NFL Week 5: The Ultimate Guide to Sunday's Action

The second quarter of the season is when common wisdom about teams starts to form. 

Over the next couple of weeks, we will start to truly understand who are the haves and the have-nots in the NFL. No more excuses or the potential of simply being a "slow start." No, as the final unbeatens and o-fers get marked off the list and the teams hovering around .500 start to shake themselves out of the pack, we will start to realize just what we can expect out of this season. 

Now, that doesn't mean surprises won't still pop up from week to week, but we'll start noticing trends.

The elite players settle in and start their Pro Bowl candidacy. 

Rookies start losing the excuse of being a first-year player, and accountability ramps up. 

More coaches than just now-fired Dennis Allen will be put on the hot seat, and talented coordinators will start to step up in the conversation of who might replace those fired coaches in the upcoming offseason. 

Week 5 provides a lot of opportunities to clarify all of the above. 

To aid you in your Sunday preparation, here's a list of everything you need to know.

Biggest Questions

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson

Will Offense or Defense Win the Day?

Week 5 features a number of games that pit teams primarily known for high-level offenses against those with top defenses.

Will we see quarterback Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos' scoring attack win the day, or will the Arizona Cardinals shut them down? What about quarterback Andrew Luck and the surging Indianapolis Colts against the Baltimore Ravens? Can the Houston Texans and defensive end J.J. Watt stop the explosive Dallas Cowboys?

Two NFL maxims float around every year: It's an offensive league, and defense wins championships. In Week 5, those two theories get to fight it out. 

Who's Going to Hop into the Catbird Seat for the No. 1 Draft Pick?

One of the worst matchups of the week (year?) is the Cleveland Browns against the Tennessee Titans. Both teams only have one win on the season and very little to hang their respective hats on. Both are likely to be drafting in the top 10 next spring, but the loser is going to face a whole different level of scrutiny.

Those aren't the only teams in action this weekend who could potentially end up No. 1 overall in April. The zero-win Jaguars host the Steelers. The one-win Rams head to Philadelphia, and the list goes on...

There is plenty of season left, but we're going to coalesce the way we think about some of these teams. Having only one win after Week 5 is going to start a lot of negative conversations. 

Can Philip Rivers Keep Up His Strong Start?

Right now, it's entirely reasonable to consider Rivers as the early "clubhouse" leader for this year's MVP award. Maybe he's not your choice, but he should be near the top of every single person's list. Yet, the Chargers (and thus, Rivers) have a longstanding reputation for hot and cold streaks of play. 

Right behind Rivers, there are plenty of potential usurpers to his not-yet-cemented throne. They, too, need to make sure they keep up their high levels of play: Dallas running back DeMarco Murray, Houston defensive end J.J. Watt and Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson are near the top of my list, and Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers just made a pretty strong statement Thursday.

Odds and Ends

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

Chargers QB Philip Rivers

• To find out which games are available in your area, check out these NFL coverage maps, via 506 Sports.
• Who's calling your game of choice Sunday? Here are announcer pairings for CBS and Fox, via B-FLO 360.
• Football Zebras provides a look at which referees are working each game so you can tailor your insults accordingly.
• Can't make it to a TV? SiriusXM covers every single game. Here's the lineup.
• If you don't have satellite radio, check to see if Westwood One has a game playing in your area.
• Even if you can watch your favorite team, make sure you have the Bleacher Report Team Stream app for the latest in news, fantasy football updates and highlights.

Important Stats and Trends to Know

Evan Vucci/Associated Press

Ravens WR Steve Smith

Steve Smith

Smith, 35, has managed over 100 yards receiving in three of four games this season. He enters the weekend third in receiving yards (429), second in catches over 20 yards (eight) and leads all wide receivers in yards after catch (198).

Two years ago, Austin Lee of Pro Football Focus showed how even elite receivers are supposed to fall off a cliff after age 34, but Smith has somehow found the fountain of youth up in Baltimore. 

New England Patriots

As bad as the Patriots have looked this season, there is one reason for their fans to keep hope alive for a win Sunday versus the Cincinnati Bengals: Since the start of the Tom Brady era in 2001, the Patriots' record as home underdogs is 6-2. Meanwhile, 3-0 teams that are road favorites of three or fewer points (like the Bengals) are 6-12-2.

According to Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders, New England's offensive collapse is incredible, but it isn't without precedent.

The team's offensive DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) ranks 28th in the league right now, above only the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Only four teams have had the kind of collapse the Patriots have had after being in the top five in DVOA for five straight years: 1999 Denver Broncos, 2002 St. Louis Rams, 2003 San Francisco 49ers, 2012 San Diego Chargers.

Game of the Day

PAUL CONNORS/Associated Press

Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald and Broncos QB Peyton Manning

Arizona Cardinals at Denver Broncos

4:05 p.m. ET

Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver

Of the two men pictured above, one is continuing to age gracefully, and the other has fallen off the NFL cliff.

Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, 38, has his work cut out for him against a stout Arizona Cardinals defense, but he has all the weapons one might need.

The Thomases (tight end Julius and wide receiver Demaryius) have been good, but wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders has been great this season. Bleacher Report's Cecil Lammey described just how good that addition has been:

"

Emmanuel Sanders has been everything the Broncos have needed at wide receiver. After having no 100-yard games during his four-year career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sanders has had back-to-back 100-yards performances for the Broncos. He's not the red-zone threat that Eric Decker was, but Sanders has proved to be an upgrade because of his quickness and speed.

"

Meanwhile, wide receiver Wes Welker looks to return to form post-suspension. The Broncos are coming off a bye and should be able to integrate Welker a little better. 

For the Cardinals, it's as if the offense has moved on without wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, 31. He's third on the team with 107 yards receiving, behind two much younger players in Michael Floyd and John Brown. Maybe his numbers go up once quarterback Carson Palmer returns, but Drew Stanton is the starter for Week 5. 

The Cardinals defense is the big ticket and is currently ranked first in yardage, second in points and is one of the league's best against the run. If the unit is beatable, it's through the air (ranked 18th against the pass). 

Matt Bowen's Chalk Talk this week dealt with whether the Cardinals would be able to pressure Manning. 

'Sunday Night Football'

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Patriots QB Tom Brady

Cincinnati Bengals at New England Patriots (8:30 p.m. ET)

Finding sad Tom Brady pictures could be a full-time job. 

It's nothing against Brady in the slightest, and there are plenty of quarterbacks who look absolutely comical when they are forlorn sitting on the bench or on the ground after a sack. That said, Brady is such a picture of success most times that moments like the "Bradying" meme are a good reminder he's human. 

We could see more of these moments against a very good Bengals team on Sunday Night Football.

The Bengals are currently seventh in the league in average total offense and in the top 15 in both rushing and passing. On defense, Cincinnati is 15th and ranked 16th against both the run and pass. That is about as well-rounded as one team can be. 

The Patriots still have a ton of talent on the roster, but they look stagnant, while the Bengals look a lot like New England used to.

Rest of the Slate (Fox)

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Giants QB Eli Manning

Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers (1 p.m. ET)

Both teams are looking pretty awful at the moment, but both have the talent to turn things around and make the playoffs or even win their respective divisions.

This is a huge test, but Carolina's defense will need to force Jay Cutler into some of his patented bad decisions. 

Buffalo Bills at Detroit Lions (1 p.m. ET)

I'm pretty sure there's a rule that your season is over if you willingly start Kyle Orton. No? That's Dan Orlovsky? Oh, alright...I digress. 

The Lions have a lot more talent on paper, but Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz knows Matt Stafford's weaknesses better than most. 

St. Louis Rams at Philadelphia Eagles (1 p.m. ET)

The Eagles offense needs to step it up a notch, but the Rams have the talent on defense to keep that from happening.

It's the ultimate in old school (Jeff Fisher) vs. new school (Chip Kelly), and I expect the young dog to have most of the tricks. 

Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants (1 p.m. ET)

The Falcons can't stop the run, while the Giants relish running it down people's throats.

The Giants have gotten better defensively, but they are vulnerable against the pass. The Falcons have one of the best passing attacks around. 

It's a coin flip, but it's very likely the home team. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints (1 p.m. ET)

The Saints have been terrible, but this screams "revenge game." It's at New Orleans, which was just embarrassed last weekend by Dallas and is nearly unbeatable at home. 

Drew Brees will pass for all of the yards. 

Rest of the Slate (CBS)

AJ Mast/Associated Press

Colts QB Andrew Luck

Cleveland Browns at Tennessee Titans (1 p.m. ET)

Woof! Is this a bad matchup!

The Browns have, at least, some semblance of talent and purpose on offense, while the Titans are just all-around terrible, but they have home-field advantage. Keep the coin in your pocket for this one and just find something else to watch. 

Houston Texans at Dallas Cowboys (1 p.m. ET)

The battle of Texas should go to the Cowboys, who will be able to get a decent run game going with DeMarco Murray. And no one on that Texans team can cover Dez Bryant.

J.J. Watt won't be neutralized, but look for the Cowboys to do everything they can (game-planning and blocking scheme) to keep him from teeing off on Tony Romo. 

Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts (1 p.m. ET)

The Ravens might be playing some of the best football in the league right now, and they are ridiculously physical. I'm worried about Indy's defensive line in this one. Andrew Luck has been great the past few weeks, but the competition has been horrid—the Ravens aren't the Jacksonville Jaguars or Tennessee Titans. 

Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars (1 p.m. ET)

It's fun to watch Blake Bortles work, and he should keep this game closer than Chad Henne would've ever hoped to, but Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is going to have a field day with the rookie. The Steelers may be a wreck against better competition, but it would be hard to see them losing this one. 

Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers (4:25 p.m. ET)

If the 49ers can stop the Chiefs' ground attack, this could end up being a surprisingly easy home win, but the wild card is how often the 49ers put Colin Kaepernick on the move.

The Chiefs are set up defensively to stop dropback passers, and Kaepernick could feast if he's allowed to roam around the field and not be a sitting duck. 

New York Jets at San Diego Chargers (4:25 p.m. ET)

Philip Rivers against the Jets (lack of) cornerbacks? Going to be some of the best fireworks in San Diego since this display. 

Key Matchups

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

49ers RB Frank Gore

Frank Gore (RB 49ers) vs. Kansas City Chiefs' Run Defense

This is less of a strength-on-strength matchup and more of a "let's see how far they'll bend before they break" situation. Since linebacker Derrick Johnson went down with an Achilles tear, Kansas City's run defense has been pedestrian. Gore, on the other hand, is still running with purpose. 

If the Chiefs can't contain Gore, it's going to be a sad flight home. 

Patrick Peterson (CB Cardinals) vs. Demaryius Thomas (WR Broncos)

Peterson talks a really big game, but he's faltered this season. Pro Football Focus has him as one of the worst cover corners (subscription required) in the league right now, allowing a passer rating of 105.8 to his area of the field. Worse yet, Peterson has spent the entire season not shadowing receivers as he crowed about in the offseason. 

Manning can always go elsewhere with the ball, but I'm looking forward to seeing these two speedsters go at it. 

Bears' Interior Offensive Line vs. Carolina Panthers' Interior Defensive Line

Now this is strength on strength. 

The Bears aren't the best running team in the league, but that's not because of the efforts of their guards and center. This group doesn't just block you, they also make sure you feel it. This is important, because the Bears are quickly gaining the rep of a "finesse" team, but this unit makes sure there's still an edge out there. 

The Panthers have a fantastic front seven, and while linebacker Luke Kuechly is the best player, much of what they want to do starts on the defensive line. However, that group has underachieved at points this season. 

No matter what's going on elsewhere in terms of high-flying passing attacks, screens to the running back or deep strikes down the field, this matchup has the potential to look a little bit like a callback to the golden days of the game. 

For an X's and O's look at even more matchups, take a seat in Matt Bowen's film study.

Injury Report

Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

Bills DT Kyle Williams

Buffalo Bills DT Kyle Williams—Doubtful, Knee

The Buffalo Bills' run defense has been amazing this year, and it will need to be against a potent Detroit Lions offense. Williams will likely sit, though. He's been the best player on the team (and one of the best in the NFL) all year long. 

Cincinnati Bengals LB Vontaze Burfict—Doubtful, Concussion

The Patriots have been a run-heavy team for two years now. The Bengals are very good against the run, but Burfict is a big reason for that. This is one of those sneaky, under-the-radar injuries that could have a big impact on the game's outcome. 

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles—Probable, Ankle

Knile Davis has been great in relief of Charles, but getting one of the best backs in the league into the fold needs to feel good. Last week, the Chiefs were innovative on offense and should be able to get Charles and Davis on the field together.

Dallas Cowboys DT Henry Melton—Questionable, Hamstring

Without Melton, the Cowboys have been rotating some of their defensive ends through the tackle spots, and it has worked. It's almost creating an artificial "NASCAR"-set look reminiscent of the Giants' last Super Bowl defensive line. If he plays, it will be interesting if they'll limit his sets and continue those efforts. 

St. Louis Rams WR Tavon Austin—Questionable, Knee

Austin has been, largely, a disappointment since being a first-round pick. This is the type of player who needs to see the field, be part of the plan and become integral to what the Rams do on offense. Any success (or failure, really) the Rams offense has without Austin only makes it that much more difficult to get him going once he comes back. 

For even more up-to-date injury news, customizable by your favorite team or even your fantasy team, make sure to download Team Stream Now.

Bleacher Report Expert Predictions

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Texans DE J.J. Watt

Check out the Bleacher Report writers' picks and predictions for the week ahead. 

Week 4 was a topsy-turvy kind of week for the league, and that showed here at B/R as well. Our aggregate picks went only 6-7, dropping our total for the year to 33-28. Team Stream Now analyst Chris Simms continues to lead the pack with a B/R-best 41-20 record. 

Yours truly was 7-6.

Bleacher Report's Week 4 Awards 

Week 5 Expert Consensus Picks

NFL Predictions Week 5: Expert Consensus Projections

Chris Simms' 5 Teams Guaranteed to Lose in Week 5

Eric Mack's Ultimate Week 5 Fantasy Guide

To follow how the B/R writers stack up against writers from across the web, check out Pickwatch.com.

Michael Schottey is an NFL National Lead Writer for Bleacher Report and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. Find more of his stuff on his archive page and follow him on Twitter.