Throughout the 2020 NFL season, NFL Network analysts will provide one bold prediction heading into each week's slate of games (see the full Week 5 schedule).
Brian Baldinger: If you wish it BOLD, I will take the one-win Minnesota Vikings over the undefeated Seattle Seahawks. Minnesota's offense hasn't been tearing it up -- tied for 14th in scoring heading into Week 5 -- but offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak has a proven formula that includes the league's leading rusher in Dalvin Cook and an improved offensive line. The winner of this contest, which figures to be long on points and short on punts, will likely have the ball last.
Marc Ross: The Indianapolis Colts boast the NFL's No. 1 scoring defense, only giving up 14 points per game through Week 4. But in three of their four games, they faced teams ranked in the bottom 10 in scoring (Jaguars, Jets, Bears), and the other contest was against the then-fourth-ranked Vikings in Week 2. This week, the Colts, who have allowed just 9.7 points per game since Week 2, face the red-hot Cleveland Browns, who lead the league in scoring (39.3 points per game) since Week 2. Something has to give, and the underDawg Browns will pound out another 30-point game and pull off the upset.
Nate Burleson: NFL Research sent around this nugget earlier this week: The Atlanta Falcons (26.5) joined the 2012 New Orleans Saints (27.5) as the only teams in NFL history to start 0-4 despite scoring at least 25 points per game across those four games. Man, that's brutal for an offense with so much talent. With the Carolina Panthers surprisingly scoring 26.0 points per game since losing their star running back Christian McCaffrey, this contest looks like a nail-biter. Spoiler alert: The Falcons win this one and avoid an 0-5 start.
Joe Thomas: The Dallas Cowboys break their two-game skid and bounce back in a big way with the defense finally showing up. Mike Nolan's unit, which ranks last in scoring and second to last in run defense, stiffens up to hold the New York Giants to less than 50 rushing yards, and Dallas wins in dominant fashion by 14 points.
DeAngelo Hall: Named the starter for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams, Kyle Allen catches the sixth-ranked scoring defense by surprise and lights it up in his Washington debut. He logs 300-plus passing yards and a trio of TDs to upset the Rams.
Who's playing who in Week 5?
Thursday, October 8
Sunday, October 11
- Los Angeles Rams at Washington Football Team (1 p.m. ET on FOX)
- Philadelphia Eagles at Pittsburgh Steelers (1 p.m. ET on FOX)
- Arizona Cardinals at New York Jets (1 p.m. ET on FOX)
- Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs (1 p.m. ET on CBS)
- Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans (1 p.m. ET on CBS)
- Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens (1 p.m. ET on CBS)
- Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (1 p.m. ET on FOX)
- Miami Dolphins at San Francisco 49ers (4:05 p.m. ET on FOX)
- New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys (4:25 p.m. ET on CBS)
- Indianapolis Colts at Cleveland Browns (4:25 p.m. ET on CBS)
- Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks (8:20 p.m. ET on NBC)
