Week IV Predictions

Finally, I get around to doing an actual analysis of predictions and it is Week 4.

Carolina Panthers (1-2) @ Chicago Bears (1-2)
Pick: Carolina Panthers by 10
Let's face it. The Bears have just not looked good at all this season, home or away. Their offensive line has struggled early on just like last year. While they have to be able to turn it around on somebody and the Panthers seem like the perfect opportunity, Cam Newton has been running the offense very well and they finally came out with a win against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. I believe the Panthers will come into Chicago and shock the league with a big win over the Bears.

Buffalo Bills (3-0) @ Cincinnati Bengals (1-2)
Pick: Buffalo Bills by 17
I like the Bengals a little bit this year based on their young talent. However, I am not sold on Andy Dalton no matter how well he has played so far (which is not too well). On the other hand, the Bills have been playing very well. This will be a test to see if once the Bills have a lead in the first half, are they able to hold the lead? I do predict the Bills will lose a game very soon, but that game will not come against the abysmal Cincinnati Bengals.

Tennessee Titans (2-1) @ Cleveland Browns (2-1)
Pick: Browns by 3
Both of these teams have been playing very well due to strong quarterback play and a strong defensive play. Matt Hasselbeck has been very exciting for the Tennessee Titans as he has been given plenty of time to sit back  in the pocket and make some plays to some very talented receivers. However, being a Seahawks fan, I know better than to predict Hasselbeck playing three productive games in a row at this point in time. It will also be interesting to see how Matt fares without his top receiver Kenny Britt. And if Chris Johnson continues to be a non-factor in the games, Tennessee's success will be very short-lived. I believe the Browns take care of Tennessee with a strong rushing attack from Peyton Hillis.

Detroit Lions (3-0) @ Dallas Cowboys (2-1)
Pick: Lions by 7
We all know it is true. Maybe Tony Romo is a very respectable, talented quarterback. However, how about them Lions! In my opinion, the Lions offense has been one of the most exciting so far this year. Nothing is more fun than watching Stafford throw well placed balls somewhere in the endzone for Calvin Johnson to skyrocket up and grab with ease. I love this team this year and I believe they will handle the Cowboys in Dallas very easily.

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1) @ Houston Texans (2-1)
Pick: Steelers by 3
The Texans should have beaten the Saints. There is no reason for the Texans to have lost that game. I used to consider Houston one of my favorite and most exciting teams in the AFC a couple years back and picked them to go to the playoffs. Bad mistake. Houston just can't seem to play for sixty minutes against other top notch teams. They may end up building up a 21 point lead against this Steelers defense, but they will lose it all in the 4th quarter.

New Orleans Saints (2-1) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)
Pick: Saints by 10
The Saints showed their true clutch with the big comeback win over the Texans last Sunday. The Jaguars also showed they had some life in them with the switch to rookie prospect Blaine Gabbert at quarterback. I believe with Gabbert's home debut the Jags will play tough but the Saints will be Saints and will come out on top.

Minnesota Vikings (0-3) @ Kansas City Chiefs (0-3)
Pick: Vikings by 20
When you first look at the matchup and see two 0-3 teams battling it out this Sunday, look again. While the Chiefs are just downright terrible to watch this year with Cassel still playing quarterback and players like Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry gone for the year, the Vikings have lost three games they should have legitimately won. All three games they were leading at some point while the other team (San Diego, Tampa Bay, Detroit) came back and won. The Vikings have to seriously be upset about this and will unleash their true abilities this week in Kansas City. Adrian Peterson will see extended carries into the second half and their defense will hold the Chiefs' offense to minimal points. This game really looks to be a blowout in the making.

San Francisco 49ers (2-1) @ Philadelphia Eagles (1-2)
Pick: Eagles by 17
The dream team will finally stop dreaming and come to their senses this week when hosting the 49ers on Sunday. The 49ers are on Cloud 9 just for the fact they are leading the NFC West and are over .500. Well, that won't last long because no matter who is quarterbacking the Eagles this week, the Eagles will just dominate. They've had enough of this poor play and underachieving. They will break out against this 49ers team who will probably not see a game over .500 again this year.

