NFL Regular Season Week 4 Predictions: Who Is Going to Win This Week?

Anyone else shocked by some of the results coming up last week? It was crazy to see things like the Patriots losing to Buffalo, the Jets getting destroyed on the ground, Cam Newton winning a game through a monsoon, KC and IND almost winning despite what they are both missing, and of course how Baltimore destroyed St. Louis.

Without further ado, but with much hope for many more surprises like this past week, here are my Week 4 predictions and picks, starting with...

Carolina @ Chicago

The Panthers won for the first time this year despite a monsoon and Cam Newton barely hitting 150 passing yards for the game. The Bears lost due to the Packers explosive offense and their lack of balance on offense. I would not be surprised to see the Panthers take one here just because of how bad the Bears are playing, but I think the Bears defense will limit Cam Newton’s big plays and make him take his time, which is going to equal a long day for the rookie.

CHI 19 – CAR 6

Buffalo @ Cincinnati

So, who else is shocked to see the Bills at 3-0? That should be everyone, including the most die-hard of Bills fans. And that’s even before they ended up down 21-0 to the Patriots before storming back in amazing fashion and showing us that Tom Brady really is human after all. Now, who else saw Cincy being as bad as they are? Again, that should be everyone.

What at one time could have been viewed as a bottom-feeder bowl to help determine who leads the early standings in the Suck for Luck sweepstakes becomes a beat down to give us a Buffalo team at 4-0.

BUF 34 – CIN 13

Tennessee @ Cleveland

Somehow, both of these teams are above .500 despite being complete afterthoughts for this season. Whoever wins is at 3-1 and set up well to make a strong run at the playoffs. On one hand you have the Browns, who even without Peyton Hillis beat the Dolphins last week because Colt McCoy made the plays he needed to for the win. On the other, you have the Titans winning behind very efficient play from Matt Hasselbeck even without Chris Johnson playing well at all.

The missing facets of each respective offense need to begin to show if they want to position themselves for a good year (Cleveland is more efficiency from McCoy, Tennessee is a return of Johnson’s playmaking ability). I think for this game it will end up being McCoy who comes out stronger, while Johnson continues to struggle.

CLE 22 – TEN 17

Detroit @ Dallas

The Lions continue to surprise us with their play, making it all the way back from a 20-0 deficit in Minnesota, where they hadn’t won since 1997, to win in overtime 26-23. The offensive line showed its first signs of problems this year, but overall the team played pretty well. The Cowboys, on the other hand, did not do so. They won anyway because of their defense against the Redskins, despite no offensive touchdowns being scored by them. If they play that way against the Lions, however, they will lose pretty handily. I see them picking it up a bit on offense, but ultimately coming up short while the Lions move to 4-0.

DET 28 – DAL 24

Minnesota @ Kansas City

Who saw these two being 0-3? Watching the Vikings games so far, some might say they should be 3-0 with the leads they’ve had. The Chiefs have “earned” their winless start with their injuries and play though. They started to show signs of life last week, however, almost taking one from San Diego. Someone has to win right?

It would seem the Vikings should be able to break their streak of losing big leads, but I just get the feeling the Chiefs have started to get past their problems and will get that elusive first win, by erasing another Vikings double-digit lead no less.

KC 23 – MIN 16

Washington @ St. Louis

The Redskins could quite possibly be 3-0 if their offense had held up to what their defense was doing, but they ultimately didn’t finish the Cowboys off last weekend. The Rams can’t even think about finishing though because it’s like they never even started against the Ravens.

The Rams are supposed to be one of the teams on the rise, but they are underachieving greatly right now. Washington is overachieving. I think the records will trend into their more expected destinations as the season progresses, but for now I think the Redskins continue their fast start and drop the Rams to 0-4.

