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DETROIT -- A few thoughts on Monday night's Black and Blue matchup at Ford Field, where the Detroit Lions beat the Chicago Bears 24-13:

What it means: The Lions improved to 5-0 for the first time since 1956 and kept pace with the 5-0 Green Bay Packers in the NFC North. In the process, the Lions buried the Bears, who are 2-3 and find themselves three games behind two of their three division competitors. The Bears' season isn't over, but they have a steep hill to climb.

Return to MNF: Detroit fans getting their first taste of "Monday Night Football" in 10 years had a big effect in this game. Pregame introductions by Michael Buffer and a guitar-solo national anthem had a Ford Field-record crowd of 67,861 in a frenzy at kickoff. The Bears' lack of discipline played a role, but in the end the Bears unofficially committed a stunning nine false start penalties, including six in the first half. Overall, the Bears committed 14 penalties.

Big plays: The Lions' offense moved in fits and starts against the Bears' Cover 2 defense, but it got two long and record-breaking plays from its two most explosive players to account for the bulk of its scoring. Receiver Calvin Johnson's 73-yard touchdown reception gave him nine in the first five games of the season, an NFL record. And tailback Jahvid Best's 88-yard run for a score was the second longest in Lions history. Best's 43-yard run in the fourth quarter, meanwhile, put the Lions in position to seal the game while clinging to an 8-point lead. He finished with 163 yards on 12 carries.

CutlerWatch: I actually felt a pang of sympathy for Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, who was under duress even as offensive coordinator Mike Martz called a steady diet of running plays. Tailback Matt Forte carried 22 times for 116 yards, but Cutler still found himself pulling away from Lions defenders, twisting out of the pocket and, on two occasions, shoveling the ball left-handed to a receiver. Midway through the four quarter, the Bears benched right tackle Frank Omiyale for the second consecutive game for his poor pass protection. I thought Cutler played a really nice game considering what he was dealing with. He was sacked three times but completed 28 of 38 passes for 249 yards and a 99.6 passer rating.

LovieWatch: It didn't figure in the outcome of the game, but I don't think Bears coach Lovie Smith had his finest moment late in the first quarter. He turned down a near-automatic field goal of 44 yards by place-kicker Robbie Gould and went for a first down on fourth-and-1 at the Lions' 26-yard line. Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh crushed Omiyale to stop Forte for no gain, and Smith compounded the failure by challenging the spot. Replays clearly showed Suh bringing Forte down before the 25-yard line.

HansonWatch: Here is a fact interesting to me and perhaps you as well: Lions place-kicker Jason Hanson became the first NFL player to appear in 300 games for the same team Monday night. Hanson, 41, has been with the team for 20 seasons.

What's next: The Lions will host the 4-1 San Francisco 49ers on Sunday at Ford Field. Before the season began, did you think Lions-49ers would be one of the biggest games of Week 6? Meanwhile, the Bears will host the Minnesota Vikings in a second consecutive prime-time game, this time Sunday at Soldier Field.

ATLANTA -- Thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons' 25-14 loss against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night at the Georgia Dome.

What it means: There’s nothing to be ashamed of when you lose a close game to the defending Super Bowl champions. But it’s a completely different story when you lose at home after jumping out to a 14-0 lead in your own building and then get steamrolled. The Falcons had a chance to right their season. Instead, they’re 2-3 and in third place in the NFC South. With New Orleans leading the division at 4-1, the Falcons haven’t left themselves with much margin for error the rest of the way.

What I liked: The Falcons scored touchdowns on their first two possessions. They put together an impressive drive to start the game. They followed that up by getting a fumble recovery from Vance Walker (forced by cornerback Brent Grimes) and punched that in for a touchdown. Fast starts, lengthy drives, consistency and forcing turnovers were not a strong point for Atlanta in the first four games.

What I didn’t like: The offense didn’t do much of anything after that. That put a damper on what had been a very strong defensive performance most of the night.

Stat of the night: Despite the absence of defensive end John Abraham (hip injury) the Atlanta defense snapped its streak of three straight games without recording a sack. Ray Edwards, Atlanta’s top free-agent pickup, even got into the act and recorded his first sack of the season in the fourth quarter.

Injuries to note: Nickel back Chris Owens suffered what the team described as a head injury in the first half after making a jolting tackle on a Green Bay punt return. Owens did not return to the game. Kelvin Hayden took his place. Safety William Moore injured his shoulder in the first half and did not return. Veteran James Sanders took his place.

What’s next: The Falcons host the Carolina Panthers next Sunday at the Georgia Dome.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New York Jets lost their third straight game, falling to the New England Patriots 30-21 at Gillette Stadium.

