Monday Playbook: Quarterback changes could be coming in Week 6

• Is Michael Vick's job security in jeopardy?
• A new MVP candidate may be emerging in Minnesota
• 49ers look primed for NFC Championship Game rematch

Now that you've slept on the scores and digested the stats, here's an in-depth look at Week 5 of the NFL season, with observations and analysis by USA TODAY Sports' NFL team.

Take your time reading it while the NFL opens Concussiongate, investigates Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III's head injury and tries to figure what the Redskins knew and when they knew it ... and why they didn't tell anybody the guy wasn't returning to the game.

Ten things we learned in Week 5

1. This has been one seriously inspirational season. The New York Giants' Victor Cruz honored his grandmother a few days after her passing with a huge game in Week 2, and the Baltimore Ravens' Torrey Smith showed tremendous courage by playing only hours after his brother's death and catching two TD passes in a win over the New England Patriots in Week 3. This week, the San Francisco 49ers' Kyle Williams dropped to his knees after a touchdown and blew kisses toward the sky to honor of his late grandmother, who died from breast cancer. And then, of course, there was the Indianapolis Colts' win, inspired by head coach Chuck Pagano's battle with leukemia. There's been a lot of angst in the NFL the past year-plus, thanks to Bountygate and lockouts of the players and officials. But there have been plenty of touching moments as well. And with 12 weeks and the playoffs to go, there might be more.

2. Offenses aren't perfect after all. And they left a lot of points on the field this week. In fact, there were 15 turnovers (eight fumbles, seven interceptions) at or inside the opponents' 30-yard line, with two more turnovers at the 35-yard line in the Denver Broncos' loss to the New England Patriots. After a record-breaking first four weeks in which teams combined to score an average of 47.4 points per game, the average dipped to 40.4 points. It's not that teams couldn't move the ball; it's that they just couldn't hold onto it long enough.

3. Speaking of guys who couldn't hang on, Michael Vick isn't holding on to the football or, maybe, his job. The Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback had three fumbles Sunday, giving him 29 in 30 starts over the past three seasons. Vick has 84 fumbles on his career, tying him with Fran Tarkenton, Len Dawson and Terry Bradshaw for 24th all-time. If not for his arrest on dogfighting charges and a prison stint, he'd surely be in the top 10. Coach Andy Reid claims he misspoke two weeks ago when he said he'd evaluate his starting quarterback; he later said he had full faith in Vick. We're going to find out.

4. The New Orleans Saints are alive ... for now. A lot of emotion went into Week 4's loss to the Green Bay Packers and, given Drew Brees' record-setting night plus the presence of Sean Payton, Mickey Loomis and Joe Vitt at the Superdome, even more was poured into Sunday's victory over the San Diego Chargers. That appeared to be a season-saving win, for sure, but the Saints are on the road the next two weeks against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Broncos, then host the Eagles and Atlanta Falcons. Let's see how much emotion they have in reserve.

5. Victor Cruz and Jay-Z might have some kind of deal cooking. Cruz, who has been spotted at a few Jay-Z concerts recently, has been doing the hip-hop star's "Illuminati" hand signal after his signature salsa following touchdowns the past two weeks. Cruz did it three times Sunday after all of his touchdowns in New York's 41-27 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Told he's added a little something to his post-touchdown routine, Cruz replied, "A little bit, a little bit. I'd rather keep that under wraps. I don't want to let the cat out of the bag just yet." Asked if he'll provide any clarity soon, Cruz said, "We'll see in the upcoming weeks what happens." Cruz has 37 receptions and five touchdowns through five games, so if there are still folks out there who say this off-field promotional stuff will affect him between the lines, they should pipe down.

6. Troy Polamalu might be breaking down before our eyes. The Pittsburgh Steelers safety rarely has been healthy the past few years, whether it be his Achilles' tendon, knee or calf. It's the calf this year, and Polamalu didn't even make it through a quarter of Sunday's victory over the Eagles. Polamalu has played fast and physical over his career, and it's time to wonder if his 31-year-old body can take it as well as it used to.

7. The San Francisco 49ers are looking ready to exact some revenge. We'd say outscoring two opponents 79-3 is a good way to get warmed up for their NFC Championship Game rematch with the Giants this Sunday. The Niners tried to beat the heck out of Eli Manning in January but couldn't get him to cry, "Uncle." The way they're playing defense right now — even more physically and quickly than last season it seems — combined with their anger over losing a game they felt they gave away should make this one fun to watch. And brutal to play.

8. Tony Gonzalez should not retire. OK, maybe we're being selfish here, as it's not our body on the line every week. But the Atlanta Falcons tight end had 13 receptions against the Redskins, the second-most he's had in a game in his 16-year career and looked as good as ever working against Lorenzo Alexander on his 1-yard touchdown catch. Alexander was holding Gonzalez. Didn't matter. You can't defend him — even at this point in Gonzalez's 16-year career.

