The NFL's Biggest Early-Season Surprises
Every year in the NFL, we should anticipate the rise of breakout teams and players.
Last year, the Cleveland Browns started 4-1 and put an end to their 18-year playoff drought. Meanwhile, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen made significant strides in his development, finishing second in MVP voting as a first-time Pro Bowler. He's now widely considered a top-10 player at his position.
Who's on the pathway to a standout 2021 campaign? Which teams have exceeded early expectations?
Though we're still in the early stages of the season, let's take a look at some of the most surprising developments from division leaders to impressive player performances through Week 5.
Cordarrelle Patterson's Resurgence with the Atlanta Falcons
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When he was the Tennessee Titans' offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith elevated quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who won the 2019 Comeback Player of the Year award. Now that he's the head coach and lead play-caller for the Atlanta Falcons, he's maximized Cordarrelle Patterson's versatile skill set.
On pace to shatter his single-season rushing- and receiving-yard totals, Patterson leads the Falcons in yards (468) and touchdowns (five) from scrimmage. He's averaging 4.2 yards per carry and 11.8 yards per catch, the latter of which is tied for a career high.
The Falcons traded star wideout Julio Jones to the Titans in June, so they needed someone to fill a void in their aerial attack. While many expected 2021 No. 4 overall pick Kyle Pitts to serve as the primary complement to Calvin Ridley, Patterson has become a key contributor in Smith's offense.
Though Patterson has four All-Pro seasons as a special teamer, the 2013 first-rounder didn't reach his full potential as an offensive playmaker with his previous four teams. Now, he's arguably the Falcons' most dynamic skill-position player on all three downs.
The Undefeated Arizona Cardinals Lead the NFC West
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The 5-0 Arizona Cardinals lead the NFC West and are the only undefeated team in the league.
Quarterback Kyler Murray has garnered early MVP buzz and seems to be taking a significant third-year leap. He's thrown for 1,512 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions with a league-leading 75.2 percent completion rate.
Murray has a high-quality supporting cast. Wideouts DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green, Christian Kirk and rookie second-rounder Rondale Moore all have at least 260 receiving yards through five outings, and running backs Chase Edmonds and James Conner have made up a strong 1-2 backfield punch.
The Cardinals offensive line has likewise played well so far. Murray told reporters that three-time Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson "makes a ton of difference" for the offense.
Arizona also fields the sixth-ranked scoring defense led by edge-rusher Chandler Jones, who has five sacks. In the secondary, third-year cornerback Byron Murphy has made a strong impact in the slot and on the boundary, leading the club in pass breakups (six) and interceptions (three).
With a strong group on both sides of the ball, the Cardinals look like the front-runners to win the competitive NFC West.
Cincinnati Bengals Competitive in AFC North with Middling Offense
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The Cincinnati Bengals sit in second in the AFC North thanks to their convincing 24-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3. However, that isn't the most impressive aspect of their 3-2 start.
The Bengals ranked 25th and 22nd in points allowed in 2019 and 2020, respectively. This year, they boast the NFL's seventh-ranked scoring defense.
Cincinnati is being led by edge-rusher Trey Hendrickson and defensive tackle B.J. Hill, who have recorded a combined 7.5 sacks and six tackles for loss. The Bengals are allowing the 10th-fewest rushing yards per game leaguewide (101.4), which has helped make up for their middling offense.
Even though the Bengals boast a pair of recent top-five picks in quarterback Joe Burrow and wideout Ja'Marr Chase, they rank only 18th in scoring and have yet to score more than 27 points in a game this year. Burrow has led two game-winning drives this year that wouldn't be possible without his defense keeping them in the game.
If not for a missed field goal late in the fourth quarter of their Week 5 loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Bengals would've started 4-1. While moral victories don't count in the win column, they're making strides toward becoming a legitimate playoff contender.
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Teddy Bridgewater Slinging the Ball Downfield
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Denver Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has been far more aggressive throwing downfield this season than he was in years past.
Going into Week 6, he is tied for eighth among quarterbacks in intended air yards per pass attempt (9.2), according to Next Gen Stats. The 28-year-old has the highest quarterback rating (106.1) of his career and is on pace to top his previous bests in both passing yards and touchdowns.
Bridgewater was previously known as a conservative game manager, but he's now playing more like a quarterback who can lead his team to wins. He's also maintained his efficiency, completing 69.8 percent of his passes with only one interception.
Paired with a top-three defense, Bridgewater is providing Denver with some balance on the other side of the ball. Once wideout Jerry Jeudy returns from a high ankle sprain, the Broncos may be able to rattle off some impressive victories with an offense that can move the ball with chunk gains through the air.
Trevon Diggs Quickly Turning into a Star Cornerback
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As a rookie last season, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs logged three interceptions and 14 pass breakups through 12 games.
This season, he looks like an All-Pro. He leads the league in both interceptions (six) and pass breakups (10).
Because of his ball production, the Dallas Cowboys' 31st-ranked pass defense tends to bend but not break. He's essentially an eraser in the secondary.
According to Next Gen Stats (h/t ESPN's Mike Clay), Diggs shadowed Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout Mike Evans for most of their Week 1 matchup. The three-time Pro Bowl receiver finished with only two catches for 15 yards on five targets in that one-on-one battle.
With at least one interception in every game so far this season, Diggs' ball-hawking tendencies will eventually force quarterbacks to think twice before they look in his direction. He appears well on his way to becoming one of the league's premier cornerbacks.
Los Angeles Chargers Lead the AFC West
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The Los Angeles Chargers look a lot like the 2020 Cleveland Browns, who started off 4-1.
Los Angeles (4-1) currently sits atop the AFC West with two wins against division opponents in the Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) and Las Vegas Raiders (3-2). Head coach Brandon Staley has been aggressive—the Chargers have converted seven of their eight fourth-down attempts—which has helped change their late-game fortunes.
In recent years, Los Angeles struggled to close out one-possession contests. Through five weeks this season, quarterback Justin Herbert has engineered an NFL-high three game-winning drives.
Herbert is continuing his ascension to stardom after he set multiple records while winning 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year. The young signal-caller has elevated the Chargers in crucial situations as a trustworthy decision-maker at the most important position.
With a fearless head coach and a rising star at quarterback, Los Angeles poses a legitimate threat to Kansas City for the AFC West crown.
Elijah Mitchell Leads the San Francisco 49ers in Rushing
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The San Francisco 49ers went into the 2021 campaign with Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr., two veteran running backs who have multiple years of experience under head coach Kyle Shanahan. They also selected Trey Sermon in the third round of this year's draft.
None of them lead the team in rushing attempts or yards.
During the offseason, Wilson landed on the physically unable to perform list because of surgery on his torn meniscus. Mostert suffered a season-ending knee injury in the season opener. The 49ers listed Sermon as a healthy scratch in Week 1, which allowed rookie sixth-rounder Elijah Mitchell to handle a majority of the carries.
In his pro debut, Mitchell logged 19 rushing attempts for 104 yards and a touchdown. He became the first 49ers running back to eclipse the century mark on the ground in his first game.
Mitchell sat out Weeks 3 and 4 because of a shoulder injury but returned to the lineup Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. He led all 49ers running backs in carries (nine), while Sermon recorded only one rushing attempt for seven yards.
Because of head coach Kyle Shanahan's tendency to lean on the ground game and Mostert's injury history, Sermon became a dark-horse candidate to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. But Mitchell, a late-rounder, has surpassed him on the depth chart.
The Louisiana product could finish as the team's leading rusher if he holds on to the featured role.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
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