NFL WEEK 5 NEWSLETTERS

Volume No. 01035 Central Virginia’s ONLY local NFL publication GridironGoose@msn.com
BIG GAMES ON TAP: Two weeks can mean a night-and-day difference in the National Football League. Exhibit A is the AFC North,
where the CLEVELAND BROWNS and PITTSBURGH STEELERS two weeks ago were near the bottom looking up. This week, the
Browns are in first place and the Steelers are just a game out with a prime opportunity to gain important ground at home agai nst
Baltimore.Like the Browns and Steelers, the SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS and GREEN BAY PACKERS didn’tqualify for the 2018 playoffs.
However, each of those NFC teams begin Week 5 in first place preparing for a division leader on the opposite sideline. Clevel and is
one of 14 teams standing at either 2-2 or 2-1-1 entering Week 5 The 49ers (3-0), off to their best start in 21 years, return from an early
bye to host the Browns (2-2) on Monday Night Football (8:15 PM ET, ESPN). San Francisco with a win can achieve its first 4-0 record
since Pro Football Hall of Famers JOE MONTANA and JERRY RICE led their club to a 10-0 start in 1990. Also looming large on the
Week 5 docket is a clash between the Packers (3-1) and the leaders of the NFC East, the DALLAS COWBOYS (3-1), at AT&T Stadium
(4:25 PM ET, FOX).
NO SUCH THING AS A SAFE LEAD: Three teams, all of which were on the road, erased deficits of at least 10 points last week to
register important wins. Both the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES and KANSAS CITY CHIEFS came back from 10 down to win gritty games
at Green Bay and Detroit, respectively. Meanwhile, the JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS, behind rookie quarterback GARDNER MINSHEW,
climbed over a 17-3 obstacle at Denver to win a thriller, 26-24. Through four weeks, five games have featured a team coming back to
win or tie after trailing by 10-or-more points.Since the 1970 merger, only the 2011 (9), 1979 (8) and 2018 (7) seasons have had more
such games through the firstfour weeks.Also through four weeks this season, three games have featured a team coming back to win
or tie after trailing by 17-or-more points.Since the 1970 merger,only the 2011 (6), 1999 (4) and 2014 (4) seasons have had more such
games through the first four weeks.
TURNOVERS AT RECORD LOWS: The TENNESSEE TITANS have committed one turnover, fewest in the NFL through four weeks.
One of the more interesting aspects of the NFL’s current era that separates it from previous periods is that teams are turnin g over the
ball less frequently.The amountof interceptions and fumbles lost has decreased dramatically in recent years. In each of the last three
seasons (2017-19),the NFL through four weeks of play has reached some of its lowest marks in the turnover category since the 1970
AFL-NFL league merger. The fewest turnovers through four weeks, 1970-present:
YEAR TOS YEAR TOS
2017 160 2018 178
2014 176 2008 183
2019 178 2016 185
QUARTERBACKS NOT ONLY GETTING YOUNGER, THEY’RE ALSO WINNING: Pittsburgh quarterback MASON RUDOLPH earned
his first NFL win as a starter on Monday. In fact, 11 of the 15 winning clubs this past week had a starting quarterback who has yet to
see his 27th birthday. The Steelers’ victory marked the 39th win by a starting quarterback age 26-or-younger this season.

SELECT WEEK5 NFL GAMES
GREEN BAY PACKER AT DALLAS COWBOYS
PACKERS: QB AARON RODGERS passed for 422 yards & 2 TDs vs. INT for 93.4 rating last week, his 8th career game with 400+
pass yards. Has 4 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 114.4 rating in 2 career starts at Dal. Has 16 TDs vs. 2 INTs for 103.6 rating in 9 games (incl.
playoffs) vs. Dal. Aims for his 6th in row vs. NFC East with 2+ TD passes & 90+ rating. • RB AARON JONES had rush TD last week.
Aims for his 4th in row with rush TD. Had 125 rush yards & TD in last meeting. • WR DAVANTE ADAMS had 10 catches for career-high
180 yards in Week 4. Had 7 receptions for 66 yards & 2 TDs in last meeting. Has 5+ catches in 16 of his past 17 on road. Has 5 rec.
