Written by: Tyler Deakin
Week 3 of the NFL slate was filled with intrigue, drama, and suspense all packed into one weekend. The Chargers epic road win over the Chiefs was certainly surprising; however, so was the Raiders victory over the Dolphins in an overtime thriller. Aaron Rodgers drove down the field in 37 seconds to set up a game winning 51-yard field goal against the 49ers. Meanwhile, Ravens kicker Justin Tucker launched an NFL record 66-yard field goal to squeak past the Lions. What new adventures await football fans this coming week? Without further ado, here is my list of contenders for the best games on the Week 4 NFL docket.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New England Patriots (Sunday Night Football)
This will be the ultimate chess battle between two experts of the game in Tom Brady & Bill Belichick. Brady makes his much-anticipated return to New England in primetime, while Belichick prepares his defense to face off against the greatest player in Patriots franchise history. There is Game of the Year potential here, though it’s also possible that Brady shreds the Patriots defense in the ultimate revenge game. Regardless, this matchup should be the Game of the Week. Get your popcorn ready folks, we’ve got ourselves a great game on a Sunday night!
Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers (Monday Night Football)
A divisional showdown between two of the top teams in the AFC on a Monday night? Yes please. Every division game counts in the tough AFC West this year, with all 4 teams making legitimate claims to the divisional crown. What this means is that these games should be intense this year, with some added pressure for this week’s game coming from it being in primetime. Both teams will be ready to duke it out this week after electrifying wins last week.
Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams
Two 3-0 division rivals face off in the mid-afternoon window of Sunday’s football lineup. The Rams have looked unstoppable so far this season, highlighted by their win over Tom Brady’s Buccaneers last weekend. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are rolling after taking care of business against the Jaguars this past weekend. I believe that the Rams will win this game, but the Cardinals should keep things interesting until the very end. Could this game come down to a “Hail Murray” pass at the end of regulation? Overtime is certainly a possibility in this contest.
Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos
Broncos DE Von Miller recently told NFL.com the following regarding this matchup, “it’s really like a playoff game… this is time for us to show what we’ve got against a worthy opponent.” This quote shows the intensity with which these two teams will be competing with this weekend. The Broncos are clearly motivated to win this game after a 3-0 start against sub-par competition in the Giants, Jaguars, & Jets. Likewise, the Ravens are driven to win this game after a too close for comfort win over the mediocre Lions. Will the Broncos prove themselves against better competition or will the Ravens emerge from Mile High Stadium victorious?
Carolina Panthers at Dallas Cowboys
A power struggle between two NFC playoff contenders to kick things off on a Sunday afternoon? Certainly. Both of these teams have somewhat surprisingly emerged as top teams in the NFC after subpar seasons last year. QB Sam Darnold has helped to right the ship in Carolina, as he’s played great football with a better supporting cast around him. Similarly, QB Dak Prescott has returned from injury to play the best football of his career. These teams’ underrated defenses have also helped in turning their fortunes around. I could see this game going either way, likely going down to the wire & possibly dependent upon which team has the ball last.
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