Week 5 featured a pretty exhilarating schedule of games, as 10 contests finished with a margin of seven points or fewer. As the old adage goes, one play can make the difference between winning and losing in the NFL, and we will take a look at who was able to capitalize this weekend.
How Good Are The New York Giants?
The Giants were expected to trudge through a transitional year. Even though the franchise decided to clean house this season and rebuild their team under a new general manager and head coach, there were a lot of remnants of the old regime that were still in place.
Brian Daboll would be tasked with evaluating what type of talent former general manager Dave Gettleman left him with. Based on their victory against the Green Bay Packers in London, it seems like New York might have a few more pieces to work with than they originally thought.
The Giants are now 4-1, and may be able to sneak into the playoffs if they can keep playing well in close games. The team had a huge scare on Sunday, as running back Saquon Barkley briefly exited due to injury. However, he was able to return and put his stamp on an impressive victory.
Minnesota’s Roller Coaster Ride
If you were watching or keeping track of the Vikings game versus the Chicago Bears early on, it did not seem like a fair fight. Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins was on fire, and wide receiver Justin Jefferson was running circles around the Bears’ secondary. They jumped on their division rivals, putting up 21 points in the first half.
A lot of fans may have tuned out after that, thinking the Vikings had the game in the bag. However, they struggled to get anything going in the second half, and Chicago chipped away at their lead. It was an improbable turn of events, but the outcome was actually hanging in the balance in the fourth quarter. Thankfully for the Vikings, they were able to sustain a 20 play drive that ended with a Cousins one yard touchdown run that put things away.
Taysom Hill Is A League Treasure
Even though Sean Payton is no longer calling the shots in New Orleans, the Saints reminded us why Taysom Hill might be the most unique weapon in the NFL.
Simply put, the quarterback/tight end/running back impacted a game in almost every way possible. He ran for three touchdowns, and threw another to tight end Adam Trautman. Hill was a factor on special teams, and also made a key block during the game’s final drive as the Saints tried to run out the clock with Alvin Kamara.
No one would have seen a performance like this coming, even after New Orleans gave fans a small preview of how they would utilize Hill against the Minnesota Vikings in London. If Jameis Winston continues to miss time with a back injury, the Saints may continue to play Hill all over the formation to give defenses a different look.
