NFL Week 5 Betting Primer: Best Over/Under, Spread, Teaser, and Prop Bets

Green Bay Packers at Cincinnati Bengals

Over/Under: 50

Remember when the sky was seemingly falling in Green Bay after the Pack got decimated in Week 1 by five touchdowns?

Yeah, this time the peculiar questioning of Aaron Rodgers didn’t even require a “R-E-L-A-X” speech from the future Hall of Famer. Since dropping the opener, the Packers have won their last three ballgames by an average of 10 points and Rodgers is back to doing the things that make us collectively drop our jaws in awe.

Rodgers, when he’s rolling, is as sharp as anyone throughout time that’s ever graced the quarterback position. The ceiling is obviously incredibly high for Green Bay when this is so, hence why they led the NFL in scoring (31.5 points per game) only a year ago. Thus, just keep trusting the wannabe Jeopardy-host star.

To the credit of his opponent in this one, Cincinnati sports a considerably better defense over last year. Note how they’ve surrendered more than 21 points just once so far after being victimized for such an output in more than half their games in 2020. New names have turned the tide.

However, now the Bengals are starting to endure some health concerns. Both starting corners, Chidobe Awuzie (groin) and Trae Waynes (hamstring), enter dinged up, with the latter tabbed as questionable. Arguably the club’s main free-agent acquisition on the defensive side of the ball, Larry Ogunjobi (knee), is questionable as well. Playmaker Jessie Bates (neck) isn’t at full strength, either.

This is the supreme Green Bay Packers offense we’re talking about, a group that will pick apart any opposition if there’s even a hint of not being able to keep up. They should have their way in this spot.

Squaring off against Rodgers may actually be the future version of himself in Joe Burrow, who continues to look more and more like a franchise quarterback.

Like his counterpart, Burrow also comes into this contest hot, as he’ll be following up arguably his best game as a pro in which he logged a career-best 132.8 passer rating. Granted, that came at the expense of the lowly Jaguars, but still, it was a comeback triumph in prime time.

The outlook of this young offense looks extremely promising. Freshman wide-out Ja’Marr Chase has impressed while gelling with his old college QB1, even leading Cincy in receiving yards. Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins are also thriving. We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that stud Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (shoulder) has already been declared out.

Running back Joe Mixon (ankle) is the one wrench that could potentially be thrown into our plans for a high-scoring bout, being labeled questionable, but even if he is out, that’s not necessarily such a bad thing. The Bengals would throw more, something that only preserves more clock.

No matter what, that has to be the likely game plan anyway in order to keep up with Rodgers and his cast. Buckle up and enjoy what figures to be to be one of Sunday’s more entertaining showdowns.

Pick: OVER 50 (-110)

Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers

Spread: Broncos PK/Steelers PK

Is it possible for there to be a “must-win” game in Week 5? If you’re the Steelers, sitting at an unsettling 1-3 and looking up at all of your fellow residents in the AFC North division, that just might be the case.

After throttling the Bills in the season opener, it’s been all downhill for one of football’s most prestigious franchises. The competition isn’t about to get any easier, either, as the 3-1 Broncos come into town.

Despite the difference in win-loss records, oddsmakers elected to make this a “pick ’em” (once it was announced Teddy Bridgewater would most likely play), meaning you just have to nail the winner.

As much criticism as Ben Roethlisberger has been drawing, I’ll put my money on the 18-year veteran. This offense is better than what they’ve showcased thus far and the site of this clash could be the difference. It’s really tough to win in Heinz Field on the road, illustrated by how Big Ben and Co. are 35-15 at home since the 2015 campaign. Denver, meanwhile, hasn’t won more than three games away from Mile High in one season in five years.

Pick: STEELERS PK (+105)

GB-CIN O50 —> O37

NE-HOU U39.5 —> U52.5

Browns +2.5 —> +15.5

BUF-KC O56.5 —> O43.5

OK, normally, I don’t advise attaching what is essentially the same bet across multiple wagers, but after telling you in hundreds of words why there will be a healthy amount of scoring at Paul Brown Stadium this week, we should be good for a final point total at least into the low 40’s.

Two other over/unders also comprise our Week 5 teaser proposition. In Patriots-Texans, where could 53 points possibly come from? Only if half the scoring output was churned out by Davis Mills pick-sixes.

For Bills-Chiefs, it’s Josh Allen standing toe-to-toe opposite the great Patrick Mahomes on Sunday Night Football. Unsurprisingly, this has drawn the highest total of the young season. When they collided in the AFC Championship Game last year, the result was 62 points and there’s a chance they could even top that.

And in our one spread of the teaser, have to like the Browns getting a more-than-two-touchdown cushion in a matchup with L.A. that they could perhaps win straight up.

Carson Wentz Over/Under 8.5 Rushing Yards

The world of props can be very endearing when pursuing random, odd bets like this.

In gambling, such strategies can be the most favorable on any given week. And here, we have an unusual one featuring a middling quarterback that could potentially profit on just one scramble.

Here’s the key: Carson Wentz (ankles) is finally getting healthy. That’s evident based on the fact he’s coming off a full practice for the first time since Week 1.

Well, with the former Philly signal-caller building his previouslyinjured ankles back to normal strength, his ability to scramble also gets restored, meaning it wouldn’t really take anything out of the norm to surpass this meager amount of eight yards.

Wentz has always exhibited a penchant for using his feet to keep opposing defenses on their toes. Even this year while playing banged up, he’s registered at least that number in three of four bouts.

All eyes may be on the feet of the other starting QB, Lamar Jackson, come Monday night, but they really should be on a healthy Wentz as well for his mobility.

Pick: OVER 8.5 Rushing Yards (-120)