NFL Predictions for Week 4: Aaron Rodgers will surprise

The NFL’s final week of September could be the most volatile series of games so far this season.

While there were some surprises in the first three weeks of the season, many of the matchups generated consensus among prognosticators. However, several games this weekend have divided the USA TODAY Sports selection committee. And while many of the five undefeated teams have experts on their side, each should be wary.

With that in mind, we asked USA TODAY Sports’ NFL writers and columnists for their bold predictions for Week 4. Here are their answers:

Aaron Rodgers will beat the Broncos with his first 300-yard game since 2021

What a time for A-Rod to record his first 300-yard game as a Jet. Denver is coming to the Meadowlands and I suspect Rodgers will want to add a little more mustard to prove his point. Remember his reaction last year when Sean Payton denounced the Jets and Nathaniel Hackett? He called Payton “unsafe” and demanded that Payton “keep his coordinator’s name out of his mouth.” I bet he hasn’t forgotten the taunt.

Rodgers has called Hackett, Payton’s predecessor in Denver, his “favorite coach,” which is undoubtedly why the coordinator landed with the Jets for a reunion with the QB in 2023, starting again after their three years together in Green Bay. Perhaps there’s no better way for Rodgers to show he has Hackett’s back than by turning in a monster, straight-up performance against Payton and the Broncos.

It’s certainly been a long time since the four-time NFL MVP broke the 300-yard mark. For that, you’d have to go back to December 2021, when he torched the Bears for 341 yards and 4 touchdowns – the last of three consecutive 300-yard games. Since then, Rodgers has played 25 games (including a playoff loss, or 26 if you count the Jets’ debut last year, which lasted one series before he tore his Achilles tendon) without reaching 300 hits. It was startling to note upon reviewing the game that according to the game log, Rodgers started all 17 games without a 300-yard effort during his final season with the Packers in 2022. So, hey, this guy is overdue. And the early season pattern during his comeback season also suggests this. In the comeback, Rodgers has racked up more yards in each consecutive game – from 167 in the opener at San Francisco to 176 in Week 2 at Tennessee to 281 against the Patriots in the home opener a week ago on Thursday night. And now come the Broncos. I bet he licks his fingers.

–Jarrett Bell

At least three undefeated teams will lose in Week 4

I wish it were bolder, but this will be a difficult weekend for the NFL’s quintet of 3-0 clubs. Everyone is on the road, with the Buffalo Bills (in Baltimore) and Seattle Seahawks (in Detroit) playing in prime time against teams that reached their respective conference title games last season. The Pittsburgh Steelers could face their toughest test in Indianapolis – at least within 60 minutes – after defeating the depleted Chargers last Sunday, and the Minnesota Vikings can hardly expect to storm into Green Bay’s Lambeau Field and pillage – no matter who the Packers quarterback is playing against. The Kansas City Chiefs appear to be a safe bet to beat the undermanned Bolts – once again – and could very well remain the league’s only squad at 4-0 by the end of Monday night.

– Nate Davis

Jayden Daniels will be the front-runner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after Week 4

Rookie Jayden Daniels was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week in Week 3 after completing 21 of 23 pass attempts (91.3%) for 254 yards and two touchdowns in NFL history (minimum 20 attempts) in the win. He is just the third rookie quarterback to win the award in the last five seasons.

What will Daniels do as an encore?

I expect Daniels to have a great game against the Cardinals that will make him the first front-runner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Daniels will be motivated to compete against Arizona, which will be a homecoming of sorts. The Commanders QB played at Arizona State (2019-2021) before transferring to LSU (2022-2023).

Daniels will record his first 300-yard passing game and also run for 50 yards to help Washington win its third straight. The Commanders have not won three games in a row since the 2022 season.

–Tyler Dragon

The Steelers’ offense is in for a breakout game

Pittsburgh had an incredibly tough start to the start of the season, but was almost entirely down on its defense. This is the game the Steelers offense will master. The unit currently ranks 24th in total offense (289 yards per game), 29th in passing (158.3), 28th in yards per carry (3.63) and 24th in the scoring (17 points per game). However, this is a matchup that should benefit the Steelers.

