Week 4 NFL Predictions: Games Bound to Produce Plenty of Points

There are going to be some tightly contested, low-scoring affairs in Week 4 of the NFL season, but there are also going to be some old-fashioned shootouts.

Chances are, you prefer the old-fashioned shootouts.

Last week, we got a couple of games that put up a lot of points, including the Green Bay Packers falling 34-30 to the the Cincinnati Bengals, while the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers combined for 63 points of their own.

Here's a look at all predictions for Week 4 after Thursday Night Football, then a look at the games that will likely put up the most points.

Chicago Bears (3-0) at Detroit Lions (2-1)

Date: Sunday, Sept. 29

Time: 1:00 p.m. ET

TV: FOX

Prediction: 31-28, Lions

Jay Cutler has had his ups and downs throughout his career, but he looks a lot more comfortable this year in the Chicago Bears' offense.

A new head coach and an improved offensive line has given Cutler more time to make plays in the pocket.  So far, he's thrown for 693 yards along with six touchdowns and three interceptions.  The running game has looked solid as well, with Matt Forte running for 225 yards and two touchdowns.

The defense hasn't been as good for the Bears.  They've given up 74 points in three games, along with almost 300 yards through the air per game.  That means that Matthew Stafford could be able to make some big plays for the Detroit Lions.

The good news for Stafford is that he will likely have Reggie Bush back in the lineup.  Bush hurt his knee and had to miss last week's game against the Washington Redskins, but now he should be good to go, adding another weapon to go along with Calvin Johnson and Joique Bell on offense.

The Lions' defense hasn't been too solid either, giving up 23 points per game.  They've yet to play a strong, confident quarterback, and that means Cutler could put up even bigger numbers this week against an unproven defense.

Expect a lot of points in this game, as two NFC North teams fight for an edge in the early division race.

Dallas Cowboys (2-1) at San Diego Chargers (1-2)

Date: Sunday, Sept. 29

Time: 4:25 p.m. ET

TV: FOX

Prediction: 31-24, Cowboys

I'm still trying to figure out both of these teams, but what I do know is that they don't have the most impressive defenses.

The Dallas Cowboys have put up some big points so far, putting up 36 in Week 1 and 31 in Week 3.  Tony Romo has thrown for 771 yards and six touchdowns already, with Dez Bryant and Jason Witten grabbing two touchdowns each.

The defense was able to slow down the St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs, but the Cowboys are still giving up 274 passing yards a game, and Philip Rivers is arguably a better quarterback with a better offense than the Chiefs or Rams.

The San Diego Chargers have been explosive on offense, and Rivers looks like his old self so far.  He's thrown for 798 yards and eight touchdowns to go along with an impressive passer rating of 116.2.

While the offense has been good, the defense has been terrible.  The Chargers have given up 340 passing yards per game, the worst in the league, and 81 total points through three games.  

With two strong offenses and two questionable defenses, these quarterbacks are bound to end this game with a shootout, and there should be plenty of touchdowns scored throughout the game.

Philadelphia Eagles (1-2) at Denver Broncos (3-0)

Date: Sunday, Sept. 29

Time: 4:25 p.m. ET

TV: FOX

Prediction: 35-21, Broncos

Chip Kelly's new and exciting up-tempo offense going up against Peyton Manning and all of his weapons just sounds like an exciting game, and you can bet that it's going to be.

The new offense for the Philadelphia Eagles has been fun to watch.  They currently lead the NFL with 209 rushing yards per game, and LeSean McCoy is on pace to have over 2,000 rushing yards on the year.  Michael Vick has looked somewhat like his old self, putting up over 1,000 total yards and 7 total touchdowns.

Peyton Manning has looked like the early leader in the MVP race, especially after he threw seven touchdowns in the Denver Broncos' season opener.  He's already thrown for 1,143 yards and 12 touchdowns with zero interceptions through three games.  

Neither defense is very impressive.  The Eagles have given up 86 points and 323 passing yards a game, while the Broncos have given up 71 points and 327 passing yards per game.  

Both offenses love to put up points as quickly as possible, and the defenses are struggling against the pass.  This means that there are going to be plenty of chances for Manning and Vick to score touchdowns, and we could see a game that ends with at least 60 combined points scored.