And then there were three. The Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, and San Francisco 49ers are the only teams to stay unbeaten this season.
Both the Purple Gang and the Niners hit the road this week looking to remain perfect, while Andy Reid’s first-place club is off.
Meanwhile, the Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans are still looking for their first victory in 2026. DeMeco Ryans’s squad and Robert Saleh’s team clash in Nashville on Sunday.
Football food for thought in Week 5 of the 2026 NFL Season
Off: Carolina, Kansas City
Thursday, Oct. 8
Tampa Bay (0-4) at Dallas (2-2): From 2020-24, the Buccaneers were the only NFC team to make the playoffs in each of those five seasons. Four weeks into 2026, Tampa Bay is now the lone winless team in the conference. The explosive Cowboys have now scored 31-plus points in three consecutive games.
Sunday, Oct. 11
Philadelphia (2-2) vs. Jacksonville (3-1) (London): The Birds blew a late lead at home to the Rams on Sunday and could be shorthanded. Liam Coen inherited a 4-13 team in 2025 and including last season’s wild card loss, the Jaguars are 16-6 under his command. Will the cat swallow the proverbial canary here?
Chicago (3-1) at Green Bay (2-2): In 2024, the Bears snapped an 11-game losing streak in this series. And Including last year’s playoff win at Soldier Field, Chicago has prevailed in three of the last four meetings. The Bears have the most rushing yards in the NFL (785), while the Packers have totaled the fewest (232).
Cincinnati (2-2) at Miami (0-4): Zac Taylor’s club followed their 2-0 start with losses to the Steelers and Jaguars by a combined eight points. The Dolphins are 0-4 for the first time since they lost their first seven games in 2019. Jeff Hafley’s club has been limited to 13 or fewer points in all four outings this season.
Las Vegas (3-1) at New England (2-2): The Raiders showed their mettle in last week’s narrow loss to the Chiefs, and now look to win in Foxborough for the second consecutive season. Las Vegas leads the league with nine takeaways, while the up-and-down Patriots have 10 turnovers—tied for the most in the NFL.
Minnesota (4-0) at New Orleans (1-3): Only three teams in the NFL have totaled fewer points than Kevin O’Connell’s club, which has won two games without scoring a touchdown. No team in the league has allowed fewer points than the Vikings (51) and no club has allowed more points than the Saints (128).
Cleveland (3-1) at N.Y. Jets (1-3): Todd Monken’s team has rebounded from that Week 1 disaster at Jacksonville and the Browns have won three straight games for the first time since 2023. The Jets have now dropped three in a row after being outgained 492-157 in total yards in last Sunday’s loss at Chicago.
Indianapolis (2-2) at Pittsburgh (2-2): It was this matchup a year ago in Week 9 when the Colts’ 2025 season began to unwind. Shane Steichen’s team has evened its record after a 0-2 start but turnovers remain an issue for this club. Pittsburgh’s defense has been a mystery in the early stages of this season.
Houston (0-4) at Tennessee (0-4): A year ago, DeMeco Ryans’s club dug itself a 0-3 hole and still managed to make the playoffs. This season, a very talented defense has done a disappearing act. The Titans had their moments last week at Baltimore, but this club is 3-7 in its last 10 meetings in this AFC South series.
N.Y. Giants (3-1) at Washington (1-3): By all indications, Jayden Daniels will be back behind center for Dan Quinn’s club, which has allowed 30-plus points in three straight games. Giants’ quarterback Jameis Winston takes aim at a Washington defense that has given up 11 TD passes—tied for the most in the NFL.
Denver (2-2) at L.A. Chargers (0-4): Both of these teams are looking up at the undefeated Chiefs in the AFC West, and both have gotten off to shaky starts. The Broncos are ranked 29th in the league in rushing offense and rushing defense. Jim Harbaugh’s team and the Patriots both have an NFL-high 10 turnovers.
Detroit (2-2) at Arizona (1-3): For the third time this year, Dan Campbell’s team—which finished last in the NFC North in 2025—faces a club that also finished at the bottom of its division this past season. The Cardinals have lost three straight but have shown they can score points—bad news for the Lions.
San Francisco (4-0) at Seattle (3-1): Yes, the Niners have won their last four regular-season games at Lumen Field. But Kyle Shanahan’s team got smoked like a salmon, 41-6, in last year’s divisional round at Seattle. The Seahawks’ pass rush has produced 11 sacks, but the 49ers have yet to allow a QB trap.
Sunday night
Baltimore (3-1) at Atlanta (2-2): Two of the league’s Top 4 rushers will be on display as the Falcons make their third straight prime time appearance. Could Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson (494) and Baltimore’s Derrick Henry (374) both hit the century mark on Monday night? Lamar Jackson is dealing with an ankle sprain.
Monday, Oct. 12
Buffalo (3-1) at L.A. Rams (2-2): Two teams involved in frantic finishes last week. The Bills gave up a fourth-quarter lead at home to the Patriots. The Rams trailed the Eagles, 20-10, and scored two touchdowns in the final 3:59. Two years ago at SoFi Stadium, Jared Goff outlasted Josh Allen, 44-42.
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