Every sports bettor knows that upsets are common place in the NFL. In Week 5, many of the games have small spreads and several of the underdogs are going to be good options not just to cover but also to win on the moneyline.
Advertisement
The top teams are coming into clearer focus now that a quarter of the season is over. However, a handful of lesser teams always tend to surprise each week and pick up the upset win. Here is a look at some of the top NFL underdog plays of Week 5.
Colts (+ 10) vs Patriots
The Indianapolis Colts will be the first underdog to play when they hit the road to face the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football. The Colts are going to have a tough time winning as they are 10-point underdogs. The Colts have a talented quarterback in Andrew Luck and he should be able to orchestrate a late touchdown drive to give Indy a backdoor cover as the underdog.
Jaguars vs Chiefs (+ 3)
The Jacksonville Jaguars are three-point favorites on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs. Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are undefeated and have looked great, but this is a really tough test. An elite defense can make even the best quarterbacks look pedestrian. Look for the Jaguars to pressure Mahomes into an off night which will be the impetus for the upset win.
Broncos (+ 1) vs Jets
The Denver Broncos are a 1-point underdog on the road this week against the New York Jets. The Broncos’ defense is still one of the better units in the NFL and it should feast on rookie quarterback Sam Darnold. Denver is the choice to come away with the small upset over New York. The Jets have looked good in spurts this season but they can be inconsistent and will have trouble against teams with solid defenses because New York is so young on offense.
Falcons (+ 3) vs Steelers
The Atlanta Falcons are missing a defense but their offense is still dominant. Quarterback Matt Ryan is prolific currently and has added a top-tier pass-catching option in Calvin Ridley to go along with star Julio Jones. The Falcons will go on the road this week to face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The game should be highly entertaining, and while Pittsburgh is the choice to win, the Falcons are the pick to cover as 3-point underdogs. This one may be decided by a single point.
Vikings (+ 3) vs Eagles
The Minnesota Vikings are three-point road underdogs in a rematch of the NFC title game when they face off against the Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams have started the year slowly and it will be interesting to see if one or both finds its groove moving forward. The Eagles are still rounding into shape offensively and even though the Minnesota defense has taken its lumps the last few weeks, there is a lot of talent on that side of the ball. Look for the Vikings to keep this game very close or possibly pull off the upset. Either way, the Vikings are the clear choice to cover the spread.
Bills (+ 3.5) vs Titans
The best pick of the week is an underdog that may not be expected to have a great showing. The Buffalo Bills have looked pretty bad for much of the season, but they are at home this week, which is big. Additionally, they are playing against a Tennessee Titans squad which has some talent but is not prone to blowing out opponents.
Buffalo isn’t going to win this game but the Titans are not good enough to run away with it. The 3.5-point spread is important because Tennessee is the choice to win by a field goal. That would give the Bills the cover.
Check out the latest NFL betting odds for Week 5.