What this means: Rex Ryan's crisis-management skills will be tested. The Jets (2-3) dropped below .500 for the first time since starting 0-1 last season, and there are signs of dissension in the locker room. Next week is a must-win, or else their Super Bowl hopes (and predictions) will be ruined.

Schotty plan: As promised, the Jets got back to Ground & Pound, with Shonn Greene rushing for a season-high 83 yards. But to prove a point, they may have cost themselves a chance to attack the Patriots' woeful pass defense. QB Mark Sanchez passed for only 166 yards, rarely looking for his wide receivers on the outside. He found Santonio Holmes for a 21-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, but it was too late. The offense was inconsistent, with seven three-and-out possessions against the NFL's 32nd-ranked defense. Inexcusable.

Turmoil on offense: The Jets issued a pregame statement, denying a New York Daily News story saying that receivers Holmes, Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason met individually with Ryan in recent weeks to question coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. True or not, there are serious internal issues on offense. Holmes and Mason have complained publicly in recent weeks, and Mason’s comments earned him a seat on the bench, a source said.

Mason was active, but he was replaced by rookie Jeremy Kerley in three-receiver packages. Mason, who ended up playing a handful of snaps, is in Ryan's doghouse, and it wouldn't be a shock if they cut him this week to send a message. They'd have to eat Mason’s 2011 contract, a total of $1.4 million.

Welcome to Revis Island: The big question going into the game was, will Darrelle Revis cover Wes Welker? The answer: Yes. Revis covered him on most of the snaps. Welker had only one catch for 3 yards against Revis, who shut down the Patriots' No. 1 weapon.

On the first play of the third quarter, the Jets got burned by Welker on a 73-yard pass, but that was on safety Eric Smith. He bit on a play fake and let Welker run by him on a seam route. Revis chased him down, but the Patriots -- after winning a critical replay challenge on what appeared to be a fumble by Deion Branch -- went in for the touchdown to make it 17-7.

That's what makes Tom Brady so great; he recognized the Jets' zone coverage and knew immediately he'd have Welker on Smith.

Defense wilts: All things considered, the Jets played good defense, sacking Brady four times and creating some confusion. But they gave Brady too many opportunities -- that goes back to the offensive struggles -- and they eventually succumbed in the third quarter. The Jets wound up allowing their second 100-yard rusher in three games, as BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran for 136 yards.

Joe, again: One week after his 107-yard kickoff return, Joe McKnight -- emerging as one of the team's MVPs -- ripped off an 88-yard return to set up the Jets' second touchdown. It’s scary to think that if Antonio Cromartie hadn't hurt his ribs two weeks ago, McKnight might not have received a chance to shine.

What's next: After three straight road games, the Jets return home for a Monday night game against the Miami Dolphins (0-4), who are coming off their bye. They usually cause problems for the Jets, who have dropped four of their past five to the Dolphins.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Rapid reaction from the New England Patriots’ 30-21 win over the New York Jets:

What it means: This was a game played at the Jets’ slow-it-down, ground-and-pound pace, and the Patriots proved they can win that way, too. The Tom Brady-led offense maintained balance between the run (35 plays) and pass (33 plays) as the Patriots improved to 4-1 (2-1 in AFC East). The Jets dropped to 2-3.

Patriots, Green-Ellis excel at type of game they couldn’t pull off in playoffs: One of the big questions surrounding the Patriots has been whether the team could grind it out with a hard-charging rushing attack, which was something they didn’t do in last season’s playoff loss to the Jets even though there was opportunity to do so. That’s what they did in this game, led by running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who was terrific in registering the fourth 100-yard game of his career (first of the season). Green-Ellis finished with 136 yards on 27 carries and two touchdowns.

Turning points: One key turning point came at both ends of halftime. After Brady was intercepted at the end of the second quarter in the end zone (keeping the score 14-10), the mentally tough Jets had momentum heading into the locker room. But on the first play of the third quarter, Brady found Wes Welker up the seam for 73 yards. The Patriots went on to score a touchdown on the drive. The Jets responded with a touchdown of their own on the next drive, but the Patriots’ defense rose up with back-to-back three-and-outs, and New England went up 24-14 late in the third quarter on a Green-Ellis 3-yard run. That turn of events in the third was big.

Revis vs. Welker: The matchup between Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis and Welker, billed as a top storyline, was charted throughout the game by Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com (link here). Welker’s 73-yard catch at the start of the third quarter, in which Revis initially lined up over him, looked like a breakdown by the Jets' secondary. It was a big play in the game, as it came after the Jets had seized some momentum with an interception at the end of the first half.

