Week 3 was a success. We finished 10-6 against the spread during the week, keeping our record above .500. Before we get to the 2019 NFL Week 4 Picks, let’s talk about a few of last week’s games.
The most disappointing back-door cover in a while happened in the Patriots-Jets game. New England’s defense hasn’t allowed a touchdown since the AFC Championship game last year. They were playing against third-string QB Luke Falk. The 21.5-point spread didn’t scare me. They were going to roll through them. Except, punt-returner Gunner Olszewski muffed a punt that was recovered in the endzone. Then, Jarrett Stidham came in to relieve Tom Brady and almost immediately threw a pick-six. New England only won by 16, ripping out my heart.
In what was likely the game of the week heading in, the Chiefs defeated the Ravens 33-28. A late Lamar Jackson TD brought another back-door cover for the Ravens that we were on the right side of this time. With Kansas City’s defense still being questionable at best, I felt Lamar and company would be able to take advantage, and they did. Mark Ingram had three touchdowns, and I still don’t think he was being used enough. He averaged over five yards per carry but only got 16 attempts. That’s something we could see come into play in the future to take the pressure of the QB.
The last game I wanted to touch on was the Seahawks-Saints game. With Drew Brees sidelined for an extended period of time, the Saints let Teddy Bridgewater take over. In his limited action since his career-altering injury, he hadn’t shown much promise. Nevertheless, the Saints made him the highest-paid back-up in the NFL. And, he proved why last Sunday. He didn’t light the game up, but he was able to run the offense successfully, throwing for two touchdowns. They even got some help on defense with a fumble that was returned for a touchdown (Chris Carson needs to stop). I picked against Bridgewater, and I was wrong.
But, now, we’re here for the 2019 NFL Week 4 Picks. What have we done overall since the start of the season?
Record through three weeks: 26-21-1.
THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Philadelphia Eagles (+4) @ Green Bay Packers (-4)
In TNF action, we saw the Eagles narrowly defeat the Packers 34-27. This was, by far, the best Thursday night game of the season. With Philly entering the game without DeSean Jackson, and with a recovering Alshon Jeffery, I felt it was going to be tough sledding for Carson Wentz. I even benched him in my fantasy leagues. To this point, the Packers’ defense had proved to be one of the toughest in the league. In Week 4, they fell back to the pack, allowing five touchdowns from the Eagles’ offense.
There was plenty to talk about, including a couple of questionable calls (or no-calls), and that certainly affected the swing of the game. These moments can be some of the most infuriating when you’re picking games. You feel wronged, cheated, deceived. But, life goes on, and so does the NFL season.
We’re 0-4 on Thursday night, which seems almost impossible. I must do some rethinking when it comes to these games.
SUNDAY 1:00 PM EST
Carolina Panthers (+5.5) @ Houston Texans (-5.5)
Cleveland Browns (+7) @ Baltimore Ravens (-7)
Kansas City Chiefs (-7.5) @ Detroit Lions (+7.5)
Los Angeles Chargers (-15) @ Miami Dolphins (+15)
New England Patriots (-7.5) @ Buffalo Bills (+7.5)
Oakland Raiders (+6) @ Indianapolis Colts (-6)
Tennessee Titans (+3) @ Atlanta Falcons (-3)
Washington Redskins (+3) @ New York Giants (-3)
SUNDAY 4:00 – 4:30 PM EST
Seattle Seahawks (-5.5) @ Arizona Cardinals (+5.5)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+9) @ Los Angeles Rams (-9)
Jacksoville Jaguars (+3) @ Denver Broncos (-3)
Minnesota Vikings (+1) @ Chicago Bears (-1)
SUNDAY 8:30 PM EST
Dallas Cowboys (-3) @ New Orleans Saints (+3)
MONDAY 8:30 PM EST
Cincinnati Bengals (+3.5) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-3.5)