The NFL Roundup 2019: Week 5

Written by John Edward Betancourt

​Week 5 in the NFL is another important milestone within the framework of the regular season, simply because we’re now a quarter of the way through, and we have an idea of who is potentially going to complete in the playoffs, and those are the teams we keep a close eye upon. Because the ones that are close to seeing everything come together, work a little harder to get the kinks out in month number two of the season, and the ones that know how to wow us already, only continue to impress. Which means this is the week where some truly impressive football games are played, and some powerful moments happen on the field, the kind that keep us talking for days and with that in mind, it’s best we take a moment to preview some of the incredible games that are headed our way this weekend, along with a quick look at which storylines will likely keep us talking.
 
Will Kirk Cousins finally put it together this weekend?  
While I fully understand the fact that there’s an adjustment period for any player that joins a new team, one would think that the player in question would be comfortable and thriving in their second year with said team. Which is why I am so concerned with QB Kirk Cousins and his performance with the Minnesota Vikings. Because the Vikings paid him top dollar to be their new signal caller, and surrounded him with talent and offensive minds that most quarterbacks would kill for, so why on earth is #8 playing so badly? Obviously, there’s no one direct answer to that question, but something is clearly holding Cousins back and whatever it is, he needs to let go of it because it’s obvious that his teammates are losing faith in him. Which means that he needs to have a big game this weekend and light up the scoreboard with touchdowns. But honestly, I don’t think he will, I think we’ve seen his peak and now we’re watching his decline, so expect this weekend’s matchup with the Giants to be an ugly one since Kirk Cousins can’t get out of his own way.
 
Will the Rams rebound against the Seahawks?
Make no mistake about it, the Los Angeles Rams lost in ugly, ugly fashion last week, and I’m sure they’re still smarting from having Tampa Bay drop 55 points on the vaunted Wade Philips defense. Which means that the only way to wipe away those bad memories is to take it out on their next opponent and whip them good, but there’s only one problem when it comes to that, they’re next game has them headed to Seattle to play the Seahawks. And right now, the ‘Hawks are playing some lights out football, complete with some stout defense. Which means Los Angeles has to bring their A game and keep a level head for all four quarters. Because Seattle is fully aware of the fact that the Rams can be beaten and will make every effort to drop them and honestly, if the Rams look stunned once again this weekend, when the Seahawks punch them in the mouth, expect them to endure their second straight loss of the season.
 
Will the Cardinals finally win a game this weekend?
It’s rare to see a team adopt the mantra ‘close, but no cigar’, but that is precisely the motto of the 2019 Arizona Cardinals. Because over the course of the first four weeks, this is a team that keeps flirting with winning, and sometimes they get quite close, only to stumble in the final minutes of the game or they let their opponent set the tone for the game and that’s led to four weeks of heartbreak for Cards fans. But they’re playing the outright awful Bengals this weekend, meaning there’s a chance they can finally secure a win. But when one considers their up and down track record this season, can they actually pull a victory off? The answer to that question is yes, provided of course they do one key thing; they need to set the tempo for the game. Because this team can no longer afford to play reactionary football, they have to get out there and control every facet of this matchup, and if they can do just that, and not back down when the Bengals push back, they’ve got their first win of the season, in the bag. 

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The Most Fascinating Games to Watch This Weekend 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2) at New Orleans Saints (3-1)
Mercedes-Benz Superdome – New Orleans, LA
Sunday, October 6, 2019 – 1:00 p.m. EST – FOX 

If this game was two weeks ago, I wouldn’t have paid it any mind and expected the Saints to just roll over the Bucs no problem. But the impressive win that that Tampa Bay put up over the Rams last week adds new depth to this game. Because the Bucs are likely fired up and confident heading into this one, which means they are probably going to give the Saints a run for their money, and that’s a win for the fans. Because we might be treated to a good old fashioned shootout in this game, the kind that might come down to the wire when all is said and done and while I do expect New Orleans to win this one in the end because they are a solid team, I really get the feeling this one is going to be a ton of fun. 

Green Bay Packers (3-1) at Dallas Cowboys (3-1)
AT&T Stadium – Arlington, TX
Sunday, October 6, 2019 – 4:25 p.m. EST – FOX 

It’s always a wonderful thing when two powerhouse NFC teams take the field for a contest since it often ends in a thrilling game, and this one goes above and beyond that criteria since both of these teams have had a wonderful start to the year. But the key reason that this matchup is on my radar is simply due to the fact that both of these teams suffered some tough losses in Week 4. Which means that both of these squads have something to prove and firmly believe they need to right some wrongs, and what better way to do that, than by beating a conference opponent, one that you might see in the playoffs? So, I’m definitely expecting both Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott to take some deep shots early in this game to try and set the tone, and I also expect them to engender a couple of revenge drives when the other team scores and really, the bottom line; is that this game is one that cannot be missed. 

Monday Night Football
Cleveland Browns (2-2) at San Francisco 49ers (3-0)
Levi’s Stadium – Santa Clara, CA
8:15 p.m. EST – ESPN

​A couple of years ago, a prime-time game featuring these two teams could be easily missed because both squads were lurking in the NFL’s basement, talent wise. But my how the times have changed. For the Browns are loaded to the brim with stars on offense for a change, and the 49ers are finally seeing several years of chess involving trades and the draft and free agency pay off in spades, since this is their best start to a season in forever. Which means that when these two teams take the field on Monday Night, we can expect one entertaining game, one where both Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo will do their best to show to the football world that they are indeed the answer for their respective squad and honestly, I think this game will come down to mistakes and it should be interesting to see which team can play flawless football for four quarters.