Here are odds and quick-hit previews of all the action in Week 5 in the NFL.
Vikings -10 over 41
Rams +10 under 41
Fresh off their impressive Monday night win over divisional rival Green Bay, Minnesota travels to St. Louis to take on the worst team in football. The Rams’ woes are primarily in the passing game, where they’re averaging a measly 139.5 yards per game. Steven Jackson won’t find much running room in this one, so look for Jared Allen to have another monster performance against St. Louis’ collection of weak offensive tackles. Brett Favre probably won’t need to display the magic he did Monday night against the Packers because Adrian Peterson should have plenty of running room.
Cowboys –9 Over 42.5
Chiefs +9 Under 42.5
Dallas has had issues the past two weeks moving the ball offensively, but they have played better on defense. Tony Romo continues to regress in his decision-making and he hasn’t had much help from his two star backs Marion Barber and Felix Jones, who have each battled injuries. The ‘Boys shouldn’t get much of a challenge against a Chiefs team that is still struggling in their transition to the 3-4 defensive scheme, although you never know with the way Romo and company have looked the past two weeks. (Even in their win over the Panthers, Dallas struggled offensively.)
Redskins +3.5 Over 37.5
Panthers –3.5 Under 37.5
Carolina had a much-needed bye last week and John Fox hopes the team ironed out some of its issues. The Panthers are averaging less than a touchdown per game and quarterback Jake Delhomme has often killed scoring drives with turnovers and poor decision-making. Carolina will face a Washington team this weekend that needed two third quarter touchdowns to squeak by Tampa Bay last Sunday. The Redskins have racked up plenty of yards offensively, but usually come away with nothing to show for it, as Jim Zorn’s playcalling has gotten ultra-conservative.
Bucs +15 over 43
Eagles –15 under 43
Donovan McNabb should be back under center this weekend for the Eagles after suffering a rib injury in the opening week of the season. With McNabb, Philly looked potent offensively against the Panthers and the Eagles could destroy a Tampa team that is allowing 393.5 yards per game. The Bucs will start Josh Johnson under center again, although he could have issues moving the offense against a tough Philly defense.
Raiders +15 over 39
Giants –15 under 39
The big question surrounding this game is the health status of Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning, who suffered a foot injury last week in a win over the Chiefs. The team believes Eli will play, but how effective will he be? Oakland’s offense has been brutal thanks to the ever-inconsistent JaMarcus Russell, but the defense hasn’t played that bad. Will the Raiders keep this game close with Manning hobbled?
Browns +6 over 40.5
Bills –6 under 40.5
The Bills must find a way to get Terrell Owens involved in the offense. Their biggest offseason acquisition has been a ghost so far this season and he’s starting to get agitated. If Trent Edwards and Alex Van Pelt can’t figure out a way to get T.O. the ball soon, they’re going to have a mess on their hands. On the other side, Cleveland parted with its biggest distraction this week when it traded troubled receiver Braylon Edwards to the Jets. The hope is that rookie Mohamed Massaquoi’s breakout game against the Bengals in Week 4 wasn’t a fluke and he can assume the No. 1 job. The Browns were competitive last week; is their first win on the horizon?
Bengals +8.5 over 42
Ravens –8.5 under 42
At 3-1, pundits don’t know what to make of Cincinnati yet. Are the Bengals a legitimate playoff sleeper or have they just caught teams at the right time? This Sunday will be a great test for them to see where they’re at. A win on the road over a pissed off Ravens team coming off a loss would no doubt lift Cincy into legitimate contender status.
Steelers –10.5 over 44
Lions +10.5 under 44
Have the Steelers found their answer to what ails their ground game in the form of Rashard Mendenhall? If they have, Pittsburgh is going to be tough to beat throughout the rest of the season. They catch a break this week, as rookie Matthew Stafford will likely miss Sunday’s matchup due to a knee injury. If Daunte Culpepper starts, the Steelers should have no issues producing an easy win in Motown.
Falcons +3 over 41
49ers –3 under 41
This is one of the more underrated matchups on the Week 5 schedule. The Niners will once again be without Frank Gore and they’ll get a stiffer test this week from Atlanta than they did against St. Louis last Sunday. The Falcons are coming off a bye in which they spent time trying to figure out their defensive issues and their stagnant running game. The hope is to spring Michael Turner lose this Sunday, but that could be tough against a solid 49ers defense.
Patriots –3 over 41
Broncos +3 under 41
Denver gets another good test at home this week when it hosts a New England team that is starting to build some momentum. Rookie Knowshon Moreno will get his first start of his career with Correll Buckhalter set to miss this game due to an injury. The key to a Broncos’ win will be whether or not their top-notch defense can generate a pass rush against Tom Brady. If Elvis Dummervil and company can harass Brady consistently throughout the game, don’t be surprised if the Broncos emerge still undefeated on the young season.
Texans +5.5 over 50
Cardinals –5.5 under 50
The inconsistent Texans take their act on the road this week to battle a Cardinals team still seething from their Sunday night loss to the Colts two weeks ago. This is actually a good matchup for the Texans because while their defense has struggled stopping the run this year, the Cards don’t pose much of a threat with their ground game. Houston ranks ninth against the pass, so they could have success against Kurt Warner and company if Arizona can’t stay balanced.
Jaguars N/A
Seahawks N/A
Matt Hasselbeck split reps with Seneca Wallace during practice on Wednesday, which might be a sign that he’s ready to come back after suffering a rib injury in a Week 2 loss to San Francisco. The Hawks desperately need him back, because they’re a different team with Wallace under center. The Jaguars have played better than most expected so far this season, but they’ll get a decent test this week playing a Hawk team that has been tough to beat in Seattle over the years.
Colts –4 over 45.5
Titans +4 under 45.5
What has happened with the Titans? Jeff Fisher has no answers for Tennessee’s issues converting on third downs, as well as in the secondary. Peyton Manning could have a field day against a defensive backfield that looks lost and befuddled.
Jets –2 over 36.5
Dolphins +2 under 36.5
Even though their records are flip-flopped, it’s Miami who has momentum heading into Monday night after Chad Henne led them to an impressive rout of the Bills last week. On the other side, Mark Sanchez struggled mightily in New Orleans and it’ll be interesting to see how he fairs on Monday night in his first primetime game of his career. Will he succumb to the pressure? Can the newly acquired Braylon Edwards help take the pressure off?

