Week 5 features such a crappy lineup of early games that if you need to win some points with the girlfriend or boyfriend, this is the time to schedule some apple picking or antiquing. With a slew of double digit spreads, this should be a snoozefest by 2:00. Make sure you get home by 4 though because there are some intriguing matchups in the late afternoon game. (Readers in time zones other than eastern can do their own math.) The featured games this week are Falcons @ Niners, Patriots @ Broncos, and Jets @ Dolphins. And just for fun, we talk about the UFL, which might have folded during the podcast.

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NFL Week 5 2009 Picks

Straight Up

Against the Spread

Locks of the Week

Vegas Vinny: (3-1, Balance =$950)Vegas Vinny: (3-1, Balance =$950) Pittsburgh doesn’t play Detroit much but when they do, they tend to put an ass whooping on them. Since 2000, the two teams have only met twice and the average margin of victory is 23 points. We’re talking arguably the best franchise of all time versus the unarguably the worst franchise of all time. Throw in the fact that Daunte Culpepper might be starting for the Lions and this looks like a sure win. All the Steelers have to do is contain Calvin Johnson and this game will be over by halftime. I’ll put $55 to win $50 on the Steelers (-10.5) and ride my anti-Detroit winning streak for another week.

BostonMac: (3-1, Balance = $1,145) I was tempted to take Buffalo at home against Cleveland, but I’m going to ride the tide against the Rams again. Last week they were a total disaster in a 35-0 loss to the 49ers, a good team but nowhere near as good as Minnesota is right now. As long as the Vikings continue to pound AP and brettfavre keeps gunslingin’, the Vikings will be hard to beat. Certainly a dysfunctional franchise with the longest losing streak in football won’t put up a fight. I’ll up it a bit this week and put $110 to win $100 on MINNESOTA (-11) over St. Louis.

RJ: (1-3, Balance = $885) All the talk shows, blogs, message boards, water coolers, and I’m sure Tibetan Monks in the remote villages east of Kathmandu are all debating on who’s “for real” after Week 4 of the NFL season. Two teams at the forefront of this debate are the Ravens and Bengals. Sometimes, I can be more impressed with a team coming off a tough loss rather than a team coming off an ugly win. I thought the Ravens and their top-10 defense gave New England all they can handle while Flacco and his top-10 offense came up just a few plays short of a huge win. Cincinnati, on the other hand, has to feel a little fortunate to be 3-1 and not 2-2 or worse 2-1-1 (punting with 1:00 left Marvin Lewis, really?). However, my instincts tell me that nine points might too high for a division game with first place on the line. The way last week (Ten-Jax) went, my instincts need to STFU. Baltimore (-9) over Cincinnati. 55/50.

Trevor Freeman: (0-0, Balance = $1,000) I am going to sound like a complete homer but I love the 49ers this week. They just have a really good vibe going on right now as they are coming off a 35-0 win and just signed Michael Crabtree. The 49ers only loss was on a miracle play in Minnesota by Brett Favre. Meanwhile they do have a signature victory over last year’s NFC Champs in Arizona. Atlanta has beaten nobody of significance and looked awful against New England. The 49ers roll at home.