Week 5 of the 2025 NFL season promises some huge matchups. We’re roughly a quarter of the way through the year. Teams are starting to take shape, and some are ready to hit the panic button. Who gets to take home a win this week?
The Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, and Pittsburgh Steelers are all on their bye this week.
The 49ers are coming off a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and will be without major players on Thursday night. Brock Purdy, Jauan Jennings, and Ricky Pearsall join George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk on the injured list this week. This offense is Christian McCaffrey’s to carry, but it’s doubtful that even he could elevate it to a win.
The Rams have a defense that can torment anybody at any moment. They have one of the best offenses in the NFL, ranking third in passing yards. The Matt Stafford/Puka Nacua connection will be fun to watch this year. Both of these teams are 3-1, but LA should be able to take the win here.
Winner: Los Angeles Rams
The Vikings have been a difficult team to track through four weeks. The offense has struggled since its electric Week 1 victory, and it’s likely J.J. McCarthy will miss another week.
The Browns’ defense is fun to watch, especially in the trenches. The rest of the team hasn’t been effective, though. Rookie QB Dillon Gabriel has been named the starter for Sunday, leaving the offensive scheme a bit of a mystery. Gabriel isn’t the answer, and that should become clear on Sunday.
Winner: Minnesota Vikings
The injury bug is laying a smackdown on the Ravens right now. Lamar Jackson, Marlon Humphrey, Roquan Smith, Nnamdi Madubuike, and Nate Wiggins are dealing with varying injuries. This team is 1-3 and struggling to stay afloat.
The Texans are coming off their first win of the season, and they looked great. They shut out the Tennessee Titans 26-0, and the defense looked like its old self again. Playing against Cooper Rush and a decimated Ravens team should result in a Texans W.
Winner: Houston Texans
The Dolphins played exceptionally well against the New York Jets on Monday night. Granted, the Jets are 0-4 and haven’t looked competitive since Week 1. The addition of Darren Waller gave Miami a boost, but Tyreek Hill is now out for the season after a terrible knee injury.
The Panthers are the Panthers once again. After a 30-0 routing of the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina was blown out by the New England Patriots 42-13. This game depends on which version of these teams we see. With Mike McDaniel on the hot seat, Miami needs this win more.
Winner: Miami Dolphins
The Colts put forth a strong effort against Matt Stafford and the Rams, but ultimately lost for the first time this season. Daniel Jones reverted to his old ways, but he was facing a top defense in the NFL. He has an easier task on Sunday.
The Raiders finally let Ashton Jeanty off the chain, and he scored three touchdowns. Geno Smith threw for 117 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. This game will likely be run-heavy on both sides, but Indy is more well-equipped for it.
Winner: Indianapolis Colts
The Saints put up a fight against the Buffalo Bills, and that’s probably the best fans could hope for. Their QB Spencer Rattler is 0-10 as a starter, and going against a defense that forced two turnovers from Justin Herbert.
The Giants seem to have something special with rookie QB Jaxson Dart. The defense is still sloppy, and receiver Malik Nabers is out for the year with a torn ACL. 2025 is all about Dart’s development, and this might be the easiest game on the schedule. This would feel like a trap game for New York, but somehow, the Saints are the betting odds favorites.
Winner: New York Giants
The Cowboys are coming off a tie with the Packers, and neither team feels good about it. Dak Prescott is playing like his old self, even without CeeDee Lamb. The defense is still abysmal, but Dallas can light up the scoreboard.
The Jets, on the other hand, have an offense that ranks 29th in passing yards. They can run the ball well, but are now without Braelon Allen. This could be a close game, but Dallas has too much firepower to lose here.
Winner: Dallas Cowboys
The Eagles are 4-0, but something doesn’t feel right with the team. They rank 31st in passing yards, and Saquon Barkley has yet to rush for 100 yards in a game. They’re winning, but it doesn’t really make sense.
The Broncos haven’t continued their 2024 momentum, but they’re ramping back up. Denver’s defense is among the NFL’s best, but Bo Nix and the offense haven’t quite clicked the way fans expected. The Broncos could win this one, but it’s hard to bet against the enigma that is the Eagles.
Winner: Philadelphia Eagles
The Titans’ starting QB followed up their 26-0 loss with a terrific sound bite. “If we keep it a buck right now, we a**” Tennessee is failing at every phase of football, and has yet to cross 20 points in a game.
The Cardinals aren’t exactly world-enders either. Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. can’t seem to be consistent, and the loss of James Conner is already hurting them. The Titans have to win at some point, but it won’t happen this week.
Winner: Arizona Cardinals
The Buccaneers suffered their first loss last week against the Eagles. They took too long to start cooking, and Philly’s 24-6 halftime lead was too much to overcome. Tampa ended up losing by only six points and shut down Jalen Hurts in the second half.
The Seahawks are becoming one of the most fun NFL teams to watch. Sam Darnold seems to have returned to his Minnesota ways, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba is playing at a different level. This might be the best game of the weekend, and the Buccaneers are going to bounce back on Sunday.
Winner: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With all due respect to the Bengals, this is the lock of the week. The Lions are 3-0 since losing to the Packers in Week 1, and they’re bullying everyone. The Bengals have arguably the NFL’s worst-run offense without Joe Burrow. If Detroit loses this, there will be a disturbance in the force.
Winner: Detroit Lions
The Commanders aren’t the same without Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin. Daniels is expected to play, so the offense should see a slight return to form. They’re going up against a team that needs a bounce back.
The Chargers are coming off an upset loss to the Giants’ rookie QB. Justin Herbert threw two interceptions and was pressured over 20 times in Week 4. With Daniels back, the Commanders could win, but he might be slow to return to form following a knee injury.
Winner: Los Angeles Chargers
It would be easy to say the Bills dominate this game, but that’s not really what they do during this time of the season. Buffalo tends to play down to a bad opponent, and a close game with the 2-2 Patriots makes alot of sense.
The Bills are too good to lose this, but it will likely be an anxiety-fueled game for both fan bases. Sunday Night Football has been fun this season, and we might get another great game here.
Winner: Buffalo Bills
Are the Chiefs back, or are the Ravens just terribly banged up? Patrick Mahomes seemingly returned to form with a four-touchdown performance against Baltimore last week. Kansas City might be turning a corner.
The Jaguars are the best bad team in the NFL right now. They have a way of winning games they shouldn’t, and looking like a complete mess in the process. They’re on a good track, but they’re still missing an identity.
Winner: Kansas City Chiefs
Week 5 will be full of surprises, and it will add more pieces to the puzzle of the NFL season. The Chiefs and the Jaguars could end up with the same record after Monday. The Ravens could fall to 1-4, while the Steelers seem to be running with the AFC North.
The 2025 NFL season has been ridiculously fun so far, and we still have 13 weeks to go.
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