2026 NFL Season ~ Week Five

Oct 8

5 min read

Emmie and Canasta with Bob… offering up the Golden Choices

Quick show of hands. Put them up in the air.

Now, keep them up if you thought the Giants would be leading the NFC East after four games.

Keep them up if you thought the Browns and Ravens would share the lead in the AFC North after four games.

Keep them up if you thought the Chargers wouldn’t have a win after four games.

There had better be no hands in the air. In fact, if you kept your hands up after we asked about the Giants, you had better be wearing a team sweatshirt along with having a team logo credit card in your wallet. (Honestly, even their most die-hard fans would never have expected 3-0 at home and all alone in the lead of the division.)

The point is, we are now four weeks into the season, and it’s just about time to begin shaking off the early season surprises and realize some things may have more merit than any of us thought possible. Surprises are surprises. Anything can happen once. Week after week may be reality.

Cardinals top the Chargers easily in week one? What the heck is going on? Chargers move along and lose three more, including to the Raiders at home? Well, the Cardinals settled right back to expectations, plus now we know the 0-4 Chargers are awful.

Still, don’t get completely sucked in. All of us were shaking our heads in disbelief when Jim Harbaugh declared Justin Herbert would be considered the greatest quarterback ever when he finished his career. It’s tempting to point at the four games in 2026 that Herbert has delivered in defense of his coach’s opinion and use it as evidence to support a claim that Harbaugh may have suffered a head injury this summer. Even so, I’d caution you not to act on the concept of Herbert finishing the year below 60% in completion percentage and with more interceptions than touchdowns. Unless we learn of an undisclosed injury, there are still a lot of games to be played. Best ever? Herbert? No. Better than the first four games of 2026? Herbert? Yes.

For now, we’re still wrapping up a few of the scenarios that reduced last week’s post. So, quick hits on fifteen games. Next week we’ll finally get into deeper thoughts about teams, players, and picks. And I’m holding back on sharing the standings for Emmie, Canasta, and me until next week as well.

Bye week has arrived. Odds taken from USA Today. Off we go…

Tampa Bay at Dallas (-8)

I happen to be a fan of the Buccaneers. Long story dating back to much younger days and family that had moved to Florida. Not a “you can only pick one” favorite, but a solid fan.

Watching the way potential and opportunity have been wasted since Tom Brady retired has been, frankly, unreal. And before you say anything – seriously, before saying anything – consider 2026. 0-4 after four games. Three losses at home that include Cleveland and the stumbling, bumbling Green Bay as opponents. Yup, the Bucs have lost to the Browns and the 2026 Packers.

Wow.

So, pick them on the road against the Cowboys? Early-season Cowboys? Nope.

Bob: Dallas

Emmie: Dallas

Canasta: Tampa Bay

Philadelphia at Jacksonville (-7.5)

Watching the Eagles grasp the railing of the caboose as the Super Bowl victory emotions slowly fade has been, at times, really confusing and painful.

Are the Jaguars going to the Super Bowl this season? No, I don’t think so. But I do believe they are on a mission to build confidence and leave no doubt in any week.

Bob: Jacksonville

Emmie: Philadelphia

Canasta: Jacksonville

Cincinnati (-6.5) at Miami

Nope. Nope. Nothing to see here.

(I said nope.)

Bob: Cincinnati

Emmie: Miami

Canasta: Cincinnati

Las Vegas at New England (-3.5)

The Raiders had a nice start. The Patriots finally showed up to make an appearance worthy of the improvements 2025 promised.

(And I say that fully believing that the Raiders are going to be a steady, dangerous team this year. Kirk Cousins isn’t a champion. He is a regular season stalwart.)

Bob: New England

Emmie: Las Vegas

Canasta: Las Vegas

Minnesota (-2) at New Orleans

Yeah. See, it’s like this. As much as I want to believe the Saints are building and improving, the reality remains true enough to appreciate as fact: Good in the NFC South in recent years is mediocre at best against the other seven divisions.

Bob: Minnesota

Emmie: New Orleans

Canasta: New Orleans

Cleveland at New York (Jets) (-1.5)

Wouldn’t it be just like the Browns to reach a point where they can get rid of Deshaun Watson and move on, only to play him as the starter and wind up deciding the fully guaranteed milk in the fridge – that was spoiled years ago and should have been thrown away long before now – is going to be fine in 2027 and beyond?

Yeah. It absolutely would.

Both of these teams are looking impressive only because the bar couldn’t have been set any lower this year.

Bob: New York

Emmie: New York

Canasta: New York

Indianapolis at Pittsburgh (-2.5)

I have this idea kicking around that Aaron Rodgers hung up his football gear a few seasons ago. The thought is based on his career officially ending on April 26, 2023. (Don’t look it up. That’s the day he was traded from the Packers to the Jets.) I may never be able to prove that. But if not that day a few seasons ago, I do believe October 1, 2026 will be the date remembered later this year as the evening Pittsburgh fans closed the book on him.

Bob: Indianapolis

Emmie: Indianapolis

Canasta: Pittsburgh

Houston (-7.5) at Tennessee

Heads Houston. Tails Tennessee. Ok?

Canasta, flip the coin. Canasta? Canasta, get back here.

Bob: Houston

Emmie: Tennessee

Canasta: Houston

New York (Giants) at Washington (-3.5)

Washington beat Seattle. Remember that in a couple of seconds. Just don’t remember it here.

Bob: New York

Emmie: New York

Canasta: New York

Chicago (-2.5) at Green Bay

Yeah, I don’t have it in me to try and defend the Packers.

Bob: Chicago

Emmie: Green Bay

Canasta: Chicago

Denver (-3.5) at Los Angeles (Chargers)

Until the Chargers sort out whatever the heck is going on and prove it in multiple games, I’m out.

Bob: Denver

Emmie: Los Angeles

Canasta: Los Angeles

Detroit (-5.5) at Arizona

Do I think the Lions are a great team? No, I do not. At least not anymore.

But they are far more dangerous than the Cardinals. (For those of you keeping calendars and clocks, it apparently struck midnight for Arizona’s 2026 season about fifteen minutes after the week one game ended.)

Bob: Detroit

Emmie: Detroit

Canasta: Detroit

San Francisco at Seattle (-3)

Seattle lost to Washington.

San Francisco is looking like a beast.

Bob: San Francisco

Emmie: Seattle

Canasta: San Francisco

Baltimore at Atlanta (-3.5)

How are the Ravens underdogs? How?

Bob: Baltimore

Emmie: Baltimore

Canasta: Atlanta

Buffalo at Los Angeles (Rams) (-3)

I have to admit, this one gave me pause. I want to believe the Rams are that good. And I think they will be that good. But Buffalo has something swirling around them. Might be that new stadium smell. Could be folks talking about windows still slightly ajar but soon to close.

Bob: Buffalo

Emmie: Los Angeles

Canasta: Los Angeles