Three Picks for NFL Week #5
Previous Day’s Record: 1-2
Overall Record: 6-6
Welcome to Week #5 of the National Football League, where we have six undefeated teams remaining and another two games (Patriots-Broncos and Bills-Titans) off the board and in the COVID-19 cross-hairs.
This is our new normal, and we better get used to it even if it makes bettors crazy and sends your fantasy football hopes down the drain.
Only the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions have the normal bye week this Sunday, so we still have a pretty stacked slate of promising games to wager on:
PITTSBURGH (3-0) vs PHILADELPHIA (1-2-1)
The NFC East-leading Eagles are flying moderately high after a 25-20 in San Francisco last Sunday night, but let’s remember that victory came against a backup quarterback, a backup running back and a decimated defense.
The Steelers, on the other hand, are fresh and healthy off a bye week and look to stay unbeaten with the stingiest run defense in the league. If the Eagles can’t run and they fall behind, Carson Wentz will throw interceptions and the Steelers will prevail with a big day from running back James Connor, who will try to come close
to the 109 yards he racked up on the ground and 40 on the air against Houston two weeks ago.
My pick: Take the Steelers (-7), who win 31 – 20.
ATLANTA (0-4) vs. CAROLINA (2-2)
Keeping up with the air vs. ground theme here, I am going with the Falcons to get off the schneid and earn their first week of the season at home against one of the pleasant surprises early in the season
Atlanta’s offense is too good, and Matt Ryan won’t allow his team to fall to 0-5, no matter how inept his head coach may be or how bumbling the defense is when it comes to holding leads of any kind.
Carolina’s defense has been outstanding during the past two games allowing 16 points against the Chargers and 21 against Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins’ Cardinals, but their charmed run hits pause along with their winning streak.
My pick: Taking the Falcons (-2.5) who win 30 – 27.
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PICK
NEW ORLEANS (2-2) vs LA CHARGERS (1-3)
The last time these two teams faced each other on October 2, 2016, current Chargers rookie quarterback Justin Herbert was still six days away from making his college debut as a true freshman for Oregon against arch-rival Washington. Meanwhile, the Chargers were still the San Diego ones and Chargered hard blowing a 34-21 in the fourth quarter.
Herbert now gets ready to play under the bright lights of Monday Night Football in the fourth game of his NFL career against Drew Brees and the Saints, who not only recovered their mojo with a comeback win in Detroit in Week 4, but also get star wide receiver Michael Thomas back from injury.
Los Angeles, on the other hand, will be without star running back Austin Ekeler and on the wrong end of a shootout for the second consecutive week.
My pick: Saints (-8) win 38 – 33 but don't cover.
-- by El Hombre
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