NFL Week 5 Staff Picks: Seahawks to flex their muscles on Monday night

Each week during the NFL season, the staff at theScore will put on their prognosticator hats and offer up selections against the spread on each of the week’s top games, highlighting several marquee matchups.

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Unanimous selections: Packers -9, Seahawks -7

Unanimous selections are 5-10 ATS for the season. Last week: 0-4 ATS.

Marquee Matchups

Houston Texans at Dallas Cowboys (-6)

Chris Battaglia: Last week’s performance by the Cowboys was the exception, not the rule. Meanwhile, J.J. Watt is a force of nature for Houston. The Texans are capable of slowing down Dallas’s running game, which is the key to neutralizing the Cowboys offense. Texans +6

Gino Bottero: Both teams are going to try their best to establish their running games, and both should achieve a fair level of success. The Cowboys have played way over their heads on the defensive side of the ball, and while defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli deserves plenty of credit for making that happen, it's only a matter of time before their deficiencies on that side of the ball catch up with them. Texans +6

Caitlyn Holroyd: Thanks to a big victory over the Saints, the Cowboys are 3-1 for the first time since 2008. The Texans are also 3-1 to start the season, but were dealt a much more favorable schedule than the Cowboys. DeMarco Murray should have no problem rolling over the Texans defense, which is allowing 130.2 rushing yards per game. Cowboys -6

Arizona Cardinals at Denver Broncos (-7)

Battaglia: Even at home, Peyton Manning can’t be as effective against an elite secondary like the one Arizona fields every week. Denver has struggled to close games, allowing teams to claw back, often within a touchdown. Expect the Cardinals to make this one close. Cardinals +7

Bottero: The Broncos have had a week to stew over their loss in Seattle, and all of that frustration figures to be taken out on a Cardinals team that's shorthanded at quarterback. The Broncos haven't been firing on all cylinders, and it's scary to think of what that offense will look like once Montee Ball and Demaryius Thomas get going. Broncos -7

Holroyd: Both teams are off to a strong start this season, and will be well-rested after enjoying a Week 4 bye. Carson Palmer is expected to make his return to the Cardinals lineup after a two-game absence, which should provide a much-needed boost to a passing attack that is averaging a mere 230 yards per game. The Broncos are 7-1-1 against the Cardinals all-time, but this is a much different team than the one they last faced four years ago. Cardinals +7

Cincinnati Bengals (-1.5) at New England Patriots

Battaglia: New England isn't the perennial contender it once was, nor is Tom Brady the quarterback he once was. Cincinnati will be well-rested coming off its bye week and Andy Dalton has impressed three games into his massive six-year contract. The Bengals defeated the Patriots in a defensive battle last season and appear to be in position to repeat that result. Bengals -1.5

Bottero: It's so tough to pick against Bill Belichick and Tom Brady in a bounce back spot, particularly at Foxborough, but the Bengals are the far better team right now. The Patriots' biggest problem at the moment is along the offensive line and that's a problem the Bengals will be happy to exploit. On the other side of the ball, the Patriots rush defense was just exposed to the tune of 207 yards by the Kansas City Chiefs. Tough to imagine they get that fixed on a short week. Bengals -1.5

Holroyd: The Patriots suffered an embarrassing loss at the hands of the Chiefs in Week 4, and must now contend with the 3-0 Bengals. New England's offense has been mediocre at best through four games, while the defense is coming off a game in which they allowed 303 yards in the first half.  Home has served the Patriots well, though, as they are 10-0 in their last 10 games at Gillette Stadium. Patriots +1.5

Wild Card Selections

Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers (-3)

Battaglia: Chicago was embarrassed by the rival Green Bay Packers last week, which makes them dangerous against an opponent like Carolina. The Bears want to bounce back, while the Panthers are simply looking to regain their footing after a pair of lopsided losses. Chicago seems to fare better against option quarterbacks like the Panthers’ Cam Newton than traditional pocket passers. Bears +3

Cleveland Browns (-1.5) at Tennessee Titans

Bottero: The Browns surely won't be installed as favorites for long as this number figures to swing back around in the Titans' favor by kickoff. Even still, expect Cleveland to come away victorious in this one. This is a sneaky good Browns team that's been effective at moving the ball with Brian Hoyer at quarterback and regardless of who's running the ball. Browns +1.5

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints (-10.5)

Holroyd: The Saints' struggles continued in Week 4 with a 38-17 loss to the Cowboys. However, they have proven to be a much more dependable team within the confines of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, which could spell trouble for the 1-3 Bucs. The Saints also hold an all-time record of 27-17 against their NFC South rivals. Saints -10.5

Lines courtesy Scoresandodds.com.