Hope you have the popcorn ready as the NFL moves into its Week 6 schedule with two fantastic matchups heading up a terrific slate of games.
The top two teams in the Super Bowl betting - the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs - lock horns in a late afternoon game on Sunday. It is also a repeat of their playoff game for the ages at Arrowhead in January just gone.
Josh Allen vs Patrick Mahomes once again.
Then on Sunday Night Football the 4-1 Dallas Cowboys visit the 5-0 Philadelphia Eagles for a primetime showdown between two hated NFC East rivals.
Our Midweek Update recaps all the big stories coming out of Week 5, and looks ahead to that Cowboys vs Eagles blockbuster as well.
NFL Injury Report
Pro football is a brutal game, played by powerful athletes at devastating speed. No wonder then that injuries play a massive part in determining which teams come out on top each February.
Here are some of the major injuries to hit the headlines in Week 5:
Marcus Williams (S, Baltimore Ravens): Bad news for the Ravens secondary after they finally worked out how to stop Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase en route to a thrilling 19-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on SNF. Williams dislocated his wrist during the win and is expected to miss significant time per HC John Harbaugh.
Teddy Bridgewater (QB, Miami Dolphins): The Dolphins really did not need this. Already without starting QB Tua Tagovailoa due to a concussion, they lost backup Bridgewater with the same issue on the very first offensive snap of Sunday’s 40-17 loss to the Jets in New York. Teddy was hammered by rookie Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner on a corner blitz, and replaced by rookie Skylar Thompson. There is no decision yet on who starts under center vs Minnesota this weekend.
Rashaad Penny (RB, Seattle Seahawks): Bad news for fantasy players and Seahawks fans - Penny is done for the year after sustaining a fractured tibia during Sunday’s shootout loss to the Saints in New Orleans. He had looked terrific recently and was on course for an excellent season. Devastating news for the young back, and that explosive Seattle offense.
Chris Olave (WR, New Orleans Saints): The Offensive Rookie of the Year contender exited the 39-32 win over the Seahawks after sustaining a concussion on an incredible TD catch. It’s a major blow for the former Ohio State Buckeye, who is having a terrific first season in the pros.
Emmanuel Moseley (CB, San Francisco 49ers): The Niners CB tore his ACL during Sunday’s rout of the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte and his 2022 season is over. Devastating news for a player who had literally just notched the first pick six of his pro career.
Nick Bosa (DE, San Francisco 49ers): One to watch this, as it is key for the playoff hopes of the resurgent Niners. Bosa struggled with a groin injury during Sunday’s win in Carolina and “didn’t feel great” on Monday. It remains to be seen whether the injury will cause the DPOY contender to miss any game time.
Damien Harris (RB, New England Patriots): Harris left the 29-0 shutout of the Detroit Lions early after suffering a hamstring injury. It’s a problem he has suffered several times in the past and he is now expected to miss multiple weeks.
Russell Wilson (QB, Denver Broncos): Russ wasn’t just nursing a massive primetime hangover Friday morning after that truly awful loss to the Colts on Thursday Night Football. He also had a shoulder injury to contend with. He has a partially torn muscle in his throwing shoulder and it will likely hamper him the rest of the way, unless he takes a couple of weeks out.
Pat Freiermuth (TE, Pittsburgh Steelers): Another blow for fantasy players as Freiermuth entered concussion protocol following the embarrassing 38-3 rout by the Buffalo Bills in western New York. His status is doubtful for this Sunday’s home game vs Tom Brady and Tampa Bay.
NFL Odds: Stock Rising
Week 5 delivered more fantastic performances which had a significant impact on the early betting lines. Here are some of the displays which really jumped out:
Geno Smith (QB, Seattle Seahawks): In a few short weeks this season Geno has gone from being a Draft bust and career backup to looking like Patrick Mahomes. Smith was spectacular again on Sunday, passing for 268 yards and three scores in the loss to New Orleans. One throw in particular - a highlight-reel dart between three defenders - was a thing of beauty. Seattle probably will not make the post-season in 2022, but right now it is not missing Russell Wilson.
Dorance Armstrong (DE, Dallas Cowboys): While Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs rightly take top billing on a terrific Cowboys defense, Armstrong is really starting to prove his worth this year. A strip sack of Matthew Stafford set Dallas on the road to a superb 22-10 win over the Rams on Sunday, and Dorance now has 4 sacks on the season in just five games.
Tariq Woolen (CB, Seattle Seahawks): The Seattle defense is one of the NFL’s more porous units right now, with the Seahawks struggling to stop anybody. Pete Carroll’s secondary is pretty busy most weeks, but rookie fifth-round draft pick Tariq Woolen is making the most of the extra work. He snagged another interception in the loss in New Orleans, the third straight game in which he has registered a pick.
Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner (CB, New York Jets): ‘Sauce’, taken fourth overall in the 2022 Draft by the Jets, showed again exactly why with a spectacular performance in the 40-17 beatdown of the Miami Dolphins. He started by blasting Teddy Bridgewater for what turned out to be a safety, before registering his first career interception.
Taysom Hill (New Orleans Saints): Notice we didn’t put a position against Taysom’s name? That is because there are so many. Now that the Saints have given up on the crazy notion that he is a franchise QB, we can all just get back to enjoying what he does on a football field. On Sunday vs Seattle he was must-watch TV, running for three TDs (including a 60-yarder) and throwing for another. If you check out the Saints depth chart Taysom is actually listed as TE, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. He can do it all.
NFL Game of the Week: Dallas @ Philadelphia
- Time: 1.20am UK, Monday
- TV: Sky Sports NFL
A few short weeks ago anybody talking about this game as a pivotal NFC East matchup with playoff ramifications would have been laughed at. Most experts remember predicted that it was season over for the Dallas Cowboys when starting QB Dak Prescott went down in Week 1.
Since then though the Cowboys have reeled off four straight wins, thanks mainly to their terrific defense led by Defensive Player of the Year favorite Micah Parsons. Backup QB Cooper Rush has not been too shabby though, going 5-0 as a starter in his Dallas career to date.
Rush is likely to get the start again at the Linc on Sunday night with Prescott continuing to rehab that thumb injury, which means the Cowboys will likely again revert to a conservative gameplan with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard carrying most of the load on the ground.
The matchup between that explosive Philly offense led by Jalen Hurts and the Cowboy defense led by Parsons should be a sight to behold. It doesn’t get much better.
The Eagles are currently trading as a 4.5-point favourite while the Over/Under for Total Points is set at 41.5 That might seem low but offenses have generally struggled so far in 2022 and we expect a dour battle as Dallas plays the percentages with its formidable defense.
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