NFL Week 5 preview: Schedule, analysis, matchups and picks for every game

The 2022 NFL season continues to surprise. Four division leaders are 2-2; the Philadelphia Eagles are the only undefeated team in the sport; the Detroit Lions lead the NFL in yards and points but are just 1-3. 

This week features another game in London and several pivotal divisional matchups — some coming in primetime.

FOX Sports’ staff of NFL writers has assembled a guide to every game that will be played in Week 5. Make sure to check the site and app throughout the season for previews and predictions each week.

Sunday Oct. 9, 2022

New York Giants (3-1) vs. Green Bay Packers (3-1) (9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network)

Overview: Something clearly is not right with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers‘ passing offense. He has just 935 yards and six touchdowns through four games and Green Bay ranks in the middle of the pack in aerial attack. But “not right” is relative, so don’t think the upstart Giants are catching them at a good time. The Pack still has a top-five offense (OK, maybe top-six) and defense. 

New York is averaging 19 points a game — which is actually a big improvement on last year’s 15.2. Unfortunately for the Giants, they head to London with starting QB Daniel Jones nursing an ankle injury and backup Tyrod Taylor in concussion protocol. That could leave their miserable offense in the hands of quarterback Davis Webb, who has played four snaps and has yet to throw a pass in his six NFL seasons. Yikes.

Matchup to watch: Packers RB Aaron Jones vs. Giants linebackers 

AJ Dillon is dangerous too, but Jones is the one the Giants figure to have the most trouble with. He’s averaging 6.8 yards per carry and is particularly effective on outside runs, where the Giants have been particularly vulnerable this season. Their linebackers, with the exception of middle linebacker Tae Crowder, haven’t been good, which is why they picked Jaylon Smith up off the street and gave him 31 (of 62) snaps last week. The Giants have one of the worst rushing defenses in football and have given up an average of 157 rushing yards per game over the past three weeks. This could be a big day for Jones.

Key stat: This is the 32nd NFL regular-season game played in London, and it will be the first to feature two teams with winning records. That’s amazing and … kind of sad for the football fans of London. They finally get to watch two winning teams, but one comes in with Aaron Rodgers not operating at full effectiveness and the other comes in with two injured quarterbacks. On the bright side, British fans love kickers and Green Bay’s Mason Crosby and New York’s Graham Gano should get plenty of work.

Prediction: All good things must come to an end. The Giants’ 3-1 start has been surprising and enjoyable for an organization that has mostly suffered for a decade. But they are way too flawed in too many key areas to keep it up. Even if Daniel Jones were at full strength, they’d be hard-pressed to stop Rodgers, despite the Packers’ passing game struggles so far. The Giants’ offense is way too limited. And regardless of whether we see Jones playing on a sprained ankle, or one of his backups — Taylor or Webb — they’ll be lucky to score double digits in this game.

Packers 27, Giants 9 –Ralph Vacchiano

Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) at Cleveland Browns (2-2) (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

Overview: The Chargers own an 18-9-1 edge in the all-time regular-season series against the Browns, and have won 13 of the past 17 matchups. The last time the two teams met, the Bolts won 38-14 in Cleveland. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has thrown for at least 300 passing yards in seven straight road games dating back to last season, one shy of tying Rich Gannon (eight straight games from 2001-02) for the longest stretch in league history.

Matchup to watch: Chargers QB Justin Herbert vs. Browns DE Myles Garrett

Herbert leads the NFL in passing yards with 1,250. He’s playing with torn rib cartilage, and the Chargers have done a nice job of protecting him — even with blindside protector Rashawn Slater out for the season (torn biceps). The Chargers have allowed only four sacks this season, the fewest in the NFL. However, the Bolts face the tough task of containing Cleveland’s formidable defensive front, led by Garrett; his three sacks top the Browns so far this year.

Key Stat: The Browns are 2-10 in their past 12 games against the AFC West.

