October 4, 2012

NFL Week 5 Picks Against the Spread

Season: 36-28          Last Week: 10-5          This Week: 1-0          

Arizona at St. Louis (+1.5)

Long a source of hacky jokes on this blog, the NFC West is off to a strong start in 2012 with no one below .500 after four weeks. Arizona falls from the ranks of the unbeaten tonight, and we applaud Kevin Kolb for somehow lasting until October before suffering his first loss.

Green Bay (-7.5) at Indianapolis

After missing plays at Seattle with the Hail Mary and vs. New Orleans on the Darren Sproles fumble, the referees should have a call (or 20) go Green Bay's way in Indianapolis.

Baltimore (-4.5) at Kansas City

A rested Ravens team going up against a quarterback soon to be replaced by Brady Quinn? Yes, please!

Philadelphia at Pittsburgh (-3.5)

From Matthew Berry's Week 5 Love/Hate column: Vick "doesn't do well when he gets 5 or more rushers, he gets 5 or more rushers more than anyone else, and the Steelers use 5 or more rushers more than anyone else."

Miami at Cincinnati (-4.5)

Nothing like seeing "Cleveland, Washington, Jacksonville, Miami, Cleveland" on the schedule to bounce back from a disastrous Monday night opener.

Cleveland (+10.5) at New York Giants

The Browns have Brandon Weeden running the show, are without two receivers and will be missing Joe Haden. Still, the Giants will continue their trend (that makes no sense) of letting inferior teams hang with them at home.

Atlanta (-3.5) at Washington

With Oakland on bye, I will be treated to watching the Raheem Morris-led worst secondary in the NFL try and slow down Matt Ryan, Roddy White and Julio Jones.

Seattle (+3.5) at Carolina

From Bill Simmons' Week 5 NFL picks column, a reader emailed The Sports Guy something I have wondered for quite some time now: Is Ron Rivera's "headset even plugged in? On every sideline shot of him I have yet to see him speak a single word." - Terrence, Rock Hill, SC

Buffalo at San Francisco (-49.5)  San Francisco (-9.5)

The only thing to monitor here will be whether or not the 49ers wait until the end of the first quarter to cover this spread.

Denver (+7.5) at New England

There's nothing better than watching Peyton Manning and Tom Brady square off in the second game of a doubleheader day with Jim Nantz and Phil Simms on the call. You hear me? Nothing!

Chicago (-4.5) at Jacksonville
Tennessee (+5.5) at Minnesota

Two road teams that I'm not really confident in, but such is life when making picks of all the week's games.

San Diego at New Orleans (-3.5)

I really can't put my finger on what is wrong with this Saints defense. It's almost as if they need some incentive to play better. Weird.

But lame, overplayed jokes aside, I think the Saints put it together for one week in the Superdome.

Houston (-7.5) at New York Jets

After being mostly seen in just the New York market through the first four weeks, the Jets incompetence will now be on display in front of the entire country come Monday night!


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