X-Factors for each Week 5 NFL game

This is the first week of the NFL season where teams are on bye, but there is still a plethora of great matchups to look forward to. The league’s international series continues in London, while the schedule also gives fans a bunch of intriguing tilts stateside to keep their eyes on. We’ll take a look at one player in each game who might make all the difference in the outcome.

After three weeks of dormant play from the Bears offense, Chicago’s passing attack came to life last week against the Denver Broncos. This could have been a product of Denver’s struggling defense, but we’ll find out if the Bears have truly turned a corner. To that end, Fuller is going to be tasked with slowing down Chicago WR D.J. Moore, who had a breakout game last week.

Buffalo should care most about what Miller can do for them in January and February, but the veteran pass rusher appears to be on the verge of a return in Week 5. He hasn’t played since Week 12 of last season, and will undoubtedly be eased into the action. Miller led the team in sacks while he was active in 2022.

Atlanta’s running game is something they can lean on, but turnovers from Ridder will severely hurt their chances to win. He tossed two interceptions last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and can’t afford the same type of performance against Houston. Head coach Arthur Smith said Ridder would start in Week 5, but backup Taylor Heinicke might see the field at some point soon.

Carolina has sputtered on offense to begin the year, as rookie quarterback Bryce Young gets his sea legs under him in the NFL. Their offensive line has not helped the neophyte out, which has put him in some difficult situations. Ekwonu will need to keep talented Lions pass rushers like Aidan Hutchinson off of Young if the Panthers are going to have a chance on Sunday.

This should be a closely contested divisional matchup that showcases the rushing attack of both teams. However, Tennessee’s pass defense is known for being subpar, and it’ll be interesting to see if Indianapolis can take advantage of it. Pittman Jr. wasn’t much of a factor in Week 4, but could have several chances to produce against the Titans.

New York was eviscerated on Monday Night Football, as the Seattle Seahawks defense applied relentless pressure on quarterback Daniel Jones. The Giants continue to deal with injuries across their offensive line, which gives Miami a chance to replicate what Seattle achieved. Wilkins should have an opportunity to wreak havoc at the line of scrimmage.

New England’s formidable defense will be without a couple of key pieces for at least a couple of weeks. Linebacker Matthew Judon and rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez are dealing with injuries, and the Patriots hope that Jones can come back from an ankle ailment of his own. His presence will be sorely needed to put a capable body on Saints wide receiver Chris Olave.

Pittsburgh is dealing with a myriad of injuries on offense, so they’ll need to rely on their defense to hang in this game. Baltimore hopes to control the line of scrimmage and force the Steelers to play catch up. Lamar Jackson figures to provide his usual running threat, but if Edwards can also take advantage of running lanes, the Ravens may win the game going away.

Cincinnati continues to be tested in the early part of this season. It seems like there’s a good chance Tee Higgins won’t be able to suit up with his rib injury, but even if he can play he may be compromised. Enter Boyd into the mix, who is one of the best third wide receivers in the NFL. The Bengals shouldn’t experience too much of a drop off if Boyd is forced into heavy duty.

Philadelphia is a good bet to put up points on a weekly basis, which means Los Angeles will need to find a way to generate consistent offensive production. That will not be easy against a vicious Eagles defensive line, but Stafford will either need to hang in the pocket to wait for receivers to come open, or get the ball out quickly.

New York quarterback Zach Wilson received a lot of praise for his performance in Week 4, but he’s still far from a reliable option under center. To that end, Hall will need to continue his remarkable play coming off of a torn ACL in 2022. Ironically, the running back suffered that injury in a game against the Broncos last season.

This figures to be a fun game, with both teams sporting some of the best offensive players in the NFL. The key to who comes out on top might be who has the best plan to slow down the opposition. McDuffie will be a huge part of the equation when it comes to containing Justin Jefferson, but he will undoubtedly have help in the secondary.

This is a rematch of the NFC Divisional playoff game from a year ago that San Francisco won. The 49ers made their presence felt in the trenches, and Prescott was not able to perform consistently enough in that game. He will need to avoid turnovers in the rematch, but also make pressure throws when the game is on the line.

Week 5 ends with an intriguing reunion between former Davante Adams and his former Green Bay teammates. Adams is likely to get the ball early and often in this one, but one of the younger pass catchers tasked with replacing him may be the key to the game. Watson came back from injury last week and scored a touchdown, and is in line to play more in Week 5.