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Key Storylines Across The League

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A month into the 2025 NFL season, and things seem to finally be falling into place. Contenders like the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills are exactly who many thought they’d be, while other teams like the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars have been early-season surprises. Elsewhere, it took only three games before Russell Wilson was benched in New York, and the Pittsburgh Steelers might actually be the best team in the AFC North.

So, yea, there’s been no shortage of storylines playing out so far this year. With Week 5 here, and games starting to become more important for early playoff pushes, there’s even more to keep your eye on as you watch. From one contender’s struggles to a potential rising challenger in the AFC East, these are the top storylines this week.

NFL Week 5 Storylines To Follow

Can The Ravens Stay Afloat?

Things have gone from bad to worse for Baltimore. Following their Week 4 loss to Kansas City, the Ravens sit at 1–3 overall and 12th in the AFC. While it’s still early enough to turn things around—especially in a weaker-than-expected conference—Baltimore now faces the prospect of losing Lamar Jackson for two to three weeks due to the hamstring injury suffered last weekend.

In his place, veteran backup Cooper Rush will be tasked with running an offense built more for Jackson’s playstyle than his own. The team will have to lean more heavily on Derrick Henry who, since rushing for 169 yards against Buffalo in Week 1, hasn’t rushed for more than 50 yards in a game. That needs to change if the Ravens are going to survive without their star quarterback.

It may not be time to hit the panic button yet, but hands should definitely be hovering over it. Baltimore hosts another 1–3 team in the Houston Texans this week. Anything less than a win would not only drop the Ravens closer to the bottom of the standings but also spark questions about the team’s future for the rest of the season and beyond.

Right now, there’s a real chance Baltimore could miss the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

Is Time Running Out In Tennessee?

Ahead of last week’s game against Houston, Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan gave up play-calling duties to quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree. How was that effort rewarded? With a zero-point performance in which the Titans’ offense gained 175 total yards and 10 first downs.

That’s not really the best start for a new play caller.

Callahan is in his second season with the Titans, but has a record of 3-18 and things seem to be regressing. For someone hired because of his offensive mind, the Titans’ offense has been non-existent in his time leading the way. In 2024, Tennessee was 27th in the league in points (18.3) and 26th in yards per game (304.2). Somehow, through four games this year, the Titans are even worse, averaging just 12.8 points and 210.5 yards. Should that pace continue, Tennessee would be the first team to average less than 13 points a game since the then-St. Louis Rams averaged 12.1 in 2011. They’d also be the first team since the 1992 Seattle Seahawks (210.9) to average fewer than 215 yards per game. That Seahawks team, by the way, averaged just 8.8 points.

It isn’t much better on the defensive side, with the team tied for 29th in the league in points allowed at 30 per game.

In April, the Titans decided to make Cam Ward the No. 1 pick in the draft because they felt they had a coach who could mold him into becoming a great NFL quarterback. While Ward can certainly become that, questions are percolating about whether Callahan is actually what they thought he was.

A rookie quarterback starting his career 0-4 isn’t anything new. A rookie quarterback calling his team “ass” after being shut out—a great endorsement of the organization—might be.

Eventually something will have to change, and it’ll likely be Callahan being shown the door. The question is, however, will it come before or after the team’s bye week in Week 10?

Can The Patriots Compete With The Bills?

The Buffalo Bills have taken advantage of a weaker schedule so far this season to jump out to a 4-0 start, making them one of only two unbeaten teams entering Week 5. And while many are expecting Buffalo to win the AFC East for a sixth year in a row, the New England Patriots are trying to have a say in that.

A week after a turnover-filled loss to Pittsburgh, New England played its best game of the season against the Carolina Panthers. In what felt like a breakout game for second-year quarterback Drake Maye went 14-of-17 for 203 yards and two touchdowns. He even added a rushing score for good measure while avoiding the turnovers that hurt him in their two losses.

Now Maye and the Patriots travel to Buffalo for a battle on Sunday Night Football. In a stark contrast from a decade ago, it’s New England going into Buffalo looking to prove that they are ready to take that next step towards being contenders.

But, Buffalo has the reigning MVP in Josh Allen leading the way. Despite what fans in Buffalo would call a mediocre start to the season, Buffalo is second in the league in points per game (33.8) and have won three of its games by at least 10 points. James Cook is blossoming into a superstar running back with five touchdowns and 401 yards through four games, giving the Bills another top weapon aside from Allen.

The Patriots almost snuck out of Buffalo with a win last December, holding Allen to just 154 yards passing and even forcing an interception. If they want a shot to pull off the upset this week and pull within a game of first place in the AFC East, they’ll need to have a repeat performance there and find a way to hold Buffalo to under 30 points. This has to be the game the New England rushing attack shows up. The Patriots are 25th in the league in rushing (101.3 yards), but if the Bills have a weak spot, it’s their run defense. Buffalo gives up 164.3 rushing yards per game, second-worst in the league. Even the Saints, who many expected the Bills to steamroll, put up 189 yards on the ground.

The opportunity is there to make a statement. Will the Patriots be up for the moment?

Dillion Gabriel Gets His Shot

There’s been a quarterback change in Cleveland, though not the one some fans were expecting. On Wednesday, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that he was benching Joe Flacco in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel.

After four games without reaching 20 points, the Browns need an offensive spark almost as badly as the Titans. Enter Dillon Gabriel, the rookie third-round quarterback out of Oregon. Gabriel comes in after a final college season in Oregon in which he threw for 3,857 yards, 30 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. Given Cleveland’s rough start, Gabriel has already seen action in blowout losses to Baltimore and Detroit. Against the Ravens, Gabriel went 3-of-3 for 19 yards and a touchdown—one fewer than Flacco threw across four games.

Of the decision, Stefanski said that Gabriel had “handled everything well since he’s been on campus”. He also said that despite being replaced as the starter, they will rely on Flacco to help the young quarterback.

“Joe is a captain of this football team,” Stefanski said. We’re going to need his leadership going forward, as always.”

Cleveland has offensive weapons in wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and tight ends David Njoku and Harold Fannin, who could benefit from a young quarterback who, at 24, moves much better in the pocket than the 40-year-old Flacco.

Flacco will remain the team’s primary backup, meaning the other rookie quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, will stay as the third-string signal caller.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikestraw/2025/10/02/what-to-watch-in-week-5-key-nfl-storylines-across-the-league/