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| Monday, October 2 By Joe Theismann Special to ESPN.com | |||||
| ESPN's Joe Theismann reviews five things we learned Sunday:
1. Is it unrealistic for the Rams to sprint their way to 16-0? The St. Louis Rams won't go 16-0; they will go 19-0 this season. I think the 1972 Miami Dolphins should look at the Rams with genuine concern that their undefeated record will fall by the wayside.
I don't think everybody was wrong about Daunte Culpepper, but Green was certainly right. I admire Green for making the decision to play Culpepper despite what the critics were saying. With players like Cris Carter, Randy Moss and Robert Smith around him, Culpepper can only grow and get better in the Vikings offense. Culpepper has shown he can make plays with his athletic ability and get the ball to his teammates to allow them to make plays. That's what happened Sunday when Moss made some great plays in scoring three touchdowns. I'm not surprised about Culpepper's early success. The people around the young quarterback are what have made the transition so much easier. Just ask Akili Smith in Cincinnati. 3. Can the Bears, Steelers and Pats -- who finally won their first games Sunday -- turn their seasons around? One game doesn't make a turnaround in a season. It will certainly make Monday a lot nicer in those cities. I'm surprised the Patriots performed as well as they did against Denver because Drew Bledsoe and the Patriots offense had really struggled. Pittsburgh really turned its game against Jacksonville into a street fight. To beat the Jaguars, teams have to get down in the trenches and hit people in the mouth. Can they turn it around? It's a start, but it's a long season. 4. What's the main reason for Miami's 4-1 start? The primary reason is Miami's outstanding defense. The defense may be simple in its design, but it's excellent in its execution. Offensively, Jay Fiedler is doing exactly what we saw Damon Huard do last year. He's running the offense with tremendous efficiency. As long as Miami's defense continues to play at the same level, the Dolphins have a chance in every game. The defense has been carrying the Dolphins, but they are not like Tampa Bay. The difference between the two teams is offense. The teams have similar offensive philosophies, but the Bucs offense isn't good enough to produce points -- Miami's is. The Dolphins are more aggressive going down the field. Fiedler, being more of a veteran, is a more accurate thrower than Shaun King. 5. Are the Eagles receivers finally catching on? Sunday night was the first time Torrance Small, Charles Johnson and Na Brown had played together for an entire game. Their presence together enables Donovan McNabb to be a more efficient quarterback. Then look at what Brian Mitchell did: He had 290 all-purpose yards. That's 90 more than the Falcons had all game. But McNabb took the pressure off the running game. He played the best game of his NFL career, with more yards, completions and attempts than he's ever had. He made some terrific throws. He squeezed the ball into some really tight spots and made excellent decisions. Any time McNabb had an opportunity to run, he turned it into a positive. At 3-2 and tied for the NFC East lead, the Eagles definitely have a chance to win the division. They have a much easier schedule than the Washington Redskins, their next opponent. The Redskins have several more challenges ahead, including games against Baltimore, Jacksonville, Tennessee and St. Louis. The Eagles fans have to feel good about their team's chances. Former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann works as a game analyst for ESPN's Sunday Night Football. He will review the NFL week for ESPN.com every Monday in his "Cup o' Joe" feature. He will also break down the Sunday Night Football matchup each Friday. | ALSO SEE
TJ's Take on Week 5Week 5 wrap-ups Week 5 infirmary report Prime Time Players Week 5 stats leaders | ||||