Prediction: The Bolts finally got the running game going last week in a win over the Houston Texans, with Austin Ekeler totaling 109 scrimmage yards and three scores. Cleveland gives up 4.7 yards per run, so the Chargers should move the ball on the ground. Expect Khalil Mack (five sacks) to make Jacoby Brissett uncomfortable.

Chargers 27, Browns 23 –Eric D. Williams

Atlanta Falcons (2-2) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2) (1 p.m. ET, FOX)

Overview: Has any team been through the gauntlet more than the Buccaneers through the first four weeks of the season? They opened with the Cowboys, played their biggest rivals in the Saints, then had to play the Packers and the Chiefs. Sheesh. 

The Bucs get somewhat of a breather against a familiar opponent struggling to find an identity. The Falcons are inconsistent at best, ranking near the bottom in just about every power rankings list, including our own. Atlanta actually had been in the top five for rushing yards per game, but that was before utility back Cordarrelle Patterson was placed on injured reserve. The Falcons don’t have much of a passing game to fall back on, either, averaging just 108.9 passing yards per game and ranking 29th in the league. The Falcons’ defense ranks near the bottom in nearly every major metric, too. 

In short, this is all a recipe to get the Bucs back on track as they continue to get healthier.

Matchup to watch: Falcons QB Marcus Mariota vs. the Buccaneers’ secondary

Mariota has thrown four interceptions in four games this season, including getting picked off twice against the Rams in Week 2. Meanwhile, the Bucs’ defense has recorded six interceptions already, all of which have come at the hands of one of Tampa’s ball-hawking defensive backs. They’ll have that opportunity again.

Key stats: Wide receiver Julio Jones will face the Falcons for the first time in his career. Jones is Atlanta’s all-time leader in receptions (848) and receiving yards (12,896). He’ll be coming in with Public Enemy No. 1 in Atlanta in Tom Brady, who is 10-0 all time against the Falcons, including the postseason.

(Sorry, Falcons fans.)

The only quarterbacks in NFL history with a better record against a single opponent are John Elway (11-0 against the Patriots) and Andrew Luck (11-0 against the Titans).

Prediction: I’m predicting an absolute steamrolling by the Buccaneers. They are anxious to quell any sort of concerns over their season and take advantage of a familiar opponent.

Buccaneers 41, Falcons 3 —Carmen Vitali

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-3) at Buffalo Bills (3-1) (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

Overview: The beauty and the beast? The Bills are a beauty. And — you guessed it — the Steelers are the beast.

Even on a bad day against the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo figured out how to pull off a big win. The Bills overcame three turnovers to defeat MVP candidate Lamar Jackson — in part because Buffalo generated two takeaways, both interceptions. The Bills came out with an ugly win, which will count just the same as a pretty one at the end of the season. And while there are clear problems coming to a head for Buffalo — namely the team’s cavalier first-half approach — the Bills have established themselves as one of the NFL’s top five teams. No question.

The Steelers, meanwhile, have established they are among the bottom five teams. It’s the Kenny Pickett era in Pittsburgh, and it’s surprising that the Steelers kept Mitchell Trubisky in the starting role for almost four weeks. It’s not that Trubisky brought Pittsburgh to lower lows; the quarterback just doesn’t add much value to a bad team. It’s time for the Steelers to get Pickett into the driver’s seat for a learning experience. But as far as a first start goes, the Bills are the last team the Steelers would have chosen.

Matchup to watch: Steelers edge Alex Highsmith vs. Bills LT Dion Dawkins

Hightower doesn’t always line up on the blindside, but he will spend the entire game on the edge. That’s where he has racked up 5.5 sacks, second-most in the NFL. The 25-year-old is enjoying a breakout season and has been one of the few pleasant surprises in Pittsburgh. Dawkins and QB Josh Allen will have to keep an eye on Highsmith, who can single-handedly wreck a drive.

