Teams like the Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings could really be ready to take phone calls and listen to conversations about some of their better players on the roster- Kirk Cousins is almost certainly going to be involved in trade rumours right up until the deadline, unless he is, of course, moved on sooner.
Outside of the best teams, there are a lot of teams that will believe they can beat any opponent they face on 'any given Sunday' and half of the thirty two teams are at 3-2 or 2-3 after five games are played (eighteen of thirty-two teams would have that record if the Chargers and Browns had not been on a Bye Week in Week 5 when holding 2-2 records).
Only two teams remain unbeaten and both are in the NFC- not many would bet against the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers meeting in the Championship Game for a second year in a row- while three teams sit just below those 5-0 records at 4-1.
The AFC North and AFC South look like Divisions that are going to be hard fought right down to the wire in the regular season and it could mean that only one from each is able to make the PlayOffs, while the NFC South has three teams with winning records, which is a surprise through five weeks.
As we have already seen through the first five weeks of the season, every week things can change in terms of an outlook as to who the best teams in the NFL are, but right now you would find it hard to look past the San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles as the stand out teams that could win the Super Bowl.
Injuries are going to be the key though and that is where the Bills fans might be a little worried with some top Defensive names set to miss some time.
On ther other side there will be little sympathy for the New England Patriots and the struggles of a franchise that have not been the same since Tom Brady left. A long Dynasty looks to be at the end of the line under Bill Belichick after back to back embarrassing blowouts and the veteran Head Coach does not look like he has the answers to get things back on track.
Mac Jones has been bad, but the Patriots have not been competitive in any facet of their Football over the last two losses to the Cowboys and New Orleans Saints and a new era could soon begin in Foxboro.
The aforementioned Broncos and Vikings have been disappointments, while the Carolina Panthers have expected this to be a rough season as they enter Week 6 as the last team without a victory. Earning that this week looks incredibly unlikely, but the NFL can spring up plenty of surprises and that is why we keep watching.
Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs Pick: Games between Divisional rivals are rarely ending in blowouts and that is certainly the case when the Kansas City Chiefs (4-1) and Denver Broncos (1-4) have met, despite the fact the Chiefs have won fifteen in a row in this series.
The Broncos were 8.5 point underdogs at home and 13.5 point underdogs at Arrowhead Stadium in 2022, but they were only beaten by 6 and 3 points respectively. Denver are now 4-1 against the spread in the last five between the teams and the performances last season are giving the players something to hold onto as they prepare for this Week 6 game on Thursday Night Football.
At this moment in time the Broncos need to find the positives wherever they can as they continue to struggle under the guidance of new Head Coach Sean Payton. The former New Orleans Saints Super Bowl winning Coach was supposed to come in and quickly turn things around for the Broncos after their 5-12 record in 2022, but there is clearly a lot of work to be done.
Just to underline the point, Sean Payton would have been embarrassed in Week 5 when the Broncos were beaten by double digits at home against the New York Jets. Losing to Zach Wilson and the Jets by that margin is hard enough to take, but would have been all the worse for Payton considering the 'horrible' job he felt Nathaniel Hackett had done as Head Coach for the Broncos in 2022, the same Hackett who is now the New York Offensive Co-Ordinator.
You just know the Jets enjoyed the result and the Denver Broncos have looked lost all season- even their one win over the Chicago Bears came in a game that Denver were down by 21 points before rallying, while no one will have forgotten what happened in Miami in Week 3.
At least the Denver Offensive unit have been able to have some success and that should also be seen in this Thursday Night Football game. The Offensive Line has not been the best when it comes to pass protection, but Denver have been able to run the ball effectively through Jaleel McLaughlin, an Undrafted rookie who has really sparked the Broncos on the ground.
He has made very good use of the carries that have been given to him over the last couple of weeks, although the Broncos will need to be competitive to make sure Jaleel McLaughlin is given a few more in this one. The Running Back has shown he can be a good safety blanket for Russell Wilson in the passing game too, and McLaughlin could have a strong game against the Chiefs Defensive Line which can be broken open for some solid gains on the ground.
It is also key for the Denver Offensive Line to be playing out of third and manageable spots and also develop play-action calls for Russell Wilson. The Quarter Back is clearly not as dynamic getting out of the pocket as he once was with the Seattle Seahawks and Wilson has absorbed far too many Sacks already, which will be a problem against this Kansas City pass rush if in obvious passing situations.
The pressure up front has really helped the Kansas City Secondary, who have held their last three opponents to an average of under 200 passing yards per game. It is key for the Broncos to be able to run the ball as they have been, but just as important is making sure they do not fall too far behind and have to have Russell Wilson throwing the ball to keep up with their Divisional rivals.
