NFL Week 5 bold predictions: Ravens buck trend by blowing out rival Steelers; Zach Wilson cooks vs. Broncos

Week 5 of the 2023 NFL season is underway, beginning with the Chicago Bears’ sudden 40-20 beatdown of the host Washington Commanders on “Thursday Night Football.” 

The duo of Bears quarterback Justin Fields and Bears extensive receiver D.J. Moore gave the look of Tom Brady and Randy Moss from the 2007 New England Patriots. Moore totaled 230 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns, which made him the primary Chicago participant with 200 or extra receiving yards and 3 or extra touchdowns in a recreation since Harlon Hill all of the long ago in 1954 — 12 years earlier than the beginning of the Super Bowl Era. Fields’ ultimate tally ended up as 282 passing yards and 4 touchdowns on 15 of 29 passing, making him most effective the second one Bears quarterback with 4 or extra passing touchdowns in consecutive video games because the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, becoming a member of Jay Cutler’s run from Weeks 16 and 17 all through the 2009 season. 

Since the rest can occur on the subject of the NFL, what is subsequent, you ask? Well, listed here are 5 bold predictions for this weekend’s Week 5 slate.      

1. Colts disenchanted Titans, snap seven-game house shedding streak

The Tennessee Titans have gained 5 consecutive matchups as opposed to the Indianapolis Colts, and all 5 of the ones matchups noticed Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill, Titans working again Derrick Henry and Colts working again Jonathan Taylor take the sphere. Both groups had been running with their stars. Taylor hasn’t suited up but in a recreation this season, however it is affordable to be expecting his go back Sunday after being eligible to play in Week 5 following the primary 4 weeks of the season spent at the bodily not able to accomplish listing. He absolutely practiced Wednesday and Thursday this week.

However, the Titans’ run of dominance over their AFC South competitors ends this week. The major reason why for this prediction is the fourth general pick out within the 2023 NFL Draft, Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson. He is coming off a Week 4 efficiency through which he totaled 200 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, 56 speeding yards and a speeding landing in a 29-23 extra time defeat towards the Los Angeles Rams. His stat-stuffing effort dug Indianapolis out of a 23-0 third-quarter deceit. It’s simple to peer how he did it. Check out this clip underneath of Richardson’s rocket launcher arm rifling a final touch over the pinnacle of a Rams defender and into his receiver’s fingers. 

That is implausible stuff. The Titans have misplaced 5 consecutive highway video games, two of that have befell this season. That isn’t implausible stuff. Their offense averages 89.0 fewer passing yards consistent with recreation and 92.0 fewer speeding yards consistent with recreation at the highway this season. The Titans even have the Tenth-worst passing protection, permitting 241.3 passing yards consistent with recreation, and their secondary’s 102.6 passer score allowed to opposing quarterbacks is the sixth-highest within the league. Those are very best prerequisites for Richardson to have a large day and elevate the Colts to victory.

2. Zach Wilson throws a couple of move TDs in a recreation for moment week in a row, leads Jets to win over Russell Wilson’s Broncos

What Jets quarterback Zach Wilson did in Gang Green’s 23-20 loss to the protecting Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 4 got here throughout as Jets’ fan-fiction. He totaled 245 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions on 28 of 39 passing for a 105.2 passer score, as Sunday night time marked the primary recreation of Wilson’s profession through which he had a couple of passing touchdowns and no interceptions in a recreation. He even outplayed reigning NFL and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, changing into the primary quarterback to have extra completions, extra passing yards, extra passing touchdowns and less interceptions than Mahomes in a recreation throughout his 127 begins in school and the NFL.

This week, he’ll do it once more by throwing a couple of passing touchdowns towards the Broncos whilst main Gang Green to victory. This is a bold prediction as a result of Wilson hasn’t ever had consecutive video games with a couple of passing touchdowns in his NFL profession. In reality, he has two passing touchdowns and 9 interceptions in his 5 video games following a multi-passing landing contest. Wilson can have a favorable touchdown-to-interception ratio Sunday, shredding Denver’s protection that ranks final within the NFL in scoring protection (37.5 issues consistent with recreation allowed), overall protection (461.5 overall yards consistent with recreation) and yards consistent with play allowed (7.0). 

3. Josh Allen performs turnover-free soccer in win vs. Jaguars, snaps unpleasant streak

 Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is balling out at this time, main the NFL in final touch proportion (76.6%), overall touchdowns (10) and passer score (125.8) during the last 3 weeks all through his workforce’s three-game profitable streak. This run has propelled him to the highest odds to transform the 2023 NFL MVP. 