Two big challenges by Belichick: Patriots coach Bill Belichick was successful on two key challenges in the game. The first came at the start of the third quarter when receiver Deion Branch was ruled to have lost a fumble at the Jets’ 7-yard line. The play was overturned. Later in the quarter, a Plaxico Burress catch on third-and-10 -- which gained 22 yards along the sideline -- was challenged. Referee Jerome Boger ruled that Burress had a foot out of bounds. The Patriots scored a field goal on the next possession to go up 27-14.

Patriots defense: The much-maligned unit came up big when it counted. It helped that the Jets’ offense seems to be struggling to find its identity.

Patriots hit 30 again: The Patriots totaled 30 or more points for the 13th straight regular-season game, which is the second-longest streak in NFL history, behind the St. Louis Rams, who did it 14 times between 1999 and 2000.

What’s next: The Patriots host the Dallas Cowboys, who are on their bye this weekend, next Sunday. The Jets return home after three straight road games to host the Miami Dolphins on Monday night.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Thoughts on the San Francisco 49ers' 48-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their Week 5 matchup Sunday at Candlestick Park:

What it means: The 49ers are 4-1 for the first time since 2002 and there is nothing flukey about their fast start unless Alex Smith suddenly diverts from the script. They were smarter, more precise and more physical than the Bucs throughout this game. Winning this game bought insurance for the 49ers heading into their Week 6 game against the Detroit Lions.

What I liked: Smith played with poise and ran the offense with purpose. He kept his eyes downfield when rolling out. He stared down pressure and delivered passes accurately, including the one tight end Vernon Davis turned into a 23-yard touchdown. Smith appears comfortable with what Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman are asking him to do. Smith wasn't dinking and dunking all the time, either. He found Delanie Walker for a 26-yard touchdown on a pass caught in the end zone. Receiver Michael Crabtree contributed with receptions and with several key blocks, including one to spring Joshua Morgan for a 24-yard gain. Running back Frank Gore also fared well, topping 100 yards rushing. The defense appeared confident in its assignments, as when Carlos Rogers jumped a route and scored on a 31-yard interception return. Rookie Chris Culliver also jumped a route for a pick when he knew the team had safety help for him.

What I didn't like: Smith and receiver Kyle Williams appeared out of sync on a deep pass down the right sideline. Either that, or Smith simply threw into coverage and underthrew the pass. Williams broke up what could have been an interception. Smith threw behind Crabtree in the end zone another time, nearly resulting in a pick. Smith appeared to be expecting Crabtree to adjust his route.

Tight ends emphasized: The 49ers lined up with two and even three tight ends frequently and with great effect. The team's top two tight ends, Davis and Walker, caught touchdown passes. The 49ers lined up with guard Adam Snyder and tackle Alex Boone, plus Davis, fullback Bruce Miller and Gore. Snyder lined up ahead of Miller and Gore in an I-formation, with Snyder motioning to the right side of the formation next to Boone. These plays didn't always produce gains, but they accurately conveyed the 49ers' mindset.

Streaking: The 49ers have won three games in a row during the same season for the first time since 2007.

One for the books: The margin of victory was the 49ers' largest since a 48-0 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in 1987.

Injuries of note: The 49ers lost starting receiver Joshua Morgan to a leg injury late in the game. Teammates seemed to know this was a serious injury. They gathered around Morgan on the field and helped carry him off the field to a waiting cart. The 49ers are already without receiver Braylon Edwards until sometime around midseason.

What's next: The 49ers visit the Lions in Week 6.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Giants' fourth-quarter magic disappeared as the Seahawks stunned the Giants 36-25.

What it means: The Giants lost a game that they simply should not have. Credit the Seahawks for coming to play but the Giants started the game slow and allowed a Seattle offense that didn't do much this season to come to life. The Giants had a three-game winning streak snapped and their schedule won't get any easier come November.

Cruz up and down: On a third-and-13 at the Giants’ 32, Eli Manning threw a ball into double coverage and Victor Cruz answered the prayer with a bobbling one-handed catch for a 68-yard touchdown off a tip with 12:37 left to erase a 19-14 deficit. The Giants went for two and got it to go up 22-19.

Cruz, though, lost a fumble in Giants' territory that led to a Seattle field goal that tied the game at 22-22.

But trailing 29-25, Cruz delivered with yet another scintillating 41-yard catch to put the Giants at the Seahawks' 24-yard-line with 1:55 remaining. He followed that up with a 19-yard catch but then Cruz slipped and could not gather a short pass that bounced off his hands and into the hands of Brandon Browner, who returned it 94 yards for the game-sealing touchdown.

