NFL Week 5 will be going through a bit of scheduling changes that will run up till Tuesday, but the NFL has been able to adjust.
Contributors
Jeff Fawver – @Jtfawver
Santiago Leon – @sleon
Two scheduling changes for Week 5 — and a potential one for Week 6 — were announced by the NFL on Thursday as a result of COVID-19 cases affecting multiple NFL teams.
Week 5 of the NFL is scheduled to have…
• Thursday Night game
• 7 early games on Sunday
• 4 late window Sunday games
• Sunday Night game
• 2 Monday Night games
• Tuesday night game
Predictions
NFL
Carolina (2-2) at Atlanta (0-4)
1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Point spread: Falcons -2
Jeff: Falcons
Jacksonville (2-2) at Houston (0-4)
1 p.m. ET (CBS)
Point spread: Texans -6
Jeff: Houston
Arizona (2-2) at N.Y. Jets (0-4)
1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Point spread: Cardinals -7
Jeff: Arizona
Philadelphia (1-2-1) at Pittsburgh (3-0)
1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Point spread: Steelers -7
Jeff: Steelers
Cincinnati (1-2-1) at Baltimore (3-1)
1 p.m. ET (CBS)
Point spread: Ravens -13.5
Jeff: Ravens
L.A. Rams (2-2) at Washington (0-4)
1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Point spread: Rams -7
Jeff: LA Rams
Las Vegas (2-2) at Kansas City (4-0)
1 p.m. ET (CBS)
Point spread: Chiefs -13
Jeff: Chiefs
Miami (1-3) at San Francisco (2-2)
4:05 p.m. ET (Fox)
Point spread: 49ers -9
Jeff: 49ers
N.Y. Giants (0-4) at Dallas (1-3)
4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)
Point spread: Cowboys -9.5
Jeff: Cowboys
Indianapolis (3-1) at Cleveland (3-1)
4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)
Point spread: Colts -1.5
Jeff: Browns
Minnesota (1-3) at Seattle (4-0)
8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)
Point spread: Seahawks -7.5
Jeff: Seattle
NBA
Game 5: Lakers vs Heat
Jeff: Lakers
Poll Question
What is your favorite #cupcake flavor?
Vanilla- 44.4%, Red Velvet- 33.3%, Chocolate – 11.%, Carrot Cake %11
Jeff: Vanilla
Transcript
Santiago Leon
The sports cast October 9 2020. If you haven’t yet, please subscribe in all our channels Periscope, YouTube and iTunes. And if you’re an iTunes, please leave a rating and a review. It will help us out tremendously. We’re also on da be online digital radio, and you can listen to it on the sports cast app on for iOS or at the sports cast dotnet. You can also look us up on Twitter at the sports cast one the sport cast one, the NFL week five gets a little bit crazy but NFL is getting their bearings. Correct. They’ve moved a couple games towards the week of next week shift to some games during the weekend. But we’re here to flesh it out. We got Jeff Farber all the way in Pennsylvania. Welcome back to the sports cast.
Jeff Fawver
I appreciate it. Thanks.
Santiago Leon
So Jeff two scheduling changes for week five and a potential one for week six. were announced by the NFL yesterday as a result of COVID-19 cases affecting multiple NFL teams. The Denver Broncos at New England Patriots game was originally scheduled for Sunday is now scheduled for Monday, f Monday for early evening on ESPN and the Buffalo Bills game at Tennessee is not going to be set on Tuesday, Tuesday night on CBS. And the Kansas City Chiefs at Bill’s game week six game set for next Thursday will be moved to later in the weekend. Should the bills and Titans be played for Tuesday? We’ll be playing via Tuesday for the league’s official release. Jeff, are you okay with these schedule changes, but hey, we gotta get these games played.
Jeff Fawver
Better than canceling game. I mean, unfortunately, it’s just the reality of how things are right now that games are gonna get moved around. And teams are gonna have to make the most of it. I think the only thing that if you’re a builder or a Steelers fan, the thing that stinks is that the building Steelers didn’t do anything wrong, but they’re kind of the ones get punished for this. Because on Thursday Night Football, the home team has a clear advantage. And the bills would have been hosting the Chiefs on a short week. And now they lose not only do they lose that advantage, but because their game is on a Tuesday, they’re actually going to end up having a shorter week than what the Chiefs do. So it really worked out against them. But, you know, thankfully, I think I do think tank again,
Santiago Leon
something to definitely look at, of course, the NFL has the Muslim games, the Titans were not forced to forfeit. Thank God for that for them. But they definitely have kept a tighter lid on the protocols. they’ve they’ve strict did not take the protocols a little bit. So the teams will not fall into these issues. Hopefully they might add an 18th week, Jeff, we think about that.