Key stat: The Bills are tied for first in the NFL in Total Defense (allowing 234.5 Total YPG), rank first in Passing Defense (allowing 150.8 Pass YPG) and are second in Scoring Defense (allowing 14.5 PPG). 

Prediction: The Steelers, who haven’t lost four straight games since 2016, don’t stand a chance. Pickett is going to face constant pressure, even if the Bills don’t blitz often. He’ll be under duress and will continue to turn the ball over after tossing three interceptions in his debut. Allen, meanwhile, will be focused on playing a cleaner game after throwing two picks in Week 3. It’s a blowout in the making.

Bills 31, Steelers 13 –Henry McKenna

Chicago Bears (2-2) at Minnesota Vikings (3-1) (1 p.m. ET, FOX)

Overview: The Vikings get right back to work after their jaunt in London. Typically, teams opted for bye weeks after an international series game. This year, neither the Vikings, Saints, Packers nor Giants will get a bye after playing in London. Will that affect how productive Minnesota can be in its Week 5 matchup against a division rival? We’re about to find out.

The good news for the Vikings is that the Bears are still sputtering. They have a 2-2 record but don’t seem to have figured anything out so far this season with an entirely new staff and major roster turnover. First-time playcaller Luke Getsy is commanding a disjointed offense that has limited options at receiver, a shoddy (at best) offensive line when it comes to pass protection and a quarterback the OC hasn’t quite cracked. 

Getsy’s offense could end up being exactly what Justin Fields needs to finally break out and be the signal-calling savior Chicago has needed for decades, but they’re going to have to throw the ball more to find out. Fields has attempted 67 passes through four games, which is the fewest by any team through four games since the 1982 Patriots. The Bears are averaging just 97.5 passing yards per game. 

That’s fewer yards than Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is averaging against the Bears in his career. In four games against Chicago, Jefferson is averaging 98.25 receiving yards per game.

Matchup to watch: Justin Jefferson and whoever the Bears line up against him

Not only has Jefferson succeeded against Chicago, he has also succeeded at home. He’s averaging 101.6 yards per game at home. He has had 15 receiving touchdowns in 18 career home games. And oh yeah, cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Jaylon Jones were both listed on Chicago’s Wednesday practice reports as non-participants. It could get ugly.

Key stat: The Bears are not only going to have to stop Jefferson but also score some points of their own. The problem is, the Bears rank 31st in scoring offense (16.0 PPG), 32nd in passing offense (97.5 pass YPG), and 31st in total offense (274.8 total YPG).

Prediction: Sorry, Bears fans. There’s nothing to suggest things are going to go your way on Sunday. Even if you double-team Jefferson, Adam Thielen is there. So is running back Dalvin Cook. Your best bet is to try and get to quarterback Kirk Cousins, but he’s hiding behind an offensive line giving up the sixth-lowest sack rate in the league.

Vikings 37, Bears 13 –Carmen Vitali

Detroit Lions (1-3) at New England Patriots (1-3) (1 p.m. ET, FOX)

Overview: The poor, poor Lions. Their offense is one of the NFL’s most enjoyable to watch. Quarterback Jared Goff is absolutely slinging the ball and Detroit has the highest-scoring offense in the league. Seriously.

Too bad it doesn’t matter. The Detroit defense can’t make a stop to save its life, or a game. The Lions are letting up 0.3 more points per game than their offense is scoring, which is 35.3. Yes, over 35 points a game. If they could just let up one fewer point … what this Lions team could be. 

The Detroit offense is also about to run straight into a brick wall of a defense in the Patriots at home. The Lions hope to get some of their offensive weapons back in Amon-Ra St. Brown, D.J. Chark and D’Andre Swift, all of whom missed the last game, but it’s going to be tough. It took every minute of regulation and overtime for the NFC North-leading Packers to score more points than the Patriots last week, and that is a testament to their ever-Belichickian defense. 

