This week brings us to just over the one-third mark of the NFL 2024 season and two teams remain unbeaten, Kansas City and the Minnesota Vikings. Which team will lose its first game? We won’t find out in week six with the world champion Chiefs in their bye week joining Minnesota so the two teams will go into next week’s schedule with records of 5-0.
As we enter the slate of this weekend’s games, there are no longer any teams without a victory. The Jaguars won their first game of the season last weekend by beating the Indianapolis Colts. Several teams continued to travel downwards, namely the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, both losing again to drop their records to 1-4.
Those two AFC North teams have records that match that of the Jaguars, and surprisingly, the Los Angeles Rams. Only three teams have just one loss they being the Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, another surprise team in the Washington Commanders go into this week winning four of their first five.
Several teams are on streaks be they winning or losing. The Baltimore Ravens have won three in a row to move into a first-place tie with the Steelers at 3-2. The New England Patriots won on opening day and haven’t won since dropping their last four. Also, in the AFC the Denver Broncos are surging with three straight wins.
In the NFC, Washington’s four victories are in succession. The New Orleans Saints after 2-0 start have dropped the last three. The division leaders after five weeks are: Baltimore (one ahead of Pittsburgh because of their victory last week over Cincinnati), Buffalo, Houston, Kansas City, Washington, Minnesota, Atlanta, and Seattle.
As Seattle was mentioned above, this week’s predictions begin with the Seahawks.
San Francisco at Seattle: If the 49ers are going to stay in the NFC West race, this game is key. Seattle is first at 3-2 and the Niners are 2-3. San Francisco is very banged up although there is a chance star running back Christian McCaffrey could return for Thursday night’s game. The 49ers have seven players listed as questionable including tight end George Kittle, and Jake Moody as well as Talanoa Hufanga are both out with injuries. Seattle has several players on the questionable list but any team playing in noisy Seattle faces the challenge of playing in front of the league’s 12th man crowd. Seahawks 27 / 49ers 24
Jacksonville at Chicago: Caleb Williams continues to prove he is worthy of being selected #1 overall in this year’s draft. The Jaguars are trying to crawl back into contention and after an upset victory in week five, they will be facing a rejuvenated Bears team that has won two in a row. Chicago is also 3-0 at home thus far and they should remain undefeated on their turf after this one. Bears 34 / Jaguars 12
Arizona at Green Bay: The Arizona Cardinals must figure out their consistency. One week they look like playoff contenders and on other weeks they played terribly. One week they smoked the Los Angeles Rams then two weeks later lost by nearly the same score to the Commanders 42-14. With a record of 2-3 they are at a disadvantage in this game playing on the road. Lambeau Field favors its host this week. Packer 30 / Cardinals 21
Indianapolis at Tennessee: The Titans had their bye week last weekend and with Mason Rudolph leading them to a victory in their last game, the word is will Levis get his job back. If he flops, Rudolph goes back in. In this key AFC South game with both teams trying to keep pace with Houston, my gut says the homers win it. Titans 17 / Colts 13
Houston at New England: Rookie Drake Maye is getting his first pro star at quarterback in this game. A big kid at 6’4”, 225 the North Carolina Tar Heel product could join the legendary Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in getting a victory in his first NFL start. However, the Patriots will have their hands full with the 4-1 Texans. Maye will have moments, but C.J. Stroud will show New England he was no rookie fluke. Texans 38 / Patriots 13
Tampa Bay at New Orleans: Key divisional games continue this week with this NFC South matchup. Baker Mayfield continues to be a hot topic and Derrick Carr, who was reborn in New Orleans, is questionable for this one with a left oblique injury. If he can’t go, then it will be Jake Haener filling in. Haener played in week five, throwing the ball eight times but completing only two. If Carr is not ready, advantage Tampa. Buccaneers
Cleveland at Philadelphia: It’s hard to wrap your head around the fact that the Browns are going to start Deshaun Watson again while their offense has been terrible, and the team’s ship is sinking rapidly. With that in mind, the Browns want to right the ship playing on the road against the Eagles. I believe Cleveland does not have a chance. Eagles 45 / Browns 17
