2010 NFL Week 5 Picks and Predictions

Each Tuesday morning, Whatifsports.com's NFL simulation engine will provide you with predictions, box scores and statistics for every NFL game that week. The NFL simulation engine generates detailed information including the home team's chances of winning (Home Win %), average score and comprehensive box score link. If you want to share your new found NFL knowledge with friends and family, make sure to check out our NFL Widgets on the WhatIf To Go page or click on the social networking share bar located at the top and bottom of the article.

The statistical inputs to the thousands of NFL games simulated are based on rigorous analysis of each team's roster, depth chart and statistically based player ranking. Roster modifications have been made for injuries and suspensions and those players are not part of their team's game simulation.

To account for injuries and roster moves announced late in the week, we will be re-simulating some games on Thursdays throughout the 2010 NFL season.

Check out our 2010 NFL Season-to-Date page to follow our accuracy week-to-week and find Locks and Upsets of the Week.

We encourage you to interact with our 2010 NFL SimMatchup feature (which is FREE) to simulate any of the games below as many times as you want. You also have the option of adjusting the depth charts to your liking.

Game of the Week: Packers vs Redskins

Returning almost all of the key components from an explosive, opportunistic 11-5 playoff team, the Packers were forecasted as one of the NFC's Super Bowl XLV aspirants. Judging by their 3-1 record and current standing in the NFC North, one would think Green Bay has performed to their projected aptitude. Aaron Rodgers has continued his quest to make the Lambeau faithful forget that Favre fella, throwing for 940 yards and accounting for 10 touchdowns in 2010. Jermichael Finley is quietly becoming one of the league's elite tight-ends, leading the team with 301 yards. On the defensive side, Clay Matthews III has racked up 7 sacks on his way to Defensive Player of the Month honors, while Charles Woodson continues to play at a Hall-of-Fame intensity.

Yet a closer examination reveals chinks in the proverbial armor. After taking care of Philadelphia and Buffalo, the Pack has appeared discombobulated and undisciplined the past two weeks (loss at Chicago, nail-biter against Detroit). The Packer rushing attack has been absolutely anemic after a season-ending injury to Ryan Grant. (Never good when a converted fullback from a D-II program is your leading rusher.) And while the sack numbers have improved, poor Rodgers is still under duress on every pass attempt. In short, the dream of spending February in Dallas borders the delusional rather than reality for the Cheeseheads.

Of course, this is the NFL, where a franchise's fortunes can change week to week. Case in point: the Washington Redskins. In Week 3, Mike Shanahan's squad succumbed to lowly St. Louis, giving the Rams their first victory since November 1, 2009. With a matchup with rival Philly looming, the 'Skins were an Alex Barron-holding call away from a 0-3 start. Fans were upset at Albert Haynesworth and Shanahan for letting a $100 million transform into a benchwarming-malcontent. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall called out defensive coordinator Jim Haslett after an embarrassing loss to Houston. Worse, their offseason acquisition, Donovan McNabb, had been pedestrian at best.

So it figures that this appalling excuse for a football team goes into Philadelphia and pulls out a hard-fought divisional W. The Washington defense, which had surrendered nearly 1,000 passing yards in the first three weeks, held the Eagles relatively in check with 240 yards through the air. The Redskin running attack accumulated 169 yards, and McNabb was able to put the "McChoke" label aside by winning in a hostile environment.

This brings us to the WhatIfSports Game of the Week: the Green Bay Packers at the Washington Redskins. Which teams show up? For Green Bay, will the impressive aerial assault of Aaron Rodgers and company exploit the 2nd-worst pass defense in the league, or will Mike McCarthy's men be hampered by yellow flags? (The Pack committed a franchise-record 18 penalties against the Bears in Week 3.) And for Washington, does a team that defeated two divisional foes on the road render its face, or the dysfunctional and disillusioned group of Weeks 2 and 3?

According to the WhatIfSports simulation engines, Green Bay comes out on top with an average score of 22-21. The Packers win this titanic struggle 52.9% of the time, making this match-up one of the closer battles of the week. To check out the rest of the WhatIf projections, check below:

NFL Week 5
Matchup	Win%	Avg Score
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	23.0	12	Boxscore
@ Cincinnati Bengals	77.0	24	Simulate Game
Kansas City Chiefs	32.5	20	Boxscore
@ Indianapolis Colts	67.5	26	Simulate Game
Minnesota Vikings	33.9	17	Boxscore
@ New York Jets	66.1	24	Simulate Game
Denver Broncos	42.5	18	Boxscore
@ Baltimore Ravens	57.5	23	Simulate Game
New York Giants	44.3	25	Boxscore
@ Houston Texans	55.7	28	Simulate Game
Tennessee Titans	45.1	21	Boxscore
@ Dallas Cowboys	54.9	24	Simulate Game
Atlanta Falcons	52.5	22	Boxscore
@ Cleveland Browns	47.5	21	Simulate Game
Green Bay Packers	52.9	22	Boxscore
@ Washington Redskins	47.1	21	Simulate Game
Jacksonville Jaguars	57.3	18	Boxscore
@ Buffalo Bills	42.7	17	Simulate Game
Chicago Bears	57.9	21	Boxscore
@ Carolina Panthers	42.1	20	Simulate Game
St. Louis Rams	59.5	20	Boxscore
@ Detroit Lions	40.5	19	Simulate Game
Philadelphia Eagles	68.5	20	Boxscore
@ San Francisco 49ers	31.5	16	Simulate Game
New Orleans Saints	80.0	26	Boxscore
@ Arizona Cardinals	20.0	17	Simulate Game
San Diego Chargers	91.8	34	Boxscore
@ Oakland Raiders	8.2	17	Simulate Game