NFL Week 5: Everything You Need to Know for Sunday's Games
We're partway through Week 5 of the 2015 NFL season, and it just now seems like we're getting an accurate picture of the league-wide landscape.
We've learned that the 4-0 Cincinnati Bengals are pretty darn good. We can say the same thing about the 4-0 Atlanta Falcons, though they're more of a surprise. The Indianapolis Colts, who climbed to 3-2 with an Andrew Luck-less victory over the Houston Texans on Thursday, are probably in control of the AFC South.
The 0-4 Detroit Lions look like the bad Lions once again. Oh, and we learned that batting the ball out of the end zone is supposed to draw a flag.
What will we learn when Week 5 picks back up on Sunday? With 24 teams and 12 games' worth of action, we should learn plenty.
Here's everything you need to know about Sunday's games.
Biggest Questions
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Which Rams Teams Will We See on Sunday?
At 2-2, the St. Louis Rams feel like a team that could be on the verge of contention. However, the Rams seem to be playing to the quality of their opponents.
The Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals represented quality wins. However, the Rams lost to the Washington Redskins and a Pittsburgh Steelers team without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Rams will now face another quality opponent in the Green Bay Packers.
The game is at Lambeau Field.
The odds are decidedly stacked against the Rams in this one, but a win would likely be enough to catapult St. Louis into the conversation of NFC contenders. To do so, however, the team that has beaten two 2014 playoffs teams will have to show up—not the team that lost by two touchdowns to Washington.
Can Peyton Manning Continue His AFC West Dominance?
Since joining the Denver Broncos, quarterback Peyton Manning has lost to an AFC West opponent just once. He will have an opportunity to extend his hot streak on Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.
In years past, this game might have seemed like a virtual gimme. However, this game will take place in Oakland, and these are not the same old Raiders. At 2-2, Oakland is already one win short of its 2014 total, and the team has been playing relatively well on both sides of the football.
Pro Football Focus rates the Raiders 10th overall offensively and 20th overall defensively.
The Raiders might not yet be a real contender, but they are no longer a pushover. This isn't a guaranteed win for the Broncos.
Can Bengals Quarterback Andy Dalton Continue His Hot Streak?
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton has had his fair share of pitfalls since entering the NFL, especially in the playoffs. However, he has also had his moments of brilliance on the field. They just often seem to come in intervals.
Well, not this year. So far, Dalton (1,187 yards, nine touchdowns, one interception) has been on fire. Pro Football Focus rates him fifth overall among all quarterbacks.
According to a recent story by the MMQB's Peter King, a certain offseason incident may have sparked the streak. You see, Dalton appeared in front of Cincinnati fans during a charity softball game during the MLB All-Star Weekend.
He was booed.
Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson had this to say, per King:
"When you have the success he has had—four seasons in the league, four times in the playoffs—getting booed in your own city, that has to hurt a bit. But he was able to hit one over the fence for a home run. And he flipped the bat. His message was sort of, You might not like me now, but you’re going to love me later.
"
Bengals fans will certainly love Dalton if he can continue lighting up the scoreboard against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Game of the Day
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What: Seattle Seahawks at Cincinnati Bengals
When: 1 p.m. ET
Where: Fox
This game has the potential to be an incredibly competitive and compelling matchup or a complete disaster.
Either way, it's must-watch television.
The Cincinnati Bengals are 4-0 and completely on fire. They rank fourth in scoring offense (30.2 points per game) and ninth in defensive scoring (19.2 points per game allowed). They also rank sixth in sacks with 11.
This is a major issue for the Seattle Seahawks, who are the defending NFC champions but also a team in real trouble. The Seattle offensive line has been a major issue and is rated just 29th in pass protection by Pro Football Focus.
On paper, this game favors Cincinnati.
The Seahawks can still be a dangerous team, but a loss to Cincinnati could keep them behind the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals in the NFC West. For Seattle, this is about as close to a must-win as a game can get.
The Bengals actually have a fairly firm grasp on the AFC North at the moment, but this is the type of win they need to produce in order for people to take them seriously as contenders. There's plenty at stake for them as well.
Honorable Mention: Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders
The Raiders have shown improvement this season but will be hosting the 4-0 Broncos a 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday. A win would put Oakland at 3-2 and a game behind Denver in the AFC West.
Stats of the Week
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The number of points per game being allowed by the Atlanta Falcons this season, 16th in the NFL. In 2014, the Falcons were ranked 27th, allowing 26.1 points per game.
The number of times Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has been sacked this season. This puts him on pace to suffer 72 sacks in 2015. His previous career high was 44 in 2013.
The number of consecutive losses the Cleveland Browns have against the Baltimore Ravens in M&T Bank Stadium. They'll try to break that streak Sunday.
The number of turnovers committed by Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston. He has turned the ball over at least once in every game, but when he was interception-free against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2, Tampa won. This will likely be a big factor against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The number of sacks produced by the Denver Broncos defense this season. The Oakland Raiders have only allowed five sacks in four games this season. Something will have to give on Sunday.
The number of consecutive wins the Green Bay Packers have produced at home. The St. Louis Rams will be the next team to test its luck at Lambeau.
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Who Is Favored?
