Perfection remains the NFL’s Golden Unicorn.
It was last seen in 1972. The Miami Dolphins went 17-0 that season. The surviving members of that team could be popping champagne corks as soon as Sunday evening. The lone NFL unbeaten team remaining this season is the not-so-surprising Arizona Cardinals.
The Cardinals (4-0) play host to the 49ers (2-2) in Week 5 . They could be facing rookie QB Trey Lance or veteran QB Jimmy Garoppolo, depending on Garoppolo’s injured calf.
The NFL betting gods have blessed newbie bettors in the Grand Canyon State, giving those of legal age on Arizona sports betting sites the opportunity to wager on a team that is 4-0 outright and 3-1 ATS thus far in 2021. Not to mention one that has embraced the “New NFL” and is throwing the ball 44.6 times per game. That makes the Cardinals nearly as entertaining as they are profitable.
RELATED: NFL Week 5 Odds & Our Free NFL Picks
Kyler Murray moved into the top spot in NFL MVP betting markets this week, either alone at the top (+450 at DraftKings) or sharing space with Patrick Mahomes II. Those odds vary depending on sportsbooks and betting sites. The Cardinals are riding a California high after squelching the LA Rams at SoFi Stadium. They sit in first place atop the NFC West, which has become the NFL’s most-talented division.
The Cardinals are 2-2 against the total. Bettors can blame/thank Arizona’s defense for that. Last week’s game went over the total of 54.5 but only because the Cardinals tallied 37 of the 57 points scored. Arizona moneyline bettors are also deep in the black, scoring big wins in Week 1 (+140 at Caesars over Tennessee) and last Sunday (+180) over the Rams.
The Dallas Cowboys are perfect in 2021, being the lone NFL team 4-0 ATS. The Cowboys have benefitted from some bloated lines, including their +9 marker in Week 1 at Tampa Bay. The Bucs won that one 30-28 on a last-second field goal. Dak Prescott has injected himself deep into the MVP race and has the Cowboys 3-1 on the over. Oddsmakers there have been close, with Dallas netting just 3.1 PPG.
The Cowboys get an early bye of sorts in Week 5 with a visit from the Giants. Big Blue upended the Saints in New Orleans in overtime last week.
More on these games in a bit. Now, it’s on to our Week 5 picks.
Thursday, Oct. 7
Rams at Seahawks, 8:20 p.m. (FOX)
The Rams have their own “Legion of Doom,” led by Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey. Russell Wilson is intimately acquainted, having been sacked by the Rams 16 times in their three meetings last season. The Rams are too complete a team to drop two NFC West games in a row, even on the road in Seattle.
Best Bet: Rams ML (-132) at ResortsCheck out Rams vs Seahawks odds, injury report, betting lines and more.
Sunday, Oct. 10
Jets vs. Falcons, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network)
The Jets and Falcons are playing in England. Unfortunately for their fans, both teams plan to return to the United States. Zach Wilson scored his maiden NFL win last week in OT over the Titans in Week 4. As sacrilegious as this sounds, he will take his next giant step this week against the Falcons. Forgive us for the following.
Check out Jets vs Falcons odds, injury report, betting lines and more.
Lions at Vikings, 1 p.m. (FOX)
The cowardly Lions will continue their winless run in 2021 as the dual-personality and somewhat frustrating-to-watch Vikings bounce back with an easy win in Minneapolis. The Vikings have won 7 straight in this NFC North series and covered 6 times.
Best Bet:
Check out Lions vs Vikings odds, injury report, betting lines and more.
|
Up to $1,500 in Bonus Bets if Your First Bet Loses
|
Used 39 Times Today
|
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Must be 21+ to participate. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (CO, DC, IL, IN, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY) Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI). Visit BetMGM.com for T&Cs. US promotional offers not available in NY, NV, or Puerto Rico.
|
Saints at Washington Football Team, 1 p.m. (CBS)
The Saints lost at home to the Giants last week. They should be relegated. But instead, they’ll face Washington on the road. Jameis Winston and Alvin Kamara should rebound this week. But don’t break your personal debt ceiling wagering on this one either way.
Best Bet:
Check out Saints vs Washington odds , injury report, betting lines and more.
Patriots at Texans, 1 p.m. (CBS)
The Patriots were one “doink” away from possibly winning The Brady Bowl. Their secondary played so well against Brady (keeping him from throwing a TD pass), the Patriots traded Stephon Gilmore to Carolina Wednesday. He is on the IR. Mac Jones will get this team to the playoffs or die trying. He’s thrown 91 passes in the past two weeks but took another vicious beating against Tampa Bay. BTW, Bill Belichick is 22-6 against rookie QBs.
Check out Patriots vs Texans odds, injury report, betting lines and more.
Dolphins at Buccaneers, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Tom Brady holds the NFL record for passing yards and TDs. He’s averaging 339 yards passing per game, and Tampa Bay is 3-1. But the Bucs are 1-3 ATS and their secondary has been decimated by injuries. Tampa Bay is 5-1 in this Battle of Florida since 1992. Good weather and the home crowd should help the Bucs win big. Brian Flores once ran the Patriots defense and knows Brady well. But he won’t be playing. And neither will anyone from those 1972 Dolphins.