9. The Seattle Seahawks defense isn't getting enough respect. They've held opponents to 20, 7, 12, 19, and 12 points in their five games. Yeah, they haven't played the greatest of offenses, but that was Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers they kept in check a few weeks ago. That storyline got buried by the final-play fiasco and a botched ruling of the simultaneous interception, uh, touchdown that gave Seattle a disputed victory. Sunday, Pete Carroll's bunch flustered Cam Newton (12-for-29 for 141 yards) and held Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams to a combined 22 yards on 10 carries.

10. The Baltimore Ravens can win any kind of game. A Week 1 blowout of the Cincinnati Bengals? Check. A last-second victory over the New England Patriots two weeks later? Done. A nice, easy win over the Cleveland Browns last week? You got it. And ... whatever that was Sunday in Kansas City — a low-scoring, defensive game that resulted in a 9-6 Ravens win. Style points are overrated in the NFL. Picking up wins, and doing it in many ways, is the key.

Taking stock

Here's a glimpse at the NFL market and whether we're getting in or getting out:

BUY: The Bengals' A.J. Green paving the way to Canton. It's early, yes, but he's the first player in NFL history with at least 100 receptions, 1,500 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first 20 career games.

SELL: Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert's dreadful 5.5 yards per pass attempt.

BUY: The Percy Harvin-for-MVP chatter.

SELL: The penalty calls on the Chargers' final drive Sunday night — a questionable pass interference, a shaky holding call and then a hands-to-the face penalty that bailed the Bolts out of second-and-37. Put the flags away on all non-blatant penalties in that spot.

BUY: The new wave of pass rushers. The St. Louis Rams' Robert Quinn, the Bengals' Michael Johnson and Geno Atkins and the Chiefs' Justin Houston haven't been mentioned in the first breath of the game's great sackers. But they should be.

SELL: Billy Cundiff's house. The Redskins' kicker has made just three of his last seven field-goal tries. We'll be stunned if he gets to line up an eighth.

BUY: The Chicago Bears' defense. Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs are the first set of teammates in NFL history to each return an interception for a touchdown in consecutive games.

SELL: Any and all talk of panic or worry in Green Bay. Breathe, Packers fans — even through the holes in your Cheeseheads, if you must.

BUY: Harrison Smith's remorse. The Minnesota Vikings rookie, who was ejected from the victory over the Tennessee Titans, said he didn't realize he'd bumped a ref until after he made contact.

SELL: Your tickets to Monday night's game, New York Jets fans. Our prediction: Gang Green keeps it close for a quarter or a half only.

Week 5 awards

Comeback player of the week: Giants tailback Ahmad Bradshaw came roaring back from his fumble on the first play from scrimmage for a career-high 200 yards and a touchdown in sparking a 41-27 romp by the Giants over the Cleveland Browns.

Surprise performance: With coach Chuck Pagano in an Indianapolis hospital undergoing chemotherapy for a treatable form of leukemia, and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians taking over as interim head coach, rookie quarterback Andrew Luck rallied his team from a 21-3 halftime deficit. Luck led an inspired, coming-of-age win in Pagano's honor, passing for 362 yards and two touchdowns while running for another.

Biggest disappointment: Weren't the Buffalo Bills supposed to be the league's most improved defense coming off their expensive offseason makeover? So much for that. Mario Williams and Co. have been missing in action after allowing a combined 1,201 yards in back-to-back blowouts issued by the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers, who thrashed the Bills 45-3 Sunday.

Under the radar: Overshadowed in a game remembered for the concussion suffered by fellow Washington Redskins rookie Robert Griffin III, Redskins rookie running back Albert Morris gained 115 yards on 18 carries against the Atlanta Falcons. Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall, back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, quietly rushed for 81 yards and a touchdown in a 16-14 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. For all the attention being paid Jay Cutler and his numerous meltdowns, the Bears defense has sparked a three-game win streak with five interceptions returned for touchdowns during that span.

Under the microscope: The Packers offensive line allowed five second-half sacks of Aaron Rodgers in Sunday's loss to the Colts. Rodgers has been sacked 15 times through five games. The Eagles covered for Vick's turnover woes by winning three of their first four games. But he is no longer shaking off rust from playing just 12 preseason snaps. Vick has a serious turnover problem with 11 through five games. Since 2010, the Eagles are 4-6 when Vick has given the rock away twice or more. The Ravens downed the Chiefs on Sunday, but their once-vaunted defense surrendered 214 rushing yards.

I'd be concerned if I were ...

-- Ron Rivera and the 1-4 Panthers. Newton is in the throes of a full-blown sophomore slump, throwing for a career-low 141 yards in a 16-12 loss Sunday to Seattle.

-- Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey. He has the league's lowest scoring offense, which means he could be one-and-done in Jacksonville.

-- Tennessee Titans coach Mike Munchak. His team has allowed a league-high 181 points and dropped to 1-4 following Sunday's 30-7 throttling by the Vikings.

I'd feel pretty good if I were ...

