In our weekly #PickFive feature the Sports Ramble staff makes NFL picks for the upcoming week. Five games are chosen by our editors, but our writers can swap out an upset pick instead of the final game.  For more information on our contributors, and to see their sexy mugs, check our Week Two  picks here.

This weeks games are: Vikings @ Bears, Lions @ Texans, Patriots @ Bills, Packers @ Falcons, Eagles @ Cowboys.

Erik Ritland (Sports Ramble podcast host and contributor)
Record: 18-17
Bears
Last Sunday the Vikings showed some signs of who they actually are. Jay Cutler will return with something to prove and the Vikings will be caught napping.
Lions
The Lions offense will have an even easier time with the Texans than the Vikings' did.
Patriots
The Patriots will win, no matter what it takes. Like usual.
Falcons
I want to pick my team, but Matt Ryan and Julio Jones will decimate the Packers secondary. The only way they could win would be in a shootout. Fingers crossed, but I might as well make it a win/win situation by picking against them.
Eagles
Philadelphia proved how much of a force their defense is against the Vikings last week. The Cowboys offense won't be able to keep up.

Mike Coenen (Co-host of the Sports Ramble Podcast)
Record: 21-14
Vikings
The Vikings will be on a mission Monday night, and this will prove to be very scary for Jay Cutler.  Vikings 21-9.
Texans
The Lions have showed signs of life lately, while the Texans have been tanking.  The script gets flipped on Sunday as the Texans win 31-21.
Patriots
The Patriots will be looking for revenge on Sunday, and will find it in upstate New York on Sunday.  Patriots win big over an over-matched Bills team. 34-17 Pats.
Falcons
I’m convinced that the Packers just aren’t that good. And even though I believe the Falcons aren’t quite as good as they’ve appeared early on, they will outscore the Pack in a defenseless game. 41-34 Falcons.
Cowboys
The Cowboys and Dak Prescott will win again and take a commanding lead of the NFC East.  Tony who? 27-13 ‘boys.

Mike Emms (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 18-17
Vikings
Vikings are simply the better team.
Texans
Brock Osweiller has a good game against a mediocre defense
Patriots
With Tom Brady playing Patriots will prove that their loss to the Bills was more about their third string quarterback than anything else.
Falcons
Falcons will win as long as Atlanta can stop the Packers pass rush. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are going to have a big game
Cowboys
They're the better team and they're at home.

Rico Lopez (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 19-16
Vikings
Historically they struggle in Chicago but I think Zimmer will have the team motivated after an embarrassing loss.
Lions
The roar has been restored...
Patriots
I say time after time not to piss off Belichek, I'm thinking he will lay a beat down for that loss they had earlier in the year to the Bills.
Falcons
This is the Packers toughest opponent of the year and they are on the road. I'm predicting a shoot out but the Packers won't be able to keep up.
Eagles
This is a hard game to predict. This Cowboys team seems unstoppable but the Eagles defense is tough. They exposed the weakness of the Vikings (their offensive line) but it won't be as easy this week. But I still think the Eagles will prove why Wentz was picked above Dak.

John Morton (Sports Ramble contributor and co-host of the Fully Alive podcast)
Record: 23-12
Vikings, Texans, Patriots, Falcons, Cowboys

Chip Matthews (Sports  Ramble blog and podcast contributor)
Record: 22-13
Vikings, Lions, Patriots, Falcons, Cowboys

Marshall Nystrom (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 20-15
Vikings, Lions, Patriots, Packers, Eagles

Robert Swinehart (NEW Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 19-16
Vikings, Lions, Patriots, Falcons, Cowboys

Evelyn Moreno (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 19-16
Vikings, Lions, Patriots, Falcons, Cowboys

Tuesday Q and A with the Sports Ramble staff

After weeks of asking this question about the Packers, I finally get the pleasure of asking it about the Vikings: what the hell happened to them this week in Philadelphia?

Mike Emms (Sports Ramble Contributor): Strangely, it was the kind of game I expected but was also a very weird and disjointed game full of anomalies. The Vikings defense played a tremendous game and their offensive line couldn't have blocked a Pop Warner team. The Vikings could have easily won the game but really squandered every single opportunity, i.e. if Andrew Sandejo fell into the endzone instead of at the one  yard line on his interception return and if Anthony Barr scooped and scored instead of safely falling on a fumble recovery, the ineffectiveness of the Vikings offense would have been a small footnote in another Vikings victory. The offensive line is still a glowing weakness.

I don't mean to dismiss what the Eagles did to win, but a lot of crazy stuff had to happen for the game to unfold the way it did. When Is the last time you saw five consecutive drives end in turnovers from the two offenses that have turned the ball over the least prior to the game in question? It was clear that the Vikings team defense was overall excellent whereas the Eagles were simply opportunistic versus a terrible offensive line. Nothing in the Eagles secondary impressed me. The Vikings third takeaway resulted in three points, which turned out to be a bad thing for the Vikings because the ensuing kickoff return that resulted in eight points for the eagles. Carson Wentz mishandled the snap four times but some how maintained possession of the ball on every single one.

