NFL: The Insiders

Aaron Rodgers is very strong on odd-numbered weeks and looks comfortable in most games; the Steelers appear to be an odd-week team, performing well in odd-numbered weeks (putting points on the Bengals and Colts) but less so in even-numbered weeks.

Jalen Warren is the key to the Steelers' offensive success; the team runs the entire offense through him, and you're usually going to find success with that approach, as evidenced by strong performances against the Bengals and Colts.

KaVontae Turpin fumbled on a return in the Cowboys' loss to Tampa Bay, contributing to the team's inability to mount a comeback; the Cowboys were loose with the football in this game.

Dak Prescott led an explosive Cowboys offense that managed only 16 total points in a brutal home loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday night; the offense was unable to overcome defensive issues and special teams mistakes, raising concerns about the team's ability to win when the defense doesn't perform.

CeeDee Lamb's value to the Cowboys offense was evident when he went out with an injury in the fourth quarter against Tampa Bay; the Cowboys' offense, which had been explosive, was unable to mount a comeback without him, scoring only 16 total points.

Jordan Love finally got back to who he is after seeming inconsistent and uncomfortable under the weight of carrying the entire offense; he produced a 360-yard game against the Bears and benefited from Matt LaFleur's aggressive deep-passing attack that tested Chicago's secondary repeatedly.

Christian Watson caught a great touchdown pass down the middle of the field in the Packers' dominant win over the Bears; Matt LaFleur had no respect for Chicago's secondary and repeatedly tested it deep, with Watson benefiting from this aggressive approach.

Matthew Stafford is better this week than he has been for most of the season, though still a little bit sloppy at times; he needs to clean up endgame scenarios and close out games for the Rams to improve their record.

Puka Nakua is going crazy as part of the Rams' explosive receiving duo with Devonta Adams; despite the team's loss to Buffalo, Nakua and Adams remain the receiving duo the Rams expected them to be.

Jared Goff has been so good and one of the most consistent quarterbacks this season; he has not thrown an interception yet and is spreading the ball around to his many pass catchers effectively, leading the Lions to dominate inferior competition like Arizona.

Drake May has had a fantastic two-week stretch and suddenly looks exactly like the guy the Patriots thought he was near the end of last season; he produced 536 yards in total offense in Week 5, believed to be the most in Mike Vrabel's tenure as head coach, and finally got back to who he is after seeming inconsistent and uncomfortable early in the season.

Drake May threw 5 touchdowns in the Patriots' dominant win over the Raiders after the sky was falling on him last week; Nick Shook notes this is a fantastic two-week stretch where May suddenly looks exactly like the guy expected near the end of last season. The Patriots had 536 yards in total offense, the most in Mike Vrabel's tenure as head coach.

Bo Nix had only 123 passing yards in the Broncos' win over the Chargers; Nick Shook criticizes the offense for having "no life" and notes the team finished with just 224 net yards. He remains skeptical about the Broncos offense until they show better results.

Justin Jefferson caught a touchdown from Kyler Murray in the Vikings' win over the Saints in New Orleans, his home state of Louisiana; Nick Shook highlighted the connection as a positive sign for the Vikings offense.

Kyler Murray looked much more comfortable in the Vikings offense in the second half of their win over the Saints; Nick Shook notes this was the first time the Vikings generated significant offense all year, with Murray connecting with Justin Jefferson for a touchdown.

Josh Allen rushed for 121 yards in the Bills' overtime win over the Rams; Nick Shook calls him "the superstar that we know him to be" and credits him with propelling the team to victory. This was Allen's first career overtime win after being 0-7 in overtime previously, largely due to losses to the Chiefs.

James Cook fumbled in overtime in the Bills' win over the Rams, continuing a fumbling problem that has plagued him; Nick Shook noted Cook looked devastated on the sideline and walking off the field, appearing "like the saddest man in America," though the Bills ultimately won the game.

Derrick Henry was heavily featured in the Ravens' overtime win in Atlanta; Nick Shook notes he wanted the Ravens to lean on Henry for weeks, and they finally did so in this game, which helped them overcome adversity and win without Lamar Jackson.

Lamar Jackson was unavailable for the Ravens' win over Atlanta; backup Snoop Huntley led the team to victory in overtime, with the Ravens leaning on Derrick Henry to help overcome the absence of their star quarterback.

Sam Darnold continues to have turnover issues; in the Seahawks' close loss to the 49ers, he struggled with ball security in a game that came down to a fourth-down measurement, though Nick Shook notes the loss was not entirely his fault given how close the contest was.

Nick Shook identifies Debo Samuel as the most critical player to the 49ers offense; his health is essential given the team's thin receiving depth, with Jacob Cowing getting more snaps as a sign of limited options at wide receiver.

