Week 5 Picks

Greg Hardy, who was charged with assault 

and gun possession, wants Tom Brady's wife to 

come to the game (via Foxports.com)

Indianapolis @ Houston (-2) - Andrew Luck may miss this game which makes it a toss up and even with a healthy Luck, the Colts have been 1-2 because of a shoddy offensive line.  Without Luck, it took overtime for the Colts to beat Jacksonville.  The Texans QB picture is not pretty either with Ryan Mallet at the helm.

Jacksonville @ Tampa Bay (-3) - Jameis Winston looks to rebound against another young quarterback in Blake Bortles.  Tampa Bay has better defensive talent as well as the home crowd.   

Buffalo(-2.5) @ Tennessee  - Buffalo looked shaky against the Giants last week and could be without running backs LeSean McCoy and Karlos Williams.  Still, Rex Ryan could devise a defensive game plan to slow down Marcus Mariota.  

Cleveland (+6.5) @ Baltimore - Baltimore's defense has not been very good without Terrell Suggs and may have had some good fortune to avoid an 0-4 start.  The Browns blew a good opportunity to win a game last week against the Chargers but their offense could make this a close game.  

Washington (+7.5) @ Atlanta - Atlanta is 4-0 and has been playing extremely well. Washington could make this game  with the return of DeAngelo Hall and DeSean Jackson to the lineup.  Kyle Shanahan, now the offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons, goes against his former team with former Washington wideout Leonard Hankerson.  

Chicago (+9.5) @ Kansas City - While the Chiefs' three losses have come against teams who are undefeated, it does not mean that Chicago could put up a decent fight.  Cutler has managed to keep most of the games close except the Packers.

New Orleans @ Philadelphia (-4.5) - Philadelphia's offense finally got rolling in the second half against Washington.  While it was not enough to come out with a win, the Eagles may carry this momentum into the next game.  The Saints managed to squeak out a win against the Cowboys but could have a tougher time in Philadelphia, especially since New Orleans has struggled on the road.

St. Louis @ Green Bay (-9) - St. Louis comes off a win against the Arizona Cardinals and rookie running back Todd Gurley looked great.  However, it still is not clear if the Rams are actually that good or if they manage to play their division foes close.  Despite a sub-par offensive effort last week with only 17 points, Aaron Rodgers returns home where the Packers appear to be unstoppable.  

Seattle @ Cincinnati (-3) - Cincinnati looks to continue its undefeated season.   While Russell Wilson can pull out some great plays to extend plays, it is still unclear if Marshawn Lynch returns.  

Arizona(-2.5) @ Detroit- Arizona comes in with a chip on their shoulder after losing to the Rams last week.  Detroit is desperate for a win but their offense could struggle against a tough Arizona defense.  

New England (-9) @ Dallas - Greg Hardy specifically called out Tom Brady's wife and made a comment about "guns ablazing" which may not be the best tact given that his ex-girlfriend had testified against Hardy the following (via Business Insider)

Hardy choked me with both hands around my throat while I was lying on the floor. Hardy picked me up over his head and threw me onto a couch covered in assault rifles and/or shotguns.

Brandon Weeden has been better than his previous stint with the Cleveland Browns.  However, Tom Brady has been playing at a high level  and Dallas is still playing without Dez Bryant.    

San Francisco @ NY Giants (-7) - The New York Giants could easily be 4-0 without their fourth quarter collapses against the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons.  Colin Kaepernick has been playing pretty badly and it remains to seen if he can get out of his funk especially because of the 49ers poor offensive line play.  

Pittsburgh @ San Diego (-3) - While the Steelers are deep offensively especially with the return of wide receiver Matavis Bryant from a suspension, it could be problematic for the Pittsburgh to keep up with the Chargers if Phillip Rivers finds his rhythm and makes this a high scoring game.  

Last Week: 8-6-1
Season: 38-23-2