Buffalo at Cleveland – Thursday, 8:25 – The miraculous rise of Brian Hoyer continued in Week 4, as he tossed for two scores against zero interceptions for the Browns (2-2) en route to a shocking defeat of the Bengals. Key to Hoyer’s success has been the emergence of tight end Jordan Cameron, who will be a handful for the Bills secondary to deal with. However, Buffalo (2-2) forced five interceptions in Week 4, and should be able to create multiple takeaways against the Browns. Cleveland’s defense has been outstanding against both the run (4th in yards allowed per game on the ground) and pass (9th in yards allowed). This should be a low-scoring, ugly game. C.J. Spiller is banged up, and his health will hurt the Bills offensively. I’ll hop on the Brian Hoyer bandwagon and take the Browns at home.
New Orleans at Chicago – Sunday, 1:00 – The Bears (3-1) had surprised many by winning their first three, but forgot to show up against the Lions in Week 4, dropping a 40-32 contest. The score of that game doesn’t indicate just how poorly they played. Rebounding against New Orleans won’t be easy. The Saints (4-0) earned a statement win over the Dolphins on Monday Night Football, announcing that they are back among the league’s elite. I like the Saints to win.
New England at Cincinnati – Sunday, 1:00 – I was a fan of the Bengals (2-2) going into last week, but they really laid an egg in Cleveland. Offensively, Cincy looked absolutely lost. Their defense was solid, as usual, but Tom Brady will be a handful to deal with. New England (4-0) has amassed a perfect record so far without much fanfare, and turned in an excellent performance on Monday Night Football in Atlanta in Week 4. The Pats seem to be moving forward offensively, and I don’t think the Bengals can outscore them. I like New England to continue their winning streak.
Detroit at Green Bay – Sunday, 1:00 – If you’re into offense, this is the game for you. Reggie Bush has added a dangerous second dimension to the offense of the Lions (3-1). Calvin Johnson should have a field day against a poor Green Bay secondary. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers (1-2) will be motivated coming off of a bye to even their record. Green Bay is definitely better than their record shows, and I think the Lions are more pretenders than contenders. The Packers will defend their turf at Lambeau.
Kansas City at Tennessee – Sunday, 1:00 – Andy Reid is making magic happen in Kansas City. The Chiefs (4-0) are doing everything well, and their second-half dismantling of the Giants in Week 4 was special to watch. Tennessee (3-1) has been a nice story, but without quarterback Jake Locker (out 4-6 weeks with a hip injury), the Titans don’t stand much of a chance against KC. The Chiefs will improve to 5-0.
Seattle at Indianapolis – Sunday, 1:00 – The Colts (3-1) were considered a prime regression candidate before this season began, but so far they have done an admirable job of silencing their doubters. Indy manhandled the Jags last week, as they should have. Seattle (4-0) should provide a much stiffer challenge. It’s clear that the Seahawks are a different team on the road, but they’re one of the league’s three best teams no matter where they take the field. Offensively and defensively, Seattle is simply better than the Colts. I’ll take the Seahawks to pick up another road win.
Jacksonville at St. Louis – Sunday, 1:00 – Two struggling team will clash in St. Louis this week. The Rams (1-3) are certainly nothing to write home about, but the team they’re facing is laughably lousy. Despite St. Louis looking worse and worse by the week, I can’t pick them to lose at home against a team that has put up 31 points the entire year (not a typo). The Rams will win an ugly one.
Baltimore at Miami – Sunday, 1:00 – It’s my opinion that the Ravens (2-2) made an enormous mistake by giving Joe Flacco that massive extension this offseason. Sure, he was hot during the playoffs last year, but he has been consistently average (or worse) for most of his career. Last Sunday, he threw five picks against Buffalo, and Baltimore seems quite discombobulated on offense. Miami (3-1) got throttled by New Orleans in the Superdome, but that performance is more excusable than that of the Ravens. I think Miami’s defense will be able to keep the Ravens in check, and I like the Dolphins to grind out a win in what should be a low-scoring affair.
Philadelphia at New York Giants – Sunday, 1:00 – Speaking from experience, I can say that being a Giants fan this season has been miserable. However, the cure for the woes of the Giants (0-4) may come in the form of a Philadelphia defense that ranks 31st and 26th against the run and pass, respectively. Expect Eli Manning and his receiving corps to start to turn things around against a Philly secondary still shell-shocked from the experience of playing Peyton Manning. It’s just hard to imagine a team with as much talent and experience as the Giants sinking to 0-5, and I think this week will mark the beginning of a (very gradual) turnaround. I like New York to defend its turf against the hated Eagles (1-3).
Carolina at Arizona – Sunday, 4:05 – This is an interesting matchup because both the Panthers (1-2) and Cardinals (2-2) are unknown commodities. Carolina throttled the Giants in Week 3 going into its bye, and some of that momentum is sure to carry over to this game. The pressure applied by the front seven of the Panther defense was particularly impressive in their last outing, and the pass rush should continue to be strong against a leaky Arizona offensive line. Carson Palmer will be on his back often, and Carolina should manage enough points against a solid Arizona defense to pull this one out. I like the Panthers on the road.
Denver at Dallas – Sunday, 4:25 – Woe be unto anyone tasked with stopping the Denver Broncos (4-0). Peyton Manning and his gaggle of weapons are producing at historic rates right now, and the Cowboys (2-2) gave up 401 passing yards against Philip Rivers and a bunch of nobodies last week. Denver should absolutely torch the Dallas secondary en route to another offensive explosion, giving an already decent defense ample room for error. The Broncos should roll on the road.
Houston at San Francisco – Sunday, 8:30 – Generally, it’s not a good sign for a team’s fortunes when fans mark a loss by burning the jersey of that team’s quarterback. That’s what Matt Schaub and the Texans (2-2) are dealing with right now. Houston has shown an alarming propensity for finding imaginative and effective ways to give away games so far this year, and a well-coached 49er team should pounce on any mistakes made by the Texans. San Francisco (2-2) had a disappointing 2013 campaign thus far, but seemed to get back on track last week against the Rams after two bad losses in their previous two games. Both the Texans and 49ers pride themselves on their running game, but this game will come down to quarterback play, and San Francisco boasts the superior signal-caller. The 49ers will grind out a win on Sunday Night Football.
San Diego at Oakland – Sunday, 11:35 – While residents of the east coast snooze, this highly compelling (sarcasm) AFC West matchup will be played out in Oakland. The Raiders (1-3) have been predictably bad, and were beaten at home last week by the floundering Redskins. San Diego (2-2) has looked excellent on offense, due in large part to a surging Philip Rivers. If he can maintain his current level of play, the Chargers could become a player in a crowded AFC Wild Card race. San Diego should pick up a nice divisional win on the road.
New York Jets at Atlanta – Monday, 8:30 – There’s a reason that the Jets fan base is regarded as one of the most tortured in all of sports. Just when theJets create some sense of hope, they manage to remind their fans that they are, after all, the New York Jets, and that means endless pain for the team’s faithful. New York (2-2) was putrid on both sides of the ball last week in Tennessee, and the outlook isn’t too rosy against an Atlanta squad looking to rebound from a tough loss against the Patriots in Week 4. Matt Ryan and the Falcons (1-3) have underperformed this year, but they are far more talented than their opponent. Atlanta will defend its turf with a win on Monday night.