NFL Week 5 Winners and Losers: Breakthrough Performances and Crushing Defeats
October 8, 2025 Week 5 of the NFL season delivered dramatic swings in fortune, with unexpected heroes emerging and established teams suffering devastating setbacks. With only 17 games per season, each week's performances dramatically alter perceptions of teams and players. Here are the biggest winners and losers from Week 5's action. Winners Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers The preseason narrative positioned Chuba Hubbard as a fantasy sleeper with minimal backfield competition. That narrative is dead after Rico Dowdle's explosive 206-yard, one-touchdown performance on 23 carries in Carolina's 27-24 victory over Miami. The Dolphins entered allowing the fourth-most yards per carry in the league, and the Panthers exploited that weakness mercilessly. Dowdle's performance ranks among the most unlikely 200-yard rushing games in recent memory. Context matters here - Carolina was essentially playing for their season. Coming off a brutal 42-13 loss to New England, ano...