Nick Sirianni’s seat heats up as Sean Payton eyes play‑calling shift

With the NFL calendar rolling into Week 5, CBS Sports writer Tyler Sullivan is looking ahead to storylines he believes could reshape the conversation around several teams. In a column published Thursday, he focuses on mounting pressure in Philadelphia, offensive turbulence in Denver and Los Angeles, and a favourable spot for Jacoby Brissett and the Arizona Cardinals.

Eagles’ London trip framed as key test for Nick Sirianni

Sullivan notes that the Philadelphia Eagles, sitting at 2-2 after an injury‑filled opening month, no longer resemble a clear Super Bowl contender. Lane Johnson’s retirement this week and the trade of starting interior lineman Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens add to the perception that general manager Howie Roseman could be retooling the roster.

Against that backdrop, Sunday’s matchup in London with the Jacksonville Jaguars is cast as a potential tipping point. Jacksonville’s offence, led by Trevor Lawrence, has been highly efficient on third down and in the red zone, while Philadelphia’s offence has recently stalled on third downs. Sullivan argues that a lopsided loss overseas would drop the Eagles below .500 and leave Sirianni with a 5-8 record since Week 12 of last season, playoffs included, putting the head coach under the harshest scrutiny of his tenure.

Herbert under fire and pressure on Broncos’ play‑calling setup

In Los Angeles, Sullivan turns to a Chargers offence that has yet to win a game and has struggled to protect Justin Herbert. Through four weeks, Herbert has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns and has already been sacked a dozen times, despite starting the year with his offensive line mostly intact.

The situation worsens with starting left tackle Rashawn Slater sidelined by a high ankle sprain and right tackle Joe Alt not expected to play because of a neck issue. Facing a Denver defence that has ranked near the top of the league in pressure and sacks over the past two seasons, Sullivan anticipates Herbert will endure his most heavily sacked outing of the year when the Chargers and Broncos meet Sunday.

On the Denver side, Sullivan scrutinizes the current dynamic where offensive coordinator Davis Webb is calling plays. Despite a 2-2 record, the Broncos have scored very little in first halves and rank near the bottom of the league in points per game, a notable drop from last season when Sean Payton handled play‑calling duties. Quarterback Bo Nix’s averages in air yards, yards per attempt, completion rate and passer rating are all tracking toward career lows, while his rate of turnover‑worthy throws is on pace to be a career high.

Sullivan suggests that even a win over the Chargers might not prevent changes if the offence sputters again, especially with a short week before hosting the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night. In his view, a poor offensive showing in a loss could quickly lead Payton to take the call sheet back from Webb.

Brissett set up to attack struggling Lions secondary

Sullivan also spotlights Jacoby Brissett’s matchup with the Detroit Lions, describing Detroit’s defence as the league’s worst so far this season. The Lions are giving up large totals in both points and yards, particularly through the air, and are coming off a game in which Bryce Young posted 329 passing yards and two touchdowns against them.

Brissett, who threw three interceptions against the New York Giants last week, has nonetheless shown he can pile up passing yards when starting, with multiple 300‑plus‑yard games and a 452‑yard outing last season in Arizona. With tight end Trey McBride and receiver Michael Wilson among his primary weapons, and with the Cardinals’ own defence allowing high point totals that could force a pass‑heavy approach, Sullivan envisions a scenario where Brissett produces one of the biggest passing days of the week.

The column closes by noting that, despite a 2-2 start, the Los Angeles Rams are still widely viewed as front‑runners for the next Super Bowl, while leaving the door open for the San Francisco 49ers to strengthen their case as the league’s top contender in the coming slate of games.