Best NFL Picks: the Sunday Edition: Week 5
Be sure to check for any relevant information before game time as this article is written days in advance!
Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers
The fall from grace is hitting the Steelers (1-3) hard this season. The Steelers defense has always been a staple for their success for as long as I can remember. However, their average defensive play can’t keep Big Ben afloat. Ben is really starting to show his age this season. He has tossed for 1033 yards, 4 TD, and 4 INTs while completing 109/170 yards. This is too many pass attempts for his age and the Steelers rush attack really has to to start helping out.
The Broncos (3-1) saw their first test of strength last week against the Ravens. They lost Teddy Bridgewater with a concussion and he should be a go for Sunday. The Broncos did limit the Raven’s potent offense which showed their defense is a force. Teddy also has shown to be an effective gunslinger so far this season. Teddy has tossed for 892 yards, 5 TD, and 0 INT while competing for 80/111 of his passes. Some pretty solid numbers.
The major x factor in this game is defense which Denver gets the advantage. Denver is towards the top in the league in every major category which will prove to be aggravating for Big Ben.
Pittsburgh is the slight favorite with a -120 money line. Vegas must be factoring in home-field advantage as Big Ben plays better at home. However, the Broncos can easily get the upset here which is why the Broncos ML is the play.
New York Jets at Atlanta Falcons
The Jets (1-3) fans have been rolling high this week after their OT win against the Titans. To be fair, the Titans were without their two star receivers which allowed them to pack the box. Nonetheless, Zach Wilson still had a decent game and showed fans his promise. This season he has tossed for a total of 925 yards, 4 TD, and 8 INTs while completing 79/139 passing.
The Falcons (1-3) are off to another disappointing season and the loss of Jones has been noticed. The highly hyped TE Kyle Pitts has struggled to pick up some production. However, Matt Ryan still hasn’t been that bad. He has tossed for 990 yards, 8 TD, and 3 INTs while completing 108/159 of his passes.
The Falcons defense is toward the bottom of the league which is why they are racking up losses early. The Jets get the slight advantage on defense due to their ability to stop teams on third down.
The Falcons are the -3.0 favorite to cover the spread. This will be a game of who makes the least amount of mistakes. Wilson’s high INT rate of 2 a game means the Jets, like in the past, make too many mistakes. This game should be close but I’m taking Ryan to outgun Wilson. Falcons ML is the play as is the Falcons spread live bet spread of -2.5.
Philadelphia Eagles at Carolina Panthers
Carolina (3-1) has been surging this season behind their elite defensive play. Their secondary got even more elite by acquiring Gilmore from the Patriots for a sixth-round pick. The Panther’s offense will still be without their main weapon, Mccaffrey. However, the offense is still average without him. Darnold has also been playing a lot better with his new team as he has tossed for 1189 yards, 5 TD, and 3 INTs while going for 99/146 in passing.
Jalen Hurts is the cemented starting quarterback for the Eagles (1-3) foreseeable future. Their offense hasn’t been bad and sits in the middle of the league in efficiency. Jalen has thrown for 1167 yards, 7 TD, and 2 INTs and has completed 96/145 of his passes.
The pitfall of the Eagles comes from their defense which has been shown to let up too many points. They rank 24th in points allowed and have one of the worst rushing defenses in the league.
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The Panthers are obviously the favorite at home with a spread of -3.5. The Panthers defense will force a close game even if their offense doesn’t show up which means Panthers ML is the play and -3.5 is also favorable.
Honorable Mentions
Browns +2.0
Raiders -5.5
Rams ML
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