The opening lines have been posted for the fifth week of NFL action. Make sure to navigate to our NFL lines page to compare odds from various sportsbooks so you can find the best play. Here are a few games to keep an eye on.
Baltimore (-7) vs. Denver – The Ravens opened as 7 point home favorites against the Broncos, but books are currently scattered between 6 ½ and 8 points. Both teams won big road games as underdogs this past Sunday. Baltimore has a stable of bruising backs, while Denver hopes to have the services of Knowshon Moreno. Anquan Boldin has been one of the best receivers in the League this year, but now he has to match-up against Champ Bailey.
Indianapolis (-7 ½) vs. Kansas City – The Colts opened as 7 ½ point home favorites against the Chiefs, but early action on Indy has moved the line up to 9 points at most sites. The Colts lost a heartbreaker to Jacksonville on a miracle kick by Josh Scobee. The last time they lost on the road was in week 1 against Houston. They followed that up by destroying the Giants at home. The Chiefs had the week off, so they’ve had time to prepare for Indy’s high flying offense. Their defense is much improved, but playing Peyton Manning in Indianapolis is as tough as it gets. KC needs a big game from Jamaal Charles so they can play keep away from the NFL’s best and most consistent player.
Green Bay (-3) at Washington – The Pack started as 3 point road favorites, though books like 5 Dimes and SportBet have come down to 1 ½ points. Green Bay had to hold on for a win against the undermanned Lions, 28-26. Not having Ryan Grant is starting to take its toll on the offense. The defense gave up a lot of yards, but Charles Woodson had an important pick 6. Washington and Donovan McNabb have to be feeling good after winning in Philly. The question is, can the Redskins become a more consistent football team?
Dallas (-7) vs. Tennessee – The Cowboys opened as 7 point favorites against the visiting Titans, though most books have come down to 6 ½ points. The Cowboys had an important bye week after earning their first victory at Houston. The defense has to keep Chris Johnson under wraps. The Titans are coming off a surprising home loss to the Denver Broncos. If Kyle Orton and his receivers can have that much success against the Titans’ secondary, Tony Romo and his talented options could have a big day.
Jets (-5 ½) vs. Vikings – The Monday night game might be the best of the weekend. The Jets opened as 5 ½ point home favorites, but most books have dropped down to 4 ½ points. The Jets are starting to play like Super Bowl contenders. They thrashed the Bills in Buffalo, although that isn’t too much of an accomplishment. LaDanian Tomlinson has re-energized his career, which is a huge boon for the Jets’ offense. Minnesota, like Dallas, went into the bye week after their first win. The Viking defense is underrated, especially the front 7. Adrian Peterson against the Jets’ rush defense is as good as it gets in professional football. Brett Favre needs to get into rhythm with his receivers to take some pressure of the Viking’s workhorse.
Remember that you can compare the point spreads for all week 5 games on our NFL odds page of the website.
