NFL Week 5: What We Learned

Week 5 in the NFL brought us an exciting finish to a game we thought -- or at least I did -- was going to be a blowout, some upsets along the way, and a team that can't seem to find its way to the win column. And we'll end the week with two teams desperate for a victory to keep pace. So here we go.

The problem with the Dallas Cowboys isn't Tony Romo ... Surprise! No, I'm not going to jump the 'Boys QB like so many have today. Yes, he did make a mistake that, on the surface of it, cost the Cowboys a game, but Romo wouldn't have been in that position had it not been for the Dallas defense. They are terrible, and no matter how good Peyton Manning is, there is no excuse for giving up 51 points to him. Dallas had the lead; if the defense makes a couple of stops, game over. They didn't, Broncos win.

The Saints are the best team in the NFC ... New Orleans is being overlooked because there are so many bad teams in the NFC. The Giants, the Redskins, the Falcons, and the 49ers were all touted as being teams to beat in their respective divisions, but what about the Saints? They're the only team in the NFC that remained undefeated yesterday, and they continue to get better, but because their offense isn't putting up Denver like numbers or because their defense isn't like Seattle, they aren't being looked at. The football world has no choice now. 

The Colts might be the best team in the AFC ... Keep in mind I said might. As I said a few weeks ago after they defeated the 49ers in San Fran, the Colts might be a dangerous team. Well, upon further review, they are. Indy defeated what was supposed to be the two best teams in the NFC and looked impressive doing it. And after the Denver defense gave up over 500 yards to the Dallas Cowboys, we've now seen a chink in the armor with the Broncos. Now, if those two teams played tomorrow, I'd still go with Denver because of Manning. And don't be surprised if that matchup happens. It's entirely possible you'll see the Colts and Broncos playing in the AFC title game at the end of the season.

What happened to the Houston Texans? ... This team was supposed to be the one to beat in the AFC. What in the hell happened to them? They supposedly had one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Matt Schaub, who has of late looked like a rookie, and now there is talk of benching him. Their defense is disappointing, and the division that they were supposed to dominate got tougher when Andrew Luck landed in Indy. The Cowboys aren't the only team in Texas that is overrated. 

The Chargers and Bears are still the Chargers and Bears ... Just when we thought the San Diego Chargers and Chicago Bears were finally coming out of their slumps, they proved to be just as inconsistent as they ever were. There were whispers that the Bears were finally on their way back to the top, and now they've lost two straight and looked bad in doing so. Jay Cutler returned to his old ways of throwing away games and relying too much on the Bears defense to bail him out. Same with the Chargers. We saw a little bit of it last week when they played the Cowboys, but it came full circle when they lost to the Raiders in the Late Show last night. Same ol' same ol'. Inconsistent play on both sides of the ball and turnovers in critical moments. These teams may be able to change coaches, but they can't change who they are. 

Tune in next week when we ask these questions:

• How many points will Denver put on Jacksonville?
• Who will be king -- with a 3-3 record -- of the NFC East when the Skins and Cowboys compare weaknesses?
• And, speaking of teams that have been overlooked, can the Chiefs keep up their winning ways against the Raiders?

Watch and learn along with me, grasshoppers.