NFL Week 4 predictions: Projecting every game, including Vikings vs Packers and Bills vs Ravens (original) (raw)
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Who will win in the NFL this week? Three weeks have already passed in the 2024 NFL season and the upcoming schedule delivers the final week of games in September. With the action drawing near, it’s time for our NFL Week 4 predictions for every game on the slate. Without further ado, let’s dive into our NFL predictions for Week 4.
Dallas Cowboys 27, New York Giants 13
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If the Dallas Cowboys offensive line holds up in this one, we could have another Thursday Night Football blowout. The New York Giants have a strong defensive line, but there are plenty of weaknesses to exploit in the secondary. Plus, with the state the Giants offense is in, the Cowboys’ defense should feast on this Week 4 matchup.
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Atlanta Falcons 27, New Orleans Saints 24
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The Atlanta Falcons beat the Philadelphia Eagles with a game-winning drive and then delivered a fourth-quarter rally against the Kansas City Chiefs. We do have some concerns with the injuries on the Falcons offensive line, but Atlanta is even more well-equipped than the Eagles were to take on New Orleans. We are expecting a close divisional battle, but the Falcons’ offense gives them the edge right now.
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New York Jets 17, Denver Broncos 13
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Cincinnati Bengals 34, Carolina Panthers 23
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Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins should have this Week 4 matchup circled on their calendars. The Carolina Panthers offense did show a lot more life in Week 3, but Carolina’s defense lacks the talent or depth in the secondary to hang with the Bengals’ skill players. Cincinnati is also well-equipped to get after the quarterback, which should allow the Bengals to come out of this one with a two-score victory.
Also read: 2025 NFL mock draft
Los Angeles Rams 20, Chicago Bears 17
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The Los Angeles Rams rose to the occasion in a battle of injury-depleted teams, delivering 13 unanswered points for an incredible fourth-quarter comeback. Now, Matthew Stafford and Kyren Williams get to take on a Bears defense that had some issues stopping Jonathan Taylor. As for Chicago’s offense, the run game is atrocious and this offensive line’s inability to keep Caleb Williams upright could prove costly once again.
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Philadelphia Eagles 31, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21
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Unless the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense gets Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey and Antoine Winfield Jr. back for this matchup, it’s tough to see them coming out of Week 4 with a victory. Tampa Bay’s offense is sluggish right now while the Philadelphia Eagles defense just slowed down the buzzsaw that was the Saints’ offense. Of far greater concern, the Bucs’ ability to stop Saquon Barkley with Philadelphia having such a huge advantage at the line of scrimmage.
Houston Texans 27, Jacksonville Jaguars 17
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The Jacksonville Jaguars offense is a rudderless ship that can’t do anything right. In Week 4, Trevor Lawrence and Doug Pederson face an aggressive Houston Texans defense that excels at generating pressure. So, even if Jacksonville’s defense can hold C.J. Stroud and Co. to a handful of touchdowns in Week 4, nothing we’ve seen this season suggests the Jaguars offense can keep pace, especially against Houston’s defense.
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Minnesota Vikings 27, Green Bay Packers 24
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Jordan Love is trending towards playing in Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers. At the very least, that should keep this game close. However, Love’s mobility will be limited and that’s something Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores can take advantage of. Plus, this is a revenge game for Aaron Jones and the Packers defense doesn’t have an answer for Justin Jefferson.
Related: NFL defense rankings
Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Indianapolis Colts 10
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The Pittsburgh Steelers get after the quarterback few others and their identity offensively is running the football. That makes this a rough matchup for the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4. Not only do the Colts have the worst run defense in the NFL, but Anthony Richardson is also making a lot of mistakes and missing countless throws every game. It all bodes well for the Steelers closing out September on a strong note.
Arizona Cardinals 31, Washington Commanders 21
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While this isn’t a revenge game for Kyler Murray against his former head coach Kliff Kingsbury, it will be a stark contrast between the two franchises. Murray is operating one of the best offenses in the NFL, taking downfield shots to Marvin Harrison Jr. and getting James Conner, Trey McBride and Michael Wilson involved underneath. Meanwhile, Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is stuck in the hyper-conservative Kingsbury offense. This should be a one-sided game.
San Francisco 49ers 20, New England Patriots 6
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Even without Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey, the San Francisco 49ers are in a great position to put this game away quite easily. Nick Bosa and the 49ers defensive line should have little trouble getting into the New England Patriots backfield, with 3-plus sacks on the table. The Patriots might have a shot at keeping this to a close, low-scoring game if Rhamondre Stevenson has success on the ground, but that didn’t happen last week against the New York Jets. Ultimately, this is one of the best NFL rosters against one of the worst and the score should reflect that in Week 4.
Also Read: 2024 NFL standings: Latest win-loss record for all 32 NFL teams following Week 3
Kansas City Chiefs 27, Los Angeles Chargers 21
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Jim Harbaugh’s gameplan in this one is obvious, commit to the ground game and keep the football out of Patrick Mahomes‘ hands as much as possible. It should be relatively effect, but Justin Herbert (foot/ankle) is limited and Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will take advantage of that. Kansas City is the better football team, though playing without Isiah Pacheco and Marquise Brown at least opens the door to a Chiefs’ upset victory.
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Las Vegas Raiders 16, Cleveland Browns 13
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A matchup between two bad offenses taking on very good defenses, not exactly a fantasy football showcase. There’s a strong argument to be made that the Las Vegas Raiders have a better quarterback than the Cleveland Browns right now. Although, Cleveland has a better run game and more talent defensively. This could come down to the final possession, but we’re giving the edge to the team with Maxx Crosby, Christian Wilkins and Davante Adams.
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Buffalo Bills 28, Baltimore Ravens 27
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It should come down to the Baltimore Ravens offensive line versus the Buffalo Bills pash rush. Baltimore has demonstrated this season that its run defense can take away James Cook, but Josh Allen will make his own plays. The expectation is Jackson and Allen largely go shot for shot in this fantastic Week 4 matchup, but the Ravens’ offensive line issues ultimately prevent a game-winning drive.
Miami Dolphins 13, Tennessee Titans 10
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A Miami Dolphins offense without Tua Tagovailoa, especially against this Tennessee Titans defense, will show how important the franchise QB is to Mike McDaniel’s system. Tennessee will be able to generate pressure and it does have the talent in the secondary to limit the frequency of explosive plays. Unfortunately for the Titans, Will Levis’ penchant for costly mistakes and the amount of speed on Miami’s offense swing this matchup.
Related: NFL QB rankings
Detroit Lions 24, Seattle Seahawks 21
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Closing out NFL Week 4 is an excellent Monday Night Football battle between the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks. Geno Smith is outperforming Jared Goff right now, but the Lions have a distinct advantage in the trenches. Detroit will also line up Aidan Hutchinson on the right side, avoiding Seahawks left tackle Charles Cross. It should be an entertaining back-and-forth game, with Detroit closing it out in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.