NFL NEWS

WEEK 5 NFL PREVIEW

Through the first month of the 2025 season, phenomenal finishes and exceptional special teams have been a common theme. There have been 18 games to feature a game-winning score in the final three minutes of regulation or in overtime, the most in 42 years and tied with the 1983 season for the most-ever through Week 4. There have been 11 special teams touchdowns, the most at this point in 13 years and the 3,624 kickoff return yards amassed last week is the most in a single week in NFL history.

• London calling: When the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns meet at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London (9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network) on Sunday, it begins three consecutive weeks with an international game in the United Kingdom. The Vikings, after appearing in the first regular-season game in Ireland against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, are the first team to play consecutive international games in different cities. In Week 6, the Denver Broncos and New York Jets meet at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and in Week 7, the Los Angeles Rams take on the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium.
• Two undefeated teams remain: The Philadelphia Eagles are 4-0 for the third time in the past four seasons while the Buffalo Bills improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2020.
  • Denver (2-2) at Philadelphia (4-0) (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS): The Eagles can become the first team to begin 5-0 three times in a four-year span since the Indianapolis Colts (2006-07, 2009) while head coach Nick Sirianni can become the second coach ever to begin 5-0 in three of his first five seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Paul Brown.
    • Philadelphia, with a blocked field goal-return touchdown in Week 3 and a blocked punt-return touchdown in Week 4, became the fourth team since 2000 with a blocked field goal-return or punt-return touchdown in consecutive games, joining the 2014 Philadelphia Eagles (Sept. 28-Oct. 5), 2008 San Francisco 49ers (Oct. 12-19) and 2002 Baltimore Ravens (Nov. 24-Dec. 1).
    • Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is the first quarterback in NFL history with five touchdown passes, four rushing touchdowns and no interceptions in his team’s first four games of a season.
    • Denver quarterback Bo Nix totaled three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in the team’s Week 4 win over Cincinnati. Since the beginning of the 2024 season, Nix is one of three quarterbacks, along with Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, with at least 35 touchdown passes (36) and five rushing touchdowns (five).
    • The Broncos lead the NFL with 15 sacks this season and are tied with Jacksonville for the fewest sacks allowed (three) in 2025.
  • New England (2-2) at Buffalo (4-0) (Sunday night, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): The Bills have started a season with five straight wins in three previous seasons: 1964, 1980 and 1991.
    • Buffalo, from Week 11 of the 2023 season through Week 4 of the 2025 season, are the fourth team ever to win 14 consecutive home regular-season games and score at least 24 points in each game, joining the 1997-98 Denver Broncos (15 consecutive home wins), 2017-19 New England Patriots (15) and 2022-23 Dallas Cowboys (14).
    • Bills quarterback Josh Allen has 45 career regular-season games with both a touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown, tied with Cam Newton for the most such games in NFL history.
    • Buffalo running back James Cook ranks second in rushing yards (401), tied for second in scrimmage touchdowns (five) and fifth in scrimmage yards (490) this season. He is the sixth player in the Super Bowl era with at least 100 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown in each of his team’s first four games of a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers O.J. Simpson (1975 with Buffalo) and Emmitt Smith (1995 with Dallas) as well as Christian McCaffrey (2023 with San Francisco), DeMarco Murray (2014 with Dallas) and Billy Sims (1981 with Detroit).
    • New England quarterback Drake Maye, from Weeks 2-4, became the first player ever under the age of 24 with at least two touchdown passes and a completion percentage of 75-or-higher in three consecutive games, minimum 15 pass attempts in each game.
• Matchups of 3-1 teams: Four of the nine teams with three wins this season are set to meet in Week 4.
  • San Francisco (3-1) at the Los Angeles Rams (3-1) (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video): The Los Angeles Rams defeated San Francisco in both matchups during the 2024 season, recording fourth-quarter comeback victories in both games.
    • 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey ranks third in the NFL with 31 receptions and 530 scrimmage yards (305 receiving, 225 rushing), becoming the third player since 1990 with at least 300 receiving yards and 200 rushing yards in his team’s first four games of season, joining Matt Forte (2011) and Alvin Kamara (2018 and 2020).
    • Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua had 13 receptions for a career-high 170 yards and one touchdown in the team’s Week 4 win over Indianapolis. Nacua leads the NFL with 42 receptions this season, tied with Cooper Kupp (2022 with the Los Angeles Rams) and Michael Thomas (2018 with New Orleans) for the most receptions by a player in his team’s first four games of a season in NFL history.
  • Tampa Bay (3-1) at Seattle (3-1) (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS): Both the Buccaneers and Seahawks are celebrating their 50th anniversary seasons after joining the NFL in 1976 and each club will be wearing throwback uniforms for this Sunday’s matchup.
    • Since joining Tampa Bay in 2023, quarterback Baker Mayfield leads the NFL with 77 touchdown passes and ranks second with 9,448 passing yards.
    • Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka leads all rookies with 282 receiving yards and four touchdown receptions this season and has recorded a touchdown catch in three of his first four games. In the past 20 seasons (2005-24), only four players have had a touchdown catch in four of their first five career games: Martavis Bryant (2014), Ja’Marr Chase (2021), Terry McLaurin (2019) and Hakeem Nicks (2009).
    • Seattle leads the NFC in scoring defense (16.8 points per game allowed) and have recorded seven interceptions this season, tied for the second-most in the NFL.
• Turnovers key on Monday night: The Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1) are set to host the Kansas City Chiefs (2-2) on Monday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC) in Week 5. Jacksonville leads the NFL with 13 takeaways (league-high nine interceptions, four fumble recoveries) while Kansas City is one of three teams, along with Buffalo and Philadelphia, with only one giveaway this season.
  •  Jacksonville is the fifth team since 2002 with at least three takeaways in each of its first four games of a season, joining the 2024 Green Bay Packers, 2013 Chicago Bears, 2004 Seattle Seahawks and 2002 Philadelphia Eagles. Since 1990, only two teams have recorded two-or-more interceptions in each of their first five games of a season – the 1996 Green Bay Packers (first eight games) and 2021 Dallas Cowboys (first five).
  • Last week, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had four touchdown passes and reached 250 touchdown passes in his 116th career game, surpassing Aaron Rodgers (121 games) for the fastest player in NFL history to reach 250 career touchdown passes. Mahomes has 43 career games with at least three touchdowns and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (42 games) for the second-most by a player in his first nine seasons in NFL history, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino (46 games).

