--- title: "NFL Season Enters Fifth Week with Key Matchups" url: https://newscentral.site/nfl-season-enters-fifth-week-with-key-matchups/ language: en publisher: "News Central Site" section: "Sports" published: 2026-10-09T01:16:59.000Z updated: 2026-10-11T02:38:46.829Z id: cd0b69e0-3b01-4670-9713-34a9ed60fc20 source: "CBS Sports \n https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-5-picks-buccaneers-at-cowboys-49ers-at-seahawks/" attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/nfl-season-enters-fifth-week-with-key-matchups/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story." --- # NFL Season Enters Fifth Week with Key Matchups Several key matchups are scheduled for this weekend, including a showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars. The NFL season has reached its fifth week, and the action is heating up. This weekend will see several key matchups, including a showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars in London. In recent weeks, there have been an unprecedented number of close games, with 23 decided by just one score over the past two weeks alone. This ties a record for most such games in a two-week span in NFL history. The trend continues into Week 5, where many more nail-biters are expected. The San Francisco 49ers will be looking to take down the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, at home on Sunday. Meanwhile, Josh Allen and Matthew Stafford will face off on Monday Night Football in a highly anticipated matchup. The NFL's trend of close games is not limited to just Week 4. A total of 18 games this season have been decided by a game-winning score in the final four minutes or in overtime, which is tied for the second-most through four weeks. This adds fuel to the fire as we head into Week 5. The Philadelphia Eagles are struggling with injuries and inconsistent play, which could give the Jaguars an edge in London. The team's running back Saquon Barkley left last week's game with a hamstring injury, while his replacement, Tank Bigsby, was placed on injured reserve due to an injury of his own. Star wideout DeVonta Smith missed last week's game with a hamstring issue as well, further depleting the Eagles' offense. The team also lost right tackle Lane Johnson to retirement this week and traded left guard Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens. The Jaguars' run defense has been one of their strongest units so far this season, allowing just 17 rushing yards to the Cincinnati Bengals' running backs last week. They are tied for second in takeaways with eight, which could prove crucial against an Eagles offense struggling to find its footing. Dajani predicts a convincing win for the Jaguars, predicting a score of 27-18. The NFL season is heating up, and our experts are making their predictions for Week 5. Despite the Eagles' struggles this season, Dubin believes they can keep things close against the Jaguars in Philadelphia. The Jaguars have been one of the top teams in football so far, but Dubin thinks the Eagles can make it a competitive game. Dajani is backing the Packers to win at home against their rival Chicago Bears, despite Green Bay's poor performance this season. The Bears are struggling with injuries and quarterback issues, which could give the Packers an edge. Dubin doesn't think much of the Packers' chances against the Bears, but believes they can keep things close due to Chicago's struggles on third down defense. The Bears have been successful in converting third downs, but Dubin thinks this could be a problem for them. Dajani is predicting a Steelers win over the Colts at home, citing Pittsburgh's strong record against Indianapolis. The Colts are struggling with their offense and defense, which could make it tough for them to compete against the Steelers. One factor that could play in favor of the Steelers is the Colts' recent return from London. The Steelers had extended rest after their Thursday night loss, which may give them an advantage in this game. The Colts' defense has been a concern all season, and Dajani thinks they will struggle to contain the Steelers' offense. Athan Kaliakmanis's performance against Washington was a wake-up call for the Colts, and Treylon Burks's big play could be a sign of things to come. Pittsburgh is 17-2 all-time when the Colts visit, which gives them a significant edge in this matchup. Dajani thinks it will be a competitive game, but ultimately expects the Steelers to emerge victorious. The Jaguars' victory over the Rams last week was impressive, and Dubin believes they can repeat that performance against the Eagles. However, he also thinks the Eagles can keep things close. Dajani's prediction of a Packers win over the Bears is a bold one, given Green Bay's struggles this season. However, he thinks their home record against Chicago will give them an edge in this game. The Steelers' defense has been a concern all season, but Dajani thinks they can contain the Colts' offense. With Pittsburgh's strong record against Indianapolis, Dajani expects a competitive game with a Steelers win. The Pittsburgh Steelers are facing a tough test against the Indianapolis Colts this week, and experts are divided on who will emerge victorious. The Steelers have shown flashes of brilliance in their first three games, but their overall performance has been inconsistent. In contrast to the Steelers' mixed bag, the San Francisco 49ers have been one of the top teams in the league so far this season. They've won four straight road games against divisional rivals and are riding a 12-game winning streak in these situations. The Seattle Seahawks have also been impressive, despite their recent loss to Washington and some concerns about their defense's performance last week. The team has shown resilience and adaptability, and their offense is firing on all cylinders. However, the 49ers' electric offense may be brought down a notch by the strong Seattle defense. With Mike Evans still nursing an injury, the Seahawks may have an advantage in this matchup. The 49ers' defense is also dealing with some injuries of its own, which could impact their ability to contain Jaxon Smith-Njigba and other Seattle playmakers. Despite these concerns, many experts believe that Brock Purdy has been an underrated storyline so far this season. The quarterback has led the team to four consecutive wins and has posted impressive statistics in the process. Purdy's numbers are all the more impressive considering the teams he's faced have included the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals. His ability to avoid turnovers is a key factor in his success, with only one sack, fumble, or interception through four games. The 49ers' strong performance on the road has been a key factor in their success so far this season. They've won 12 of their last 14 divisional games away from home and are looking to continue that trend against the Seahawks. The Atlanta Falcons' high-powered offense has been a major factor in their recent success, and it's likely to be on full display against the Baltimore Ravens this week. Michael Penix Jr.'s return to the field has brought a new level of comfort to the team, and having Bijan Robinson by his side is certainly helping. Robinson has been off to an incredible start this season, averaging 153.5 total yards per game, which is a testament to his skill and work ethic. However, it remains to be seen whether Lamar Jackson will take the field for the Ravens on Sunday Night Football, as Tyler Huntley seems set to lead the team instead. The Ravens' offense has struggled in recent games, particularly in the second half against the Tennessee Titans, where they failed to score a single point. While Huntley is not considered a bad backup quarterback, his performance will be crucial if the Ravens are to have any chance of winning this game. Despite the Falcons being favored by 3.5 points, some experts believe that the line may be too generous, and that the Ravens could actually pull off an upset. However, with the Falcons' offense in top gear, it's hard to see how the Ravens can keep pace. The matchup between these two teams promises to be a closely contested one, with both sides having their strengths and weaknesses. The Falcons will need to continue their dominant performance from recent weeks if they are to emerge victorious. Tyler Huntley may not have the same level of talent as Lamar Jackson, but he has shown that he can lead the Ravens offense effectively in his own right. However, with the likes of Bijan Robinson and Michael Penix Jr. on the other side, it's clear that the Falcons have a significant advantage. The Rams' matchup against the Bills is another closely watched contest this week, as both teams look to assert their dominance over each other. The Bills have been impressive offensively so far this season, leading the league with 31.8 points per game. Despite some pundits suggesting that both teams are overrated, it's clear that they have both shown flashes of brilliance in recent games. However, the Rams' struggles against top-tier opponents may ultimately prove to be their downfall in this matchup. The Buffalo Bills' impressive run against the spread came to an end last week, but they have a strong track record of bouncing back from losses. In their last seven games following a defeat, the Bills are 6-1 straight up and against the spread. This trend suggests that Josh Allen and his team can overcome adversity and find success on the field. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Rams have been inconsistent this season, struggling to live up to expectations in some matchups while showing flashes of brilliance in others. The team's various injury issues have contributed to these ups and downs, but their pass defense has remained a strong point. The return of Aaron Donald from injury could be a game-changer for the Rams' run defense, and with players like Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams on offense, they should be able to put up points against Buffalo. The Bills do not appear to have an answer for this potent trio, which could give the Rams a significant advantage. Despite their inconsistency, the Rams are still considered favorites in this matchup, and many experts believe they will prevail. However, the Bills' ability to bounce back from losses suggests that they may be able to pull off an upset. The Dallas Cowboys have been on a roll this season, with Dak Prescott's offense averaging over 30 points per game. This unit is too much for most teams to handle, and it appears unlikely that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be able to keep pace in this matchup. Tampa's offense has struggled to find consistency, and their defense has not been able to make up for these shortcomings. The team's lack of ability to cover the spread suggests that they may struggle against a strong opponent like the Cowboys. The return of Baker Mayfield from injury would have given the Buccaneers a better chance in this matchup, but even his version of himself earlier in the season seemed unlikely to be able to keep up with the Cowboys' offense. Dallas' ability to run and pass effectively makes them a formidable opponent, and their strong offense should be too much for Tampa's defense to handle. The Buccaneers may try to rely on their running game to gain an advantage, but their struggling offensive line makes this approach unlikely to succeed against a team as potent as the Cowboys. --- Source: [CBS Sports]( https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-5-picks-buccaneers-at-cowboys-49ers-at-seahawks/ ) Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/nfl-season-enters-fifth-week-with-key-matchups/