NFL Predictions Week Five: Anya Shrubsole takes on Richard Graves

Image: England Women's Anya Shrubsole (R) raises the World Cup trophy after their win this summer

In Week Five, England Women's World Cup-winning cricketer Anya Shrubsole takes on Sky Sports News' NFL reporter Richard Graves for our weekly predictions.

Graves' record for the season slips back to 2-2 after suffering a slender Week Four loss to singer Laura Wright, who predicted one more game correctly - can he get back to winning ways?

2017 Prediction Results

Richard Graves Opponent's score Graves' season record
v Paul Merson 9-6 10-5 0-1
v Sam Quek 13-3 12-4 1-1
v Vernon Kay 10-6 6-10 2-1
v Laura Wright 9-7 10-6 2-2

His opponent this week, Shrubsole, is one of the sporting stars of the summer after taking six wickets in England's World Cup final win over India at a sold-out Lord's in July. She is now getting ready for an Ashes tour of Australia which starts on October 22, though she hopes she can keep track on events in the NFL.

Highlights from England's sensational comeback victory over India to win the Women's World Cup.

"It will be perfect," said Shrubsole. "It happened before a few years ago when we were in Australia - the time difference worked out so well, and I was able to watch the Super Bowl from start to finish at about lunchtime."

Shrubsole is a New York Jets fan, and was at Wembley two weeks ago with some of her England team-mates to watch the Jacksonville Jaguars hammer the Baltimore Ravens 44-7.

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"I love an underdog - it's kind of my thing - so that's why I'm a Jets fan," added Shrubsole. "I went to New York about five years ago and watched them play, and have taken more of an interest in the NFL ever since.

Image: NFL Week Five schedule live on Sky Sports

"That was only a preseason game, so it was great to be at a regular season game for the first time, and one at Wembley the other week. It was an amazing day, tailgating beforehand, the atmosphere inside, and being there with the girls and getting to go on the pitch and be on the big screen!

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"The Jaguars managed to convert a few of them into fans after they annihilated the Ravens. I did try to warn them though that those kind of wins aren't all that regular from the Jags - they didn't listen."

Here's a look at Anya's, and Richard's, Week Five predictions...

Carolina Panthers @ Detroit Lions, NFL Sunday LIVE
Sky Sports Action (407), 5.30pm, Sunday

Image: Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has had a great start to the season

Graves: The Lions are one of the surprise packages of the NFL season, now 3-1 after knocking off the Vikings in Minnesota. They host a Panthers team who had been offensively anaemic before pulling off a shock win over the Patriots in Foxborough last Sunday.

Carolina had only scored 45 points in their first three games combined before their 33-point burst against New England. The question is, is that going to be the norm or was it merely a result of the Patriots' porous defence?

Detroit's stats aren't particularly eye-catching, but, they were only one foot short in Atlanta of heading into this contest with a perfect 4-0 record! With the Lions at home and, to this point, the more consistent team, I'm leaning towards them.

PICK: LIONS

Shrubsole: They both come into this game with 3-1 records, and are both pretty evenly matched teams, so this is not an easy one to call - I'm just going to go with the Lions due to home-field advantage in Detroit. Plus, running back Ameer Abdullah is coming off the back of a 109-yard game and, in the battle of the QBs, Matthew Stafford looks like he is in slightly better form than Cam Newton so far.

PICK: LIONS

Green Bay Packers @ Dallas Cowboys, NFL Sunday LIVE
Sky Sports Action (407), 9.25pm, Sunday

Image: Can Aaron Rodgers lead Green Bay to victory in Dallas like in the playoffs last year?

Graves: This is a big game for both teams with very little to choose between them. These two met in last season's NFC Divisional game in the playoffs and served up a classic - the narrative for this meeting may well be the same. On the face of it, it appears implausible to believe that Green Bay won't score at least 20 points in this game. So if the Cowboys are to win, their offense has to be the consistent force it was in 2016.

The Packers defensive line has to shut down the Dallas running game if they are to stand a chance. Pushing the Cowboys into 3rd & long situations will be crucial if they are to slow their hosts down.

PICK: COWBOYS

Shrubsole: I consulted my brother on this game - he is a massive Cowboys fan - and ever the pessimist, he reliably informed me that the Packers would win.

Ezekiel Elliott has been a bit inconsistent, and the Cowboys are a bit too reliant on the running game anyway. The Denver Broncos showed that a couple of weeks ago, if you shut that down they're going to struggle. Also, Dallas have got some problems on defence and they will struggle to stop the Green Bay offence, led by one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Aaron Rodgers.

