NFL Week 4 Predictions: Early Projections for Vegas’ Odds, Lines and Spreads

Excitement, surprises and some highly competitive games have filled the third week of the 2016 NFL season. So far, seven Week 3 games have been decided by seven points or fewer, and one of those was decided in overtime.

We’ve also had a couple of notable upsets. The Washington Redskins, for example, bested the New York Giants while on the road, and the New England Patriots managed to win big with a third-string rookie quarterback.

Oh, and the Philadelphia Eagles thumped the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 31-point blowout.

With only Monday night’s contest—between the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons—left on the Week 3 slate, now is a great time to examine the season’s action so far and the upcoming schedule for Week 4.

We’re going to take a look at the early odds for next week’s games, which begin on Thursday night with the Cincinnati Bengals hosting the Miami Dolphins. We’ll also be making our picks against the line and examining some key matchups for Week 4.

As always, our friends over at Odds Shark provide the point spreads.

Matchups to Watch

Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars

Sunday’s game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Jacksonville Jaguars appears to be a tricky one because both of these teams are flawed.

The Colts have a top-tier passer in Andrew Luck, as well as a quality offensive supporting cast. However, Indianapolis’ defense is suspect. The Jaguars also have an emerging quarterback in Blake Bortles to go with a number of top-flight offensive weapons. Like Indianapolis, the Jaguars defense has problems—even though it was a focal point of the offseason.

Pro Football Focus rated the Colts 31st in overall defense through Sunday of Week 3. The Jaguars are rated a bit higher at 21st overall.

This game has the potential to turn into a shootout.

Further complicating matters is the fact that this one takes place in London at 9:30 a.m. ET. Though the Jaguars have experience playing across the Atlantic, there will be some much-needed adjustments by both teams.

Jacksonville is designated as the home team here, but that isn’t likely to give the team any real advantage. The Jaguars were actually at home in Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens but still lost the turnover-filled contest 19-17.

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