Running the ball is not something that Andy Reid enjoys, but even the Kansas City Chiefs have to appreciate the monster holes being allowed by the Denver Broncos. Unlike the Chiefs, the Denver Defensive unit have shown little ability to stop teams through the air and there should be a comfortable balance of play-calling for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs throughout this game
The Broncos Defensive Line have allowed 5.9 yards per carry this season and almost 190 yards per game on the ground as they have struggled to stop teams from crushing them up front. Kansas City may not have the speedsters at Running Back like some teams, but Isiah Pacheco knows how to move and you have to expect Pacheco to have a big game, while Patrick Mahomes is also capable of moving the chains with his legs.
Travis Kelce might be held out in this game after suffering an injury in Week 5 and with the mini-break coming up before the Chiefs face another Divisional rival in the Los Angeles Chargers. The latter are expected to rival Kansas City much longer than the Broncos within the Division so Kelce might not be risked, but even then the Quarter Back and this Receiving corps should have some big holes to exploit in the Denver Secondary.
If the road team are not able to stop the run, Patrick Mahomes should be given plenty of time by his Offensive Line to make some big plays down the field and this may be the most one-sided Kansas City win over Denver since October 2020 when the Chiefs won by 27 points.
The Broncos have shown they can produce some late Offensive drives that lead to points and so the backdoor cover is a genuine concern.
Add in the fact that the Kansas City Chiefs have won their four games this season by 8, 31, 3 and 4 points and this double digit spread will feel big. However, in saying that, the Broncos are struggling massively and would have been invested in trying to get one over on former Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett in Week 5 and now have to play this game on the road on a short week.
Emotionally they may not find the plays needed and the balanced Kansas City Offensive unit should be able to pile up plenty of points and cover the mark.
Tennessee Titans vs Baltimore Ravens Pick: The last NFL game to be played in London, England will take place in Week 6 at Tottenham Hotspur and features the Baltimore Ravens (3-2) and Tennessee Titans (2-3). Neither of these teams is playing at the kind of level they may have expected at the beginning of the season and both have suffered a defeat in Week 5 which will have frustrated the players and the Head Coach of each team.
John Harbaugh and the Ravens have taken a different approach to preparing for this game having arrived in London at the start of the week, while Mike Vrabel and the Titans have chosen a much more 'flying visit' kind of approach.
These factors can be key when the teams take to the field and Baltimore have made it clear that they needed to do something different having been blown out in London by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2017. John Harbaugh admitted that he had to take a different approach after remembering what happened the last time Baltimore played in London and he will also be hoping the team can bond after the disappointing defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Errors in the Fourth Quarter proved to be costly for Baltimore and they know they will need to clean those up if they are going to return to the PlayOffs. The AFC North is a competitive Division, but the Ravens still hold a winning record and they will feel confident of being able to turn things around when Lamar Jackson and the Offensive unit build up some chemistry and get into a stronger rhythm.
That confidence might not be as clear in the Tennessee Titans camp, who are the designated hosts in this International Series game, but they are in a relatively weak Division. The Colts and Texans are more competitive than expected, while Jacksonville are the current defending Champions in this Division, but Tennessee truly still believe they can do a lot better than their 7-10 record in 2022.
Mike Vrabel will be the first to admit that his team needs to be a lot better on both sides of the ball if they are going to compete at the top of the Division and a win ahead of the Bye Week may give them a positive shot in the arm.
Winning will not be easy for the Titans against this Baltimore team that looks to match up pretty well with them on both sides of the ball.
Derrick Henry has not been trampling teams as we have come to expect with the Titans Offensive Line struggling to open the kind of holes that have been a feature of the team in recent seasons. Doubling down on the issue is that the Titans will be going up against this Baltimore Defensive Line that have been able to clamp down on the run all season and forced Quarter Backs to beat them through the air.
The Ravens may have lost two of their last three games, but that has not been a Defensive problem with the team holding teams to an average of 260 total yards per game. Making sure that Derrick Henry is not finding the room to carry this Titans Offensive unit will be a big win for Baltimore who will not be concerned about the Tennessee Receiving corps, nor veteran Quarter Back Ryan Tannehill.
Offensive Line problems in establishing the run have been one thing, but Tennessee have not been able to give Ryan Tannehill any time in the pocket and that is a major concern against this Baltimore pass rush. Additionally, Ryan Tannehill is going to be trying to make plays against this tough Ravens Secondary and it feels like it is going to be a long day for the Titans Offensively if they are not able to run the ball, which is the expectation.
This also adds to the pressure that will be felt by the Titans Defensive unit as they look to keep the team in the game for as long as possible.
Like the Titans, Baltimore want to establish the run and the Offensive Line looks capable of helping them do that, especially with Lamar Jackson's scrambling ability a real factor too. Losing JK Dobbins will have hurt, but Gus Edwards is playing pretty well and the Ravens do look capable of having enough success on the ground to control the clock.