49ERS DC ROBERT SALEH CLARIFIES REMARKS ABOUT JAGS COACH LIAM COEN

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh blamed his own word choice for sparking a postgame tiff with Jacksonville Jaguars coach Liam Coen after the teams’ Sunday game.

Days before the contest, Saleh discussed Coen and the Jaguars being adept at “legal signal stealing.”

Jacksonville went on to beat San Francisco 26-21. As the teams met at midfield postgame, Coen sought out Saleh. Video from Action Sports Jax showed Coen saying, “Keep my name out of your mouth. Keep my name out of your f–ing mouth.” Saleh responded, “I will f– your world up.”

Saleh took a much different tone on Tuesday.

“It is all good,” the former New York Jets head coach said. “Whatever happened on Sunday doesn’t change how I feel. In my heart, I genuinely was trying to give a compliment, and I own the fact that I probably used the wrong choice of words, but however you want to word it. …

“Obviously, I did a poor job with the words. I mean, if I said the words ‘film study,’ I don’t think we’re really talking about this. But I used ‘signal stealing’ and that’s why I was so adamant about ‘legally.’ I was just struggling for the words, but for Sean (McVay, the Los Angeles Rams’ head coach), same thing. These guys are the best in the world and that’s why they’re there.”

Saleh added of the Jaguars, who are off to a 3-1 start, “I think Liam’s doing a hell of a job. I really do. You can tell that that team’s really taking on his personality and I hope they came out of the game healthy, and I wish him the best of luck throughout the rest of the season. I wish I could have found a better choice of words, but my intent was always to compliment that football staff.”

