We’ve made it to October and Week 5 of the NFL Season. This is the first week of byes, meaning we have four teams sitting out. We also have two of the better games on Thursday and Monday night. That leaves 12 games on Sunday. Below are the five I’m most excited to see.

Early Games:

Denver Broncos (2-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (4-0)
About: This is a fascinating matchup that might be the best of the early window. The Broncos are fresh off a big Monday night win, but they have looked somewhat uneven. The Eagles are one of only two unbeaten teams in the league, but they’ve also been uneven. This could be a lower scoring matchup, but it’s certainly a litmus test for the Broncos.

Houston Texans (1-3) at Baltimore Ravens (1-3)
About: This is a big matchup for the AFC. Both these teams won their division and made the playoffs in 2024. Both looked to repeat the feat in 2025, but they’ve gotten off to a rough start. The Texans struggle to score points while the Ravens have struggled to stop anyone. This is weakness against weakness. Add to that Lamar Jackson likely being out and that makes the road harder for the Ravens in a must win for both teams.

Late Games:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) at Seattle Seahawks (3-1)
About: This is the premier matchup of the late window. The Buccaneers could have made the comeback against the Eagles, but a late turnover killed it. The Seahawks blew a fourth quarter lead in Arizona Thursday but held on. Both teams are 3-1 and both are looking to make a move higher in the NFC. This should be a heck of a matchup.

Washington Commanders (2-2) at Los Angeles Chargers (3-1)
About: This is a battle of the wounded. The Chargers lost Najee Harris and a bulk of the offensive line. The Commanders have been without Jayden Daniels for two weeks and were without Terry McLaurin last week. While the Commanders might get their quarterback and wide receiver back, the Chargers are coming off a loss and need to overcome some injuries. This is a fascinating matchup of two good teams at a crossroads.

Sunday Night Game:

New England Patriots (2-2) at Buffalo Bills (4-0)
About: The Patriots had a good Week 4, racking up 42 points against the Panthers and reducing turnovers. The Bills, meanwhile, are the only unbeaten team in the AFC that has already beaten two division opponents. They’d like to make it a clean sweep with a win over the Patriots. Can the Patriots pull of the upset? This should be a fun Sunday night game.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.