NFL 2016: Week 5 NFL Preview

NFL 2016: Week 5 NFL Preview (Drew McKenzie, Sportspress Northwest)

The first quarter of the NFL season is over and more than half of the league's teams (18) have a .500 or better record. But there's a lot of season left to be played.

"We had a pretty good first quarter," says Atlanta wide receiver JULIO JONES about the team's 3-1 start to the season. "There's still a lot of improvement we have to do, but it comes with practice. Repetition is the key. We've got to keep practicing, getting better and playing for each other."

There are three unbeaten teams remaining -- Denver (4-0), Minnesota (4-0) and Philadelphia (3-0). Since 1990, when the current 12-team playoff format was adopted, 64 of the previous 77 teams (83.1 percent) to start 4-0 have made the playoffs.

But all 32 teams know there's room for improvement. And, while not every club has gotten off to a great start, nothing is a given in the NFL.

Since 1990, 117 teams (37.5 percent of the 312 playoff clubs) have advanced to the postseason after starting the season 2-2 or worse. There were six such teams -- Houston (1-3), Kansas City (1-3), Minnesota (2-2), Pittsburgh (2-2), Seattle (2-2) and Washington (2-2) -- last season, including three division winners (Houston, Minnesota and Washington).

"I feel a lot better," says Buffalo head coach REX RYAN about the Bills evening their record at 2-2 after an 0-2 start. "We know we have a good football team and we've just got to stick together. That's exactly what we've done and how we've dug ourselves out of this 0-2 hole."

That's all part of the unpredictability of the NFL. So entering Week 5, while it certainly helps to be near the top of the standings, don't count anyone out.

Week 5 begian on Thursday night with a divisional contest as the Arizona Cardinals visit the San Francisco 49ers (8:25 PM ET, CBS/NFLN/Twitter). The week concludes with a pair of primetime matches as the Green Bay Packers host the New York Giants on Sunday night (8:30 PM ET, NBC) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the Carolina Panthers on Monday night (8:30 PM ET, ESPN).

[ Related: What To Look For Week 5 ]

Some of the key games in Week 5:

Houston Texans (3-1) at Minnesota Vikings (4-0)

(Sunday, CBS, 1:00 PM ET)

The Texans moved to 3-1 with a 27-20 home victory over Tennessee last week. Houston currently holds a two-game lead in the AFC South.

Houston rookie wide receiver WILL FULLER had a five-yard touchdown reception and a 67-yard punt-return touchdown in the win against the Titans. Over the past 15 seasons, Fuller is one of only four rookies to have both a touchdown reception and a punt-return touchdown in the same game.

The Vikings, who are 4-0 for the first time since 2009, knocked off the New York Giants 24-10 last week on Monday night.

Minnesota leads the league with 11 takeaways and a +10 turnover differential. The Vikings are allowing 12.5 points per game, the second-best mark in the NFL.

New York Jets (1-3) at Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)

(Sunday, CBS, 1:00 PM ET)

Jets wide receiver BRANDON MARSHALL had four catches for 89 yards and a touchdown in last week's game against Seattle. Marshall has 15 touchdown receptions in 20 career games with New York.

New York defensive tackle LEONARD WILLIAMS has four sacks, the most by a DT in the NFL this season. Williams had a sack last week and has at least a half-sack in three of the team's four games in 2016.

Pittsburgh quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER threw five touchdown passes in last week's 43-14 win over Kansas City. Roethlisberger has five career games with at least five touchdown passes, tied for the fourth-most in NFL history.

Steelers running back LE'VEON BELL rushed for 144 yards and totaled 178 scrimmage yards in Pittsburgh's win against the Chiefs. It marked Bell's seventh game with at least 150 scrimmage yards in his four-year career.

Atlanta Falcons (3-1) at Denver Broncos (4-0)

(Sunday, FOX, 4:05 PM ET)

The Falcons have won three games in row, including last week's 48-33 win over Carolina. Atlanta leads the NFC South by two games.

The Falcons became the first team in NFL history to have both a 500-yard passer (quarterback MATT RYAN, 503 yards) and 300-yard receiver (wide receiver JULIO JONES, 300 yards) in the same game in the win over Carolina. Ryan recorded the 19th 500-yard passing performance in league history and Jones is one of only six players ever to register at least 300 receiving yards in a game.

The Broncos improved their record to a perfect 4-0 with a 27-7 victory at Tampa Bay in Week 4.

Denver is the first team since 2002 (San Diego, DREW BREES) to begin a season 4-0 with every game started by a quarterback (TREVOR SIEMIAN) who had never started an NFL game before the season. Last week, both Siemian and rookie QB PAXTON LYNCH threw a touchdown pass for the Broncos.

Buffalo Bills (2-2) at Los Angeles Rams (3-1)

(Sunday, CBS, 4:25 PM ET)

The Bills shutout New England 16-0 last week as Buffalo evened its record at 2-2 with its second consecutive win.

Buffalo running back LE SEAN MC COY had 108 scrimmage yards and scored the game's lone touchdown last week on a seven-yard reception. Since 2010, McCoy is the only player in the NFL with at least 7,000 rushing yards (7,347) and 2,000 receiving yards (2,353).

Los Angeles has won three consecutive games and are tied for first place in the NFC West with a 3-1 record. The Rams won at Arizona last week by a 17-13 score.

Rams defensive tackle AARON DONALD had 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble in the win over the Cardinals. Since entering the NFL in 2014, Donald has 21.5 sacks, the most by a defensive tackle in the NFL.

New York Giants (2-2) at Green Bay Packers (2-1)

(Sunday, NBC, 8:30 PM ET)

The Giants, who are seeking their 700th win in team history, return to Lambeau Field for the first time since January 15, 2012 when they defeated the Packers in the Divisional Playoffs 37-20 en route to a Super Bowl championship.

Giants quarterback ELI MANNING has 99 career regular-season victories and looks to reach the 100-win mark.

The Packers had a bye in Week 4. In Week 3, Green Bay defeated Detroit 34-27.

Packers quarterback AARON RODGERS threw four touchdown passes and had a 129.3 passer rating in Week 3. In his career at home, Rodgers has 143 touchdown passes, 26 interceptions and 110.2 passer rating, the highest home passer rating in NFL history.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-3) at Carolina Panthers (1-3)

(Monday, ESPN, 8:30 PM ET)

In two games against Carolina last season, Buccaneers quarterback JAMEIS WINSTON passed for 612 yards (306 yards per game). This season, Winston ranks third in the NFC with eight touchdown passes. He also rushed for a touchdown last week against Denver.

Since 2013, Tampa Bay defensive tackle GERALD MC COY has 28 sacks, the most in the league by a defensive tackle.

Carolina quarterback CAM NEWTON had four passing touchdowns, a 121.6 passer rating and two rushing touchdowns in two games against Tampa Bay during his MVP season a year ago.

Panthers linebacker LUKE KUECHLY has 637 career tackles. Since entering the NFL in 2012, Kuechly's 637 tackles are the most in the league.

[ Top 20 Passing, Rushing and Receiving leaders ]