The good news for the Lions is that New England has a major question mark under center. Mac Jones, dealing with a high ankle sprain, began practicing again on Wednesday in a limited fashion. Veteran backup Brian Hoyer exited the game early last week with a head injury, but rookie Bailey Zappe managed to pick up right where Hoyer left off and perhaps even outplayed him. He completed 10 of 15 pass attempts for 99 yards and a touchdown for a 107.4 passer rating. So even if Zappe gets the start, the Lions could still have trouble.

Matchup to watch: Patriots LB Matthew Judon vs. Lions RT Penei Sewell

Judon was an absolute menace to the Packers’ offensive line, especially in the first half last Sunday. Sewell is one of the best young tackles in the league, but he’s going to be put to the test. We’ll see if that forces any mistakes by Goff this go-around.

Key stat: The Lions lead the NFL in scoring offense (35.0 PPG) and total offense (436.8 total YPG), but also rank 32nd in both scoring defense (allowing 35.3 PPG) and total defense (allowing 444.8 total YPG). 

Prediction: The Lions’ offense gets a reality check thanks to the aforementioned Belichick-led defense, and we all get surprised again that Zappe has some zippy.

Patriots 31, Lions 18 –Carmen Vitali

Seattle Seahawks (2-2) at New Orleans Saints (1-3) (1 p.m. ET, FOX)

Overview: The Seahawks look to continue their winning way with another road contest, this one in the Big Easy against the Saints. New Orleans leads the all-time series 9-6 and has won the past three games. Seattle quarterback Geno Smith leads the NFL with a 77.3% completion percentage and has posted back-to-back games of at least 300 passing yards for the first time in his NFL career.

Matchup to watch: Seahawks WR DK Metcalf vs. Saints CB Marshon Lattimore

Metcalf remains one of the best vertical threats in the NFL. The Ole Miss product totaled two receptions for 96 yards, including an 84-yard touchdown reception, on five targets in a 13-10 loss to the Saints last year. However, New Orleans held Smith to just 167 passing yards in that contest. Lattimore and Metcalf went at it the last time these two teams met. Lattimore likely will see time on Metcalf again this weekend.

Key Stat: The Saints have the worst turnover differential (minus-7) in the NFL this season and have committed the most turnovers (11) in the league.

Prediction: It’s tough to win on the road in the NFL in back-to-back games — not to mention the Seahawks will have a long airplane ride across the country for a second straight week. The Saints also should get Alvin Kamara back. The running back missed last week’s game in London with a rib injury. 

Saints 24, Seahawks 21 –Eric D. Williams

Miami Dolphins (3-1) at New York Jets (2-2) (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

Overview: Looking at the box scores after Week 3 (with the Dolphins beating the Bills and the Jets losing to the Bengals), no one would have circled this game as being competitive. But I think New York could surprise Miami in a heated matchup.

The Jets might have seen Zach Wilson‘s best quarter of play in Week 4. He was 10-of-12 for 128 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a comeback win over the Steelers. New York probably won’t see that version of Wilson for all four quarters against Miami, particularly considering how impressive the Dolphins’ secondary can be. But if Wilson can capture that magic for two or three quarters, then maybe the Jets stand a chance. It’ll start with good offensive line play. Wilson won’t be able to get going if this injury-riddled unit doesn’t perform at a higher level.

Mainly, the Jets have a chance in this game because the Dolphins will be without QB Tua Tagovailoa, who’s working through concussion protocol. Teddy Bridgewater will take over, starting a game for his fifth NFL franchise. Against the Bengals, the Miami offense didn’t have the same swagger, particularly in the fourth quarter with Bridgewater under center. The Dolphins will need to see defensive stars like Jevon Holland and edge Melvin Ingram generate negative plays and fluster Wilson.

Matchup to watch: Jets WR Corey Davis vs. Dolphins CB Nik Needham

There’s no coincidence that Wilson looked most accurate when throwing to Davis. Yes, Garrett Wilson and Elijah Moore are explosive threats who can generate YAC — and the occasional big play. But Davis is the security blanket. He picked up key first downs. He moved the chains. He made Wilson look like he had the command of a veteran. Needham, the Dolphins’ nickel cornerback, is a competent but not an excellent player. Can he take away Wilson’s favorite option?