I thought the officiating was randomly bad in both directions as well. The refs picked up a flag on a clear pass interference that would have put the vikings offense near the goal line and then completely missed the Vikings committing the same foul in a similar situation the next drive on the Eagle's possession. Normally the Vikings special teams is excellent, but on Sunday they fumbled on a punt, gave up a touch down on a kickoff, and had no lengthy returns for Sherels or Patterson, which made Blair Walsh's field goal kicking the best thing that happened for the Vikings special teams.

And who would have expected that?

Erik Ritland (Sports Ramble podcast host and contributor): The Vikings looked haphazard, uncomfortable, and unprepared, which is strange considering the hard-nosed attitude of their coach. Who, to his credit, put a lot of the blame on the coaching staff needing to be more hands-on with the players. The team got a little fat and happy after going 5-0 into the bye  week with every sports talk station in the Twin Cities raving about them (heck, even our last podcast was titled "Can Anything Stop the Vikings?").

While there's no need for alarm - even good teams play poorly like this, see the Patriots game against the Bills - it does show that the Vikings have weaknesses and are not the indestructible team that many people (including myself, sort of) thought them to be. Sam Bradford will continue having growing pains and if the offense can't score it doesn't matter how good the defense can play.

The Vikings offensive line is obviously their biggest concern. Is there anything they can do about it?

Mike: It is the Achilles' heel of the entire team, and if not remedied will be the single reason this Vikings team can't compete for a Superbowl this season. It is the lynch pin.

The biggest concern is that I don't think that coach Zimmer is happy with his personnel on the offensive line. During his post-game press conference he was asked why he has confident his that offensive line will get better, and he said that he doesn't know if he has confidence; rather, that he has 'faith'. In the context of his statement in sounded more like, "I hope it gets better." This is definitely a concern.

When the Vikings began training camp their top three offensive tackles were Matt Kahlil, Phil Loadhoalt, and Andre Smith. Loadhoalt retired and the other two are on IR, and as such it is no wonder why the unit is struggling. Other than Jake Long, who signed during the bye week there is no-one else coming, the Vikings are paying $34,000,000 to nine players who are currently on IR and have already traded away next years 1st round draft pick to get Sam Bradford. Thus, they are short on salary cap space and assets to make any more moves to fill in roster holes.

Long story longer, the Vikings are kind of stuck with making due with what they have, TJ Cemming, Jeremiah Sirles, and Jake long. Each player took turns at Both tack.e positions against the Eagles and each player gave up multiple quarterback hits. You could make the case that Clemmings played better on the left side than on the right side and that Jake long was simply rusty, but there's no real reason to give these guys the benefit of the doubt.

Erik: There's not really anything they can do about it except hope that things get better. Zimmer, as always, was realistic about this. All you can have is faith. The Vikings have worked around so many injuries this year with great success, however, so there isn't much of a reason to believe that they can't improve what they have right now.
 
Will lack of a running game effect the Vikings moving forward?

Mike: Yes, but the running game has been all about the performance of the offensive line, too. Jerrick McKinnon has enough talent to provide an explosive spark to the offenses running game, but there have been very few holes. That was true with Peterson, Asiata, McKinnon and now Hillman. If they can't figure out how to open up holes we are going to be forced into too many passing situations. I'm comfortable with Bradford reading defenses and making accurate throws, but I am not comfortable with him being pressured. He isn't Russell Wilson, he can't escape pressure in his face. His options are to throw quicker or accept being sacked. Sometimes neither of those are good options.

Erik: Yes, but with this offensive line they could have Walter Payton and Barry Sanders and still not be able to get a running game going.
 
The Packers came back to life this week, beating the Chicago Bears 26-10. Are they “back” or are the Bears just rull bad?
 
Mike: I would pump the breaks on the 'Pack is back" chatter. The Packers were losing 10-6 at the start of the 3rd quarter and the bears defense pretty much played the entire second half thanks to their back up quarterback, Matt Barkley, who displayed possibly the worse quarterback performance I have ever seen. The Bears defense might also be the worst in the NFL. For the Packers, putting up 6 points in the first half should unacceptable. If they are able to build off of what they did in the secnd half against better opponents then we can rehash this conversation.

Erik: It was a tale of two games: typical below average 2016 Packers in the first, and something like we thought they'd be going into the season in the second. The Packers are who they've proven us to be: a decent team, probably a playoff team, but without nearly enough depth on either side of the ball to give confidence of a deep run into the playoffs.

The Lions beat the Redskins this week in a tough contest at home. Do you believe in them (yet)?

Mike: It should be an interesting Wild Card Race. Matthew Stafford is playing like a true franchise quarterback; who would have thought that Calvin Johnson was holding him back all this time? They still have a very problematic defense - its hard to imagine a scenario where this Lions team makes a deep playoff run even if they get in - but with wins over Philadelphia and Washington they have a leg up in the Wild Card Race.

