NFL Week 5's Most Frustrating Losses: Cardinals, Eagles, and Rams Collapses Analyzed

The fifth week of the NFL season provided some of the most perplexing and frustrating losses of the 2025 campaign, featuring teams that appeared to have victory secured only to watch it slip away through a combination of bizarre plays, critical errors, and questionable decision-making. From the Arizona Cardinals' unimaginable collapse against the previously winless Titans to the Philadelphia Eagles' first defeat of the season against the Broncos, and the Los Angeles Rams' overtime heartbreak against an injury-depleted 49ers squad, Week 5 demonstrated how quickly momentum can shift in professional football.

Arizona Cardinals' Unbelievable Collapse

The Cardinals' 22-21 loss to the Tennessee Titans stands as perhaps the most baffling defeat of the entire NFL season to date. Arizona appeared to have complete control of the game, leading 21-6 in the fourth quarter against a Titans team that had shown little offensive capability through the first four weeks. According to ESPN analysis, the Titans had the lowest average win probability of any winning team since 2016 at just 12.1%, making this collapse particularly stunning.

The Demercado Fumble

The turning point came when running back Emari Demercado broke free for what appeared to be a 72-yard touchdown that would have extended Arizona's lead to 27-6 with just under 13 minutes remaining. In one of the strangest plays of the season, Demercado relaxed just before crossing the goal line and dropped the ball, allowing it to bounce through the end zone for a touchback. This catastrophic error came just one week after Colts receiver Adonai Mitchell made a similar mistake, making Demercado's fumble even more inexplicable given that coaches around the league had undoubtedly emphasized ball security in such situations.

The Taylor-Demerson Disaster

Later in the fourth quarter, with the Cardinals still leading 21-12, safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson intercepted a tipped pass that should have essentially sealed the victory. Instead, Taylor-Demerson fumbled while going to the ground, and after the ball was kicked forward by Kei'Trel Clark, it somehow found its way into the end zone where Tyler Lockett recovered for a Titans touchdown. This sequence of events, described by analysts as something that would seem outlandish even in a football movie, transformed a potential game-sealing interception into a touchdown for Tennessee.

Philadelphia Eagles' First Defeat

The previously undefeated Eagles suffered their first loss of the season in a 21-17 defeat to the Denver Broncos, continuing a pattern of struggling to put opponents away that had been evident throughout their 4-0 start. Philadelphia had built a 17-3 lead and appeared poised to demonstrate they were different from the 2023 team that rode early luck before collapsing later in the season.

Questionable Calls and Offensive Struggles

The Eagles' collapse was marked by a series of controversial officiating decisions that seemed to go against them at critical moments. These included a picked-up intentional grounding call on Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, an unnecessary roughness penalty on Zack Baun that extended Denver's final drive, and a non-call on potential pass interference during the Eagles' final offensive play. However, beyond the officiating controversies, the Eagles' offensive identity issues proved more concerning. The team essentially abandoned the running game in the second half, calling just two designed runs despite holding the lead for much of the final two quarters.

Los Angeles Rams' Overtime Heartbreak

The Rams began Week 5 with a 26-23 overtime loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night, a game they largely dominated statistically but couldn't convert into a victory. Los Angeles averaged 8.2 yards per play after their first two drives and quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns without taking a sack, yet still found a way to lose to an injury-riddled 49ers team.

Critical Decision Points

Coach Sean McVay's conservative approach on fourth down proved costly, particularly when he elected to punt on fourth-and-1 from his own 39-yard line with the game tied late in the fourth quarter. The decision cost the Rams significant win probability according to analytical models. Later, with the game on the line in overtime, McVay chose to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the 11-yard line rather than kick a tying field goal, and running back Kyren Williams was stopped short. The Rams also continued to struggle with special teams, having four kicks blocked through five games, an unusually high rate that has contributed to their early-season frustrations.

Common Themes in Week 5 Collapses

These three losses shared several common characteristics that turned potential victories into frustrating defeats. Critical turnovers at inopportune moments, questionable coaching decisions in high-leverage situations, and inability to maintain offensive consistency throughout four quarters plagued all three teams. The Cardinals, Eagles, and Rams all demonstrated that even when a team appears to control a game statistically, a few key plays can completely alter the outcome.

The Week 5 results serve as a reminder that in the NFL, no lead is truly safe and even the most dominant performances can be undone by a combination of self-inflicted errors and unexpected turns of fortune. For the Cardinals, Eagles, and Rams, these losses represent missed opportunities that could have significant implications as the season progresses and playoff positioning becomes increasingly important.