Wes Reynolds: NFL Week 5 Best Bets
Here are my NFL Week 5 best bets:
Denver +4.5 at Philadelphia
Denver has lost two games this season courtesy of a field goal on the game’s final play. A 2-2 Broncos club could be 4-0. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles are 4-0, but the defending Super Bowl Champions have not been overly impressive.
Last week at Tampa, Philadelphia jumped out to a 24-3 lead and won 31-25. However, the Eagles only gained 200 yards on offense, and they are still dealing with several defections from last year’s offensive coaching staff that followed Kellen Moore to New Orleans. On the offensive line, Cam Jurgens and Landon Dickerson are both returning from offseason surgeries. WR AJ Brown is grumbling or tweeting unhappiness regarding his role in what is currently the No. 31 passing offense. That passing offense could continue to struggle against a Broncos defense that has allowed the sixth-lowest passer rating and has the No. 1 pressure rate.
On the other hand, the Eagles have not been able to generate much of a pass rush with their edge rushers combining for just a half sack in the first four games.
The Broncos are on a short week, and recent road trends have not been all that favorable, but their numbers this season are better across the board when it comes to EPA/play and Success Rate.
New Orleans -120 ML vs. New York Giants
Two rookies, QB Jaxson Dart (111 yards passing, 54 yards rushing) and RB Cam Skattebo (79 yards rushing), gave the Giants offense a spark in the upset over the Chargers. However, the G-Men were outgained 338 to 250 and did benefit from two Chargers turnovers in their own territory, leading to 11 points where the Giants had goal-to-go situations off said turnovers.
While the rookies gave the Giants some oomph offensively, the unit will be without Malik Nabers, who tore his ACL in last week’s victory.
Now the Giants go to winless New Orleans, who did show life last week in Buffalo, as it was just a two-point game with a little over 7:00 to go. Other than the blowout in Seattle, the Saints have had two one-score losses and were in the game late in three of four contests. The Saints certainly are living down to their already low expectations, but they are still competing.
The Saints now have some game film on Dart and will be ready for his designed runs and will force him to make throws to a receiving corps that, without Nabers, does not exactly scare anyone.
TEASER OF THE WEEK
New York Jets +8/Baltimore Ravens +7.5
TOTAL OF THE WEEK
Washington Commanders/Los Angeles Chargers UNDER 47
BEST OF THE REST
Las Vegas Raiders +7 at Indianapolis Colts
Cincinnati Bengals +10.5 vs. Detroit Lions
For more NFL Week 5 best bets, visit the NFL Week 5 hub exclusively on VSiN.com.
