Week 4 is here and there are some tough tests, especially in the AFC East, where the unbeaten New England Patriots meet the surprisingly undefeated Buffalo Bills.
Case Keenum will throw for 300 yards
Washington looked awful for most of its loss to the Chicago Bears Monday. Case Keenum looked lost. Expect the journeyman to rebound against a suspect New York Giants team. Jay Gruden reportedly is coaching for his job and is sticking with Keenum rather than turn the offense to Dwayne Haskins. Keenum better have a big game or neither he nor Gruden will be around much longer.
Minshew Mania will be put on hold
The Gardner Minshew II Show goes on the road to Denver. Expect the rookie from Washington State to be pressured and sacked and picked off by the Denver defense, which has been sleepy through three games.
The Bills will defeat the Patriots
New England and Buffalo meet in a battle of AFC East unbeatens. Playing in Western New York allows a team to quietly get better and that is what is happening to Sean McDermott’s team. The game will be low-scoring but Buffalo’s defense will find a way to thwart Tom Brady and New England, which has played a trio of winless teams thus far. Hard to believe this is slotted as a 1 p.m. regional start. But who would have predicted a 3-0 start for Buffalo?
Lamar Jackson will baffle the Browns
The Baltimore Ravens’ second-year QB will continue his hot start and send Cleveland to a 1-3 record. Amazing how someone who was questioned incessantly like Lamar Jackson, the Heisman winner from Louisville, is doing so much more than Baker Mayfield, the highly hyped Heisman winner from Oklahoma, in 2019.
Dallas will take down the Saints
Teddy Bridgewater and New Orleans surprised everyone by winning in Seattle. Don’t expect New Orleans to exact revenge on Dallas for the 2018 game that seemed to derail Drew Brees and the offensive engine from the Big Easy.
The Bucs will give the Rams a stiff test
Talk about a “trap game.” Los Angeles comes in off victories over New Orleans and Cleveland and faces a Thursday nighter against Seattle next week. Beware overlooking the 1-2 Bucs, who should be 2-1. Sean McVay will need to keep his team focused on Sunday and not next Thursday … or else.
Monday Night Football will be an ugly watch
Talk about a game that doesn’t deserve the national TV spotlight. Zac Taylor and his Bengals are winless as are Mike Tomlin and the Steelers. Do not be surprised if this one is difficult to digest in its entirety. The teams have earned their winless ways.
Russell Wilson will outplay Kyler Murray
The Cardinals are winless and appear to be going nowhere fast. The Seahawks come to Arizona off a stinging home loss to the Saints. Don’t believe Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson will allow his team to look ahead to the Rams’ game Thursday for a second. Seattle isn’t about to fall to 2-2, especially against a team as flawed as Arizona.
Dalvin Cook will not gain 100 yards rushing
The Vikings roll into Chicago for an NFC North clash. Cook has been unstoppable, rushing for a league-leading 375 yards in three games. However, the Bears defense came alive Monday against Washington and expect more ferocity against the Purple People.
The Chargers will awaken
Los Angeles heads into Miami, which is 0-3 and seemingly trying for a winless season. Melvin Gordon will not be back this week or next. Expect Austin Ekeler to continue to show he is the real deal against a floundering Fish defense. Melvin Gordon may see limited action with the absence of Justin Jackson due to injury. Don’t think it will be as ugly as the first three Miami efforts but it will still turn into a loss.
The Jets won’t lose this week
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That’s only because Gang Green is on a bye. They’ll continue to be off-stride in Week 5 when the Jets get to take a short trip to Philly. That will assuredly turn into a long return ride to North Jersey.
