NFL Week 5 Preview
There are a lot of things that I love about sports, but there's one thing that stands above the rest. Underdogs. Last week was filled with underdog performances. The Eagles, Raiders, Browns, Panthers, and Buccaneers all pulled off upset wins on the road last week. The Saints, led by Teddy Bridgewater, also continued to win as underdogs against high-level competition with a home win over the 3-0 Cowboys. Weeks like the last just prove the saying, "Any given Sunday." You can never count any team out, no matter what the circumstances are.
There is plenty of underdog potential this upcoming week. In fact, in 3 of the 4 games I'll be going over, I have the favorite team falling. Regardless of how many underdog wins we see, the NFL should have another good week of football in store.
Rams vs Seahawks
Over the past several years, these division opponents have consistently delivered good football games when they meet. In 10 of the last 14 meetings, one TD would have swayed the outcome. We've seen shootouts with each team scoring 30+, and we've seen defensive battles result in less than 15 total points. The Rams have gotten the better of the rivalry recently, winning all of the last 3 and 6 of the last 8, but Seattle owns the all-time advantage at 23-19. Winning this game will be a big boost for one of these teams. Not only are they fighting with each other for the division, but the 49ers are right with them at 3-0. Neither team wants to start their 2nd quarter of the season by putting themselves in 3rd place.
This important game is coming at a very bad time for the Rams. After letting the Bucs absolutely obliterate their defense with 55 points, the last thing they needed was a trip to Seattle on short rest. That defense is going to be tired and frustrated, and that could allow Wilson and company to run all over them. L.A.'s offense will keep them in the game, but they can't beat the Seahawks with their offense alone.
Seahawks win, 31-27
Buccaneers vs Saints
The football scene has been awfully gloom in Tampa Bay a long time. It's been 11 years since their last postseason appearance. The Bucs have racked up 8 last place finishes in the NFC South since then, and they have fired 5 coaches. Like most others, I did not expect that to turn around this season. However, they have a chance to do so. After a stunning win in L.A. to bring them back to .500, the Buccaneers have a chance to put themselves in good position in this division with another big win in New Orleans.
The Saints have shown that they don't need Drew Brees to win games. They are still a contender without him. But there is no doubt that anyone playing them with Bridgewater in the huddle is breathing a sigh of relief. The Buccaneers need to capitalize on this break, and I think they will. Nobody, including Christian McCaffery and Todd Gurley, has been able to run the ball effectively on Tampa Bay. They are allowing a league low 2.9 yards per carry, and they have not allowed a 20+ yard run yet through 4 games. That means that Alvin Kamara's role could be limited, and Teddy Bridgewater will have to step up his game. Tampa's offense is unpredictable, but we saw last week how lethal they can be if they hit their stride. I think they'll add another impressive road win to their resume this Sunday.
Buccaneers win, 30-25
Packers vs Cowboys
After strong 3-0 starts, both Green Bay and Dallas suffered their first losses in week 4. The Cowboys had a chance to capitalize on the Saints while they were missing Brees, but the Dallas offense disappeared and wasted the opportunity. Green Bay's offense was just fine, but it was the familiar defensive woes that ended their undefeated run. Both of these teams need to sort out those issues quickly to avoid starting an early losing streak. One of them will not be able to do that.
The Dallas Cowboys have loads of talent on both sides of the ball, but they seem to have a hard time reaching their potential. The first 3 weeks they looked great, but as soon as they met a contending team, they crumbled. The Packers, on the other hand, have looked much better in my opinion. The Packers' defense looked better in the first 3 weeks than it has in a long time. Last week's performance was not on par with the others, but I don't think that is an indication of things to come. On top of that, the offense has appeared to get better with each week. I think the Cowboys have more potential than the Packers, but Green Bays is playing to theirs more consistently. That's usually going to get you farther in the NFL.
Packers win, 23-18
Browns vs 49ers
Success has been hard to come by for both of these franchises in recent history. In the last 5 years, neither team has reached the 8-win mark. In the last 16 seasons, the two have combined for just 3 playoff appearances, all by the 49ers. However, it seems that 2019 could be the year that things turn around for these two franchises. Both may have found a franchise QB for the first time in many years, and those QB's currently have their teams in 1st place of their divisions. Now they have to go through each other on Monday night to keep themselves at the top for the time being.
Momentum can be a huge factor in any sporting event. This game right here could be a perfect example of that. On one side you have San Francisco who started their season with 3 wins before their early bye week. I don't think any NFL team wants that bye while they are hot. They want to keep that rhythm going. On the other side you have Cleveland who is fresh off a huge upset on the road against one of their hated rivals. Even though the 49ers have yet to lose a game, the Browns have all the momentum, and with a team full of emotion like the Baker Mayfield-led Browns, that positive momentum is what they thrive on, and that can go a long way.
Browns win, 26-23
