The NFL Roundup 2021: Week 5 Preview

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Well, hello again, football fans and welcome to our Week 5 edition of the NFL Roundup, and boy howdy… do we have some delicious topics to discuss today. Since this weekend’s slate of games sees another rookie quarterback rise to the starting ranks, and of course… we definitely have to talk about some of the elite teams from 2020 that are starting to falter in 2021. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in and examine the top storylines from the field and preview the most exciting games to watch in Week 5 of the NFL.
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Will Justin Fields finally lead the Bears to glory?
After weeks of crying out at Soldier Field to have Justin Fields start permanently for the Chicago Bears, the fans are finally being heard. For yesterday, Head Coach Matt Nagy announced that Fields will be the man going forward and well, does that mean Chicago’s fortunes will change and wins will come in bunches? Probably not. For Fields has looked rough in his first starts, and his completion rate and TD/INT ratio outright stinks. Because he is a rookie and he needs time to learn the game and that means, it won’t be long before Chicago fans struggle with their wish. For this rookie will need some time to learn and grow and that means a lot of losses are in store for the Bears while #1 takes his lumps.
 
Will the Tennessee Titans of old return to the NFL this weekend?
A year ago, we were all applauding the Tennessee Titans for finally figuring it all out and becoming a contender. Because their stellar run game and a revitalized Ryan Tannehill, and their stout defense allowed for them to impress the league and make it into the playoffs. But something has changed this year and the Titans are simply not as good as they were last year. Their defense is porous, the offense is stagnant, and Henry is having an up and down year. Which does leave one to wonder if this is the week, they finally find some confidence and show us the powerhouse team from last year and honestly, I think they will. Because they’re playing the absolutely awful Jaguars, who can’t figure out how to stop teams on defense or finish a drive on offense. So, expect the Titans to roll over the Jags on their way to 3-2.
 
Will the Rams rebound from their tough loss tonight?
The Rams have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2021 season, since they played great football right out of the gate, to the tune of a 3-0 record. But then they ran into the Cardinals and things went south with a rough loss and well, can they rebound from that, with a win against the Seahawks in Seattle? I think the answer to that question, is a resounding yes. Because Seattle just isn’t playing top-tier football right now and they make a lot of missteps on both sides of the ball and L.A. is just going to feast on that. So, expect Matthew Stafford to just carve the ‘Hawks defense up, as the Rams easily find their groove back again, tonight.

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The Most Fascinating Games to Watch This Weekend

Green Bay Packers (3-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-1)
Paul Brown Stadium – Cincinnati, Ohio
Sunday, October 10, 2021 – 1:00 p.m. EST – FOX

​Well, this is a fascinating game for one reason and one reason alone… the Cincinnati Bengals. Because a year ago, this team was a mess and searching for direction. But this year, they’re 3-1 and injecting hope into their fans and really, why this game is of note, is because it is a litmus test for this team. Because much like the Broncos, they’ve played some genuinely awful teams and well, they now face a playoff contender in the Green Bay Packers, who buckled down after their week one loss and well… how they play here will teach us a lot about this team. Because if they hang with the Pack, and/or defeat them, then clearly something special is happening in Cincy. But if they get trounced, we’ll know they’re improving but aren’t quite ready yet for prime time and sadly, I think the latter is going to be the case. Because they’re still a young team that is working hard to jell together, but they’re no match for the seasoned and hungry Packers.

San Francisco 49ers (2-2) at Arizona Cardinals (4-0)
State Farm Stadium – Glendale, Arizona
Sunday, October 10, 2021 – 4:25 p.m. EST – FOX

​This is another game that is of attention because of the home team, but our interest relates to different reasons this time around. Because the Arizona Cardinals are playing their best football in years. In fact, they’re the last undefeated team in the league and that means they can expect quite the test on Sunday. For the Niners want to improve and get back to the Super Bowl and they’ll need divisional wins to make that happen, meaning that they will bring their A game to this matchup. But truth be told, I think the Cardinals are better than we give them credit and they’ll be able to handle the Niners to the tune of a 5-0 record. Because their defense knows when to flex up to stop an opposing offense and Kyler Murray has all the weapons he needs, so this should be a big win for the Cards. One that will help them begin to solidify their grip on the NFC West.

Sunday Night Football
Buffalo Bills (3-1) at Kansas City Chiefs (2-2)
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium – Kansas City, Missouri
8:20 p.m. EST – NBC

​Normally, this a game that wouldn’t be worth spotlighting because the Chiefs would handily win thanks to Patrick Mahomes and his magic arm. But the times have changed for certain and now, this one deserves our attention. Simply because, a Kansas City win on the arm of #15 is no longer a guarantee, thanks to the fact that the KC secondary is in full meltdown mode and costing the team wins with their trash play and that’s a big problem. Because Buffalo is playing lights out football on offense and they are undoubtedly eager to seize upon that weakness and rack up some big points as revenge for losing last year’s AFC Championship game and honestly, I think they’re going to feast upon that awful secondary and walk out of Arrowhead with a huge victory. The kind that might hopefully force KC to think long and hard about upgrading a critical position in a pass happy league.