Washington at Baltimore: The 4-1 Commanders face their stiffest challenge of the season and an opportunity to prove their record is not a smokescreen. Rookie Jayden Daniels will be up against a very stout defense and Washington faces the challenge of finding a way to slow down the league’s leading rusher in Derrick Henry who has run for 572 yards through five games and is averaging a crazy 6.0 yards per carry. Henry has also hit the end zone six times. I think the Ravens are just too much for the rising Commanders. Ravens 34 / Commanders 24
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver: Chances are neither of these teams will ever catch the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs this season in the standings. So, this is a second-place game. Denver was not expected to be in second place, and it is the Chargers who were believed to give Kansas City a run for its money. Not the case. New head coach Jim Harbaugh has his team at 2-2 so this game is huge. With three wins in a row, I believe the Broncos make it four. Broncos 24 / Chargers 21
Pittsburgh at Las Vegas: I’ve been saying since the season began that Justin Fields has done a particularly respectable job at being QB1 for Pittsburgh. While Russell Wilson has remained sidelined with a calf injury, Fields won his first three but lost the last two. I also said he has solidified his role as a starter. However, the Steelers’ offense is lacking firepower and while Fields has made some great plays and is dangerous on his feet, I have this sneaky feeling that if he performs sub-part or does not have a great game here, head coach Mike Tomlin will pull the plug and allow Russell Wilson to finally make his Steelers debut. If that happens, all Steelers fans wonder what that will do to the psyche of Fields. On paper, the Steelers win this game easily. But given Pittsburgh’s history this is typical of what is called a “trap game.” I don’t believe the Steelers get trapped and that Fields will have a solid game. Steelers 34 / Raiders 9
Detroit at Dallas: Both teams here are running the risk of falling further behind their respective division leaders that have just one loss in the Cowboys’ NFC East and the Vikings being 5-0 in the North for Detroit. There is still plenty of season left but no team wants to play catchup the rest of the way. The Cowboys looked pretty sharp in Pittsburgh and the Lions are on a two-win streak. This will be a battle the whole way and Dak Prescott will probably be in a comparable situation as he was facing the Steelers…the team with the ball last if there is time on the clock wins this game. Cowboys 21 / Lions 17
Atlanta at Carolina: As the Panthers were being routed last week by the Bears, Bryce Young entered the game to relieve Andy Dalton. He played rather well but Carolina is going back to Dalton for this one. Kirk Cousins is catching fire coming off a 500-yard passing performance and if he is on his game he’s one of the league’s best. The Falcons are by far a better team and should improve to 4-2 and win their third straight. Falcons 47 / Panthers 13
Cincinnati at New York Giants: Daniel Jones and the Giants started the season slowly and questions arose about Jones being a quarterback for the future. He is beginning to play better, and the Bengals are in desperation mode. Another loss for the stripes and it could be season over even though there will be 11 more games to play. 1-5 and they can forget winning the division. Something tells me they just don’t have it in 2024. Giants 20 / Bengals 17
Buffalo at New York Jets: This week the Jets fired their head coach. Aaron Rodgers claims there was no rift between Robert Saleh and himself. Even if that is true, the stories I heard about Rodgers this morning on ESPN further provide the character of Aaron Rodgers. He is arrogant, power hungry, and dictates what he wants and who he wants around him. So, when he signed with the Jets, he demanded certain players be signed to further improve his ability to be successful. As we all know, Rodgers’ debut in 2023 with New York ended quickly. Four plays into the season opener and he was out for the year. Now, his team is not out of the playoff race by any means, but Rodgers is not playing to his previous potential. The Bills on the other hand have had their ups and downs and if they play their game here, they win. Bills 27 / Jets 24
Joining the Chiefs and Vikings this week for their bye are the Rams and Dolphins.
Running Pick Record from Week to Week
Week 1: 12/15
Week 2: 8/16
Week 3: 8/16
Week 4: 11/16
Week 5: 7/14
