Week 5 Thoughts & Observations

[Tom Kessenich]

Here are some random thoughts and observations as I wonder what was more bizarre about Sunday – Mason Crosby missing so many game-winning field goal opportunities or the Kansas City Chiefs looking so unbelievably mortal.

I like Troy Aikman on broadcasts, but boy did he screw the pooch badly last Thursday night when he said there was nothing to the Robert Woods was upset storyline before the Rams-Seahawks game. Bob Trees was all kinds of upset. That was obvious to everyone who watched how Woods responded after his Week 4 touchdown vs. Arizona. Woods also said after the Seattle game he talked to Sean McVey because he was frustrated by his lack of involvement in the Rams’ offense the first month of the season.

Plus, it was OBVIOUS from the start of the game McVey was featuring Woods more prominently in the game plan than he had in any other week of the season. If it was that obvious to me sitting at home, it should have been crystal clear to a Hall of Fame quarterback. You’re better than that, Troy.

So basically, all it took was Calvin Ridley not playing for who knows why not and a trip to London for Arthur Smith to realize Kyle Pitts is an unstoppable weapon on the football field? Well at least he seems to have figured it out now, huh?

One game shouldn’t rush anyone to bury anyone but that was not a good look for Zach Wilson on Sunday. Atlanta’s defense is … oh how best can we describe them … terrible.

So, what was more bizarre – the seemingly reliable Mason Crosby missing roughly 623 game-winning field goal attempts or Evan McPherson celebrating his missed game winning field goal attempt? In a theater of the absurd we gotta go with McPherson, don’t we?

Some people have contract seasons and then there’s whatever it is Davante Adams is having. Holy crap that dude’s gonna get PAID.

Ja’Marr Chase. Yeah, he’s all right, I guess.

The 2021 NFL season: Where the Detroit Lions find interesting ways to tear the hearts out of what fans still remain in their fanbase.

Every once in awhile in this game the slammiest of slam dunks comes to fruition. In Week 5 that was Mr. Alex Mattison vs. the Detroit Lions. There was no way that was going to fail and it did not.

Dionte Johnson caught a 50-yard touchdown pass early in Sunday’s game on Sunday. The Steelers then decided it was in their best interests not to target him again until late in the fourth quarter when he caught a 22-yard pass. For a guy who typically gets double-digit targets a game and averaged 36 yards a catch on Sunday that was rather peculiar usage for your No. 1 WR.

It’s not 50-50 hindsight when you said it at the time – and I absolutely said it at the time – but Juju Smith-Schuster turning down a multi-year contract with the Chiefs in favor of a one-year deal with the Steelers was a horrible decision and unfortunately, it’s turned out to be a really awful decision now. Get well soon Juju.

Forget playing until he’s 50, Tom Brady’s gonna play until he’s 60, isn’t he?

So, Leonard Fournette is the Bucs’ lead RB and Gio Bernard will handle their hurry-up duties. Nice knowin ya Ron Jones.

Miami’s defense scored negative points in some scoring systems this week. But guess what? They get the Jags in London in Week 6. Life comes at ya pretty fast, don’t it?

Course correction game for Al Kamara in Week 5 noted.

You hear that sound? It’s the sound of the WFT defense hitting the Waiver Wire hard this week.

Of course, they should’ve been dropped already but some people are just really stubborn.

Fifteen touches for Miles Sanders on Sunday, including five receptions. It didn’t lead to much production and unfortunately you can’t start Sanders this week against the Bucs unless you’re super desperate but if Nick Sirianni has finally figured out that Sanders needs 15-20 touches every week that’s at least a good sign going forward.

Someday, Sirianni is going to also figure out how good Dallas Goedert is and when that day comes it’s going to be glorious.

Jalen Hurts is having a monster season. Imagine the year he’d be having if the Eagles didn’t have so many touchdowns called back by penalty. They lost another one on Sunday.

Jets fans were watching the Eagles-Panthers game on Sunday saying: “Yeah THAT’S the Sam Darnold I remember.”

So, in Jacksonville, Urban Meyer should be fired (yeah, he really should be), James Robinson is really good again (yeah, he really is) and the Jaguars still stink (yeah, they really do).

Sorry London that’s what you get next week.

Davis Mills outplayed Mac Jones in Week 5. Just like everyone expected.

Chris Moore 5-109-1. Yup. Saw that one coming too.

Oh, who the hell is Chris Moore?