Furthermore, the NFC North is still very much up for grabs. We shouldn't write off the Lions 'chances of finishing with a better record than the Packers or the Vikings just yet. They played the Packers in a very competitive game at Lambeau Field and have yet to play the Vikings. If you're a Lions fan, you already believe that your team can at least split the divisional games. I think the Vikings are the best team in the division and that the Lions and Packers are pretty close to each other. But if other teams can find ways to exploit the Vikings offensive line like the Eagles did we could be in for a really interesting ride.

Erik: They are far more interesting, and competitive, than anyone thought they'd be, and that's super fun. How awesome is their game against the Vikings on Thanksgiving going to be?! They definitely have a chance to catch the Packers, and with the Vikings full of holes, we can't really count them out in the race against them, either.
 
Any other games catch your eye this week?

Mike: Falcons and Chargers. An example of a game that looked like an easy one for the Falcons turned out to be anything but, as they put up 21 points in the second quarter but then got stymied for most the rest of the game and lost. It's hard to know if the Falcons are falling apart like they did last year or if they will be able to get back on track. Falcons fans must be nervous.

Erik: I was sad to see the Buffalo Bills collapse against the Dolphins. They're very hot and cold and I have a bad feeling that the Patriots will slice them up this week.

In this weeks Sports Ramble Podcast hosts Erik Ritland and Mike Coenen discuss what went wrong for the Vikings against the Eagles, other games around the NFL in week 7, some controversial talk about the Chicago Cubs buying their way to the World Series, and some talk on the newly begun NHL and NBA seasons. Thanks for listening!

In our weekly #PickFive feature the Sports Ramble staff makes NFL picks for the upcoming week. Five games are chosen by our editors, but our writers can swap out an upset pick instead of the final game.  For more information on our contributors, and to see their sexy mugs, check our Week Two  picks here.

This weeks games are: Vikings @ Eagles, Redskins @ Lions, Patriots @ Steelers, Raiders @ Jaguars, Texans @ Broncos.

Mike Emms (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 15-15
Vikings
The Vikings are the better team. However, I am not as optimistic about this game as your average homer. Did the Vikings players spend there bye week listening to media telling them how good they are? Will they come out flat after playing with so much energy in the first five weeks of the season? Doesn't it seem like streaks are always unlikely?

The Vikings have won eight regular season games in a row, their defense has not given up more than 17 points in the last nine games (including last years playoff loss), and Sam Bradford hasn't thrown an interception since last year. But the Eagles are an above average team: are they really going to lose three straight?

I still pick the Vikings here, but my gut is telling me that Bradford throws his first pick of the season. The Eagles defense has to be aware of his tendencies, his cadence, and how he looks off defenders. If the Vikings go down 10 points, like they have on both of their other road games this year, it will be a hard one to pull out on the road.

Additionally, I am always skeptical after a bye week. Sometimes a bye offers too much time for coaches to think. This happened in 2010, when the Vikings made a knee jerk trade for Randy Moss and Brad Childress drew up a play that had him throw a pass to a gimpy and old Brett Favre. Granted, Zimmer is 1-1 after bye weeks and has been far superior to Brad Childress, but as a Vikings fan I always expect something stupid to happen eventually.

Lions
This actually has the makings of a very fun game, as both quarterbacks have a flair for the dramatic. I think these teams are very evenly matched and I, therefore, give the edge to the home team. Actually, this game could be extremely important for playoff seeding as they both could be vying for a wild card spot at the end of the year.

After further review, Matthew Stafford has been playing fantastic and the Lions may actually have a chance at the playoffs.

Patriots
This would have been a good game if the Steelers didn't lose Ben Roethlisberger. However, with Rothlisberger gone, the Patriots will walk away from Heinz field with a pretty innocuous win.

Jaguars
The Raiders are the better team, but at home the Jaguars offense will be a problem for a mediocre Raiders defense. The challenge, however, will be for the Jaguars defense to hold their own against quarterback Derek Carr who is playing pretty well.

Broncos
Brock Osweiler will go to Denver with a huge chip on his shoulder. But he will throw two or three interceptions to his former team, and everyone will see why John Elway did not want to sell the farm for a mediocre quarterback. 

Mike Coenen (Co-host of the Sports Ramble Podcast)
Record: 16-14
Eagles
It is going to be interesting to see how good the Vikings actually are.  A Super Bowl caliber team would have no problem coming off a bye week and beating a good, but not great, team on the road.  I don’t think the Vikings will get it done this week, however.  Eagles in a tight, low scoring affair, 20-19.
Lions
The Lions will bring the Redskins four-game winning streak to an end this Sunday in a high scoring game, 38-35. 
Patriots
Big Ben is out and that spells trouble for the Steelers.  The Patriots will win, but it will be closer as the rest of the Steelers pick up the slack.  It won’t be enough, though.  Patriots win 27-20.
Raiders
The Jaguars are terrible, and will be terrible again this week against a resurgent Raider team coming off a bad loss last week to Kansas City.  Raiders get back on track, 28-13.
Broncos
Speaking of terrible, the Texans are playing pretty terrible as well.  The Broncos are coming off two losses, and the defense will be out for blood on Monday night against their former quarterback.  Broncos win easily, 27-6.

