Writer/Editor of Lateral Thinking, a new subscriber-supported football blog.
Contributing Writer, FTN/DVOA
https://lateral-thinking.ghost.io/
https://ftnfantasy.com/contributor/bryanknowles

@brykno.bsky.social
Writer/Editor of Lateral Thinking, a new subscriber-supported football blog.
Contributing Writer, FTN/DVOA
https://lateral-thinking.ghost.io/
https://ftnfantasy.com/contributor/bryanknowles
If something doesn't change, this year’s Rams might be making some unfortunate history 😬
The biggest plays of Week 5, featuring chaos in the NFC East and questionable field goal decisions from Nick Sirianni, Sean McVay, John Harbaugh AND Dan Quinn. What's not to love?
2026 has blessed us with three 0-5 teams for the first time since 2020. Can the Chargers, Titans or Dolphins mount a serious attempt at 0-17?
2026 has blessed us with three 0-5 teams for the first time since 2020. Can the Chargers, Titans or Dolphins mount a serious attempt at 0-17?
The biggest plays of Week 5, featuring chaos in the NFC East and questionable field goal decisions from Nick Sirianni, Sean McVay, John Harbaugh AND Dan Quinn. What's not to love?
Because it's in response to Adams climbing up the all-time leaderboard in a counting stat. That being said, Don Hutson remains your all-time leader in receiving TDs per game (min 45 TDs), at 0.85. The rest of the top 10 are Moss, Chase, Owens, Powell, Harrison, Adams, Rice, Gronk and Beals.
Steve Largent having 100 before the 1990s remains incredibly impressive, as does Don Hutson having 99 before the 1950s, war-time stats or no war-time stats. Here are the top 10 when each retired.
That Carter-->Owens gap is a real pain. The podium really distanced itself from the competition. And then you can fit a whole Torrey Smith in the Moss-->Rice gap.
Davante Adams is now tied for sixth-most receiving touchdowns ever. Catching Rice would probably involve playing until he's 40, but Harrison and Carter are very much in his sights.
Rams special teams came into Week 5 ranked 32nd in DVOA. They've been 26th or worse in four of the last five seasons. Maybe the one thing McVay can't figure out, and it continues to cost them games.
A reminder that field goal range is not binary.
Bizarre the Rams turtled there and settle for a long FG.
The most special of teams for Los Angeles.
One more game in Week 5, and it's a doozy -- two top 8 teams in DVOA and top ~three~ teams in DAVE going head to head in the Bills and Rams. A potential Super Bowl preview, so long as Los Angeles can live up to their preseason hype.
Stakes tonight! Weirdly, the Rams are ninth in the NFC, no matter what happens tonight -- either the highest 2-3 team, or the lowest 3-2 team. The Bills are #4 with a win, the worst 4-1 team, OR they fall to #6 and have the Patriots take over the AFC East lead with a loss.
Note that Ladouceur is a long snapper who is kinda misfiled here. And if you include the playoffs, it's It's Marshall 301, Smith 299, Campbell 297. So soon Campbell should take over the #1 spot regardless of caveats.
The most games played by a lineman in NFL history. Calais Campbell passes Jim Marshall to be the all-time leader.
There's a chance that the Biggest Plays of the Week article is just going to be the last couple minutes of Eagles-Jaguars and Commmanders-Giants. The NFC East! By definition, someone has to win it.
If the Playoffs Started Today! AFC, cont. 8. Browns (over PIT/CIN via head-to-head) 9. Steelers (over CIN via head-to-head) 10. Bengals 11. Jets (over IND via conf record) 12. Colts 13. Texans 14. Dolphins (over LAC/TEN via SoS) 15. Chargers (over TEN via SoS) 16. Titans
If the Playoffs Started Today! AFC: 1. Chiefs 2. Ravens (over JAX via conf record) 3. Jaguars 4. Bills 4. Browns (over PIT/BAL/CIN via head-to-head) 5. Patriots (over DEN/CLE via conf record) 6. Broncos (over LV/CLE via conf record) 7. Raiders (over CLE via conf record)