The Week 5schedule features a pair of high-profile playoff rematches from last season, and a potential thriller on the West Coast on Sunday afternoon.
The Rams and Seahawks meet on Thursday Night Football in a rematch of last year’s NFC first-round matchup. Los Angeles is a 1.5-point favorite on the road, and it is Matthew Stafford’s chance to get his first victory at Seattle as a starting quarterback.
The AFC championship rematch between the Chiefs and Bills is huge on Sunday Night Football, which has produced some of the best games of the season. That trend continues in a battle of two teams hoping to be the top seed in the AFC.
Keep an eye on the 4:05 p.m. ET matchup between the Browns and Chargers, too. Both teams are trying to stay in tough division races, and the quarterback matchup between Justin Herbert and Baker Mayfield should produce a thriller.
Each week, Sporting News will pick games straight up. Here is a look at our season totals:
- Week 4: 12-4
- Season total: 41-23
With that in mind, below are our picks and predictions for Week 4:
POWER RANKINGS:
Cardinals fly to top; Packers, Cowboys, Seahawks flex; Titans fall
NFL picks, predictions for Week 5
- Los Angeles Rams (-1.5) at Seattle Seahawks
Thursday, 8:20 p.m., FOX/NFL Network
The NFC West grinder continues. The Rams took their first loss, and the Seahawks are coming off a big victory. Sean McVay is 6-3 head-to-head against Pete Carroll, and that includes a 3-2 record at Lumen Field. This will be a tight game, and Seattle starts the week off with a surprise upset.
Pick: Seahawks 27, Rams 24
Result: Rams 26, Seahawks 17
- New York Jets at Atlanta Falcons (-2.5)
Sunday, 9:30 a.m., NFL Network
The Jets got on the board last week, and Atlanta allows the most points in the NFL at 32 points per game. New York still commits too many turnovers, and without a running game that's going to be tough to win on the road.
Pick: Falcons 30, Jets 20
- Green Bay Packers (-3) at Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday, 1 p.m., FOX
The Packers have lost their last two trips to Cincinnati. In 2005, a fan stole the ball from Brett Favre. In 2013, Terence Newman scored on a fumble return for a TD. That's our way of saying strange things could happen if the Packers start slow. Joe Mixon (ankle) and Jaire Alexander (shoulder) are key injuries in what should be another close encounter for the Packers.
Pick: Packers 28, Bengals 25
- Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings (-10)
Sunday, 1 p.m., FOX
We tried the Lions for a NFC North upset last week. That didn't work. It's not going to happen in Minnesota either. Both teams struggle against the run, so Kirk Cousins and Jared Goff should enjoy nice games. The Vikings need to get Dalvin Cook on track if they want to keep up in the NFC North.
Pick: Vikings 26, Lions 22
- Denver Broncos (-1.5) at Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday, 1 p.m., FOX
Teddy Bridgewater (concussion) might miss this game, and that impacts our pick. The Steelers are a brutal watch at times on offense, but the defense should be able to force a few turnovers from Drew Luck. Pittsburgh guts out an ugly win with a late drive from Ben Roethlisberger, but it isn't pretty.
Pick: Steelers 23, Broncos 21
- Miami Dolphins at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-9.5)
Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
The Dolphins are in an early-season slide. Miami has yet to have a game with at least 200 yards passing, and that's bad news against Tom Brady and a versatile Buccaneers' offense. Miami had some memorables upsets involving Brady when he was in New England. This won’t be one of those moments.
Pick: Buccaneers 30, Dolphins 19
- New Orleans Saints (-2.5) at Washington Football Team
Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
The Saints have been inconsistent through four weeks, and the pass defense was a mess against the Giants in Week 5. Taylor Heinicke has played well enough in three starts to keep the ball moving at home, and the defense will force a few interceptions.
Pick: Washington 24, Saints 23
- Philadelphia Eagles at Carolina Panthers (-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m., FOX
The Eagles are another NFC East underdog who can pull an upset on the road. Philadelphia has issues against the run, but will the Panthers stick with it long enough? Jalen Hurts spreads out the Panthers’ defense and avoids the big turnover, and Miles Sanders scores the game-winning TD in the fourth quarter.
Pick: Eagles 28, Panthers 21
- Tennessee Titans (-4.5) at Jacksonville Jaguars
Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
The Jaguars are still looking for that first victory under first-year coach Urban Meyer, and Tennessee proved vulnerable without starting receivers A.J. Brown and Julio Jones in Week 5. The bad news for Meyer? Mike Vrabel will feed Derrick Henry early, and the Jacksonville pass defense will be exploited once more.
Pick: Titans 30, Jaguars 26
- New England Patriots (-8.5) at Houston Texans
Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
The Pats lost the "Brady Bowl," but Mac Jones’ poise as a rookie quarterback continues to be an early-season surprise. Houston has scored a total of nine points in their last two losses, and New England should be able to grind out a victory on the road. The spread is still too high.
Pick: Patriots 20, Texans 14
- Chicago Bears at Las Vegas Raiders (-5.5)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m., CBS
For all the hand-wringing about Matt Nagy, the Bears are 2-2 and have a chance to take a winning record into a home game against the Packers in Week 6. The Raiders are coming off a short week. Despite Chicago’s quarterback questions, the recipe for an off-the-wall-thriller is there.
Pick: Bears 26, Raiders 24
- Cleveland Browns at Los Angeles Chargers (-2.5)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m., CBS
Baker Mayfield did not play well in Week 4 at Minnesota, and the Browns won. Hint: It’s not always about Mayfield. The Browns have the top rushing offense in the NFL, and the defense flexed the last two weeks. The Chargers will offer a preview of what’s to come in the playoffs, but championship-caliber teams win on the road. Mayfield bounces back in another clutch road victory.
Pick: Browns 31, Chargers 24
- New YorkGiants at Dallas Cowboys (-7)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m., FOX
The Cowboys have the second-best running game in the NFL, and the Tony Pollard-Ezekiel Elliott combination has helped Dak Prescott, who was lost for the season in this game in 2020. The Cowboys’ hype is coming, and it builds with another NFC East victory at home.
Pick: Cowboys 28, Giants 19
- San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals (-5.5)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m., FOX
It’s tempting to take the 49ers if Trey Lance starts, especially with the building hype around the unbeaten Cardinals. Kliff Kingsbury is 3-3 against San Francisco, and Kyler Murray will continue the hot start with another efficient performance at home.
Pick: Cardinals 28, 49ers 24
- Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs (-3)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m., NBC
The Chiefs have question marks, and the defense is becoming a concern. Buffalo can win this AFC championship rematch. The Bills lead the league with a +7 turnover ratio, and the Chiefs have been loose with the football. Josh Allen has been great, too. The Sunday Night Football spotlight gives us another fantastic finish, however, and Patrick Mahomesleads the game-winning drive this time. Kansas City reasserts its place in the AFC hierarchy.
Pick: Chiefs 31, Bills 28
- Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens (-7)
Monday, 8:15 p.m., ESPN
The Colts finally picked up their first victory, but now it’s a road trip to Baltimore. The Ravens have won four of the last five in this series, and Lamar Jackson is coming off his first 300-yard game of the season. Baltimore stays hot at home ahead of another big game against the Chargers in Week 6.
Pick: Ravens 30, Colts 18
