Three To Watch: Week 5

Over a quarter of the way through the season and we have a better idea of who is and who isn't in the NFL.  To help you decide where to throw your attention we give you the top three games to watch for Week 5 of the 2012 NFL Season:

3. San Diego Chargers (3-1) at New Orleans Saints (0-4)

Sunday 10/7, 8:20 NBC
New Orleans Superdome
New Orleans, LA

Drew Brees not only faces his former protegee in Philip Rivers and his former team in the Chargers but guns for history having tied Johnny Unitas in consecutive games throwing for a touchdown.  And that's just a subplot.  An off season of turmoil has lead to a terrible regular season.  There's more than one record at stake as the Saints look to win their first of the season.

Prediction: Saints 27 Chargers 17


2. Philadelphia Eagles (3-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2)

Sunday 10/7, 1:00 CBS*
Heinz Field
Pittsburgh, PA

The Steelers come off of a bye week with a bitter taste of a crushing last second defeat at the hands of the Raiders while the Eagles have made history in being the first team in NFL history to win their first three games by two points or less.  The Eagles are an enigmatic team with talent to spare but no cohesive.  The Steelers look to bounce back with a finally healthy roster with the return of Troy Polamalu and James Harrison.  This is a season making win for Vick or Roethlisberger.  For the loser it's possibly a season ender.

Prediction: Steelers 24 Eagles 20

1. Denver Broncos (2-2) at New England Patriots (2-2)

Sunday 10/7, 4:25 CBS*
Gillette Stadium
Foxboro, MA

It's Tom Brady.  It's Peyton Manning.  Little more needs to be said but that's too easy.  Both quarterbacks come in with their teams in unfamiliar positions: At .500.  Neither want to fall below .500 but at the end of the day one of these teams will.  Another big question is which Manning will we see: Week 1 and Week 4 or the weaker Week 2 and Week 3 Manning.  Either way there is more on the line than just Manning vs. Brady, rare for a regular season game.

Prediction: Broncos 31 Patriots 26

One to Avoid:

Houston Texans (4-0) at New York Jets (2-2)

Monday 10/8, 8:30 ESPN
MetLife Stadium
East Rutherford, NJ

The best team in the NFL in the Texans against probably the worst team in the NFL in the Jets.  Don't waste your time, there's playoff baseball on elsewhere.

*Check your local listings
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