Week 4 picks
The Bears have a scary defense and a play-wrecker in Khalil Mack. But they’re too clever by half on offense with the Oregon-infused schemes of Mark Helfrich. Ryan Fitzpatrick has some magic left.
Expect a defensive struggle here, and the Jaguars offense will wake up a bit after mustering just two field goals in Sunday’s loss to the Titans. The Jaguars aren’t going to lose two in a row.
The Dolphins are a flimsy 3-0 and they’re not going to be the team that hands Patriots a third consecutive loss. Josh Gordon will help hold over Patriots until Julian Edelman’s return.
The Titans have played surprisingly well, but the Eagles defense is too much for them. With Carson Wentz back, and as some of his receivers return, the Eagles will start getting traction.
The Texans used to never win in Indianapolis but broke that slide a couple of years ago. The Texans’ talented defense has been a no-show this season but finally will wake up.
Props to the Bills for blowing out the Vikings on the road, but the world will tilt back onto its axis and Aaron Rodgers will take care of business. He’s not at peak health but doesn’t need to be.
Which Lions will we see? Spin the wheel. Like a lot of bad teams, they’re different from week to week. The Cowboys aren’t any better, though, and their offense is inept. Take the better quarterback here.
Even without A.J. Green, the Bengals will be able to put up points, and they’re facing a banged-up Falcons defense. Still, Atlanta gets the edge here against an underperforming Bengals “D.”
The Seahawks defense is not the same but still presents a daunting challenge for rookie Josh Rosen, who is making his starting debut for the Cardinals. Russell Wilson will get it done.
It’s hard to run on the Raiders, but they have no pass rush. Derek Carr has made a lot of bad decisions so far, and he’s facing a solid Browns defense. Can Baker Mayfield keep it rolling? Yes.
This has the makings of a shootout, especially with the way Drew Brees is clicking. The Giants will get better as the year goes on, but the Saints are a step ahead and have too many weapons.
The Chargers aren’t the same team without Joey Bosa but they still have lots of talent on defense and an offense that can score like crazy. The 49ers are a different team without Jimmy Garoppolo.
The Steelers have a high-powered offense, but their defense isn’t what Pittsburgh has come to expect. The Ravens are typically tough on defense. Still, it’s risky to bet against the Steelers in a prime-time game.
Patrick Mahomes is for real, and the Chiefs are loaded on that side of the ball — so much so that they can deal with their defensive shortcomings. They probably will cool as season goes on, but not now.
PREVIOUS ARTICLE
