Week 5 NFL Picks: Odds Predictions and Top Prop Bets for Full Schedule

This could be one of those changing-of-the-guard years in the NFL. What happens in Cincinnati between the Seattle Seahawks and the Bengals will go a long way toward determining if that is the case.

The Seahawks have won back-to-back NFC championships, and they were one infamous play from winning two consecutive Super Bowls.

The Seahawks have been a well-rounded team under Pete Carroll that has been led by a vicious defense and the battering-ram style of running back Marshawn Lynch. The defense remains powerful, as it is ranked second in the NFL, allowing 278.7 yards per game, but the Seahawks will not have Lynch when they take the field at Cincinnati.

The running back has been troubled by hamstring injuries, and the Seahawks announced Friday that Lynch would not be able to play for the second consecutive week.

Lynch's absence is a huge blow because it robs the team of balance. His ability to run the ball consistently takes pressure off quarterback Russell Wilson, and it also helps the defense considerably. The Seahawks have the ability to control the clock when he is running the football, and much of that ability is gone when he is out of the lineup.

The Bengals may not have lost a game yet this season, but beating the Seahawks will not be an easy task. Even though they won't have Lynch, they still have to show they are tough enough to contend with Michael Bennett, Bobby Wagner and Kam Chancellor by proving it on the field for 60 minutes.

Andy Dalton (1,187 passing yards, nine TDs, one interception) has been on top of his game this year, and the Cincinnati quarterback is playing like he wants to change the reputation that he is not a big-game quarterback. He can make a strong statement if he can play well and lead the Bengals to a victory over the Seahawks.

The Bengals are three-point favorites at home according to Odds Shark, and in many ways that line is showing a disrespect for the home team. Cincinnati has rolled to a 4-0 record, while the Seahawks needed quite a bit of good fortune to beat the Detroit Lions in Week 4 and even their record at 2-2. The Bengals would seem to merit being a greater favorite.

We are buying in, and much of that has to do with Lynch's absence. Seattle rookie running back Thomas Rawls is still finding himself and is not in Lynch's category. The Bengals should find a way to pull away in the second half and win by more than one touchdown.

Game	Line	Over-Under	Selection
Washington at Atlanta	Atl. -7.5	48	Washington; Under
Cleveland at Baltimore	Balt. -7.5	43	Cleveland; Over
Seattle at Cincinnati	Cin. -3	43	Cincinnati; Under
St. Louis at Green Bay	GB -10	46	Green Bay; Over
Chicago at Kansas City	KC -10	45	Kansas City; Under
New Orleans at Philadelphia	Phil. -7	49	New Orleans; Under
Jacksonville at Tampa Bay	TB -2.5	42	Tampa Bay; Under
Buffalo at Tennessee	Even	41.5	Buffalo; Over
Arizona at Detroit	Ariz. -2.5	45.5	Arizona; Over
New England at Dallas	NE -10	49.5	New England: Under
Denver at Oakland	Den. -5	44	Oakland: Under
San Francisco at New York Giants	NYG -7	43.5	New York Giants: Under
Pittsburgh at San Diego	SD -3	45.5	San Diego; Over

Bills will bounce back with big win at Tennessee

The linemakers made the Buffalo Bills a three-point favorite over the Tennessee Titans early in the week, but the Bills are no longer favorites with kickoff just a few hours away.

The Bills had a disappointing performance against the New York Giants at home in Week 4, and that sleepy game has apparently had an impact on handicappers. This game is now rated as even.

The Bills have followed a win, loss, win, loss pattern the first four weeks of the season. They bounced back from a Week 2 beating handed them by the New England Patriots with a sharp win on the road against the Miami Dolphins. However, they couldn't build on that performance when the Giants came to Buffalo.

The Titans have gained some respect because rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota has been impressive in the early going with his 8-2 TD-interception ratio through the first three games of the season. The Titans are coming off a Week 4 bye.

While the Bills couldn't handle Tom Brady or Eli Manning, look for Mario Williams and Marcel Dareus to put heavy pressure on Mariota and force him into errors. At the same time, Buffalo quarterback Tyrod Taylor will go back to being a playmaker.

The oddsmakers and handicappers may point to the Titans, but the Bills have already shown they know how to bounce back on the road, and they should pull out the victory.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Niners appear to be in for a long afternoon

Just a couple of weeks ago, the New York Giants were 0-2 after blowing a pair of double-digit fourth-quarter leads in their first two games.

It was quite uncomfortable for head coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning, as both made clock-management errors in the first two games. But the Giants have bounced back with two consecutive wins, and they can become a winning team with a victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

New head coach Jim Tomsula is having a difficult time getting his team to play cohesively. After an impressive win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1, they have been beaten badly three games in a row. Two of those losses were on the road, and they were blown out at Pittsburgh and Arizona.

The San Francisco offense ranks 31st in passing and 31st overall. That's not enough to threaten the Giants. On the other hand, Manning's performance has been getting better over the past two weeks, and No. 2 receiver Rueben Randle has caught 14-175-2. That's vital, because it gives Odell Beckham Jr. just a little more room to make his big plays.

The Giants are hungry to build on their momentum and they have the right opponent coming into MetLife Stadium. The Giants should handle the 49ers with ease and blow past the seven-point impost.

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Winston's turnovers may earn him a spot in the record book

While Mariota is off to a sharp start in his rookie year, No. 1 draft choice Jameis Winston has not had smooth sailing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers early in his first year.

Winston has had a few decent moments, and he helped earn the Bucs their only victory in Week 2 at New Orleans. However, Winston has been throwing a lot of interceptions.

Winston has thrown seven picks through his first four games, and if he continues to toss them at that rate the rest of the season, he will throw 28 and tie Peyton Manning's record for the most interceptions thrown by a rookie quarterback.

Las Vegas handicappers are offering a prop bet on whether Winston will break that record. Those who say Winston will throw more than 28 interceptions are being offered plus-250 for that bet. Those who say Winston will throw 28 or fewer have to lay minus-400.

We like the prop bet and believe that Winston will not lose his scatter-arm tendencies. He will do enough good things that head coach Lovie Smith won't bench him, and we expect the Bucs to win five or six games. But on the way, Winston will throw 29 picks and break the record.