NFL Schedule Week 4: Game Times, TV Coverage and Prime-Time Info

Save for those with the atypical, early Week 4 bye, the rest of the NFL's teams will already complete a quarter of their 2014 seasons when the upcoming slate of games concludes.

It's hard to believe, but as wild as the young year in pro football has been, it's time to buckle up for the true chaos yet to ensue. Almost every contest across the league in Week 4 is evenly matched, and several surprise teams comprise the top showdowns to watch.

ESPN Stats & Info highlights the significance the fourth game of the year tends to have with respect to records and postseason hopes:

Thursday kicks off the slate with an intriguing NFC East battle between Washington and the New York Giants, who are 1-2 and jockeying for position in a competitive cluster featuring Dallas and Philadelphia. As can be seen above, that short-week contest looms large for both teams' futures.

Here is a look at the rest of the action on tap, along with TV coverage information and a breakdown of the top games on the Week 4 schedule.

Thursday, September 25	Time (ET)	TV
Sunday, September 28	Time (ET)	TV
Monday, September 29	Time (ET)	TV
New York Giants vs. Washington Redskins	8:25 p.m.	CBS/NFL Network
Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears	1 p.m.	FOX
Buffalo Bills vs. Houston Texans	1 p.m.	CBS
Tennessee Titans vs. Indianapolis Colts	1 p.m.	CBS
Carolina Panthers vs Baltimore Ravens	1 p.m.	CBS
Detroit Lions vs. New York Jets	1 p.m.	FOX
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers	1 p.m.	CBS
Miami Dolphins vs. Oakland Raiders	1 p.m.	CBS
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. San Diego Chargers	4:05 p.m.	CBS
Atlanta Falcons vs. Minnesota Vikings	4:25 p.m.	FOX
Philadelphia Eagles vs. San Francisco 49ers	4:25 p.m.	FOX
New Orleans Saints vs. Dallas Cowboys	8:30 p.m.	NBC
New England Patriots vs. Kansas City Chiefs	8:30 p.m.	ESPN

Predictions for Top Week 4 Games

Buffalo Bills (2-1) vs. Houston Texans (2-1)

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Can you believe this? Whichever team wins this game will be 3-1 and in sole possession of first place (counting tiebreakers) in their division.

Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is coming off a rough Week 3 outing against the New York Giants.

Fitzpatrick characteristically pressed despite middling arm talent, the benefit of a strong defense and a running game that stayed productive even without Arian Foster in the lineup.

Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com and the Houston Chronicle's Brian T. Smith weighed in on two bad decisions Fitzpatrick made in Week 3, where he posted a 21.0 total QBR:

That doesn't bode well for Houston, but it does help that the Texans will be at home and going up against a young signal-caller in EJ Manuel, who is still trying to prove himself as the Bills' future.

Manuel is making just his 14th career start. That's less than one full season. Considering that he was labeled a project as a first-round pick, his 90.8 passer rating and improving completion percentage are good early signs.

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

The showcase of defensive ends will be impressive, to say the least. Former Texans No. 1 overall pick Mario Williams will line up for Buffalo, while Houston superstar J.J. Watt will do his best to pressure Fitzpatrick into mistakes.

Despite his youth, Manuel has more upside, has been effective as a game manager and has more playmakers around him than Fitzpatrick—and that includes the backfield. The Bills' ball-carrier tandem of C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson is as strong as any in the NFL.

Jerry Sullivan of The Buffalo News brings up a relevant point in that vein:

That will help Buffalo generate more explosive plays, as Manuel will get the ball out of his hands earlier and the Bills will focus on double-teaming Watt to neutralize his impact.

This will be a low-scoring contest, yet Buffalo will find a way to pull it out on the road on the strength of a sixth-ranked run defense. Fitzpatrick will make one more critical mistake than Manuel and help his old team to 3-1.

Prediction: Bills 20, Texans 13

Carolina Panthers (2-1) vs. Baltimore Ravens (2-1)

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

The Panthers got steamrolled 37-19 by the Pittsburgh Steelers this last Sunday night, yielding 264 yards on the ground. For such a reputable defense, it was a disappointment, to say the least.

Many have predicted the Panthers to regress in 2014 for a number of reasons. With a thin backfield, a questionable cast of receivers and a hostile environment to negotiate, it would say a lot about Carolina QB Cam Newton if he were to pull this one out.

Unless Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams, who has been nursing a thigh injury, can provide a spark, it might be a long day on the road for the visitors come Sunday.

