The 2016 NFL season is about to conclude its first month of the season, bringing some very interesting matchups in week 4: The hobbled Seattle Seahawks visiting the New York Jets, the Atlanta Falcons trying to change patterns in the NFC South vs the Carolina Panthers, the Oakland Raiders hoping to break the Baltimore Ravens defense, Dak Prescott taking his talents and the Cowboys to San Francisco, and Eli Manning hoping to break the hold the Minnesota Vikings have on him.
The bye weeks have begun, as the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles take a rest this week.
So here are our thoughts on the 15 games in week 4:
- Dolphins @ Bengals: The Bengals need this win badly in a tough division, and will probably get it, as they finally don’t have to play a team that’s actually good. The Dolphins are still trying to figure out whether there’s a future with Ryan Tannehill, or most of these players. They need rushing, and fast
- Colts @ Jaguars: Like Miami, Jacksonville don’t have a running game, which is putting enormous pressure on Blake Bortles. Andrew Luck is used to working with less, and shouldn’t feel too harassed in Florida
- Titans @ Texans: The loss in New England was a reality check for Houston, who now have to deal with their J.J. Watt injury. Marcus Mariota needs to show consistency, but when the head coach is living on borrowed time, it’s hard to expect much from him
- Browns @ Redskins: This would have been an interesting Robert Griffin return, but now it’s a Cody Kessler arrival. While the Redskins are deeply flawed, they should be able to pick back to back wins
- Seahawks @ Jets: Russell Wilson doesn’t want to sit down, and that could be a problem against a front seven like the Jets have. If Ryan Fitzpatrick doesn’t fall apart like in their previous game, the Jets should have the edge in this one
- Bills @ Patriots: Jacoby Brissett or Jimmy Garoppolo? Doesn’t matter. Unless the Bills play a perfect game, they’re probably going to lose
- Panthers @ Falcons: A big test for Carolina, who have had all sorts of trouble in the first three weeks. The Falcons don’t pass rush like the Vikings, so Cam Newton should be able to do a little more, especially if his defense handles the combo threat of Matt Ryan and Devonta Freeman
- Raiders @ Ravens: The Raiders have had defensive problems all season. If they can’t get it together in this game, it’s going to be a long afternoon for Derek Carr against an incredibly stingy defense
- Lions @ Bears: Two teams that aren’t very good, but the Bears are downright bad at this point, while the home fans in Soldier Field usually turn against them when things don’t go well
- Broncos @ Buccaneers: Jameis Winston is struggling, and from the looks of the Bucs defense, Trevor Siemian is going to have a big day
- Rams @ Cardinals: The Cardinals haven’t been able to find offensive consistency this season, and that could be a problem against the Rams defense. Carson Palmer needs to get his season on track and fast
- Saints @ Chargers: Expect plenty of points, and probably a Chargers win
- Cowboys @ 49ers: A clash with a 90’s flavor, as long as Dak Prescott remains focused and avoids turnovers, the Cowboys running game and the struggles of Blaine Gabbert should help Dallas win their 3rd in a row
- Chiefs @ Steelers: Pittsburgh need a bounce back win after losing to Philadelphia, but if they continue to have red zone issues, the Chiefs and their limited offensive game could pose a problems as well
- Giants @ Vikings: Eli Manning always struggles against Minnesota, and the Vikings rely on defense to get them through games, providing Sam Bradford with a good enough cushion to build small, maintainable leads. Manning of week 3 is going to have a rough time in Minneapolis