NFL Week 5 Preview

Aloha... Let's get to the slate... Winners in bold!

• Tampa Bay @ Cincinnati - Interesting matchup... Cincy is one of the most befuddling teams this season... they seem heart-set on becoming a passing team again... which would be fine except for the fact that Carson Palmer isn't very good (understatement), and that they made the playoffs behind a grind-it-out run game last year... Whoops? That being said, I still like them at home just because I can't take Josh Freeman on the road against the best CB duo in the league...
• Green Bay @ Washington - Great game... Green Bay has something to prove after 2 ugly performances in a row... Washington coming off a huge win and without Portis... I like GB in the game, but if Ryan Torain and company can keep the ball out of Rodgers' hands, they have a shot...
• KC @ Indy - No more undefeateds... I can't see KC winning this game... the only chance they have is 35-40 total carries from Jones and Charles and just gash Indy to death on the ground... but I don't think they can slow down Peyton, especially at home... and Cassel can't make enough plays in a shootout
• Atlanta @ Cleveland - I hesitated here... and then I realized who plays QB for Cleveland... and the rumors are Mr. Delhomme will be in the lineup... that's all I needed to hear... Cleveland is underrated this year actually, and they've been fairly competitive so far... this won't be a blowout, but I'd like to thank the Cleveland coaching staff already for inserting Delhomme back in there...
• Denver @ Baltimore - Tough test for the newly juvenated Denver passing attack... the Baltimore secondary is fairly beat up, but they've been getting pressure on opposing QBs and that shouldn't change here... the x-factor in the game is if Flacco is the Flacco we saw late last week or the ugly Flacco from earlier in the year...
• NY Giants @ Houston - I think the Giants domination of Chicago was more Bears-related than Giants-related... I don't think the Giants offense is very good, and their defense is certainly not as good as it looked last week... Houston's secondary is really, really bad, so Eli should have throwing lanes, but I look for Houston to gash them a little on the ground with Foster and open it up for Schaub...
• St. Louis @ Detroit - I'm all-in on St. Louis... okay, maybe that's strong... but picking them on the road?! It's got more to do with Shaun Hill opposing them... but STL has been good in recent weeks, Bradford looks mature, and Jackson will go off against that paltry Lions D...
  
• Jacksonville @ Buffalo - This is probably the only game all year that Buffalo won't be the Vegas underdog in... I'm waiting to see how the Jackson/Spiller carry situation evens out after the Lynch trade (money is on Jackson), but I don't trust Fitzpatrick, and I know they can't stop MJD on the ground...
  
• Chicago @ Carolina - I'm on record hating Carolina this year... and that stands... but I can't possibly pick the Todd Collins-Bears on the road... not after that whooping they took in Week 4... The key for Carolina is establishing the ground game against a previously dominant Bear run defense... we'll see how legit that is...
• New Orleans @ Arizona - I think Arizona stinks... I've always liked Max Hall from BYU, but nobody knows if he can play at this level, this early.... on the bright side, he can't possibly be worse than the guy he's replacing... I like NO to get their offense on track for the first time in a couple weeks here... blowout city...
• San Diego @ Oakland - Here's the Ryan Mathews breakout party... you heard it here first... terrible run D in Oakland... a week to get healthy... he goes for 125+ here... calling my shot... oh, and Oakland isn't good... again
• Tennessee @ Dallas - This is a game Dallas has to have... always like teams off the bye week, and Tennessee got shut down offensively last week... I think Romo gets off a bit here, and they contain Vince Young
• Philly @ San Fran - 0-4 no longer... I don't like Kolb on the road.... the Niners have shown signs of life offensively (i'm trying here), and Frank Gore may go for 150 here... did I mention I don't like Kolb (with Andy Reid no less) on the road here?
• Minnesota @ NY Jets - The Jets hype machine is in full effect fresh off some competent QB performances from Sanchez... but Minnesota is in must-win mode, they have a new toy on the outside in Moss, and Favre will be extra motivated this wink (cough, cough)... Peterson does enough to keep 8 Jets in the box, and Favre has a throwback performance on the big stage...
  

THE PICKS! (14-12 pending CFB)

• Houston -3 over NYG
• New Orleans -7.5 over Arizona - going to this well yet again...
• Carolina +2.5 over Chicago - Todd Collins... Todd Collins... Todd Collins... (Trust me on this, he's a Michigan guy...)