Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers are rated as four point favourites by the Globe and Mail's NFL football experts in Sunday's road game against Atlanta. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
SUNDAY
Carolina Panthers (1-4)
at Atlanta Falcons (2-3)
CAROLINA plus 4
Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton has been able to scrape up those garbage-time points almost at will.
The pick: PANTHERS
Indianapolis Colts (0-5)
at Cincinnati Bengals (3-2)
INDIANAPOLIS plus 7
Following its Week 1 blowout loss, teams appear to be playing down to Indianapolis's level.
The pick: COLTS
San Francisco 49ers (4-1)
at Detroit Lions (5-0)
SAN FRANCISCO plus 5
Both went 6-10 in 2010, both lead their respective divisions in 2011. Should be very close.
The pick: 49ERS
St. Louis Rams (0-4)
at Green Bay Packers (5-0)
ST. LOUIS plus 16
Two teams going the opposite direction in a hurry. No reason not to roll with Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Co.
The pick: PACKERS
Buffalo Bills (4-1)
at New York Giants (3-2)
BUFFALO plus 3
Embarrassed last week at home by Seattle, the Giants face a bigger test with tenacious Buffalo in town.
The pick: BILLS
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4)
at Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)
JACKSONVILLE plus 13
The lowly Jaguars have won their past three games at unfriendly Heinz Field. But in football terms, 2008 was a long time ago ...
The pick: STEELERS
Philadelphia Eagles (1-4)
at Washington Redskins (3-1)
PHILADELPHIA minus 2
The "Dream Team" has been loudly crashing and burning, while division-rival Washington has quietly crept up to be first in the NFC East.
The pick: REDSKINS
Cleveland Browns (2-2)
at Oakland Raiders (3-2)
CLEVELAND plus 7
The Raiders will honour the memory of Hall of Fame owner Al Davis with a ceremony prior to kickoff. Oakland will be fired up.
The pick: RAIDERS
Houston Texans (3-2)
at Baltimore Ravens (3-1)
HOUSTON plus 8
The rested Ravens (coming off the bye week) get the banged-up Texans (minus Andre Johnson, Mario Williams) ...
The pick: RAVENS
Dallas Cowboys (2-2)
at New England Patriots (4-1)
DALLAS plus 7
Until someone shows they can slow down this New England offence, roll with quarterback Tom Brady and Co.
The pick: PATRIOTS
New Orleans Saints (4-1)
at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
NEW ORLEANS minus 4
The young Bucs may have had their confidence shattered by the 49ers last week, and now Saints quarterback Drew Brees steps up to finish the job.
The pick: SAINTS
Minnesota Vikings (1-4)
at Chicago Bears (2-3)
MINNESOTA plus 3
Vikes running back Adrian Peterson is starting to look like his old self, and the Bears are struggling against the run (giving up 135.6 yards a game).
The pick VIKINGS
MONDAY
Miami Dolphins (0-4)
at New York Jets (2-3)
MIAMI plus 7
After a disastrous three-game, three-loss road trip, the Jets get some home cooking against the always disastrous Dolphins.
The pick: JETS
Bye week: Denver, Tennessee, Kansas City, Arizona, San Diego, Seattle
Last week: 8-4-1
Season: 38-36-3
Paul Attfield