How does the FSN NFL rooting guide work?

FSN measures how each other game in the current week changes a team’s simulated playoff, division, No. 1 seed and Super Bowl outcomes, then ranks the results that help most.

Why is my team’s own game not included?

Winning your own game is already the most direct way to improve your position. The rooting guide focuses on the other games fans should care about.

Do NFL rooting interests change every week?

Yes. Rooting interests rebuild with the FSN season forecast as standings, tiebreak paths and game probabilities change. Weekly snapshots preserve the pre-week picture.

2026 NFL · WEEK 5 · FSN-ROOT-1.1

NFL Week 5 Rooting Guide: Who Should Every Team Root For?

Pick your team for Week 5. FSN ranks every other unplayed game by how much each result helps your playoff path—using the same 5,000 full-season simulations behind the Playoff Predictor.

Playoff Control Center →Playoff Predictor →Game Simulator →

PICK YOUR TEAM

Who should you root for in Week 5?

Team

WEEK 5 ROOTING INTERESTS

Chicago Bears fans: here’s who to root for

Your own game is excluded. Winning that one is still the best possible rooting strategy.

Current playoff odds77.6%10 meaningful outside-game impacts

Huge impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

MINMinnesota Vikings @ NONew Orleans Saints

ROOT FOR New Orleans Saints over Minnesota Vikings

+7.8 pts Division odds for Chicago Bears in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If New Orleans Saints wins39.3%Division odds

If Minnesota Vikings wins31.5%Division odds

Playoffs78.1%vs77.2%

Division39.3%vs31.5%

#1 seed6.6%vs7.1%

Reach SB10.6%vs10.0%

Win SB4.7%vs4.6%

High impact Thu 8:15 PM ET

TBTampa Bay Buccaneers @ DALDallas Cowboys

ROOT FOR Tampa Bay Buccaneers over Dallas Cowboys

+2.5 pts Playoff odds for Chicago Bears in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Tampa Bay Buccaneers wins79.4%Playoff odds

If Dallas Cowboys wins76.9%Playoff odds

Playoffs79.4%vs76.9%

Division35.4%vs34.2%

#1 seed7.7%vs6.6%

Reach SB11.0%vs10.0%

Win SB4.5%vs4.7%

High impact Sun 4:25 PM ET

DETDetroit Lions @ ARIArizona Cardinals

ROOT FOR Arizona Cardinals over Detroit Lions

+4.8 pts Division odds for Chicago Bears in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Arizona Cardinals wins37.9%Division odds

If Detroit Lions wins33.1%Division odds

Playoffs77.2%vs77.7%

Division37.9%vs33.1%

#1 seed8.2%vs6.3%

Reach SB10.3%vs10.2%

Win SB4.9%vs4.5%

High impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

LVLas Vegas Raiders @ NENew England Patriots

ROOT FOR New England Patriots over Las Vegas Raiders

+2.6 pts Playoff odds for Chicago Bears in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If New England Patriots wins78.6%Playoff odds

If Las Vegas Raiders wins76.0%Playoff odds

Playoffs78.6%vs76.0%

Division34.5%vs34.5%

#1 seed7.2%vs6.4%

Reach SB10.6%vs9.7%

Win SB4.6%vs4.7%

High impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

NYGNew York Giants @ WASWashington Commanders

ROOT FOR Washington Commanders over New York Giants

+2.5 pts Playoff odds for Chicago Bears in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Washington Commanders wins78.8%Playoff odds

If New York Giants wins76.3%Playoff odds

Playoffs78.8%vs76.3%

Division34.6%vs34.5%

#1 seed7.2%vs6.6%

Reach SB10.3%vs10.2%

Win SB4.8%vs4.6%

High impact Sun 4:25 PM ET

SFSan Francisco 49ers @ SEASeattle Seahawks

ROOT FOR Seattle Seahawks over San Francisco 49ers

+3.3 pts No. 1 seed odds for Chicago Bears in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Seattle Seahawks wins8.5%No. 1 seed odds

If San Francisco 49ers wins5.2%No. 1 seed odds

Playoffs76.7%vs78.5%

Division35.5%vs33.4%

#1 seed8.5%vs5.2%

Reach SB10.8%vs9.6%

Win SB5.1%vs4.2%

Meaningful impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

HOUHouston Texans @ TENTennessee Titans

ROOT FOR Houston Texans over Tennessee Titans

+2.0 pts Division odds for Chicago Bears in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Houston Texans wins35.1%Division odds