Washington Redskins (2-1) @ St. Louis Rams (0-3)
Pick: Redskins by 4
Is it a surprise that the Rams are 0-3? They should be leading the division, or even be among the league's undefeated right? Well they haven't, and although their schedule has been difficult (Eagles, @Giants, Ravens), they have not looked very productive in any of them. Granted they will probably have Steven Jackson back for this one, and the Redskins are arguably easier to play than all three teams prior, I still don't think the Rams are going to be able to get it done. Bradford will need a few more weeks before he starts to settle in to the flow of this new offense in St. Louis and Washington seems to be playing sound football so far in 2011.

New York Giants (2-1) @ Arizona Cardinals (1-2)
Pick: Giants by 14
If the Seahawks could stop the Cardinals' offense and hold them to just 10 points, the Giants might be able to do even better. The Cardinals have not been blowing teams up as some might have expected with the trade for Kevin Kolb from Philadelphia. They have looked good, but not for 60 minutes of a game. The Giants have been more consistent and although they still have their "Eli" moments, they will come out of this game with a victory.

Atlanta Falcons (1-2) @ Seattle Seahawks (1-2)
Pick: Seahawks by 2
This seems like a crazy pick, and it is mostly based on that the Seahawks are my favorite team and picking against them would be a dishonor. But at the same time, the Falcons have just looked plain bad this season. Turner hasn't had a breakout game yet and it seems like something has clicked off in Matt Ryan's head as where to throw the ball in third down situations, etc. I do believe that if Tarvaris Jackson continues playing sound football and not making mistakes, the Seahawks can win this game against the reigning number one seed.

Denver Broncos (1-2) @ Green Bay Packers (3-0)
Picks: Packers by 21
Listen up. There is absolutely no way the Packers will lose this game. I love the Broncos to death, they are probably one of my favorite AFC teams. However, they have so many holes in the offense and defense, as well as Kyle Orton at quarterback. There is just no way they beat the hottest team in football.

New England Patriots (2-1) @ Oakland Raiders (2-1)
Pick: Patriots by 17
There are two things to be taken from last week's games from the Patriots and Raiders. The Patriots lost, but they played a great game. Losing to the Bills does not make the Patriots a bad team. The Raiders beat the Jets pretty easily, but that does not make the Raiders a good team. I picked the Raiders to beat the Jets because I know the Jets don't normally play good every week and they would probably struggle against a team like the Raiders. However, that is not the case with the Patriots. The Patriots will not lose to the Raiders. Enough said.

Miami Dolphins (0-3) @ San Diego Chargers (2-1)
Pick: Chargers by 10
I have said it before many times: The Miami Dolphins are not a good team. Chad Henne is not a good quarterback. The team has even proved that Brandon Marshall is not a good wide receiver. However, the Chargers are my personal favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl this year, and I believe they will win a fairly well played game at home against the Dolphins.

New York Jets (2-1) @ Baltimore Ravens (2-1)
Pick: Jets by 9
This has the capability of being the game of the week, as long as it is not played how it was last year when the Ravens won 10-9. The Ravens won the matchup last year in the Meadowlands, but I believe the Jets will come up on top in Baltimore this year. The Jets are going to be an on and off team throughout the season and I do believe they will end up missing the playoffs, but they will show promise by beating teams like the Baltimore Ravens.

Indianapolis Colts (0-3) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)
Pick: Buccaneers by 21
The Buccaneers have not looked as strong as I predicted they would early on in the season, and frankly, they are lucky to have won 3 games. However, the Colts seem like they have stooped to the bottom of the league and will not win very many games this season without Peyton Manning. While they did handle the Steelers fairly well and almost come out with a win, I don't think they will match that intensity on the road in Tampa this week. Look for Josh Freeman to post career numbers as well as a strong effort from LeGarrette Blount.