NFL Week 4 Predictions: Can't-Miss Picks and Matchup Guide

With the first month of the NFL season about to come to an end, bettors everywhere are looking to either recoup their losses or build upon what has already been a lucrative campaign. Whatever the case, Week 4 offers an intriguing slate of games, and there are plenty that are ripe for the picking.

There seems to be a nice mix of big lines and games that are virtually even, so every type of bettor will be able to get some action in this week. The NFL landscape is starting to become clearer with each passing week, so educated gamblers have an opportunity to do plenty of damage before the oddsmakers catch on.

Here is a full listing of picks against the spread for every Week 4 game, as well as a deeper dive into the week's three biggest locks.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-1) over MINNESOTA VIKINGS

With matching 0-3 records, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings will both be desperate for a victory when they lock horns across the pond in England. The NFL's yearly foray to Europe has plenty of meaning this season as the losing team may very well be out of it just one month into the season. The Vikes have been designated as the home team, but it is clearly a neutral-site game. It's likely that there will be more Steelers fans since the franchise has far more national and international clout than the Vikings do.

Aside from that, the Steelers appear as though they finally figured things out on the offensive side of the ball in Week 3. Pittsburgh lost to the Chicago Bears, but quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for more than 400 yards, and wide receiver Antonio Brown had a career game as well. The running game has been an issue, but rookie Le'Veon Bell may return to action, according to Will Brinson of CBSSports.com. Also, the Vikings offense could have some issues of its own, per ESPN's Ben Goessling.

Although Christian Ponder is far from the greatest quarterback in the league, he is well versed in Minnesota's offense. Backup Matt Cassel obviously has starting experience, but he was run out of Kansas City for good reason. Pittsburgh's defense is among the best in the league against the pass, so it all comes down to slowing down running back Adrian Peterson. Assuming the Steelers can do that, they should be able to pick up a fairly comfortable win.

ATLANTA FALCONS (-1) over New England Patriots

In what could very well be Week 4's marquee matchup, the 3-0 New England Patriots will travel to Atlanta to take on the 1-2 Falcons on Sunday night. Seeing the Pats with an undefeated record is nothing new, but it hasn't exactly been achieved in convincing fashion. Atlanta, on the other hand, could be 3-0, but late losses to the New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins have the Falcons in a precarious position against a tough opponent.

The Falcons will be without running back Steven Jackson once again in all likelihood, according to ESPN's Vaughn McClure, but Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling picked up the slack quite nicely in Week 3. Also, quarterback Matt Ryan remains the driving force along with pass-catchers Julio Jones, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez. The main wild cards in this game reside in New England, though, as it remains unclear whether or not tight end Rob Gronkowski or wide receiver Danny Amendola will be able to play, according to Pro Football Talk.

Bill Belichick is easily one of the most secretive head coaches in the league, so it comes as no surprise that he is mum about their progress. There is no doubt that either man returning would be a major boost for the Patriots' ordinary offense, but they probably won't be at full effectiveness even if they do play. The Falcons need to win to keep pace in the NFC South, and they'll find a way to get the job done on their home turf.

Baltimore Ravens (-3) over BUFFALO BILLS

There are plenty of questionable lines in play this week, but the strangest may relate to the Baltimore Ravens vs. Buffalo Bills contest. The Ravens are only three-point favorites despite the fact that they are coming off an impressive win over the Houston Texans. While it's true that the Bills are at home, they looked very bad against the New York Jets last week, and mounting injuries suggest that Baltimore could run away with this one.

The Bills' biggest issues are in the secondary as both starting cornerbacks and one starting safety are ailing. According to Mark Belcher of BuffaloBills.com, corners Stephon Gilmore and Ron Brooks are out indefinitely, so they are unlikely to play Sunday. Also, Pro Bowl safety Jairus Byrd is still nursing a foot injury, so he is very questionable. Cornerback Leodis McKelvin left last week's game early with a hamstring injury, and he is questionable as well, according to Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550.

If any or all of those defensive backs are ruled out, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco will be licking his chops. The Ravens have been ravaged by injuries in their own right, but Flacco should be able to do plenty of damage with the likes of Torrey Smith, Marlon Brown and Dallas Clark. Running back Ray Rice's status is also worth watching as he is dealing with a hip injury, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Even if Rice can't play, though, Bernard Pierce is capable of gashing the league's second-worst run defense. Everything is pointing toward a Baltimore romp in Orchard Park, N.Y.

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