NFL Week 5 Predictions: Early Vegas Odds Advice, Lines and Spread Picks

The season has started for the New England Patriots. It didn't look like it after back-to-back losses to the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Detroit Lions, but the alarm bell went off as the Patriots prepared to play the Miami Dolphins in Week 4.

The Dolphins won their first three games, and if Miami was going to come into Foxborough and beat the home team, the Patriots would have been 1-3 and three games behind the Dolphins.

There was no chance of that happening as the Patriots beat the Dolphins to the punch for 60 minutes and delivered an overpowering 38-7 victory.

The Pats may not be the great team they have been in the past, but don't try spreading that talk in the New England locker room.

The Patriots have a short week as they get back in business Thursday night against the Indianapolis Colts. New England is a 10.5-point favorite, according to OddsShark.

The Colts have dropped three of their first four games, including a 37-34 overtime defeat to the Houston Texans Sunday. However, Andrew Luck has returned to the lineup and they are a lot more competitive than they were a year ago.

Still, this will be a tough assignment for the visitors, because the switch has apparently been flipped in New England. Tom Brady threw for 274 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions against the Dolphins, but the big news for New England was the 112-yard rushing effort from rookie Sony Michel. If the Patriots can run the ball consistently, it will open things up for Brady and his passing game.

That area is likely to pick up as Josh Gordon gets more familiar with the New England scheme, and Julian Edelman is due to return from his four-game suspension.

The running game will also impact the New England defense, because a consistent running attack means longer offensive drives that will keep the defense off the field.

The Colts are tougher and sharper under Frank Reich, and they are not likely to be intimidated by their opponents. However, they don't have an overpowering defense and will likely wear down in the second half.

Swallow hard and lay the 10.5 points as the Patriots win by 14 points or more.

Week 5 Pointspreads and Predictions

Indianapolis at New England (-10.5), New England

Jacksonville at Kansas City (-3), Kansas City

Tennessee (-3) at Buffalo, Tennessee

Atlanta at Pittsburgh (-4), Atlanta

Denver at N.Y. Jets (-2.5), Denver

Green Bay (-1) at Detroit, Detroit

Baltimore (-1.5) at Cleveland, Baltimore

N.Y. Giants at Carolina (-7), Carolina

Miami at Cincinnati (-5), Cincinnati

Oakland at L.A. Chargers (-6), Los Angeles

Arizona at San Francisco (-3), Arizona

L.A. Rams (-7.5) at Seattle, Los Angeles

Minnesota at Philadelphia (-3), Philadelphia

Dallas at Houston (-3.5), Houston

Washington at New Orleans (-7), Washington

All point spread information courtesy of OddsShark.

Jacksonville at Kansas City

This three-point line seems light, and while it could change quite a bit after the Chiefs play their Week 4 Monday night game on the road against the Denver Broncos, we are jumping on this short-priced number.

This is a classic matchup between one of the best offensive teams in the game in Kansas City against one of the top defensive units in Jacksonville.

Normally, we would have the tendency to come down on the side of the defensive powerhouse, but this is not one of those times. The Chiefs have too much speed and explosiveness with Tyreek Hill and Kareem Hunt, and they also have the strong arm of young quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

The quarterback is not perfect and is likely to have problems, and he could have them in this game as he faces pass rushers Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue. However, the line is just a field goal, and there's no way this game should be that close after 60 minutes.

The belief here is that the Chiefs can force Blake Bortles into passing mistakes and that Andy Reid has a huge coaching advantage over Doug Marrone.

The Chiefs get the win and the cover.

Eric Gay/Associated Press

Green Bay at Detroit

Lions rookie head coach Matt Patricia is learning firsthand how difficult it is to win with the Lions. The former New England defensive coordinator has not found the formula for winning football, and his team's only victory came against the Patriots in Week 3.

The Lions are coming off a heartbreaking, last-minute loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Patricia has to rally this team and make sure that a losing attitude does not take over the locker room.

Patricia may prove himself as a head coach at some point, but it is not going to be an easy process. 

While the Lions and quarterback Matthew Stafford have not established a winning pattern, the Packers are just 2-1-1. They were beaten badly in their only road game against Washington. 

The Lions are starting to find a running game with rookie Kerryon Johnson, and that should take heat off of Stafford.

The Lions are one-point underdogs at home, and that should play right into their hands. Look for Stafford and Golden Tate to cause plenty of damage against the Packers.

Detroit wins and gets the upset as the home underdog.