Week 5 of the 2024/25 National Football League (NFL) season was filled with numerous defensive highlights, with a sprinkling of offensive talking points here and there. It marked the first week in NFL history with two 100+ yard defensive touchdowns in the same week, the seventh week-ever with multiple blocked field goals returned for a touchdown, and a 37-yard rumble by a defensive tackle, following an interception in the end zone.

Of course, the Jacksonville Jaguars registered their first win of the season, following a 37-34 thriller against the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday, and the Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs are still undefeated, following victories over the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints, respectively, but the spotlight was deservedly elsewhere.

It’s uncommon to see a 100-yard touchdown in the NFL, and two on the same day is literally unprecedented, while two on the defensive side of the ball is near impossible. In fact, according to the NFL, last Sunday was the first time in league history that there have been two 100-yard defensive touchdowns in the same week. The first came when Patrick Surtain II, safety for the Denver Broncos, intercepted a pass from Gardner Minshew, quarterback (QB) for the Las Vegas Raiders, and ran untouched from goal-line to goal-line for the 100-yard score. The Broncos rolled from there to a 34-18 win over their opponents.

The second came when Seattle Seahawks safety Rayshawn Jenkins scooped up the ball, that was fumbled into the end zone by New York Giants running back Eric Gray and ran untouched to the other end of the field for the first points of the game. Jenkins was credited with a 101-yard fumble return and touchdown that was critical for the final score line. In the same matchup, and staying with the defense, Giants linebacker Isaiah Simmons blocked a game-tying kick, off the foot of Seahawks kicker Jason Myers, then Giants wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton returned it for a 60-yard touchdown, sealing a stunning 29-20 New York win.

A second botched field goal came at the hands of Jordan Elliot, San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle, who blocked the 45-yard attempt by Arizona Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland, after which cornerback Deommodore Lenoir scooped up the loose ball and sprinted 61 yards for a touchdown. The field goal would have tied the score 13-13, but the return touchdown extended the 49ers’ lead to 20-10. However, the Cardinals would prevail for a very narrow 24-23 win.

And as outstanding as those defensive efforts were, the pick-off and return by 324-pound New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Khalen Saunders was something to behold. Kansas City QB Patrick Mahomes attempted a pass to receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, but the ball deflected off his hands at the edge of the end zone and into the waiting arms of Saunders for his first career interception, which he returned for 37 yards when everyone was expecting him to take a knee and kill the play in the end zone. Coincidentally, Saunders was a third-round draft pick of the Chiefs in 2019, and he won a pair of Super Bowl rings over his four seasons with them. He signed with New Orleans as a free agent in 2023 and returned to Arrowhead Stadium for the first time to face his former team last Monday night, unfortunately, it was for a 13-26 loss.

On the offensive side of things, The Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals put on a show in Paul Brown Stadium last Sunday, that was by far the game of the season to this point. The Ravens endured in overtime for a 41-38 win, but leading up to that was some of the most exciting gridiron action one could ask for.

One would think that with Cincinnati’s QB Joe Burrow throwing for 392 yards and five touchdowns, that the Bengals would have done enough for the win, but with Baltimore’s running back Derrick Henry achieving his milestones of 100 touchdowns and over 10,000 career rushing yards, it proved to be a little less than enough. Ja’Maar Chase (193 receiving yards, two touchdowns) was outstanding for the Bengals and Tee Higgins (83 receiving yards, two touchdowns) had a good game on his return, but an ill-timed interception by Burrow, followed by an Evan McPherson missed field goal, proved their downfall.

The two 5-0 teams have their bye this weekend and will sit back and watch the other gladiators go at it, especially the high-flying Ravens, who have now won three-straight, after starting the season 0-2. They welcome the Washington Commanders (4-1) into M&T Bank Stadium for what is being viewed as the marquee game of Week 6.

The Commanders, after losing their opening game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, have reeled off four wins, and are off to their best start since 2008, thanks in large part to the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year favourite, QB Jayden Daniels. This weekend, however, they face their toughest opponent yet, as the reigning league Most Valuable Player (MVP), QB Lamar Jackson, is finding electric form and has Henry in tow to shoulder most of the run-game.

These are the top two scoring offenses in the NFL, but the Ravens are heavy JustBet favourites based mainly on the fact that they have outrushed all five teams they have played this year by more than 100 yards each, a feat never before achieved by any team in a five-game run. Additionally, all four teams the Commanders have beaten – The Giants (2-3), Bengals (1-4), Cardinals (2-3) and Cleveland Browns (1-4) — all have a losing record, which brings into question if they have really been tested.

Despite those doubts, the numbers for Washington this year are hard to overlook. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner is playing lights-out and has propelled the Commanders from their preseason NFL Power Ranking of 26, all the way up to sixth. This is an extremely difficult matchup against a Ravens team that is excellent at stopping the run and there may need to be more focus on the young QB using his arm more than he has since the season started. This will be a statement game for Washington as a win over Baltimore would solidify their status as one of the top teams in the league, while a loss may raise further questions about their ability to compete with the big boys. Are you ready for some football?

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Super Bowl LIX Champion

–February 9, 2025

Team Odds

Kansas City Chiefs 5.80

Baltimore Ravens 8.60

San Francisco 49ers 8.60

Detroit Lions 12.00

Houston Texans 12.00

Minnesota Vikings 13.00

Buffalo Bills 13.00

Philadelphia Eagles 16.00

Green Bay Packers 21.00

Dallas Cowboys 23.00

*Only Top 10 odds are shown (see website for full list)

Note: Odds are subject to change