NFL Week 4: Picks and Predictions
I say it every year, but I’ve never said it on Bleacher Report, so I’ll say it again. It’s amazing for me to think that after this week we will be one fourth of the way done with the 2010 season. Teams don’t have time to develop chemistry over a long period of time in this league. In the NFL, you have to hit the ground running or there’s a good chance you’ll get left behind (Unless you play in the NFC West division.)
With that being said, it’s time for my NFL week 4 picks. I apologize for missing last week but such is life when you change internet providers and the installation guy is five days late.
Last week: 10-6
Season: 20-12
Atlanta Falcons over San Francisco 49ers
1 of 14
The Falcons seem to be hitting their stride, while the 49ers are falling flat on their faces. Alright, it’s more complicated than that. The Falcons are a good team who I predicted could be this good if the quarterback was ready to take the next step towards greatness. (He did just that last week in New Orleans). The 49ers were sold by sports pundits across the nation as the next “sure thing” to win the NFC West, and for the 4th straight season, that division has done the exact opposite of whatever the NFL expert think it will do.
Bottom line: Atlanta proved last week that it can play with the big boys in either a physical or athletic sense. The 49ers don’t seem to have it all together in the play calling department, and communication between Alex Smith and the offense has been breaking down in loud stadiums. Hello Georgia Dome!
Cincinnati Bengals over Cleveland Browns
2 of 14
Remember a couple weeks back when the Bengals made Joe Flacco look like Jake Delhomme circa 2009 playoff game against the Cardinals? Well, I wonder what that opportunistic defense might do against the real Jake Delhomme. True, his status is still unknown, but Delhomme has practiced the last two days and something tells me he’ll be out there Sunday.
If you watch the “Battle of Ohio”, be sure to see how Carson Palmer performs amidst even more criticism around the NFL community. I’ve heard numerous NFL analysts talk about Palmer like he doesn’t even resemble his old self, and that’s not a compliment. Some of it is true though, Palmer is struggling with accuracy and arm strength when he throws outside of the pocket. I do think, however, that timing and the lack of a relationship with his receivers plays the largest role. Palmer doesn’t get a whole lot of one-on-one time with Chad Ochocinco. And Palmer’s other main weapons are all in their first year with the team. Look to see this Sunday if the situation gets better, if not, Cincinnati may be in big trouble against teams not named “The Browns”.
New York Jets over Buffalo Bills
3 of 14
The Bills looked… competitive… last week and I think they snuck up on the Patriots just a bit. The Jets are starting to look more like the team all of the Jets were running their mouths about all offseason. I had a feeling what we saw in week one against the Ravens would be soon forgotten. This game looks like an easy win. New York won’t let the Bills’ offense get on a role, and if Mark Sanchez improves a little bit more like he has the last two weeks, he should be good enough to hold his own in the playoffs this year.
Reasons to still watch this game:
- It’s in Buffalo, which is a stadium with great, loud, fans who will make life hell for the Jets’ offense
- Mark Sanchez had a rough game last year in the Buffalo matchup. The Bills’ secondary is the only part of the team so far earning their money, and fit the term “ball hawks” quite well.
- Ryan Fitzpatrick and this Bills offense were… actually fun to watch last week. Sometimes a team just needs a spark to jumpstart a downtrodden squad. By no means am I saying the Bills become a good team with Fitzpatrick at the helm. I think he gives them a shot of fulfilling my preseason prediction for this team in the sense that with him they might jump up and beat a playoff team or two just to give the fans something to remember in case this is their last year in Buffalo.
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Seattle Seahawks over St. Louis Rams
4 of 14
Pete Carroll doubters are in a funny position. After week two, they could easily call the 49ers game a fluke and say that one o college football’s better coaches would never make it in the NFL. But now, with the win over San Diego and the 49ers not looking too hot, Seattle may become the new, trendy pick to take the division crown away from Arizona. St. Louis should be feeling pretty good about themselves right about now. Sam Bradford looks the part of a top draft pick. The defense is playing tough, physical football. And a win over the Redskins was a huge surprise. Now if they could get Steven Jackson back healthy, I’m sure Rams fans would love some more previews of what’s to come in St. Louis’s near future.