Key stat: The Jets have lost 12 straight divisional games, going 0-6 against the AFC East in each of the past two seasons.

Prediction: Bridgewater will have more time to work with the first unit this week and should be better prepared going into the game as the starter. He also has Tyreek Hill, who leads the NFL with 477 receiving yards. I suspect Bridgewater will have a better showing. And with the Jets dealing with yet another injured tackle (this list goes: Mekhi Becton, Duane Brown, George Fant, Max Mitchell), they will struggle to give Wilson the time he needs.

Dolphins 21, Jets 17 –Henry McKenna

Tennessee Titans (2-2) at Washington Commanders (1-3) (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

Overview: The Titans continued to assert their dominance over the divisional-rival Colts last week, but a sputtering offense late in games remains a significant concern moving forward. Tennessee hasn’t scored in the second half since its season opener. The team has been outscored 64-7 after halftime by four opponents. A possible extended absence for first-round rookie receiver Treylon Burks, who hurt his ankle against the Colts, could make it more difficult to sustain drives. 

The Commanders‘ pass protection has been a major problem for quarterback Carson Wentz, who’s been sacked a league-high 17 times. One of his top targets, first-round rookie receiver Jahan Dotson, could be out for a week or two with a hamstring injury, too. Washington has scored just 18 points in the past two games.  

For both these teams, offensive issues are at the forefront.  

Matchup to watch: Titans’ interior DL vs. Commanders’ interior OL 

The Commanders are on their third center due to injuries. Their guard play has been suspect, too. Meanwhile, the Titans have one of the NFL’s best defensive tackles in Jeffery Simmons, one of the most underrated defensive linemen in Denico Autry (who lines up at multiple spots) and a rising nose tackle in Teair Tart, who’s coming off arguably the best game of his career against the Colts. If Washington can’t find a way to sustain blocks, it will be a long game. 

Key stat: The Titans have scored a touchdown on 90% of their red-zone trips this season, the highest percentage in the NFL.

Prediction: Even with no Harold Landry this season, the Titans have the personnel to exploit the Commanders’ pass-protection issues. Second-year pro Rashad Weaver, tied for fifth in the NFL with four sacks, is an ascending edge rusher who complements Simmons and Autry’s interior pass rushing. Tennessee’s background with Wentz, the Colts’ quarterback last season, should help a lot in this matchup, too.

 Titans 26, Commanders 16  –Ben Arthur

Houston Texans (0-3-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2) (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

Overview: After back-to-back 20-plus point wins, the upstart Jaguars came back to Earth in wet and windy Philadelphia, where quarterback Trevor Lawrence committed a season-high five turnovers. Coach Doug Pederson hopes the performance is just a “blip” for Lawrence, the reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Month. But it’s not just about the 2021 No. 1 overall pick for Jacksonville. Against the Eagles, the Jags were dominated in time of possession and posted a season-low in rushing yards.  

The Texans haven’t been good, but no one expected them to be. Coming off a home loss to the Chargers, Houston is the only winless team in the NFL. One of its most glaring issues has been finishing games. The Texans scored 17 unanswered points to get within three points in the fourth quarter against the Chargers, only to surrender a 12-play touchdown drive that put the game out of reach. Houston hadn’t scored in the fourth quarter this season until last Sunday.  

Matchup to watch: Texans RB Dameon Pierce vs. Jaguars ILBs Foyesade Oluokun, Devin Lloyd 

Pierce, a fourth-round rookie, has been one of the Texans’ biggest bright spots early in the season. He had 14 carries for a season-high 131 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown run, against the Chargers last week. He’s currently 10th in the league in rushing yards. On the flip side, the Jaguars have had strong inside linebacker play from Oluokun and Lloyd (a first-round rookie), both of whom are in the top 11 for tackles in the league. Jacksonville is allowing just 3.6 rushing yards per play, fifth-best in the NFL.  