TDs in past 3 on road vs. NFC East. TE JIMMY GRAHAM had rec. TD last week. Has TD catch in 2 of his past 3 at Dal. & 3 of his past
4 vs. NFC East. WR GERONIMO ALLISON had rec. TD in Week 4. Has TD catch in 2 of his past 3. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NFC
East with rec. TD. • LB BLAKE MARTINEZ led team & tied career high with 15 tackles last week. Aims for his 4th in row with 12+
tackles. Had 12 tackles & PD in last meeting. LB PRESTON SMITH has 1.5 sacks, 2 TFL & FR in his past 2 vs. Dal. Has 3 sacks in 4
career games at Dal. LB ZA’DARIUS SMITH has 7 sacks & 6 TFL in his past 6 on road. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with sack. CB
KEVIN KING had 2 PD last week. S ADRIAN AMOS had 3 tackles & FR in his last game vs. Dal. (9/25/16 with Chi.). CB TRAMON
WILLIAMS has 5 PD in his last 3 vs. Dal. COWBOYS: QB DAK PRESCOTT passed for 223 yards last week. Has 10 TDs (9 pass, 1
rush) vs. 3 INTs for 107.7 rating in 3 career games (incl. playoffs) vs. GB. Aims for his 4th in row, incl. playoffs, vs. GB with 3+ TD
passes & 100+ rating. Aims for his 11th in row at home with 90+ rating. • RB EZEKIEL ELLIOTT has 398 rush yards (132.7 per game)
in 3 career games,incl.playoffs,vs. GB. Aims for his 4th in row with 100+ rush yards,incl. playoffs , vs. GB. Has 100+ scrimmage yards
in 18 of 23 career home games with Dal. Since 2016, leads NFL with 5,634 scrimmage yards & is 1 of 2 RBs (TODD GURLEY) with
30+ rush TDs (31). • WR AMARI COOPER had 6 catches for 120 yards & 2 TDs in only career game vs. GB (12/20/15 with Oak.). Has
9 rec. TDs in 7 career home games with Dal.Aims for his 3rd in row at home with TD catch. WR RANDALL COBB had 470 catches for
5,524 yards & 41 TDs in 8 seasons with GB (2011-18).• DE DEMARCUS LAWRENCE had sack lastweek.Aims for his 3rd in row with
sack.Has 2 sacks in 3 career games vs.GB. DE ROBERT QUINN has 3.5 sacks in his past3 vs. GB. Aims for his 3rd in row with sack.
LB JAYLON SMITH had 9 tackles & sack last week. Has 9+ tackles in 4 of his past 5 at home. DT MALIEK COLLINS had sack last
week & aims for his 3rd in row with sack. DB CHIDOBE AWUZIE had 3rd career-INT last week. Aims for his 3rd in row with PD. LB
LEIGHTON VANDER ESCH led team with 11 tackles last week.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
BUCCANEERS: TAMPA BAY scored single-game record 55 points in Week 4. • QB JAMEIS WINSTON passed for 385 yards with 4
TDs vs. INT for 120.5 rating last week. Aims for his 3rd in row with 375+ pass yards & 3+ TD passes. Has 970 pass yards (323.3 per
game) & 6 TDs vs. 2 INTs for 118.1 rating in his past 3 road starts vs. NFC South. • RB PEYTON BARBER had rush TD last week.
Aims for his 3rd in row on road with rush TD. RB RONALD JONES had 2nd career rush TD in Week 4. Has 70+ rush yards in 3 of his
past 4. • WR MIKE EVANS had 89 rec. yards & TD catch last week. Tied for NFL lead with 4 TD catches in 2019. Has 233 rec. yar ds
(116.5 per game) & rec. TD in his past 2 vs. NO. WR CHRIS GODWIN led team with career highs in receptions (12) & rec. yards (172)
& had 2 TDs in Week 4, his 2nd-career game with 2+ TD catches.Has 6 rec. TDs in his past 5. Has 2 TD catches in his past 3 vs. NO.
TE CAMERON BRATE had 2 rec. TDs in last game vs. NO. Is 1 of 5 TEs with 20+ rec. TDs (21) since 2016. • LB SHAQUIL BARRETT
had sack & FF in Week 4. Leads NFL with 9 sacks, tied for most by player in team’s 1st 4 games of season since 1982. Is 1 of 3
players with sack in each of 1st 4 games of 2019. DT NDAMUKONG SUH had 37-yard FR-TD last week, his 2nd-career FR-TD. Had
1.5 sacks in his lastgame vs. NO (1/20/19 with LAR - NFC Champ.). LB LAVONTE DAVID had 11th career INT lastweek, 2nd-most by
LB in TB history. Is only player with 15+ FFs (15) & 10+ INTs (11) since 2012. SAINTS: QB TEDDY BRIDGEWATER completed 23 of
30 passes (76.7 pct.) for 193 yards last week. Aims for his start 3rd in row with comp pct. of 70+. • RB ALVIN KAMARA had 89
scrimmage yards (69 rush, 20 rec.) in Week 4. Has 508 scrimmage yards (127 per game) & 6 TDs (4 rush, 2 rec.) in 4 career games
vs. TB. Aims for his 3rd in row at home vs. TB with 140+ scrimmage yards & 2+ TDs. Among RBs since 2017,ranks 2nd in scrimmage
TDs (33), 2nd in receptions (182) & 4th in scrimmage yards (3,625). • WR MICHAEL THOMAS led team with 9 receptions for 95 rec.
