The 3 NFL games you can’t afford to miss in Week 5

A battle for supremacy in the NFC West and Patrick Mahomes’ first prime time appearance in 2019 headline the must-watch NFL action for Week 5.

We have hit October in the league where they play for pay, and the action is just starting to heat up. There are a ton of intriguing matchups on tap in Week 5 of the NFL season, but we’ll save you some time and highlight the three games you need to watch, beginning with a huge showdown in the NFC West.

Los Angeles Rams (3-1) at Seattle Seahawks (3-1)

The FOX portion of the Thursday Night Football schedule is off to a flying start. After getting the excellent Eagles-Packers showdown a week ago, TNF heads west for a matchup of the NFC West’s two playoff teams from a year ago, the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks.

Both teams enter the week trailing the 3-0 San Francisco 49ers, who got the early Week 4 bye, so a win here is important to keep pace in the division. The Rams and Seahawks both played last week, with each experiencing a much different result.

Los Angeles had perhaps the most shocking loss of the week, getting whacked 55-40 at home by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs moved the ball at will against the Rams’ defense, picking up 464 yards of offense and took advantage of four Rams’ turnovers to pile up the points.

The Seahawks, on the other hand, were victorious on the road in Arizona. The win wasn’t particularly flashy, but the Seahawks were efficient on offense and didn’t turn the football over, which is often a recipe for success.

The Rams swept the season series a year ago, but the game in Seattle was a 33-31 nail biter. Expect another classic meeting between the two NFC West rivals.

Green Bay Packers (3-1) at Dallas Cowboys (3-1)

This is another good game for FOX on Sunday, which will undoubtedly market this contest as America’s Game of the Week. We concur with that assessment, which is why the showdown between the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys makes the list.

The Packers last played on Thursday night, when the Eagles went into Lambeau Field and beat them to end their undefeated start to the season. Aaron Rodgers was driving the Packers for the tying score in the final minute only to have a pass into the end zone intercepted.

The Cowboys had beaten up on three mediocre squads to go to 3-0 on the year, and they faced a reality check on Sunday night in Week 4. The New Orleans Saints were without Drew Brees, but their stifling defense bottled up Ezekiel Elliott and frustrated Dallas all night long.

With these two teams atop their respective divisions, this contest could have significant playoff implications down the road. The Cowboys have a slight edge with this game taking place at Jerry World, but Rodgers has broken Dallas’ hearts on plenty of occasions in the past.

Indianapolis Colts (2-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-0)

This marks the second straight week that the Sunday Night Football matchup is among the best games of the week, a sign that the NFL knows what it’s doing when it makes the schedule. This contest offers a ton of intrigue as the new-look Colts hit the road to take on Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in their first prime time appearance of the season.

The Colts looked very sharp in their first three games of the season and were a few kicks away from being 3-0, but the wheels came off on Sunday in a home loss to the Oakland Raiders. Derek Carr had his way with the Indianapolis defense while the Colts’ offense self-destructed, committing three costly turnovers in a 31-24 loss, including a game-icing pick six from Jacoby Brissett.

The Chiefs were also in a dog fight in Week 4, but survived a feisty Detroit Lions squad to improve to 4-0 on the year. The Lions held Patrick Mahomes without a touchdown pass for the first time since Week 5 of last season, but he made enough plays with his legs to lead the Chiefs down the field for the winning score in the final minute.

This is only the Chiefs’ second home game of the year and their first appearance in prime time, so Arrowhead Stadium will be fired up for this contest. That could make life tough for Indianapolis, which needs a win to keep pace in the very even AFC South, where all four teams enter Week 5 tied atop the division with 2-2 records.