Docs Website

53 Years Strong! A Trusted Leader In Sports Picks, Best Bets and Predictions Since 1971.

Main Menu

NFL Betting Predictions: Week 4 Opening Line Report and Picks

by Spencer Toth - 9/23/2024

NFL betting predictions Week 4 opening line report Carson Steele Kansas City Chiefs

Believe it or not, the NFL regular season is already 17% complete as we head into a pivotal Week 4 of games. The opening lines report gives you the best chance of locking in a profit for Week 4, as a single point shift in the line can make all the difference at the end of the week. By locking in your Week 4 NFL picks now, you can avoid worrying about the line shifting before kickoff. 

Doc’s Sports offers NFL expert picks for every game on our NFL predictions page.

Before we get into the fourth week of NFL action, here are the biggest storylines from all the Week 3 action. 

  • Browns slide further down: The Browns lost their second consecutive home game of the young season, this time against the lowly New York Giants. They have yet to score 20 points in a game this season and posted just 217 yards of total offense against New York. 
  • Eagles are still NFC threats: The Eagles were able to grind out a win against the high-flying New Orleans Saints, reminding the NFC they are still one of the top dogs. New Orleans has had a promising start but still have plenty of holes that can be exploited on their roster. 
  • Sam Darnold is…back? The Minnesota Vikings are 3-0 after a pair of huge upsets over the 49ers and the Texans. Darnold has thrown for 8 touchdowns and two interceptions, with an incredible 117.3 QBR through three weeks. 
  • Bears are in danger: Caleb Williams had the best game of his young career, but multiple interceptions in back-to-back games is worrying for the Bears front office. Chicago is quickly falling out of the NFC North race. However, with a soft schedule upcoming, Williams still has time to bounce back. 
  • Guardian Angel, Andy Dalton: Days after benching their first overall pick, life was bleak for Panther fans across the nation. However, after Dalton’s week 3 outburst, Carolina suddenly has life once again. Dalton led a stale Panthers offense to 36 points on the road, throwing for 3 touchdowns, no interceptions, and 319 passing yards. 
  • Time to panic in San Francisco? The 49ers blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter, falling to 1-2 on the season. Christian McCaffrey is out for the foreseeable future, and injuries to Deebo Samuel and George Kittle hindered their offense even further. After Seattle got off to a 3-0 start, the 49ers will need to step up with their stars out, or risk losing their NFC West crown. 
  • Baltimore stays alive: The Ravens needed a road win over the Dallas Cowboys to avoid an 0-3 start, and they just about got it. Three fourth quarter touchdowns from Dallas will be worrying for the Ravens coaching staff. However, all that mattered was getting the win, which Baltimore found a way to do. 

The Week 4 opening lines have been released, and now is the perfect time to lock in your spreads before the lines move later in the week. 

Game 1: New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons 

Opening Line: Atlanta Falcons (-1.5)

The Falcons are short home favorites against the Saints, but the wrong team is favored here. New Orleans has already shown the league their offense is not to be messed with, and they have the capabilities to walk into Atlanta and drop 30+ points on their division rivals. The Saints were stifled by the Eagles last week, otherwise there would be no doubt about their status as favorites in this matchup. Philadelphia was simply a bad matchup for the Saints, and they are much better suited to take down a team like the Falcons. The Falcons are still working out the kinks with Kirk Cousins at quarterback and can’t be favorites against an established team like New Orleans. One you throw in some very questionable play calling from the Falcons late on Sunday Night Football, it would not be surprising to see this line shift in favor of New Orleans as kickoff rolls closer. 

Pick: New Orleans Saints (+1.5)

Game 2: Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Opening Line: Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5)

The Buccaneers were embarrassed in front of their home crowd during their defeat to Denver last week. Baker Mayfield and the Bucs offense managed just 7 points in Week 3, but they will bounce back after their strong offensive showings in Week 1 and 2. Tampa Bay has the chance to take the lead in the NFC South, and this is a great time to ‘buy low’ on them. Betting on the early weeks of the NFL season is all about finding where the lines have overreacted from recent results. The Buccaneers loss to the Broncos doesn’t wipe away their two other wins, just as the Eagles win over the Saints doesn’t mean they are suddenly back in form. Philadelphia can grind out victories against teams that can’t match their physicality, but that isn’t the case for the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay will be able to go toe to toe with Philadelphia, easily covering this spread in their outright victory. 

Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+2.5)

Game 3: Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers

Opening Line: Kansas City Chiefs (-7)

Kansas City’s offense hasn’t been playing at their full capacity so far this season, yet they are still off to a 3-0 start. Their defense deserves plenty of credit, shutting down both the Ravens and Falcons on potentially game-winning drives. Kansas City is a complete football team, and it’s frightening to imagine what this team can do once their offense wakes up. Meanwhile, the Chargers got off to their first 2-0 start since 2012, but it all came crashing down when Justin Herbert re-aggravated an injury during their Week 3 defeat. This is a spread that must absolutely be locked in as soon as possible, as the Chargers will be helpless without Herbert against Kansas City. The Chiefs have beaten the Chargers 5 straight times. And with a hobbled or absent Herbert, it will be 6 straight after Week 4. The 7-point spread is thick, but the Chiefs are due for an offensive explosion. 

Pick: Kansas City Chiefs (-7)

Get NFL picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bet premium picks by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.

 

Most Recent NFL Handicapping

One E-mail A Week Is All You Need!
Our weekly newsletter is loaded with exclusive free picks,insight and advice from our expert handicappers