NFL Week 4 Predictions: Showcasing Most Intriguing Narratives and Storylines

On a drama scale, it will be hard, if not impossible, for Week 4 to come close to matching Week 3. There were shocking upsets, crippling injuries, body parts left on the gridiron, spectacular plays and simultaneous catches that weren't really. 

But this is the NFL, after all. Just when we think we have things figured out, 10 things no one sees coming happen and completely alter the way everything goes.

As you prepare your weekend watching schedule based around football, here are the storylines that should be high on your radar. 

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions

Not a lot of people would have disagreed with you if you said that one of these teams would be 2-1 and the other 1-2 coming into this game. Not many, though, would have told you the Vikings would be looking for their third win. 

After taking it to the San Francisco 49ers last week, the Vikings will travel to the Motor City and attempt to knock off the reeling Lions. 

Matthew Stafford injured his leg in last week's game against Tennessee, and head coach Jim Schwartz isn't divulging much information about his quarterback's status for the game. 

Christian Ponder is not putting up spectacular numbers, but he has been outstanding as the team continues to wait for Adrian Peterson to get back to his old self coming off knee surgery. The second-year quarterback has yet to throw an interception and is completing 70 percent of his passes. 

There were not a lot of expectations for the Vikings this season, yet their schedule does set up nicely to get off to a hot start. After the Lions this week, they get Tennessee at home and Washington on the road. 

The Lions are just trying to find a way to stop the bleeding. They needed a fourth-quarter comeback to defeat St. Louis in Week 1, were run off the field against San Francisco, then gave up 44 points to the Titans. 

Are the Vikings for real? Is their strong defensive showing a product of competition or have they made improvements? Will the Lions figure out how to stop someone?

A matchup that didn't look too appealing two weeks ago suddenly carries a lot more weight. That's life in the NFL. 

Prediction: Vikings 24, Lions 20

New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers

Speaking of surprises, who would have thought that the Saints and Packers would have one combined win entering their Week 4 matchup?

Say what you want about the end of the Packers' Monday night game vs. Seattle, but it still goes down in the record books as a loss. 

Along with San Francisco, people wholly expected the Saints and Packers to be battling it out for the top spot in the NFC all season long. Certainly, you would not have been wrong to make that assumption. 

As bad as things look for the Packers right now, the Saints are trying to find a pulse. They have been a complete disaster this season. We wondered all offseason long how the team would be affected by the suspension of Sean Payton. 

After three games, it is safe to say that Payton meant far more to the Saints than we could have imagined. Either that, or we drastically overrated the talent on this team. 

Drew Brees does not look like the same quarterback. He is completing 54.7 percent of his passes with a seven-to-five touchdown-to-interception ratio. 

Defensively, the Saints have been a disaster. They have allowed 102 points, tied with Cincinnati for 31st in the NFL. 

On the other side of the field, the Packers are coming off that emotional, heartbreaking loss against Seattle on Monday. They are playing this game on a short week and need to focus on the task at hand rather than look back. 

Their offensive line got manhandled against the Seahawks, so a game against a soft defense has to be a welcome respite for them. 

We could either be looking at the Saints heading into next Sunday's game against San Diego with an 0-4 record and no hope, or the Packers falling to 1-3 with two losses at Lambeau. 

Prediction: Packers 30, Saints 20

Chicago Bears at Dallas Cowboys

This is the most fascinating game on the schedule this week because we have no idea what either team is, so it makes sense that it gets the Monday night spotlight.

Sure, we have ideas about what the Bears and Cowboys could be. They certainly have enough talent to be among the best in the NFC, but when you watch them play, you are left feeling numb. 

Those upgrades the Bears made on the offensive side of the ball have them sitting 27th in yards per game. Jay Cutler has thrown twice as many interceptions (6) as touchdowns (3) and has not made many friends on the offensive line. 

Matt Forte's status for this week's game is still up in the air and sounds like it will come down to the wire on Monday. 

At least they still have a defense that is capable of putting everyone else on their backs. Given the struggles the offense has had in the early going this season, you have to wonder if the defense will be able to hold up over 16 games to keep this team in the playoff hunt. 

The Cowboys continue to be the most baffling team in the league. They have the talent to be a fixture in the playoff chase. They always seem to be on the verge of doing big things, like when they defeat the Giants in the season-opening game on the road. 

Yet somehow, someway the Cowboys always slip on the banana peel against teams they have no business losing to. They followed up that huge win against New York by getting dominated at Seattle and playing the ugliest game you will ever see against Tampa Bay, though they did win that one. 

I want to think both the Bears and Cowboys are better than they have looked, but at some point you have to accept what you see. Monday night's game should tell us all we need to know about where these franchises are at right now.

Prediction: Cowboys 24, Bears 21

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