Daniel Jones has been a big reason why the Colts are second in the league with 32.6 points per game.
Daniel Jones has been a big reason why the Colts are second in the league with 32.6 points per game.Zach Bolinger/Associated Press
Two weeks ago, the Colts used the Rams as their measuring-stick game. The Colts lost, 27-20, but linebacker Zaire Franklin believes his teammates had it backward.
“I think after we played LA, we realized that we [are] that team,” Franklin said Sunday after the Colts walloped the Raiders, 40-6. “We [are] a team that’s a test for everybody else, and everybody else needs to start responding to how we play.”
With the Ravens falling apart, the Chiefs working out some kinks, and the Bills looking vulnerable, the 4-1 Colts have surprisingly filled the void atop the AFC, which is where we begin the Week 5 review:
⋅ A hot start over five weeks does not mean the Colts will make it last through 17 games. But Daniel Jones and Co. have been the biggest surprise and the best story of the young season, and absolutely no one saw it coming.
The Colts, whose last playoff appearance (2020) came five starting quarterbacks ago, woke up Monday in the No. 1 spot in the AFC. They have the best point differential in the NFL (plus-74), with blowout wins over the Dolphins, Titans, and Raiders. They also beat the Broncos in a nailbiter, and their only hiccup came in that loss to the Rams.
The defense has been fantastic, ranked No. 3 in points allowed (17.8). But most impressive has been the play of Jones, discarded by the Giants last year. Jones is No. 8 in passer rating (105.1) while completing over 70 percent of his passes and leading an offense that scores 32.6 points per game, No. 2 in the NFL. The Colts didn’t punt in their first two games, and scored six straight touchdowns Sunday against the Raiders. Shane Steichen is the early leader for Coach of the Year.
We’ll see if Jones turns into a pumpkin as the season progresses. But right now, the Colts look like the best team in the conference.
⋅ The 1972 Dolphins got to pop another bottle of champagne Sunday night as the Bills and Eagles, the last remaining undefeated teams, both dropped to 4-1. This year is the earliest the ’72 Dolphins have celebrated since 2014.
The Eagles blew a 14-point lead Sunday in a 21-18 loss to the Broncos, and signs of dysfunction are apparent, particularly on offense. The Eagles seemed so preoccupied with feeding A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith Sunday that they forgot to run the ball, calling 44 pass plays and 11 runs. The Eagles haven’t gained more than 302 yards yet this year, and if they continue to struggle, general manager Howie Roseman may have to shake things up with a trade.
For the Bills, Sunday’s loss to the Patriots wasn’t a great sign. They had soundly beaten three straight patsies (Jets, Dolphins, and Saints) and their first game against a real opponent since Week 1 resulted in a sloppy, mistake-filled loss.
⋅ The headline is “Titans win their first game,” but the story was really the Cardinals’ epic choke in a 22-21 loss. The Cardinals led, 21-6, and had a 98.2 percent chance to win, per NFL Next Gen Stats, but instead fell to 2-3 because:
— They lost a fumble in scoring territory when a snap bounced off Kyler Murray’s face.
— They lost a 72-yard touchdown when the running back dropped the ball on the 1-yard line and fumbled out of bounds.
— They allowed a touchdown on a fumble recovery in the end zone after a Cardinals interception, in which the defender knocked the ball out of his own hands.
This was an “only the Cardinals” type of loss that seem to be happening a lot with Murray at the helm.
⋅ The Seahawks-Buccaneers game had the feel of a NFC Championship game matchup, with the teams combining for 10 touchdowns and the Bucs kicking a field goal as time expired to win a 38-35 shootout. Baker Mayfield (379 yards) and Sam Darnold (341) slugged it out, marking the first game in NFL history in which each quarterback threw for 325 yards and completed 80 percent of passes.
The only thing more beautiful than the game were the 1976-era throwback uniforms worn by both teams.
Sunday's Buccaneers-Seahawks game featured the best uniforms in the league.
Sunday's Buccaneers-Seahawks game featured the best uniforms in the league.Kevin Ng/Associated Press
Tracking former Patriots
49ers QB Mac Jones: Threw for 342 yards and two touchdowns in Thursday’s win over the Rams. He’s 17th in the NFL in passer rating (99.1) but has thrown six touchdowns against one interception and more importantly is 3-0 as a fill-in for Brock Purdy. Jones is not in Daniel Jones/Darnold/Mayfield territory yet as far as turning his career around, but he’s on the right path.
49ers WR Kendrick Bourne: Caught 10 passes for 142 yards in the win, his first 100-yard game since December 2022. Now two years removed from his torn ACL, Bourne, 30, is proving that he still has some good football left despite being cut by the Patriots.
Kendrick Bourne had 10 receptions for 142 yards in Thursday's wins over the Rams.
Kendrick Bourne had 10 receptions for 142 yards in Thursday's wins over the Rams.Kyusung Gong/Associated Press
Dolphins OLB Matthew Judon: Had one QB hit in 20 snaps (29 percent) in a loss to the Panthers, and doesn’t have a sack in five games. With the Dolphins flailing at 1-4, don’t be surprised if a release is coming soon.
Dolphins RG Cole Strange: Signed off the Browns’ practice squad after Week 1 and a DNP the next two weeks, Strange has started and played all 113 snaps the last two games.
Texans GM Nick Caserio and OC Nick Caley: Exploded for 44 points in a blowout win over the Ravens. The Texans are suddenly 2-3 and back in the AFC race.
Giants coach Brian Daboll: An ugly 26-14 loss in New Orleans with five turnovers drops him to 1-4, but as long as Jaxson Dart plays reasonably well, Daboll should keep his job through the season.
UNC coach Bill Belichick: Another blowout loss, 38-10 to Clemson. The Tar Heels are 0-3 against Power Four teams with an average margin defeat of 29 points.
Bill Belichick's Tar Heels were on the wrong side of another blowout on Saturday.
Bill Belichick's Tar Heels were on the wrong side of another blowout on Saturday.Chris Seward/Associated Press
Ohio State DC Matt Patricia: Another easy blowout, 42-3 over Minnesota. The 5-0 Buckeyes are allowing just 5 points per game.
Quick hits
⋅ Not only did the 1-4 Ravens get blown out by the Texans Sunday, but they look like they gave up. They might have to start having tough conversations soon about coach John Harbaugh and his staff.
⋅ The Bengals and Ravens both whiffed on their backup quarterback decisions this offseason. Jake Browning (eight interceptions in three starts) and Cooper Rush (three interceptions Sunday) aren’t it.
⋅ If not for the Cardinals’ rake-stepping routine Sunday, Titans coach Brian Callahan probably would have been fired before the team flight back to Nashville. No. 1 pick Cam Ward looks awful (51.8 completion percentage).
⋅ The Vikings might want to stick with Carson Wentz even when J.J. McCarthy is healthy.
⋅ Justin Herbert still lacks that killer instinct and still gets too many passes tipped at the line of scrimmage for a 6-foot-5-inch quarterback.
⋅ The Bucs have scored at least 20 points in 20 straight games.
⋅ Browns quarterbacks making their first career start are now 0-17 since the franchise reemerged in 1999.
⋅ Geno Smith has a league-high nine interceptions (five the last two weeks) and may be playing his way out of a job.
⋅ The 0-5 Jets, the only winless team, are 31st in points allowed (31.4 per game) and are the first team since at least 1933 with no takeaways in their first five games. Good thing they fired Robert Saleh for Aaron Glenn.
⋅ The Broncos are the best team no one is talking about. Bo Nix has his struggles, but that defense is going to keep them in every game.
⋅ Boy, does the Patriots’ Week 1 loss to the Raiders sting. The Raiders have lost four straight by an average margin of 16 points.
Ben Volin can be reached at ben.volin@globe.com.