WEEK 5 STRAIGHT PICK-EM

LAST WEEK’S RECORD: (12-4)

SEASON RECORD: (45-19)

MONDAY NIGHT RECORD: (4-2)

THURSDAY NIGHT RECORD: (4-0)

FRIDAY NIGHT RECORD: (0-1)

THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (3-1) AT LA RAMS (3-1)

The 49ers will once again be without Brock Purdy. The Rams enjoyed some home cooking last weekend giving the Colts their first loss of the season. The 49ers also suffered their first loss of the season to the Jaguars. Can Mac Jones continue to be perfect as the fill in guy for Purdy? Jones is 2-0 this season already. Anything can happen in division games because they know each other very well. I like the Rams. The way Matthew Stafford has performed so far this season, he should be able to slice and dice the 49ers defense with their injuries piling up like a MASH unit. Can any team stop what Stafford has with wide receiver Puka Nacua? He may have 100 catches way before mid-season.

OUR PICK: RAMS

THE SUNDAY TILT

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-2) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-3) IN LONDON ENGLAND

It was a matter of time for the Cleveland Browns to bench the old guy Joe Flacco for the next generation, QB Dillion Gabriel. How’s Shedeur Sanders taking this, the other QB the Browns drafted this season? Probably not well. Flacco will be the number two while Sanders pouts as the number 3 QB. The Vikings lost a close one last week to the Steelers last week in Ireland. The Vikings are still across the pond this week. Now they are in London, England. The Browns defense will keep Gabriel’s debut close. He faces a blitzing Viking defense that will give the rookie a challenge. Carson Wentz will do enough to get by the Browns defense. The Vikings being over in Europe last week will give them the advantage on the time change whild the Browns may be on snooze most of this game.

OUR PICK: VIKINGS

DALLAS COWBOYS (1-2-1) AT NEW YORK JETS(0-4)

Is the new Jets head coach a better cheerleader than anything Dallas has? Not quite, but I feel for him like I need to cheer him on so the Jets can get that first victory. I don’t like the Jets’ chances versus this Cowboys team that has been good on offense. They put up 40 points versus Green Bay and came away with only a tie. The Cowboys defense sucks. Justin Fields should have a big day for New York. However the Jets defense still have not been able to generate one stinking turnover after 4 weeks. The Cowboys will score points off the Jets defense and be able to just do enough to stop Fields to get a road victory or this will end in a tie. The Cowboy way.

OUR PICK: COWBOYS

DENVER BRONCOS(2-2) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-0)

Can the Broncos give the Eagles their first loss of the season? This is a long road trip for the Broncos, but I can see their defense being able to contain Saquon Barkley most of the game. I said most of the game which Barkley will eventually wear out the Broncos defense. Bo Nix is starting to heat up. This will be a tough game for Bo dealing with the Eagles on the road in hostile territory. The Broncos are a good team but they are not ready yet to beat the top tier teams in the NFL. I like Eagles to stay undefeated in a close game but a victory.

OUR PICK: EAGLES

BALTIMORE RAVENS(1-3) AT HOUSTON TEXANS (1-3)

Do you remember the old Dallas Cowboys back up QB Cooper Rush? Now he is suiting up for the Ravens and is going to start for them this week because Lamar Jackson is injured. Rush is 9-5 as a starter all-time. The Texans won their first game of the season last Sunday. The Ravens will not be explosive on offense with Rush behind center, but they will still get points. The Texans have a bad offensive line, but the Ravens defense is horrific. The Texans defense is solid. I like CJ Stroud not being on his back in this game to have his best performance of the year. It will be a close game, but Texans prevail at the end because of all the injuries on that Ravens defense.

OUR PICK: TEXANS

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS(1-3) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (3-1)

Colts suffered their first loss of the season versus a solid Rams team. The Raiders should have beat the Bears but suffered a loss giving up the lead to Chicago late in that contest. Geno Smith has not done well in Vegas so far. Three more picks last week. Daniel Jones is the comeback player of the year. He has flipped the script in his football career and he should be able to have another solid game versus this Raiders defense. I’m surprised head coach Pete Carol has not made another pact with the Devil to get some wins as Raiders head coach. I like the Colts in this one with Jonathan Taylor wearing out the silver and black at home to get back in the win column.

OUR PICK: COLTS

NEW YORK GIANTS (1-3) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (0-4)

Who do you love?

