5 biggest questions after 1st month of NFL's 2023 season

With the first quarter of the season already in the books, the 2023 season has offered a ton of surprises and questions as the NFL's pecking order has begun to be revealed. We're here to break it all down.

Here are the NFL's five biggest questions after just over a month of football:

Are 49ers, Dolphins destined to reach Super Bowl?

No two teams have been talked about more through the first five weeks of the season than the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins. With high-powered offenses and brilliant head coaches, these two teams are both on a Super Bowl trajectory. The only question: Can anyone stop them?

The undefeated 49ers have looked like they're in a league of their own. San Francisco's plus-99 point differential through five weeks has only been replicated six times in the NFL since 2000. Kyle Shanahan's side is also only the sixth team in NFL history to score at least 30 points in each of its five games. Christian McCaffrey is back to rushing like a legitimate MVP candidate, while Brock Purdy has been the league's best facilitator. His 123.1 passer rating through five games compares to 2013 Peyton Manning's and 2007 Tom Brady's.

The Dolphins have been almost a carbon copy of the 49ers, which is no surprise since head coach Mike McDaniel is a Shanahan disciple. Miami has multiple MVP candidates on offense with Tyreek Hill on pace for over 2,200 receiving yards and Tua Tagovailoa off to another great start. Don't forget that electric rookie rusher De'Von Achane was averaging an unthinkable 12.1 yards per carry prior to his knee injury. No offense has more speed than McDaniel's lightning-quick unit, which has scored the most points through five games (181) since 2015.

Right now, there isn't a contender that can stand in either team's way. The 49ers sent shockwaves through the NFC by dismantling the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. Meanwhile, only the Buffalo Bills have beaten Miami, but they also own a few concerning losses. Old superpowers like the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles must always be considered, though both seem a step behind where they were last season.

Why hasn't Sean Payton fixed the Broncos?

The Broncos hit rock bottom in 2022 - or so they thought. By all accounts, their 2023 season has been worse. Sean Payton's squad actually owns a worse record at this point (1-4) than 2022 predecessor Nathaniel Hackett (2-3).

Payton shouldn't be criticized for his offense. Denver ranks just outside the top 10 in scoring with 24.2 points per game. In terms of passing, Russell Wilson is playing like the Russ we saw during his final years in Seattle. What's more noticeable than Wilson's semi-revival under Payton is the giant bullseye the coach put on the Broncos after pounding his chest all offseason. Calling Hackett's 2022 performance "one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL" came back to bite Payton as the New York Jets - Hackett's new home - trounced Denver 31-21 in Week 5.

However, the Broncos are primarily struggling because Payton decided to replace former defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero with Vance Joseph. Joseph's unit not only gave up 70 points in Week 3, it's been a season-long disaster in almost every defensive category.

How did Patriots, Bill Belichick fall this far?

All empires eventually come to an end. The Patriots are no exception to that rule. With Bill Belichick standing amongst the rubble of a crushed dynasty following one of the worst two-week stretches in franchise history, it's time to ask what toppled this two-decade-plus reign.

The culprit is actually quite easy to spot. This team is boring and lacks talent, especially in the trenches. Lawrence Guy and Davon Godchaux are the lowest-graded interior defensive linemen by PFF. Injuries have a hand in the offensive line's demise, but everyone aside from Trent Brown and David Andrews has massively struggled. Vederian Lowe has surrendered the second-most pressures among all offensive tackles this season, per PFF. Atonio Mafi is the second-lowest-graded guard, while Michael Onwenu also ranks in the bottom 10. The sidelined Cole Strange hasn't been much better.

This has all surely played a factor in Mac Jones' regression. The former first-rounder is averaging just six yards per pass, the lowest of his career. His 2.48 seconds to throw is also the fifth quickest in the league, per PFF.

It doesn't matter who's coaching when the talent isn't there. However, the person coaching this team is also responsible for its head-scratching roster decisions. The Patriots made a huge mistake swapping Jakobi Meyers for JuJu Smith-Schuster. Meyers has been a valuable No. 2 wideout for the Las Vegas Raiders, while Smith-Schuster ranks seventh on the Patriots in receiving yards with 86 on 14 catches. Ezekiel Elliott and Mike Gesicki haven't done much to move the needle, either.

While Belichick still has a keen eye for defensive back prospects, many of his mid-to-late-round picks have been misses. Out of 22 players selected from the third round or later from 2019-2021, only three remain on the Patriots' active 53-man roster.

Countless injuries have snakebitten the roster, with the secondary being hit hardest. However, injuries, a lack of talent, and poor roster building have been the wrecking ball that's crashed into Belichick's once-fortified palace.

Should the Vikings hold a fire sale?

Teams that are 1-4 usually don't make the playoffs. Teams that are 1-4 and missing one of the league's best players typically never make the playoffs. If the Vikings were waiting for a reason to plant a "for sale" sign in front of their roster, Justin Jefferson's hamstring injury should do the trick.

Minnesota is slated to become the hottest potential seller as the Oct. 31 trade deadline approaches. Jefferson is likely still off limits, though he only has one more year under contract. The Vikings do have a few intriguing short-term rentals. Kirk Cousins might be able to fetch a decent haul from a desperate team on the cusp of a playoff push (looking at you, Jets and Falcons). Even if Minnesota doesn't pull the trigger on a Cousins deal, Danielle Hunter, Marcus Davenport, Jordan Hicks, and D.J. Wonnum should definitely be shopped.

There'll be a lot for the Vikings to consider ahead of the trade deadline. However, if Jefferson's injury is Minnesota's nail in the coffin, the Vikings shouldn't hesitate to get a head start on the offseason.

Who will emerge in the volatile AFC North?

The AFC North was built up as one of football's toughest divisions. It's lived up to that billing so far, but not for the expected reasons. Once home to some of the game's best displays of football, the division has recently showcased grand displays of inefficiency, clumsiness, and incompetence.

The current division leaders - the Pittsburgh Steelers - have a point differential of -31. No quarterback in the AFC North has thrown for more than five touchdowns. Three of the four teams are averaging under 20 points per game. Every team's performance wildly fluctuates on a week-to-week basis, making it difficult to zero in on which of these rivals will eventually emerge as the front-runner.

It's hard to maintain long-term belief in the Steelers. Aside from their defensive and special teams touchdowns, they're averaging a measly 12.6 points per game. Lamar Jackson is playing his best football as a passer alongside a stout defense, yet self-inflicted errors have cost the Baltimore Ravens two wins. Joe Burrow's calf injury has handcuffed the Cincinnati Bengals, although the reigning two-time division champions did muster a 34-point, three-touchdown explosion in Week 5. The Cleveland Browns may have more visits to the doctor's office than to the end zone with a season-ending knee injury to Nick Chubb and a lingering shoulder issue bothering Deshaun Watson.