Ugly start: The Seahawks could’ve had 28 points in the first half but fumbled twice in the red zone. The first time, Marshawn Lynch was stripped by Osi Umenyiora at the Giants’ 13 not long after Manning had fumbled to give the Seahawks the ball deep in Giants' territory.

Then the Seahawks, up 14-7, turned the ball over again as Michael Robinson fumbled at the Giants’ 2-yard-line in the second quarter. The Giants were sloppy with the ball as well. Manning fumbled twice, losing one, while also throwing an interception in the first half.

Where’s the defense?: The Giants entered this game intent on stopping the run after being gashed in consecutive weeks by LeSean McCoy and Beanie Wells.

But in the first half, the Giants had trouble with the no-huddle. Lynch had 68 yards rushing on his first five carries. The Seahawks had 242 yards of offense in the first half. Seattle came into the game last in the NFL in total offense, averaging 254 yards per game.

The defense played much better in the second half, in part due to Tarvaris Jackson leaving in the third quarter with a shoulder injury and being replaced by Charlie Whitehurst. But Whitehurst led the Seahawks on an 80-yard drive for a touchdown to go up 29-25 late when he found Doug Baldwin open for a 27-yard touchdown.

Injury report: The Giants played this game without defensive end Justin Tuck (neck/groin), running back Brandon Jacobs (sprained MCL) and center David Baas (neck/burner).

Long snapper Zak DeOssie left the game with a head injury and fullback Henry Hynoski left with a burner. Guard Chris Snee also left late in the game with an injury.

What’s next: The Giants face a much stiffer test next week when the much-improved Buffalo Bills come to town. Perry Fewell will get a crack at the team he briefly coached as interim head coach.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- A few thoughts on the Philadelphia Eagles' latest crushing loss, this one to the Buffalo Bills.

What it means: It's tough to see a way back from here for the Eagles. They showed in the second half that they have the talent to score and play with anyone, but they've just made too many mistakes, too many bad plays and missed too many tackles so far this year, and they're 1-4 with a tough division road game looming next week. They're going to have to be nearly perfect from here on out to have a chance to rebound and make the playoffs, and they're a long, long way from anything resembling perfect.

Same old Eagles run defense: We knew Buffalo running back Fred Jackson was likely to have a field day against the Eagles' 30th-ranked rushing defense, and he did, ripping off 58 first-half rushing yards and adding 22 more on his first run of the second half as the Bills built a 28-7 lead. Part of the reason the Eagles got back into the game was because the Bills went away from the run game in the fourth quarter for some reason in spite of how well it had worked. The Eagles made more tackles and more plays in the second level of their defense Sunday than they have been making, but it remains clear the middle of the defense is soft and can be run on almost at will.

Tale of two Vicks: Eagles quarterback Michael Vick was a mess in the first half, throwing three interceptions and badly mismanaging the clock in the final minute before halftime. But he came out of the locker room a new man, running the offense more confidently, efficiently and safely. He managed to find DeSean Jackson, a top weapon who's been missing too much this year, and LeSean McCoy on some underneath routes, and he took off himself on a 53-yard run that set up a score. Vick's play in the second half was the reason the Eagles got back in the game, but his play in the first was a huge part of the reason they were so far down in the first place.

No margin for error: The fourth interception wasn't Vick's fault, as Jason Avant had the ball in his hands and the Bills ripped it out. But the mistake as the Eagles were driving toward a potential game-tying touchdown just goes to show what the Eagles are right now -- a team that keeps putting itself in a position where it can't afford even one mistake. The offsides call on fourth-and-inches was another illustration of a team that doesn't have control of itself right now, and teams like that don't come back from 1-4 starts.

What's next: The Eagles travel to Washington on Sunday for a vital intradivision game against the Redskins. After a couple of games in a row against teams that don't bring an inordinate amount of pressure, Vick is likely to take a large number of hits from Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan and a Washington defense that was tied for the league lead in sacks entering this week's games. The Redskins are also coming off a bye and will be well-rested, which works against the Eagles after this grueling game.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Here are several thoughts on the Buffalo Bills' 31-24 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

What it means: The Bills solidified their contender status with a big win over the desperate "Dream Team" Eagles (1-4). Buffalo improved to 4-1 and showed mental toughness by bouncing back from a tough loss against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4. The Bills own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the New England Patriots and will remain in first place for at least another week.