San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan added of his assistant, “Saleh’s too nice usually but seemed like someone struck a chord the other day. I don’t think there’s any fights going on. It was kind of comical now to look back at it.”

The 49ers (3-1) are preparing to oppose the Rams (3-1) on Thursday in Inglewood, Calif.

49ERS’ OFFENSE BANGED UP HEADING INTO SHOWDOWN VS. RAMS

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy continues to be hindered by a painful turf toe injury but remains hopeful he will be on the field when his team battles the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night in Inglewood, Calif.

The NFC West rivals have 3-1 records as part of a three-way tie for first place with the Seattle Seahawks, and Purdy is feeling the urgency to play in the division showdown.

“If I can play this game, I’m going to play,” Purdy said on Tuesday. “Obviously, I want to get right and get healthy and everything, but we need to win this game against the Rams, so that’s how I’m looking at it.”

Purdy didn’t participate in the team’s Tuesday walkthrough, and the team will divulge his official status on Wednesday.

Purdy was initially hurt during San Francisco’s Week 1 victory over the Seahawks and missed the next two games. He has the same number of touchdown passes (four) as interceptions in his two 2025 appearances.

He returned for a 26-21 home loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday and felt pain in the toe following the contest.

“I sort of expected it, but with the quick turnaround Thursday night game and everything, it’s just tougher,” Purdy said of the soreness. “I don’t have as many days to get right and heal up and feel better. That’s just where we’re at.”

Mac Jones would draw the start if Purdy can’t play. Jones has been dealing with a knee injury he sustained in Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals, but he is no longer limited in practice.

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said pain tolerance is only part of the decision regarding Purdy.

“It will come down to whether we feel he can play to 100 percent of his ability and if we feel that he can protect himself,” Shanahan said.

Whoever plays quarterback for San Francisco might have limited weapons at his disposal. Tight end George Kittle (hamstring) and receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) remain on injured reserve, and receivers Jauan Jennings (ankle/rib), Ricky Pearsall (knee) and Jordan Watkins (calf) did not practice on Tuesday.

The 49ers badly want to beat the Rams, who swept San Francisco last season and have won the past three meetings.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford isn’t concerned about the modest streak. He is more concerned about the fierce test the 49ers pose.

“I think they’re a really well-rounded football team, always have been,” Stafford said. “When we play them, it’s a bare-knuckles physical fight. They’re gonna try to run the ball right at you, play-action it over the top, and on defense, they’re gonna line up, know exactly what they’re in and just try to out-physical you. So it’s a big challenge for us, but a lot of credit to them because they’ve done a heck of a job with some injuries along the way early on.”

Stafford passed for a season-high 375 yards on Sunday in a 27-20 comeback victory over the visiting Indianapolis Colts.

Stafford tossed a tying 9-yard scoring pass to Puka Nacua with 3:20 to play, then connected with Tutu Atwell for an 88-yard touchdown catch with 1:33 left on the first play of the Rams’ next possession.

The touchdown was the first of the season for Nacua, who had 13 catches for a regular-season career-best 170 yards against the Colts. He leads the NFL with both 42 receptions and 503 receiving yards, which is 101 more receiving yards than second-place Seahawks wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

“He’s consistent, you know he can get open,” Rams wideout Davante Adams said of Nacua. “He’s got a lot more tools than people realize. Great, great hands and strong at the catch point. And he’s obviously really tough to bring down once he’s running with the ball.”

Tight end Tyler Higbee (hip) and offensive lineman Rob Havenstein (ankle) are among the Rams dealing with injuries.

Defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (ankle) sat out the 49ers’ Tuesday walkthrough.

49ERS QB BROCK PURDY (TOE) HOLDING OUT HOPE HE CAN PLAY THURSDAY

With a game against the NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams coming up Thursday, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (toe) said he has not been ruled out from playing in it.

