There is an unwritten saying in the NFL that you don’t really know a team’s true character until Halloween. That scary day is less than a month away and until then we are left guessing on who is legit and who is not. The Rams, who looked like the best team in the NFL, took a loss to the Cardinals. The Jets managed to beat a Titans team that went for a tie and it appears that the Steelers have fallen and can’t get up as they have lost eight of their last 10 games going back to the end of last season. There are tons of question marks moving forward, but it doesn’t mean we can’t identify the top three games in NFL’s Week 5.
Los Angeles Rams vs Seattle Seahawks
It seems rare that we get a Thursday Night Football game that is truly worth watching. The Rams and the Seahawks always prove to be good television and it is hard to not pick an NFC West battle on this list. The Rams are coming off a bizarre loss where their defense was torched through the air by Kyler Murray and their offense was absolutely tossed around. Meanwhile, the Hawks knocked out Jimmy G in the first half against the Niners and stole a win that they desperately needed. Heading into week five, I still trust the Rams a bit more. Matt Stafford had his first off game as a member of the Rams but that doesn’t mean they are going to fall apart. This will be a close one and a fun game to watch. Prediction: Rams
Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs
Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes are two quarterbacks that will have a long-lasting rivalry in the league for years to come and this will just be another iteration of that. Last time they saw each other, the Chiefs trounced the Bills in the AFC Championship game, and it wasn’t as close as the 38-24 final score indicated. Many believe that those two can get to that same point again this year. So far, Buffalo has looked like the more impressive team, pounding each team after their inexplicable week one loss to the Steelers. The Chiefs on the other hand were lucky to beat Cleveland in their season opener and they already have two losses, equaling the number last season. Josh Allen seems to be in mid-season form while Mahomes is coming off a five TD performance. We are looking forward to a shootout in KC and I can’t wait. Prediction: Bills
San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals
I already mentioned how fun the NFC West is and this is another great division matchup. The Cardinals have proven to be one of the top teams in the entire NFL so far and now they have a serious test with a potential letdown game. They barely beat the Vikings and kept it close for far too long against the Jaguars. The question is whether they can take on back-to-back impressive opponents with the Rams and the Niners and walk away a winner both times. Trey Lance could get his first NFL start and he has a shot to upset his new division foe and become one of the most hated men in the 48th state. I am excited for Lance vs Murray, and I think it could be a fun matchup to watch for years to come. Prediction: Cardinals