Newton's old favorite receiver, Steve Smith, was released by the Panthers this past offseason and moved on to Baltimore. Smith, who leads Baltimore with 18 receptions for 290 yards, has said there will be "blood and guts everywhere" if and when he faces his former club.

WCCB Charlotte's Kelli Bartik documented what Smith had to say ahead of Sunday's clash:

Newton is banged up and didn't look to be moving as well as he normally does in Week 3. Now he faces another AFC North team in the Ravens that promises to be a stern test. Baltimore is seventh in the league in scoring defense and eighth against the run, which will likely force Newton to air it out often on the road.

That just doesn't seem feasible. Running the ball and stopping the run are often staples of championship contenders. The Ravens do both of those among the top 10 in the NFL at this point and have a physical duo of Bernard Pierce and Justin Forsett to chip away at the Carolina front seven.

ESPN's Numbers Never Lie points out how explosive Forsett has been, seemingly out of nowhere:

Even fourth-round Ravens rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro is poised to make his presence felt after running for 91 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries in Baltimore's most recent victory over the Cleveland Browns.

Carolina gave up an 81-yard scamper to Le'Veon Bell and a 50-yard dash to LeGarrette Blount in Week 3. Doesn't sound promising in that context.

The deck is too stacked against the Panthers to bounce back after a blowout loss at home and steal this one at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore will do its best to stay within striking distance of Cincinnati in the division, thanks to Smith's motivation to make plays in the passing game and the Ravens' running superiority on both sides of the ball.

Prediction: Ravens 23, Panthers 16

Philadelphia Eagles (3-0) vs. San Francisco 49ers (1-2)

We had to include the only one of the three remaining undefeated teams in action this week, what with the Eagles' innovative, uptempo system authored by coach Chip Kelly. First, though, let's talk about the bizarre, baffling offense going on in San Francisco

What happened to the bludgeoning, battering-ram rushing attack that got the Niners to the previous three conference championship games? Do they feel the need to put the ball in QB Colin Kaepernick's hands all the time because of his massive contract extension?

First answer: don't know. Second answer: apparently, because Frank Gore played only 51.6 percent of snaps (h/t ESPN.com) in Week 3's loss at Arizona, and San Francisco running backs got a combined nine carries.

Play-caller Greg Roman tried to explain, via 49ers.com's Tyler Emerick:

"

I think Frank knew going into the game, we kind of outlined our game plan that we were going to start the game out a certain way and see how it went. [...] In a perfect world, you're letting Frank and the offensive line take over the game at the end of the game...but we weren't in that situation, so we were never really able to transition into that.

"

Kaepernick carried the ball 13 times in the 23-14 loss to the Cardinals, who were starting career backup Drew Stanton. Roman would have done well to pound the rock and put Stanton in a come-from-behind scenario with obvious passing situations.

Alas.

What the Niners are doing, I'm sure I don't know. They are straying from the formula that's made them so successful. The defense has held up rather well with so many key absences, not the least of which are linebacker NaVorro Bowman and Aldon Smith.

It appears San Francisco is on the precipice of collapsing. But remember, this team started 1-2 a year ago and wound up in the NFC Championship Game—with a regular-season record of 12-4.

Dave Richard of CBSSports.com believes the Niners will adjust accordingly against Philly's 26th-ranked defense:

Now let's take a closer look at the Eagles. They are so banged up on the offensive line, as Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer:

That's what made Philly's 37-point eruption against Washington in Week 3 all the more impressive, argues former NFL GM Joe Banner:

Speaking of the loss of Bowman, Kelly will likely do all he can to test the Niners' linebackers in coverage—not to mention their shabby cornerbacks—with the likes of scatback Darren Sproles.

Comcast SportsNet's John Middlekauff believes capable pass-catching tight ends Zach Ertz and Brent Celek will also give San Francisco problems:

It's a great matchup on paper for Philadelphia's offense, but it is almost impossible to imagine the Niners losing their first two games at Levi's Stadium with all the success the franchise has had recently.

The Eagles have been notorious for starting slow this year, scoring a combined six points in the first two games and trailing by double digits early versus Washington last week. Doing that against the Niners on the road isn't a recipe for winning.

In an NFC West that is living up to the hype thus far, San Francisco is in a must-win situation just to keep pace with the idle Cardinals and the defending Super Bowl champion in Seattle. This figures to be the Niners' sharpest performance yet and a point in the year where the Eagles can afford a slight slip-up.

This one will be close and will serve as a key turning point for both teams, but it will be of the more positive variety for the Niners, who will get back on track with a massive win.

Prediction: 49ers 34, Eagles 27