2015 Week 5 NFL Predictions: Back in the Saddle Again Edition

Two solid weeks in a row. I followed up  a 12-4 Week 3 with a 12-3 Week 4.




This week's picks:


Houston 31, Indianapolis 27 -- Through four weeks, Texans giving up an average of 27 points per game, and surrendered 48 to Atlanta last week. Is JJ Watt overrated, or would the Texans' defense be historically bad without him? This week could be an interesting test, as Colts may be wheeling out a third-string quarterback in Houston.




Atlanta 24, Washington 17 -- I went back and forth over the Falcons-Texans game last week, agonized over it, finally settled on Atlanta, totally felt like I made a mistake with that pick, and Falcons win 48-21. I feel more confident about Atlanta this week, which of course means they'll lose.


Baltimore 26, Cleveland 21 -- That botched fake field goal that John Harbaugh called last Thursday night was ill-advised and should've cost Baltimore the game. But I think Harbaugh crossed the line when he sent Mike Tomlin a note thanking Tomlin for all of his bad calls.


Seattle 17, Cincinnati 10 -- Seahawks got big break at end of Lions game Monday on botched fumble call in the end zone. This Sunday, they'll get a big break when officials flag Cincinnati's Ickey Woods for doing the Ickey Shuffle 25 years after the fact.


Green Bay 23, St. Louis 20 -- Rams: beat Seattle and Arizona, lose to Washington. Go figure.


Kansas City 31, Chicago 28 -- Bears: finally won a game Sunday and prevented Oakland from starting 3-1. Now they return to being the Bears and prevent Chiefs from dropping to 1-4.


New Orleans 15, Philadelphia 10 -- Eagles coach Chip Kelly says Philadelphia is "two kicks away from being 3-1." Fine. But I think Kelly's plotting the Super Bowl champions parade route through the streets of downtown Philly was a little presumptive.


Jacksonville 24, Tampa Bay 23 -- LAST WEEK: Friend, to me: "WTF? Didn't Tampa Bay and Carolina just play a couple of weeks ago?" Me: "No, that was Carolina and Jacksonville." THIS WEEK: Friend, to me: "Wait, Tampa Bay's playing itself this week?" After awhile, all the shitty Florida NFL teams just sort of blend together, Part 2.











Buffalo 48, Tennessee 17 -- Maybe Rex Ryan should've considered kissing Tom Coughlin's rings.


Arizona 24, Detroit 7 -- Maybe I'm misremembering things, but I feel like when the Cardinals sucked they still always beat the crap out of the Lions, so why should it be any different now?


New England 48, Dallas 27 -- Conversation in August: "One of the starting quarterbacks will miss the Patriots-Cowboys game." Tom Brady? WRONG!


Denver 16, Oakland 13 -- Just think: if it wasn't for a last-second field goal by Chicago last Sunday, this game would've been for first place in the AFC West.


N.Y. Giants 20, San Francisco 6 -- Is it too early to start flexing bad games out of Sunday night?


Pittsburgh 31, San Diego 16 -- Going forward, Mike Tomlin blames all bad coaching decisions of Patriots radio broadcast pre-empting his headset feed.


LAST WEEK: 12-3


SEASON TO DATE: 37-26


LAST SEASON AFTER WEEK 4: 32-29