If Tennessee Titans wins33.1%Division odds

Playoffs77.9%vs76.7%

Division35.1%vs33.1%

#1 seed6.9%vs6.9%

Reach SB10.0%vs10.7%

Win SB4.8%vs4.3%

Meaningful impact Sun 8:20 PM ET

BALBaltimore Ravens @ ATLAtlanta Falcons

ROOT FOR Atlanta Falcons over Baltimore Ravens

+2.4 pts Division odds for Chicago Bears in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Atlanta Falcons wins35.9%Division odds

If Baltimore Ravens wins33.4%Division odds

Playoffs77.5%vs77.6%

Division35.9%vs33.4%

#1 seed7.4%vs6.5%

Reach SB10.3%vs10.2%

Win SB5.0%vs4.4%

Meaningful impact small model edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

CINCincinnati Bengals @ MIAMiami Dolphins

ROOT FOR Cincinnati Bengals over Miami Dolphins

+1.4 pts Playoff odds for Chicago Bears in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Cincinnati Bengals wins78.0%Playoff odds

If Miami Dolphins wins76.6%Playoff odds

Playoffs78.0%vs76.6%

Division34.8%vs34.0%

#1 seed6.7%vs7.3%

Reach SB10.5%vs9.6%

Win SB4.7%vs4.5%

Meaningful impact Mon 8:15 PM ET

BUFBuffalo Bills @ LARLos Angeles Rams

ROOT FOR Buffalo Bills over Los Angeles Rams

+2.4 pts Playoff odds for Chicago Bears in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Buffalo Bills wins78.8%Playoff odds

If Los Angeles Rams wins76.4%Playoff odds

Playoffs78.8%vs76.4%

Division34.2%vs34.8%

#1 seed6.4%vs7.4%

Reach SB10.8%vs9.7%

Win SB4.9%vs4.4%

Small edge small model edge Sun 4:05 PM ET

DENDenver Broncos @ LACLos Angeles Chargers

ROOT FOR Los Angeles Chargers over Denver Broncos

+0.9 pts No. 1 seed odds for Chicago Bears in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Los Angeles Chargers wins7.5%No. 1 seed odds

If Denver Broncos wins6.6%No. 1 seed odds

Playoffs77.6%vs77.5%

Division34.7%vs34.4%

#1 seed7.5%vs6.6%

Reach SB10.8%vs9.9%

Win SB4.9%vs4.5%

Small edge small model edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

INDIndianapolis Colts @ PITPittsburgh Steelers

ROOT FOR Pittsburgh Steelers over Indianapolis Colts

+0.8 pts Division odds for Chicago Bears in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Pittsburgh Steelers wins34.9%Division odds

If Indianapolis Colts wins34.1%Division odds

Playoffs77.8%vs77.3%

Division34.9%vs34.1%

#1 seed6.9%vs6.9%

Reach SB10.1%vs10.4%

Win SB4.9%vs4.4%

Small edge small model edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

CLECleveland Browns @ NYJNew York Jets

ROOT FOR New York Jets over Cleveland Browns

+0.5 pts Division odds for Chicago Bears in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If New York Jets wins34.8%Division odds

If Cleveland Browns wins34.3%Division odds

Playoffs77.4%vs77.7%

Division34.8%vs34.3%

#1 seed7.0%vs6.8%

Reach SB10.5%vs10.0%

Win SB5.0%vs4.4%

Small edge small model edge Sun 9:30 AM ET

PHIPhiladelphia Eagles @ JAXJacksonville Jaguars

ROOT FOR Philadelphia Eagles over Jacksonville Jaguars

+0.8 pts Playoff odds for Chicago Bears in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Philadelphia Eagles wins78.2%Playoff odds

If Jacksonville Jaguars wins77.4%Playoff odds

Playoffs78.2%vs77.4%

Division34.5%vs34.5%

#1 seed6.2%vs7.0%

Reach SB10.1%vs10.3%

Win SB4.5%vs4.7%

ALL 32 TEAMS

Top rooting interest at a glance

This server-rendered table gives every fan base’s strongest current outside-game rooting interest. Use the picker above for the full slate.

