Jets, Baltimore Ravens … Eagles? Who is most miserable after the first five weeks of the season?
We are beyond the quarter mark of the professional football season, which suggests we have a good idea of the path of the majority of squads. So let’s examine the teams whose positive energy have vanished after the fifth week. Remember these aren’t necessarily the most terrible squads in the league (the Tennessee Titans and Browns, for example, are poor but are mostly playing as anticipated) as much as the ones who have been biggest letdowns.
Jets Remain at 0-5
The only winless team in the league, the Jets check all the misery boxes. There have been devastating losses, starting with Chris Boswell nailing a 60-yard game-winner for the Steelers in the first game. And there have been routs like Sunday’s 37-22 defeat to the Cowboys, which was not nearly as close than the final score indicates. The Jets’ supposed strength, their D, became the first 0-5 unit with no forced turnovers in league history. The Jets continue to shoot themselves in the foot with penalties, mistakes, weak O-line performance, ineffective short-yardage play and lackluster coaching. Amazingly the Jets are deteriorating weekly. If that weren't sufficient this has been going on for years: their playoff drought of over a decade is the league's lengthiest. And with one of the worst owners in the league, it could last a long time.
Misery rating: 9/10 – How long is Aaron Glenn’s leash?
Baltimore Ravens: Struggling at 1-4
Admittedly, it’s easy to chalk up Baltimore’s loss to Houston on Sunday to Lamar Jackson being out. But 44-10 – the most lopsided home defeat in team history – is embarrassing and even a talent like Jackson won't single-handedly change things if his defensive unit, which to be fair has been plagued by health issues, is godawful. Making matters worse, the Ravens defense hardly put up a fight against the Texans. It was a field day for the Texans' passer, the running back, and the rest.
Still, Jackson should be back in the near future, they play in a relatively weak division and their future games is manageable, so all hope is not lost. But based on how error-prone the Ravens have played regardless of Jackson, the confidence level is running on fumes.
Suffering Score: 6/10 - The AFC North remains up for grabs.
Bengals Fall to 2-3
The issue here is one incident: Burrow's year-ending ailment in the early season. Several weeks without Burrow has led to three losses. It’s hard to watch two of the league’s best receivers, the star receiver and the talented wideout, doing their thing with nothing to show for it. Chase hauled in two major TDs and significant yardage on Sunday in a 37-24 beating to an elite squad, the Lions. But Cincinnati’s O did the bulk of the scoring once the game was out of reach. At the same time, Burrow’s replacement, the backup passer, while impressive in the last quarter against the Lions, has often been ineffective. His three interceptions on Sunday cost the Bengals.
No franchise in football relies so heavily on the health of one player like the Bengals do with Burrow. Optimistic fans will highlight the fact that they will be a postseason threat when Burrow returns next year, if he can stay fit. But just five games into this season, the schedule looks all but over for Cincinnati.
Suffering Score: 6/10 – Bengals supporters are again pondering what might have been.
Raiders Drop to 1-4
Let Maxx Crosby go, who continues to be a rare positive in a unusual time of Silver and Black suffering. Sunday’s 40-6 demolition to the Indianapolis Colts was further evidence of the poor combination of the signal-caller and the sideline leader in the desert. Smith has been a turnover machine, topping the NFL this season with nine picks. His two turnovers in the latest contest produced Indianapolis scores. Nobody knows what the backup plan is, but Plan A – being relying entirely on Smith – is a very painful watch.
Despair Index: 7/10 – Chip Kelly's offense requires immediate changes.
Wildcard alert! Philadelphia Eagles (4-1)
Yes, they’re the defending champions. And yes, they have lost just twice in 22 games. But amid the wideout and the pass-catcher expressing dissatisfaction with their situations, supporter grievances about their slow-moving attack and the city’s continued skepticism about head coach Nick Sirianni, you’d think the Eagles were 0-5. True, Sunday’s breakdown was worrisome: the Eagles blew a two-score advantage to Denver in the last quarter thanks to five penalties, an offense that faded horribly, and a defensive scheme that was pummeled and outsmarted by the Broncos' coach. More surprising outcomes exist. However, they were on the subject to debated officiating and are equal with the leading standing in their league. What happened to the joy?
Despair Index: 3/10 - Despite the mood, the Eagles are playoff-bound.
Honorable mention: Arizona Cardinals (2-3)
The Cardinals are middle-of-the-road rather than awful, but their shameful 22-21 setback to the previously winless Titans was incompetent. A fumble at the goal line from the ball carrier, who prematurely celebrated a long run early, followed by a botched interception that led to a opposing TD did Arizona in. You couldn't imagine this setback if you wanted to. Considering this, and their previous two losses, were on game-winning field goals, there isn't much happiness in Arizona these days. “I'm not sure how to process that,” Kyler Murray said after the game. “I'm uncertain. I really don’t even know. That's a textbook example of losing. I can't explain. It was crazy.”
Suffering Score: 3/10 – Does Kyler Murray remain the franchise QB?
MVP of the week
Carolina's Rico Dowdle, RB. The running back, filling in for the absent Hubbard, {could do with a little more confidence|