Week 5 is over and the Jets put an exclamation point on it Tuesday morning, reportedly firing head coach Robert Saleh in a shocker of a move. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will reportedly take over as interim head coach, with the Jets set to take on the Bills on Monday Night Football next week.
After this week’s Monday night game, the Kansas City Chiefs join the Minnesota Vikings as the last two undefeated teams in the 2024 season. The Chiefs beat the New Orleans Saints 26-13, bringing them one game closer to the Super Bowl three-peat they’re seeking.
Elsewhere in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns’ struggles have been pinned on the poor play of the $230 million-man Deshaun Watson, while the Cincinnati Bengals could be closing in on panic mode after their stunning loss to the Baltimore Ravens in overtime.
Here are the latest top stories Yahoo Sports is following as Week 5 of the 2024 NFL season comes to a close:
Russell Wilson-Justin Fields chatter ramps up in Pittsburgh
This one was easy to see coming with the Steelers struggling on offense for most of the season, but that trouble was highlighted in the Sunday Night Football loss to the Cowboys. Pittsburgh won the turnover battle 3-1 and blocked a Dallas field goal, but was outgained 445-226 and went just 3-for-12 on third down. Despite allowing over 300 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in the game, the Pittsburgh defense made enough big plays to keep the Steelers in the game, but Fields and company could hardly get out of first gear. Add that to Russell Wilson telling NBC Sports that he’d be fully ready to play in Week 6 at the Raiders, and all eyes will be on head coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith this week.
Does Cleveland need to bench Deshaun Watson?
It may seem like ages ago, because Joe Flacco is in Indianapolis and the Browns are 1-4, but Cleveland was a playoff team last season. That was due, in large part, to Flacco helping lead a late-season rally with Deshaun Watson out of the lineup with a shoulder injury after Week 10. Watson is 28th among qualified passers in QB rating, has completed just under 61% of his passes and Cleveland is 27th in passing yardage. Head coach Kevin Stefanski has said he’s sticking with Watson, but Jameis Winston’s shadow will be looming large if Watson and the Cleveland offense continue to struggle.
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Jets fire head coach Robert Saleh
Saleh, who was hired in 2021, has a 20-36 record. The Jets are 2-3 this season and Saleh wasn’t been able to find success with QB Aaron Rodgers.
Head coach Robert Saleh is out in New York. (AP Photo/Steve Luciano)
Vikings RB Aaron Jones considered “week-to-week”
Jones exited Sunday’s win over the Jets in the first half and did not return.
Vikings RB Aaron Jones (hip) is week-to-week, per Kevin O’Connell. “It looks like we’ve avoided a long-term injury,” O’Connell said. But unclear if he’ll be ready for Lions game after the bye.
Carr left Monday night’s loss to the Chiefs with an oblique injury. He replied “not good” when he was asked about how he was feeling.
An MRI is set for Tuesday and he said he will everything he can in order to play Week 6 against the Buccaneers.
Juju Smith-Schuster and Kareem Hunt put up big numbers in Chiefs win
The Chiefs’ 26-13 win over the Saints on Monday included major contributions from two veterans: wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and running back Kareem Hunt. They’ve been around for awhile, but it’s been awhile since they’ve been around. They came up big against the Saints.
JuJu Smith-Schuster’s 130 receiving yards are his most in a game since the 2020-2021 season Wild Card round with the Steelers.
That was 1,366 days ago.
Kareem Hunt’s 102 rushing yards are his most in a game since a 2020 season game with the Browns.
Specifics about Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice’s knee injury still aren’t known, but this latest report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter is a great sign.
We’ll know more on Tuesday.
It’s unlikely that Chiefs WR Rashee Rice will play again this season, but doctors will not know for sure until they perform surgery Tuesday morning, per source. https://t.co/wjb1RiEdfd
After a one-game suspension for “conduct detrimental to the team,” the Green Bay Packers expect that wide receiver Romeo Doubs will be back with them on Wednesday.
Doubs skipped practice twice last week for “personal reasons,” and was then suspended for their game on Sunday against the Rams.
While he didn’t get into specifics on Monday, Packers coach Matt LaFleur thinks this will be the end of it.
#Packers coach Matt LaFleur said he expects WR Romeo Doubs back on Wednesday. He said he did not want to get into details about his conversation with Doubs, but he said he did have a productive meeting with him and expects to move forward.
When he’s healthy, Anthony Richardson will be starting in Indianapolis.
Colts head coach Shane Steichen confirmed Monday that Richardson “is our starting quarterback,” according to ESPN’s Stephen Holder. His comments came after backup Joe Flacco threw for 359 yards and three touchdowns in their loss to the Jaguars on Sunday. Flacco has also completed 75% of his passes this season, significantly better than the 50.6% that Richardson is completing.
But regardless, Richardson will be the team’s starting quarterback once he’s recovered from his oblique injury — something he’s optimistic about doing in time for their matchup this week against the Tennessee Titans.
Once he’s healthy again, Anthony Richardson will remain the Colts’ starting quarterback. (Courtney Culbreath/Getty Images)
Nico Collins might not be ready for Week 6 vs. Patriots
The NFL receiving leader through Week 5, Nico Collins of the Texans, injured his hamstring in Sunday’s win over the Bills, and it looks like he might not be healed enough to play against the Patriots next week.
Texans now have changed Nico Collins’ injury designation from “day to day” to “week to week”, a sign that it could be tough for the WR to return in time for Sunday’s game at New England.
The 49ers are having some issues right now, and the forecast doesn’t appear to be improving.
49ers DE Yetur Gross-Matos underwent surgery on his knee Friday and will miss 4-8 weeks. Injury traces back to the one he suffered against the Raiders in preseason. Rest ended up not being enough so Gross-Matos opted for the procedure
Jets QB Aaron Rodgers has a low-ankle sprain, head coach Robert Saleh told the media Monday morning. Saleh says he’ll be fine, and that he should have no problem starting against the Bills next Monday night.
Nico Collins injury update
Texans WR Nico Collins injured his hamstring in the Texans’ 23-20 win over the Bills, and is reportedly day to day.
Mike Tomlin’s Words of Wisdom™
Are NFL coaches also poets? Listen to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin sum up his team’s 20-17 loss to the Cowboys, and then judge. Should Tomlin come up with his own line of motivational sayings, Tomlin’s Words of Wisdom™?