Jeff Fawver
If it takes to get the season in, I’m all for it. I’d rather I’d rather push the end of the season back to get all the games and then have to forfeit the game or do something like that. And the thing too, is really if you want a high quality playoff. I think the NFL screwed up by moving to just one by week in the playoffs. And I think that if it does work out that they have to add a week at the end, it’ll actually make for a better playoff because you won’t have whoever’s playing in the NFC and AFC Championship games, having, you know, definitely having a team that had the playoffs three weeks. So we’ll see how that all plays out. But whatever it takes for every team to play 16 games is what I think makes the most sense.
Santiago Leon
And the Phil’s trying to make it work. I know MLB had issues with the Marlins early on but they figure it out and now they’re in the playoffs anyways. Are you ready to make some predictions for week five of the NFL?
Jeff Fawver
Absolutely.
Santiago Leon
All right, let’s start with Carolina at Atlanta. 1pm. What are your thoughts? Will this be the first win for Atlanta and MetLife?
Jeff Fawver
Yeah, the Falcons have. They’ve had a couple games
played well.
So I think we’ll finish this game and give the Packers you know, the Packers were probably the better team even if the Falcons are completely healthy while the Packers have their own injury concerns but the Falcons were probably more beat up and so I mean, free game the Falcons have been right there they just didn’t finish the game.
So I think this will be the week that
Santiago Leon
a homemade running gives me gives me some points for fantasy. Let’s go to jaguars at the Houston Texans Of course they just fired coach O’Brien new coach on the helm. Jacksonville has our army. One like their last game? Um, Jeff, what do you think’s gonna happen?
Jeff Fawver
The Texans will start winning some games. And I this this should be one of the day when the better quarterback not to me. Mr. Chu is a fun story. And he’s a good quarterback. But the Shaun Watson still has superstar potential. Not the I’m not the biggest fan of any type of interim coach. And it’s really early in the season to have to fire a coach. But I do think the Texans will. I think they’ll get back on track to some extent here. And I think the windows game
Santiago Leon
coach O’Brien was that a good decision to let him go?
Jeff Fawver
The stories that are coming out now makes it sound like he completely lost the team. And if that’s the case, then you should get rid of him as soon as you can. But the other side of that is we’re only four games into the season. So those things that were going on, that caused him to get fired, were both likely going on last year too. So in all reality, if they were going to get
rid of the guy, they would have been better off
getting rid of them in the offseason so that they can replace them. Because now they’re gonna they’re kind of stuck. And Romeo crono does not have a favorable coaching history. So, really, this year is going to be difficult for the Texas.
Santiago Leon
Arizona Cardinals visit the Meadowlands against the New York Jets Joe Flacco is starting Jeff would this make a difference and make and help the New York Jets win their first game? No.
Jeff Fawver
Donald is far from the issue there the Jets have 100 issues and I don’t think Donald is one of them and putting Joe Flacco back there who can’t move and the last time we saw him play it looks really for with the Broncos and you know he played a little bit last game. I think the Cardinals are going to get back on track that game. Man right now and putting Flacco back there is gonna make things even worse.