Key stats: The Texans have won eight straight matchups against the Jaguars, their longest-ever winning streak against Jacksonville. The Jaguars have won back-to-back divisional games after losing their previous 10.  

Prediction: The Jaguars beat the Texans for the first time since 2017. I think Jacksonville gets back on track, dominating the way good teams should against bad ones. A big performance could be in store for Jaguars running back James Robinson considering the Texans have the league’s second-worst run defense. They’re allowing 172 rushing yards per game.

Jaguars 30, Texans 17 –Ben Arthur

San Francisco 49ers (2-2) at Carolina Panthers (1-3) (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS)

Overview: Matt Rhule’s seat heats up as the Panthers, losers of three of their past four games, host San Francisco. The Panthers lead the all-time series 13-8 and have won six of the past seven matchups. However, the Niners won the most recent contest between these two teams, a 51-13 drubbing on Oct. 27, 2019.  

Matchup to watch: Panthers QB Baker Mayfield vs. 49ers DE Nick Bosa

The last time Bosa played against Mayfield, he sacked him twice when the two were rookies and the Oklahoma product was still in Cleveland. This time, Bosa and the Niners have one of the best defenses in the league, and Mayfield has had a league-high 11 passes batted down while being sacked 11 times this season. Bosa leads the NFL in sacks (six), quarterback hits (16) and quarterback pressures (22) as he makes an early Defensive Player of the Year case.

Key Stat: The Panthers have converted only 25.5% of their third downs this season, the lowest percentage in the NFL.

Prediction: It’s hard to see the Panthers mounting much of an offensive attack against one of the best defenses in the NFL. Add to that the weapons at quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo‘s disposal in Deebo Samuel and George Kittle, and San Francisco should roll in this one.

Niners 28, Panthers 20 –Eric D. Williams

Dallas Cowboys (3-1) at Los Angeles Rams (2-2) (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX)

Overview: Winning three straight against the Bengals, Giants and Commanders is a commendable achievement. It’ll take on another level of significance if Cooper Rush can go into SoFi Stadium and beat the defending Super Bowl champions. Rush is one of the best stories in the NFL, having improved to 3-0 in the time since Dak Prescott broke his thumb. He hasn’t started against a defense with this degree of talent, though, with Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey waiting to take advantage of a backup quarterback. If the Cowboys can improve to 4-1, it wouldn’t just set them up beautifully for Prescott’s eventual return, but would help put the league on notice about what this team is capable of at full strength.

As for the Rams, that wasn’t exactly the impression they wanted to make playing on Monday night. In two standalone games this season — last week’s loss to San Francisco and the season opener against Buffalo — L.A. allowed Matthew Stafford to be sacked 14 times. That’s bad news going against a Cowboys team that gets after the quarterback relentlessly. The Rams have a lot of kinks to work out, but it all starts with fortifying a banged-up offensive line.

Matchup to watch: Cowboys pass rush vs. Rams offensive line

The previous paragraph gives it away, but the central aspect of this game is beyond obvious. The Rams’ offensive line is decimated. L.A. has been struggling to replace retired left tackle Andrew Whitworth all season, and both center Brian Allen and left guard David Edwards are currently injured. The Rams need those guys back in the worst way — this weekend if at all possible. 

The Cowboys are second in the league in sacks with 15, as Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence and Dorance Armstrong have terrorized nearly every opponent. The Rams’ prospects of winning are going to hinge on their ability to protect Stafford.

Key stat: Rush is the first Cowboys QB to win his first four starts. With another victory, he would become just the fifth undrafted QB in the Super Bowl era to win his first five starts (Kurt Warner, Kyle Allen, Dieter Brock, Mike Tomczak). 