Purdy missed Weeks 2 and 3 due to a toe injury but returned Sunday. The fourth-year quarterback told reporters following the 49ers’ 26-21 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars that he didn’t have any issues during the game. But as the evening passed, he said pain began to set in, prompting a call to head coach Kyle Shanahan to inform him of that.

Purdy was listed as a non-participant in practice each of the past two days, and he’s running out of time to practice given the short turnaround. It doesn’t help Purdy that San Francisco had just a walk-through Tuesday and have no more full practices before playing Thursday night.

“If I can play this game, I want to play,” Purdy said. “Obviously, I want to get right and get healthy and everything, but we need to win this game against the Rams. So that’s how I’m looking at it.”

Shanahan said Tuesday the choice on who to start, Purdy or backup Mac Jones, will come down to how effective the team feels Purdy can be.

“It’ll come down to do we feel he could play and to 100 percent of his ability, and do we feel that he can protect himself with it?” Shanahan said.

Both the 49ers and Rams are 3-1 heading into their key divisional matchup in Los Angeles on Thursday night. While the Rams have played all non-NFC West opponents thus far, the Niners beat the other two NFC West foes, the Seahawks and Cardinals.

Purdy added that he didn’t aggravate the injury on any one play; it was just a build-up after playing in the game. He also said it feels better than when he first hurt it in Week 1 vs. the Seahawks.

Purdy has completed 48 of 73 passes for 586 yards, with four touchdowns and four interceptions, in his two games as a starter. Jones is 53-of-80 passing for 563 yards, with four scores and one pick while going 2-0 in his two games.

Also worth noting is the Niners’ pass-catching corps has been short-handed — tight end George Kittle (hamstring) and receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) have been out — and that could get even worse this week, as receivers Jauan Jennings (ankle) and Ricky Pearsall (knee) did not practice Tuesday.

BRONCOS’ SEAN PAYTON CALLS B.S. ON ‘TUSH PUSH’ CRITICS

If the Philadelphia Eagles successfully execute the “tush push” against Denver on Sunday, Broncos coach Sean Payton will tip his cap to what he considers a well conceived play.

A long-time supporter of the controversial play despite not implementing it in Denver’s offensive scheme, Payton said he questions the motives behind those around the league who have attempted to ban the short-yardage play popularized and oft-executed by the Eagles.

Philadelphia converted 28-of-34 tush push attempts last season.

A proposal to ban the tush push fell short of the required 24 votes at the NFL owners meetings in May, with ESPN reporting the final vote was 22-10. While the Broncos were reportedly one of those 22 teams, Payton has long been in favor of it.

Critics have cited several issues with the rugby-style play, from aesthetics to competitive reasons. But Payton’s skeptic alarm rang when detractors began citing healthy and safety concerns minus any conclusive supporting data.

“I was one that stood up in favor of (the tush push). The reason I stood up in favor of is pretty simple. If the powers to be don’t want it for aesthetic reasons, or competitive reasons, or it’s hard to officiate, etc.,” Payton said on Tuesday. “I’ve been involved in those meetings for a long time, and when all of the sudden health and safety was pulled into that which might be the safest play in football, my (bulls–t) nose kind of went up.”

Also nicknamed the “Brotherly Shove,” the play typically features Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts taking the snap in short-yards situations and driving his legs forward while being pushed from behind.

Philadelphia introduced new wrinkles into the play in last week’s win at Tampa Bay. There was a fake tush push that resulted in a touchdown by running back Saquon Barkley, while Hurts threw for another score on another variation of the play.

“I think credit Philadelphia. Take a peek at this past week’s touchdown off the tush push look, and it was a sweep to the left,” Payton said in a video conference Tuesday. “I’m one that looks at it as long as the line of scrimmage is clean, that it’s a well-run quarterback sneak. When you really evaluate it, it’s more the technique of the sneak than the push.

“You go all the way back to (1967), Green Bay against Dallas in the ‘Ice Bowl’ and (Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback) Bart Starr crosses the goal line with someone pushing a little bit behind him. So I was one that was in favor of leaving it alone on Philly’s side.”