John Morton (Sports Ramble contributor and co-host of the Fully Alive podcast)
Record: 21-9
Vikings, Lions, Steelers, Jaguars, Broncos

Chip Matthews (Sports  Ramble blog and podcast contributor)
Record: 18-12
Vikings, Lions, Patriots, Raiders, Broncos

Rico Lopez (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 17-13
Vikings, Redskins, Patriots, Raiders, Texans

Robert Swinehart (NEW Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 16-14
Vikings, Lions, Patriots, Raiders, Texans

Marshall Nystrom (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 16-14
Vikings, Lions, Patriots, Raiders, Broncos

Evelyn Moreno (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 16-14
Vikings, Redskins, Patriots, Raiders, Broncos

Erik Ritland (Sports Ramble podcast host and contributor)
Record: 14-16
Eagles, Redskins, Patriots, Raiders, Broncos

What happened to the Green Bay Packers? Are the Dallas Cowboys for real? What is the REAL World Series? Would expanding reviewable plays make the NFL more fair or more boring? Find out all this and more on Sports Ramble Podcast #5 featuring Erik Ritland. Thanks for listening!

Tuesday Q and A with the Sports Ramble staff

The Buffalo Bills annihilated the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday 45-16. Colin Kaepernick went 13/29 for 187 yards and ran for 66 on eight carries. Is he the answer at quarterback in San Francisco? At 4-2 with some impressive defeats under their belt (including their shutout victory against the Patriots in New England) are the Buffalo Bills finally for real?

Mike Emms (Sports Ramble contributor): San Francisco has a lot of problems besides quarterback. Actually Kaepernick is a great fit for Chip Kelley's up-tempo read option scheme, but Chip Kelly may be the largest of culprits with the 49ers right now -  his scheme simply hasn't proven to be effective in the last couple of years and defenses have caught on.

Kaepernick is a supremely athletic person who never really was a good quarterback. We all have memories of him slicing and dicing the Packers a few years ago, but when defenses adjusted to him he became mediocre at best. I expect the 49ers to draft a quarterback next year. Kaepernick is simply auditioning for a back up role with another team at this point. 

The Bills are putting together a nice run, but its too early to put much stock in their team. Firstly, their best win was against the Patriots 3rd string quarterback. Secondly, Tyrod Taylor has a lot to prove before any of us should believe he has staying power as a successful franchise quarterback. He is super elusive, a good runner, and his pocket presence is improving, but too many of these athletic quarterbacks get hurt or simply figured out by good defenses. Even though they already beat the Patriots, the Bills are still second fiddle in the AFC East. 

Erik Ritland (Sports Ramble contributor and podcast host): Colin Kepernick has a sweet ass fro. Other than that, it's pretty much over for him. Not that the 49ers are surrounding him with anything, though. Between Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder, and Colin Kaepernick it's hard to choose which one is the worst.

Last year I got burned by picking the Bills to finally turn around so I viewed them as suspect coming into 2016. At least make the playoffs and get back to me. I'm hoping that prove that to me this year and it appears as if they have the talent to do so.

The Seattle Seahawks beat the Atlanta Falcons thanks to a blown non-call on pass interference against Seattle’s Richard Sherman. Should pass interference be reviewable?

Mike: Firstly, it should be noted that NFL officials do a fantastic job. It's not exactly easy to watch 22 players who could be spread out over a 100 yard field. Under those conditions, human error is not only probable but inevitable.

It's weird that with as much money as the NFL earns, and with as many advances in modern technology as there have been, the NFL hasn't taken more steps to officiate better. For example: video cameras nearly follow every player with multiple angles. Why do the calls even have to be made on the field? I'm sure the NFL could easily conjure up people to officiate from the booth, so instead of a coach challenging a missed pass interference call an official with the benefit of more than one angle can quickly review the play and tell the head referee that their was pass interference over a headset. If penalties ever do become changeable iit should be a referee initiated challenge, not a coach initiated.. Teams shouldn't have to beg for proper officiating or risk a timeout over getting a call correct. 

Erik: It'd be nice if they could get everything right - and it's frustrating when they don't - but the NFL is already slow enough. Sure, there's lots of POW and BAM moments, but in actuality the game is already mostly slow running plays, incomplete passes, short gains, and punts. Another time strain would be almost unbearable.

However, it's hard to be completely against the idea of doing whatever is necessary to get the call right. It should definitely be implemented for the playoffs and the Super Bowl so stuff like this doesn't happen.

