Week 5 of the 2025 NFL season was, quite frankly, a total mess for the teams we thought were safe. If you spent your Sunday looking at the scoreboard and rubbing your eyes in disbelief, you weren't the only one. We entered the week with the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles looking like juggernauts, only to watch both of them tumble in ways that have fans hitting the panic button.
Honestly, the parity in the league right now is just ridiculous.
The Bills and Eagles Finally Fall
Let's talk about the biggest shocker first. The New England Patriots, a team most people had written off as "rebuilding," walked into Orchard Park and handed the Bills their first loss of the season. Final score: Patriots 23, Bills 20.
It wasn't just that New England won; it was how they did it. Stefon Diggs, in his first game back in Buffalo since that messy exit, basically willed the Patriots to victory. He hauled in 10 catches for 146 yards. Rookie Drake Maye looked composed, but Diggs was the story. He played like a man possessed, and the Bills' defense, which had looked elite for a month, suddenly had no answers for their old friend.
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Meanwhile, down in Philly, the Denver Broncos pulled off a comeback that felt straight out of a movie. The Eagles were leading 17–3 heading into the fourth quarter. It looked over. Then, Bo Nix and the Broncos erupted for 18 unanswered points. Broncos 21, Eagles 17. A late-game two-point conversion gave Denver the lead, and Jalen Hurts' last-second Hail Mary fell incomplete. Just like that, there are no undefeated teams left in the NFL.
Football Scores Week 5: A Rundown of the Chaos
If you missed the early window, you missed a lot of lopsided scores and a few heart-stoppers. The Houston Texans absolutely dismantled the Baltimore Ravens 44–10. This was the first full game Baltimore played without Lamar Jackson, and it was ugly. C.J. Stroud was surgical, even though the Steelers' defense (who they played recently) had given him trouble before.
Here is how the rest of the slate shook out:
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- Tennessee Titans 22, Arizona Cardinals 21: This was probably the game of the day. The Titans had lost 10 straight games dating back to last year. They were down 21–6. Then Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick, decided to play like a superstar. He led two late touchdown drives, including a bizarre play where a fumble by Tyler Lockett turned into a score. Joey Slye nailed a 29-yarder as time expired to give Tennessee their first win.
- Carolina Panthers 27, Miami Dolphins 24: Mike McDaniel's seat is officially getting warm. Miami blew a 17-point lead. Bryce Young looked more confident than we've seen him in a long time, while the Dolphins' offense sputtered the moment they hit the red zone.
- Indianapolis Colts 40, Las Vegas Raiders 6: Total blowout. Jonathan Taylor had three touchdowns, and the Raiders looked like they didn't even want to be on the field.
- Detroit Lions 37, Cincinnati Bengals 24: The Lions are for real. They picked off Jake Browning three times. Detroit moves to 4–1 and honestly looks like the best team in the NFC right now.
- Washington Commanders 27, Los Angeles Chargers 10: Jayden Daniels returned from a knee injury and didn't miss a beat. He threw for 231 yards and became the first QB in history to hit 4,000 passing and 1,000 rushing yards in his first 20 games.
The London Game and Monday Night
The week actually started in London with the Vikings beating the Browns 21–17. It wasn't pretty, but Kevin O'Connell's squad did enough to move to 3–2. The Browns are now looking at a 1–4 start and a lot of questions at quarterback, with rumors of Dillon Gabriel potentially taking over for Joe Flacco.
Then we had Monday Night Football. The Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars played a classic. Trevor Lawrence basically did his best Patrick Mahomes impression, leading a comeback to win 31–28. Mahomes was visibly frustrated after the game, citing "penalties and mistakes" as the reason the Chiefs have been so inconsistent. They’re usually the ones winning those close games, but not this time.
What This Means Moving Forward
We are five weeks in, and the "elite" tier is a total mystery.
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- The AFC East is wide open. Buffalo losing to New England means the divisional race isn't the cakewalk we expected.
- The Commanders are a problem. With Jayden Daniels healthy, Washington has a Top-10 offense that can outscore anyone.
- Injuries are starting to bite. We saw the Ravens crumble without Lamar, and the Dolphins are clearly feeling the loss of Tyreek Hill (who suffered a season-ending knee injury).
- Watch the Lions. Detroit is playing the most complete football in the league. Their defense is opportunistic, and Jared Goff has weapons everywhere.
If you're looking at your fantasy roster or your survivor pool and feeling like you don't know anything about football anymore, don't worry. This season is shaping up to be one where "any given Sunday" isn't just a cliché—it's the absolute truth.
Keep an eye on the waiver wire this week, especially for guys like Rico Dowdle or the Patriots' receivers. The hierarchy is shifting, and the teams that adapt to these Week 5 injuries are the ones that will still be standing in January.
For those tracking the standings, the Lions and Buccaneers are currently sitting pretty at 4–1, while a massive group of teams is bunched up at 3–2. The margin for error has basically vanished.