NFC North and West: Week 5

With the first four week in the books, a look ahead to the week 5 match-ups in the NFC North and West. By Eugene Francis Lanzoni

 
NFC North

Detroit Lions (4-0): There's been a lot of hoopla about their perfect start. But let's be honest here, they didn't exactly play stellar teams. And now, they go up against the toothless bears. Expect the Lions to remain unbeaten.
Prediction: Lions over Bears by 14

Green Bay Packers (4-0): Those cheeseheads up north are beginning to look like the only constant in an extraordinarily volatile league power structure. Expect the Green Bay dominance to continue against the woefully underwhelming Falcons.
Prediction: Packers by 10



Chicago Bears (2-2): Jay Cutler must have wept with unrestrained joy after the Bear’s O-line miraculously allowed only one sack last week against the Carolina Panthers. Hopefully he enjoyed his one week respite because Suh and company will be licking their chops to get a piece of him. The Lions should win handily and Chicago earns a moral victory if Cutler isn’t carted off in a body bag. Prediction: Lions by 14

Minnesota Vikings (0-4): The Vikes dropped one aging, washed up signal caller in Brett Favre only to acquire another in Donovan McNabb, who's demonstrated a total inability to throw down field. Consequently this squad has once again devolved into Adrian Peterson versus the world. So if Peterson can’t beat the Cardinals this week, Leslie Frazier and his staff may have to begin PONDERing their other options.
Prediction: Vikings by 3




NFC West

San Francisco 49ers (3-1): Gold! Gold! Gold! The 49ers have struck gold with their 3 win start to the season. After their shocking upset of the Eagles’ supposed super team, the 49ers aim to sink the buccaneers on Sunday. The 49ers defensive front is ranked number four in stopping the rush and as long as Alex Smith doesn’t have to play from behind, San Fran should pull out a win.
Prediction: 49ers by 3

Seattle Seahawks (1-3): Tavaris Jackson has his work cut out for him this week against a formidable Giants pass rush, and without home field advantage the Seahawks don’t stand a chance.
Prediction: Giants by 14

Arizona Cardinals (1-3): The Cards aren’t very good and neither are the Vikings, so I’ll take Adrian Peterson. If the Vikes don’t play with a sense of desperation, their season is going to quickly become nothing more than an Andrew Luck lottery ticket.
Prediction: Vikings by 3

St Louis Rams (0-4): Sam Bradford, Stephen Jackson, and the rest of the Rams have been a monumental disappointment, but their team isn’t entirely to blame. Their schedule for the first half of the season is absurdly difficult for an NFC West team. Assigning Philly, the New York Giants, Baltimore, Washington, Green Bay, Dallas, and New Orleans as their first seven matchups is a travesty. Even with a week five bye it’ll be a challenge for the Rams to turn their season around.
No Prediction here: Bye week