Look alive. It is time for Week 5.
NFL Week 5 begins with the Los Angeles Rams visiting the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football.
Week 5 of NFL Thursday Night Football matchup features two NFC West teams that will be vying for playoff spots come December in what might be the toughest division in the NFL.
While it is only October, this TNF matchup already has playoff implications. Any of the four teams could win the NFC West, making the games played within the division even more important.
The Rams and Seahawks have an opportunity to take a big step toward the NFC West crown Thursday night on what could be one of the most influential TNF matchups of the year.
For in-depth analysis and extended betting tips for TNF Week 5, read on for the latest installment in the TNF football predictions series.
Thursday Night Football Prediction Week 5
This Rams-Seahawks matchup is one to look forward to on Thursday night. While in years past Thursday Night Football has seen its fair share of clunkers, the 2021 slate of TNF games has been anything but. That positive trajectory will continue in this NFL Week 5 NFC West bout.
The Rams and Seahawks are familiar foes, facing off three times in the past year. Of course, they played their traditional two regular-season games last season and faced off in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.
The Rams went 2-1 against the Seahawks last season. Two of those games were played in Seattle with the Rams winning one of them, a 30-20 victory on the NFC Wild Card weekend.
The Rams are 6-2 straight up against the Seahawks in their past eight meetings and 5-3 against the spread. They covered the spread in four of their past five games against the Seahawks.
While the under is 3-5 in the past eight Rams-Seahawks meetings, the Under has hit in three of their past four, including in each of the past three matchups played in the regular season.
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The key to this Rams-Seahawks matchup falls at the quarterback position. While in years past, the Seahawks always had the edge under center with Russell Wilson, the Rams have closed the gap by adding Matthew Stafford, a player certainly closer to Wilson’s talent level than Jared Goff.
With Stafford, the Rams are more explosive than they were with Goff and can go toe-to-toe with Wilson and the Seahawks. However, I am not sure we will be looking at a shootout.
Both teams want to run the football and use that to open up big play opportunities in the passing game, which is something both Stafford and Wilson do very well.
We are seeing a tad more explosiveness out of the Seattle offense with some Sean McVay wrinkles from new Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.
Waldron was the Rams’ passing game coordinator from 2018 to 2020 but coached under McVay since 2017, the year the boy wonder was hired as Los Angeles’ head coach.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson will look to keep up his impressive start to the season on Thursday Night Football in Week 5 when Seattle faces a stingy Los Angeles Rams defense. (Image: USA TODAY Sports)
The Seahawks normally play solid defense at home. We also know what the Rams can bring with Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey, two of the best defensive players on the planet playing on one unit.
While 50 points were scored when these two teams met in last year’s playoffs, 40 or fewer points were scored between the Rams and Seahawks in each of the last three regular-season games played against each other.
I do believe we will likely see closer to 50 points scored, but I still like the Under in this TNF matchup.
At some point, one of these defenses must make a stop or force a turnover that will ultimately shift the momentum into the eventual winner’s favor.
I trust the defensive unit with studs at all three levels to make a game-shifting play. If you don’t know which team I am talking about, then you aren’t paying attention. I am referring to the Rams.
TNF Week 5 Pick: Los Angeles Rams 27, Seattle Seahawks 24
Thursday Night Football Betting Trends for 2021
- The Over is 2-2 with the Under hitting in two straight.
- The Underdog is 2-2 Against the Spread.
- The Favorite is 4-0 on the Moneyline.
- The Home Team is 3-1.
*Anthony Cervino is 13-2 on his NFL Best Bets for 2021 for The Game Day.
Thursday Night Football Best Bets Week 5
*NFL gameday odds and lines are current as of Thursday, October 7 at 6 p.m. EST.
TNF Best Bet: Rams -2 (110) at DraftKings Sportsbook
Wager: 1 unit
I am pushing the chips in on the Rams to cover the (-2) point spread. I am willing to make this wager up to (-3).
The Seahawks are 3-7 ATS in their past 10 games entering Week 4 while the Rams are 6-4. The Rams are also 4-7 ATS in their past five meetings against the Seahawks.
TNF Best Bet: Under 53.5 (-110) at DraftKings Sportsbook
Wager: 0.75 Units
This is a monster of a total at 53.5 points. While both these teams have the firepower to meet it, I am on the side of the Under in this TNF encounter.
The Under is 3-1 in the past four meetings between the Rams and Seahawks and 3-0 in their past three regular-season matchups.
Although trends suggest the Over is the Best Bet between these two clubs, they play each other a lot closer than most.
I do believe we see close to 50 points scored, but 50 is not enough to cover the Over on the total. If the Total falls into the 40s, then I would shift my wager to the Over, but I highly doubt that happens. If anything, this total should continue to climb. Which in that case I still like the Under.
TNF Best Bet: Rams Moneyline (-135) at DraftKings Sportsbook
Wager: 1 unit
Unlike the other TNF matchups we have seen this season, this game is projected to be close. You can make a legit case for both the Rams and the Seahawks to win.
However, through the first quarter of the season, the Rams look like and are the better football team, especially since they recently blew out Tom Brady and the Buccaneers.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks have dropped games to the Vikings and Titans. In fact, the Seahawks have lost three of their past four games overall including two straight entering Week 4.
The Seahawks should keep this game close, but the Rams’ defense will ultimately emerge as the deciding factor.
Thanks for reading our NFL Week 5 TNF Predictions! For more NFL betting tips, check out our NFL Week 5 Best Bets and NFL Week 5 Parlay Picks.
