Updated: October 16, 2025
Here we go with our NFL Picks Week 5. Good luck to everyone.
Free NFL Picks Week 5 – October 06th – October 11th 2016
Arizona at San Francisco
After being upset by the Los Angeles Rams last week, things are starting to look bleak for the Arizona Cardinals. They'll likely be without starting quarterback
Carson Palmer on Thursday, as he remains in the concussion protocol after being injured on Sunday. Over the last seven games, Arizona is 1-6 in San Francisco, and their one win came last year when they narrowly escaped with a 19-13 win. Still, they have too much at stake going into this game to lose it, even if it's with Drew Stanton under center.
Pick: Arizona.
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Washington at Baltimore
This should be a “taking care of business” game for the Ravens. They lost at home to the Oakland Raiders last Sunday, in a game they were favored to win. The Redskins have a porous run defense and have struggled to score in the red zone this year. Baltimore usually plays best when they're at home, and they need this win to keep pace in the ultra-competitive AFC North.
Pick: Baltimore
New England at Cleveland
The beauty of the NFL's regular season is that you barely have any time to revel in big victories, or get mired in bad defeats. The Patriots were certainly on the latter end last week, after being shut out by Buffalo by a 16-0 score. With Tom Brady returning from suspension this week, look for a reinvigorated Patriots team to unleash their fury on the rest of the NFL.
Pick: New England.
Philadelphia at Detroit
After a week off (bye week) to let the mania subside, the Eagles and rookie sensation Carson Wentz travel to Detroit to take on the floundering Detroit Lions. The Lions are coming off a reprehensible defeat at the hands of the Bears last Sunday, and things could start to get very uncomfortable for Lions head coach Jim Caldwell if Detroit loses their fourth game in a row on Sunday.
Pick: Philadelphia
Chicago at Indianapolis
There's no other way to put it: these are two of the very worst teams in the NFL. The Colts are one borderline-miraculous play away from being an 0-4 football team, and the Bears lone victory came at the expense of the equally-underperforming Lions. At least the Bears have the excuse of missing their starting quarterback, running back, and six starters on defense, due to injury. The Colts? They're just plain underperforming. They should beat the Bears… but the emphasis is on “should.”
Pick: Indianapolis.
Tennessee at Miami
Second year quarterback Marcus Mariota is really struggling this season, and it might be time for the Titans to hit the proverbial “panic button” if he doesn't turn things around against the Dolphins' lackluster secondary. The Dolphins have allowed opposing passers a 98.4 rating and managed only one interception, but Mariota has turned the football over seven times this season, contrasting with throwing only four touchdowns this year.
Pick: Tennessee
Houston at Minnesota
It's hard to imagine a scenario where the Minnesota Vikings aren't considered the best team in the NFC right now. They've beaten two teams who many had predicted to be in the postseason — Carolina and the New York Giants — by double-digits, and boast perhaps the most loaded defense in the NFL. They're just playing the style of football they were built for, and doing so at a very high level.
Pick: Minnesota.
New York Jets at Pittsburgh
Much to the likely chagrin of the rest of the league, the Philadelphia Eagles may have awoken the sleeping giant that was the Pittsburgh Steelers offense. After being held out of the endzone by Philadelphia, Pittsburgh took out all their frustration on a very good Chiefs defense. With Le'Veon Bell back in the lineup, the Steelers offense is even more formidable.
Pick: Pittsburgh
Atlanta at Denver
Before the season started, almost nobody could have imagined that this would be the marquee game for Week 5. But, the 4-0 Broncos hosting the 3-1 Falcons could turn out to be a rather interesting matchup. The Broncos defense could be playing at an even higher level than they were during their postseason run last year. The Falcons are coming off a game where they torched the defense of the Carolina Panthers for over 500 yards passing. Something has to give on Sunday.
Pick: Denver.
Cincinnati at Dallas
After starting off the season with underwhelming statistics, rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys leads the NFL in rushing right now, after recording back-to-back games with over 130 yards rushing. He'll face a tough test against the tough defensive line of the Cincinnati Bengals. Cincinnati is one of only two NFL teams to not allow a rushing touchdown this season.
Pick: Cincinnati.
Buffalo at Los Angeles
Both of these teams are coming off major upset victories on the road. Buffalo went into New England and shut out the Patriots for the first time in over two decades. The Rams went to Arizona and beat a Cardinals team that lost one game at home last year. They're both riding two-game winning streaks. Which one ends on Sunday?
Pick: Los Angeles
San Diego at Oakland
Each week, it seems like the San Diego Chargers find new and inventive ways to suffer heartbreaking losses. They've snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in each of their past two games. They'll now have to face an Oakland Raiders team that seems like they're starting to come together.
Pick: Oakland.
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New York Giants at Green Bay
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants may have gone from the league's most exciting receiver to the league's biggest diva at wide receiver. This week, he's making noise about how the game is “no longer fun” for him. Of the Giants three starting receivers, Beckham is the only one without a touchdown catch. He was slow out of the gates in 2015 as well, but he's now gone four straight games without scoring a touchdown; that's the first time in his career that he's done so.
Pick: Green Bay.
Tampa Bay at Carolina
Cam Newton was one of the other Pro Bowl quarterbacks to sustain a concussion last Sunday. While his status remains unknown as of this moment, many people around the league predict he will play on Monday night against Tampa Bay. The Panthers desperately need Newton, considering they're already two games back from the NFC South-leading Atlanta Falcons, whom they just lost to this past Sunday.
Pick: Carolina.
That's it for our
NFL Picks Week 5. We sure hope you're having fun reading our free NFL tips and that you will come back for next week's.
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