Green Bay was the team that drafted the proposal, reportedly at the suggestion of the NFL, citing player safety concerns. There have been additional concerns raised this season, with officials reportedly having been instructed to place more emphasis on ensuring the offensive line doesn’t move until the ball is snapped.

“I am done with the tush push guys. It’s a hard play to officiate,” FOX NFL rules analyst Dean Blandino said earlier this month.

The Packers play the Eagles on Nov. 10 in a “Monday Night Football” game at Lambeau Field.

The Eagles defeated the Packers twice last season — in the season opener at Brazil and in a postseason rematch at Philadelphia — and are 3-0 in the matchup since coach Nick Sirianni was hired in 2021.

RAVENS QB LAMAR JACKSON REPORTEDLY OUT WEEK 5

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will not play in Week 5 and could be facing a longer absence because of a hamstring injury, the Baltimore Sun reported Tuesday.

Jackson left the Ravens’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth quarter on Sunday. The Ravens (1-3) play the Houston Texans (1-3) this week with a roster besieged by injuries.

Head coach John Harbaugh would not confirm the status of Jackson, but bit back at suggestions Jackson could have finished the loss to the Chiefs.

“There was no way he was going to go back into the game,” Harbaugh said. “The injury precluded it. The way I know Lamar, if he could’ve gone in the game, he would’ve been in the game. That’s how he is.”

Without Jackson against the Texans, the Ravens are expected to turn to Cooper Rush. The former Cowboys backup was signed in the offseason to bring an experienced hand if Jackson was unavailable.

“If he’s out there, it will be geared toward him,” Harbaugh said of Rush. “We’ve got a good group around him. We have a lot of playmakers around him if he’s playing. Same thing for Tyler Huntley if he’s playing.”

Already hurting at multiple key positions, the Ravens had other players leave Kansas City with ailments that could require multiple-game absences.

Linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring), cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey (calf) and Nate Wiggins (elbow), and left tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle) are all uncertain for Week 5. NFL Network reported Smith and Humphrey might miss 2-3 weeks.

DOLPHINS WR TYREEK HILL HAS SEASON-ENDING KNEE SURGERY

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill underwent a “major knee procedure” Tuesday to repair his torn ACL and other ligament damage, coach Mike McDaniel confirmed.

Hill will miss at least the rest of the 2025 season after dislocating his left knee and suffering the ligament tears during Monday’s 27-21 victory over the New York Jets.

McDaniel told reporters that he had heard “good things” about any nerve damage to Hill’s knee and said the eight-time Pro Bowler may not need more surgeries beyond Tuesday.

“It hasn’t been deemed to be anything beyond this surgery and we’re very hopeful for it to turn out well,” McDaniel said. “But no, it hasn’t been explained (that multiple surgeries are) an absolute necessity. It’s just executing this procedure and seeing what happens from there.”

Hill was injured when he caught a 10-yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa near the New York sideline with 13:21 left in the third quarter. His leg twisted awkwardly as he was going out of bounds, and Hill immediately grabbed for the knee.

While being carted off with an air cast on his leg, Hill forcefully clapped his hands several times, smiled and laughed in response to the crowd.

“He was probably in the best spirits of any player that I’ve ever — it’s just such a terrible experience when you go out and see guys when they have issues like that,” McDaniel said immediately after the game. “But he immediately had wide eyes and was talking, ‘I’m good. Just make sure the guys get this win.’ He was focused on the team.”

Those high spirits continued Tuesday, when Hill posted a video to social media showing him in a hospital bed before his surgery.

“Keep your boy in your prayers,” Hill said. “You guys have been awesome, man. Fins Nation, just the whole entire NFL has been amazing, sending me lots of love, lots of prayers. I’m absolutely honored.”

Hill, 31, had six receptions for 67 yards before exiting. He has 21 receptions for 265 yards and one touchdown in four games this season.

Hill is in his fourth season with the Dolphins after playing his first six campaigns with the Chiefs. Hill helped Kansas City win the Super Bowl after the 2019 season. He is a five-time first-team All-Pro who was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All-2010s Team as a punt returner.