I’m not a huge fan of this weekend’s slate of games in the National Football League, but there are a few contests that that could be classics.
Ravens at Steelers
This is the best matchup of the early games in Week 4. These teams flat out hate each other and will likely be battling out for first in the NFC North at the end of the season. Don’t expect a ton of points to be scored here (the total is 34.5, the lowest on the board this week), but this should be a hard-fought and competitive game throughout. The Steelers, who have surprisingly started the season 3-0 without suspended QB Ben Rothlisberger, are favoured by 2.5 points at most sportsbooks. If the line goes up to 3 (and I doubt it will), Baltimore is worth a hard look here in my opinion. I don’t see the Steelers winning by more than a field goal.
Redskins at Eagles
This late-afternoon game is loaded with sub-plots, the biggest being Donovan McNabb’s return to Philly. The Eagles were initially favoured by 6.5 points and that line has dropped to 5.5 points. I can understand the line move because McNabb will obviously be motivated to perform well against his former team. Michael Vick has surprised everyone with his performance at QB for the Eagles, but that Philadelphia defence isn’t what it used to be and these NFC East games are almost always competitive. I like Washington plus the points in this one, but I’m hoping the line moves back up to 6 or more.
Bears at Giants
The Sunday nighter between Chicago and the New York Giants could surprise a lot of people. The Bears defeated Green Bay last week to improve to 3-0, while the Giants are 1-2 and are coming off blowout losses to the Colts and Titans. The Bears seem like the obvious choice here, especially as 3.5-point underdogs. But this is a bad spot for Chicago, coming off an emotional win against a division rival and having to play six days later on the road. Meanwhile, the Giants are desperate for a victory and don’t want to get embarrassed once again this week, particularly at home. I think New York is the play here.
Patriots at Dolphins
Week 4 will conclude with New England at Miami on Monday night. Both teams are 2-1 through three games and enter the weekend in a three-way tie with the Jets for first in the AFC East. The Patriots had a bit more trouble with Buffalo last week than most expected them to, while the Dolphins suffered a tough loss to the Jets. Miami is a 1-point underdog, and home underdogs on Monday Night Football have been profitable teams to back over the years (remember Chicago last week and Kansas City in Week 1). This game is a pretty tough call in my opinion, so I’ll probably just put my feet up and watch this one as a fan.
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