Tennessee Titans over Denver Broncos
5 of 14
Maybe Kyle Orton can lead an offense. Maybe the Broncos do have more weapons than we all thought, (i.e. Brandon Lloyd, Demaryius Thomas). Things are looking better for Denver, even after the loss to the Colts. This game in Tennessee is a big opportunity for them to flex the muscles many people don’t think they have and beat a potential playoff team. I just don’t think this is the week they do it. Chris Johnson will have one of those games that reminds us there’s only one “Chris Johnson”, and Tennessee proves that they’re a legit contended in the AFC South.
Green Bay Packers over Detroit Lions
6 of 14
Good news for Detroit: they’re star-in-the-making I throwing the ball again. Bad news: they’re heading to Green Bay, a place where wins have been extraordinarily rare for them. Green Bay needs to get back on track in the discipline department, and what better opportunity than a home game against the Lions?
Baltimore Ravens over Pittsburgh Steelers
7 of 14
Betting against Pittsburgh has killed me going all the way back to their last Super Bowl win. Still, I feel like the combination of talent and leadership of Big Ben not being there will finally cost The Steelers this week. Look forward to the typical physical matchup that has made this series a classic. Also look for Joe Flacco to stay on pace, and Anquan Boldin to continue to carry this receiving corps and my fantasy football team.
New Orleans Saints over Carolina Panthers
8 of 14
Jimmy Clausen in the Super Dome and the Saints with another shot at a division game win after blowing one at home last week = New Orleans parties extra hard Sunday night. Watch for Steve Smith’s frustration with the lack of a moving offense begin to take its’ toll on his attitude. Running beautiful route after beautiful route and still getting over-thrown by five yards doesn’t seem to make too many receivers happy. Ask anyone who played with JaMarcus Russell when he wasn’t wearing yellow or purple.
Indianapolis Colts over Jacksonville Jaguars
9 of 14
This is one of those games where folks around the country will look at the scores scrolling across the bottom of their TV screens and say “Really? Indy plays great two weeks straight and is tied with Jacksonville in the 4th quarter?” It always seems like the Jaguars to whatever they have to do to play the
Colts tough at home. The Colts can’t afford to lose this year, especially after giving one up to division-foe Houston Texans. Peyton Manning wins this one late for his team.
Houston Texans over Oakland Raiders
10 of 14
Houston did their “NFL/United Way volunteer work” for this season by helping a team of underachieving divas enjoy the feeling of victory. But be aware that if that Washington game had not gone their way, we’d be talking about those “Same old Texans” that play well one week but don’t back it up consistently throughout the year. Oakland losing that game in Arizona last week showed me that they are clearly not ready to take that next step towards being a playoff team. I like the Raiders and want to see them play like they used to back when Al Davis was considered by most people to be a “revolutionary” rather than a burden on his team. But any playoff team would have made Arizona pay for the way they played last Sunday. They also showed us that drafting a kicker high in the draft is easy to make fun of when he shanks a kick that he normally makes in his sleep.
Philadelphia Eagles over Washington Redskins
11 of 14
Expect a shootout with both defenses looking good, but probably one or two playmakers away from being great. I expect to see Santana Moss and Desean Jackson both score on long touchdown bombs. This is one game I know Monday Night Football wishes they had. The story lines are plentiful as always between division foes, but the return of McNabb back to his old home tops them all. I think at the end of the day, however, Vick tops McNabb.
San Diego over Arizona
12 of 14
This is the definition of a trap game. San Diego needs this one to prove to their fans that the loss last week was just a terrible, terrible, accident and that they’re still the kings of the AFC West. Arizona can feel good that they at least won last week’s game. In years past the opposing team’s kicker would have made the easy chip shot after Arizona gave away the game.
Chicago Bears over New York Giants
13 of 14
Wouldn’t that be something for the Bears if Devin Hester found his burst on punt returns that he seemed to lose inexplicably a couple of years ago and became a number one receiving threat for Jay Cutler? We’ll see if that’s the case Sunday night. I think it will be a great game, and honestly feel like it’s just about a “toss up” as far as picking a winner. I’ll go with the Bears just in hopes that the NFC has an undefeated team longer than the AFC does this year.
Miami Dolphins over New England Patriots
14 of 14
I think Miami is still sore from the Sunday night loss to the Jets in a game that they probably feel like they could have/should have won. The Patriots were surprised by the Bills, but at the end of the day, they were still the Pats and the Bills were still the Bills, and New England escaped. Not so fast this week, Miami’s superb offensive attack and a Carlos Dansby led defense give the Patriots their second divisional loss of the season.
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