Saints @ Dolphins (+2.5)

The week four games kick off with another London game as the Miami Dolphins host the New Orleans Saints. This feels like a hard game to pick with only two games played by the Dolphins where we have seen good Jay Culter and bad Jay Cutler as the Dolphins narrowly beat the Chargers and then lost to the Jets. The Jets… Meanwhile the Saints got off to an 0-2 start before turning things around against the Panthers last week, but their two losses were against the Vikings and a wounded Patriots team.

I’m not hugely confident, but there is a big gap in overall DVOA ranking between these two teams, and with neither of the defences playing well I’m going to back the future Hall of Fame quarterback to get enough points.

Gee’s Pick:            Saints
Dan’s Pick:            Dolphins

Bills @ Falcons (-8.5)

There are a lot lines that Dan and I found very tricky this week, but this was not one of them. That doesn’t necessarily mean that this game will turn out how we suspect, but whilst the Atlanta Falcons have got off to a 3-0 start, the Buffalo Bills have played everyone tough with their defence ranked second by DVOA in the league and so I fancy them to keep this game closer than nine points.

Gee’s Pick:            Bills
Dan’s Pick:            Bills

Bengals @ Browns (+2.5)

The Cleveland Browns started the season with hope of demonstrating progress, and they still might, but with both Myles Garrett and Corey Coleman being limited by injuries, it seems the Browns still can’t have nice things. The Cincinnati Bengals meanwhile have got off to a miserable start, but did show some progress against the Packers despite a conservative second half costing them the game. I can see this going wrong, but I think the Bengals get their first win this week as hopefully Bill Lazor continues to improve the offence.

Gee’s Pick:            Bengals
Dan’s Pick:            Bengals

Rams @ Cowboys (-8.5)

The Dallas Cowboys have had a somewhat rocky start to the season, not helped by the fact that they don’t seem to have anything that poses a deep threat in the passing game at the moment. The welcome a LA Rams team who have definitely improved under first year head coach Sean McVay and actually sit atop the NFC West division. I am not sure they have enough to beat the Cowboys on the road, particularly as they are taking on Ezekiel Elliott with the nineteenth ranked rush defence by DVOA, but I do think their offence has enough to keep this game closer than nine points.

Gee’s Pick:            Rams
Dan’s Pick:            Rams

Lions @ Vikings (-2.5)

The Detroit Lions lost a close game, which although it felt horrible with the clock run off deciding the game, the Lions may well have not got another play off in eleven seconds anyway. The Minnesota Vikings got their offensive game plan right last week so Case Keenum could lead them to a big win over the Buccaneers. I like the Vikings’ home advantage in what could be a close game, and the Vikings will be looking to avenge two close losses to the Lions last season.

Gee’s Pick:            Vikings
Dan’s Pick:            Vikings

Titans @ Texans (+1.5)

This is a tricky game for me as the Houston Texans are home underdogs by this line, and yet they have played well on defence, and Deshaun Watson looked to have taken something of a step last week against the Patriots. However, the Tennessee Titans offence played very well against the Seattle Seahawks last week, which gives me hope that they can do it again this week and so with a fair degree of trepidation I’m backing the Titans to win this one for me.

Gee’s Pick:            Titans
Dan’s Pick:            Texans

Panthers @ Patriots (-9.5)

In my experience, I never do well when picking against the New England Patriots, but with their defence really struggling the Patriots never got close to covering the line they were given against the Texans. However, they are facing a Carolina team whose offence has not looked right all year, and who just gave up over thirty points on defence. I shouldn’t be too focused on last week, but I think there is more going wrong with Cam Newton at the moment than facing a bad defence can fix, and so I’m going to double down on the Patriots and see if they reward my faith. I would apologise to fans of the Patriots for my jinx, but I think you’ve probably won enough recently.

Gee’s Pick:            Patriots
Dan’s Pick:            Patriots

Jaguars @ Jets (+3.5)

This has all the appearance of a trap game. The Jacksonville Jaguars just got a huge win against the Baltimore Ravens in London, but they now have to travel to New York to face a Jets team who are 1-0 at home this season and showed us something at last against the Dolphins. However, I don’t think I trust the Jets offence to get anything going against the Jaguars’ defence. I hate this line, and would run a mile if I could but as I have to pick this game I am going to reluctantly pick the Jets. Mainly because I can’t bring myself to back Blake Bortles on the road for two weeks in a row, and just because of the travel the Jaguars have put in over the last week.

Gee’s Pick:            Jets
Dan’s Pick:            Jaguars

Steelers @ Ravens (+2.5)

This is likely going to be a tight game, because these teams so often seem to play close games. The Baltimore Ravens will be desperate to put in a performance after a horrible display in London, and their defence knows what they will be facing in the Pitsburgh Steelers. I think that the Steelers will likely get their offence back on track at some point, and with Ravens’ defensive tackle Brandon Williams missing this week’s game, they may well get running back Le’Veon Bell going. I kind of like the Ravens as home underdogs, and it would not surprise me if they win or cover this line, but they have too many injuries at the moment and I feel like despite their problems, the Steelers are the better team.

Gee’s Pick:            Steelers
Dan’s Pick:            Steelers

Giants @ Buccaneers (-3.5)

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are beat up on defence, lost to the Vikings last week, and their offence hasn’t found its feet yet this season. The New York Giants lost to a sixty-one yard field goal last week, but found something against the Eagles in the fourth quarter of last week. We are guaranteed one 0-4 team thanks to the Browns and Bengals playing each other, yet it seems unlikely we will have three of them. The Giants are getting healthier at receiver and with that extra half point I’m picking a mini recovery thanks to the banged up defence they are facing.

Gee’s Pick:            Giants
Dan’s Pick:            Giants

Eagles @ Chargers (-0.5)

The LA Chargers have got a real chance to finally get a win, but you can’t have a lot of faith in them as a team at this point. I could regret this as the Philadelphia Eagles were pretty beat up on defence last week, but the Chargers can’t even fill their small temporary stadium and in what amounts to a straight who will win pick, I am going with the team who seems more likely to find a way in a close game.

Gee’s Pick:            Eagles
Dan’s Pick:            Eagles

49ers @ Cardinals (-7.5)

This line seems off to me. The San Francisco 49ers are not a good team, but with David Johnson injured and an offensive line that just isn’t working very well, I have to face up to the fact that Bruce Arians and his coaching team are going to struggle this year. The 49ers got their offence working better against the Rams last week, and whilst that is no guarantee that they will be competitive against the Cardinals, an eight point win is too much for me to pick for this version of the Cardinals.

Gee’s Pick:            49ers
Dan’s Pick:            49ers

Raiders @ Broncos (-2.5)

The Oakland Raiders got off to a strong start, and I was very impressed with them through two weeks, but they lost heavily to Washington and now travel again to Denver to face the Broncos. The Broncos lost themselves last week, but their defence is formidable at home, and this feels like a bad spot for the Raiders. As long as Trevor Siemian gets back to looking after the ball I think they will be okay, and I have a feeling that the Raiders will fall back to 2-2, although with three road games in the opening four games that is not a bad start.

Gee’s Pick:            Broncos
Dan’s Pick:            Broncos

Colts @ Seahawks (-13.5)

I said on the podcast that I needed a very good reason to pick a team to cover when they are giving a double digit line and the Seattle Seahawks were not that team. The problem with that is as much as I don’t like their offensive line, they did put up twenty-seven points on the Titans last week. I expect the defence to look more like themselves against the Indianapolis Colts, particularly at home, but is this enough for them to cover this line? If Jacoby Brissett can move the ball then the Colts might stand a chance, but as much as I want to pick the Colts to do it, I just can’t bring myself to make the pick on the road.

Gee’s Pick:            Seahawks
Dan’s Pick:            Colts

Washington @ Chiefs (-6.5)

The Monday night game is another trial in difficult picking. The Kansas City Chiefs have played really well this season, and pit their explosive offence up against a Washington team who travelled to Oakland and got a good win. However, Arrowhead Stadium is one of the loudest in the league and the Chiefs’ explosive offence is a different prospect to the Raiders as they have enough speed that they are a threat to take any play for a big gain or a touchdown. The question is can Washington keep it close enough with an improving defence and an offence that is beginning to find its feet at last. I’m going to go with my first instinct and back Washington to stay within seven points on this one, but I could easily be wrong.

Gee’s Pick:            Washington
Dan’s Pick:            Chiefs