NFL Week 5 Roundup: 49ers Go 5-0, Giants and Commanders Tie, Jaguars Win in London
The San Francisco 49ers moved to 5-0 and the New York Giants and Washington Commanders played out a 27-27 tie in overtime as Week 5 of the NFL season produced one of the more eventful Sundays of the campaign so far.
Only two teams remain unbeaten, with the 49ers and Minnesota Vikings both at 5-0. At the other end, the Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans are all 0-5. The Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs were on bye.
49ers Hold Off Seattle in the Game of the Week
San Francisco's 32-29 win over the Seattle Seahawks was decided by turnovers. Seattle gave the ball away four times and the 49ers converted those mistakes into 21 of their 32 points, a margin that proved the difference in a game Seattle otherwise matched them in.
It ended with Cooper Kupp being tackled short of the line to gain on fourth down, ending Seattle's final drive and the game with it. The 49ers were not unscathed: Deebo Samuel left with a hamstring injury, while Seattle linebacker Dre Greenlaw was ejected for a head-butt on Ernest Jones IV.
Jaguars Win in London on a 57-Yard Kick
The Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Philadelphia Eagles 19-17 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, winning it with a 57-yard field goal. They did so despite committing 13 penalties across the afternoon, a total that repeatedly stalled their own drives and kept Philadelphia in a game they had chances to win.
The result takes Jacksonville to 4-1 and represents the standout result of their season to date, coming against a Philadelphia side that had been among the early-season favourites in the NFC.
Giants and Commanders Cannot Be Separated
The Giants and Commanders finished 27-27 after overtime, the first tie of the season. Neither side could find a score in the extra period, leaving both with a result that does little for either in a division race that remains tight.
Blowouts and Statements
Several games were effectively over by the fourth quarter. The New England Patriots beat the Las Vegas Raiders 45-17 and the Detroit Lions put up a similar number in a 45-21 win over the Arizona Cardinals, a game in which Jahmyr Gibbs set a franchise record.
The Houston Texans beat the Tennessee Titans 26-3, holding Tennessee to a single field goal and keeping them winless. The Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears 31-7 in the division fixture, and the Pittsburgh Steelers saw off the Indianapolis Colts 34-22.
The Minnesota Vikings maintained their unbeaten record with a 23-13 win over the New Orleans Saints.
Elsewhere
The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Miami Dolphins 31-24 to leave Miami at 0-5, while the New York Jets edged the Cleveland Browns 17-12 in a low-scoring game between two struggling sides.
The Denver Broncos beat the Los Angeles Chargers 23-17 in a game that ended with Justin Herbert being sacked on the final play, the fifth time he went down in the afternoon. The Chargers remain without a win.
The weekend had opened on Friday with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beating the Dallas Cowboys 24-16, and closed with the Baltimore Ravens visiting the Atlanta Falcons in the Sunday night game.
Where It Leaves the Season
Five weeks in, the picture is clearer in some divisions than others. San Francisco and Minnesota have separated themselves at 5-0, Jacksonville's 4-1 start has made them a genuine factor in the AFC, and three teams are yet to win a game. The Giants and Commanders, meanwhile, now carry a tie into a division race where a single game may end up deciding it.
