NFL Picks Week 5: Separating the Pretenders From the Contenders
With 1/4th of the season now over and done with, the contenders are beginning to separate themselves from the pretenders around the NFL.
While it's certain that there will be continued variance until we get a little deeper into the season, let's take a look at some current pretenders that will fade fast and some contenders that will continue to get stronger.
You may be very surprised.
Ethan Norof is a writing intern for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.
Pretender: Kansas City Chiefs
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While there's no doubting that this team is good, they're just not quite ready.
Yes, the Chargers are off to a slow start and have already lost to Kansas City, but the Bolts will definitely finish the season in first place.
The Chiefs face their first true test of the season when they take on the Colts this weekend, and it should provide them with a very big reality check.
Contender: New York Giants
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The issue in question with the G-Men is not talent, but rather consistency.
While the team looked very impressive last week against the Bears, they looked equally as bad in their two losses this season. And until the defense can bring it on a weekly basis, this is a team that will remain an inconsistent one.
Luckily, they're in an extremely winnable division and should benefit because of it. With two upcoming games against division rival Dallas over the next month, two wins could go a very long way toward a playoff berth.
Pretender: Arizona Cardinals
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This team might be 2-2 and in first place, but it'd be a shock to see them eclipse six wins this season.
Now starting rookie QB Max Hall under center, opposing defenses are going to be licking their chops every time Arizona is on the schedule.
The passing game has looked atrocious, and the running game hasn't been very impressive either. This is a team headed for trouble sooner rather than later, and they could full out implode in the coming weeks.
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Contender: Indianapolis Colts
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As if you didn't already suspect it.
Despite a meager 2-2 start, the Colts are not only a legitimate playoff contender, but a possibility for the Super Bowl as well. QB Peyton Manning is in a contract year and eager to prove his worth among the best of all time, and he knows that he needs a ring to do it.
Despite a very suspect defense that is continuously ravaged by injuries, this offense is just too potent.
Pretender: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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At 2-1, the Bucs may very well be the biggest surprise in the NFL.
Head Coach Raheem Morris has this team believing in themselves, and while that's a good start, there is not exactly a wealth of depth on the roster. With the secondary and the running game both major question marks, this Tampa team showed up to the party a little too early.
While they certainly look like a team capable of winning more than six games, it's going to be awfully hard to make it to the playoffs in an extremely tough division.
Contender: Dallas Cowboys
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It's so easy to hate the Cowboys, unless you're a fan of the team.
After an 0-2 start, the Cowboys were the talk of every major media outlet in the world. How could a team this talented be this bad? Simply put, they're not bad. They're actually very good.
Much like the Chargers, this is a team that plays to the level of their competition. They don't bring it to you week in and week out like some teams (Steelers, Ravens) do, but they do just enough to win.
Think of them like last year's Boston Celtics, and watch the success that they have in the postseason.
Just remember that you heard it here first.
Ethan Norof is a writing intern for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.
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