The fifth week of the NFL season brings the first bye week to the schedule. This week could allow franchises time to assess, reset, and plan for the weekly grind of the game. Teams search for ways to either improve or keep the momentum going despite the seven-day reprieve from gameplay.
Now, with that said, which teams will not play this week?
In Week 5 of the NFL, 28 of the league’s 32 teams will line up for 14 games of action. Meanwhile, four teams can take a break and recalibrate if needed.
Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta enters the bye with a 2-2 record after Sunday’s win against the Washington Commanders. Bijan Robinson ranks fifth in the NFL with 314 rushing yards. Robinson keys the ground game with backup Tyler Allgeier, who pitched in 155 yards and two touchdowns.
According to PFSN’s Offense Impact metric, the Falcons’ offense ranks fifth in total plays (264). The team is moving the ball, keeping drives alive, and fatiguing defenses. Meanwhile, the defense ranks second in passing yards allowed. Moreover, the Falcons have not allowed any opponent to accumulate 300 yards of total offense.
Chicago Bears
After a blocked field goal cemented a 25-24 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago walks into the bye week riding a two-game win streak, bringing them to a 2-2 record.
Despite not ranking in the top ten in receiving yards with 296 yards, wideout Rome Odunze makes the most of his touches. Odunze’s five receiving touchdowns sit just one behind Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown for the NFL lead.
Green Bay Packers
After a disappointing tie against the Dallas Cowboys, the Packers enter the break 2-1-1. The offense and defense flashed dominance early but struggled in recent weeks. For instance, against the Cleveland Browns, the offense tallied just 230 yards of total offense.
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Similarly, Sunday night saw the defense surrender 40 points and 436 yards of offense to Dallas. If the two units can excel at the same time, like in the first two games, Green Bay could contend.
Pittsburgh Steelers
From a statistical viewpoint, the Steelers’ defense does not look formidable, except for one aspect. The team forced ten turnovers in four games. That offsets allowing an average of 382 yards each week.
The defense allows 24.5 points per game, yet thanks to the opportunistic defense and methodical offense, Pittsburgh sits atop the AFC North with a record of 3-1. Likely in his final year in the NFL, quarterback Aaron Rodgers paces the offense, completing 68.5% of his passes.
How Early Byes Can Help and Hurt Teams
For the Bears and Falcons, the bye could present a chance to work on the troublesome areas of their teams that could prevent them from becoming more than a .500 team.
For instance, Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix has thrown as many touchdown passes (3) as he has interceptions. It doesn’t seem like pressure, as opponents only sack him 3.6% of the time. Meanwhile, the Chicago defense allows 29.3 points to opponents every week.
Pittsburgh is currently executing well, playing strong on both sides of the ball, and achieving a mid-season balance several weeks in advance. A week off could stymie the momentum. On the other hand, a team like Green Bay has to sit with the notion of a tie for an extra week.
The NFL bye weeks continue until Week 14. After that, the last four weeks of the season see all 32 teams in action. How will teams emerge from the bye, and how will they be different?