2011 NFL Week 4 Picks: Lions and Cowboys in Showdown

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Game of the Week: Lions at Cowboys

Two of the top NFC teams are set to tango in Dallas as the surprising 3-0 Detroit Lions take on the 2-1 Dallas Cowboys in the WhatIfSports.com Game of the Week.

Thanks to a revitalized and revamped defense, as well as the return of Matthew Stafford, the Lions have exploded out of the gate.

After knocking off a tough Tampa Bay squad in Week 1 and demolishing a crumbling Kansas City team in Week 2, the Lions' sense of hubris may have gotten the better of them in the first half of their matchup with Minnesota, as the underdog Vikings took a 20-0 halftime lead.

However, Detroit came storming back in the second half, highlighted by two touchdowns from Stafford to favorite target Calvin Johnson. Jason Hanson, who has been with the Lions through thick and (mostly) thin, put four field goals through the uprights, including a 32-yarder in overtime, to give Detroit the hard-earned W over their division foe.

Dallas knows a thing or two about hard-fought wins. After losing a heartbreaker in their season debut to the Jets, the Cowboys found themselves in an early 14-0 deficit in Week 2 against the 49ers. Worse, an injury to starter Tony Romo led to the nine worst words in sports vernacular: "Jon Kitna is beginning to throw on the sidelines."

Yet just as Kitna Time tossed his requisite two interceptions, Romo valiantly returned, leading Dallas to 13 unanswered points, including a Dan Bailey 19-yard field goal in overtime to escape San Francisco with the win.

Things were no easier against rival Washington in Week 3, as Romo's struggles with bruised ribs were clearly evident. Alas, thanks to six field goals by Bailey, as well as a bend-but-not-break defensive strategy from coordinator Rob Ryan, the Cowboys eked out an 18-16 victory.

For the Lions, a vaunted passing attack has masked the severe limitations of their running game. While he's hauled in 15 receptions for 182 yards and a score in the early-going, Jahvid Best has been unable to do much damage in the ground game with a meager 2.9 average on 49 carries.

If Detroit plans on concocting any postseason itinerary, this deficiency will need to be alleviated ASAP. Stafford has been impressive in spreading the pigskin around to Johnson, Best, Nate Burleson and Brandon Pettigrew, but without a dynamic offensive attack, the Lions will be unable to take the next step.

The Cowboys can relate to Detroit's concern. Felix Jones had a breakout game against the Redskins, but the lack of an adequate backup has translated to a measly 78 yards per game in the rushing attack, ranking 27th in the league. With Romo not at 100 percent, Dallas will need to lean on their backfield for the next few weeks.

So who wins this clash of NFC conference upstarts? According to the WhatIfSports.com award-winning simulation engine, the Lions come out on top 52.3 percent of the time by an average margin of 20-19. Check below for the rest of this week's predictions:

NFL Week 4
Matchup	Win%	Avg Score
Denver Broncos	13.6	16	Boxscore
@ Green Bay Packers	86.4	28	Simulate Game
Carolina Panthers	26.7	15	Boxscore
@ Chicago Bears	73.3	22	Simulate Game
Miami Dolphins	29.8	21	Boxscore
@ San Diego Chargers	70.2	27	Simulate Game
San Francisco 49ers	33.3	14	Boxscore
@ Philadelphia Eagles	66.7	20	Simulate Game
Indianapolis Colts	35.2	15	Boxscore
@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers	64.8	20	Simulate Game
Washington Redskins	50.8	22	Boxscore
@ St. Louis Rams	49.2	21	Simulate Game
Detroit Lions	52.3	20	Boxscore
@ Dallas Cowboys	47.7	19	Simulate Game
New York Jets	55.1	21	Boxscore
@ Baltimore Ravens	44.9	20	Simulate Game
Tennessee Titans	57.4	21	Boxscore
@ Cleveland Browns	42.6	19	Simulate Game
New York Giants	58.8	25	Boxscore
@ Arizona Cardinals	41.2	22	Simulate Game
Pittsburgh Steelers	62.3	26	Boxscore
@ Houston Texans	37.7	21	Simulate Game
Minnesota Vikings	62.5	21	Boxscore
@ Kansas City Chiefs	37.5	18	Simulate Game
New England Patriots	68.5	24	Boxscore
@ Oakland Raiders	31.5	18	Simulate Game
Atlanta Falcons	71.4	25	Boxscore
@ Seattle Seahawks	28.6	17	Simulate Game
Buffalo Bills	74.7	23	Boxscore
@ Cincinnati Bengals	25.3	14	Simulate Game
New Orleans Saints	86.6	27	Boxscore
@ Jacksonville Jaguars	13.4	13	Simulate Game