Allen is for sure enjoying at an elite stage at this time, however his recreation has a turnover computer virus to it. His 85 turnovers since coming into the NFL in 2018 are probably the most within the league, and he hasn’t made it via consecutive begins with no turnover since 2020, the longest lively streak of any quarterback within the NFL (38 video games). He did not have a turnover Sunday in Buffalo’s 48-20 beatdown of the Miami Dolphins as he accumulated 320 passing yards and 4 passing touchdowns on 21 of 25 passing whilst additionally tacking on a speeding landing and 17 speeding yards on 4 carries. Allen will stay the great instances rolling in London towards the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday by enjoying some other blank recreation to finish his turnover streak and proceed to extend his MVP odds.

4. Ravens blow out Steelers for first assembly in collection made up our minds by no less than a landing since 2019

The Ravens and Steelers matchups play out at the box the best way they’re narratively categorized: tricky, hard-nosed, gritty, hard-hitting and tightly contested. There had been six consecutive video games within the competition which have been made up our minds by 5 or fewer issues, tied for the fifth-longest such streak of any matchup in NFL historical past. 

Since Mike Tomlin changed into the Steelers’ head trainer in 2007, this competition has noticed 22 video games made up our minds by 5 or fewer issues, probably the most within the NFL for any matchup by seven video games. 

However, Sunday’s matchup might not be shut. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is ready to play in his first recreation towards the Steelers in 672 days, his first since Week 13 of the 2021 season, a 20-10 Pittsburgh victory. The Jackson this is set as much as take the sphere in Pittsburgh in Week 5 is on hearth. He is coming off his first profession recreation with two passing touchdowns and two speeding touchdowns in a 28-3 Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns, a workforce that had allowed just one offensive landing within the first 3 weeks of the 2023 season. Jackson could also be the one participant in NFL historical past with a final touch proportion of 70% or upper (74.3%, second-best within the NFL) and 4 speeding touchdowns within the first 4 video games of a season. 

On the Steelers facet, their offense has scored its fewest offensive issues (48) via 4 video games because the 2001 season, and they’re coming off a 30-6 blowout defeat towards the Houston Texans. Their offensive line has allowed the best possible herbal drive allowed (44%) this season in scenarios when dealing with 4 or fewer move rushers. Second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett has 4 turnovers in 4 video games this season, and he has the fewest yards consistent with move strive (6.3) and the worst touchdown-to-interception ratio (7-10) within the NFL with a blank pocket since coming into the league in 2022. Pittsburgh’s offense is cooked underneath offensive coordinator Matt Canada, as their 18.8 issues consistent with recreation since 2021 with him as their OC rank twenty eighth within the league. Its struggles will proceed Sunday, breaking a longstanding run of a laugh, aggressive affairs with the Ravens, its archrivals.

5. Joe Burrow completes no less than 3 passes of 15+ air yards, together with a landing

(*5*)

Bengals Pro Bowl extensive receiver Ja’Marr Chase was once proper. Early within the preseason, after Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a calf harm in coaching camp, his most sensible wideout and LSU BFF, Ja’Marr Chase, declared that he idea Burrow will have to take a seat out till Week 5 if he wasn’t 100%.

“I told him that with all honesty I don’t want him there,” Chase stated on NFL Network on Aug. 4. “Same thing with me last year. I sat out an extra game just to let my hip all the way heal up, and you don’t want to cause no other problems later on in the season, and I told him as long as you’re there after Week 5 and on, we’re good brother.”

Four weeks into the 2023 season, Chase seems to be directly to one thing. The Bengals are 1-3, and with out the power to position as a lot of his decrease frame into this throws, Burrow cannot attach on his patented deep ball. The NFL’s highest-paid participant on an annual foundation — Burrow signed a five-year, $275 million contract extension on Sept. 9 — is 2-for-22 on throws of 15 or extra air yards this season. This is remarkable for Burrow, as he most effective had one recreation with no final touch of 15 or extra air yards in his first 42 profession begins. Now, he has accomplished so in 3 video games in 2023. Across the final two seasons, Burrow led the NFL with 27 passing touchdowns of 15 or extra air yards. His 4.8 yards consistent with move strive are the bottom via a workforce’s first 4 video games since no less than 1950 amongst gamers with no less than 150 passing makes an attempt. 

Joe Burrow passing on throws of 15+ air yards (final 3 seasons)

*Most passing touchdowns on throws of 15+ air yards from 2021-22

However, Burrow will snap out of it Sunday towards the Arizona Cardinals, in a recreation he categorized a “must-win,” by finishing no less than 3 passes of 15-plus air yards, one in every of which is able to opt for a landing. The Cardinals are permitting the ninth-most passing yards consistent with recreation within the NFL (242.5), and their 112.5 passer score allowed on passes of 15 or extra air yards is the sixth-highest within the NFL.

“This is the best I’ve felt after a game, so I’m optimistic,” Burrow stated Wednesday. “My ability to throw hasn’t been affected. Mainly just my ability to move in the pocket, run for first downs, extend plays by that little extra second.”

Burrow will likely be extending his passes downfield Sunday and finishing them at his best possible clip of the season in a victorious effort in a recreation Cincy desperately wishes to maintain within the cutthroat AFC.