NFL Picks Week 5: Philadelphia Eagles and 3 Teams That Will Get Much-Needed Wins

Every NFL team has reached the quarter pole of its season and, while that might not seem important, it means teams can no longer fall back on the “it's early” excuse. Several teams are in dire need of a victory in Week 5, and here are three that will start to climb their way into the playoff race with wins.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger knows how important a Steelers win this weekend is in terms of the playoff race. So he's going to do whatever it takes to play against the Tennessee Titans. Hopefully Rashard Mendenhall has the same attitude and plays through his nagging hamstring problem.

The Titans have been one of the league's surprise teams through four weeks and have yet to see the real Chris Johnson. That said, keeping the talented running back bottled up remains the main task of the Steelers defense on Sunday.

It won't be easy and it certainly won't be pretty, but the Steelers will find a way to win.

Prediction: Steelers 20 Titans 17

Arizona Cardinals

While a 1-3 start can be a death sentence in some NFL divisions, that's definitely not the case in the NFC West. The league's weakest division gives the Cardinals a chance to get themselves back into the playoff conversation with a win against the Minnesota Vikings, who are also struggling.

The biggest key to turning the season around is a more efficient Kevin Kolb. There were huge expectations for the quarterback after arriving from Philadelphia, and he's be average at best so far. His plus-one touchdown-to-interception ratio must improve.

Beanie Wells will probably be kept in check by a good Vikings run defense, so it will be up to Kolb to get Arizona back on track.

Prediction: Cardinals 23 Vikings 21

Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia's game in Buffalo (well, Orchard Park) pits two teams who haven't followed the script put forth by general consensus before the season. The “Dream Team” is 1-3, while the Bills are 3-1 and are coming off a disappointing trap-game loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

This matchup could send each team in a new direction. A win could get Philadelphia back on track for the playoffs, while a loss would send Buffalo into a longer tailspin. The Bills defense will have no answer for Michael Vick's dual-threat capabilities because they have no pass rush.

Eagles win a game that will be decided before the fourth quarter begins.

Prediction: Eagles 34 Bills 21