NFL Week 4 Predictions

Week 4 NFL Predictions

Boxscores and stats from every upcoming game

By Paul Bessire, WhatIfSports.com

September 23rd, 2008

Each Tuesday morning, we will preview every NFL game of the upcoming week. All of our NFL content, including our most recent power rankings and weekly fantasy projections, is located here. If you want to take WhatIfSports weekly college football and/or NFL picks with you (to your MySpace, Facebook or personal homepage), please see the widget below on the right or at this page.

The inputs to the 10,001 simulations of each upcoming game are based on a rigorous analysis of each team that considers strength-of-schedule-adjusted team and player ratings and then makes modifications for injuries and depth at each position.

Game of the Week: #11 Minnesota 17 @ #5 Tennessee 25
Last week we featured two teams from the same state that were very different. This week, we are featuring two teams from very different places that are eerily similar. The Titans and Vikings both focus on running the ball and stopping the run. Each has a stellar interior offensive anddefensive line. And they are led by veteran quarterbacks who started the year as backups. While Adrian Peterson of the Vikings will be the best player on the field, giving Minnesota the slight edge in the running game, watch for this game to be decided through the air. Whichever team makes more big plays in the passing game (one will probably be enough) should have the edge. The sim likes Tennessee to do so more often than Minnesota, but the big plays may not come from Kerry Collins. Cortland Finnegan, Michael Griffin and the rest of the Titans' secondary have tormented quarterbacks thus far. Sunday should be no different for Gus Frerotte. We like the Titans to emerge victorious at home 68.7% of the time and by an average score of 25-17 (boxscore).

Click on the Boxscores below to see detailed team and player stat projections for every game.

Week 4 Scores for Every NFL Game

Matchup	Home Win%	Avg Score
Houston @ Jacksonville	89.1	10-25	Boxscore
Washington @ Dallas	86.6	14-27	Boxscore
Atlanta @ Carolina	86.1	12-27	Boxscore
Baltimore @ Pittsburgh	72.6	11-21	Boxscore
Minnesota @ Tennessee	68.7	17-25	Boxscore
Arizona @ New York Jets	62.7	24-27	Boxscore
Cleveland @ Cincinnati	56.2	16-19	Boxscore
San Francisco @ New Orleans	52.2	25.8-26.1	Boxscore
Green Bay @ Tampa Bay	48.3	26-20	Boxscore
San Diego @ Oakland	30.8	28-20	Boxscore
Philadelphia @ Chicago	27.4	23-13	Boxscore
Buffalo @ St. Louis	18.4	30-15	Boxscore
Denver @ Kansas City	15.4	32-18	Boxscore

Paul Bessire is the Senior Quantitative Analyst and Content Manager for WhatIfSports.com and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. With any comments, questions or topic suggestions, Paul can be reached at [e-mail]. Thanks!