Prediction: It felt like lunacy to pick a Dallas win over L.A. a month ago. But the Cowboys’ offense has been steady and mistake-free, which has allowed their defense to play with a lot of leads and tee off on opposing quarterbacks. The Rams struggle with pass protection and turnovers, which is a nightmare scenario when facing a pass rush like this one. It’s not going to be easy, but chalk this up as a vote of confidence that Cooper Rush can follow the formula to another impressive win.

Cowboys 26, Rams 21 –David Helman

Philadelphia Eagles (4-0) at Arizona Cardinals (2-2) (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX)

Overview: Remember when everyone feared the Cardinals‘ offense, led by elite quarterback Kyler Murray and genius coach Kliff Kingsbury? That seems like ages ago. This year Arizona is averaging a mere 22 points and 349.5 yards per game, running an offense that looks slow and mediocre. Murray has been fine and WR Marquise Brown (30-339-2) has been excellent, but the offense doesn’t have much beyond that. The Cardinals look like a team just trying to stay afloat until WR DeAndre Hopkins returns from his six-game suspension. 

That’s a problem against a juggernaut like the Eagles, who have everything clicking right now, including a revived pass rush that will surely keep Murray on the run. In fact, the Cardinals’ chances will hinge on Murray’s ability to make plays outside the pocket. Although, considering the Cards barely have a pass rush of their own to bother Philly QB Jalen Hurts, even a spectacular day from Murray might not be enough.

Matchup to watch: Cardinals WR Marquise Brown vs. Eagles CB Darius Slay

Brown basically is the Cardinals’ offense through the air right now — at least in terms of explosive plays. If the Eagles shut him down, does anyone think WR Greg Dortch, Arizona’s No. 2 receiver, is going to beat them? The Cardinals do have the NFL’s fifth-best rushing attack, and they’ll surely try to slow the game down. But they need big plays to have a chance against the Eagles, and this Philly defense doesn’t allow many of them. If Slay is fully healthy, he’s good enough to shut down Hollywood Brown. And if Slay isn’t fully healthy, CB James Bradberry is more than capable of doing the job.

Key stat: The Eagles have 16 sacks this season, most in the NFL. This is huge, because they had a limited pass rush last season and there were big concerns about it after they barely got near Lions quarterback Jared Goff in Week 1. Now, two of their pass rushers — DE Brandon Graham and LB Haason Reddick — have won the past two NFC Defensive Player of the Week awards.

Prediction: The Eagles are on a roll and even survived their first taste of real adversity — falling behind 14-0 early against the Jaguars before running all over Jacksonville’s defense. In fact, playing in terrible, windy, rainy conditions, the Eagles put up 401 yards and 29 points on a good Jaguars defense. Now they get to face a much worse Cardinals defense in good weather in the desert? Good luck, Arizona. 

The Cardinals would seem to have two chances here. First, they could generate a pass rush and disrupt Hurts to keep him on the run. But he’s pretty good running the ball, too, and the Cardinals’ defense has a mere four sacks in four games, so forget that. The other chance: They could go point-for-point in a shootout and hope they get the ball last. But they’re not built for that right now — not with Hopkins still out. 

Maybe the Eagles will look past this game to their Week 6 NFC East showdown with the Dallas Cowboys. But I doubt it.

Eagles 34, Cardinals 23 –Ralph Vacchiano

Cincinnati Bengals (2-2) at Baltimore Ravens (2-2) (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)

Overview: These two teams are among the best 2-2 teams in the NFL, up there with the Los Angeles Rams. It’s early in the season and their mediocre records don’t properly represent how good they are. And yet somehow, one of them will have a losing record in Week 5. So strange.

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is playing at an impressive clip, with 893 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns and four interceptions. He also has 316 rushing yards and two touchdowns. That’s a pace that’ll put him near the top — or at the top — of MVP voting. He’s averaging an insane combination of 7.6 yards per attempt on passes and 8.5 yards per attempt on rushes. 

