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Week 5 in the NFL is already upon us and we're down to one undefeated team - the Kansas City Chiefs. Who knew? With a quarter of the season for some teams in the books, things are still as murky as they were when we kicked off in Week 1. To further complicate things, Randy Moss was traded from the Patriots back to the Minnesota Vikings. We'll see what kind of effect this will have on Favre, the Vikings and the NFC. We'll also see how Brady, Belichick and the Patriots adjust without Moss drawing double teams and coverage away from other receivers.
Last week, Maurice London, Liam Ponting and Robbie Griffin paved the way for the staff here, as all of them went 9-5.
Without further ado, here are our Week 5 NFL picks. You'll have to excuse the brevity this week - Texas Rangers playoff baseball has everybody captivated.
Jacksonville (2-2) at Buffalo (0-4) - The poor Bills are winless and it seems like they've sucked forever. Ryan Fitzpatrick and the now Marshawn Lynch-less Bills will host the Jaguars, who are fresh off an upset win over Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.
- Maurice London: Jaguars
- Robbie Griffin: Jaguars - Meh contest that I can't find a reason to care about.
- Liam Ponting: Jaguars - The Jaguars aren't particularly good, but the Bills just may be the worst team in the NFL. Buffalo's allowing 31 points a game and giving up 174 yds/g on the ground, so look for MJD to go bonkers.
- Christopher Fittz: Jaguars
- JP Starkey: Jaguars - I'm almost tempted to pick the Bills just because they have to win at some point, right?
- Brett Perryman: Jaguars - I had the Bills in my first pass, but their numbers are just so terrible. How can MJD not run wild?
Tampa Bay (2-1) at Cincinnati (2-2) - The Bucs are coming off a bye week in which they were able to stew in their juices after being demolished by Pittsburgh in Week 3. The Bengals two-faced season continued with a loss at the hand of the lowly Browns and they'll look to rebound against Tampa Bay.
- London: Bengals
- Griffin: Bengals - This is a chance for the Bengals fans to feel good about the team for a week.
- Ponting: Bengals - The Bengals are an enigma wrapped in a riddle soaked in secret sauce. However, they're at home and Tampa's 2-1 record is pretty deceiving.
- Fittz: Bengals
- Starkey: Bengals - I think the Bengals suck but they're better than Tampa Bay at home.
- Perryman: Bengals - Here's a chance for the Cincy offense to make some progress.
Atlanta (3-1) at Cleveland (1-3) - Atlanta has won three in a row following their Week 1 loss against the Steelers in Pittsburgh, but they just narrowly escaped losing to a winless 49ers team. Cleveland is coming off their token big win of the year against the Bengals.
- London: Falcons
- Griffin: Falcons - Cleveland's played well enough I think they could pull the upset at home. I'm not picking it, though.
- Ponting: Falcons - The Browns are awful and the Falcons aren't. Holy crap these games look terrible so far...
- Fittz: Falcons
- Starkey: Falcons - This is a game I have no interest in watching.
- Perryman: Falcons - Atlanta is hot. They will need to limit Peyton Hillis (never thought I'd say that).
St. Louis (2-2) at Detroit (0-4) - The Rams have won two games in a row and suddenly look like they could compete and make the playoffs out of the anemic NFC West. The Lions, meanwhile, will not be making the playoffs but have played better than their 0-4 record indicates.
- London: Lions
- Griffin: Lions - The Lions will narrowly win the Bad But Getting Better Bowl.
- Ponting: Lions - ...and kill me. Lions at home, I'll take them.
- Fittz: Lions
- Starkey: Rams - I'll be sad if the '10 Rams make the playoffs while the '10 St. Louis Cardinals finished second. But I won't be shocked if it happens. Rams win this one in a close game.
- Perryman: Rams - Tempted to go with a second 0-4 team here, but the Rams are actually not that bad.
Kansas City (3-0) at Indianapolis (2-2) - The Chiefs are the NFL's last remaining undefeated team...and they've played all of three games this year. They'll face their toughest test this year headed on the road to take on Peyton Manning and the Colts who are coming off their second loss - and second divisional loss - of the season.
- London: Colts
- Griffin: Colts - The Chiefs really only have to keep this close for people to start taking them seriously.
- Ponting: Colts - The Chiefs beat a San Diego team that handed the game, a terrible Browns team and a 49'ers squad in disarray. The Colts at home are a different beast unfortunately.
- Fittz: Colts
- Starkey: Colts - I'm hoping the trend of picking the Colts and then having them lose continues this week.
- Perryman: Colts - The Chiefs have a golden opportunity to prove their validity ... and don't take it.
Green Bay (3-1) at Washington (2-2) - Aaron Rodgers brings his Packers into D.C. to face off against McNabb and the Redskins. The Packers narrowly defeated the Lions last week while the Redskins went into Philadelphia and beat the Eagles, giving them two divisional wins in the first four weeks.
- London: Packers
- Griffin: Packers - The Packers offensive line has looked bad so for, and Rodgers could get hurt in this game. And the Packers could win without him.
- Ponting: Packers - Green Bay's banged up, but Washington and their 2nd worst pass defense in the league will cure all that ails them.
- Fittz: Packers
- Starkey: Packers - This one could get ugly.
- Perryman: Packers - The Skins have been able to drag most of their opponents into ugly games, but the Green Bay offense will find its way, at least in the passing game.
Chicago (3-1) at Carolina (0-4) - The Bears looked awful last week and saying that doesn't really do justice to how awful their offense looked. Nine sacks allowed in one half is actually pretty impressive to surrender. They'll look to rebound against Jimmy Clausen and the winless Carolina Panthers.
- London: Bears
- Griffin: Panthers - I'm going to call the end of the Chicago honeymoon with them losing to a bad team.
