By the time the NFL’s Week 4 slate wraps up on Monday night, teams will be just about a quarter of the way through the 2023 season. How they’ll be positioned at that point could come down to what they do this weekend.
Through three weeks, there haven’t been many clear favorites emerging – either for the Super Bowl or the No. 1 draft pick. Of the 32 NFL teams, 25 (78.1%) have already both won and lost at least one game. On top of that, there’s plenty of divisional games on this week’s slate, which could set up early leads at the top of the standings and help establish tie-breakers.
Which games hold the most significance? Which games will be the most competitive? We’ll consider it all as we rank the five most interesting/exciting games of Week 4.
5. Denver Broncos (0-3) at Chicago Bears (0-3)
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
You know those movies that are so bad they’re good? That’s what this game will be.
The Broncos just allowed the third-most points in a game in NFL history in their 70-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins last week, while the Bears are coming off a week that saw their quarterback throw the coaching staff under the bus, their defensive coordinator resign, had $100,000 worth of grounds crew equipment stolen, and then got blown out by the Chiefs. There’s too much going on to look away.
In the end, the Broncos should have more bounce-back ability than the Bears. Look for them to extend Chicago’s current NFL-long 13-game losing streak.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) at New Orleans Saints (2-1)
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET on FOX
There’s a few fun storylines in this game. The first and most pressing of course is the fact that this is a division matchup in the NFC South. It’s already looking like it will be a close division with the upstart Buccaneers, led by Baker Mayfield, hanging with the Saints and 2-1 Atlanta Falcons through three weeks. Which team will remain at least tied for the top of the division after Sunday?
This game could come down to the quarterback position. Mayfield, who steps into the starting job in Tampa following Tom Brady’s retirement, has played as well as he has in a few years to start this season. Even in last week’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, he made some good plays. He’ll face a Saints team that lost Derek Carr to a shoulder injury last week. Carr will be replaced by former Tampa Bay Buccaneers first overall pick Jameis Winston, who will be making his third career start against his former team (he’s 1-1 in the first two).
Last year, the Bucs beat the Saints in New Orleans 20-10. This year’s game should be more high-scoring, but a similar outcome seems likely. If the Bucs can pull off the victory, it would be their first time winning in New Orleans in back-to-back years since 2009-2010.
3. Baltimore Ravens (2-1) at Cleveland Browns (2-1)
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
Entering Week 4 there are three 2-1 teams in the AFC North, with the Steelers joining the Ravens and Browns. Which team will fall from the top spot this week?
Both of these teams come into the game facing major questions. The Ravens were upset by the Colts last week 22-19 and the offense doesn’t look as explosive as hoped under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. So far the Ravens have been a middle-of-the-pack offense, averaging 23.7 points per game, which ranks 14th in the league.
On the other side is a Browns team that is trying to reestablish its identity after losing All-Pro running back Nick Chubb to a knee injury two weeks ago. It looks like they may put more on the shoulders of quarterback Deshaun Watson, but Watson has been up and down over his first three games.
2. Detroit Lions (2-1) at Green Bay Packers (2-1)
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video
With the Bears and Vikings both starting 0-3, it looks like it’s going to be a two-team race in the NFC North. Those two teams – the Lions and Packers – meet for the first time this season to kick off Week 4 on Thursday night.
Last year, the Lions swept the Packers – including a Week 18 win at Lambeau Field that knocked Green Bay out of the playoffs. That was Aaron Rodgers’ final game with the Packers. Can his successor, Jordan Love, get revenge and an early leg up in the division as well? Based on how Love has played early in the season, the Packers should have the edge in this one.
1. Miami Dolphins (3-0) at Buffalo Bills (2-1)
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
Are the Dolphins the best team in the AFC East? In the AFC? In the NFL? They’ve certainly made a compelling case, highlighted by the 70 points they dropped on the Broncos last week. Tua Tagovailoa is playing at an extremely high level, further elevating the explosive offensive talent around him of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
This week is a chance for the Dolphins to make a real statement, as they visit the three-time defending AFC Champion Bills. The Bills were slow out of the gate this season, but put together their most dominant performance of the year last week when they beat the Commanders 37-3 in Washington.
It’s two good teams, both playing at a high level, going head-to-head. The Dolphins probably have the slight edge in this one, but one thing we can assume for sure is the scoreboard will be lit up throughout the afternoon.
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