This is an article version of the CBS Sports HQ AM Newsletter, the ultimate guide to every day in sports. Lost in a sea of close finishes and general wackiness, you might have missed the Vikings handing the Saints a 23-13 loss in New Orleans. Minnesota is a relatively quiet 5-0, and that begs the question: Should the Vikings be considered a legitimate Super Bowl contender?
That's one of the topics our Zach Pereles explored in his Week 5 overreactions, and his conclusion was clear. Whatever reservations you have about Kyler Murray as a championship quarterback, put them aside. The defense is good enough that Murray won't have to be Superman every week.
Another team that impressed in Week 5 was the Packers. Green Bay thumped the Bears and improved to 3-2 on the season. Jordan Love threw for 367 yards, and the Packers defense allowed just 3.6 yards per play.
It seems like the Pack may very well be back after a shaky start. Of course, in the words of the great Sturgill Simpson, "It ain't all flowers, sometimes you gotta feel the thorns." There were some teams that would rather forget Week 5 happened altogether. The Commanders are certainly on that list of losers after bungling what looked like a sure win over a division rival.
The Raiders are another team who failed a big test as reality finally hit, although Fernando Mendoza saw his first NFL action. Another No. 1 overall quarterback -- Cam Ward -- is going through hard times. Just don't expect the Titans to bench him anytime soon.
College football is always good for a little chaos, but Week 6 provided something extra. A number of highly ranked teams, included former No. 1 Texas went down over the weekend. The Longhorns blew a lead to rival Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl as their obvious flaws finally caught up to them.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
