NFL Week Five Predictions

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Last week's record: 11-3

Overall record: 44-18

Lock of the Week: 3-for-4

Cleveland (0-4) @ Buffalo (1-3): I have gone back and forth on this game a few times. On one hand, Cleveland looked awful all year up until last week when they played better. They've also just gotten rid of the underachieving headache that is Braylon Edwards. On the other hand, Buffalo came thisclose to beating the Pats in Week One and have looked pretty bad since. Cleveland has to win sometime, so I'm going to go with them with absolutely no logic because I think they're pretty bad but I can't figure out how Buffalo is as bad as they are.

Cleveland wins, 20-14

Pittsburgh (2-2) @ Detroit (1-3): I don't think Matthew Stafford is going to play and I also don't think it will matter. There is also talk that Troy Polamalu could play this week. If it were up to me, I would sit him out for two more weeks since he isn't necessarily needed to beat Detroit or Cleveland. The Steelers have a big game against Minnesota in Week Seven where they should be 4-2 and I would bring him back there, presuming that he's one hundred percent. Anyway, the Steelers should win easily.

Pittsburgh wins, 31-13 (Lock of the Week)

Dallas (2-2) @ Kansas City (0-4): I've made no secret to the fact that I think Jason Garrett is completely overrated. I think that while Tony Romo deserves a lot of the blame that he gets, Jason Garrett deserves just as much, if not more. His play-calling at times has just been awful. Kansas City is always a good place for teams to go for a decent scrimmage, so the 'Boys need to concentrate on getting some things ironed out.

Dallas wins, 38-12

Minnesota (4-0) @ St. Louis (0-4): As I'm writing this, I'm realizing that most of Sunday's early games look very lopsided; this game looks especially lopsided. Usually in these kinds of games, there is some scenario where you can see an upset happening. I can't see one here. The Rams are so bad and they're always behind, so their best player, Steven Jackson, never gets a chance to get in the game because other teams just stack the box. This one will be a laugher.

Minnesota wins, 29-7

Oakland (1-3) @ New York Giants (4-0): Eli Manning missed practice again today and just like Polamalu, I'd sit him to because the Raiders are awful and the G-Men have a pretty good backup. I've always thought that David Carr is pretty good, but he played behind ridiculously bad O-lines. The Raiders will once again be slowed down by JaMarcus Russell's play. Giants win regardless of who's under center.

New York Giants win, 27-14

Tampa Bay (0-4) @ Philadelphia (2-1): Donovan McNabb will be back for Philly, so their bye week clearly came at a perfect time. The Bucs' defense is pretty bad and they don't have what it takes to control all of Philly's weapons. This one might get out of hand quickly, which is why I think we could see a good amount of Michael Vick in the second half.

Philly wins, 30-17

Washington (2-2) @ Carolina (0-3): Even after they won last week, I think that Jim Zorn will be lucky to make it through the season as the head coach in Washington, especially with the 'Skins hiring Sherman Lewis—who has been out of the league for years and working in a bingo hall—as an offensive consultant and not even telling Zorn about it until it was already done. As for the game, I just think that Carolina is a better team than Washington. With a win here, Carolina could very realistically be 3-3 by the end of Week Seven with Tampa and Buffalo as their next two opponents.

Carolina wins, 24-16

Cincinnati (3-1) @ Baltimore (3-1): I'm not sold on Cincy after how they played in Cleveland last week. I never would have said this before this season started, but I think this will be an offensive battle and it may come down to whoever has the ball last; that's not to say that this will be a 55-45 shootout, but I think both teams will be in the twenties. Baltimore makes a few more plays to put down the Bengals.

Baltimore wins, 28-24

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