Week 5 of the NFL season kicked off the same way most have so far this season; with a blowout win on Thursday night. CBS must be kicking themselves after the Green Bay Packers dismantled the Minnesota Vikings, 42-10, on Thursday.
Regardless, this week should present many close games and could play a huge role in teams running away with their divisions. In a big week, here are the top storylines to watch for.
1. Will the Arizona Cardinals remain undefeated?
The Cardinals were strong last season, but no one thought they’d be undefeated at this point. With wins over the San Francisco 49ers and San Diego Chargers, the Cardinals have proved themselves worthy of compete for an NFC West title.
However, the test gets even tougher with a trip to the Denver Broncos, who are coming off an overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Peyton Manning and his team will attack the Cardinals defense, but will they hold?
2. Battle of 2-2 teams with higher aspirations: Carolina Panthers vs. Chicago Bears
Cam Newton will have the task of forgetting a 38-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens last week, while Jay Cutler will try to do the same from a 38-17 loss to the Packers. Both teams need a win to avoid going under .500.
The Panthers have lost two straight games by a wide margin, showcasing the lack of a running game to move the ball. The Bears have trouble stopping the run, sitting in 20th overall, so this game could be a battle of which unit is worse.
3. Will the Philadelphia Eagles bounce back?
The Eagles struggled mightily to move the ball against the 49ers, but they will welcome the St. Louis Rams on Sunday attempting to generate the same offense that won them the first three games. Nick Foles completed 21 of 43 passes and was intercepted twice in the loss.
The Rams are struggling as a team, but have the third-ranked pass defense. That means a slumping LeSean McCoy may have to succeed against a 30th-ranked rush defense.
4. Who are the Atlanta Falcons?
There might not be a more confusing team in the NFL than the Falcons, who sit at 2-2 on the season after a blowout loss to the Vikings last week. However, the week before that, they did the same to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 56-14.
Matt Ryan has been up-and-down this season, but will attempt to pass through a New York Giants defense that is allowing opposing passers 254.4 yards per game. Looks like it could be an offensive battle, but which defense will prevail?
5. Alex Smith against the San Francisco 49ers
Smith will face off against the team that let him go, but this time he has the momentum. The Kansas City Chiefs looked world class Monday night, with a 41-14 win over the New England Patriots.
The 49ers did get back in the win column over the Eagles last week, but loss to the Cardinals and Bears have put them in an almost must-win situation. Smith will have the test of throwing against the sixth-ranked defense.
6. The Battle for Texas
The Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys are both surprises at 3-1, but one will rise even higher up the power rankings with a win Sunday. It’ll be a battle between a fast-paced Cowboys offense and a gritty Texans defense.
The Texans have played four mediocre teams en route to the hot start, and Arian Foster is banged up yet again. The Cowboys have won three straight and one over the New Orleans Saints. It could be an interesting game.
7. Are the New Orleans Saints as bad as advertised?
It’s been a disappointing season so far for the Saints, losing three away games to teams that had losing records last year. Drew Brees is doing all he can by completing over 70 percent of his passes, but the defense is letting him down.
However, they’ll be back home to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team that is also performing under expectations. It could be a great chance to get back in the win column.
8. Can the San Diego Chargers keep up with the Denver Broncos?
The Chargers have been impressive so far, posting a 3-1 record and almost winning the one game they dropped. Philip Rivers sits in sixth in the league in passing and has his team looking to win the AFC West.
This week, the New York Jets travel to San Diego to face the vaunted offense. The Jets defense ranks seventh in the NFL, but Rivers will look to have success where others have failed.
9. Cincinnati Bengals vs. New England Patriots
Boy, have the tables turned. This matchup of a team desperate for a big win and one of the game’s top units usually is in favor of the Patriots.
However, the Bengals have been extremely impressive , winning their first three games by an average of 15 points. Andy Dalton leads Tom Brady is QBR and passing yards per game and will be looked at to keep the momentum going.
10. The Cleveland Browns run game
Ben Tate is set to make the start for the first time since Week 1, leaving many to question the roles of Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West going forward. Both have been strong in relief, but a three-man backfield seems like the plan.
If Tate struggles at all, expect the Browns to use the hot hand with Crowell and West. Against a 22nd-ranked Tennessee Titans rush defense, that might not be the case.