What I liked: Buffalo took control of the game early. The Bills took over in the second quarter following a defensive touchdown by Nick Barnett. Buffalo's middle linebacker undercut a crossing route and returned it 31 yards to give the Bills a 21-7 lead. Buffalo barely held on but never trailed after that point. It was the third straight week Buffalo's defense scored a touchdown. The Bills forced five turnovers overall. Barnett's second interception late in the fourth quarter sealed the game.

What I didn't like: Buffalo struggled in the second half for the second straight week. This time, the Bills were bogged down in the fourth quarter. They nearly blew a 31-14 lead to Philadelphia in the final period. The Bills blew a 14-point lead against the Bengals last week.

Injury alert: Buffalo got out of this game relatively healthy. Bills receiver Donald Jones was the only significant injury. Jones injured his ankle in the first half and didn’t return. Backup Naaman Roosevelt filled in well for Jones. Roosevelt caught five receptions for 41 yards.

What's next: The Bills have another game against an NFC East opponent. Buffalo will travel to play the New York Giants in Week 6. Buffalo is .500 on the road this season and still seeking a signature win. The Bills won at Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 and lost at the Bengals in Week 4.

PITTSBURGH -- Thoughts on the Pittsburgh Steelers' 38-17 win against the Tennessee Titans:

What it means: The early demise of the Steelers has been greatly exaggerated. After getting pushed around by Houston last week, Pittsburgh was the bully on the field against a Titans team that had convincing wins over two AFC North teams (Baltimore and Cleveland). It didn't matter that four starters were sidelined (nose tackle Casey Hampton, linebacker James Harrison, defensive end Aaron Smith and left guard Chris Kemoeatu), their starting running back (Rashard Mendenhall) didn't get on the field because of a hamstring injury and their starting quarterback (Ben Roethlisberger) played with a sprained foot.

Thumbs up: The Steelers' maligned offensive line. Pittsburgh opened up big holes for its backup running backs, including an especially big one that sprung Jonathan Dwyer for 76 yards. The line also protected its hurt quarterback, even though Roethlisberger did get the ball away quicker Sunday. On the touchdown pass to Heath Miller, Roethlisberger had time to pump and look to his left before finding the tight end over the middle.

Delivering some pain: Despite playing with specialized footwear for his sprained left foot, Roethlisberger had one of the best games of his career, throwing five touchdowns. It marked the fourth time in Roethlisberger's career that he had at least four touchdown passes in a game. He had only three touchdown passes in the four games before the injury.

Capitalizing on "special" play early: A 52-yard kickoff return from Antonio Brown set up the Steelers' first touchdown, and a 33-yard pass from punter Daniel Sepulveda on a fake at midfield led to Pittsburgh's second touchdown. But the Steelers' special teams tried to give that lead back in the second half after failing to recover an onside kick and getting a punt blocked.

Timely takeaway: Speaking of that onside kick, the Steelers' defense didn't let the Titans keep the momentum. On the next play, Brett Keisel deflected Matt Hasselbeck's pass with his right hand and LaMarr Woodley made the interception. It was just the second turnover forced by the Steelers this season.

What's next: The Steelers stay at home to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.

PITTSBURGH -- Thoughts on the Titans’ 38-17 loss to the Steelers at Heinz Field.

What it means: Tennessee isn’t as good as it looked over the last three weeks, as we saw flaws everywhere. They gave up big plays on defense and special teams and failed to find them on offense. They lost up front against a team missing a starting offensive lineman, two starting defensive linemen and a starting linebacker. A week earlier, the Titans primary AFC South challenger to this point, Houston, took advantage of both and were more physical than the Steelers.

What to worry about: Special teams got gashed on a kick return and on a fake punt. And the defense was picked apart by the first truly good quarterback the Titans have seen so far. Ben Roethlisberger threw five touchdown passes. With Matt Schaub (twice), Matt Ryan, Josh Freeman and Drew Brees still to come, it certainly raises questions about Tennessee against upper level signal-callers.

A bad day: Matt Hasselbeck was a lot less accurate than he has been. There appeared to be some miscommunications and he threw several balls behind targets. Other were thrown low on purpose, but wound up too low. He overthrew Nate Washington late on what was a wide open 29-yard touchdown.

Chris Johnson watch: He had a nice 21-yard run on the Titans’ first play from scrimmage and showed good patience at times, too much patience at others. He went in standing for his team’s lone touchdown from a yard out and turned 17 touches into 65 yards.

Too sloppy: Seven penalties for 55 yards hurt, especially early for the offense in the red zone and a block in the back by Jamie Harper that undid a block punt returned for a touchdown by Cortland Finnegan.

What’s next: The Titans have an off week to recover and get a head start on preparation for their crucial Oct. 23rd matchup with the Houston Texans at LP Field in Nashville.