NFL Week 5 Opening Lines: 49ers-Cowboys Clash Playoff Rematch, Preview?

Nostalgia is in these days, and from a football standpoint, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better celebration of yesteryear’s pigskin than the marquee matchup in Week 5 of the 2023 NFL season.

The Dallas Cowboys head out on the road to battle with the San Francisco 49ers on “Sunday Night Football,” a clash of titans that headlines the weekly slate. Not only does this showdown of bluebloods feel like a trip back to the ’80s or ’90s, but it’s also a rematch of the clubs’ NFC divisional-round game from last season. San Fran won that game at home, outlasting Dallas in a 19-12 slugfest.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see a few more fireworks this time around. The 49ers lead the NFC in scoring through four weeks with 125 points, one single tick of the scoreboard ahead of the Cowboys’ 124 points. The two clubs are a combined 7-1 through the first quarter of the season with the only slip-up being the Cowboys’ shocking Week 3 loss to Arizona. They rebounded to hand Bill Belichick the worst defeat of his head-coaching career Sunday. The 49ers simultaneously improved to 4-0 but not before struggling with those pesky Cardinals through three quarters at home.

This one sure feels similar to the lead-up to the Week 4 clash between Miami and Buffalo. The 49ers and Cowboys are two of the five shortest favorites to win the Super Bowl, with FanDuel Sportsbook currently giving them +550 and +850 odds to win it all, respectively.

The 49ers open as favorites Sunday night, laying 3.5 points at home against Dallas. San Francisco has been one of the most consistent teams in the league over the last year, especially as a favorite. The Niners are 18-2 straight-up and a whopping 15-5 against the spread as favorites dating back to the start of the 2022 season. Dallas, for what it’s worth, is 3-3 ATS as an underdog over the last two seasons.

Here are the rest of the point spreads and totals for Week 5 of the NFL season.

THURSDAY, OCT. 5
Chicago Bears at (-6.5) Washington Commanders, 44.5

SUNDAY, OCT. 8
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. (-5.5) Buffalo Bills, 48 (in London)
Houston Texans at (-2.5) Atlanta Falcons, 41.5
Carolina Panthers at (-8.5) Detroit Lions, 44
Tennessee Titans at (-1.5) Indianapolis Colts, 41.5
New York Giants at (-9.5) Miami Dolphins, 49.5
(-3.5) Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers,
New Orleans Saints at (-1.5) New England Patriots, 39
(-4.5) Cincinnati Bengals at Arizona Cardinals, 42.5
(-5.5) Philadelphia Eagles at Los Angeles Rams, 47
(-5.5) Kansas City Chiefs at Minnesota Vikings, 52.5
New York Jets at (-2.5) Denver Broncos, 40.5
Dallas Cowboys at (-3.5) San Francisco 49ers, 45.5

MONDAY, OCT. 9
(-1.5) Green Bay Packers at Las Vegas Raiders, 43.5