The Packers performed poorly in their embarrassing loss to the Dallas Cowboys 30-16. What is wrong with the Packers? Will they recover? 

Mike: The Packers are about as mysterious as I have seen in the NFL. Over the last 16 games Aaron Rodgers has played diffidently and put up stats resembling Christian Ponder. When asked about what he would do in response to the loss to Dallas, Rodgers said he'd drink some scotch and watch some film; maybe he suffers from complacency? The Aaron Rodgers that took the NFL by storm played with a huge chip on his shoulder and played as well as a quarterback can physically play. Now he is a wealthy man who goes home to sip scotch and cozy up to Olivia Munn.

I usually don't buy these sort of narratives but the other narrative is just too hard to believe. When Aaron Rodgers had Greg Jennings, James Jones and Jordy Nelson he was a defense slicing machine, but is that receiving tandem that much better than Jordy Nelson, Randal Cobb and Devante Adams? How do we explain away the fact that Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson used to be unstoppable on back shoulder throws now they are never on the same page on those plays?

Sure, Mike McCarthy could try harder to add some new wrinkles, but watching the game doesn't give me the sense that the last 16 defenses the Packers faced took away all of the Packers bread and butter plays. This is why everyone keeps waiting for the light to go on and for the Packer's offense to click: not that much has changed since this combination was dynamic. 

Erik: The Packers are something like the Minnesota Twins: it'd be easier to list what isn't wrong. Their offensive line is garbage, their receivers are mediocre, they have no running game, and their defense is young and injury-laden. The Detroit Lions are crouching in the rearview mirror. It's shaping up to be a long season for the Packers, and they better take the offseason to fill the gaps if they ever want to return to the thrilling days of yesteryear.

The Packers poor play notwithstanding, the Dallas Cowboys looked impressive, especially quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott. What is their future? Should Romo be put back in once he’s cleared to play?

Mike: The success of the Dallas Cowboys is predicated on great line play. Ezekiel Elliott looks like a good running back but his lanes are paved in ways that few running backs ever enjoy. This makes the play action game for Dallas super deadly. I think its always a bad Idea to fall in love with a quarterback after just a handful of games - this is how you end up spending $72,000,000 on Brock Osweiller) -  but conventional wisdom states don't mess with it if it isn't broke. Dallas is playing like a top five team in the NFL, what possible value does Romo add? 

Erik: What he said.

In our weekly #PickFive feature the Sports Ramble staff makes NFL picks for the upcoming week. Five games are chosen by our editors, but our writers can swap out an upset pick instead of the final game.  For more information on our contributors, and to see their sexy mugs, check our Week Two  picks here.

This weeks games are: Cowboys @ Packers, Rams @ Lions, Eagles @ Redskins, Bengals @ Patriots, Falcons @ Seahawks.

Erik Ritland (Sports Ramble founder and podcast host)
Record: 13-12
Packers
This will be a good, even match-up. Packer fans should be scared. This week we'll see what both of these teams are actually made of.
Rams
Nothing more exciting than a battle between two mediocre teams. Once again I'm making my choice because of the ram it song. And because more people picked the Lions (see below).
Redskins
One perk of being the editor of the Sports Ramble - amidst many time consuming downsides - is that I get to see everyone else's picks before I make mine (see below). I was going to pick the Eagles, but since less people are picking the Redskins and I think it'll be a toss up, the Redskins it is. As opposed to Mike Coenen, I don't mind that.
Bengals
Honestly, this is also a power move on my part. I feel like the Patriots will win but I'm picking the Bengals to try and get a game up on everyone else who is picking the Patriots (see below...I mean, above). Plus then I'll look brilliant for picking them, and if I lose, eh, at least I was bold. And shrewd...
Falcons
The Seahawks have begun their resurgence but the Falcons are hot. The Falcons offense against the Seahawks defense should be a lot of fun.

Mike Coenen (Co-host of the Sports Ramble Podcast)
Record: 12-13
Packers
We will find out just how good the Cowboys and Dak Presott are this weekend.  Whatever happens it is clear that Prescott is pretty damn good.  He might even be great...eventually.  Speaking of greatness, Aaron Rodgers, who is great right now, will show us just how great he is on Sunday with a stellar performance in a convincing Packer victory.
Lions
Lions are on the rise and will win again at home this weekend, racking up big numbers against a solid Ram defense.
Redskins
Eagles have fallen from the ranks of the undefeated, and will lose again against a surging Redskin squad.  "You like that?!"  Not really, but it's going to happen, anyway.
Patriots
The Bengals aren't the Browns, but it won't matter for Tom Brady and the Patriots.  Patriots win big, further crushing the Bengals playoff hopes.
Seahawks
Interesting game.  The Falcon offense seems unstoppable.  Not this week.  A rested Seahawks squad puts the breaks on the Matty Ice/Julio Jones show.  Seahawks win by two touchdowns.

