It’s already NFL Week 5, and with four teams on a bye, that means we have 14 more matchups to preview on this week’s NFL schedule. While primetime matchups always attract extra attention, below, we dive into one bold prediction for every game on the Week 5 NFL schedule.
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Falcons offense explodes (in a good way) in big win over Buccaneers
The Falcons pieced their offense together, hoping they could become a top-ten scoring attack, but they’ve failed to live up to the hype. Despite averaging just 18.8 PPG and ranking 22nd in scoring, we’ll predict the Falcons become the first team to hang 30 points on the Buccaneers’ top-ten defense this season.
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Aaron Rodgers has four passing TD in Jets win over Vikings in London
As a franchise, the Vikings are very familiar with Aaron Rodgers. He has a 17-11-1 record against them, which includes six games with four touchdown passes. Despite the Jets ranking 21st in scoring, we’ll go out on a limb and say Rodgers passes for four touchdowns in a big win over the Vikings in London. He has yet to have more than two touchdown passes this season, but this is his first time facing his former NFC North rivals as a member of the Jets.
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Xavier Legette has first 100-yard game in Panthers win over Bears
Andy Dalton has sparked the Panthers’ passing offense over the past two weeks and we’re expecting that to continue even against a top-ten Bears defense. Adam Thielen’s absence opened up more opportunities for Panthers rookie Xavier Legette last week, where he recorded 66 yards and his first touchdown. We’ll go one further and say he has his first 100-yard game in the NFL, helping beat the Bears in the process.
Bengals win, become first team in 2024 to keep Ravens under 150 rushing yards
After watching Derrick Henry stampede the Bills on Monday night, it looks like no one can slow down the Ravens’ rushing attack. They’re the only team in the NFL with two players in the top ten of rushing yards, ranking first in the NFL in nearly every category. Baltimore averages 220.2 rushing yards per game. On paper, Cincinnati stands no chance, as they’ve allowed the 25th-most rushing yards this season, but at some point, a 1-3 team has to get sick of being pushed around by their AFC North rivals. Can the Bengals become the first team to hold the Ravens to fewer than 150 rushing yards? The odds are stacked against them, but that’s what makes it bold.
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Patriots score 30 points in win over Dolphins
Last year, the Patriots’ offense scored the second-fewest points in the NFL. This year, they rank the same, but they’re averaging .9 points fewer per game. New England has yet to score more than 20 points, but the Dolphins’ offense is a trainwreck right now, which could help the Patriots top the 30-point mark for the first and possibly last time this season.
Deshaun Watson outgains and outscores Jayden Daniels in Browns win over Commanders
His final stat line didn’t show it, but Deshaun Watson flashed a few moments of glory last week against the Raiders. Much of his struggles can also be linked to playing behind an injured line allowing an NFL-high 4.75 sacks per game. His receivers have also dropped 11 passes, tied for the most in the league. Meanwhile, Jayden Daniels looks like a superstar, with seven total touchdowns and just one interception through four starts. Wouldn’t it be shocking if Watson outdid the early Rookie of the Year favorite on Sunday?
Anthony Richardson avoids fumbles and interceptions as Colts keep Jaguars winless
Anthony Richardson has never started and finished a game where he didn’t throw an interception or fumble the ball at least once. Let’s start a new trend on Sunday, with the potential superstar returning to health and playing turnover-free football while keeping his AFC South rivals winless.
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Bills keep Stefon Diggs under 50 yards in revenge win over Texans
The Stefon Diggs revenge tour continues. He racked up 10 catches and 94 yards in his first game against a former team in Week 3’s loss to the Vikings. But the Bills’ wounds are more recent. Can Buffalo keep Diggs under 50 yards in what’s sure to be an emotion-filled game on both sides?
Gardner Minshew leads Raiders to double-digit win over Broncos
Davante Adams is open to a trade, not that the Raiders had him in last week’s win anyway. This week won’t get any easier, taking on a top-ten Broncos defense. But in the Gardner Minshew versus Bo Nix battle, there’s no question which player has more experience. Can Minshew strike magic with Brock Bowers?
Marvin Harrison records 150 receiving yards in Cardinals win over 49ers
Four weeks into his career, Marvin Harrison Jr already looks like a future superstar. The Cardinals could have used more in last week’s blowout, but we’re guessing Jonathan Gannon had his team spend some extra time in the film room after that embarrassment. Maybe it can lead to MHJ’s first 150-yard game of his career.
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Matthew Stafford tops 300 passing yards in Rams win over Packers
Matthew Stafford needs all the help he can get after learning Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp would miss Week 5 and possibly much longer. But if the Rams want to make the playoffs, Stafford will have to learn to make do with what he has. Sean McVay could get extra creative this week, busting out his best plays to get whoever’s healthy open for Stafford to take advantage in a big way.
Giants record five sacks in win over Seahawks
The Giants’ rebuilt front seven is paying early dividends. They average the third-most sacks per game coming into Week 5. New York’s defense has two games with five or more sacks, even getting up to eight against Cleveland. We’ll buy stock in New York’s other sack exchange this week, derailing a Seahawks team that started their season as one of the NFL’s best.
Justin Fields rushes for over 100 yards in Steelers win over Cowboys
When they’re not playing the Giants, Mike Zimmer’s Cowboys defense has been atrocious this season. Dallas ranks 27th in rushing yards allowed and 21st in YPC. The Ravens blew the doors off Dallas’ defense with 274 rushing yards in Week 2. We don’t see the Steelers replicating the same success, but we could see Justin Fields the sixth 100-yard rushing game of his career.
Related: 2024 NFL defense rankings
Derek Carr leads Saints to double-digit win over Chiefs
The Chiefs and Vikings are the NFL’s lone remaining undefeated teams after four weeks. Of the two, the Chiefs are far more proven, with back-to-back Super Bowl rings to show for it. Yet, as all NFL head coaches will remind you, the 2024 Chiefs are not the 2023 version, and Week 5 is not the Super Bowl. This leaves plenty of leeway for the Saints to find their groove again with what would be their biggest win of the season over the Chiefs.
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