Week 4 NFL Picks: Vegas Odds, Spreads and Predictions

Week 4 of the NFL season is full of big lines that are only growing by the day. Some of the favorites will win in easy blowouts, while others will struggle and either lose or barely escape with a close victory.

Many times at this point of the season we get too involved with wins and losses. Obviously this is the most important part of the sport, but it doesn't always provide indication about future success. It's important to examine how a squad played and what competition it faced in its previous games.

Only at that point can you predict what will happen in the coming weeks. With that in mind, here is a look at picks for Week 4 against the spread.

Away	Home	ATS Pick
Baltimore Ravens	Pittsburgh Steelers	BAL (-2.5)
New York Jets	Miami Dolphins	MIA (+1.5)
New York Giants	Buffalo Bills	NYG (+5)
Oakland Raiders	Chicago Bears	OAK (-3)
Jacksonville Jaguars	Indianapolis Colts	IND (-9)
Houston Texans	Atlanta Falcons	ATL (-6.5)
Carolina Panthers	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	TB (+3)
Kansas City Chiefs	Cincinnati Bengals	CIN (-4)
Philadelphia Eagles	Washington Redskins	PHI (-3)
Cleveland Browns	San Diego Chargers	CLE (+7.5)
Minnesota Vikings	Denver Broncos	DEN (-6.5)
Green Bay Packers	San Francisco 49ers	GB (-9)
St. Louis Rams	Arizona Cardinals	ARI (-6.5)
Dallas Cowboys	New Orleans Saints	N/A
Detroit Lions	Seattle Seahawks	DET (+10)

Note: All spread info courtesy of Odds Shark.

Underdogs to Cover

Miami Dolphins (+1.5) over New York Jets

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Things have not gone according to plan for the Miami Dolphins this season, and they are now 1-2 heading into an important game against the New York Jets. The latest effort, a 41-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills, seemed like it should be a low point.

Head coach Joe Philbin was disappointed but doesn't think a major turnaround is needed, per Doug Farrar of Sports Illustrated:

"

It was not a good performance so certainly I take responsibility. We’re a team, so players and coaches, we need to do a better job, both of us. It starts with me. It’s really simple. We’ve got two ways to go. We can start saying, "You’re the problem, I’m the problem, he’s the problem, we’re the problem," or, "We’ll work together and come up with some solutions and play better football." That’s really where we are as a team. I don’t think it’s very complicated.

"

The good news is there is still talent on the roster to have more success going forward. More importantly, the upcoming matchup could work out well.

New York looked just as bad in Week 3 with a 24-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles that was more one-sided than the score would indicate. ESPN's Mike Greenberg was harsh on the team:

The biggest problem is the offense, which was limited without playmakers Eric Decker and Chris Ivory. This left just Brandon Marshall as a legitimate threat, making the one-dimensional offense pretty easy to defend.

If the Dolphins defense does its job and Ryan Tannehill avoids mistakes against a tough Jets defense, Miami can earn the upset win in London.

Cleveland Browns (+7.5) over San Diego Chargers

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

The Cleveland Browns have the worst run defense in the NFL, but the San Diego Chargers haven't been much better. They are currently tied for the fourth-worst run defense, which sets up both Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson for possibly big games on the ground.

Considering the Chargers are currently rated as the worst defense in football by Pro Football Focus, the Browns might finally be able to move the ball offensively.

On the other side of the ball, this might be one matchup where the Browns defensive line has the advantage. San Diego has been dealing with numerous injuries on the offensive line, and things are only getting worse, per Pat McManamon of ESPN:

While rookie running back Melvin Gordon has tons of potential, it will be hard for him to find too much space behind the makeshift offensive line.

This won't likely be a pretty game to watch, but San Diego isn't playing well enough to assume it will beat anyone by more than a touchdown.

Detroit Lions (+10) over Seattle Seahawks

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

The Seattle Seahawks are almost unbeatable at home, but winning by double digits will not come easy, even against an 0-3 team like the Detroit Lions.

Seattle got its first win of the season in Week 3 with a 26-0 shutout of the Chicago Bears. Of course, the Bears offense without Jay Cutler or Alshon Jeffery isn't much of a threat to score on anyone. The Lions haven't played well, but dynamic threats like Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate and Ameer Abdullah have what it takes to at least put some points on the scoreboard.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks offense has struggled mightily this season. Taking away defensive and special teams' scores, the offense has only produced four touchdowns in three games. Former NFL player Mark Schlereth explained the squad's mindset during the latest win:

As good as Tyler Lockett has been on special teams, it's hard to count on touchdowns from that source every game. This will put the pressure on the offense, which hasn't proved itself yet this year.

Seattle should win a low-scoring battle, but look for the Lions to cover the spread.

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