-- 49ers quarterback Alex Smith. Coming off a season-high, 303-yard, three-touchdown torching of the Bills, he appears ready to face the Giants with two of their former weapons, Mario Manningham and Brandon Jacobs, now suiting up for the Niners.

-- The New England Patriots. They don't have to rush tight end Aaron Hernandez back from his high ankle sprain, considering how well Stevan Ridley keeps toting the rock. Ridley followed up his 106-yard, two-touchdown performance against Buffalo with a 151-yard, one-score effort in Sunday's win against Denver.

-- Eagles rookie quarterback Nick Foles. Reid is coaching for his future, and with Vick giving the ball away at an alarming rate, Reid might have no choice but to turn to his rookie to see if he's the franchise's long-term answer.

Don't be surprised if ...

--The Matt Cassel era is finished in Kansas City. Despite right tackle Eric Winston's laudable defense of his quarterback (calling Chiefs fans "sickening" for cheering when Cassel was knocked out with a fourth-quarter concussion), coach Romeo Crennel might be forced to stick with Brady Quinn.

-- Reid seriously considers benching Vick for Sunday's start against the Detroit Lions after hinting at it a couple of weeks ago. Reid temporarily benched Donovan McNabb a few years ago for Kevin Kolb, so there is precedent.

-- The Falcons earn home-field advantage. They are the class of NFC and, despite not playing their best in back-to-back weeks, they managed to stay unbeaten with Sunday's 24-17 comeback win against the Redskins. "We didn't play the way we wanted to, but we persevered,'' veteran defensive end John Abraham said.

-- Beleagured Billy Cundiff gets the boot. With the season-ending losses of key defensive cogs Brian Orakpo and Adam Carriker, Mike Shanahan's Redskins have a thin margin for error and likely need more reliability from their kicker.

Eagles look familiar to Steelers

Whoever asked Pittsburgh guard Willie Colon for a sound byte got a mouthful Sunday afternoon after the Steelers topped the Eagles. He spoke of "ownership" and "brotherhood," and he also made an interesting comparison when asked about the Pittsburgh offense picking up the defense after the D's late collapse and Philadelphia's go-ahead, fourth-quarter touchdown.

The Steelers marched down the field to score on the game's final possession.

"I remember a couple of years ago, we were like them," Colon said, referring to the current Eagles. "We couldn't score points. We couldn't help that defense out and they were No. 1 in the league."

The Eagles have infamously struggled on offense this season, averaging 16 points per game, compared to the league average of 23. But stellar defense has helped them to a 3-2 record.

The Steelers of "a couple of years ago" to which Colon refers cannot be the 2010 bunch, which went 12-4 and lost Super Bowl XLV. He must be talking about 2009, when Pittsburgh lost five in a row by a touchdown or less and just missed the playoffs at 9-7. That sort of result could be in Philadelphia's future if Vick and the offense fail to right the ship and eliminate turnovers.

Then again, they've won three of these one-score games already. One big difference between the '09 Steelers and the '12 Eagles: Ben Roethlisberger already had earned substantial job security with two previous Super Bowl victories by '09. Vick doesn't have those credentials.

Learning the hard way

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan is conducting rookie quarterback school, and both of his pupils absorbed some tough, eye-opening lessons during Sunday's loss.

Robert Griffin III was knocked down and out, suffering a concussion on a third-quarter goal-line scramble. He tried to get down before getting blasted by linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. Griffin's head ricocheted off defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux.

The play from the Atlanta 3-yard line was designed as a shotgun pass. But Griffin scrambled and his feet seemed to catch in the soggy FedEx Field turf as he attempted to slide, leaving him vulnerable to the hard shot.

"We had a pass play designed, and he tried to extend the play,'' Shanahan said. "I'm not sure exactly what happened at the end. He usually does a great job extending and making a play. We talked about protecting yourself, handing the ball off. Every game he goes in, he's going to learn.

"That's why it takes you two, three years to really feel comfortable with defenses played in the NFL to slow the game down a little bit. Robert's going to keep on learning, but we have something very special.''

Meanwhile, Kirk Cousins — a fourth-round selection from Michigan State — fired a 77-yard strike to slot receiver Santana Moss when safety William Moore got caught flat-footed on a run fake. Things went south in a hurry, however, as the Falcons defense adjusted to the pocket-bound Cousins, sacking him once and intercepting him twice on his final three series.

"It's difficult, but you don't sign up to play this game not expecting it to be difficult,'' said Cousins, who completed five of nine throws for 111 yards with a 97.2 passer rating.

"Bottom line is, I didn't get it done the way I wanted to. I have to learn from it and get better. I am going to pick up things that are invaluable going forward.''

He may need to pick them up quickly since he could be making his first NFL start Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings if Griffin's concussion lingers.

"We'll sit back and make those decisions at a later time,'' Shanahan said.

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Contributing: Jim Corbett, Mike Garafolo and Robert Klemko, USA TODAY Sports