Santiago Leon
Yeah, Arizona has had a shaky two weeks prior, the Eagles at the Pittsburgh Steelers a Pennsylvania Darby What do you think’s gonna happen there Jeff
Jeff Fawver
Steelers are gonna win that one. And the Eagles do generally play the Steelers really tough. But what would worry me as an Eagles fan as the Global Offensive line has been beat up. And the Steelers concern one place. I mean, their whole defense is really good. But where the Steelers really wreak havoc as they played some of these games where they can get pressure with without blessing. And when that happens, it’s really tough to offset what their defense does, because they have such a good pass rush with watt and to it and Hayward. And then you know bud Dupree has games where he played well. So I just I look at it and went hasn’t protected the ball and I do think it’s encouraging that the Eagles found a way to win that game in San Francisco. But this is a different you know, the niners are just ravaged by injuries and the Eagles are too I mean eagles are just as many as they do. But the Steelers are a lot healthier team. And that that’s gonna be a lot to ask the Eagles defense. So to win that game, Eagles defense is gonna need one heck of a performance but I just I don’t know that they have that dominant performance in them. How do
Santiago Leon
you think Carson Wentz will do
Jeff Fawver
it’s gonna be a rough day for him just because the Steelers you know the Steelers will give up some plays. But don’t forget to turn the ball over. They’ll hit the quarterback a lot and went pulled the ball a long time and I get that some of that allows him to make plays. But he he doesn’t protect the ball well and if you don’t protect the ball against the Steelers, you’re in trouble because they’re going to force turnovers from a lot of guys, but if you don’t protect the ball and you’re playing the feelers it’s gonna be an issue.
Santiago Leon
The Cincinnati Bengals visit the Baltimore Ravens, of course, Lamar Jackson has some injury issues, but he will be playing this weekend. Jeff, what’s gonna happen there That
Jeff Fawver
Historically, the bangles have kind of hung top and even upset the Ravens a couple times, but I don’t I don’t see that this time. I see. I don’t think that’s a very close game. The Ravens just outmatch over I should say overmatch the battles, right. I don’t think the bangles have the firepower to keep up. And you know, the Ravens run that offense where they just run the ball and run the ball and run the ball and do just enough throwing it to keep you to keep drives alive. And I don’t think the Bengals defense was going to be able to get off the field. And that that’s gonna have a long term effect on them. As the game goes a lot. I think the Ravens will win handily.
Santiago Leon
The LA Rams visit the Washington football team. Of course, Ron Rivera named Kyle Allen as a starting quarterback pushing Dwayne Haskins as the third quarterback Alice Smith, which Jeff is very familiar with is QB to Jeff, will this make a difference for the Washington football team?
Jeff Fawver
No. Unfortunately, if you’re in week five of the season, and you’re already changing quarterbacks, your quarterback room as a whole is just a mess. Because obviously Allen didn’t win the job half. Half now how can you know Haskins has not played football, I don’t know how you can watch anything that he’s done and say that he’s played well. So I understand wanting to make a change. But it’s going to be tough for the Washington football team because the sport guy in the quarterback room is really going to lift the teammates around look at even our mess. If it gets to the point where he’s in our suit, the guy that can keep the shifts steady. The things around him are going What? Oh, but he’s not going to make the players around him better. So they’re just in a tough spot right now their defense I from what I’ve watched is that their defense has played well. But the offenses as they’re consistent consistently.
Santiago Leon
Vegas visited the Kansas City Chiefs scored the Chiefs come off a great great win against the Patriots. What’s gonna happen there? Mr. Jeff Farber,
Jeff Fawver
the Raiders the Raiders gradually improved, and I think they have more playmakers now than they’ve had in a long time. But the issue is going to be this the Chiefs defense played really well. And they should from what I’m seeing I should be getting Chris Jones back which is a big big boost to that.
Santiago Leon
Kenny Raiders these
Jeff Fawver
the Raiders thief has a problem and in keeping a close game because the Raiders defensive they can’t cover a foal. Now. Any Given Sunday anything could happen to the chief have a mental letdown. Could they have a game they just don’t play? Well? Yeah, any of those things could happen. But when you look at the weapons the Chiefs have I I don’t know what the Raiders do. Everybody wants everybody starts with Tyree kill, and everybody says you can’t let Tyree kill just run down the field catching a VCR bomb. But the Raiders don’t have the personnel to be able to take away that second option. If they bracket Hill and do everything that takes him away. Thank telsey and walk in a layer and even Hardman are just gonna get incredibly favorable matchups.So if the Chiefs should score a ton and historically when the Raiders get behind, then car starts turning the ball over and that’s just what I see happening. The Chiefs offense will put too much pressure on the Raiders defense corps will turn the ball over it’ll be a double digit win for the Chiefs
Santiago Leon
can achieve start I mean can achieve stop a Raiders Deron Waller
Jeff Fawver
No, I mean he’s, he’s gonna get his he’s gonna have a nice game and Jacobson is gonna have a nice game. But what they will do is they’ll be able to slow them down enough that I don’t think the Raiders will finish as many drives make them settle for some field goals. So at the end of the game, when you look back at the statistics, I think those guys will have pretty good game, but it won’t be enough to win the game.