TeamRoot forAgainstImpact

ARIArizona Cardinals New England PatriotsLas Vegas Raiders+0.5 ptsPlayoff odds ATLAtlanta Falcons New York GiantsWashington Commanders+2.6 ptsDivision odds BALBaltimore Ravens Washington CommandersNew York Giants+4.8 ptsDivision odds BUFBuffalo Bills Las Vegas RaidersNew England Patriots+10.4 ptsDivision odds CARCarolina Panthers Baltimore RavensAtlanta Falcons+7.3 ptsPlayoff odds CHIChicago Bears New Orleans SaintsMinnesota Vikings+7.8 ptsDivision odds CINCincinnati Bengals Tennessee TitansHouston Texans+4.2 ptsPlayoff odds CLECleveland Browns Tennessee TitansHouston Texans+6.2 ptsPlayoff odds DALDallas Cowboys Jacksonville JaguarsPhiladelphia Eagles+7.3 ptsPlayoff odds DENDenver Broncos Jacksonville JaguarsPhiladelphia Eagles+3.5 ptsPlayoff odds DETDetroit Lions New Orleans SaintsMinnesota Vikings+6.5 ptsDivision odds GBGreen Bay Packers Buffalo BillsLos Angeles Rams+2.6 ptsPlayoff odds HOUHouston Texans Las Vegas RaidersNew England Patriots+3.2 ptsPlayoff odds INDIndianapolis Colts Los Angeles ChargersDenver Broncos+5.2 ptsPlayoff odds JAXJacksonville Jaguars Pittsburgh SteelersIndianapolis Colts+5.0 ptsDivision odds KCKansas City Chiefs Philadelphia EaglesJacksonville Jaguars+7.9 ptsNo. 1 seed odds LVLas Vegas Raiders Los Angeles ChargersDenver Broncos+3.4 ptsPlayoff odds LACLos Angeles Chargers Jacksonville JaguarsPhiladelphia Eagles+0.4 ptsPlayoff odds LARLos Angeles Rams Arizona CardinalsDetroit Lions+6.0 ptsPlayoff odds MIAMiami Dolphins Philadelphia EaglesJacksonville Jaguars+0.2 ptsPlayoff odds MINMinnesota Vikings Green Bay PackersChicago Bears+11.3 ptsDivision odds NENew England Patriots Los Angeles RamsBuffalo Bills+10.6 ptsDivision odds NONew Orleans Saints Baltimore RavensAtlanta Falcons+2.1 ptsPlayoff odds NYGNew York Giants Tampa Bay BuccaneersDallas Cowboys+5.2 ptsPlayoff odds NYJNew York Jets Miami DolphinsCincinnati Bengals+1.3 ptsPlayoff odds PHIPhiladelphia Eagles Tampa Bay BuccaneersDallas Cowboys+4.6 ptsPlayoff odds PITPittsburgh Steelers Miami DolphinsCincinnati Bengals+3.6 ptsPlayoff odds SFSan Francisco 49ers Green Bay PackersChicago Bears+3.4 ptsNo. 1 seed odds SEASeattle Seahawks Buffalo BillsLos Angeles Rams+2.8 ptsPlayoff odds TBTampa Bay Buccaneers Philadelphia EaglesJacksonville Jaguars+0.9 ptsPlayoff odds TENTennessee Titans Miami DolphinsCincinnati Bengals+0.1 ptsPlayoff odds WASWashington Commanders Jacksonville JaguarsPhiladelphia Eagles+1.1 ptsPlayoff odds

WEEKLY ARCHIVE

Rooting guides change as the playoff picture changes

Saved weekly checkpoints let fans revisit what helped their team at that point in the season.

Week 1 →Week 2 →Week 3 →Week 4 →Week 5 →Week 6 →

WHY THIS IS DIFFERENT

It measures the impact instead of guessing at rooting interests

For each unplayed Week 5 game, FSN looks at the season simulations where the away team won and the simulations where the home team won. Then it compares what happened to every other team’s playoff path.

The ranking gives playoff qualification the most weight for bubble teams. For strong contenders, division and No. 1 seed leverage becomes more important. Super Bowl paths remain a smaller secondary signal so the guide does not tell a 5–8 team to root for an exotic championship path instead of the result that actually helps it reach January.

Because these are Monte Carlo estimates, very small differences can move from refresh to refresh. FSN explicitly labels those as small or minimal rather than pretending a tenth of a percentage point is destiny.

FAQ

NFL rooting interests, explained

Why isn’t my team’s own game listed?

Because winning your own game is already the strongest direct way to improve your position. This tool answers the harder question: what should you want to happen everywhere else?

Does “+4.7 points” mean the result guarantees my playoff odds rise by exactly 4.7 points?

No. It is the difference between two conditional Monte Carlo branches in the current forecast. It is a useful estimate of leverage, not a guaranteed future update.

Will the rooting guide update after games are played?

Yes. The live guide follows the current unplayed slate. Weekly archive pages preserve the checkpoint from that week so later results do not rewrite what fans were supposed to root for beforehand.