NFL Power Rankings, Week 5: Cowboys free-falling, Bills stay perfect

Plays Monday night vs. Kansas City Chiefs

The Steelers and Titans game was the first to be postponed and we already know it won’t be the last. Week 4 ended up offering us up two games that needed to be rescheduled as a couple of New England Patriots players came down with positive cases of COVID-19. The biggest name was, of course, starting quarterback Cam Newton.

Unfortunately for New England, it seems as though he still won’t be able to play even when the game does kick off. On Sunday, the league announced the game will be moved to Monday and Newton won’t be cleared by then, even if he can get over the virus quickly.

With him out, the Pats will likely turn to Brian Hoyer but they also have Jarrett Stidham on board as an option. It’s easy to assume they’ll struggle without Newton but the fact is, Stidham was expected to be the guy before they signed Newton and Hoyer knows this system better than anyone other than Josh McDaniels and Tom Brady.

They should still be competitive but even so, it’s a blow anytime you have to go without your starting quarterback. But then again, we have all seen Bill Belichick keep things going no matter who he has had to start — see Matt Cassel, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett. Don’t be shocked if this team looks just as good when they do play.