Well the 1972 Miami Dolphins got to pop their champagne a lot earlier than normal as the last two undefeated teams fell in Week Five. The Raiders and Jaguars are still on pace to join the 1976 Buccaneers and 2008 Lions though. Here’s a look forward to Week Six:
Denver Broncos at New York Jets: The San Diego Chargers receiving core had their way with the Jets last week, and now it’s Peyton Manning’s turn to abuse them. Rex Ryan is determined to stick with Geno Smith, but he is dragging this team down. The Broncos should have no problem earning a sizable victory in New York.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns: In the season opener against Pittsburgh, Brian Hoyer led the Browns back from a 24 point deficit before losing on the final play. Clearly that wasn’t a fluke because he led them back from 25 last week in Tennessee. Hoyer seems to be the quarterback Browns fans have been praying for. The Steelers on the other hand are banged up and tanking. The Browns should be able to pull this one off at home.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans: Tennessee may be without Jake Locker again this week, but Jacksonville still doesn’t have a professional football team. The Jaguars fought hard last week, but they blew it in the end. If they can’t win at home, don’t expect anything different on the road.
Green Bay Packers at Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins still seem to think they won the Super Bowl after beating the Patriots in Week One. Aaron Rodgers on the other hand has significantly improved as the season has progressed. He didn’t do much last week against the Vikings, but he didn’t need to. The Packers should have no problem securing the W.
Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings: Teddy Bridgewater is supposed to be back for the Vikings this week, and he has proven to be just the spark of life the Vikings needed. The Lions have a lot of great players; but they just can’t win games, especially with Calvin Johnson on the sideline. The Vikings should be able to pull off the upset at home.
Carolina Panthers at Cincinnati Bengals: The Panthers only won last week because the Bears imploded. The Bengals on the other hand got absolutely blasted by a Patriots squad that everyone had counted out. The Bengals are a fantastic team at home, and they should have no problem getting back on track against a struggling Carolina team.
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills: Kyle Orton is definitely a better quarterback than E.J. Manuel, but he isn’t enough to make the Bills a great team. The Patriots have struggled all year, but they really have problems on the road. All things considered, it’s hard to say the Bills can beat the Patriots until they actually do. This should be a really good game.
Baltimore Ravens at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mike Glennon is a clear improvement over the struggling Josh McCown, and the Ravens don’t look like the 2012 Super Bowl Champions. The Ravens don’t really have much offensive power left besides Steve Smith, but he can’t do it all. The Bucs on the other hand have a lot to work with. Look for Tampa Bay to pull the upset.
Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons are a great team at home, and after losing a few in a row on the road they are pretty desperate for a win. The Bears on the other hand can’t really seem to win consistently anywhere. They turn the ball over constantly, and Jay Cutler still has yet to show he can lead this team effectively. Matt Ryan should be able to obliterate Chicago’s defense.
San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders: After what they did to the Jets, the Raiders might as well stay at home. It doesn’t matter who’s coaching the Raiders, they’re still the Raiders. The Chargers have a ton of weapons on offense, and they’re defense looks a lot better than in the past. Oakland fans might as well stay home.
Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks: The Cowboys might be the biggest surprise this season. At 4-1, they actually look like they want to win this season. Unfortunately, they have to bring their 4-1 record to Seattle. Tony Romo versus the Legion of Boom just sounds painful. The Seahawks should be able to win, but DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant may be able to keep it close.
Washington Redskins at Arizona Cardinals: Carson Palmer is still injured, and Drew Stanton won’t be playing this week either. Fortunately for the Cardinals they’re playing the Redskins. As long as someone can throw the ball in Larry Fitzgerald’s general direction this should be an easy win for the Cards.
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles are 4-1 despite a really poor offensive start, whereas the Giants are 3-2 because their offense has finally started working. Eli Manning is a consistently good quarterback on the road, so an upset isn’t out of the question. The Eagles have been doing fantastic on special teams this season, however; and that could easily be the difference maker in a Sunday Night game.
San Francisco 49ers at St. Louis Rams: The 49ers still reported want Jim Harbaugh out, and the Rams are trying their best to keep Jeff Fisher in. It’s hard to play up to your potential for a coach you don’t like. The Rams are a tough team, especially for the 49ers. In fact, the Rams are the Niners biggest competition in the division over the past few years, even more so than the Seahawks. That being said, the Niners should still be able to pull off a victory; but it’ll be close, and it won’t be easy.