NFL Picks Week 5: Titans and 3 Surprising Division Leaders That Will Win

Raise your hand if you thought you'd see the Tennessee Titans, the Buffalo Bills and the New York Giants in first place in their respective divisions at any point during the 2011 NFL season, much less at the very same time?

That's what I thought.

And while they may not be perched atop the NFL for the rest of the season, these three surprising teams figure to maintain their reign for at least one more week.

Tennessee Titans

The Steelers are a good team and Heinz Field is a tough place to play, but the odds are stacked in the Titans' favor to leave Pittsburgh with smiles on Sunday.

Week 4 was a veritable bloodbath for the Steelers, as they lost All-Pro linebacker James Harrison for the season to a busted orbital bone and had Ben Roethlisberger limping out of Houston in a walking boot.

And that's to say nothing of Rashard Mendenhall's tender hamstring and Pittsburgh's already-beat-up offensive line.

As for the Titans, they've been playing as well as anyone since their disappointing, season-opening loss to the Jaguars. Matt Hasselbeck, currently the No. 4 rated passer in the NFL, is enjoying a Brett Favre-esque revival in the Music City while Chris Johnson has finally snapped out of his early-season slump.

Meanwhile, the Steelers' defense ranks 22nd against the run, having been worked over by top-notch rushers (Arian Foster, Ray Rice) and middling ball carriers (Joseph Addai) alike.

With fullback Ahmard Hall returning from suspension for Tennessee, look for the Titans to run roughshod over the Steelers on their way to a 4-1 record.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills fell into a trap in tiger trap in Cincinnati in Week 4, but are poised to bounce back quite nicely this Sunday. There's plenty for folks in Buffalo to be worried about, especially after watching their Bills' defense get worked over by Andy Dalton, Cedric Benson and the rest of the Bengals' ragtag attack.

On the bright side, the AFC East division leaders will be back at home, where they've pulled off thrilling upsets over the Raiders and the Patriots, and will welcome in a battered and bruised Eagles team this time around.

Philadelphia's dream season has disintegrated into a disaster zone, with an offensive line that can't keep Michael Vick off his back and a defense that ranks 30th against the run and 23rd in points allowed.

The Bills, who rank fifth in rushing and and fourth in scoring behind running back Fred Jackson and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, should be able to take advantage of those weaknesses in Philly's defense just fine, thanks.

Granted, Buffalo has one of the worst pass rushes in the NFL, but it's not as though the Eagles' O-line could even protect Vick from a stiff wind, much less hungry defenders in hot pursuit.

All told, the Bills will ride their potent offense and a raucous home crowd to yet another rousing victory and a 4-1 mark.

New York Giants

The Giants have been victimized by injury as much as any team this season, yet they just keep winning. Eli Manning has been surprisingly efficient, sporting the third-highest QB rating the NFL, despite a rash of injuries befalling his receiving corps in the first few weeks.

Big Blue's defense has been banged-up, as well, though their pass rush has held it all together to compensate for a secondary that's as thin as an in football. In fact, they've held opposing quarterbacks to the sixth-worst efficiency rating among all defensive units in the NFL.

Speaking of inefficient quarterbacking, Tarvaris Jackson and the Seahawks will fly in to MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Seattle sports a middling defense and one of the worst offenses in all of football, one that ranks 28th in passing, 31st in rushing and, most importantly, 29th in scoring.

Throw in the Seahawks' soft pass rush, which has all of five sacks in four games, and it's looking like Eli will make it rain all over the field in the Big Apple on the way to an extended stay atop the NFC East.