yards lastweek.Since 2016,leads league with 355 receptions & has 15 games with 9+ catches, tied-most in NFL. Has 47 receptions
for 535 yards (107 per game) & rec. TD in 5 career games vs.TB. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. TB with 10+ catches.WR TED GINN aims
for his 3rd in row at home vs. TB & 3rd in row vs. NFC South with rec. TD. • DE CAMERON JORDAN had 2 sacks in last meeting. Has
sack in 3 of his past 4 at home vs. TB. Since 2013, is 1 of 2 players (J.J. WATT) with 60+ sacks (64.5) & 30+ PD (37). S VONN BELL
led team with 10 tackles & had 2 FRs & FF in Week 4. Is 1 of 3 players (DEFOREST BUCKNER & CORY LITTLETON) with 10+
tackles,FF & FR in single game in 2019. Aims for his 6th in row at home with 7+ tackles. CB MARSHON LATTIMORE had 11th career
game with 2+ PD last week. Had 2 PD, FF & INT in last game vs. TB. Aims for his 5th in row vs. TB with PD.

LOS ANGELES RAMS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
RAMS: QB JARED GOFF set career highs in attempts (68), completions (45) & pass yards (517) last week. His 45 completions tied
DREW BLEDSOE (11/13/94) for mostin single game in NFL history.Is 9-0 in his past 9 starts vs. NFC West. • RB TODD GURLEY had
70 scrimmage yards & 2 rush TDs lastweek. Has 453 scrimmage yards (151 per game) & 8 TDs (7 rush, 1 rec.) in his past 3 vs. Sea.
Aims for his 3rd in row at Sea. with 3+ rush TDs & 4th in row vs. Sea. with 100+ scrimmage yards & TD. Since 2015, leads RBs in
scrimmage yards (6,711) & scrimmage TDs (59). • WR ROBERT WOODS had career-high 13 receptions for 164 yards last week, his
3rd career game with 160+ rec. yards. Has 30 catches for 454 yards (90.8 per game) & TD catch in 5 career games vs. Sea. WR
COOPER KUPP had 9 catches for 121 yards & rec. TD in Week 4. Leads NFC with 388 rec. yards. Aims for 3rd in row with TD catch &
4th in row with 100+ rec. yards. WR BRANDIN COOKS had 10 catches for 100 yards in last meeting. Has 3 rec. TDs in his past 4 vs.
NFC West. • DT AARON DONALD had 6.5 sacks, 6 TFL & FF in his past 3 vs. Sea. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Sea. with sack. LB
CLAY MATTHEWS is 1 of 3 players (SHAQUIL BARRETT & WHITNEY MERCILUS) with sack in each of 1st 4 games. CB MARCUS
PETERS had 32-yard INT-TD in Week 4. Has 5 defensive TDs since 2015, tied-most in NFL. S ERIC WEDDLE led team with 15
tackles,2nd-mostin single game in career. SEAHAWKS: QB RUSSELL WILSON completed 22 of 28 (78.6 pct.) for 240 yards with TD
vs. 0 INTs for 114.3 rating in Week 4. Leads NFC with 118.7 rating (among qualified passers). Aims for his 3rd in row vs. LAR with 3+
TD passes & 120+ rating. Has 2+ TD passes & 100+ rating in 3 of his past 4 home starts vs. NFC West. • RB CHRIS CAR SON had
104 rush yards lastweek,his 7th career game with 100+ rus h yards. Had 116 rush yards in last home meeting.Has 90+ rush yards in 5
of his 6 career games vs.NFC West & aims for his 4th in row with 100+ rush yards vs. division.• TE WILL DISSLY ha d 7 catches for 57
yards & rec. TD in Week 4. Is 1st TE with 4+ rec. TDs (4) in team’s 1st 4 games since ROB GRONKOWSKI (2015). Aims for his 4th in
row with TD catch. Is 4th TE since 1970 with 6+ rec. TDs (6) in 1st 8 career games. WR TYLER LOCKETT aims fo r his 3rd in row vs.
LAR, 4th in row at home & 4th in row at home vs. NFC West with rec. TD. • LB BOBBY WAGNER led team with 11 tackles last week.