Mike Emms (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 12-13
Cowboys
A good running game against a good run defense. Normally I would take the defense but the Cowboys have a truly great run blocking line. I don't think that the Packers defense has faced a more physical offensive front. I expect this one to be close.
Lions
For years now this Rams team plays lights out against NFC West opponents but don't travel well outside of their division. For the Rams to win their defensive front have to control the game, otherwise Matthew Stafford is good enough to challenge their secondary. I expect the Lions to make enough plays in front of their home crowd.
Eagles
I honestly think this game is a coin flip. The Eagles are the better team but they are playing a division rival on the road who looks good in spurts. If the Eagles are a good team they won't lose two weeks in a row to mediocre teams. But I am not so sure they are good. Nonetheless, the Eagles.
Patriots
Bengals haven't really shown the ability to compete against good teams this year. Whether you like it or not the Patriots are pretty good. Bengals are probably wishing they didn't let WR Marvin Jones go in free agency.
Falcons
This should be one of the more interesting match-ups of the week. The falcons are capable of scoring on anyone - and I'm not so sure that the Seahawks can match. Seattle will will have to play their best defense of the year to win.

Rico Lopez (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 14-11
Cowboys
That Ezekiel Elliot is something special. The Packers will have to find a way to stop him to get out of this game
Lions
Eagles
After a tough loss in Detroit they'll handle business with a division rival.
Patriots
I can't think of a team that will be able to stop angry Brady. Good job Goodell.
Falcons
This offense is rolling on all cylinders. Even the stingy Seahawks will struggle against all their weapons.
Vikings
I foresee the Vikings maintaining their 5-0 record this weekend.

Robert Swinehart (NEW Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 12-13
Cowboys
Cowboys punish the puny suitcase lovers in Lambeau. 24-13.
Lions
The Lions feast on goat this week. 28-16
Eagles
Philly gets back on track and it won’t be close. 31-17
Patriots
Tom Brady does Tom Brady things and torches a team that has allowed 11 passing touchdowns so far this season, ranking 27th overall.
Seahawks
#1 Offense going against #1 defense. Defense wins.

John Morton (Sports Ramble contributor and co-host of the Fully Alive podcast)
Record: 18-7
Packers, Rams, Eagles, Patriots, Seahawks

Chip Matthews (Sports  Ramble blog and podcast contributor)
Record: 16-9
Packers, Lions, Eagles, Patriots, Falcons

Marshall Nystrom (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 14-11
Packers, Lions, Eagles, Patriots, Falcons

Evelyn Moreno (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 14-11
Packers, Rams, Eagles, Patriots, Seahawks

James Keller (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 14-11
Packers, Rams, Redskins, Bengals, Falcons

In this weeks edition of the Sports Ramble Podcast our hosts Erik Ritland and Mike Coenen discuss NFL week five. The Vikings are still undefeated: can anyone stop them? The Patriots decimated the Browns and the Lions beat the Eagles: so what? There's some baseball talk at the end, too. Thanks for listening!

Tuesday Q and A with the Sports Ramble staff

The Vikings dominated the Texans this week. How? What is your realistic expectation of the Vikings moving forward? 

Erik Ritland (Sports Ramble creator and podcast host): Nothing can stop them, really. They've made good teams look bad and okay teams look silly. They have the best defense in the league and their offense isn't nearly as bad as the Denver Broncos' offense last year. Super Bowl, homeboy.

Mike Emms (Sports Ramble contributor): The surprising thing is that the Vikings offense looked good. I thought the Texans defensive stats were a bit inflated per playing underwhelming teams but I did not expect Sam Bradford to throw for over 270 yards and 2 touchdowns, particularly without wide receiver Stefon Diggs and with tight end Kyle Ruldolph being a non-factor. The Vikings offense is getting better and that not only should be expected as Sam Bradford continues to learn the system but it should also terrify the rest of the league. 

The biggest weakness of the Vikings is the offensive line. The recent signing of offensive tackle Jake Long is a very low risk high upside signing that could really help them.

Robert Swinehart (NEW Sports Ramble contributor): Well, let’s start with the obvious. Lamar Miller had eight carries - eight! In each of the Houston Texans three wins he had 20+ carries. If you can’t get the run game going, and your QB is some 70-million-dollar pond scum you recruited from the defending champions (which worked out incredibly well for them), then you’re in for some heavy pass coverage against one of the top defenses in football.

Additionally, the Texans fell victim to the old, “I’m down by two scores, we can’t run the football anymore, we have to pass!” mentality. I wish teams with great running backs, or good rushing offenses in general, would stay more committed the run game in order to open up the passing game, instead of turning tail at the first sign of trouble.

Simply, the Vikings dominated the Texans because the Texans refused to run the ball (and the Vikings rushed hard and often and played heavy pass coverage) and they have an extremely overrated, over-paid quarterback who isn’t capable of much more than a 2012 Christian Ponder.

