NFL Week 4 Picks: Michael Vick Will Make Donovan McNabb Trade Look Smart
Week 4 of the 2010 NFL season looks to be as exciting as the rest of them and includes a big matchup featuring Donovan McNabb's return to Lincoln Financial Field...as a Washington Redskin.
Despite the usual easy picks, there are more than a handful of games that figure to be very competitive and could be decided by a touchdown or less.
With that, let's take a look at the matchups for the upcoming week and my take on who will prevail in each.
New York Jets @ Buffalo Bills
1 of 14
Two weeks in a row, Mark Sanchez has proved his detractors wrong and pulled off wins with style which included back-to-back three-touchdown performances. Most important in countering the naysayers, he has yet to throw an interception.
The Bills looked great against a pitiful Patriots pass defense last week, but even home-field advantage won't provide the same kind of results against a much more talented defense.
With the Jets flying high, look for the Bills to keep running in circles as only they do.
Jets 20—Bills 7
Denver Broncos @ Tennessee Titans
2 of 14
It didn't take Chris Johnson long to rebound from a poor performance against the Steelers. Teams haven't really tested the Broncos run defense (they've only been run against 76 times in three games)
Kyle Orton has marched the team up and down the field but hasn't put them in the end zone as much as they'd like. The Titans defense has played great in the first three weeks of action. They haven't allowed many passing yards and have only allowed one touchdown of each variety.
This one should be close, but it seems clear to me who will come out on top.
Titans 23—Broncos 20
Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns
3 of 14
Winning games is all that matters in the end, but how you get there is important in figuring out what to expect. The Bengals have been very unimpressive in their two victories this season, scoring only five touchdowns against eight field goals.
Peyton Hillis looked like the Peyton Manning of running backs last week against the Ravens (what the...) and looks primed for another good game at home. In the end, this game will come down to mistakes: who makes fewer of them, and who takes better advantage of the opponent's.
Browns 17—Bengals 14
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Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints
4 of 14
The Panthers have been a doormat for anyone that even has the slightest urge to score a touchdown against them. Their offense has been one of the league's, in scoring and yards since the beginning of the season.
Drew Brees and the Saints offense were victimized by mistakes and missed field goals on Sunday against the Falcons, but they won't make the same mistakes two weeks in a row. The Panthers will be forced into an early game of catch-up, which is hard to win when your primary offensive threats are both running backs.
Saints 34—Panthers 13
Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers
5 of 14
Both the Lions and the Packers have had a couple of very close games already this season. Although many expect this one to be a blowout, I believe the Lions can change a lot of people's minds about them by hanging around against a preseason favorite for the Super Bowl.
The Lions are a young team that is finding its identity, while the Packers are a battle-tested team that's trying to take the next step: from good to elite. Elite teams don't lose at home to the Detroit Lions.
Packers 24—Lions 19
Seattle Seahawks @ St. Louis Rams
6 of 14
It's hard to believe that the Rams really have a chance to win two games in a row this season, but the Seahawks have also been impressive this year. They beat the Chargers and the 49ers.
The Seahawks haven't been able to stop anyone from moving up and down the field through the air, so even if Steven Jackson doesn't suit up, the Seahawks could be in trouble, seeing as Bradford just did some damage against the Redskins this past week.
This one could come down to the wire, but I pick the Rams in an upset.
Rams 24—Seahawks 20
San Francisco 49ers @ Atlanta Falcons
7 of 14
The Falcons look like the real deal after a big overtime win aqainst the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. In fact, they've taken their two games against competitive teams to overtime.
The 49ers...well, let's just say the shambles of their team after an 0-3 start were made increasingly evident by the inexplicable firing of Jimmy Raye. Expecting offensive cohesion to develop for the 49ers in Week 4 on the road in a dome against the Falcons? Yeah...about that...
