Week 4 NFL Picks: Predicting Stone-Cold Locks Against the Spread

Whether you are a gambler that took a shellacking on the Thursday Night Football contest or won big during the San Francisco 49ers at St. Louis Colts showdown, it’s time to move on and concentrate on the upcoming slate of games.

Sunday is fast approaching, making this a most opportune time to get your wagers in for Week 4 of the 2013 NFL season.

It doesn’t matter if you are just hoping to get back to even or want to let it ride with house money, you’ll want to make smart, informed plays to win.

Let’s take a look at the latest lines, predict a winner for each contest and take a closer look at some of the top matchups of the week.

Minnesota Vikings (+3) over Pittsburgh Steelers

This neutral-site contest is taking place at Wembley Stadium in London, England and should be quite a thrill. Both sides are looking for their first win of the 2013 campaign and some hope to remain for a playoff appearance this winter.

With that in mind, expect a chippy, back-and-forth battle that could end up going either way. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has hardly any run support and a weak offensive line, while the Minnesota starting signal-caller may not even play.

Christian Ponder is currently questionable due to a rib injury, but backup Matt Cassell isn’t a major downgrade. Adrian Peterson’s presence insures that the Vikings will be productive on the ground and in the hunt for a win up until the final whistle.

Take the points in this situation, as it will put you in the best situation to cash your ticket at the end of the game, especially since the final score is highly likely to be within a field goal.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (+2.5) over Atlanta Falcons

The Patriots are back on track with a strong win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3, something that came just in time for their Sunday Night Football showdown with the Falcons.

It’s going to be a tough game that features two of the NFL’s best teams—even though neither has played like it much over the first three weeks of the 2013 campaign.

However, the Pats are the play—especially with the points—due to their emerging young receivers, the possible return of superstar tight end Rob Gronkowski and strong defense.

Atlanta is going to be fighting hard to avoid a 1-3 start in front of the home crowd at the Georgia Dome, but seem destined for that fate after a collapse this past Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.

The ‘Phins exploited the Falcons defense for big gains through the air, plus played a New England-style defense that bent but never broke and allowed just two touchdowns.

Take the points here and watch as an underrated Patriots squad outright wins a hard-fought road game with the nation watching.

 

Miami Dolphins (+7) over NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

The Dolphins started 3-0 for the first time since 2002 and are looking to capitalize on the hot start by going undefeated over the first quarter of their season. They can accomplish that, but have a roadblock to get through in New Orleans.

Saints signal-caller Drew Brees is playing some of the best football of his prolific career now that head coach Sean Payton is back on the sidelines. The defense has also improved significantly, going from historically terrible in 2012 to a respectable unit in just one offseason.

However, Miami proved last week that it can hang with the NFC South’s best and should be able to put up a better fight than the bookmakers are giving credit for. This is a proud team that has a solid coach in Joe Philbin, a promising quarterback in Ryan Tannehill and a great supporting cast on both sides of the ball.

The Dolphins simply aren’t going to lose by more than a touchdown, which is why taking the points here is one of the week’s strongest plays.

After they keep it close and possibly win outright on Monday Night Football this week, it will be extremely tough to find a ‘Phins line this juicy for the rest of the season.