The Eagles suffered their first loss this week to the Lions. Are the Eagles not as good as they've appeared? Will the Lions be in the playoff picture after having looked pretty decent so far this year?

Erik: I was pretty surprised, as through four weeks the Eagles looked better than the Lions on all fronts. Plus the Lions were trying their best to be prototypical Lions and give the game away, which I was sure they were. The Lions will not make the playoffs.

Mike: I actually predicted that the Eagles would lose to either the Lions or the Redskins. While the Eagles have looked good it's hard for me to completely buy into, considering that they were pretty bad last year and have a new coach and a rookie quarterback.  They have been dominant with un-scouted looks but as more film is created the more opposing teams will find to exploit them.

As for the Lions, they are good enough to win and bad enough to lose to anybody they face. They don't have any realistic shot at the playoffs and at best I picture them finishing with an 7-9 record.

Robert: I find it incredibly onerous to convince myself that the Philadelphia Eagles are overrated. Do stats lie? Because what I’m looking at is a team that is ranked second in rush defense, second in pass defense and first in total defense.

But wait, might I retract, if only a little? They Eagles have faced two of the most dismal, depressing (I think those both mean the same thing…), sad, and pathetic teams in the NFL. Is it possible that facing these two lamentable teams buffered the Eagles stats, if only a little? Possibly. Then again, they shut down the Pittsburgh Steelers, who boast one of the best offenses in football. So after my little self-debate I think I am comfortable saying that the Philadelphia Eagles are, in fact, legit.

The Detroit Lions…where to start? They have the 11th best passing offense and the 20th best rushing offense. They beat the 31st worst-ranked defense Indianapolis Colts, they lost to a mediocre Tennessee Titans, lost to the Teddy Bears, and expectedly lost to the Packers. Beating the Eagles…that was a real life miracle, my friends. Starting with a Mathews fumble, followed by an awful unnecessary roughness penalty committed by Malcom Jenkins, and ending with Carson Wentz (who has played well thus far) throwing an errant pass deep into double coverage with 1:28 left on the clock. This resulted in an interception and ultimately a loss.

To conclude, no, I do not think the Detroit Lions will be in the playoff picture, and I disagree entirely with the notion of them having looked “pretty decent so far this year”! (You'll eat your words! The roar has been restored! -ed).

Tom Brady made his triumphant return this week, putting a pounding on the Cleveland Browns. Does this do anything for you?

Erik: Nope.

Mike: Meh, he had a good game. It was the Browns though. I predict him to do well but he'll have to face stronger opposition before we anoint the Patriots as the best team. I do believe, however, that Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, and Martellus Bennett are very could receiving options for Brady's particular skill set.

Robert: Well, no. That is to say, you feel more of an emotional pull when something unexpected happens, don’t you? We all know Tom Brady is one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks to walk beneath this holy o-zone layer we all live under (we need better, cleaner energy!).

The emotions I felt in regards to this particular game were similar to the emotions I felt when the Minnesota Vikings played the New England Patriots in the second week of the 2014 regular season: hopeless. In order for the Cleveland Browns to have beaten the Patriots in this game, pigs would have had to grow wings, Tupac would have needed to resurface and prove to all the naysayers that he really isn’t dead, and finally, the rapture would have needed to commence. I apologize for the run on sentence.

Anyway…no, this doesn’t do anything for me, because Tom Brady is a legend, and all he does is win.

The Green Bay Packers had a relatively easy time with the New York Giants. Is that because the Packers are a great team, the Giants aren't, or some combination of the two?

Erik: The Green Bay Packers played like the Green Bay Packers. Top notch journalism, right? But they played well enough to win and are above average on both sides of the ball. They kept the Giants are arms length and played well enough to make sure that they were never in a position to lose. The Giants are practically hapless. I would have been shocked had the Packers lost.

Mike: I expected to see more from the Giants against the Packers. The Giants passing attack may not be as vaunted as advertised. However, the Packers defense is starting to remind me of the defense the Vikings used to have with the Williams wall. No-one can find space to run against the Packers but there secondary is a mess. They are difficult to score on when their pass rush is effective but when quarterbacks have time opposing offenses have opportunities for big plays.

Robert: Let’s get one thing straight: the Green Bay Packers suck. Okay, I admit I’m biased, I hate those suitcase lovers!

Personal bias aside, I believe both teams are relatively bad. The Packers have beaten three bad teams…period. They beat the godawful Jacksonville Jaguars, the pathetic Detroit Lions, and a terrible New York Giants team. They lost to the only good team they have played so far: the Minnesota Vikings (Then what good teams have they played? -ed).

The Giants boast the 25th worst rushing offense in football, which went against the top-ranked rush defense in the Packers. Hmm, so we know we don’t have to worry about the run. Eli Manning has been struggling to find the end zone all year, ranking 22nd in passing touchdowns. So the Packers play heavy pass coverage and effectively stunt the Giants passing game. What’s more shocking is how a team like the New York Giants, which spent two truckloads of cash on their defense, gave up 406 yards of offense to the 31st ranked offense in the NFL?!

