NFL Predictions Week 5: Game Picks, Odds and Complete Matchup Guide

There's a big problem associated with taking road favorites in the NFL, and most handicappers know it.

That problem is exacerbated when the road favorite has an impost of 10 points or more. Even the most inexperienced handicappers know that's a bet that needs to be avoided.

However, reality has been suspended in Week 5, as the New England Patriots go to Dallas and have been installed as 10-point favorites.

According to Odds Shark, 70 percent of the bets that have been made on that game have been placed on the Patriots.

It is very difficult to make a case for the Cowboys this week. The Patriots are undefeated and their offense is rolling, while Dallas is reeling after losing Tony Romo and Dez Bryant to injuries.

The Dallas defense has had a hard time holding its position in its last two games against the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints. The big problem for the Cowboys is not the defense, however. Without Romo, Brandon Weeden has been at the controls of the Dallas offense, and he has not been able to attack with any consistency.

He simply does not read defenses as well as Romo, and he doesn't deliver the ball in stride to his receivers. As a result, the Cowboys are having a difficult time sustaining drives and have to punt the ball away much too frequently.

That's a formula for disaster against Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, LeGarrette Blount and Julian Edelman. The Patriots have been playing with an aggressiveness that they have rarely shown in early-season games. They don't appear ready to slow down just yet, and that's why we recommend swallowing hard and laying the 10 points on the visitors.

Game	Line	Over-Under	Selection
Indianapolis at Houston	Hou. -2	44.5	Indianapolis; Under
Washington at Atlanta	Atl. -8	47.5	Washington; Under
Cleveland at Baltimore	Balt. -7	43	Cleveland; Over
Seattle at Cincinnati	Cin. -3	43	Cincinnati; Under
St. Louis at Green Bay	GB -10	45.5	Green Bay; Over
Chicago at Kansas City	KC -10.5	44	Kansas City; Under
New Orleans at Philadelphia	Phil. -4.5	49.5	New Orleans; Under
Jacksonville at Tampa Bay	TB -2.5	42	Tampa Bay; Under
Buffalo at Tennessee	Buff. -1	41.5	Buffalo; Over
Arizona at Detroit	Ariz. -2.5	44.5	Arizona; Over
New England at Dallas	NE -10	49.5	New England: Under
Denver at Oakland	Den. -4.5	43.5	Oakland: Under
San Francisco at New York Giants	NYG -7	43	New York Giants: Under
Pittsburgh at San Diego	SD -3	45.5	San Diego; Over

Redskins will keep it close against the Falcons

Washington has surprised many NFL observers with their 2-2 getaway. The Redskins appeared to be a near-unanimous choice to finish last in the NFC East, according to many of the preseason publications.

One of the big reasons Washington has played well is the power the Redskins have shown running the ball. Washington is playing old-school football and is averaging 139.5 yards per game on the ground, and that ranks first in the NFL.

Head coach Jay Gruden is getting a solid contribution from veteran Alfred Morris, and he is getting support from Matt Jones and Washington's powerful offensive line. Quarterback Kirk Cousins is also doing his part as well, completing 68.6 percent of his passes.

But as well as the Redskins are playing, they have a long way to go to stay with the Atlanta Falcons. First-year head coach Dan Quinn has restored a competitive aspect to this team that was missing the last two years, and the Falcons are 4-0.

The combination of quarterback Matt Ryan and Julio Jones has simply been deadly. Jones has a chance to challenge the NFL's all-time single-season reception record if he can stay on the pace he has maintained for the first four weeks.

Atlanta has speed to burn, while Washington is somewhat deficient in that category.

The Falcons may win this game, but we like the Redskins to keep it close. One of the reasons the Redskins are running the ball so well is their size and strength up front. That's not the Falcons' strength. While they may be fast, they don't have the thick bodies that some teams have. 

If the Redskins don't make early mistakes and fall behind by double digits early in the game, the pounding running game will soften the Falcons and give the visitors a chance to stay close.

Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

Chargers, Steelers to play high-scoring Monday night game

The Steelers may not have Ben Roethlisberger in the lineup right now, but they still boast one of the most talented offensive lineups in the NFL.

They have one of the best running backs in the league in Le'Veon Bell and an equally sensational receiver in Antonio Brown. Additionally, the Steelers have an excellent supporting cast. DeAngelo Williams is still an explosive back who can produce big plays when Bell needs a rest. 

The Steelers have tight end Heath Miller to keep drives alive on third-down plays. Wide receivers Martavis Bryant, Markus Wheaton and Darrius Heyward-Bey can all make plays downfield.

The only issue for the Steelers is quarterback Mike Vick. In their Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, it seemed that head coach Mike Tomlin would not allow Vick to cut it loose.

While Vick has a history of turnovers, there are just too many weapons in black and gold to limit him this week.

The Steelers will likely need a lot of points to stay close to the Chargers in San Diego. Philip Rivers is in his comfort zone when he is playing at home, and while the Steelers have played a bit better defensively after their first-game debacle at New England, the Steelers defense is not fundamentally sound.

Look for both teams to score early and often, and this game will go over the posted total of 43.5.