NFL Sundays are back!

A brand-new NFL season is here, and with it comes another year of big plays, huge upsets & plenty of hot takes!

Each week, we’ll be putting our NFL experts Nat Coombs & Neil Reynolds head-to-head as they make their picks for the weekend’s biggest games. Who’s going to come out on top?

Week 4 Recap

Week 4 brought more big calls, more disagreements and another weekend of NFL drama as Nat & Neil continued their prediction battle.

Who got what right?

Nat's big call: Sticking with his pre-season sleeper pick, Nat backed the Las Vegas Raiders to upset the Chiefs, while Neil went for Kansas City. It was a thriller, but the Chiefs edged it 30–27, giving Neil the point.

Neil's big call: Neil backed the Indianapolis Colts to beat the Washington Commanders, while Nat tipped Washington to build on their Week 3 win. Indy came out on top 30–13, giving Neil another point.

Plenty of shared picks: The pair agreed on the Rams, Bills & 49ers. The Rams and 49ers delivered, but the Bills fell to the Patriots 29–26, meaning neither picked up the point there.

The final verdict: Neil takes the Week 4 win, finishing with four correct picks from the five featured games, while Nat managed two.

Scores on the doors

After four weeks of NFL action, we finally have a leader!

Week 4: Nat 2 - 4 Neil

Overall: Nat 21 - 23 Neil

Neil has finally broken away from Nat, but there’s still a long way to go in the season. The NFL crystal balls are officially no longer neck & neck!

Can Nat fight back in Week 5, or will Neil extend his lead?

Over to you Neil... Neil’s NFL Picks - Week 5

It’s time to continue my weekly predictions battle with Nat Coombs - encouraged & instigated by our friends at Hickory’s Smokehouse.

Philadelphia Eagles vs Jacksonville Jaguars

The Eagles have a raft of injuries, and I think the Jaguars have something really good going on with Liam Coen as head coach and Trevor Lawrence at quarterback this season. And they have a steel to them on the defensive side of the ball. So, give me the Jags to win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Neil’s Pick… Jacksonville Jaguars

Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers

This is a tale of two teams at the moment, with the Bears having the best offense in the NFL and the Packers looking totally out of sorts on that side of the ball. Chicago runs the football better than any team in the league, while the Packers have the worst ground attack. So, even though this game is at Lambeau Field, I have to take the Bears. Neil’s Pick… Chicago Bears

Las Vegas Raiders vs New England Patriots

I think the Raiders have proven they can stand the test of time this season. New England had a big win last week, but I think there’s something pretty special about this silver-and-black team that’s building. Give me the Raiders to win a sneaky one on the road. Neil’s Pick… Las Vegas

San Francisco 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks haven’t been perfect this season, but they are still 3-1, and now they take on the undefeated 49ers. I think Seattle can take this one in a low-scoring affair, on the back of their defense and just enough from their offense. Neil’s Pick… Seattle

Baltimore Ravens vs Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta are absolutely rolling, and Bijan Robinson has come alive ever since Michael Penix took over at quarterback. My concern with the Ravens, who have made a very good start to this season, is Lamar Jackson’s hamstring. What physical state is he going to be in on Sunday night? I’m going to take the Falcons at home. Neil’s Pick… Atlanta

For a more complete breakdown of each weeks’ games, make sure you check out my Inside Pro Football Substack blog for my picks column each Thursday. And please subscribe if you like my work… it’s free.

...Nat's Picks are In

Philadelphia Eagles vs Jacksonville Jaguars

It’s been an emotional week for a banged up Philly side with vet Lane Johnson announcing a shock retirement on the eve of their flight to London. They’re banged up too which doesn’t bode well for an already fractious offense squaring off against a dynamic Jags D. Jacksonville can see their path to the playoffs opening up in a softer than usual AFC South. And whilst I think this might be tighter than the points spread suggests, it’s hard to see beyond a Jax win. Nat’s Pick… Jacksonville Jaguars

Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers

Caleb Williams is still out of action after the “hamstring heard around the world” but the Bears have capable backups, as the evergreen Case Keenum demonstrated a fortnight ago, and this weeks starter Tyson Bagent has already proved in his brief career as Chicago’s number 2. This legendary rivalry always carries extra spice but particularly this time around, because the road win for Chicago would create clear daylight in the divisional race. The Packets are as expected - flashes of potential but far from the article. This is the kind of game that can kick start this season, however, and if they can get their Ground going, I can see the upset win. Nat’s Pick… Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders vs New England Patriots

I’m glad to see the Raiders confounding expectations as they were my sleeper pick preseason. They came mighty close to taking down the Chiefs, which is testament to how far they have come in such a short period of time under Clint Kubiak. Drake Maye had a bounce back again for you England last week, but don’t be fooled. They’re not the elite contenders they were last season, and I quite like Vegas with a sucker punch win here. Nat’s Pick… Las Vegas Raiders

San Francisco 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks

So on my podcast this week, we anointed Brock Purdy as the front runner and the MVP race. Which essentially means we’ve cursed his Season - and indeed San Francisco by association. Purdy is sneaky underrated because he’s not a highlight reel kind of player, and his performance this season is all the more incredible given the injuries had to the Niners receiving corp. I’m playing the hot hand here. Nat’s Pick… Seattle Seahawks

Baltimore Ravens vs Atlanta Falcons 

Are the Falcons that dark horse team they’re not many saw coming, but actually can roll deep. There’s no shortage of talent on the offense - the perceived missing  link was at quarterback but Michael Penix is ready for prime time. The Ravens are battling injuries but I still have them locked in as a major contender and despite the positive signs from Atlanta, I like the Ravens on the road. Nat’s Pick… Baltimore Ravens

For more from me be sure to catch the Nat Coombs Show where this season I'll be joined by an All-Pro crew of expert voices from both sides of the pond, getting you up to speed on all the latest news & key stories from around the league.

...and there we have it. Who’s got it right?

And there we have it - Week 5’s picks are locked in! Nat & Neil have made their calls, and once again, there’s plenty to disagree on as the NFL season heats up.

It’s another week of some serious agreement, with the pair backing the same team in three of our five featured matchups.

The first head-to-head? Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers, where Neil is backing Chicago’s high-powered offense, while Nat is tipping the Packers to cause an upset at Lambeau Field.

The second? Baltimore Ravens vs Atlanta Falcons, with Neil backing Atlanta at home, while Nat is sticking with Baltimore despite their injury concerns.

The pair are united on the Jaguars, Raiders & Seahawks, but will those shared picks pay off?

So, will Neil’s Falcons and Bears calls prove right, or can Nat pull off a couple of big upsets?

With Neil currently holding the lead, can Nat fight back in Week 5, or will Neil extend his advantage? Keep an eye out for the results and see who’s got the better NFL crystal ball!

Fancy watching the NFL with us? Head to your nearest Hickory’s and join us for NFL Sundays, with selected games live on the big screens, plenty of atmosphere and all the action as the season unfolds.

See you back here next week for Nat & Neils' NFL Sunday Picks Week 6!