Indianapolis’ defense struggled early in the season, resulting in inconsistent performance. The Colts are middle of the pack in scoring defense, 14th (20.3), but have conceded big plays. Indy ranks second to last in total defense (398.3) and rushing defense (179). In this game, I expect offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to unleash quarterback Justin Fields and his propensity to run the ball effectively. The Steelers have asked Fields to run less, and his average of 30 rushing yards per game would be a career low, well below his mark from last year (50.5) and the season before that (76.2).

The opposite is that Fields is setting a career-high in completion percentage at 73.3%, an increase of 11.9 percentage points from last year. He has become more efficient. But this duel screams for him to gain the upper hand on the ground, further endanger the struggling defense and free up the passing game.

– Lorenzo Reyes

Nick Herbig will pass TJ Watt as the Steelers’ sack leader

Maybe that doesn’t seem so far-fetched when you consider that Herbig already has two sacks to Watt’s three early on. Still, it would have been hard to imagine this offseason that the Steelers could exit September successfully if anyone other than Watt or Alex Highsmith had the edge in this category. Herbig filled in for Highsmith when the star outside linebacker suffered a groin injury in last week’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers, and the 2023 fourth-round pick from Wisconsin delivered two sacks in just 19 snaps. His most impressive performance came when he punched past Chargers standout left tackle Rashawn Slater on a second-and-10 in the third quarter and forced a strip sack from Justin Herbert.

Replicating that performance could be difficult, as defeating Anthony Richardson, a 6-4, 244-pound quarterback who has recorded just four sacks in three games, is no easy task, especially for one 6-2, 240-pound edge rusher like Herbig. But the Steelers’ strong run defense (ranked second with 3.5 yards per carry allowed) appears to be putting the Colts in some obvious passing scenarios, and there’s no doubt that Indianapolis’ main goal will be to accommodate Watt, who According to Pro Football Focus, he leads the league 44% of the time. Herbig has already shown that he is willing to capitalize when the opportunity presents itself, and that trend could continue on Sunday.

—Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz

Josh Allen will rush for more yards than Lamar Jackson

Through the first three games of the season, Josh Allen hasn’t used his legs much (17 carries, 85 yards) as part of Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady’s “everybody gets the ball” plan. His arm has been more than effective, but a primetime matchup against the Ravens will force Allen to dig deep to help the Bills get to 4-0.

The other component of this is that Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has never run efficiently against the Bills, especially not by his standards. Jackson’s most yards (73) on the ground in the matchup came in his only regular-season loss to the Bills in 2022. He ran during a contest in 2019 and in a Week 1 matchup in 2018 – Jackson’s first career 11 times over 40 yards He entered the game on a blowout note – he had seven attempts for 39 yards.

—Chris Bumbaca

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NFL Predictions for Week 4: Aaron Rodgers will surprise

Aaron Rodgers will beat the Broncos with his first 300-yard game since 2021

At least three undefeated teams will lose in Week 4

Jayden Daniels will be the front-runner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after Week 4

The Steelers’ offense is in for a breakout game

Nick Herbig will pass TJ Watt as the Steelers’ sack leader

Josh Allen will rush for more yards than Lamar Jackson

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NFL Predictions for Week 4: Aaron Rodgers will surprise

Aaron Rodgers will beat the Broncos with his first 300-yard game since 2021

At least three undefeated teams will lose in Week 4

Jayden Daniels will be the front-runner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after Week 4

The Steelers’ offense is in for a breakout game

Nick Herbig will pass TJ Watt as the Steelers’ sack leader

Josh Allen will rush for more yards than Lamar Jackson

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By Hudson Brooklyn

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New York Jets vs. Pittsburgh Steelers prediction, odds, best bets for Sunday Night Football Week 7

Air India passengers are airlifted by air force after bomb threat forces landing in Nunavut – 620 CKRM

Fox Entertainment Studios names Hannah Pillemer as head of scripted and Allison Wallach as head of unscripted

You Missed

New York Jets vs. Pittsburgh Steelers prediction, odds, best bets for Sunday Night Football Week 7

Air India passengers are airlifted by air force after bomb threat forces landing in Nunavut – 620 CKRM

Fox Entertainment Studios names Hannah Pillemer as head of scripted and Allison Wallach as head of unscripted

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