Week 4 NFL matchups to look for

Here are the games to watch from this weekend's NFL slate.

Sunday Slate

Saints vs. Falcons

Other than a few egregious calls to end the game, like calling Cover 1 on 3rd & forever, the Saints should be 3-0. Instead, they are 2-1 and head into a critical game versus divisional rival Atlanta. The Saints' offense was by far the #1 unit in the league heading into their game with the Eagles. Still, Vic Fangio reached deep into his bag and pulled out his 6-1 Quarters defense that stagnated the Rams in '18 and was the template for beating McVay and Goff in the Super Bowl for Bill Belichick. Defensively, the New Orleans defense has been playing lights out, which is easy to do when your offense is scoring points at will.

Across the way is Raheem Morris, who is more than experienced in the Fangio-adjacent system and knows all the tricks of the Saints' Shanahan/McVay system. Offensively, the Falcons were supposed to be explosive, but Kirk Cousins' injury looks to be lingering, and outside Bijan Robinson, the unit lacks firepower. Defensively, Atlanta is about the same, a lower mid-tier unit. Still, Judon and the Safety duo of Bates and Simmons are dangerous.

Vikings vs. Packers

The Vikings are the story of the first quarter of the season. Minnesota is undefeated, coming off back-to-back wins against the 49ers and Texans, two well-known Shanahan teams. They are dominating defense and leading the league in sacks. All the offseason moves to revamp the front look are paying off, and DC Brian Flores looks to be cooking every week. The defunct journeyman quarterback Sam Darnold has been lights out for three weeks.

Green Bay lost in Week 1 in Brazil to a tough Eagles team. Since then, they have looked dominant in wins over the Colts and Titans. Both those teams are erratic, and the Titans don't have much pass rush. The matchup with the Vikings will put Malik Willis and the O-line to the test. Willis looked fantastic last week, but playing a Flores-led defense is entirely different.

Eagles vs. Buccaneers

We tend to see this matchup in the playoffs. The Eagles pulled off a massive win against a high-powered Saints offense and will get a Buccaneers unit asking what went wrong against Denver. Fangio has been pressuring offenses a lot more, and the Broncos got Mayfield and the Bucs' offense into a bind last Sunday. Offensively, the hiring of Kellen Moore looks to be paying off. The unit is near the top 10 in DVOA and has one of the better run games in the league. They'll need it to control the game against the Buccaneers.

Todd Bowles has done a masterful job against the Eagles, going 3-1 since joining the Bucs. His blitz-heavy defense makes it hard for opposing quarterbacks. Jalen Hurts has sometimes struggled against the blitz and typically doesn't have great outings against Tampa. It could be even tougher with the absence of Devonta Smith and potentially AJ Brown. Tampa's defense is average against the run, and the Eagles will need to control the ground game to keep the Bucs' potentially dangerous offense on the sideline.

Chiefs vs. Chargers

The offense has been abysmal for Chiefs' standards this year, yet is still 11th in DVOA. Mahomes is a one-man wrecking crew, but he has thrown some untimely interceptions this year. They are 3-0, but it doesn't feel like it. Defensively, the top-tier unit from last year hasn't shown up. The loss of L'Jarius Sneed and the subsequent moving of McDuffie outside hasn't produced. The Chiefs are 23rd in Pass DVOA. The run-stopping ability is finally there, which has helped, but as the season drags on, they must improve through the air.

The Chargers' defense looks elite, which should bode well for LA against the Chiefs. This game will be strength on strength, and the Chargers will need to find a way to score points and hold the ball against the Chiefs. Jim Harbaugh has brought a smash-mouth approach to LA, and so far, it's got the Chargers 2-1 and in a dangerous spot versus the reigning Super Bowl champs.

Sunday Night Football

Bills vs. Ravens

Image: AP Photo/Adrian Kraus

Buffalo has looked like a runaway train the past two weeks, beating the Dolphins 31-10 and the Jaguars 47-10 after struggling early against the Cardinals in Week 1. Skeptics will tell you they haven't played anyone, but great teams should beat lesser teams with authority, and that is what the Bills are doing. The offense is humming under elite quarterback play from Josh Allen. There were concerns about the lack of star power at WR, but the Bills have shifted to target share each week to various players, and Buffalo has leaned into a 'total football' mentality. Defensively, the concern was centered around the Safety and LB positions. Those look unfounded through three weeks, especially with the D-line play.

The Ravens will be a significant test. They are coming off a massive win against the Cowboys, in which the offense rushed for over 270 yards. The Bills' defense will be much more sound, and they have two of the best zone CBs in the NFL. Lamar will need to carry the offense again. This is a matchup of the two best NFL offenses. Defensively, the Ravens have taken a slight step back but are still a top-ten unit. They will be tasked with stopping an offense that scored 30+ points in all three games.

Monday Night Football

Seahawks vs. Lions

Image: Dean Rutz/The Seattle Times

The Mike Macdonald effect is real. Through three weeks, the Seahawks are 3-0 and have one of the best defenses in the NFL. Macdonald was hired in '22 to fix the defense in Baltimore. He was an instant success and raised the level of play. We see the same pattern in Seattle, starting with the D-line. Coming into the season, one of the main concerns surrounding the defense was the lack of pressure created by the unit. So far, the unit is in the top ten in pressure rate, and the secondary leads the league in EPA/pass. Geno Smith has been excellent offensively, and the offense is sixth in DVOA. Macdonald has the Seahawks playing complementary football, something they will need to play when they head to Detroit.

The Lions have been an offensive juggernaut the past few seasons under Ben Johnson. Jared Goff, in particular, has had a rebirth of sorts in Detroit. So far this year, something looks off. The passing offense has been stale. Currently, the Lions are 18th in EPA/pass and 20th in Pass DVOA. The ground game is still there, though, where they rank third in Run DVOA. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have been a great one-two punch behind a stellar line. The Lions need to figure out the passing game if they will challenge as a legit Super Bowl contender. Defensively, the unit has always been good against the run; that hasn't changed. This past offseason, the front office retooled the CB room, which appears to be working. Currently, the Lions sit tenth in Pass DVOA. This week, the Lions and the Seahawks will be looking to establish themselves as front runners in the NFC.

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