Welcome to Week 5, where Houston doesn't have a problem, but Cincinnati and especially the Vikings very well could.
Mark Craig's NFL Week 5 picks: Lions and Packers and Cowboys, oh my!
The Star Tribune's NFL wizard of odds weighs in on Week 5, when the Vikings and Bengals are trying to avoid matching their loss total from last season.
October 6, 2023 at 5:12PM
The Texans play in Atlanta with a chance for rookie head coach DeMeco Ryans to match last year's win total of three. Meanwhile, the Vikings and Bengals – both 1-3 — need wins at home against the Chiefs and at Arizona, respectively, to avoid matching last year's loss totals three weeks shy of Halloween.
Here are six games to keep a close eye on:
WHAT WILL THE VIKINGS DO?
Chiefs (-3 ½) at Vikings: Toto, I have a feeling the Vikings aren't playing Bryce Young anymore. Chiefs 41, Vikings 34
AROUND THE NFC NORTH
Panthers (+9½) at Lions: Receiver Jameson Williams returns from a gambling suspension to make Vikings fans even more angry about last year's first round. Lions 31, Panthers 17
Packers (+½) at Raiders: Maybe this week the Packers will try to play the first half in something other than the fetal position. Packers 21, Raiders 17
LOCK OF THE WEEK
Giants (+12½) at Dolphins: Toto, Daniel Jones has a feeling he's not playing Ed Donatell anymore. Dolphins 35, Giants 13
UPSET SPECIAL
Jets (+2 ½) at Broncos: If there is a football god in heaven, please make this happen and make Sean Payton shake Nathaniel Hackett's hand afterward. Jets 24, Broncos 20
GAME OF THE WEEK
Cowboys (+3 ½) at 49ers: Dak Prescott won't win, but he will make $2,297,985.12 more than Brock Purdy will make for playing this game. 49ers 28, Cowboys 21
SEASON RESULTS
Season record straight up/against the spread: 14-10; 13-11.
Upset special: 1-3.
Lock of the week: 4-0.
Vikings: 2-2.
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