Santiago Leon
Let’s go to the four o’clock hour the Miami Dolphins versus the Miami Dolphins at the San Francisco 49 and enters a potentially to attack Hello starred Jeff what’s gonna happen of course Bravo is still out. What is your prediction?
Jeff Fawver
the niners man. Even with all this crazy amount of injuries the niners have they still have a lot more talent on their defense, which is just crazy to say, because I’m missing so so much. And anytime you travel the boy across the country, it’s hard. So it that’s a tough one, I lean towards the niners, because I think that their defense will play really well. And on offense, they continue to be able to run the ball, it seems like no matter who’s back there, they can run the ball quite a bit. Now, their quarterback position, they’re another team that’s the quarterback position is a bit of a mess. But it’s often I mean, maybe two surprises. Maybe he can do what Herbert did come in and hit the ground running but but more often than not with rookie quarterbacks up, it takes a couple games to get the lifetime zero. So I could see the niners winning this game, but maybe the dolphins still, you know have their hope for the future,
Santiago Leon
making it close a big NFC match up. The New York Giants at the Dallas Cowboys. giants are one game away from a playoff spot. Dallas has been struggling and they’re calling this the Jason Garrett revenge bowl Jeff is gonna be as exciting as last week’s a cowboy game.
Jeff Fawver
Well, if the Cowboys give the same effort that they gave late in that game against the browns, on defense, that is they’re in trouble no matter who they play. I mean, now the Cowboys often deserve some credit because they really busted their tails to come back in that game. But my goodness, I mean, the defense just look like they didn’t want to be on the field at the end of that game. And that’s not you can’t let that happen more, you know, multiple weeks and drag on. I still think I wanted to win the game because the Giants the Giants play hard to see what they’re trying to build but they just don’t have the roster yet. So I think the Cowboys
Santiago Leon
cowboys win in Dallas next one in Annapolis Colts at the Cleveland Browns Browns were clicking last week in Dallas. Nick Chubb is out. Kareem hunt is limited practice but is expected to start will this continue or with a cult win this one?
Jeff Fawver
The brown I like the brown. So the Colts are kind of getting wrapped up is like this great defense. And they do have some really nice players on defense. They, you know not to completely discredited. But when you look at who they play, they really haven’t played an offense the challenges much of anybody. So when I look at it, this will be the first time to call defenses and tested. And I don’t break Baker Mayfield but I think even with Kareem hunt, they can run the ball enough to keep the pressure off Mayfield and the Browns defense will play well at home. So I like the browns.
Santiago Leon
Very similar name Kareem hunt used to play for the Kansas City Chiefs. Sunday Night Football the Minnesota Vikings at Seattle feels like Minnesota has to win this. But Jeff, what do you think realistically? What will happen?
Jeff Fawver
It’s a win for Seattle. The Vikings are just another one of those teams that surprised in a negative way. I expected them to be better, but they’re not. And I think they they miss dig. We all do. They would best dig. But they miss them more than we realize. And I I don’t see them as a dominant defense. And that’s, that’s what they need to be to be really good. If they’re going to be a good team, their defense has to be dominant. And they’re not right now. Russell Wilson is playing as well as any player in the NFL if you had to pick because it’s incredibly, incredibly early. But if you had to pick an MVP right now, I think it has to be Russell Wilson. So the Seahawks are gonna win. There
Santiago Leon
you have it. That was the week five predictions. Jeff, give us some closing words for week five.
Jeff Fawver
I’m excited the NFL still going? I mean, I know there’s been I agree. on the radar here. Yeah, you know, there’s been some blips on the radar with COVID. But, and everybody, there are so many people that always have all the answers, because they’re not in a position to have to make the decisions. But I think the NFL overall has done a really good job. I mean, they’re dealing with a difficult situation. And anytime you have that many players on a roster, not everybody’s going to buy in the protocols and even if they should, I mean, if you put 100 people in a room, you can’t get everybody to agree on a pizza topic. So that’s true. I just think, yeah, it’s, it’s hard and this is this is something that’s never really happened before they’ve had to deal with before. So I think the NFL has done a really good job and I think a lot of the teams have to and it’s It’s just awesome that even though it’s different this year, it’s a little bit weird with no fans and most of the places, it is a little bit weird and different. I just think it’s still awesome that we have NFL games right now and we’re continuing to have.
