The NFL’s Week 5 slate comes with three bold calls, and the theme is pretty clear: a few shaky favorites are about to get pushed to the edge. One undefeated team is on upset alert, another unbeaten club is heading into a matchup that could turn ugly, and a high-scoring track meet in the desert has upset written all over it.
The first prediction centers on Miami, where the Dolphins are still searching for traction after opening the season in rough shape. They’ve scored just 46 points through four games, and they haven’t topped 13 in any of them.
That makes Sunday against Cincinnati a tricky spot, even if the Bengals have shown cracks of their own. Zac Taylor’s team has lost two straight after a 2-0 start, and the defense has been leaking production lately, including four touchdown passes allowed over the last two weeks.
The run defense has also been vulnerable, and after forcing four turnovers in Week 1 against the Buccaneers, Cincinnati has managed only one takeaway over its last three games. The pick here is that Miami finally posts its highest point total of the season, but still comes up short.
The second bold prediction takes aim at one of the league’s three unbeaten teams: Minnesota. Kevin O’Connell’s club has stayed perfect despite a rough offensive profile, with only six offensive touchdowns and 12 field goals through four weeks.
The defense has carried the load, allowing just four offensive touchdowns and a league-low 51 points. But this trip to New Orleans looks like the kind of game that can flip a record.
The Saints have been leaky on defense all season, surrendering 360.3 total yards per game, 16 offensive touchdowns and a league-high 128 points. That total includes 45 points in a 21-point Monday night loss to the Falcons.
The Vikings’ offense may find some openings, but the call here is that Tyler Shough, Chris Olave, and the NFL’s fourth-ranked passing attack do enough to hand Minnesota its first loss of 2026.
The final prediction goes to the desert, where Arizona and Detroit look primed for a scoreboard bonanza. The Cardinals have already shown they can spring a surprise, knocking off the Chargers in Week 1 under new head coach Mike LaFleur.
Since then, though, they’ve dropped three straight and allowed at least 30 points in each defeat. Detroit has been even more volatile on the defensive side.
Dan Campbell’s team has played in games that have produced 246 combined points across four weeks, an average of 61.5 per contest. The Lions have scored 30 or more points in three of four games, but they’ve also given up 30-plus in three of four, and their 11 touchdown passes allowed are tied for the most in the league.
In this one, Jacoby Brissett and company are projected to steal it in a shootout.
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