2014 NFL Predictions Week Five: New England Patriots Lose A Tight One

Oct 6, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; New England Patriots quarterback

(12) passes the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. Cincinnati defeated New England 13-6. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Bengals 20 Patriots 17

I would love to see the Patriots bounce back and get a win tomorrow night, but I can’t bring myself to pick them just yet after last week’s debacle.

With that said, I wouldn’t be surprised one bit to see the Pats come out and snag a victory, because Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are two of the best in NFL history at overcoming adversity. I think New England’s defense will play well, and Brady and company will ride them all game long. It is typicall in games like this where Brady proves his doubters wrong, and goes off. I expect the Patriots to commit to the run game early, which will open up play-action opportunities for the passing offense.

However, a few late breakdowns along the offensive line will be the downfall of the Patriots in this one.

Bears 24 Panthers 16

Carolina has struggled out of the gate, and I believe things are going to get a whole lot worse before they get better. Jay Cutler and his giant wide receiving corps are going to have a field day against the Panthers, and Cam Newton‘s lack of weapons on offense will hurt Carolina tomorrow afternoon.

Browns 21 Titans 17

Cleveland is fresh off a bye week, and with Brian Hoyer playing solid football, and the defense doing good things behind him, I don’t envision any scenario where the Browns lose this game. Joe Haden and company come away with three interceptions, which ultimately puts them over the top.

Eagles 31 Rams 13

The Rams are a mess, and heading to Philly to take on Nick Foles‘ offense won’t help them at all. They don’t have the offensive firepower to match up with the Eagles, and they will be lucky if this one isn’t over by halftime. LeSean McCoy breaks out of his slump and goes off for three touchdowns.

Falcons 34 Giants 28

Prepare for an offensive shootout at MetLife, because neither of these two teams like to play defense. Atlanta is coming off a bad loss to the Vikings, which will light a fire under them, and push them to go out and win this game. Matt Ryan‘s offense is much better than Eli Manning‘s group, even though they just lit up Washington. A late Julio Jones touchdown seals it for the Falcons.

Saints 33 Buccaneers 21

Drew Brees and the Saints have gotten off to a rough start, but at home against Tampa Bay, I just can’t see them losing this game. Yes, the Bucs are coming off a very impressive comeback win over the Steelers, but they won’t be able to outscore Brees’ offense in that dome of theirs. Jimmy Graham has a huge day, leading New Orleans to the win.