Falcons 30—49ers 14
Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers
8 of 14
The Pittsburgh Steelers don't care who their quarterback is because they can still win games. More importantly, their defense doesn't care who your quarterback is because whomever may be taking the snaps will be the victim of pressure and confusion all day long.
The only success of the Ravens passing offense thus far this season came against the Cleveland Browns. They were shut down in back-to-back weeks by the Jets and the Bengals, who combined to force a sub-50 percent completion rate and one touchdown against five interceptions. The outlook isn't good for Ray Rice on Sunday, and if the ball is forced into Joe Flacco's hands, the Steelers will be salivating at the opportunity to smack the Ravens in the mouth.
Steelers 20—Ravens 10
Houston Texans @ Oakland Raiders
9 of 14
The Texans hit their first bump in the road last week against the Cowboys and lost despite a productive day from their offense.
The Raiders have let every team they've played cross the century mark in rush yards. That doesn't bode well for them against Arian Foster and gang, who will look to take the life out of the Black Hole early.
When a defensive wimp goes up against an offensive juggernaut, the outcome is pretty easy to predict.
Texans 24—Raiders 7
Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville Jaguars
10 of 14
As if their league-worst attendance totals weren't bad enough, the Jaguars are playing one of the worst teams in football on both offense and defense. They picked up Trent Edwards in what looks like a "whoops, we forgot to draft a quarterback"-moment for Jacksonville.
The Colts have looked impressive after being dominated by the Texans at Reliant Stadium in Week 1. Peyton Manning's typical three touchdowns could be enough to beat the inept Jacksonville Jaguars, but I think it'll be much more than that.
Colts 32—Jaguars 14
Washington Redskins @ Philadelphia Eagles
11 of 14
Michael Vick has yet to face a solid defense and won't see one on Sunday at home against the Redskins, either. They rank 31st in yards allowed and have surrendered five touchdowns through the air in their first three games.
The Redskins look like a mess after surrendering a late 17-point lead in a loss to the Texans, coupled with a loss last week to the Rams.
The story leading up to the game is Donovan McNabb's return to Lincoln Financial Field, but the story after the game could be Michael Vick outshining his predecessor.
Eagles 30—Redskins 24
Arizona Cardinals @ San Diego Chargers
12 of 14
The Chargers have looked pretty good despite a 1-2 record. The Cardinals, on the other hand, have managed to make 2-1 look like quite a mess.
It's strange to watch the Chargers, who appear to be a team built for Qualcomm's 75-and-sunny climate, bumble when the weather is dreary. Their offense and defense are solid, it's their special teams that is disappointing. Back at home, the Chargers won't make the same mistakes that have plagued them against lesser competition twice this season.
In fact, I'd look for the Cardinals to finally implode under Derek Anderson, who has somehow managed not to blow the game for Arizona despite three very forgettable starts.
Chargers 31—Cardinals 10
Chicago Bears @ New York Giants
13 of 14
Okay, seriously. Did anyone have the Chicago Bears starting at 3-0?
That doesn't matter much, as there remain 13 games to be played. The Giants are desperate for a win, but there are issues all over the place, and they can't seem to get out of their own way to get into the end zone.
The Bears have been given a couple of gifts in the first two weeks, including 18 penalties totaling 152 yards on Monday Night Football against the Packers, as well as the dubious call of the season so far on Calvin Johnson's non-game-winning-touchdown in Week 1.
It's hard to pick any team to lose at home two weeks in a row, but the Giants may do just that against the Bears.
Bears 23—Giants 14
Monday Night Football: New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins
14 of 14
The Dolphins are ranked in the bottom half of the league in pass offense, but the same can be said for New England's pass defense. Brandon Marshall proved uncoverable against the Patriots last year, and if Chad Henne has all day to throw as other quarterbacks have this year, the tandem could gash the Pats on Monday night.
Tom Brady and the offense will keep it close, and this game will likely be a shootout, but the Dolphins likely won't lose two home games in a row.
Dolphins 31—Patriots 28
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