3 must-see games in Week 5
It's Week 5 already!
With a quarter of the season in the books, it's evident that the NFL's "haves" will continue to have while the "have-nots" will remain out in the football cold. Since a Week 2 anomaly in which the Raiders, Bucs, Browns, and Jags all won, those teams have gone a combined 1-7. Meanwhile, the Patriots and Packers continue to roll on, seemingly unchallenged.
Here are this week's must-see games:
Seattle Seahawks at Cincinnati Bengals
It's a rematch of the 1988 AFC Divisional Playoff. Gone are the wild, untamed, 80's hairstyles of QBs Boomer Esiason and Dave Krieg; here are the reasonable trims of Russell Wilson and Andy Dalton. Now those are a couple of haircuts you can set your watch to!
Wilson was incredible at times in Seattle's Week 4 win over the Detroit Lions, evading pass-rushers with the ease and grace of a man drunk on recovery water. The Seahawks have withstood some early punches and may now be rounding into form as they have the past two seasons.
The Bengals are one of five 4-0 teams, looking to stay undefeated and notch a signature win in the process.
New England Patriots at Dallas Cowboys
This game gets downgraded because of the absence of Tony Romo and Dez Bryant, but it's still a marquee matchup as the Patriots are trying to repeat the scornful dominance of their post-spygate 2007 season. And they have even more to be scornful about this week.
Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy, coming back from a suspension for a domestic violence incident, had this to say about Sunday's game:
"I love seeing Tom Brady. He's cool," Hardy said. "Have you seen his wife? I hope she comes to the game, I hope her sister comes to the game, all her friends come to the game. One of my favorite games of the year, guys."
Uh, Greg ...
St. Louis Rams at Green Bay Packers
The Rams will get a chance to prove they belong among the league's best on Sunday when they face everybody's favorite small market team.
This matchup is probably this season's best example of strength versus strength as the Rams' defense will face a Packers offense that has appeared unstoppable at times this season. If the defensive line can find away to pressure Rodgers, the Rams may have a chance.
This could also be Todd Gurley's introduction to the nation (Todd, everybody. Everybody, Todd).