Welcome to week five, where hopefully you’re still alive. If you picked the Broncos like I did no doubt it became nerve-wracking at the end. This week boasts another bunch of matchups that don’t exactly make you feel good. Now, is when the suicide pool starts to turn into a chess match. Not only do the teams off the board affect your decision making, but certain situations can make you steer clear of matchup situations and limit your choices further.
If you’re following along the Dolphins, Rams (even though they lost we’re still counting them), Patriots, and the Broncos are off the board. At this point in the season, I start to make a chart to visualize what I have left. List the matchups with one column home team and one column away team, and cross off the teams you’ve already used.
Kicker situations have shown up to be a wild card in this very early 2015 season. Any team dealing with that issue should be avoided at all costs until it gets resolved. The Steelers, Eagles, and Jaguars all lost due to missed field goals and extra points last week. That’s the kind of stuff that gets you a one way ticket to the losers pool real quick.
So we’re going to dive into this week and see what we can come up with, shall we?
Matchups that will help you breathe easy:
Green Bay Packers over the St. Louis Rams: The Rams have looked better than anticipated this season. However, it’s the Packers, and the game is at Lambeau. So far, the absence of Jordy Nelson hasn’t stunted Aaron Rodgers’ productivity as expected in the preseason. The Packers are just that good, and they’re going to stay undefeated.
Atlanta Falcons over the Washington Professional Football Team: After the Rams’ debacle, following the Dolphins making it way too close for comfort. I said that I would take no more Washington opponents. However, after defeating the Eagles last week (it still stings for me too), I feel that this has trap game for Washington written all over it. The resurgence of the Falcons’ running game is the reason that they are undefeated and is the reason they will stay undefeated. Devonta Freeman already has amassed over half of the total rushing touchdowns scored by the Falcons a year ago. Pair that with the possible return of Tevin Coleman that would give Atlanta a one-two punch at running back. The Falcons are on fire and if they cool down, it won’t be this week.
Matchups that will give you heartburn:
San Francisco 49ers at the New York Giants: The 49ers look awful, however they find themselves in a similar situation in the NFC West that we are seeing in the NFC East at the moment. The Giants are sitting in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC East relinquishing tie-breaker situations to the Dallas Cowboys at this point, and the 49ers at 1-3 are only two games out of first place. While the 49ers just aren’t good, there’s too much subtext to be confident picking this game. As I said in week one, everyone shows up to play in primetime.
Cleveland Browns at the Baltimore Ravens: It’s the battle to get out of the basement in the AFC North! If the Ravens want to win this game they have to do something they haven’t done all season; get Justin Forsett into the end zone. The Ravens don’t have a single rushing touchdown all year, and that is why they’re 1-3. Well, that among other things. If they can get some kind of run game established then they have a chance to right the ship, and that has to start this weekend. I wouldn’t feel comfortable picking them though until they demonstrate they can be effective in the running attack.
Matchups that might cost you money:
New Orleans Saints at the Philadelphia Eagles: No. Just no. The Eagles have looked borderline awful this season. While the Saints are in a down year of their own, Drew Brees is still Drew Brees. If the Eagles defense is out there long enough and gets tired at the end of the game, he can torch them in the closing minutes. Don’t use this week to be optimistic about the Eagles. There’s always a possibility they can win, but I don’t want to give myself another reason to be angry at them this season.
Jacksonville Jaguars at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Now there are some teams that are considered layups in the suicide pool world, and here they are. Who is the best house on the bad block? It’s worth noting that the Jaguars are 1-3 due to a missed last second field goal against the Colts last week. But, if the rabbit didn’t stop to pee he would have won the race, so let’s not make excuses okay? This one can go either way. It will all come down to which quarterback has the better game, and whose kicker is more accurate.
Overall this week, I think I am going to go with the Atlanta Falcons. If you’re going to pick them you might as well pick them while they’re hot. Good luck everyone, and choose wisely. See you in week six!
If you’re following along:
Week 1: Dolphins
Week 2: Rams (Whoops!)
Week 3: Patriots
Week 4: Broncos
Week 5: Falcons
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