the Vikings this offseason, missing a string of open receivers and throwing more incompletions (17) than completions (14) for the first time in 2024. But as he has done all season, He made some crucial throws in the fourth quarter, hitting receiver Justin Jefferson for 25 yards and tight end Johnny Mundt for 20 to set up the Vikings’ final field goal. –Kevin Seifert
Next game: vs. Lions (October 20, 1 p.m. ET)
Airplanes
Can the Jets salvage their season by trading for WR Davante Adams? That would make Aaron Rodgers happy, and they could use a partner for Jarrett Wilson on the perimeter. Wilson (13 catches for 101 yards) came off a slow start, but Rodgers didn’t get much help from Allen Lazard (three drops) or Mike Williams (twice for 25 yards), who was invisible. Adams will help with that. But Rodgers needs to play better, too. He threw three interceptions, including two in the first quarter — a career first. That included a pick six, putting the Jets in a 17-0 hole. The pass protection was shaky, with Rodgers (29 of 54 for 244 yards) getting hit. He’s shown his toughness, but the Jets need more than that to turn their season around.
The biggest flaw in the game plan: Zero hasty attack. once again. Breece Hall, in a serious slump, was held to 23 yards on nine carries. That makes for 27 yards on 19 carries over the past two games. Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett abandoned the running game when it made more sense to give rookie Braylon Allen more opportunities. The plan for the season was to run the offense through Hall, but there’s nothing there, putting pressure on Rodgers and the passing attack. Hackett’s hasty scheme lacks creativity; It’s predictable.
Most surprising performance: Aircraft defense. They looked terrible in the first quarter. It seemed like one of those days. But they flipped the script. Playing without nickelback Michael Carter — who suffered a hamstring injury before the game — and without cornerback Sauce Gardner for a quarter-hour, the Jets nailed two Vikings field goals in the second half. Good defense, inconsistent offense. Sound familiar? — Rich Cimini
Next game: vs. Bills (Monday, 8:25 p.m. ET)
Falcons
Is Atlanta’s offensive performance sustainable? Maybe not to the level of success he had against Tampa Bay, but it could be close. The Bucs were without All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr., and when you make some deep plays in the passing game, losing the best player on the back end will make a difference. Center fielder Kirk Cousins looks healthy and said he felt more anticipation in his throws, which means he’s starting to find a rhythm with Drake London, Kyle Pitts and company. The more that happens, the more resilient the offense will be, leading to more nights like Thursday. (But that’s unlikely to result in 550 offensive yards.)
Describe the game in two words: The momentum is changing. Had the Falcons lost — and with 22 seconds to go, Tampa Bay had a 93% chance of winning — they would have been 2-3 and perhaps two games behind Tampa because of the tiebreaker. Now, the Falcons lead the division by tiebreaker and have faith in what the offense can do after a 550-yard day.
The biggest flaw in the game plan: Atlanta still can’t get to their quarterbacks. The Falcons had one sack, which was the only quarterback hit of the game. Atlanta’s five sacks on the season are tied for last in the NFL. According to Pro Football Reference, its 14.4 pressure percentage entering Sunday was second-worst, ahead of only Carolina, and its rushing percentage (3.4) was only better than that of Arizona and Cincinnati. –Mike Rothstein
Next match: at Panthers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Pirates
What does the Bucs’ increasing injury situation look like? They had 14 players on the injury report last week. Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot) returned to practice Friday but was limited. It will allow the Bucs to use more dime packages and have more speed. It’s unclear when right tackle Luke Goedeke (concussion) and defensive tackle Kaleja Kansi (calf) will return. Goedeke was a full participant two weeks ago, but has been limited since then, and Kansi has yet to train. Coach Todd Bowles said it’s unclear how well Jordan Whitehead’s hip injury is — he’s one of their best communicators.
Describe the game in two words: Missed opportunities. With Tampa leading 30-27, the Bucs’ Tavern Thomas blocked a field goal attempt with 6:37 left in the fourth quarter, but Bucky Irving fumbled on the ensuing possession. With 1:52 left, Tampa’s Lavonte David intercepted a pass, putting the Bucs up at the Falcons’ 28. But Tampa couldn’t get a first down on the ensuing drive, actually losing 14 yards, and was forced to punt.
Eye-catching stats: The Bucs surrendered 121 yards after first contact, one of the strongest indicators of missed tackles. It was their fifth-most yards after first contact allowed in a game since 2020. Of note, they surrendered 122 yards against the Broncos in Week 3. — Jenna Lynn
Next match: At Saints (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
