As the NFL season marches into October, it’s time to add a little spice – pumpkin spice? – to our projections.
Even with only two undefeated teams remaining and a muddled middle of the pack, there’s still some separation emerging between the league’s top contenders and its also-rans. Still, any pecking order hardly holds firm on a week-to-week basis, with the Denver Broncos’ upset of the New York Jets last Sunday among the latest reminders that surprises are bound to materialize somewhere on the schedule.
With that in mind, here are the Week 5 bold predictions from USA TODAY Sports’ NFL writers and columnists:
Stefon Diggs will post his first 100-yard game as a Texan
The Buffalo Bills are coming to Houston. And it would be quite the Texas welcome if Stefon Diggs can mark his role as a host with his first 100-yard game in a Houston uniform…and remind his former team of his presence as one of the NFL’s best receivers.
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No, the Bills’ passing game hasn’t evaporated without Diggs, traded during the offseason for a second-round pick. Until last weekend’s beatdown in Baltimore, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen was off to the best start of his career through three games, spreading the passes to an array of passes. Yet Diggs was the focal point in Buffalo for so many years, so it’ll be interesting to see how the trade works out for both of these teams envisioning a path to a championship.
As it stands now, Diggs is such an enticing subplot to this matchup of 3-1 AFC contenders. After all, he hasn’t posted a triple-digit receiving game since Week 6 of 2023 (10 catches, 100 yards vs. New York Giants). Maybe he’s overdue. After posting five 100-yard games in the first six games last season, Diggs has gone 17 consecutive games (including playoffs) without a 100-yard showing. That stretch includes his final 13 games in a Buffalo uniform – which coincided with the changeover that occurred with the offense after Joe Brady took over as coordinator and featured the rushing attack ignited by James Cook. Diggs, incidentally, had his most productive game as a Texan when he faced his other former team, the Minnesota Vikings, in Week 3. He fell just shy of cracking 100, though, with 94 yards on 10 receptions. It should also be noted that Buffalo, ranked sixth against the pass, has yet to allow a 100-yard receiver this season. Maybe now is the time for Diggs to distinguish himself in more ways than one.
— Jarrett Bell
0-4 Jaguars earn first win
The lone winless team in the NFL will finally get into the victory column.
Three of the Jaguars’ losses have been by one score. Jacksonville actually played its best game of the season last week, albeit in a loss. Brian Thomas Jr. notched a career-high in receptions (6) and Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby combined for 140 rushing yards in Week 4.
If the Jaguars can build on those three performances, Trevor Lawrence plays consistent, and the defense gives up 24 points or less – which it has done three times already – the Jaguars should be able to get their first win in of the season against a Colts team that Jacksonville swept last year.
The Jaguars have lost nine of their last 10 games dating back to last season. Losing has taken place far too often for a talented Jags roster. Every Jacksonville loss raises the temperature on head coach Doug Pederson’s seat, but Lawrence deserves some of the blame as well for his inconsistent performances from week to week.
— Tyler Dragon
Rookies rally
When Week 5 wraps, I’m betting – or picking anyway – that all of the rookie quarterback who are starting (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix) will have their teams sitting above .500 and (very prematurely) projected into the playoff field. Said another way, for the second consecutive week, they will collectively go 3-0. Williams, the No. 1 overall pick of the Chicago Bears, is coming off the most efficient start of his nascent career and next takes aim at the team he might be playing for – Carolina – if circumstances were slightly different. Nix’s Denver Broncos have won two straight, partially because he’s taking better care of the ball, and they’ll now host the Las Vegas Raiders (and their various issues) at altitude. And not much else to say about Offensive Rookie of the Month Jayden Daniels, but even if he doesn’t quite sustain his historic accuracy over this last four-game stretch, still a very realistic shot the multi-talented 2023 Heisman Trophy winner can take down the struggling Browns.
— Nate Davis
Travis Kelce finally goes off
Jason Kelce – Travis’ big bro – had a fun mini-rant on their “New Heights” podcast this week that echoed what the Chiefs have been saying since the start of the season: the stats don’t tell all of Kelce’s 2024 story.
The Chiefs tight end started to be more of a factor in last week’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers, as he went for 89 receiving yards on seven catches (nine targets). Those numbers can nearly double against the New Orleans Saints despite the Saints having one of the NFL’s better defenses. Kansas City is without Rashee Rice and Isiah Pacheco; rookie wideout Xavier Worthy is a speed threat only at the moment. Patrick Mahomes needs his ol’ pal Kelce more than ever.
Kelce loves — loves! — the spotlight. “Monday Night Football” is center stage. Don’t be surprised if Kelce has not only his best game of the young season but what will end up being one of his best performances of the year. He’ll find the end zone, perhaps more than once, and will near the 150-yard mark.
— Chris Bumbaca
Patrick Mahomes moves into NFL lead for interceptions, but Chiefs still win
While Mahomes’ run of five interceptions in his first four games – including at least one in each contest – has involved some bad luck, there’s little question that the two-time MVP is pressing. That problem could only get worse with top target Rashee Rice out and defenses likely to continue blanketing Travis Kelce.
Monday’s matchup against the Saints could provide a solid indication of just how far Mahomes is willing to stray from the more discerning style he has employed at a time when defenses dare him to be more patient and try to deny him anything deep. While New Orleans’ defense hasn’t been suffocating, it has managed to allow the sixth-fewest points thanks to the stingiest performance in the red zone, where the unit has allowed a touchdown on just 22.2% of its drives.
If the Chiefs fall in an early hole or get off schedule, they could face trouble against a unit that has already corralled six interceptions this season. That could prompt Mahomes into forcing the issue in certain spots, which might vault him into at least a tie with Will Levis – who is off this week – and Anthony Richardson for the NFL lead in interceptions.
Still, it’s too hard to pick against the undefeated two-time champs, especially with the defensive backing they enjoy. The Chiefs might escape unscathed, but it could be another close call.
— Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz