NFL Week 4 Tips & Previews
Ravens at Bills
October 3rd
An unexpected loss to Miami last week may have caused Buffalo’s odds to blow out a bit more than they otherwise would have. It is important to note that the Dolphins’ defense forced the issues, and they will have a much easier run against a Ravens D that has already been decimated with injury. They lead the league in interceptions but are conceding 25.3 points a week.
Josh Allen won’t be throwing anywhere near as many pick opportunities as Baltimore have had in the opening three weeks. He still managed to throw for 400 yards last week and will be even more dangerous with a little more protection from his offensive line. There was some talk this time last week that Buffalo could go through the season undefeated, so a jinx was always going to come. But anyone following the Bills would know this was an aberration, and they will bounce back strongly.
Texans at Chargers
October 3rd
After being the hype team throughout the pre-season, the Chargers could not get anything to go their way in last week’s loss to Jacksonville.
A clearly injured Justin Herbert got even more banged up with some critical offensive line players sidelined. To make matters worse, they are now missing star defensive end Joey Bosa, who has been moved to injured reserve. The Texans are hardly world-beaters but have shown plenty of promise without securing a win this season. They need to smooth a few rough edges with rookie running back Dameon Pierce, who had a touch of the fumbles in last week’s loss to Chicago, but he will be buoyed by the faith coach Lovie Smith has shown in him.
On the defensive side, they have had ten sacks this season, ranking fifth in the league and will be looking to build on that against a vulnerable Los Angeles O-line. They have their work cut out to get the win here, but the line is worth considering.
Jacksonville at Philadelphia
October 3rd
Here’s a phrase you might not have heard before – Jacksonville might actually be good this season.
After a couple of hellish years on and off the field, the Jags look to have things in place and delivered a comprehensive win over the Chargers last week.
Whether that turns out to be a one-off remains to be seen, but the betting markets may take a while to catch up with their newfound rhythm, and they could provide some value in the next couple of weeks.
Trevor Lawrence is showing why he was a number one draft pick a couple of years ago and is one of the hottest prospects in the fantasy world at the moment. How he stacks up against a consistent Philadelphia defense will be a genuine litmus test for his progression.
The Eagles continued their unbeaten run against Washington last week and are starting to justify their hype. A.J. Brown has slotted in seamlessly as their primary receiver and Jaylen Hurts continues to get better and better.
There’s not a lot to question the Eagles at the moment, but the Jags are the bigger unknown and could well cause an upset this week.