Signed with the 49ers and made a notable catch in their win over Seattle; Nick Shook highlighted the play as a reminder that Cooks is still in the league and continues his nomadic journey through the NFL.

Despite posting three touchdowns and three interceptions with 187 total yards in a loss to the Texans—the second time this season the Titans have been under 200 total yards on offense—the organization remains committed to Cam Ward as the starter. The Titans believe his best football is still ahead of him, see progress and momentum, and expect a breakthrough at some point.

Malik Nabers is one of the Giants' two best playmakers and is expected to see increased involvement as the team shifts toward more up-tempo, no-huddle offensive looks with Daniel James at quarterback.

Giants offensive coordinator John Harper indicated the team will employ more up-tempo, no-huddle looks going forward with James at the helm, which means putting the ball in James's hands more frequently. This shift worked in the second half against the Commanders after the offense struggled in the first half; Harper told reporters they probably need to do more of that with James.

Bryce Young is leading the NFL with 317 passing yards per game this season, representing a significant step forward in his development; the Panthers' passing attack is now a very real threat that the Eagles will have to contend with.

DeVonta Smith missed the Eagles' London game but the team is expecting him back, with optimism heading into the work week for his return; he is one of the two most important offensive weapons for Jalen Hurts, though hamstring injuries require monitoring throughout the week to avoid re-aggravation.

Saquon Barkley missed the Eagles' London game but the team is expecting him back, with optimism heading into the work week for his return; he is one of the two most important offensive weapons for Jalen Hurts, though hamstring injuries require monitoring throughout the week to avoid re-aggravation.

Jaden Daniels deviated from the intended play call on the Rams' final offensive play; the original play was designed as a pass to the left sideline, but Daniels decided to do something else, contributing to a critical loss. This decision, combined with the offense's apparent lack of awareness of the game situation, reflects negatively on both the quarterback's decision-making and the coaching staff's communication.

Cupp was targeted in the 49ers' game-winning drive against the Seahawks, diving shy of the line to gain yards in a critical late-game situation.

Purdy has the top QBR in the fourth quarter this season; he has not been sacked and has not turned the ball over in those situations, demonstrating elite end-of-game management. He led an eight-play, 43-yard drive in five minutes to set up the game-winning field goal in the 49ers' 32-29 win over the Seahawks.

Jaden Daniels is mentioned alongside Caleb Williams and Baker Mayfield as a quarterback with injury considerations and a thought that maybe he could wait another week before returning, though the full context is cut off in the transcript.

Baker Mayfield is pushing to make his return this Sunday versus the Steelers after suffering a thumb injury in week three against the Vikings; like Caleb Williams, he wants to get back on the field as soon as possible, and the timeline appears realistic for a near-term return.

Tua Tagovailoa came on in relief when Michael Penix Jr. was unable to continue with a rib injury in overtime against the Dolphins and eventually lost the game with an interception.

Michael Penix Jr. is considered day to day with a rib injury suffered in Sunday night's game against the Dolphins in overtime; he was playing well before the injury tightened up and got cold on the sideline, forcing him out. There is optimism the injury won't keep him from playing again this Sunday versus the Bears, and if he is able to practice, there is a pretty good chance he will be able to play and continue the really strong play he has shown since returning from his knee injury.

Tyson Bagent has seen time at quarterback for the Bears in Caleb Williams' absence over the last three games, with the Bears suffering their first loss without Williams this week to the Packers.

Case Keenum has seen time at quarterback for the Bears in Caleb Williams' absence over the last three games, with the Bears suffering their first loss without Williams this week to the Packers.

Caleb Williams is pushing to return to the playing field after missing three games with a hamstring injury; he got practice in last week, felt good, and told the team he could push farther and have a realistic shot at returning. There is optimism he is on the right track and could be back on the field this week, though hamstring injuries carry tweaking risk. The Bears need him back as soon as possible, with Ben Johnson making it clear the timeline could be Atlanta or shortly after, though a quick Thursday turnaround against the Patriots limits the extra recovery window.

Caleb Williams has missed the last three games for the Bears. The team suffered their first loss without him this week to the Packers, with Case Keenum and Tyson Baygent both seeing time in Williams' absence.

Lamar Jackson is optimistic to return from his ankle injury this week against the Browns after missing Sunday night's game against the Falcons. Ian Rappaport reports the Ravens are hopeful Jackson will be available; he did not practice last week but was closer to playing than initially assumed. Jackson has been extremely diligent in his recovery work at the facility. Rappaport expects Jackson to be on the field this weekend, though he notes Jackson has historically taken longer to recover from ankle injuries over the past couple of years.