Teams will be tested on both sides of the ball in the fifth week of the NFL season. Expect one of the unbeatens to fall as its fun run will come to an end.
The Rams will not allow 55 points
Okay, okay, It’s a joke. This is a team that has allowed more than 50 points twice in its last 10 games (vs Chiefs last year and Tampa Bay last week). Sean McVay and Wade Phillips need to get their defense in gear if they hope to handle Russell Wilson in Seattle and eventually navigate their way back to the Super Bowl.
Ezekiel Elliott will have a huge game
Coming off a rare stinker against New Orleans, Ezekiel Elliott gets the Green Bay Packers at home. Green Bay was lit up by Philly’s ground game last Thursday for 176 yards and a pair of TDs. The Packers are allowing 142.2 yards per game on the ground and the Cowboys’ star is a threat to get that on his own.
Cardinals-Bengals will be awful
There is no way around this. You are looking at two of the worst teams in the league playing each other. Andy Dalton and the Bengals are in reverse. Kyler Murray and the Cardinals have promise. That won’t deliver a great performance for 60 minutes. Cincy is coming off a Monday night game, no less. A game where the winner loses — draft positioning. Would anyone be stunned if this wound up in a tie?
A team wearing green will win in Philly
That’s an easy one as the New York Jets — Gang Green — head south about 90 minutes to play the Philadelphia Eagles at the Linc. Would be astonished if the home team did not win. And it doesn’t seem like Sam Darnold is ready to return from his bout with mono. Adam Gase will be, um, green with envy over what Doug Pederson has on his roster.
Khalil Mack will have multiple sacks
This has to be the game the Bears’ elite LB has circled on the calendar. A chance to show Jon Gruden exactly what he dealt away from Oakland. It has been a long time and will be a long trip to London. However, expect Khalil Mack to get more than one sack of Derek Carr, who will feel like he is wearing the No. 52 by the end of the game.
Patrick Mahomes will throw 3 TD passes
The Detroit Lions somehow found a way to hold the fantastic Patrick Mahomes without a TD pass. A moral victory as the Chiefs escaped Detroit with their fourth victory in September against no losses. The Colts are banged up and one can expect Mahomes, Andy Reid and the Chiefs to feast in Kansas City.
Dalvin Cook will get back on track
Dalvin Cook was thwarted at every turn and corner by the Chicago Bears after rushing for 375 yards in his first three games. The former Florida State star will rebound strongly by breaking a long run and the century plateau at MetLife against the New York Giants.
Deshaun Watston will be tested by the Falcons
Deshaun Watson has been inconsistent in his four games for Houston. The perfect recipe for a Falcon defense to come up big in a huge game. Atlanta is allowing 324 yards per game — total. It may feel like a game where Watson can go off, but he won’t.
Jameis Winston will better Dak Prescott
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New Orleans kept Dak Prescott and Dallas in check Sunday night. The Cowboys’ QB finished with 223 yards. Winston is coming off a huge game against the Rams, where he threw for 385 yards and 4 TDs. The former Heisman winner out of Florida State won’t reach those lofty stats but he will top Prescott’s output.
The Bills will sack Marcus Mariota 4 times
As strong and tough as Buffalo’s defense has been through four games, it only has seven sacks. Expect the Bills to harass Mariota and the Titans, who have allowed 13 sacks in 2019.
The Browns will ruin the Niners’ perfect mark
San Francisco is 3-0. Two of the victories came against teams that were winless, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. The opener came against a Tampa Bay team that had yet to find its way. So this is a shaky perfection, at best. The Browns were full of themselves until they were slapped around in two of their first three games. They rebounded against Baltimore and figure to make a strong showing in prime time.