Santiago Leon
I agree the shift is great, of course moving the game to Tuesday. I don’t mind having football week, but we’ll see. I think the Chiefs in bills game, we’ll see if that game is still on because hey, Josh Allen versus Patrick mahomes. I want to see that.
Jeff Fawver
That will be Josh Allen right now. And again, you don’t want to give out yearly awards after four weeks. But right now, I don’t see how Josh Allen isn’t the most improved player in the NFL. He He looks like a different guy and getting digs, which then allowed smokey brown to move to the second receiver spot that might end up we might end up looking back at that thing. That was the best move in the entire NFL. And I think that’s a large part of what has helped Josh Allen get where he is now.
Santiago Leon
Well there you have it. You can definitely fall all most of the NFL games this weekend on our Twitter at the sports cast one because we’ll be live tweeting a few one game on the 1pm window, the four o’clock window and Sunday Night Football window so definitely take a look at that. Tonight is the NBA game five. Who went game five within the Lakers and heat.
Jeff Fawver
Lakers.
Santiago Leon
Lakers clinch it for Kobe.
Jeff Fawver
You know the heat if they were gonna make a series of it. They had to win that last game. it to me. Yeah, it’s a wrap.
Santiago Leon
Yeah, I mean, this will go game seven if Lakers lose tonight the winning game six.
Jeff Fawver
But that’s how I feel as well.
Santiago Leon
Worst case scenario for the Lakers. And Laker fans. 9pm tonight, Lakers in heat Poll Question of the day. Jeff, what is your favorite cupcake flavor, and the options are vanilla, red velvet. Chocolate or carrot cake.
Jeff Fawver
I for the for the cupcake itself. I’m actually a vanilla guy. I like the I like the white cake. But I like chocolate icing. So I like the combo.
Santiago Leon
That’s good combo. I have vanilla is is at 44% raw velvet and 33 chocolate is tied with carrot cake at 11
Jeff Fawver
I don’t know who voted for carrot cake. But I don’t know who would do that.
Santiago Leon
You’re not carrot cake fan.
Jeff Fawver
Or you know what?
Santiago Leon
Oh wow. I’m a huge fan.
Jeff Fawver
If I want to eat like a veggie, I guess carrots not even technically a vegetable. It’s a route. But we’ll just call it a vegetable for now. Like, I don’t want vegetables in my in my desert. You know, either. I’ll eat vegetables, but I either have the vegetables or I eat dessert. I don’t eat them together.
Santiago Leon
I agree. I don’t put pineapple on pizza either.
Jeff Fawver
You would I’m on the wrong. I would Yeah, I’m on the wrong side of that one. I’ll do pineapple on pizza. As long as it’s with ham and it’s Hawaiian. Yeah, yeah, I’m alright. But yeah, I’m good with it. Then.
Santiago Leon
Breaking News NFL Senior VP of officiating Perry fool in foreign clubs and a memo today that any individual who approaches an official without a face covering is subject to a 15 yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Jeff Fawver
Oh boy, here we go.
Santiago Leon
Anyways, Jeff, what is the best way for people to reach you talk to you about sportsmanship?
Jeff Fawver
That’s what I love talking about sportsmanship. So follow along at JT Farber on Twitter.
Santiago Leon
And you can follow us on Twitter at the sports cast one you can follow us all through the NFL games and NBA game tonight. He Lakers and of course on our website, the sports cast dotnet download the app, the sports cast for iPhone only and iPad only for iOS. So check it out. You can listen to our podcast, our live radio station and our news headlines as well. So stay up to date in the world of sports. I’m really happy what’s going on this weekend. Just like what Jeff said. NFL keeps going. You just got to adjust a little bit hopefully just the tight ends and the Patriots have issues. So anyways, Jeff brick show
Jeff Fawver
I appreciate you
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
Santiago Leon is the Founder and CEO of the Sports Cast. He covers NFL, NBA, and world soccer. He’s also founder of sleon productions, which he specializes in technology and serves clients with solutions to make their business grow.
