NFL Week 5 Pick’em Pool Advice, Picks & Predictions (2023)
In Week 4, the Buffalo Bills showed they’re still the kings of the AFC East, the Denver Broncos picked up their first win of the season, and the Tennessee Titans throttled the Cincinnati Bengals to drop the Super Bowl hopefuls to 1-3.
Here is our best NFL pick-em advice for Week 5.
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NFL Week 5 Pick’em Pool Advice, Picks & Predictions (2023)
Houston Texans vs. Atlanta Falcons
After starting 0-2, the Texans have rattled off back-to-back dominant victories over solid AFC opponents. In their last two games, they’ve outscored the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers 67-23, and rookie C.J. Stroud still has not thrown an interception.
Meanwhile, after starting the season 2-0, the Falcons have dropped back-to-back games in convincing fashion. They haven’t scored 10 or more points since Week 2, as they’ve been outscored 43-13 in their two losses.
The Texans aren’t a great team, but this is a team that is much better than many expected entering this season. Stroud has been incredible, and he has this offense clicking. The Falcons are terribly one-dimensional, and until Desmond Ridder shows that he can make big throws consistently, there is no reason to think they can outscore a legitimate NFL offense.
The Pick: Houston Texans
Tennessee Titans vs. Indianapolis Colts
Not only is this the hardest game of the week to pick, it may be the hardest game of the year. The spread is currently even, and we can’t fault oddsmakers for feeling that way. In Week 4, the Titans followed up a 27-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns with a 27-3 win over the Bengals. Meanwhile, the Colts nearly stole a win after trailing the Los Angeles Rams 23-0 at halftime.
Since neither team has been consistent, this pick simply comes down to quarterback play. Neither Ryan Tannehill nor Anthony Richardson have been great this season, but there is so much more potential for Richardson than Tannehill.
The Titans didn’t win last week because Tannehill outplayed Joe Burrow. They won because the Bengals’ offense is inept. Richardson’s running ability makes him a threat on every down. The Titans are going to have their hands full with him, while the Colts shouldn’t have the same trouble against the Titans’ offense.
The Pick: Indianapolis Colts
New York Jets vs. Denver Broncos
Zach Wilson played like an average quarterback against the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Jets very nearly defeated the defending Super Bowl champions. If Wilson can play the same way this week, then the Jets are going to advance to 2-3.
The Broncos trailed 28-7 to the Chicago Bears, but they mounted an epic comeback to pick up their first win of the season. However, it’s hard to feel good about the win considering they made Justin Fields look like one of the best quarterbacks in football.
The Broncos are allowing 478.5 yards per game this season. They have given up 28 or more points in three consecutive games. Wilson could be what they need to get right, but Wilson is going to play Sunday’s game with more confidence than he has had at any point in his NFL career. The Jets’ defense stifles Russell Wilson, and Zach Wilson does enough to get the win.
The Pick: New York Jets
Green Bay Packers vs. Las Vegas Raiders
It’s a bit surprising to see the Packers favored on the road over the Raiders, considering how they played at home last week. They were never competitive in their game against the Detroit Lions, and the blemishes on both sides of the ball showed.
If you think the Lions are one of the best teams in football, maybe this means nothing. However, the Raiders played really well without Jimmy Garoppolo on Sunday. He should be back this week, but even if he’s not, the Raiders can still win this game.
Jordan Love was sacked five times in Thursday night’s loss. The Lions’ pass rush was great, but the young quarterback also held the ball too long on numerous occasions. The Raiders are only averaging 1.8 sacks per game this season, but this could be a really good matchup for them.
With the exception of their fourth quarter against the New Orleans Saints, the Packers have looked really bad in their last 2.5 games. The Raiders keep finding ways to lose, but at home in prime time, we like them to get their second win of the year.
The Pick: Las Vegas Raiders
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Wednesday:
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- NFL Week 5 Odds, Picks & Predictions: Best Futures Bets (2023)
- College Football Week 6 Rush-Rate Odds, Picks & Predictions (2023)
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Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.