To say the 2020 NFL season has been a high-scoring campaign might rank among the top understatements of all-time.
That’s because, speaking of all-time, none of the previous 100 NFL seasons through five weeks have produced more points or touchdowns than 2020 – and that doesn’t even include the Week 5 finale tonight (Buffalo at Tennessee, 7:00 PM ET, CBS).
Two of those high-scoring teams, the CLEVELAND BROWNS (4-1) and PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-0) – go head to head Sunday in an AFC North showdown at Heinz Field (1:00 PM ET, CBS). Cleveland, off to its best start since 1994, has scored 30-or-more points in four consecutive contests, its longest streak since a seven-game stretch in 1968. The Browns lead the AFC with 19 total touchdowns. Pittsburgh is coming off its highest-scoring game in nearly two years, a 38-29 win over the Eagles in Week 5. In the victory, Steelers wide receiver CHASE CLAYPOOL, a native of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, became the first rookie in NFL history to score three receiving touchdowns and one rushing touchdown in the same game. Claypool leads all rookies with five touchdowns (four receiving, one rushing) in 2020.
BATTLE OF THE BAYS: The highest-scoring team this year, the GREEN BAY PACKERS (38.0 points per game), emerges from a bye and travels to meet the TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, FOX). Green Bay (4-0) is off to its best start since beginning the 2015 season 6-0. Packers running back AARON JONES and Buccaneers wide receiver MIKE EVANS are tied for third in the NFL with six touchdowns each; both players have reached the end zone in each of their team’s games this season. Quarterbacks AARON RODGERS (13) and TOM BRADY (12) have combined for 25 touchdown passes this season. They square off in the rubber match of their series as starting quarterbacks, with each player winning one of the first two meetings.
The seasons with the most points and touchdowns scored through five weeks in NFL history:
| MOST POINTS THROUGH WEEK 5, NFL HISTORY | MOST TOUCHDOWNS THROUGHWEEK 5, NFL HISTORY | |||
| 2020 | 3,900* | 2020 | 445* | |
| 2018 | 3,739 | 2018 | 424 | |
| 2011 | 3,566 | 2015 | 404 | |
| 2013 | 3,566 | 2019 | 403 | |
| 2015 | 3,562 | 2011 | 396 | |
| *With one game remaining in Week 5 |
NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Entering Week 6, the AFC North has three teams with at least four wins: the BALTIMORE RAVENS (4-1), CLEVELAND BROWNS (4-1) and PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-0).
Since realignment in 2002, the NFL only three times has seen a division with three-or-more teams with at least four wins after five weeks. In the NFC East in 2008, the Philadelphia Eagles (2-3) actually weren’t one of the three clubs in that division to begin with four-or-more wins but went 7-3-1 over the season’s final 11 weeks, won their first two playoff games and advanced to the NFC Championship. In 2002, the Oakland Raiders (4-0) emerged from an early season AFC West logjam to advance to Super Bowl XXXVII.
The divisions with three-or-more teams with at least four wins through a season’s first five weeks, since 2002:
| SEASON | DIVISION | TEAMS |
| 2020 | AFC North | Pittsburgh (4-0), Baltimore (4-1), Cleveland (4-1) |
| 2008 | NFC East | New York Giants (4-0), Dallas (4-1), Washington (4-1) |
| 2002 | AFC West | Oakland Raiders (4-0), Denver (4-1), San Diego Chargers (4-1) |
NO LEAD IS SAFE: After the NEW ORLEANS SAINTS clawed back from a 17-point deficit to win in overtime on Monday Night Football, the 2020 season continues to write a consistent message: Teams are never out of games.
- In fact, 2020 is the first year in NFL history in which at least one team has overcome a deficit of at least 16 points to win in each of the first five weeks of a season. With one game remaining on the Week 5 slate, six games this season have seen a team victoriously battle back from at least 16. Only the 2011 season (seven) has had more games in the first five weeks in which one team has trailed by 16-or-more points and won.
- Four teams erased leads of at least 13 points and won in Week 5 alone. The Saints (trailed 20-3), CHICAGO BEARS (13-0), DALLAS COWBOYS (17-3) and SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (13-0) each earned Week 5 victories after overcoming such deficits. In 10 games this year, a team has erased deficits of at least 13 to win, the second-most such games in NFL history through five weeks (again, with one game remaining in Week 5). Only the 2011 season (12) had more such games through Week 5.
- In 17 games this season, a team has overcome a deficit of at least 10 points and won, the second-most such games through Week 5 of a season in NFL history.
