NFL Week 5 Predictions
Week 5 of the 2022 NFL season is here! There are some amazing games that are gonna be on full display on Sunday, as the 3-1 Giants take on the 3-1 Packers in London, the Cooper Rush-led Cowboys head to LA to take on the stumbling world champion Rams, and Joe Burrow leads the Bengals into Baltimore to take on Lamar Jackson and the Ravens in an AFC North matchup on Sunday Night Football. Let's get to the picks!
New York Giants (3-1) @ Green Bay Packers (3-1): 9:30 AM ET (NFL Network)
For the first time ever, the team from Titletown will be playing in London. The Packers have yet to play a complete game, but they've still found ways to win behind their run game and defence. Meanwhile, the Giants are one of the most surprising teams in the league, with Saquon Barkley looking like the best running back in the game, and Brian Daboll establishing a new culture in the Big Apple. In the first ever London NFL game featuring two teams with a winning record, I think it comes down to the quarterback play between Daniel Jones and Aaron Rodgers. Long story short, I'm taking Rodgers.
Giants 14 Packers 24
Pittsburgh Steelers (1-3) @ Buffalo Bills (3-1): 1:00 PM ET (CBS)
The main storyline surrounding this game is Kenny Pickett, the Steelers rookie quarterback, who will be making his first career start. Pickett was okay last week coming in for Mitch Trubisky, but it wasn't enough to beat the Jets. Meanwhile, the Bills got a clutch come-from-behind victory over the Ravens last Sunday. Pickett will play solid, but my guess is that it won't be enough to beat this high-powered Bills team, especially in Buffalo.
Steelers 20 Bills 31
Houston Texans (0-3-1) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2): 1:00 PM ET (CBS)
The Jaguars had an early 14-0 lead over the undefeated Eagles in Philadelphia before eventually succumbing. But make no mistake about it, this is a good Jaguars team with Doug Pederson clearly making some great changes to the franchise. The Texans are the only team that still hasn't won a game yet this season and I think that will remain the case. Jaguars win comfortably at home.
Texans 10 Jaguars 27
Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) @ Cleveland Browns (2-2): 1:00 PM ET (CBS)
The Chargers got back on track with a big victory over the Texans last week, with Justin Herbert and the offence looking more like themselves after a horrible performance in Week 3 against the Jaguars. While the Browns blew an opportunity to claim the top spot in the AFC North after falling to the Falcons. This will be a close matchup throughout, but I'm gonna with the Chargers with Justin Herbert pulling off a game-winning drive in the end.
Chargers 28 Browns 26
Chicago Bears (2-2) @ Minnesota Vikings (3-1): 1:00 PM ET (FOX)
Man, this Bears offence is so rough to watch. They scored just 12 points last week in a lost to the Giants as they went 5/15 (33%) on third down, and Justin Fields was sacked 6 times. Meanwhile, the Vikings managed to notch a close victory over the Saints in London, led by a great performance from their all-world receiver Justin Jefferson (10 receptions, 147 yards, rushing TD). The guess here is that Minnesota's offence does just enough against a solid Chicago defence while Fields and the Bears offence continue to sputter.
Bears 13 Vikings 24
Atlanta Falcons (2-2) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2): 1:00 PM ET (FOX)
No one could have saw this coming before the season began. But this Week 5 matchup between the Falcons and Buccaneers will be a battle for first place in the NFC South. Even though I don't necessarily agree with how he's using Kyle Pitts (who won't be playing on Sunday due to a hamstring injury), Arthur Smith deserves a ton of credit for getting this Falcons team to 2-2. The Bucs have lost two straight, but they lost to two good teams in the Packers and the Chiefs. The Falcons are no where near that level, and that will show up on Sunday. Bucs get back on track with a decisive home victory.
Falcons 21 Buccaneers 37
Detroit Lions (1-3) @ New England Patriots (1-3): 1:00 PM ET (FOX)
The Lions, who are averaging 35 points per game (most in the NFL) head into Foxborough with a matchup against... Bailey Zappe? Yes, Bailey Zappe, the third string quarterback who nearly defeated Aaron Rodgers in his own house last week. This will be anything but easy for the Lions on the road. But Bill Belichick's defence hasn't been good this season (24.5 points allowed per game, 22nd in the NFL) and I think the Lions offence takes advantage of that with another great performance.
Lions 32 Patriots 27
Seattle Seahawks (2-2) @ New Orleans Saints (1-3): 1:00 PM ET (FOX)
Similarly to the Falcons, the Seahawks (a bad football team on paper) has played relatively solid to begin the season, with Geno Smith (1,037 passing yards, 6 passing TDs, 108.0 passer rating) playing at an elite level. On the flip side, the Saints, a team that many people (including myself) pegged to make a return trip to the playoffs has struggled up to this point. With them being at home, and with their defence still playing at a solid level, I think they get a close win here, but I'm not very confident in this team going forward.
Seahawks 24 Saints 31
Tennessee Titans (2-2) @ Washington Commanders (1-3): 1:00 PM ET (CBS)
The two-time defending AFC South champs have looked the part over the last two weeks, with back-to-back AFC victories over the Raiders and Colts. Ryan Tannehill has stepped up his game, and so has their defence, which has allowed just 39 points over the last two games. Now they have a matchup with a struggling Commanders team that's on a three-game losing streak and present a middling challenge (16th in rushing yards allowed per game) against Derrick Henry. Titans will win their third straight.
Titans 26 Commanders 16
Miami Dolphins (3-1) @ New York Jets (2-2): 1:00 PM ET (CBS)
The Dolphins will of course be without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is in concussion protocol after suffering two bad head injuries within a four-day span. Thankfully, they have one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league in Teddy Bridgewater, who will get the start this week. While the Jets are coming off a comeback victory over the Steelers as Zack Wilson made some huge plays late in the game in his season debut. Miami will put up a fight, but with this game being on the road and without Tua, I think the Jets will shock some folks here and get their first home win of the season in a game that comes down to the wire.
Dolphins 20 Jets 23
San Francisco 49ers (2-2) @ Carolina Panthers (1-3): 4:05 PM ET (CBS)
The Baker Mayfield era has not gotten off to a hot start in Carolina, as the team is just 1-3 and the offence is really struggling, averaging just 19.5 points per game so far this season. And now, they have a great challenge in front of them as they go up against a 49ers defence that currently ranks first in fewest points allowed per game (11.5) and tied with Buffalo for first in fewest yards allowed per game (234.5). San Francisco wins big.
49ers 24 Panthers 7
Philadelphia Eagles (4-0) @ Arizona Cardinals (2-2): 4:25 PM ET (FOX)
Dallas Cowboys (3-1) @ Los Angeles Rams (2-2): 4:25 PM ET (FOX)
This should be a fun one. Winners of three straight, the Cowboys come into this game with a lot of momentum, led by backup quarterback Cooper Rush, who has played great while filling in for Dak Prescott. Rush is doing a fantastic job of taking what the defence is giving him, and relying on his playmakers to make plays. On the other side, Matthew Stafford and the Rams offence have mightily struggled this season, particularly due to issues with the offensive line, which will have to contend with a elite Dallas front seven, featuring stud Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons. This will be another matchup that will come down to the wire, but in the end, the Cowboys will win it behind their elite defence, with Rush improving to 5-0 as a starter.
Cowboys 26 Rams 23
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