By Mitchell Stafford, Rapid City Post Sports
Week 5 delivered more chaos than clarity. No undefeated teams remain, several upsets redefined standings, and the margins between victory and defeat have never been thinner. Here’s every game, score, a swift recap — and what it all means moving into Week 6.
Week 5 Results & Recaps
- 49ers 26, Rams 23 (OT) — San Francisco held off a late Rams rally, then sealed it in overtime after a gutsy defensive stand inside the red zone. There may be a QB Controversy in San Fran
- Vikings 21, Browns 17 (London) — In the international spotlight, Minnesota sealed a tight win with a late touchdown and stiff defensive stops in the fourth.
- Texans 44, Ravens 10 — Houston dominated across the board. Baltimore, without Lamar Jackson, had no answers.
- Saints 26, Giants 14 — New Orleans capitalized on five turnovers to finally get in the win column.
- Bucs 38, Seahawks 35 — A back-and-forth thriller. Tampa Bay struck late, making just enough plays to hold off Seattle’s furious comeback.
- Titans 22, Cardinals 21 — A one-point nail-biter. Tennessee’s resilience and late-game composure pushed them past Arizona.
- Patriots 23, Bills 20 — New England stunned Buffalo with a walk-off 52-yard field goal — handing the Bills their first loss of 2025.
- Colts 40, Raiders 6 — Indy steamrolled Las Vegas. Balanced offense, suffocating defense — total domination.
- Broncos 21, Eagles 17 — Denver erased a two-touchdown deficit in the fourth quarter, knocking off Philadelphia in dramatic comeback fashion.
- Lions 37, Bengals 24 — Detroit asserted control, outplaying Cincy in all three phases.
- Cowboys 37, Jets 22 — Dallas took command early and never looked back, as Prescott and Co. lit up New York’s secondary.
- Washington 27, Chargers 10 — The Commanders brought a physical edge and defensive toughness that L.A. couldn’t overcome.
- Chiefs 28, Jaguars 31 – A late heroic TD by Trevor Lawrence as the Jaguars at 4-1 for the first time since 2007
Storylines & Takeaways
Parity is the new baseline.
With the Bills and Eagles now both with losses, the league has no undefeated teams. Every team is vulnerable; every week matters.
Turnovers and situational execution are game-deciders.
Saints’ five takeaways, Washington’s stifling defense, and that Patriots walk-off FG all highlight the small details that swing outcomes.
Backup QBs & roster depth aren’t optional — they’re essential.
Baltimore without Jackson was exposed, Bengals still struggle without Burrow – showing that you must have depth at the QB Position! Injuries ever year continue to happen to some of the biggest names in the NFL! Teams must prepare for that!
Momentum is shifting.
The Colts, Bucs, Jags, and 49ers are all snapping into form. Momentum can carry a team further than hype.
Late plays carve out legacies.
One-point games, fourth-quarter comebacks, OT finishes — 2025 is shaping into a year of micro margins.
Looking ahead:
Watch the AFC and NFC wild-card races — they’ll be tight. And don’t sleep on teams making noise now; in this league, it’s never too early to surge.