NFL Picks Week 4: Teams That Will Bounce Back from Week 3 Losses

Week 4 brings about the first bye weeks as the Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers get some time off. Aside from those two teams, every other squad will reach the quarter pole by the end of the week.

In other words, it's not early anymore.

That means playoff hopefuls have to start generating some momentum to avoid digging a hole before the second half of the season when the pressure and intensity go way up. Here's a look at three teams that should rebound from losses and get on the right track in Week 4.

Detroit Lions

The Lions are probably feeling pretty deflated. They fought all the way back against the Tennessee Titans only to lose the game in overtime. A popular playoff pick before the season began, they now stand at 1-2 after two straight losses.

Matthew Stafford's status is up in the air after suffering a leg injury, but Shaun Hill proved he's capable of running the offense. The defense is a far bigger concern having given up more than 30 points per game in the first three weeks.

A home game against the Minnesota Vikings should be exactly what the Lions need. Mikel Leshoure has added some much-needed balance on offense and the defense tends to play better on the Ford Field turf, a combo that will lead to victory.

San Francisco 49ers

After picking up marquee wins over the Lions and Green Bay Packers, the 49ers let their guard down for a second and the Vikings capitalized. It once again showed how much parity there is in the league. Underdogs can win if the favorites don't play up to par.

It's crucial the 49ers get right back on a winning track because they have a tricky schedule ahead. Things could snowball real quickly if they don't end the losing skid at one, which is why it's such an advantage to have an elite defense.

San Francisco should have little trouble slowing down the New York Jets' lackluster offense. Combined with the season-ending injury to Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis to make life easier on Alex Smith, the 49ers should cruise to their second road win of the season.

Denver Broncos

The one overlooked factor following Peyton Manning's arrival to Denver was the team's brutal schedule. The Broncos will have to scratch and claw every single week to pick up enough wins along the way to make the postseason.

After an impressive triumph over the Steelers in the opener, the Broncos have dropped two straight games. Manning has been solid, yet still hasn't returned to his previous level of dominance, and the rest of the team hasn't been able to pick up the slack.

Even though it's too soon to call any game a must-win situation, Denver's clash with the Oakland Raiders comes close. If the Broncos lose, there's a strong possibility they enter the bye at 1-5.

They need to build some confidence with a win, and should get the job done.