PICK: PACKERS

Kansas City Chiefs @ Houston Texans, NFL Sunday LIVE
Sky Sports Action (407), 1.20am, Monday

Image: Can rookie Deshaun Watson continue his fine start at quarterback for the Texans?

Graves: There is only one perfect record remaining in the NFL - and that belongs to the Chiefs. Rookie RB Kareem Hunt once again racked up over 100 yards on the ground in Monday night's win over the Washington Redskins and he remains the league's leading rusher through four weeks.

All of which makes this an intriguing contest against a Texans defense which ranks sixth overall. However, it's their offense which has been more surprising, and particularly the play of their rookie QB Deshaun Watson. After nearly guiding them to a Week Three victory in New England, he cut apart the Tennessee Titans last Sunday, throwing four TDs and running in another as Houston amassed 57 points. This is the best defence he'll have faced this season though - the Chiefs have won every game by at least seven points this season and they should have enough to make it five in a row here.

PICK: CHIEFS

Shrubsole: Texans. I'm making all the bold predictions here! Obviously, the Chiefs are 4-0 but the Texans themselves are coming off the back of a massive win, putting up 57 points on the Tennessee Titans! With J.J. Watt wreaking his usual havoc from the defensive line, and home-field advantage, I'm backing Houston to overpower Kansas City. Everyone has to lose sometime...

PICK: TEXANS

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears, Monday Night Football
Sky Sports Action (407), 1.15am, Tuesday

Image: Rookie QB Mitchell Trubisky will make his first career NFL start for the Bears on Monday night

Graves: Welcome to the NFL, Mitch Trubisky. The rookie QB will get his first start on Monday night after the Bears decided it was time for a change following a humiliating defeat to the Packers - a game in which season starter Mike Glennon committed four turnovers.

Potentially this could be a baptism of fire against one of the better defensive fronts in the league. Even in defeat last Sunday to the Lions, the Vikings only gave up 14 points, but their greatest concerns are on offence. Rookie RB Dalvin Cook is lost for the year after tearing his ACL in that defeat and QB Sam Bradford hasn't played since Week One.

PICK: VIKINGS

Shrubsole: I think it will be a close, low-scoring game, but I've gone with the Vikings, mainly because the Bears are playing Trubisky - Minnesota have been a bit inconsistent, but their defence is definitely their strength and so I think they'll have some fun playing against a rookie QB.

PICK: VIKINGS

Week Five Predictions

Richard Graves Anya Shrubsole
Patriots @ Buccaneers Patriots Buccaneers
Panthers @ Lions Lions Lions
Jets @ Browns Jets Jets
49ers @ Colts Colts 49ers
Titans @ Dolphins Dolphins Titans
Bills @ Bengals Bills Bills
Chargers @ Giants Giants Giants
Jaguars @ Steelers Steelers Steelers
Cardinals @ Eagles Eagles Eagles
Packers @ Cowboys Cowboys Packers
Seahawks @ Rams Rams Rams
Ravens @ Raiders Raiders Raiders
Chiefs @ Texans Chiefs Texans
Vikings @ Bears Vikings Vikings

New England Patriots 19-14 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Image: Running back Doug Martin returns to Tampa Bay from suspension

Graves: This is such a tough game to call. But, if its points you like, this is the game to watch. Consistency has been an issue for both teams through the first month of the season and that could well lead to an entertaining game to kick-off Week Five.

The Buccaneers have running back Doug Martin returning from suspension to add more firepower to their offence and there should be room for him to exploit. The Patriots are the top scoring offence, with 32.3 points per game, but their defence has been woeful - it's the worst unit in the NFL in terms of yards allowed, while only Indianapolis have conceded more than their 32 points per game.

PICK: PATRIOTS

Shrubsole: I told you I love an underdog! The Patriots defence is struggling a bit so far this season, so I'm backing the Bucs to exploit that. They've got a great offence, with RB Martin returning and a strong set of receivers in Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson. Plus, I think their defence is just about good enough to stop New England.

PICK: BUCCANEERS

Week Five continues on Sunday with three live games on Sky Sports Action, starting with Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, from 5.30pm.

Follow the 2017-18 NFL season with us on Sky Sports and through our website skysports.com/NFL also our app for mobile devices and iPad, or follow our Twitter account @SkySportsNFL

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