- Ponting: Bears - I'm picking a team quarterbacked by Todd Collins because the other team's quarterback is Jimmy Clausen.
- Fittz: Panthers
- Starkey: Bears - Carolina's offense has just looked too hapless for me to pick them in any game, though they did play the Saints tough last week.
- Perryman: Bears - I would love to pick against the Bears with Collins at QB, but I just can't bring myself to go with this sad Carolina team.
Denver (2-2) at Baltimore (3-1) - Fresh off a tough road win, the Broncos follow it up with ...another tough road game. Last week it was against the Titans and this week they'll head to Baltimore who are coming off their own big win against the Steelers.
- London: Ravens
- Griffin: Ravens - I've got nothing.
- Ponting: Ravens - The Ravens are better and at home.
- Fittz: Ravens
- Starkey: Ravens - I'm not terribly impressed with the Ravens but they're better than the Broncos are.
- Perryman: Ravens - On paper this one's easy, but the Ravens still search for their offensive identity.
New York (2-2) at Houston (3-1) - The Giants ransacked the Bears offensive line last week in a game they desperately needed to win. They'll head to Houston to take on the first place Houston Texans who beat the Raiders last weekend.
- London: Texans
- Griffin: Texans - I really want Houston to win this game so badly, and I'm worried they won't. Eli has a chance to make people overrate him against that secondary.
- Ponting: Giants - Mild upset here, but the Giants' pass rush is fierce and could make the Texans more dependant on a huge game from Foster than they want to be.
- Fittz: Texans
- Starkey: Texans - I'll start believing in the Texans if they win this game.
- Perryman: Giants - Standard logic would have the Giants falling back after putting so much into last week. I think they continue their run for one more week.
New Orleans (3-1) at Arizona (2-2) - The defending champs just survived an upset bid by the Panthers last week but wins are wins. In four games for Arizona, Larry Fitzgerald has just 208 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Derek Anderson isn't very good.
- London: Saints
- Griffin: Saints - Arizona probably has the worst chance of any home team, as down as the Saints have seemed so far.
- Ponting: Saints - Poor Larry Fitzgerald.
- Fittz: Saints
- Starkey: Saints - Glad I didn't draft Fitzgerald in any fantasy league I'm in.
- Perryman: Saints - How are the Cards 2-2?
Tennessee (2-2) at Dallas (1-2) - The Titans lost at home last week to the Broncos a week after marching into New Jersey and handling the Giants with ease. Of course, the Cowboys are coming off their bye week and before that, a much needed win over the Texans.
- London: Cowboys
- Griffin: Cowboys - I think Vince Young is going to hate DeMarcus Ware's face.
- Ponting: Cowboys - Cowboys coming off a bye week should be prepared for the Titans' gameplan of "give Chris Johnson the ball a lot".
- Fittz: Cowboys
- Starkey: Cowboys - Dallas will win this game. It could be quite a Sunday in the Dallas area if the Rangers clinch the ALDS, too.
- Perryman: Titans - Maybe it's Rangers paranoia seeping across the street, but I have a bad feeling about this. The Cowboys have been really good coming out of byes.
San Diego (2-2) at Oakland (1-3) - San Diego decimated the Cardinals last weekend, winning 41-10. They'll look to do the same against another inferior opponent in the Raiders who, with each loss, just help the Patriots further control the 2011 draft.
- London: Chargers
- Griffin: Chargers - It's about time for San Diego to start getting better, right? Is this usually when it happens?
- Ponting: Chargers - Wow are the Raiders bad.
- Fittz: Chargers
- Starkey: Chargers - I'll be really confused if the Raiders win this game.
- Perryman: Chargers - San Diego found it last week and keeps it rolling in the battle of the blackouts.
Philadelphia (2-2) at San Francisco (0-4) - The Kevin Kolb led Eagles head into San Francisco a week after losing to the Redskins and having Mike Vick injured. The 49ers are coming off one of their better efforts this year but the NFL doesn't award wins for good efforts. The Niners should count their lucky stars that they play in the NFC West and still could maybe make the playoffs.
- London: 49ers
- Griffin: 49ers - I'm a little surprised San Fran is favored by three. I do think they should be favored, I'm just surprised to see it.
- Ponting: Eagles - I desperately want to be wrong on this, partly because it's the Eagles and partly because Mike Singletary is a boss. However, the 49ers collapse continues this week.
- Fittz: Eagles
- Starkey: 49ers - The QB shuffle won't help the Eagles. San Fran needs this win desperately and should come out fired up on the national stage.
- Perryman: Eagles - San Fran plays their tails off, but someone reminds Kevin Kolb that the ball can go more than six yards down field.
Minnesota (1-2) at New York (3-1) - Randy Moss is a Viking again in case you haven't heard. On paper, it should really benefit Favre and the Vikings. Favre will have to avoid tunnel vision otherwise his INT rate will go up even further. The Jets just kicked the Bills around pretty easily and will face a pretty good test in Moss, Peterson and Harvin.
- London: Vikings
- Griffin: Jets - They're going to murder Mr. Favre.
- Ponting: Vikings - Most interesting game of the week. Favre wins in spite of donggate and beats a Jets team that will probably have a gimpy Revis back in action.
- Fittz: Jets
- Starkey: Vikings - Adrian Peterson, not Randy Moss, will dominate this game.
- Perryman: Jets - Minnesota needs this worse, but you don't integrate even HOF receivers in a couple of practices, plus Revis Island is back.
Year To Date Standings:
Fittz: 40-22 (7-7)
Ponting: 39-23 (9-5)
Griffin: 39-23 (9-5)
Worley: 37-25 (8-6)
London: 37-25 (9-5)
Perryman: 36-26 (8-6)
Starkey:35-27 (8-6)
Code: 25-21 (8-6)