Week 5 expert predictions for every game

It’s Week 5 of the 2024 NFL season, which means we’ve reached October on the schedule. This is when the contenders begin to separate from the pretenders, when early season successes must prove they’re sustainable for the long haul of fall and winter.

The tension is palpable because there are just two winless records through four games this year. A lot of teams believe they still have a chance to make the playoffs, and this week’s slate offers plenty of opportunities to either confirm that faith or show it’s foolhardy.

There’s an AFC South battle between the first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons, as well as an AFC North showdown pitting the Baltimore Ravens against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Buffalo Bills also visit the Houston Texans in a matchup of AFC contenders. There’s also our first London game when the New York Jets play the Minnesota Vikings, perhaps the most surprising undefeated team.