One-quarter of the NFL season is officially in the books. There are three undefeated teams and six winless teams. All four teams in the AFC South are tied at 2-2 and every division in the NFC is up for grabs. All this being said, week 5 of the season has some intriguing matchups that feature a few playoff favorites facing off against each other.
Three Games to Watch in Week Five of the NFL
Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle Seahawks
The Thursday Night Football game to kickoff week five will feature two teams that are beginning to form a rivalry. The Los Angeles Rams will travel to Seattle to take on Russell Wilson and the Seahawks. Despite both being 3-1, neither team holds the lead in the NFC West. The San Francisco 49ers hold that title.
The Rams have yet to be defeated on the road; however, Jared Goff is coming off a horrible game, where he threw three interceptions and had to attempt a total of 68 passes. The Seahawks defense won’t be much easier on him this week either. Expect to see Todd Gurley get more rushing attempts this week to try and give the Rams a more balanced approach.
Russell Wilson is having an under the radar season so far. The veteran quarterback has completed nearly 73% of his passes and has 8 touchdowns with 0 interceptions. Aaron Donald and his defense will look to slow Wilson down and steal a victory in Seattle. The season is still young, but this matchup very well could be a crucial game in determining the NFC West.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints
The NFC South is not playing out like anyone expected. Drew Brees is out for a few weeks with a thumb injury, the Carolina Panthers are starting a backup quarterback (who is now 2-0), the Atlanta Falcons are terrible, and the Buccaneers are tied for second place.
Remember Jared Goff’s horrible game last week? Well, he faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in that game. Jameis Winston looks to lead the Bucs to another impressive performance and take down Teddy Bridgewater and the Saints this week. Despite losing Drew Brees, the Saints are 2-0 since losing the future hall of fame quarterback.
If the New Orleans Saints defense plays as tough as they did Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys, expect the Bucs to have a stressful evening. However, if Tampa Bay can force a few turnovers and turn those into points, the Buccaneers may leave New Orleans tied for first place in the NFC South.
Green Bay Packers @ Dallas Cowboys
This game will be the battle of the 3-1 teams. Regardless of the outcome, one of these teams will leave this game with their second straight loss. The Packers lost a heartbreaker against the Philadelphia Eagles last week and the Cowboys lost a game without their opponent scoring a touchdown.
Aaron Rodgers will look to continue his hot start to the season (6 touchdowns & only 1 interception). He seems to be adjusting well to the new offensive scheme this season and has helped Davante Adams turn into an elite wide receiver. The Cowboys defense will look to put as much pressure on Rodgers as they did Teddy Bridgewater last week.
For the Cowboys to have any chance in this game, Ezekiel Elliott will have to do better than his 18 rushing attempts for 35 yards that he displayed against the Saints last week. Look for Randall Cobb to also put on a performance against his former team. Many thought the Cowboys were Super Bowl contenders when they started out 3-0. However, it’s very possible that after Sunday, they could be 3-2.
Still Lots of Football to be Played
The season is still young. However, it’s never too early to be thinking about the playoffs. That being said, these three games could very well have playoff implications in regards to division races and wild card teams.
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