Chicago (4-1) is off to its best start since opening 7-1 in 2012 and this week travels to play the CAROLINA PANTHERS (3-2), who have won three straight under first-year head coach MATT RHULE. The Bears in three of their wins this year – Week 1 at Detroit, Week 3 at Atlanta and Week 5 vs. Tampa Bay – have erased deficits of 13-or-more points.
The Cowboys, who host Arizona this week in the second Monday night game (8:15 PM ET, ESPN), have registered wins after trailing by 19 points in Week 2 and 14 points in Week 5. Dallas rookie CEEDEE LAMB has been front and center in each of those comeback wins. Lamb, who leads all rookies in both receptions (29) and receiving yards (433), can become the first player in league history with at least five receptions in each of his first six NFL games.
COMPETITION MAKES YOU BETTER: With one game to play, nine of 13 games so far in Week 5 have been within one score in the fourth quarter. Overall this season, more than 71 percent of games (54 of 76) have been within one score in the fourth quarter.
The Rams’ JARED GOFF, who leads Los Angeles into San Francisco for a Sunday Night Football matchup (8:20 PM ET NBC), has an NFL-best fourth-quarter passer rating of 155.8. Defensive lineman AARON DONALD tied his career high with four sacks in Week 5, while teammate TROY REEDER registered three sacks. Donald and Reeder are the first pair of teammates to each record at least three sacks in the same game since Week 17 of the 2015 season, when Houston’s WHITNEY MERCILUS (3.5 sacks) and J.J. WATT (three sacks) did it.
TUESDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: A pair of unbeaten AFC teams conclude Week 5 tonight at Nissan Stadium when the BUFFALO BILLS (4-0) play the TENNESSEE TITANS (3-0). Buffalo can advance to 5-0 for the first time since 1991 while the Titans, who were 4-0 in 2008, can match the best start in franchise history.
It’s also just the second Tuesday game in the NFL over the last 74 years. Before Dec. 28, 2010, when a Minnesota blizzard rescheduled an Eagles-Vikings game for a Tuesday night, the NFL had not played on a Tuesday since Oct. 1, 1946. That year, the New York Giants opened their season against the Boston Yanks two days later than scheduled due to torrential New England rain.
THREE YOUNG QUARTERBACKS ON THE MARQUEE FOR MONDAY NIGHT: Three of the NFL’s brightest young quarterbacks take the primetime stage on Monday night in Week 6.
- In the first of two Monday night games (5:00 PM ET, FOX/NFLN/AMAZON), when the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (4-1) go on the road against the BUFFALO BILLS (4-0 entering Tuesday), PATRICK MAHOMES meets JOSH ALLEN for the first time. Last week, Mahomes became just the fourth player in NFL history to reach 20 games of 300-or-more passing yards in his first four seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers KURT WARNER (26 games) and DAN MARINO (22), as well as ANDREW LUCK (21). Allen leads all AFC qualifying passers with a 122.7 passer rating this season.
- In the nightcap, KYLER MURRAY makes his first career start on Monday Night Football when the ARIZONA CARDINALS meet the DALLAS COWBOYS at AT&T Stadium (8:15 PM ET, ESPN). Murray, who has five rushing touchdowns in 2020, is the fourth quarterback since 1970 with at least five rushing touchdowns in his team’s first five games, joining CAM NEWTON (2011), KORDELL STEWART (1997) and Pro Football Hall of Famer TERRY BRADSHAW (1972).
WEEK 6 NFL SCHEDULE
SUNDAY & MONDAY, OCTOBER 18-19
(All times Eastern; schedule changes in bold italics)
| Sunday, October 18 | Sunday, October 18 | |||||
| Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers | 1:00 PM | FOX | Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers | 1:00 PM | CBS | |
| Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts | 1:00 PM | FOX | Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans | 1:00 PM | CBS | |
| Detroit Lions at Jacksonville Jaguars | 1:00 PM | FOX | New York Jets at Miami Dolphins | 4:05 PM | CBS | |
| Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings | 1:00 PM | FOX | Green Bay Packers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4:25 PM | FOX | |
| Denver Broncos at New England Patriots | 1:00 PM | CBS | Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers | 8:20 PM | NBC | |
| Washington Football Team at New York Giants | 1:00 PM | FOX | Monday, October 19 | |||
| Baltimore Ravens at Philadelphia Eagles | 1:00 PM | CBS | Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills | 5:00 PM | FOX/NFLN/Amazon | |
| Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys | 8:15 PM | ESPN | ||||
| Byes: Las Vegas, L.A. Chargers, New Orleans, Seattle |
