Week 5 of the NFL regular season kicked off on a Thursday, and there’s plenty of intrigue surrounding the other games.
SportsGrid looks into some storylines worth following.
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1. Will the Real Jacksonville Jaguars Please Show Up?
It’s an understatement to say it’s been an up-and-down start for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Through four weeks, the Jaguars sit at 2-2, which isn’t what many thought we’d be seeing at this point. The Jaguars surprised in 2022 when they got hot down the stretch and snuck into the playoffs. Many assumed that with a lot of young talent led by Trevor Lawrence, they’d take another step in 2023. That hasn’t happened, and the Jags will have their work cut out for them when they play in London for the second straight week, this time against the surging Buffalo Bills. The Jaguars have had time to acclimate to the time difference and are settled in, which could be an advantage against Buffalo. Consistency has been lacking from the Jaguars early on, a cause for concern with the amount of talent on this roster. Jacksonville taking down the Bills could go a long way in getting them back on track as an AFC contender.
2. Are the Los Angeles Rams a Contender or a Pretender?
Entering the campaign, not much was expected of the Los Angeles Rams. With Matthew Stafford looking healthy and having turned back the clock, the Rams have tallied a pair of wins through four weeks. The emergence of youngsters on offense like Puka Nacua has generated positive buzz around Los Angeles. With the impending return of star slot wideout Cooper Kupp, the Rams should be getting a significant boost to their lineup against the Philadelphia Eagles. With the Rams set to host the defending NFC champs, this will be a big test for them. The Eagles have explosive players on both sides of the football, and if the Rams can keep up, this will tell us a lot about their group. We’re still not sold on the Rams, but we’re also not ready to count this group out, either.
3. Can the Cowboys get over the Hump vs. 49ers?
The game of the week is set to feature the San Francisco 49ers hosting the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Two of the NFL’s best are colliding for the first time since the 49ers knocked out the Cowboys in the 2022 Divisional Round. The 49ers enter this matchup with a perfect 4-0 record, while the Cowboys have a lone blemish against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3. In our eyes, the 49ers are a step ahead of the Cowboys. That said, Dallas has a chance on Sunday night to put the entire football world on notice. This game means more for the Cowboys than the 49ers, and Dallas has to treat it as such. Regardless, all eyes will be on this matchup come Sunday night.
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