The Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles are among the NFL teams that find themselves on upset alert entering Week 5 of the season.
There may not be a better sign of parity in the NFL this season than the fact that we entered October with just one undefeated team. The Philadelphia Eagles managed to get to 4-0 but everyone else in the league has at least one defeat through four weeks, which has featured plenty of upsets in the early going.
The Cleveland Browns were notable upset victims last week, falling in Atlanta to a suspect Falcons team in a game that could cost them dearly down the road. Let’s take a look at three more teams that should be on upset alert in Week 5, beginning with the Los Angeles Chargers.
3. NFL Teams That Should Be On Upset Alert In Week 5 – Los Angeles Chargers
It has been a bit touch and go for the Chargers over the first month of the season as they are just 2-2 over four weeks despite playing their last two games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans. A lingering rib injury has bothered star quarterback Justin Herbert while several other key players are also out with injuries of their own.
The Chargers hit the road again this week as three-point favorites against the Browns, who are going to be desperate to win this game with a brutal schedule lying ahead of them. Travel could also be an issue here for the Chargers, who will be flying East to play this game in the early window, which is never easy for a West Coast team.
There is no question that the Chargers remain a more talented team than the Browns, which is why they are favored in the game. Avoiding the upset will also require more mental fortitude from Los Angeles, a trait they haven’t demonstrated much of in their franchise history.
2. NFL Teams That Should Be On Upset Alert In Week 5 – Philadelphia Eagles
“Heavy is the head that wears the crown” is a mantra that will apply to the Eagles for a bit now as the NFL’s last unbeaten team. Philadelphia found itself in an early hole in Week 4, falling behind the Jaguars 14-0, but Trevor Lawrence essentially fumbled away his team’s chances down the stretch.
There is a lot to like with the Eagles, who can win in a variety of ways and are loaded with playmakers on both sides of the ball. The schedule is also largely favorable for Philadelphia, which can push itself towards the NFC’s top seed if they manage the next few weeks well.
All eyes for the Eagles could be on Week 6’s matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, which could feature the return of Dak Prescott in a game that will be aired in prime time. Looking ahead to that game could leave the Eagles in a tricky spot this week as they head to Arizona to take on the Cardinals.
Philadelphia is favored by 5.5 points against the Cardinals, who have been inconsistent this year but remain very talented and put together their best performance of the season in a road win against Carolina in Week 4. Overlooking Arizona could lead to the 1972 Miami Dolphins popping champagne as the Eagles get upset in the desert.
1. NFL Teams That Should Be On Upset Alert In Week 5 – Miami Dolphins
The drama around the Dolphins remains centered on the handling of Tua Tagovailoa’s concussions, which led to the firing of an independent neurologist who permitted Tagovailoa to re-enter Miami’s Week 3 game against Buffalo and set the stage for Thursday’s frightening episode. Tagovailoa has already been ruled out for Week 5, leaving Teddy Bridgewater set to start at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets.
Bridgewater is a capable backup who did show some nice chemistry with Tyreek Hill in the Dolphins’ Week 4 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals but his upside is nowhere near as high as Tagovailoa’s. The mini-bye will certainly help but road divisional games are never easy with this trip to New York being no exception.
Oddsmakers have set the Dolphins as three-point favorites against the Jets, who saw Zach Wilson make his 2022 debut in style by rallying from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to upset the Steelers in Pittsburgh. The Jets are now 2-2 on the season and looked much more efficient with Wilson running their offense instead of Joe Flacco, making this game more challenging than it appeared two weeks ago.
There is also motivation from New York to snap a 12-game losing streak against divisional opponents and make a statement that they are here to stay. Heading into this game with a backup quarterback is far from ideal and the Dolphins will need to play an excellent all-around game to avoid getting upset by their bitter rivals.