Aims for his 11th in row vs. LAR with 7+ tackles. DE JADEVEON CLOWNEY had 27-yard INT-TD in Week 4, his 3rd career defensive
touchdown. Had sack & 3 TFL in his only career gam e vs. LAR (11/12/17 with Hou.). Has 2+ TFL in 4 of his 5 career games vs. NFC
West. LB MYCHAL KENDRICKS had 2nd career game with 2+ sacks last week. DE EZEKIEL ANSAH had 1st sack with Sea. in Week
4.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS
JAGUARS: QB GARDNER MINSHEW (rookie) passed for 213 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 97.2 rating lastweek.Has highestpasser
rating (106.9) by rookie in 1st 4 career games in SB era (min. 50 attempts). Aims for 3rd in row with 2+ pass TDs. • RB LEONARD
FOURNETTE had career-high 225 rush yards lastweek, 1st200-yard rushing performance in NFL this season.Aims for 5th in row with
85+ scrimmage yards. Only player in AFC with 400+ rushing yards in 2019 (404). Rookie RB RYQUELL ARMSTEAD had career-high
42 rush yards & had TD catch last week, 1st career TD. • WR DEDE WESTBROOK had team -high 5 catches for 66 yards in Week 4.
Aims for 3rd in row with 5+ catches. Has TD catch in 2 of his past 3 vs. NFC. WR DJ CHARK has 50+ rec. yards & rec. TD in 3 of past
4. WR CHRIS CONLEY has TD catch in 2 of his past 4 vs. NFC. TE JAMES O’SHAUGHNESSY aims for 3rd in row with TD catch. • DE
CALAIS CAMPBELL aims for his 5th in row vs. NFC with sack.Has 28 sacks since joining Jax.in 2017, 3rd-most in NFL. DE YANNICK
NGAKOUE had PD lastweek. Has sack in 5 of 6 career road games vs.NFC. LB MYLES JACK had 6 tackles lastweek.Aims for 6th in
row on road with 6+ tackles. Rookie LB QUINCY WILLIAMS led team with 8 tackles last week. Ranks 2nd among rookies with 28
tackles. S RONNIE HARRISON had 1st career INT in Week 4. CB JALEN RAMSEY aims for 4th in row vs. NFC with PD. PANTHERS:
QB KYLE ALLEN passed for 232 yards & had 89.3 rating. Is 3rd QB (JEFF HOSTETLER & PATRICK MAHOMES) in SB era to win 1st
3 career starts on road. Joined CARSON WENTZ (2016) as only QBs in SB era to go 3-0 with 0 INTs in their 1st 3 career starts. • RB
CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY had 179 scrimmage yards (93 rush, 86 rec.), 10 receptions & rush TD last week. Joined HOFer JIM
BROWN (1963) as only players in NFL historywith 3 games of175+ scrimmage yards & TD in their team’s 1st4 games ofseason.Has
6 career games with 10+ receptions, tied with LARRY CENTERS & HOFer LADAINIAN TOMLINSON for most such games by RB in
NFL history. Has 120+ scrimmage yards in 5 of his past 6 at home. • WR D.J. MOORE aims for his 3rd in row at home with 7+ catches
& 75+ rec. yards. TE GREG OLSEN has 6+ receptions & 75+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3. Aims for his 3rd in row at home vs. Jax. with
rec. TD. • DE MARIO ADDISION had 2 sacks & 2 TFL lastweek. Aims for his 3rd in row with 2+ sacks.Had 2 sacks in last meeting. LB
LUKE KUECHLY had 7 tackles & sack in lastmeeting.Has 992 tackles since 2012, most in NFL. LB SHAQ THOMPSON led team with
12 tackles & had sack in Week 4, his 2nd consecutive game with 10+ tackles. Aims for his 4th in row with TFL. LB BRUCE IRVIN had
sack last week in Car. debut. Had FF in only career game vs. Jax. (10/23/16 with Oak.).

