NFL Week 4 Picks: Column Tabs Cardinals Over Giants for Sunday Slate

A weekly picks column favors Arizona giving 2.5 points to the Giants and weighs in on the NFL's entire Week 4 Sunday slate, including Washington and Indianapolis in London.

A weekly picks column published Sunday by Yahoo Sports set out to predict every game on the NFL's Week 4 Sunday schedule, beginning with the Arizona Cardinals laying 2.5 points against the New York Giants as its featured play. The writer arrived at Week 4 seeking a turnaround after a successful opening week gave way to consecutive finishes below .500.

Arizona's case rests on the passing game, where the column finds Jacoby Brissett steady at quarterback with Trey McBride leading a solid group of targets. Jeremiyah Love supported the attack on the ground last week with 90 yards on 21 carries. On the other side, the column sees Giants quarterback Jameis Winston's declining production eroding New York's upside, and with the line sitting under a field goal, it sides with the Cardinals.

The choice of a modest favorite marks a change after last week's featured selection failed badly: Seattle, the defending Super Bowl champion, lost outright to Washington as an 8.5-point favorite. The writer said that result argued against simply backing heavy favorites over struggling teams each week.

Washington resurfaces in the week's international game, with the column taking the Commanders plus 4.5 against Indianapolis in a London matchup kicking off at 6:30 a.m. ET. David Blough, in only his third game as an NFL offensive coordinator, drew praise for a game plan that stressed a Seattle defense the column rates among the league's best. Jayden Daniels has been out with an injury and could return as soon as next week, with Marcus Mariota running the offense in the meantime, while an improved Colts defensive showing against Houston in Week 3 did not convince the writer.

In an AFC East matchup, the column lays seven points with Buffalo over New England. The Bills won by more than a touchdown last week despite committing five turnovers, and the writer does not expect Josh Allen to produce another sloppy outing or Buffalo to lose the giveaway battle again. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, meanwhile, has been throwing interceptions at a rate the column believes has shaken his confidence, leaving New England hard-pressed to keep pace.

The column also takes the New York Jets plus 3.5 against Chicago and predicts a straight-up Jets victory, arguing the wrong team is favored. The Bears routed Philadelphia 27-7 last week with Case Keenum at quarterback, but Tyson Bagent steps in this time with Caleb Williams unavailable, and the writer doubts the offense sustains that form. New York ranks 11th in offensive EPA and 13th in defensive EPA, could easily be 2-1 but for Aaron Glenn's late clock management in a Week 2 loss to Green Bay, and has received a resurgent season from quarterback Geno Smith, according to the column.

The final selection detailed in the report backs Jacksonville plus 2.5 at Cincinnati. The writer is skeptical of the Bengals' early defensive numbers, noting that Pittsburgh, with Aaron Rodgers, broke out against them in Week 3 and that Cincinnati's first two opponents, Tampa Bay and Houston, have since struggled offensively. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has delivered 11 quarters of high-level play through three games by the column's count, undone only by one poor fourth quarter in Denver in Week 2.

Those five selections accompany the column's picks for the remainder of Sunday's schedule, which it covers in full each week. The feature is presented with a sportsbook sponsorship.