In the past three weeks:

Tom Brady has 33 rushing yards

Justin Fields has 25.

Dear Matt Nagy and Bill Lazor: That's really f'ng embarrassing and it's 100% on the two of you. Brady's like 300 years old and really ... make that REALLY ... doesn't wanna run. Look, I get wanting to protect Fields but if you’re going to start him then USE his skills. He can move. He’s not a pocket passer. Stop trying to turn him into one.

His mobility is an ENORMOUS asset. Use it. You see what Kyle Shanahan did with Trey Lance on Sunday? You can do that too. No really, you can. Honest. It’s not against the rules. I looked it up.

Take advantage of the stress he can put on defenses with his ability to move outside the pocket. You’re essentially asking him to play quarterback with one hand tied behind his back and it’s absurd. You’re getting away with it for now but it’s going to last. Trust me. You play a team with an actual offense and an actual quarterback and this approach is going to blow up in your faces. You’ve been warned.

By the way, who do you play in Week 6?

Make all the arguments about Kareem Hunt that you want – and Hunt is really good – but everyone who let Nick Chubb fall into the middle of the second round or late in the second round in NFFC drafts this year screwed the pooch. I’m sorry, but you just did. Chubb is a freaking stud. End of story.

Also, if you tried to make the argument in the offseason that Justin Herbert was going to regress that was one helluva bad call. Kid is all kinds of special.

Let’s give Brandon Staley the Coach of the Year Award now. Going for touchdowns all the freaking time is how you should be coaching. I understand not every team has Herbert, Ekeler, Allen and Williams but it’s a mindset and Staley has his team buying into it and it’s fun as hell to watch. He got the Browns to buy into it just to keep up and the result was Week 5’s best game and quite probably one of the Top 3-5 games of the year.

By the way, MAJOR props to the Browns’ defensive players for pushing Austin Ekeler into the end zone late in the game to force him to score so they could get the ball back to their offense. That’s serious awareness of the game situation. Yes, the Chargers should have kneeled in the situation and Ekeler was trying not to score but damn that was smart football by the Browns’ defensive players, and I wonder how many others around the league would’ve been smart enough to do the same thing in that situation?

Everyone enjoying the Mike Williams Breakout season? Pretty cool, ain’t it?

Damn Saquon Barkley. Just. Damn.

Double damn. Dan Jones.

Not sure this really counts as a bright side considering the Barkley and Jones injuries, but the Giants may have found themselves something with Kadarius Toney. As long as he’s stops doing stupid chit on the field, that is.

Saw a lot of Tony Pollard fawning from fantasy Twitter on Sunday and yes, he looked good. He has looked good all season but reality check – he’s only had two RB3 or better games this season out of five. That’s not a good batting percentage if you’re looking for a weekly starting option. That’s actually really bad. Good RB and with byes coming up and a lotta RB injuries happening now you’re gonna need to start him in all probability but he’s nowhere near as good a fantasy player as many make him out to be.

Zeke, meanwhile, continues to look fantastic. What a gift he was to all those who drafted early and got him outside the Top 5.

Trey Lance got his much heralded first start for the 49ers on Sunday and unfortunately it was a mixed bag. Kyle Shanahan intelligently (unlike Bill Lazor) utilized Lance’s mobility heavily but Lance’s shortcomings as a passer were difficult to ignore.

San Francisco’s offense was limited without star TE George Kittle and Lance’s limitations sucked the life out of star WR Deebo Samuel. Despite a strong showing from the defense against Kyler Murray, that prevented the Niners from springing the upset. My guess is we see Jimmy Garoppolo back under center when San Francisco returns from its bye in Week 7.

James Conner is gonna score a touchdown every week of the season, isn’t he?

Hey, remember when everyone in the industry was telling you to target T.J. Hockenson as your top-tier TE pick during the drafting season? We meant Dawson Knox.

Been awhile since the Chiefs really looked like the Chiefs, hasn’t it?

And finally, with bye weeks coming up and injuries mounting we are gonna see some funky-looking lineups in the weeks ahead. To be honest with you, I’m here for it. It’s gonna be ugly but this is when your mettle is tested so let’s bring it on. I’m ready to start that No. 8 WR and find out if he can me the four receptions I need to replace Calvin Ridley next week or if the No. 7 RB can get me the eight points I’ craving to replace Al Kamara next Sunday.

Ain’t this game fun?