Best NFL Football Games to Bet in Week 5
Best NFL Football Games to Bet in Week 5
There are plenty of interesting games to be looking out for in Week 5. In the NFL, much like in combat sports, styles make fights. While there are teams that may be better on paper than others, sometimes the matchup just doesn’t fit quite right because of the disparity in talent.
Here’s a look at some good matchups in the NFL Week 5 schedule for bettors to take a look at.
Seattle Seahawks (+5.5) vs. New Orleans Saints
Geno Smith has been one of the more remarkable stories of this NFL season. The Seahawks traded for Drew Lock when they sent franchise legend Russell Wilson out of town. However, Smith, a long-time veteran backup, beat Lock out in the preseason and has the Seahawks out to a surprising 2-2 start.
Seattle’s defense is not very good. The Seahawks rank 31st in the league in yards allowed and 31st in points allowed. However, Seattle’s offense has also scored at a good clip, ranking 11th in the league at 23.8 points per game. The Saints lost a bizarre game in London where they were crushed with injuries.
New Orleans was missing Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, and Jameis Winston in the loss to the Vikings. Keep an eye on the injury report, but the Seahawks should keep this game within a score.
San Francisco 49ers (-6.5) vs. Carolina Panthers
The 49ers pass rush bullied the Los Angeles Rams last week, sacking Matthew Stafford seven times. Getting a chance to chase after Carolina’s struggling quarterback Baker Mayfield should provide San Francisco an opportunity to create more chaos. The 49ers defense has the top-scoring defense in the country, only allowing 11.5 points per game.
Carolina’s offense has been putrid. The Panthers are last in the league in total yards, averaging 262.3 yards per game. But Mayfield and the passing game, in particular, have been bad. Carolina averages 166 passing yards per game, which is the third-worst mark in the league.
Baltimore Ravens (-3) vs. Cincinnati Bengals
The Ravens will still be kicking themselves after losing their second season game after leading the Buffalo Bills 20-3. A late decision to go for a touchdown instead of kicking a field goal will haunt Baltimore coach John Harbaugh. What makes the Ravens’ offense so tough to stop is how they run the ball.
Baltimore ranks eighth in the league by averaging 142 rushing yards per game, and that has led to the Ravens having the No. 3 scoring offense, putting up 29.8 points per game. Cincinnati has had a difficult season thus far.
The Bengals’ offense hasn’t looked like it did last season, and they are still trying to make major improvements. What is most concerning with Cincinnati is how the running game has faltered. Joe Mixon has been limited to 2.7 yards per carrying and has only scored one rushing touchdown this season.
However, the Bengals options at wide receiver are as potent as always. Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tyler Boyd has all recorded 200 or more receiving yards this season. This will be an interesting game in the AFC North, but Baltimore will hand Cincinnati another loss thanks to a more effective offense.
Buffalo Bills (-14) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Seeing a two-touchdown spread in the NFL is rare. However, in this case, it couldn’t be more warranted. The Steelers plan to send rookie Kenny Pickett out to start at quarterback in a hostile environment at Highmark Stadium. While Pickett did show some flashes of his potential during his first action last week, he was intercepted three times in the second half of a crushing loss to the New York Jets.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen again performed his Houdini act, rallying Buffalo from a 17-point deficit to beat Baltimore last week. What the Bills could really use is a win like they had in the first two weeks of the season. Buffalo put up 72 points in those two games while running away from the Rams and Titans.
Pittsburgh has several key injuries on defense that Allen will be able to exploit. The Bills will run away with this one and continue Pickett’s difficult start to his NFL career.
Dallas Cowboys (+5) vs. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams’ offensive line has to start playing better if Los Angeles is going to defend its Super Bowl crown. Stafford was harassed relentlessly by the 49ers, and Dallas has some pass rushers that can keep the heat on. While Dallas is still starting backup quarterback Cooper Rush, he has the ability to keep the Cowboys in games.
Los Angeles should win, but Dallas will be able to cover the spread.
Derek Hudson
Derek is a long time sports bettor who grew up in Providence, RI. Derek is data driven and believes the key to betting the sportsbooks is finding an edge in analytics. Derek is happily married and has two young boys. Derek will bet on anything if you let him.