All in all, I would say the Packers are okay at best, and the Giants are slightly worse.

In our weekly #PickFive feature the Sports Ramble staff makes NFL picks for the upcoming week. Five games are chosen by our editors, but our writers can swap out an upset pick instead of the final game.  For more information on our contributors, and to see their sexy mugs, check our Week Two  picks here.

This weeks games are: Texans @ Vikings, Giants @ Packers, Bengals @ Cowboys, Falcons @ Broncos, and Bills @ Rams

Erik Ritland (Sports Ramble founder and podcast host)
Record: 11-9
Vikings
I'm done picking against the Vikings until further notice. Super Bowl, homeboy.
Packers
The Giants are improved from last year, but they showed last week against the Vikings that they just aren't that good, especially defensively. If the score gets too high, though - and it could since the Packer defense isn't great either - Eli could win a shootout.
Bengals
Broncos
I want to pick the Falcons, as they're a fun team, but the Broncos defense shouldn't have too difficult of a  time containing them.
Rams
I like both the Rams and the Bills, and they're both teams on the rise. I give the edge to the Rams only because they're at home.

Mike Coenen (Co-host of the Sports Ramble Podcast)
Record: 10-10
Vikings
The Vikings won't be as impressive this week against the Texans as they were on Monday night. They'll win but it won't be as easy.  The offense will struggle, winning in a low scoring, defensive yawner of a game.
Packers
Things won't get any easier for the Giants going on the road against a rested Packer squad. Beckham behaves himself this week, but he won't be good enough to make a difference. Packer's offense lights it up and buries the fading Giants. 
Bengals
Dak Prescott has been good, but he has not gone against a defense as good as the Bengals'.  Dak will look like a rookie on Sunday and will throw that first interception, maybe two.  The Bengals are a Super Bowl contender, and will play like one in Jerry world.  Tony Romo has been all but forgotten.  No so after Sunday.
Broncos
Matty Ice is absolutely killing it this year, but it's been against the likes of such pathetic defenses as the Saints and Bucs.  On Sunday he will try to be good against the Denver Broncos, and I don't see it happening.  The Broncos will frustrate and beat up the Falcons offense all day long en route to a comfortable win. 
Rams
The Rams just might be for real, and I love the fact they are back playing under the California sun where they belong.  Meanwhile, the Bills come into Los Angeles riding high after their big win over the Patriots and an injured third-string quarterback.  But there's just no way the Ryan brothers are capable of stringing three wins in a row together.  I do, however, believe that Jeff Fisher is capable of winning four games in a row, and will do so on Sunday.  Rams by a touchdown to go 4-1. 

Mike Emms (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 9-11
Vikings
The Vikings have been battle tested more than the Texans and they play at home. Without J.J. Watt and Brian Cushing the Texans defense is a bit less formidable.
Packers
Expect this one being a high scoring game, Giants strength is its receivers and I just don't think the Packers secondary can hold down the fort.
Cowboys
If Tyler Eifert was healthy I'd take the Bengals.  Andy Dalton doesn't seem comfortable with receivers not named AJ Green. Losing Jones and San has hurt the Bengals offense more than anticipated and Tyler Eifert injury has made it all the worse.
Broncos
If Tremor Siemian plays I take the Broncos, otherwise I like the Falcons. Julio Jones won't put up 300 receiving yards against the Broncos, but I do think he is the best receiver in the NFL and will make enough of an impact if Broncos don't have competent quarterback play.
Rams
Rams are hot, I like them to beat the mediocre East Coast team that's forced to travel three time zones west. 

Chip Matthews (Sports  Ramble blog and podcast contributor)
Record: 12-8
Vikings
The Texans fancy themselves as a power run team. The problem with that is they aren't very good at it. They are fifth in the league in rush attempts and 11th in rushing yards. Because of that I'm taking the Vikings and their impressive defense.
Packers
The Packers are coming off a bye and the Giants coming off being embarrassed by the Vikings. The Giants also aren't as good as they think they are.
Cowboys
This game will be a toss up.
Falcons
Falcons hand the Broncos their first loss of the season. I expect another solid performance out of Julio Jones, who hung 300 yards up last week.
Rams

James Keller (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 12-8
Vikings, Packers, Bengals, Broncos, Rams

John Morton (Sports Ramble contributor and co-host of the Fully Alive podcast)
Record: 14-6
Vikings, Packers, Cowboys, Falcons, Rams

Marshall Nystrom (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 11-9
Vikings, Packers, Cowboys, Broncos, Rams

Rico Lopez (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 12-8
Vikings, Giants, Bengals, Falcons, Rams

Evelyn Moreno (Sports Ramble contributor)
Record: 12-8
Vikings, Packers, Bengals, Broncos, Rams