Graphic by Haley Hoidal
What a week it was in the NFL.
The Philadelphia Eagles won a game of football, the Kansas City Chiefs relied on a powerful offense to lead them to victory and the Detroit Lions failed to score a single point. Truly, it was a week unlike any other.
Through five weeks of NFL action, the contenders, pretenders and everyone in between are beginning to emerge. The Buffalo Bills continued their relatively dominant campaign with a 38-3 thumping of the Pittsburgh Steelers, while the New York Jets surprised everyone by putting up 40 against a seemingly solid Miami Dolphins outfit.
In the NFC, the Dallas Cowboys won their fourth straight game by battering the Los Angeles Rams 22-10 at SoFi Stadium. The New York Giants flew all the way to London to upset Aaron Rodgers and his Green Bay Packers 27-22. In what may be the most contentious division in the NFL right now, three NFC East teams go into Week 6 with four wins each.
Week 6 features the first bye weeks for four teams. Highlighting the 14-game fixture list is a rematch of that 2021 AFC Divisional Round matchup, as the Chiefs and Bills square off at Arrowhead Stadium on Oct. 16. Later that afternoon, the Cowboys and Eagles play to decide who will have the smuggest fanbase going into Week 7.
There’s been a shakeup in the NFL Picks table over the past week. News Editor Samantha Torre has wrestled the top spot away from Assistant Sports Editor Alec Matulka. Special Edition Interactives Assistant Zack Born continues his meteoric rise up the table, while staff writer Maximilian Pohlenz languishes at the bottom after forgetting to turn his picks in on time again.
It’s NFL Picks country, let’s ride!
Thursday, Oct. 13, at 5:15 p.m., PDT
Washington Commanders (1-4) at Chicago Bears (2-3)
- Commanders: Alec, Jaan, Jerry, Lucian
- Bears: Ali, Maximilian, Sam, Zack
“The W Commanders? No. The L Commanders.” — Ali
“My coworker is a Bears fan and I pray for him every day.” — Jerry
“I want to know who paid to get this prime time spot because I am quite frankly bamboozled.” — Sam
“I just feel like I could tame a black bear if I really wanted to.” — Zack
Sunday, Oct. 16, at 10 a.m., PDT
Baltimore Ravens (3-2) at New York Giants (4-1)
- Ravens: Alec, Ali, Jaan, Jerry, Zack
- Giants: Lucian, Maximilian, Sam
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-3) at Indianapolis Colts (2-2-1)
- Jaguars: Alec, Jaan, Jerry, Lucian, Maximilian
- Colts: Ali, Sam, Zack
New England Patriots (2-3) at Cleveland Browns (2-3)
- Patriots: Ali, Jaan, Jerry, Lucian, Maximilian, Zack
- Browns: Alec, Sam
Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) at New Orleans Saints (2-3)
- Bengals: Alec, Ali, Jaan, Jerry, Lucian, Sam
- Saints: Maximilian, Zack
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1-4)
- Bucs: Alec, Ali, Jaan, Jerry, Lucian, Sam, Zack
- Steelers: Maximilian
“The Bucs can just let Tom Brady get sacked every play, and it will be a roughing the passer each time. That’s 15 yards and a first down without even trying.” — Jaan
“I missed a couple of assignments this week and now my grade is a C in one of my classes. How will this affect Tom Brady’s legacy?” — Jerry
“Tom Brady looking kinda washed, but he is gonna need some more scrubbing before he loses to the Steelers.” — Lucian
“Tompa Brady should be easily be able to topple these Pittsburgh youngins.” — Zack
San Francisco 49ers (3-2) at Atlanta Falcons (2-3)
- 49ers: Alec, Ali, Jaan, Jerry, Lucian, Maximilian, Sam, Zack
- Falcons: None
“The Seahawks season is officially in the tubes: I’m dusting off my backup Jimmy Garoppolo jersey as we speak.” — Alec
“No cap, I went back to therapy the week after Jimmy Garbage reentered the lineup.” — Jaan
“It’s that phase of the year where you start to believe in Jimmy G again. Soon to be followed by a collapse at the end of the season, an improbable playoff run only to be let down by Jimmy G.” — Lucian
“I’m enjoying the hope while it lasts.” — Sam
New York Jets (3-2) at Green Bay Packers (3-2)
- Jets: Jaan, Maximilian
- Packers: Alec, Ali, Jerry, Lucian, Sam, Zack
Minnesota Vikings (4-1) at Miami Dolphins (3-2)
- Vikings: Ali, Jaan, Jerry, Lucian, Maximilian, Sam, Zack
- Dolphins: Alec
Sunday, Oct. 16, at 1:05 p.m., PDT
Carolina Panthers (1-4) at Los Angeles Rams (2-3)
- Panthers: Jaan
- Rams: Alec, Ali, Jerry, Lucian, Maximilian, Sam, Zack
Arizona Cardinals (2-3) at Seattle Seahawks (2-3)
- Cardinals: Alec, Lucian, Maximilian, Sam, Zack
- Seahawks: Ali, Jaan, Jerry
Sunday, Oct. 16, at 1:25 p.m., PDT
Buffalo Bills (4-1) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-1)
- Bills: Alec, Ali, Jaan, Jerry, Lucian, Maximilian, Sam, Zack
- Chiefs: None
“You know that Meek Mill song titled ‘Dreams and Nightmares,’ where he says, ‘Ain’t this what they’ve been waiting for?’ Well, Meek Mill, this is what they’ve been waiting for! What a matchup!” — Alec
“Patrick Mahomes after losing to the Bills: ‘Bye-son'” — Ali
“Assuming they win the coin toss, I like the Bills in this one.” — Maximilian
“Josh Allen is not a person. His body is just a flesh vessel for an immortal being whose name, if you heard it, would make you lose your mind.” — Zack
Sunday, Oct. 16, at 5:20 p.m., PDT
Dallas Cowboys (4-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (5-0)
- Cowboys: Jerry
- Eagles: Alec, Ali, Jaan, Lucian, Maximilian, Sam, Zack
“If I see one more smug Eagles fan post a meme on social media about how their team is ‘back up,’ I am going to lose my mind.” — Alec
“I still want an A in Gary Metzker’s class, so I will be an annoying Cowboys fan this week.” — Jerry
“The Cowboys always fail when you need them the most.” — Maximilian
“Dak Prescott may return this week! Consider this a lock for the Eagles.” — Zack
Monday, Oct. 17, at 5:15 p.m., PDT
Denver Broncos (2-3) at Los Angeles Chargers (3-2)
- Broncos: None
- Chargers: Alec, Ali, Jaan, Jerry, Lucian, Maximilian, Sam, Zack
“Russell country, let’s lose.” — Alec
“Russ has been working hard this week, cooking up another L.” — Ali
“Russell Wilson is the Ja Morant of the NFL.” — Jerry
“The horse has jumped the fence and is running aimlessly in a field somewhere.” — Sam
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Follow the Graphic on Twitter: @PeppGraphic
Email Alec Matulka: alec.matulka@pepperdine.edu
