Quick Picks; Week Five
Every week throughout the season, we make our Quick Picks (in bold) on the upcoming slate of games, focusing on the key points for each match-up. After another week of crazy and controversial upsets, predicting which team will win each week is becoming increasingly difficult. Here are Week 5’s picks.
New England Patriots @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TNF)
The Patriots normally bounce back after losses, but their defense just gave up 444 yards against Carolina and must now face Tampa Bay’s offense on a short week. In what could be another shootout, Doug Martin returns from suspension for the Buccaneers, whose offense hasn’t fully clicked since their opening win against the Bears.
New York Jets @ Cleveland Browns
The Jets have played well the last couple of weeks and put up 471 yards against Jacksonville’s defense. Bilal Powell had a huge game and could have another against the Browns, who just got embarrassed by Cincinnati. Cleveland desperately needs a win to show some progress, but cannot rely on the run game to help rookie DeShone Kizer.
Carolina Panthers @ Detroit Lions
Carolina’s offense finally woke up against the Patriots, but was that down to New England’s porous defense? Detroit managed to get their running game going against Minnesota despite a quiet game from Matthew Stafford. The defense will need to be prepared to keep pace with Carolina, but Stafford could be set for a big game after Tom Brady threw for 307 yards despite pressure from the Panthers.
San Francisco 49ers @ Indianapolis Colts
Both teams are struggling at the lower end of their conferences. The Colts arguably have the better offense thanks to Jacoby Brissett, but San Francisco’s front seven should give him plenty of problems. The 49ers showed against the Rams on Thursday Night Football that they can score, so expect a close game.
Tennessee Titans @ Miami Dolphins
With both franchises coming off huge, humbling defeats, both running games should bounce back in a slugfest. Jay Ajayi should beat the Titans at their own game, while Jay Cutler and Co. should get themselves back on track against a Tennessee team that must start Matt Cassel.
Buffalo Bills @ Cincinnati Bengals
This should be a surprisingly entertaining game. Bill Lazor’s offense needs to maintain momentum after a pick-me-up performance against Cleveland. But Buffalo, especially the defense, are coming off a huge road win in Atlanta and are only allowing just 13.5 points per game; fewest in the league.
Los Angeles Chargers @ New York Giants
Both teams are winless and both lost close games yet again last week. New York’s defense is due for a dominant day and played well in the second half against Tampa Bay. But the Chargers have been close in all of their games so far, especially in the road opener at Denver. Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram could have a field day against Eli and his porous offensive line.
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Which Jaguars team will show up? The team who dominated the Ravens in London? Or the team who struggled in an overtime loss to the Jets? With the Steelers sometimes falling victim to trap games, it could be the former. Pittsburgh’s defense allowed just 82 rushing yards against the Ravens, but could have their hands full with Leonard Fournette.
Arizona Cardinals @ Philadelphia Eagles
Arizona barely beat the 49ers and still have serious issues that play perfectly into Philly’s hands. The Eagles will likely build a lead with their balanced attack, controlling the clock and allowing their nasty front seven to smother an immobile veteran quarterback.
Seattle Seahawks @ Los Angeles Rams
Seattle may have had a big win against Indy, but they were still slow out of the gate and their issues haven’t gone away. With a huge amount of weapons, expect the Rams to take advantage thanks to Sean McVay finding mismatches against Seattle’s defense. After the Seahawks gave up 195 rushing yards to Tennessee in Week Three, Todd Gurley could have a big night.
Baltimore Ravens @ Oakland Raiders
After a strong opening fortnight, both teams now need to get back on track. With Derek Carr out, E.J. Manuel will likely be a turnover machine against a Ravens defense that should be angry about two embarrassing games in succession. Baltimore should wear down an already-mediocre Raiders defense with their running game.
Green Bay Packers @ Dallas Cowboys
As evidenced by the first half against the Rams, Dallas’ talent hasn’t disappeared. But another clear takeaway from that game was that Rod Marinelli’s overstretched defense has trouble holding on to leads against strong offenses. This is music to Aaron Rodgers’ ears, and if Mike Daniels plays and helps lock down Ezekiel Elliott, the Packers could claim a win that will be huge in the NFC playoff hunt.
Kansas City Chiefs @ Houston Texans (SNF)
After two huge performances, Deshaun Watson looks like the franchise quarterback Houston needed to help them take the next step. Kansas City has the tools to bring Watson back down to earth, and the battle between Marcus Peters and DeAndre Hopkins will be fascinating. However, Watson thrives under the brightest lights on the biggest stages, so expect a wild prime-time affair. With Bill O’Brien maximising his talent, Watson could be the man to end the Chiefs’ unbeaten run after they toughed out a close game against Washington on Monday night.
Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears (MNF)
It’s Mitch Trubisky time in Chicago. The more-mobile rookie should make Chicago’s run game even stronger compared to the speedy-as-a-statue Mike Glennon. The Vikings almost allowed Detroit’s first 100 yard rusher since 2013, and without Dalvin Cook or Sam Bradford, Minnesota could struggle in Chicago.
