Streaks and records in professional sports have occupied the main storylines ever since statistics became a factor, and in the National Football League (NFL) things are no different. Two streaks were particularly relevant in Week 5 of the 2023/24 NFL season, and one of those continued to add to a string of NFL records.

The Chicago Bears arrived at FedEx Field last week Thursday (October 5) on a franchise-worst 14-game losing skid — dating back to October 24, 2022 — and handed the Washington Commanders a 40-20 drubbing, the same day that the death of their legendary, hard-hitting, Hall-of-Fame linebacker Richard Marvin “Dick” Butkus was announced. The Commanders were embarrassed on their home field, picking up just 84 yards in the first half compared to 307 by the visitors, which resulted in a 27-3 half-time lead — the biggest first-half lead for the Bears in four years.

Chicago had eight scoring drives and amassed 451 total offensive yards, scoring on their first five possessions and didn’t punt until the third quarter. Wide receiver Denniston Oliver “D J” Moore Jr had a career night, racking up 230 of Chicago’s 273 receiving yards (in just eight receptions) and three touchdowns. The previous time Washington allowed as many receiving yards to a single receiver was November 13, 1966, when future Hall-of-Famer Robert “Bullet Bob” Hayes amassed 246 in a Dallas Cowboys 31-30 win.

And it wasn’t all on the offence, as the defence paid fitting homage to the memory of Butkus, delivering five sacks — after only two in the first four games — and 11 quarterback (QB) hits, in helping to ensure that the Carolina Panthers remain the only winless team five weeks into the season. The 1-4 Bears will welcome the 1-4 Minnesota Viking into Soldier Field on Sunday, with the Vikings favoured by JustBet at 3.5 points. Both teams are in the National Football Conference (NFC) North division, which means they face each other at least twice a year, and while they had differing results in Week 5, the Vikings lead the overall series 65–57–2 (including wins in the last four meetings) and unless there in a repeat of the Butkus-motivation, there is no good reason to expect a Chicago win.

Coincidentally, the longest-losing streak in NFL history belongs to the Chicago Cardinals who lost 29 consecutive games over four seasons — from 1942 to 1945. The franchise eventually ended its losing streak against the cross-town rival Chicago Bears on October 14, 1945.

In the feature event of Week 5 between the San Francisco 49ers and the Cowboys, what was expected to be a humdinger turned out to be a horrific mismatch. The 49ers offence was a couple of steps ahead of the Cowboys defence all night, while the San Francisco defence neutralised whatever existed of the Dallas offence, to ensure they remain undefeated.

San Francisco was a JustBet 3.5 points favourite heading into the game, as the 42-10 hammering was not anticipated. But in what Dallas’ QB Dak Prescott called “the most humbling game I’ve ever been a part of”, the most compelling story was that of his counterpart on the opposite sideline, Brock Purdy. With the win, Purdy is now 10-0 as a regular season starter and has won every NFL game he has ever played from start to finish — a bargain for the 49ers at only US$870,000 per annum.

San Francisco knocked Dallas out of the play-offs in tight games over the last two seasons and, with both teams boasting the NFL’s top ranked defences, the encounter was expected to be close. Additionally, prior to last Sunday night’s game, they had faced each other 39 times, and their all-time head-to-head record (including play-off games) was 19-19-1. But it was not to be. Purdy (17 of 24 for 252 yards and four touchdowns), behind a superior offensive line, had the time and poise to calmly pick apart the league’s stingiest defence and was rested with 12:50 left in the game, with the scoreline already decided.

Purdy was the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and earned the title ‘Mr Irrelevant’ — the moniker given to the final pick for the past few decades. He got the starting job in Week 14 of last season, after then-starter Jimmy Garoppolo went out with a foot injury, and Purdy became the first Mr Irrelevant to throw a touchdown pass in a regular season game. Purdy went on to lead the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game last season, becoming the only Mr. Irrelevant QB to start and win a play-off game.

Mr Irrelevant, historically, has played in an average of 11 NFL regular-season games, less than a full regular season, and most play less than a handful of games (if any). This Sunday afternoon Purdy will be shooting for that average when the 49ers (5-0) visit Cleveland to tackle the Browns (2-2), with San Francisco understandably highly favoured by JustBet. The Cowboys (3-2) have a much tougher outing to close Week 6 next Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) but are favoured by a field goal and a rebound from last weekend’s humiliation is expected.

Other record breakers last Sunday included the Miami Dolphins, who set the NFL record for the most yards through a team’s first five games of a season (2,568), passing the 2,527-yard mark set by the St Louis Rams in 2000, and 28-year-old QB Patrick Mahomes who, after last Sunday’s win over the Minnesota Vikings, became the youngest QB to defeat all teams in the NFL (other than his own Kansas City Chiefs). The Dolphins (4-1) invite the winless Panthers (0-5) into Miami on Sunday where they are expected to improve their record, while the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles (5-0) visit the New York Jets (2-3) later the same afternoon as JustBet favourites for a much-anticipated encounter.

JustBet continues to offer attractive betting options on all popular sports and events (including virtual games) as soon as they become available. Please visit one of the over 130 locations (or visit https://mobile.justbetja.com) for details and place your bets on the prediction of your choice for maximum winnings…… Get in the GAME!