WAS 20 – STL 10

San Francisco @ Philadelphia

The 49ers are sitting pretty at the top of the NFC West at 2-1, while the “Dream Team” is plopped at the bottom of the NFC East at 1-2. If they want any chance at making it to the heights they expected at the start of the year, the Eagles must win this game. They have seemed to do well against the 49ers recently, and I see the trend continuing.

PHI 34 – SF 13

New Orleans @ Jacksonville

The Saints are showing signs of that clutch ability they had in their Super Bowl season. The Jaguars are showing they need to start over and are doing so right now. I don’t see them posing much of a problem for the Saints now that they have found a nice rhythm.

NO 41 – JAX 14

Houston @ Pittsburgh

Houston did what it always does in finding a way to lose last week in the Superdome. The Steelers tried to do the same, but Indy just didn’t have enough to take it from them. I see both teams as potentially vulnerable because of their last games, and whoever can take advantage of the other one better will win. I think it will be the Texans who find a way to stay out of their own way for once and get themselves some distance in the AFC South race at 3-1.

HOU 27 – PIT 20

New York Giants @ Arizona

Eli torched the supercharged Eagles secondary for four TDs last week, while Kevin Kolb couldn’t handle the Seahawks and only did as well as he did because Larry Fitzgerald is extremely gifted. If not for Fitz, the Cardinals wouldn’t even have had a TD last week against an awful team. I can’t see them making a huge turnaround against a much better team who beat down an even stronger team last week. Giants take it in a snoozer.

NYG 30 – ARI 14

Atlanta @ Seattle

Atlanta just seems to be missing something this year so far. They have been shut down on offense in two of three games, and it was not pretty either time. They did better against the Eagles, but it took Vick getting hurt for them to take over in that one too. Even with this, they are better off than Seattle, who has Tavaris Jackson at QB that cancels out their nice talent at skill positions. Even their huge home-field advantage can’t save them against a dispirited Falcons team.

ATL 23 – SEA 9

Denver @ Green Bay

The Packers keep showing new layers to their offensive skill every week, while Denver keeps getting held down by their lack of offense and a young, still-learning defense. This week will be another tough lesson for them, as the Packers blow them out and there are more calls for Tebow being yelled all over Colorado.

GB 40 – DEN 16

New England @ Oakland

After last week, we now know that A) New England CAN be stopped, and B) Oakland is for real. The problem now is that Oakland has to play a team that can attack their main weakness on D, their secondary. The Pats will come out hard and turn this into a shootout, negating the Raiders running game and putting the game out of reach by the fourth quarter.

NE 35 – OAK 24

Miami @ San Diego

The Dolphins just can’t catch a break, can they? They lost to Cleveland despite not having to defend against Peyton Hillis and Chad Henne playing a relatively decent game. Sand Diego won’t let up on them because they know how much they need to keep their nice start going after so many slow ones recently. I don’t see them slowing down here, even if Rivers can’t slow down with his turnovers.

SD 28 – MIA 13

New York Jets @ Baltimore

The Jets, without Nick Mangold to man the center last week, got their running game shut down and had their defense steamrolled by Darren McFadden as well. Mark Sanchez did his part in keeping them in the game, but there’s only so much one guy can do for a team. Baltimore showed just how good it can be, with its defense shutting down the Rams while the offense blew the game wide open with rookie WR Torrey Smith making himself known in a hurry with his first three catches in the NFL all going for touchdowns. He won’t have that kind of performance again, but I can see the Ravens as a team taking advantage of a wounded Jets team and getting a nice win at home.

BAL 23 – NYJ 15

Indianapolis @ Tampa Bay

I think Indy did a great job in almost beating Pittsburgh somehow last Sunday, but that to me was something that screwed them over in the long run of this year because now other teams won’t ease up on them anymore. The Bucs won’t let up, and they showed their toughness in winning that close game with the Falcons.

I think they are good enough though that even if the Colts still had Peyton Manning healthy I would consider picking them, so with him out and seeing just how bad that looks for the Colts makes it so easy for me to pick Josh Freeman’s team in this one.

TB 22 – IND 10