We know who the Giants head coach loves. Brian Daboll is not shy of his love for Giants rookie QB Jaxson Dart who helped New York land their first victory of the season last Sunday. Can the Giants hit the road and win their second game of the year in the Big Easy? Not trying to ruin Daboll’s chubby, but this Sunday it will be Spencer Rattler getting his first NFL victory. Rattler is now 0-10 in his career as a starter. The Saints have been lingering in every game so far. I like Rattler to take a bite out of the visiting Big Apple and getting the Saints finally in the win column.

OUR PICK: SAINTS

MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-3) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-3)

The Panthers were blown out by the Patriots last week. The Dolphins finally crack the win column but it cost them their top receiver.

I hate when bad things happen to bad people like Tyreek Hill. His devastating knee injury has him out the rest of the season. I think Carolina will be able to score points off a bad Dolphins defense. You can’t trust what this Panther team will do. They can win. However Bryce Young can have have a big day and Carolina can still lose. Tua Tagovailoa still has weapons without the Cheetah. I like the Dolphins just getting by the Panthers by a ball hair in this one.

OUR PICK: DOLPHINS

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-1) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (3-1)

This match up should be a good one. Usually you hear about Seattle making the long distance flight. This time it’s Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers suffered their first loss of the season losing a close affair with the Champion Eagles. The Seahawks have won three straight games after opening up the season with a loss at home. The Seahawks are a team that can be beat at home. Seattle defense has been solid and should be able to prevent a Buccaneers comeback late in this contest. It seems like all the wins by Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers have been in the last minute of regulation. I like how Sam Darnold has played for the Seahawks so far. He should be able to do his stuff versus a Buccaneers defense that just blitzes all the time.

OUR PICK: SEAHAWKS

DETROIT LIONS (3-1) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-2)

The Lions will get the Ohio sweep this Sunday after beating the Browns last week. The Bengals defense should allow the Lions offense to function on all cylinders. Jake Browning, the fill in guy for Joe Burrow, has been awful. You have to blame the Bengals offensive line being a majority of the problem. Look for J’Marr Chase to have another heated exchange with the Bengals staff.

Chase will continue to disappoint fantasy football owners throughout the country. The Lions defense should be licking their chops on potential turnovers they will get from Browning who’s been in giving spirits so far this season.

OUR PICK: LIONS

TENNESSEE TITANS (0-4) AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-2)

The Titans have to be the worst team in the NFL. Tennessee was shut out by the Texans last weekend. Meanwhile the Cardinals started out of the gates with a 2-0 record & have lost two straight games. Arizona is at home. Their defense should do well against a struggling rookie quarterback. Kyler Murray should be able to put up a solid performance versus the Titans defense. Look for Arizona to snap the two game losing streak while winning an easy one.

OUR PICK: CARDINALS

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (2-2) AT LA CHARGERS (3-1)

The Commanders will have Jayden Daniels back behind center after he missed the last two games from an injury. The Chargers lost their first game of the year to a rookie QB making his first ever start in the NFL last Sunday. Can Daniels knock off the rust? Can Justin Herbert function well even with a banged up O-line for the Chargers? Daniels has not been himself from his rookie season. The Commanders are playing a tougher schedule this season because they made the playoffs last year & you will see some struggles. This will be a close game. It’s hard to beat a Jim Harbaugh coached team two weeks in a row. The Chargers are at home. They will prevent a losing streak and find the win column.

OUR PICK: CHARGERS

THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2-2) AT BUFFALO BILLS (4-0)

The Patriots blew the doors off the Panthers last Sunday. The Bills made it tougher on themselves with the visiting Saints but prevailed in the 4th quarter. Is this Mike Vrabel team ready to knock off the big dog of the AFC East? The Patriots are a team on the rise, but a beat down of the Panthers does not give them the juice to come into Buffalo on a Sunday night and beat the Bills. Josh Allen has been very good in prime time games over his career. The Bills are an extremely tough animal to beat in Orchard Park. I can see the Patriots making this game. In the end the Bills will stay perfect for the season.

OUR PICK: BILLS

THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (2-2) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (3-1)

It’s easy to say the Chiefs are back and are functioning on all cylinders after their beat down of the Ravens. The Ravens defense is horrific. It’s like playing the junior varsity team. The Jaguars defense already has racked up 13 turnovers in 4 games. I feel like the Chiefs are in for a rude awakening when they visit Florida. This is my upset special. I think Trevor Lawrence will do enough. I like the Jaguars running game. I suspect Patrick Mahomes to lay an egg. Look for the meathead Travis Kelce to continue his non-impressive performances this season. He’s lucky Taylor Swift is selling records by the millions. It will be a close game, but Jags come away with a shocker at home.

OUR PICK: JAGUARS