NFL Week 5 Picks: Guide for Latest Vegas Odds and Winning Predictions

Week 4 of the NFL season is officially in the books, and it will take an element of bravery to bet on games in Las Vegas in Week 5.

After all, the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals are each 1-3 after squaring off in last season’s NFC Championship Game, the Philadelphia Eagles are undefeated with a rookie under center, the Oakland Raiders are 3-1 in their quest to achieve a winning record for the first time since 2002 and the Los Angeles Rams are 3-1 after losing their opener 28-0 to the 1-3 San Francisco 49ers.

That’s not even considering the Dallas Cowboys, who are 3-1 with rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott making up a dominant backfield.

Even though the league seems like it’s upside down, the brave bettors will trudge on in Week 5. With that in mind, here is a look at the point spreads and predictions for each upcoming game.

The point spreads are courtesy of Odds Shark as of Monday at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Point Spreads and Predictions

Date	Matchup	Point Spread	Predicted Winner
Thursday, Oct. 6	Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers	AZ -2.5	49ers
Sunday, Oct. 9	New England Patriots at Cleveland Browns	NE -10	Patriots
Sunday, Oct. 9	Philadelphia Eagles at Detroit Lions	PHI -1	Eagles
Sunday, Oct. 9	Chicago Bears at Indianapolis Colts	IND -4.5	Bears
Sunday, Oct. 9	Tennessee Titans at Miami Dolphins	MIA -3.5	Titans
Sunday, Oct. 9	Washington at Baltimore Ravens	BAL -4	Ravens
Sunday, Oct. 9	Houston Texans at Minnesota Vikings	MIN -6	Vikings
Sunday, Oct. 9	New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers	PIT -7	Steelers
Sunday, Oct. 9	Atlanta Falcons at Denver Broncos	DEN -6.5	Broncos
Sunday, Oct. 9	Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys	DAL -1.5	Bengals
Sunday, Oct. 9	Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Rams	LA -3	Rams
Sunday, Oct. 9	San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders	OAK -3.5	Raiders
Sunday, Oct. 9	New York Giants at Green Bay Packers	GB -7	Packers
Monday, Oct. 10	Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers	Not listed	Panthers

Highlighted Game: Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys 

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The interconference showdown between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys stands out among the Week 5 schedule as a game that pits a handful of offensive stars against each other on two teams fighting for early postseason positioning.

There is also some added pressure on the 2-2 Bengals. While Week 5 still isn’t the must-win portion of the season, they are looking up at the 3-1 Pittsburgh Steelers and 3-1 Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North and already dropped a head-to-head showdown with Pittsburgh. They also lost to the Denver Broncos, and their two wins came against the 1-3 New York Jets and 1-3 Miami Dolphins.

Cincinnati made the playoffs the last five seasons, but it is fair to ask if that streak will end after its lackluster first four games. It also travels to New England to face Tom Brady and the Patriots in its next contest after Dallas, so it is in danger of dropping to 2-4 if it loses on Sunday.

It is the Cowboys in early favorable position even though they have made only one playoff appearance since the 2009 season.

Prescott and Elliott have kept the offense afloat in the face of adversity. Quarterback Tony Romo still hasn’t taken the field this season because of a back injury, and wide receiver Dez Bryant missed the team’s Week 4 victory over the 49ers with a knee injury. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com said Bryant could miss up to three weeks with the ailment.

There was a time not long ago when setbacks to both ends of the Romo-to-Bryant connection would prove devastating to the Cowboys, but the two rookies have carried the offense in admirable fashion.

Through Sunday’s action, Elliott was leading the entire NFL in rushing yards:

Rank	Player	Rushing Yards
1	Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys	412
2	Isaiah Crowell, Browns	386
3	LeGarrette Blount, Patriots	352
4	Lamar Miller, Texans	351
5	DeMarco Murray, Titans	340

SportsCenter noted he joined some impressive company with his early efforts:

As for Prescott, he still hasn’t thrown an interception and is completing 67.9 percent of his passes with five total touchdowns. The offensive line that Football Outsiders ranked as the seventh-best pass-protection unit after Sunday’s games has kept him upright and healthy, which has allowed him to engineer drives in critical moments.

Ed Werder of ESPN underscored just how effective the tandem has been this year:

Despite the initial impressions from Prescott and Elliott, it will be the Cincinnati defense that dictates the tempo on Sunday. It is fresh off a dominant performance in a 22-7 victory over the Dolphins. Of particular importance for Prescott, the Bengals made Ryan Tannehill’s life miserable when they picked him off, recovered his lost fumble and sacked him five times, per ESPN.com.

It was linebacker Vontaze Burfict’s first game back from suspension, which makes the defense even more formidable.

"He’s amazing," defensive end Carlos Dunlap said of Burfict, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com). "Did you see the plays he made? Those aren’t plays you can coach. He came off his couch and played great. It’s good to have him back."

Jay Ajayi was Miami’s leading rusher against Burfict and Co. with a grand total of 33 yards on the ground. Dallas’ playmakers are more impressive than the Dolphins’, but the Bengals defense will keep the road team within striking distance.

Strike is exactly what Andy Dalton and A.J. Green will do in the closing stretch of the game against a Dallas secondary that was a middling 19th in the league in passing yards allowed per game after Sunday’s action.

Green has 468 receiving yards through four contests as one of the elite receivers in the league, and he torched Miami for 173 yards and a score the last time out. He will be a nightmare for an overmatched Cowboys defense in a tightly fought battle.

Look for the Bengals defense to keep the team's offense within a few points early in the game and Green to find the end zone for the winning score in the fourth quarter.

Prediction: Bengals 24, Cowboys 21