The Ravens have, however, struggled to close out games, with Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins erasing a 21-point deficit in Week 2 and Josh Allen and the Bills staging a comeback in Week 4. Baltimore’s defense has been middle of the road in terms of counting stats, though it’s particularly bad defending the run at 5.0 yards per carry allowed, tied for eighth-highest in the NFL. For the Ravens, the next few weeks will be about proving they can manage a fourth-quarter lead.

Joe Burrow and the Bengals‘ passing attack finally showed signs of life the past two weeks after a truly bizarre (and bad) start to the season. Let’s chalk it up to a Super Bowl hangover, shall we? Whatever it was, Burrow is back. He has thrown for 250 or more yards and two or more touchdowns in the past two games. 

On the other side of the ball, safety Vonn Bell had two interceptions against the Dolphins last week to help the Bengals win the turnover battle. That’ll be how Cincy tops Baltimore as well. The Bengals will need to get Jackson, whose interception percentage (3.4) matches his career-high, to hand over the football.

Matchup to watch: Ravens CB Marcus Peters vs. Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase

Last week, Peters was spotted on the sideline yelling at coach John Harbuagh for how the fourth quarter fell apart for Baltimore. Apparently, Peters didn’t like how Harbaugh managed — or failed to manage — the game. So that means we’ll get a feisty and hungry Peters against Chase, who was one of the best receivers in the NFL last year and, this season, has been ho-hum so far. Turning point for Chase? Or shutdown performance from Peters?

Key stat: The Bengals swept the season series against the Ravens in 2021, their first sweep of Baltimore since 2015. In those two games, Burrow went 60-of-84 (71.4%) for 941 yards and seven touchdowns, with only one interception.

Prediction: No matter who ends up 2-3, both these teams will be OK. They’re supremely talented. But in the crowded AFC, every win will matter for teams like Cincy and Baltimore, who might end up fighting the Browns for the top spot in the division — and then a massive group of teams for wild-card spots. Overall, I think the Ravens have been playing better football, even if their fourth-quarter play has been a mess. Plus, Baltimore is due for a win: The Ravens have lost five straight home games, the longest home losing streak in franchise history.

Ravens 23, Bengals 20 –Henry McKenna

Las Vegas Raiders (1-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (3-1) (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Overview: Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels got his first win last week — at home against the Denver Broncos — but now he faces the daunting task of trying to beat the defending AFC West champs at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City swept the season series against Las Vegas last season, outscoring the Raiders 89-23. Under Andy Reid, the Chiefs are 15-3 against the Raiders.

Matchup to watch: Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes vs. the Raiders’ secondary

The Raiders have given up seven passing touchdowns and have picked off just two passes this season. And now they’ll face one of the best in the business in Mahomes. Against the Raiders, Mahomes has 24 total touchdowns, just three interceptions and a 112.4 quarterback rating. Las Vegas also has struggled to generate a consistent pass rush, with just five sacks this season, No. 31 in the NFL.

Key Stat: Mahomes is 22-3 in 25 career starts against the AFC West, including 7-1 against the Raiders.

Prediction: Las Vegas running back Josh Jacobs had a career-high 144 rushing yards in last week’s win over the Broncos, the most rushing yards by a Raider since 2013. However, the Chiefs have one of the best run-stuffing defenses in the NFL, holding teams to a league-best 68.5 yards per game. Unless star receiver Davante Adams has a great game, it’s hard to see how Las Vegas will muster enough offense to keep up with the Chiefs.

Chiefs 31, Raiders 17 –Eric D. Williams

FOX Sports’ Week 5 NFL preview was compiled by:

AFC South reporter Ben Arthur (@benyarthur)
AFC East reporter Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis)
NFC West reporter Eric D. Williams (@eric_d_williams)
NFC East reporter Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano)
NFC North reporter Carmen Vitali (@CarmieV)
Dallas Cowboys reporter David Helman (@davidhelman_)

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