Week 5 is wrapped, and the former Hawks scattered across the NFL turned in a mixed bag that ran the gamut from big-play production to straight-up messes. There are still three undefeated teams left, the Eagles are in trouble, and the NFC East somehow managed to go 0-for on the weekend even with two of its teams facing each other.
Alaric Jackson was at the center of the ugliest moment on the list. After the Rams’ 37-34 overtime loss to the Bills in Los Angeles on Monday night, Jackson got into an altercation with Buffalo defensive end Bradley Chubb.
It ended with Jackson throwing a right jab into Chubb’s jaw, and the result is a 2-game suspension. Good work.
Come on, Alaric.
At tight end, Sam LaPorta was the weekend’s clear winner. While Noah Fant, TJ Hockenson, and George Kittle all had quiet days by their standards, LaPorta produced 5 catches for 88 yards and an absurdly wide-open touchdown early in the game.
That score turned a 7-7 game into something much more lopsided, as Detroit rolled all the way out to a 45-14 lead before a late Arizona touchdown trimmed the final margin. Jack Campbell also got in on the action for the Lions, finishing with 11 tackles.
Fant and Hockenson matched each other almost perfectly in their head-to-head matchup, each posting 1 catch for 7 yards. The Vikings still walked away with the win, 23-13, and joined San Francisco and Kansas City as the league’s lone unbeaten teams. Kittle did a little more than the others, finishing San Francisco’s 32-29 win over the defending Super Bowl champions with 5 catches for 24 yards.
Elsewhere in the potpourri, Erick All made his mark in Cincinnati’s 31-24 win over Miami with 3 receptions for 25 yards. Tory Taylor had a busy afternoon in Chicago’s 31-7 loss to Green Bay, punting 4 times for a 53.0-yard average.
Kaleb Johnson logged 7 carries for 26 yards for the Packers, while Lukas Van Ness and Nick Niemann added two tackles apiece. Cooper DeJean piled up 10 tackles, and AJ Epenesa recorded 1 tackle and a pass defended, but the Eagles still dropped one of the dumbest games you’ll ever see in London, 19-17 to Jacksonville.
That wasn’t even the strangest ending of the week. The Giants and Commanders somehow topped it by playing to a 27-27 tie, complete with a colossal mistake from Jayden Daniels. Drew Stevens finished with two made field goals on two attempts and a missed PAT, and it should have been three makes and a game winner, but Daniels had other ideas.
In Other News...
Iowa Fans Have A New Name To Watch In The Forward Rotation
The forward rotation in Iowa City is getting a closer look this offseason, and Joey Matteoni is one of the names drawing attention. Assistant coach Bryston Williams pointed to Matteonis high basketball IQ and his ability to help on both ends of the floor, noting that he can contribute without disrupting what the offense is trying to do. After playing sparingly last season, Matteoni now finds himself in a much better spot to matter because the roster has shifted around him.
Bryston Williams also singled out the areas that could keep Matteoni on the court more often, especially his ball-screen coverage and the way he helps maintain offensive flow. For a team that is reworking its forward depth, those little things can carry real weight, and they are part of why Matteoni is being viewed as a player whose role could grow in the upcoming season. The opportunity is there now, and the next step is turning that praise into minutes. [Read more 🡒]
Trey Thompson Gives Iowa A Frontcourt Wild Card Worth Watching
Trey Thompson arrived on campus ahead of schedule after reclassifying to join Iowa a year early, and the Hawkeyes have spent this season treating him like a developmental piece with real long-term value. NCAA rules and limited practice time led to a redshirt for the 2025-26 season, but the early reviews from media day have been encouraging enough to keep him on the radar as more than just a future project.
What makes Thompson interesting is the flexibility he could eventually bring to Iowas frontcourt. He projects as a backup forward whose role can shift depending on what the Hawkeyes need, and his shooting touch plus defensive versatility give him a path to meaningful minutes if he continues to develop. For a team always looking for answers up front, he looks like the kind of wild card worth tracking closely. [Read more 🡒]
Ben McCollum Already Sees What Iowa Must Clean Up Fast
Ben McCollum set up a closed preseason scrimmage against Texas Tech precisely because he wanted Iowa to see some problems before the games count. The matchup gave the Hawkeyes a chance to work under tougher conditions, and McCollum came away focused on the areas that still need cleaning up, especially the turnovers and the offenses sluggish opening stretch.
McCollum did note the ball security improved in the second game, and he also likes what this roster brings compared with last season. Iowa has more depth and more shooting ability, and the scrimmage served as a useful look at different players and combinations while the staff experimented with spots on the floor. [Read more 🡒]