CHICAGO BEARS AT OAKLAND RAIDERS
BEARS: QB CHASE DANIEL completed 22 of 30 (73.3 pct.) for 195 yards & TD for 101.4 rating last week. Has 4 TDs vs. 2 INTs for
93.1 rating in 3 career road starts. Aims for 4th road start in row with 200+ pass yards & TD. • RB DAVID MONTGOMERY (rookie) had
53 rush yards last week. Aims for his 4th in row with 65+ scrimmage yards. RB TARIK COHEN had 7th career rec. TD last week. Has
80+ scrimmage yards in 3 of his past 5 vs. AFC. • WR ALLEN ROBINSON led team with 7 catches & 77 rec. yards last week. Has 5+
receptions & 60+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4 on road. WR JAVON WIMS had career-high 56 rec. yards in Week 4. • LB KHALIL MACK
had 1.5 sacks & FF last week. Has 4.5 sacks & 3 FFs in past 3 games. Aims for his 3rd in row with FF & 4th in row with sack. Is 1 of 2
defensive players (WHITNEY MERCILUS) with 4+ sacks (4.5) & 4+ FFs (4) in 2019. Had 40.5 sacks, 11 PD & 9 FFs in 4 seasons
(2014-17) with Oak. LB NICK KWIATKOSKI led team & tied career high with 9 tackles & had sack & FF last week. DE ROY
ROBERTSON-HARRISON had career-high 1.5 sacks last week. DT NICK WILLIAMS setcareer highs in sacks (2) & TFL (2) & had 1st
career FR. Aims for his 4th in row with sack. CB KYLE FULLER has 13 PD & 7 INTs in his past 8 on road. Aims for his 3rd in row on
road with INT & 5th in row overall with PD. S EDDIE JACKSON has 5 PD, 2 FRs, FF & 41-yard INT-TD in his past 5 on road.
RAIDERS: QB DEREK CARR passed for 189 & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 105.4 rating last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 2+ pass TDs &
100+ rating. Had 196 pass yards & 2 TDs vs. INT in only career game vs. Chi. • RB JOSH JACOBS (rookie) had 108 scrimmage yards
(79 rush,29 rec.) lastweek.Leads all rookies with 364 scrimmage yards in 2019. • WR TYRELL WILLIAMS aims for 5th in row with TD
catch. Is only player in NFL with TD catch in each of team’s 1st 4 games of 2019. Had 4 catches for 118 yards & TD in only career
game in London (10/21/18 with LAC). WR TREVOR DAVIS had 74 rush yards last week, incl. 60-yard TD run, his 1st career rush TD.
Is only AFC WR with rush TD this season. TE DARREN WALLER led team with 7 catches for 53 yards in Week 4. Leads TEs with 33
receptions this season, tied with ANTONIO GATES (2007) for most catches by TE through team’s 1st 4 games of season in NFL
history. Rookie TE FOSTER MOREAU had 1st career TD catch in Week 4. • S LAMARCUS JOYNER had 7 tackle s, 2 TFL & PD last
week. S KARL JOSEPH had TFL, PD & FR in Week 4. S ERIK HARRIS had 3rd career INT last week. LB TAHIR WHITEHEAD had
team-high 8 tackels in Week 4. Aims for 3rd in row vs. Chi. with 9+ tackles & TFL. LB NICHOLAS MORROW had 7 tackles, TFL & PD
last week. Rookie DE MAXX CROSBY had 2 PD & 1st career FF in Week 4.
PLAYER NOTES
Carolina running back CHRISTIAN McCAFFREY registered 179 scrimmage yards (93 rushing, 86 receiving) and a rushing touchdown
in the win. McCaffrey, who had 209 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns in Week 1 and 188 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in
Week 3, joins Pro Football Hall of Famer JIM BROWN (1963) as the only players in league annals with three games of at least 175
scrimmage yards and one touchdown in their team’s firstfour games ofa season. Additionally, McCaffrey caught 10 passes in the win,
his sixth career game with at least 10 receptions, tying LARRY CENTERS and Pro Football Hall of Famer LaDAINIAN TOMLINSON for
the most career games with at least 10 receptions by a running back in NFL history.
Oakland tight end DARREN WALLER had seven catches for 53 yards in the Raiders’ 31-24 win at Indianapolis. Waller, who has 33
receptions on the season,tied ANTONIO GATES (33 in 2007) for the mostreceptions bya tight end through his team’s firstfour games
of a season in NFL history.
Cleveland running back NICK CHUBB rushed for 165 yards and three touchdowns,including an 88-yard touchdown run,in the Browns’
40-25 win over Baltimore. Chubb – who had a 92-yard touchdown run in Week 10 of the 2018 season – joins BOB
HOERNSCHEMEYER (two touchdown runs from 1946-47) and CHRIS JOHNSON (three from 2008-09) as the only players in league
annals with at least two touchdown runs of 85 yards or more in their first two seasons.
Keep abreastwith all the latest NFL news and updates and the world’s #1 fantasyleague,the International Fantasy Football League,by
visiting NFL analyst and entrusted media member Brian Slack’s profile pages on LinkedIn.com and Facebook.com.
GridironGoose@msn.com
HOLY BIBLE: PART I & II
When you profess to be a Christian, you’re either a Christian to everyone or you’re not a Christian at all!

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