NFL Picks Week 4: 5 Underdogs Worth Taking the Money Line

Week 4 presents some interesting matchups and for those of a betting persuasion, plenty of teams capable of playing out a closer than expected game, but still covering the spread.

Injuries to key players such as Michael Vick are the kind of thing that throws certain teams' status as  "favorites" into doubt.

Here are five underdogs worth taking the moneyline on.

5. San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles

Footballlocks.com has the Eagles as favorites when they entertain Jim Harbaugh's NFC West residers.  Philadelphia are fancied with the spread at -7.

The game will be a lot closer than this line suggests.  Michael Vick's participation will likely be a game-time decision.

If the scrambling ace cannot play, then the Eagles will probably look to rely on LeSean McCoy.  This will play right into San Francisco's fearsome run defense.

After the Giants exposed the folly that the Eagles' secondary cannot be tested deep, expect the 49ers to try and create some big play opportunities for Michael Crabtree and Braylon Edwards.

The play of the 49ers' own offense will determine the game and could mean that a banged up Eagles team escapes with a narrow victory.

4. Denver Broncos at Green Bay Packers

This may be the biggest stretch on the list, but the rebuilding Broncos could well be primed to surprise many and run the defending Super Bowl Champions closer than expected.

BETONLINE.com has the Pack favored, with the spread at -13.  This kind of deficit may seem like a conservative estimate against a Broncos side struggling on offense and still adapting to a new defensive system.

But Broncos head coach John Fox has the defensive expertise to pose Aaron Rodgers some problems.  Fox runs a clever 4-3 and can come up with ways to corral Green Bay's stable of dangerous pass catchers for large portions of this game.

With greybeards Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins patrolling the secondary, the Broncos should make things a lot tougher than expected for the Packers' offense.  Denver also has the pass rush to disrupt Rodgers in the pocket.

Unheralded Broncos tight end Daniel Fells has the potential to expose the weakness of the Packers linebackers in pass coverage, if Ryan Clady and company can give Kyle Orton time to get him the ball.

The Packers are too good to struggle for the whole game and will find the necessary plays when needed, but the Broncos won't make things easy.

3. Carolina Panthers at Chicago Bears

The Panthers travel to the lair of the defending NFC North Champions as clear underdogs, with the spread at -6.5.

Expect the plucky young Panthers to push the Bears all the way and this game could well come down to a last second field goal or a goal line stand.

Panthers head coach and defensive brainiac Ron Rivera will scheme plenty of ways to put pressure on Bears gunslinger Jay Cutler and expose Chicago's feeble pass protection.

The Bears' cover-2 may take away the deep ball to Steve Smith, but Chicago could find themselves victimized by one of their former players.

Tight End Greg Olsen should have a field day exploiting the seams and underneath holes in the Bears' defensive schemes.

If the Bears shut Olsen down, then Jeremy Shockey can take over.  An aggressive defensive strategy and patient approach on offense, should keep the Panthers in touch the whole game.

2. Indianapolis Colts at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The odds makers have the Bucs favorites by a considerable margin over the injury-depleted Colts.  The spread is in favor of the young Bucs at a whopping -10, according to bodog.eu.

Bet on the Colts to play this one a lot closer than that.  The Buccaneers are simply not built to blow anybody out, regardless of the opposition.

The much-maligned Colts defense showed enough against Pittsburgh to suggest they may be ready to pick up some of the considerable slack during Peyton Manning's prolonged absence.

The assumption may be that Tampa Bay will simply overpower the Colts' lightweight front with a bruising rushing attack.

But the powerful Pittsburgh Steelers' running game couldn't get going against the Colts.  Buccaneers bulldozer LeGarrette Blount lacks the imagination to capitalize on any cutback lanes left open by the Colts' speedy pursuers.

In the end the Buccaneers' own steadily emerging defense may prove too much for a lackluster Indianapolis offense, but there won't be more than seven points in it.

1. Miami Dolphins at San Diego Chargers

5Dimes.com has the Chargers as favorites at -9 when they entertain the winless Dolphins.  The underdog AFC East side are a good bet on the money line.

The Dolphins seem to play everybody close and you can never quite trust the temperamental Chargers, whose games often seem to be decided by the mood of the team on the day.

New Dolphins inside linebacker and former Charger Kevin Burnett should provide plenty of useful inside information regarding his former teammates.

The Miami pass rush led by the relentless Cameron Wake, should be able to keep the pressure on Phillip Rivers.

If the Dolphins can keep the Chargers one dimensional, it could offset the problems of their own inept offense and create a closer game than expected.

These five teams have the ability to play their games closer than anticipated but the spread for each game should remain safe.