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Here are the odds for Sunday's games, via Odds Shark:
| Game Time (ET) | Away Team | Home Team | Favorite |
| 1 p.m. | Washington | Atlanta | Atlanta -8 |
| 1 p.m. | Cleveland | Baltimore | Baltimore -7 |
| 1 p.m. | Seattle | Cincinnati | Cincinnati -2.5 |
| 1 p.m. | St. Louis | Green Bay | Green Bay -10 |
| 1 p.m. | Chicago | Kansas City | Kansas City -10 |
| 1 p.m. | New Orleans | Philadelphia | Philadelphia -5 |
| 1 p.m. | Jacksonville | Tampa Bay | Tampa Bay -2.5 |
| 1 p.m. | Buffalo | Tennessee | Even |
| 4:05 p.m. | Arizona | Detroit | Arizona -2.5 |
| 4:25 p.m. | Denver | Oakland | Denver -4.5 |
| 4:25 p.m. | New England | Dallas | New England -10 |
| 8:30 p.m. | San Francisco | NY Giants | NY Giants -7 |
Matchups to Watch
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Matthew Stafford vs. the Cardinals Secondary
The Detroit Lions remain winless, and part of the problem has been a lack of consistency from quarterback Matthew Stafford. Despite having weapons such as Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate at his disposal, Stafford has failed to shine.
He has as many interceptions (five) as touchdowns and holds a passer rating of just 79.7. If Detroit is going to get into the win column this weekend, Stafford is going to have to play better.
Unfortunately for Stafford, he'll be facing an Arizona Cardinals team that is rated second overall in pass coverage by Pro Football Focus.
The Raiders O-Line vs. the Denver Pass Rush
We've already mentioned that the battle between the Broncos pass rush and Oakland's pass protection is going to be a good one. We're going to mention it again, because this is going to be a tremendous battle to watch.
Denver has racked up 18 sacks already this season and is rated first overall in pass rush by Pro Football Focus. The Raiders have allowed just five sacks and are rated first overall in pass blocking by the same site.
For fans who really enjoy trench warfare, this is going to be fun.
Colin Kaepernick vs. the Giants Secondary
The San Francisco 49ers won their first game, but they have been pretty much embarrassed in the three games since. From Week 2 to Week 4, the 49ers have been outscored 107-28.
A large part of the issue has been the play of quarterback Colin Kaepernick. He has thrown just two touchdown passes to go with six turnovers and holds a passer rating of just 67.7. It's going to take a better game from Kaepernick for San Francisco to turn things around.
The good news is that the 49ers are playing the New York Giants Sunday night. The Giants are ranked last in the NFL in pass defense, allowing an average of 316.2 yards per game.
Justin Forsett vs. the Browns Run Defense
The Baltimore Ravens managed to squeak out an overtime win over the Pittsburgh Steelers a week ago and may have saved their season in the process. Next up are the division-rival Cleveland Browns, who, like the Ravens, have a 1-3 record.
The Ravens will be playing without No. 1 receiver Steve Smith Sr., who is out with a back injury. This should mean a heavy dose of running back Justin Forsett is on the docket.
Fortunately, the Ravens couldn't have asked for a more perfect opponent. The Browns are ranked 31st in the NFL in run defense (141.5 yards per game allowed) and haven't won in Baltimore since 2007.
Injury Report
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Each week, we'll look at the most notable injuries for Sunday's games.
LeSean McCoy and Karlos Williams, RBs, Buffalo Bills (out)
McCoy (hamstring) and Williams (concussion) both missed practice on Friday for Buffalo. Both are listed as out in the Bills' latest injury report, along with tight end MarQueis Gray and safety Bacarri Rambo.
Tashaun Gipson, FS, Cleveland Browns (out)
The Browns have a whopping 17 players listed on their latest injury report. However, the most notable injury is probably that of Pro Bowl safety Tashaun Gipson (ankle), who is officially out against Baltimore. Linebacker Craig Robertson is also out.
Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks (out)
According to NFL Media's Michael Fabiano, Lynch will not play against the Bengals. Rookie Thomas Rawls will start.
Multiple Players, Washington Redskins (out)
A very banged-up Washington team heads to Atlanta on Sunday. According to the latest injury report, cornerback Chris Culliver (knee), cornerback DeAngelo Hall (toe), receiver DeSean Jackson (hamstring) and tight end Jordan Reed (concussion, knee, ankle) are all out.
Multiple Players, New York Giants (out)
According to the injury report, the Giants will be without wide receiver Victor Cruz (calf), defensive end Robert Ayers (hamstring), linebacker Devon Kennard (hamstring) and defensive end George Selvie (calf) against the 49ers.
Steve Smith Sr., WR, Baltimore Ravens (doubtful)
According to the Ravens, Smith is doubtful with back fractures, but he has not been completely ruled out. It would, however, be surprising to see him play.
Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons (questionable)
According to Atlanta's injury report, star receiver Julio Jones is questionable with a hamstring injury. Linebacker Justin Durant, however, will not play.
Expert Predictions
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Each week, we'll take a look at picks and predictions from some of the top Bleacher Report NFL writers. We'll also spotlight the experts' results on a week-to-week basis.
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