There is a hope that more is to come from Lamar Jackson and he could have a decent game throwing the ball, even if the Wide Receivers are still trying to get on the same page as the Quarter Back.
The Titans have been able to generate a decent pass rush, but it will be much tougher to be effective from third and short positions on the field and Lamar Jackson can move away from some of the pressure to give himself a bit more time. Holes in the Secondary could be more glaring if the Titans are not able to stop the run and it does feel like Baltimore are in a better position to bounce back after the respective Week 5 losses.
You have to credit how well Tennessee have performed as an underdog with Head Coach Mike Vrabel at the helm and so it is never easy to oppose them.
However, it feels like a pretty poor match up in the trenches on both sides of the ball for the Titans and this should mean Baltimore have a much better time in London than their last appearance in the United Kingdom Capital.
Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville Jaguars Pick: After back to back games in London, productive games, the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2) are back on top of the AFC South and have something to build upon. Winning games in the United States has been a bit more difficult for them this season, but the one victory they have earned on home soil was against the Indianapolis Colts (3-2).
This time the Jaguars are hosting having earned the victory over the Colts in Week 1 of the 2023 season. Another win in Week 6 will give Jacksonville the tie-breaker over their current closest rival in the Division and one that has played well enough to believe could be a threat throughout this year.
It will especially be the case if the Colts can win this game and take over the lead of the AFC South and they will be looking to do that behind a Quarter Back who is plenty familair to the home crowd.
Gardner Minshew had a solid couple of years with the Jaguars and will be the starting Quarter Back for the Indianapolis Colts for several games at least while rookie Anthony Richardson is on the IR. Some believe his injuries already sustained in the small sample of NFL games played might cost Richardson the entire season, but Gardner Minshew is an effective backup.
With Jonathan Taylor likely to be given a few more snaps having returned to the team, Minshew may be looking to hand the ball off to his two Running Backs and hope they can put the team on their back. The Offensive Line has already been ripping open some big holes for Zack Moss, but Jonathan Taylor is a special Running Back and could see the Colts look even stronger on the ground.
Both are likely to also play a part in the passing game, but the key will be to keep Gardner Minshew and the Indianapolis Offensive unit in front of the chains.
If they can do that, the Colts should see their Quarter Back have a strong day throwing the ball into this Jacksonville Secondary, while the pocket will also be clean for Gardner Minshew to go through his reads and find those open Receivers.
Indianapolis should be able to move the ball with some consistency, but the same can be said for the Jacksonville Jaguars after some improved performances. Travis Etienne has gotten going on the ground and that is incredibly important to the Jaguars to just give Trevor Lawrence and the passing game an opportunity to put up some solid numbers.
In recent games it has been a little more possible to run the ball against this Colts Defensive Line so you do have to believe that Etienne will have a solid game. We also know the Quarter Back is happy to tuck the ball and make plays with his legs and it should mean the Colts pass rush is just second guessing themselves at times.
Quality Receiving options are creating openings in the passing game and Trevor Lawrence has shown he can make all of the throws so Jacksonville should be able to exploit one or two holes that have opened up in the Colts Secondary. Like his opposite number and someone who helped him when he came into the NFL, Trevor Lawrence may also be able to use the foundation of a strong running game to hit Receivers down the field.
Being at home has perhaps strengthened this line in favour of the Jaguars, but the spot is far from ideal against a Divisional rival that will feel they can keep up on the scoreboard.
They are the first team to play back to back games in London in consecutive weeks so we don't really know how that is going to impact Jacksonville in their return home. It does not help that they are scheduled for a short week when playing on Thursday Night Football in Week 7 and a win over the Colts already may mean there is a bit more motivation in the road locker room to earn a measure of revenge.
Those factors could see the Colts keep this within a Field Goal mark in a game where Gardner Minshew will want to remind the home fans of 'Minshew Mania' during his time with the Jaguars. At the very least a backdoor cover should be possible for the Colts and taking more than a Field Goal worth of points is appealing in this one.
MY PICKS: Kansas City Chiefs - 10.5 Points @ 1,91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)
Baltimore Ravens - 4 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Indianapolis Colts + 4.5 Points @ 1.86 Coral (1 Unit)
Seattle Seahawks + 3 Points @ 1.91 Coral (1 Unit)
Miami Dolphins - 14 Points @ 1.83 Coral (1 Unit)
Detroit Lions - 3 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Buffalo Bills - 14.5 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)
Week 5: 4-3-1, + 2.46 Units (10 Units Staked, + 24.60% Yield)
Week 4: 3-5, - 2.35 Units (8 Units Staked, - 29.38% Yield)
Week 3: 4-4, + 0.43 Units (9 Units Staked, + 4.78% Yield)
Week 2: 3-4-2, - 1.36 Units (12 Units Staked, - 11.33% Yield)
Week 1: 5-2, + 2.51 Units (7 Units Staked, + 35.86% Yield)
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