Written by: Tyler Deakin
Week 4 brought us The Return of Tom Brady to New England, two overtime upsets, and a Thursday Night comeback for the ages. The week kicked off with Bengals QB Joe Burrow leading an epic 14-point comeback win against the Jaguars. Later, the New York Giants & Jets pulled off overtime upsets over the Saints & Titans respectively to earn their first wins of the season. Tom Brady then set the record for all-time NFL passing yardage & became the 3rd player in NFL history to defeat all 32 teams by beating his former Patriots team in Foxborough on Sunday Night Football. What new adventures await football fans this coming week? Without further ado, here is my list of contenders for the best games on the Week 5 NFL docket.
Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday Night Football)
Everyone loves a good rematch, right? This is Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen Part II after last year’s AFC Championship Game. Bills head coach Sean McDermott said the following after the team’s loss last year, “there is still a gap in terms of where we are and where they are… I think the speed element showed up on the field the other night.” Football fans will get a chance to see what adjustments the Bills have made as Sunday’s contest unfolds. Both teams are rolling into this matchup after putting up 40+ points on their opponents last week. I think this game has the makings of an instant classic that could come down to the wire & possibly force overtime.
Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks (Thursday Night Football)
There is intrigue in this matchup as two divisional rivals duke it out for all the glory. Seahawks QB Russell Wilson has typically struggled against the Rams (8-10 career record) while constantly facing pressure from Rams DT Aaron Donald. Can he change the narrative & flip the script against the Rams in this game? Meanwhile, the Rams are coming off their first loss of the season to the Cardinals. They were blown out in that meeting, so they surely want to vent some frustrations against the Seahawks. Nothing better than great football on a Thursday Night!
San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals
Could 49ers QB Trey Lance make his starting debut against the Cardinals this weekend? It’s a distinct possibility after incumbent starter Jimmy Garoppolo hurt his calf in last week’s game. Head coach Kyle Shanahan recently said, “[the injury] wasn’t as bad as we thought it might have been… Wednesday if it’s gotten better, he’s got a good chance.” On the other side of the ball, the Cardinals are scorching hot after their statement win over the Rams last week. Led by MVP candidate Kyler Murray, the Cardinals are the NFL’s last undefeated team left standing. Will the Cardinals resolve be enough to hold off the division rival 49ers on Sunday afternoon?
Cleveland Browns at Los Angeles Chargers
It’s statement win after statement win for the Chargers these days. After defeating the Chiefs a couple weeks ago, they then proceeded to beat the Raiders on Monday Night Football. This was significant for the Bolts because the Raiders are a division rival & were one of the last undefeated teams left standing. Meanwhile, the Browns made a statement of their own in taking down the Vikings last week despite QB Baker Mayfield playing poorly. A win for either team here would go a long way in establishing their candidacy as legitimate AFC playoff contenders.
New Orleans Saints at Washington Football Team
These two teams don’t have much of a history with each other; however, this should be a good showdown since both teams are desperate for a win. The Football Team squeaked by the Falcons last week, while the Saints lost to the Giants in overtime. Both teams have 2-2 records & are trying to establish themselves as Wild Card contenders. Obviously a 3-2 record is much better than a 2-3 record, so this is a huge game for both teams. I expect this to be a shootout, since both teams’ defenses have struggled mightily of late. Who will win this pivotal matchup?
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