Week 5 in the NFL was an old-timer’s dream. Five of the top eight passing days (in terms of total yardage) were turned in by Quarterback’s whose teams lost. This reinforces the thought that economy - mixed in with some rushing success and solid defensive play - almost always rules the day in pro football. A look at some of this week’s Quarterback performances:

Matt Cassel - Kansas City

File this under ‘Stopping the Bleeding’. Matt Cassel’s effort vs. the Colts on Sunday helped erase a 17-point deficit and led the way to a much-needed win for Kansas City (2-3) – owners of a 2-game winning streak after an 0-3 start. Efficiency was the key for Cassel as he completed better than 72% of his passes and made few mistakes (no INTs and only 8 incompletions). Cassel’s steady hand after a disastrous first two weeks of the season may offer hope to the Chiefs as they approach their bye week.

Ben Roethlisberger - Pittsburgh

Big Ben rarely looks good when posting impressive days. Sunday was a welcome break from the norm, as Roethlisberger and the Steelers made it look easy and avoided major errors in a decisive home win vs. Tennessee. Roethlisberger’s trademark has always been an ability to maintain downfield vision under pressure, but that was largely unnecessary in Week 5, as the Titans managed only 1 Sack and 1 QB Hit on the Steelers’ QB, as he threw 5 TD passes.

Drew Brees - New Orleans

Brees’ consistent production in the passing game makes one wonder if his absence would have a similar impact to the one felt in Indianapolis with Peyton Manning’s health issues. Brees led an 80-yard drive late in the fourth quarter that took the lead back from Carolina for good, and the Saints’ Quarterback once again proved his leadership and results in pressure situations is on par with the best in the league. What really stood out in watching the game in real-time, aside from Brees’ 359 yards passing, was his calm demeanor in trusting the pocket that formed around him and taking the time to find the right receiving target.

Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay

At least Aaron Rodgers’ slow start vs. the Falcons gave the Packers’ beat writers something out of the ordinary to write about. After a slow offensive start, however, Rodgers made this game appear routine, as he finished with 396 passing yards and another highlight-filled day. Much of the damage was done in the second half, as Green Bay managed only 6 first half points. Rodgers’ outing was impressive by any standard, but was done with relatively poor protection from his O-Line (4 Sacks) that saw Rodgers moving and distributing the ball more than any other game this season (completions to 12 different Packers).

 Jay Cutler - Chicago

Cutler did not rank in the top 10 in passing yards or TD passes during Week 5 – but still deserves inclusion as a Quarterback to note. Along with RB Matt Forte, Cutler breathed life into a Bears’ offense that was stagnant for much of the first half in the MNF matchup at Detroit. The protection offered by the Bears’ O-Line might have been the worst by any unit in 2011, as Cutler was constantly flushed, hit, knocked down, and occasionally sacked in the road loss. But, Cutler was remarkable in what he was able to accomplish. None of Cutler’s big throws – and there were a number of them – came with the Quarterback’s feet set, as he had to consistently create space and angles for himself to deliver the ball. He completed balls to 10 different Bears, including an undrafted rookie, who was his leading pass catcher with 6 receptions. The Bears lost, and the Lions are on their way to a special season, but Cutler’s MNF work stands out for his ability to create something out of nothing.