Best Bet:
Check out Dolphins vs Buccaneers odds , injury report, betting lines and more.
|
Bet $5, Get $150 If Your Bet Wins |
Used 24 Times Today
|
21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/WY). Void in ONT/OR/NH. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & Resort (KS). 1 per new customer. Min. $5 deposit. Min. $5 bet. Max. $150 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets if your bet wins. Bonus Bets expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: dkng.co/bball. Ends 1/5/25 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DraftKings. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD).
|
Packers at Bengals, 1 p.m. (FOX)
The Aaron Rodgers Redemption tour rolls into Cincy this weekend. Joe Burrow has the Bengals purring – even though they failed to cover against the Jaguars in Week 4. The Packers will face more of challenge than they did against the Steelers last week.
Best Bet: Packers ML (-156) at SugarHouse
Check out Packers vs Bengals odds, injury report, betting lines and more.
Broncos at Steelers, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Ben Roethlisberger has aged a decade in the past two years. But the Broncos lost Teddy Bridgewater to a concussion in their Week 4 loss to Baltimore. Will QB Drew Lock step up this week for the Broncos? Will Najee Harris be enough to push the hometown Steelers past Denver? Stay tuned. Or better off, just watch the RedZone Channel.
Best Bet:
Check out Broncos vs Steelers odds, injury report, betting lines and more.
Eagles at Panthers, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Sam Darnold could outscore the Eagles on his own here. The Panthers scored 28 points at Dallas last week in a game that was never very close. Darnold had 4 TDs last week, including 2 on the ground. Life is good when you leave the Jets. Meanwhile, the Eagles allowed 6 points in Week 1 and 42 points in Week 5. Not a good trend.
Best Bet:
Check out Eagles vs Panthers odds, injury report, betting lines and more.
|
Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins + 3 Free Months of NBA League Pass |
Used 33 Times Today
|
Must be 21+ to participate. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, KY, MI, NJ, OH, PA, IL, TN, VA, VT), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-522-4700 (WY), or visit www.1800gambler.net (WV). GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support (MA). Call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY).
|
Titans at Jaguars, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Can Urban Meyer can make it past the Hooters at Jacksonville Landing and get to the stadium on time for kickoff? Meyer is just one more happy hour from landing his dream job at Southern Cal. The Titans, meanwhile, managed to surpass Meyer’s foolishness by losing to the Jets. Both coaches in this one are nearing the proverbial hot seat. Derrick Henry will get a workout.
Best Bet:
Check out Titans vs Jaguars odds, injury report, betting lines and more.
Browns at Chargers, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
Baker Mayfield vs. Justin Herbert. A preview of next season’s AFC Championship Game. The Chargers offer one of the most-explosive run/pass combos in football in RB Austin Ekeler and Herbert. The Browns will rely on running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt (169 yards on 35 carries combined in Week 4) to keep the Chargers offense off the field. The Chargers (3-1) are tied with Denver and the Raiders atop the AFC West. A lightning delay only charged up Bolts ahead of Monday’s win over Las Vegas. The SoFi crowd should be amped up for this one, too.
Best Bet:
Check out Browns vs Chargers odds, injury report, betting lines and more.
Bears at Raiders, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
Chicago rookie QB Justin Fields gets his first road start in Las Vegas and is now the permanent starter moving forward. His journey as QB1 begins in Sin City. The Las Vegas crowd could be factor for Fields if/when he tries to throw the ball. The Bears offense scored a season-high 14 points last week against Detroit. RB David Montgomery did much of the work, carrying the ball 106 yards for 2 TDs. Derek Carr will return to his high-flying form.
Best Bet:
Take a look at Bears vs Raiders odds, injury report, betting lines and more.
|
Bet $1, Double Your Winnings Your Next 10 Bets
|
Used 50 Times Today
|
Must be 21+ to participate. T&Cs apply.
|
49ers at Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
The 49ers are not the team we thought they were. Neither are the Cardinals. Expect a blowout.
Best Bet:
Check out Cardinals vs 49ers odds, injury report, betting lines and more.
Giants at Cowboys, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
The Giants had their Super Bowl in the Superdome last week, beating the Saints in overtime. The Cowboys have entered the Super Bowl discussion. They’ll need decisive win to keep that up and should get it here.
Best Bet:
Check out Cowboys vs Giants odds, injury report, betting lines and more.
Bills at Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
This matchup offers both a rematch and possible preview of the AFC Championship Game. The Chiefs took the 2021 AFC title game with a 38-24 win over the Bills at Arrowhead. The key players on both teams are back. The NBC Sunday slate this year has been spectacular, delivering massive pregame and in-game betting handles each week. There is nothing here to indicate this game should be any different. Reminder, the Chiefs have covered ATS just twice in their past 15 games and continue to be a profitable play for oddsmakers. This could be where the Bills overtake the Chiefs in the AFC.
Best Bet:
Check out Bills vs Chiefs odds, injury report, betting lines and more.
Monday, Oct. 12
Colts at Ravens, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN)
The Ravens smashed the Broncos in Week 4 in Denver. They should dominate this Monday night affair at home. Lamar Jackson has managed to quietly put himself in position for another MVP run. Indy’s defense can surprise on the upside.
Best Bet: Under 46 Points (-110) at SugarHouse
Check out Ravens vs Colts odds, injury report, betting lines and more.
2021 Record
Last Week: 6-10
Season: 33-30-1
