With most of the NFL Week 5 schedule in the books, it is time to take a look at some of the biggest winners and losers around the league from Sunday. The Houston Texans offense had a “get right” game, and some defenses are off to lousy starts.
NFL Week 5 winners
C.J. Stroud, quarterback, Houston Texans. The Texans offense needed a game like this. They took advantage of an injured Baltimore Ravens defense and scored 44 points, with Stroud throwing for 244 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing for another 30 yards. This is the quarterback the Texans expected.
Carson Wentz, quarterback, Minnesota Vikings. Was Wentz great on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns? No. But he delivered a game-winning touchdown in the final seconds to give the Vikings a badly-needed win.
Nik Bonitto, linebacker, Denver Broncos. There were a lot of stars in the Broncos’ stunning 21-17 comeback win against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, but Bonito needs to get a lot of attention. He had four tackles, 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss and three quarterback hits. He is one of the NFL’s best defensive players.
Rico Dowdle, running back, Carolina Panthers. The Panthers erased a 17-0 deficit against the Miami Dolphins to earn a thrilling 27-24 win, and Dowdle had a career day, rushing for 206 yards and a touchdown in the win.
David Montgomery, running back, Detroit Lions. There was nothing overly dominant about Montgomery’s numbers, but he rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown, while also throwing a touchdown pass in returning to his hometown as part of the Lions’ 37-24 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
