SALT LAKE CITY — Week 4 of the NFL season kicks off with several intriguing matchups, including a battle between young quarterbacks in Atlanta, a rookie debut in New York, and a heavyweight showdown in Kansas City.
Washington Commanders (2-1) vs. Atlanta Falcons (1-2)
Sunday, Sept. 28, 11 a.m. MDT – Mercedes-Benz Stadium (CBS)
The Commanders travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons in a potential battle between two second year quarterbacks.
Why Washington will win:
The Commanders fared just fine without Jayden Daniels last week, defeating the Raiders 41-24 with Marcus Mariota at the helm. They’ll now face a Falcons team that was shutout by the Panthers and even if Daniels is still unable to go Sunday, Washington should be able to keep the ball rolling.
Atlanta surrendered 30 points to Carolina, a team that was struggling on offense prior to last week’s game. The Commanders had their best offensive outing of the season without Daniels so expect their offense to play well despite who may start at quarterback. Atlanta’s Michael Penix Jr. is currently 0-4 as a starter when the opposing team scores more than 7 points.
Even with the Falcons struggles last week, Washington can’t take Atlanta lightly with all the firepower they possess on offense. If the Commanders’ defense can hold Penix and company in check, Washington should pick up another conference win.
Why Atlanta will win:
The Falcons offense has too much talent to put up another stinker in back to back weeks. Atlanta’s lone win of the season came against the Vikings who have looked good this season and their defense shined in that one. After a disappointing week, the defense will have to pick up where they left off in that win.
The Falcons boast some of the most talented playmakers including standout running back Bijan Robinson. Robinson will have to have himself a game after the Raiders struggled to get the ground game going versus Washington a week ago. Establishing their ground attack may take more pressure off of Penix.
Both Mariota and Daniels possess similar skillsets so Atlanta’s gameplan shouldn’t change much depending on who starts. Daniels is dealing with a knee injury and if he gets the green light to play, he may be limited with his legs which could help the Falcons in this one.
Line: WSH -1.5
Over/Under: 45.5
Los Angeles Chargers (3-0) vs. New York Giants (0-3)
Sunday, Sept. 28, 11 a.m. MDT – MetLife Stadium (CBS)
Jaxson Dart makes his first NFL start as the New York Giants host the undefeated Los Angeles Chargers.
Why Los Angeles will win:
The Chargers have looked like one of the best teams in the league through the first three games of the season and they haven’t shown any signs of slowing down. Quarterback Justin Herbert has looked like the best version of himself in 2025 and it may be because of his head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Herbert has taken off in year two with Harbaugh, throwing for 860 yards and six touchdowns in his first three games of the season. He looks poised and has complete control of this offense. Even with running back Najee Harris lost for the season with an injury, rookie Omarion Hampton should fill in just fine.
The Chargers defense might be too much for Jaxson Dart in this one, as they have already shut down some of the best quarterbacks in the league so far this season. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter could be in line for head coaching jobs this winter but in the meantime he’ll rely on his defense led by Derwin James to continue to cause havoc for opposing offenses.
Why New York will win:
The Giants looked flat on Sunday night against the Chiefs, prompting the quarterback change by head coach Brian Daboll in an effort to potentially save his job. Will it work out? We’ll know a lot more after this game but Jaxson Dart has the chance to salvage this season for New York.
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) scrambles out of the pocket in the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (Photo: AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
Being able to throw to a receiver like Malik Nabers will help Dart and he’s a gunslinger unlike Russell Wilson. The Giants have other underrated receivers in Wan’Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton. Cam Skattebo will also see more touches with Tyrone Tracy Jr. going down with an injury. New York has plenty of options for Dart but can their offensive line hold up?
The Giants defense can catch these Chargers at a bad time with Los Angeles having a couple injuries across their own offensive line. Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, and Kayvon Thibodeaux can each be game wreckers along the defensive line and they may have to be in order to pull off this upset.
Line: LAC -6.5
Over/Under: 44.5
Indianapolis Colts (3-0) vs. Los Angeles Rams (2-1)
Sunday, Sept. 28, 2:05 p.m. MDT – SoFi Stadium (FOX)
The Colts, led by a resurgent Daniel Jones, take on the Rams in this Sunday afternoon matchup.
Why Indianapolis will win:
The Colts have been the surprise team to begin the year with Daniel Jones looking like he may have found a home after his great start to the season. Jones may be legit in this Indianapolis offense, surrounded by good players like Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr. and a strong offensive line.
The differences in personnel and coaching is cause for believing Jones after he left New York last year. However, this matchup against the Rams will be a great test for Jones and the Colts as Los Angeles has a defensive line littered with young talent.
The trenches could be where this game is won or lost on both sides of the ball for Indianapolis but if they keep Jones protected they will have a chance to steal a road win in L.A.
Why Los Angeles will win:
The Rams looked like they were on their way to knocking off the Eagles in Philadelphia last week but the Eagles came roaring back to stun Los Angeles. Head coach Sean McVay is a master tactician and it is hard to see his team make the same mistakes that cost them last week.
Expect the Rams to bounce back in this one if they can protect Matthew Stafford and sustain longer drives. Puka Nacua has already had two games with 10 or more receptions and he could have a monster game against this Colts secondary if Stafford can get him the ball.
Line: LAR -3.5
Over/Under: 50.5
Baltimore Ravens (1-2) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (1-2)
Sunday, Sept. 28, 2:25 p.m. MDT – GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (CBS)
Two of the top quarterbacks in the NFL go head-to-head in Kansas City as the Ravens take on the Chiefs.
Why Baltimore will win:
Could the Ravens have been looking ahead on Monday night when they lost 38-30 to the Lions? It’s not likely but this team seems to have been built in order to dethrone the Chiefs and not handle a physical team up front like the Lions and Bills. Detroit’s run game gashed the Baltimore defense but Kansas City’s leading rusher is Patrick Mahomes.
This Ravens defense hasn’t looked good at all in 2025, ranking last in many categories, but the Chiefs offense has also struggled and without an effective run game, Baltimore may catch a break.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs the ball as Detroit Lions cornerback DJ. Reed (4) tries to stop him during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, in Baltimore. (Photo: AP Photo/Nick Wass)
The Ravens will hope Isaiah Likely returns to action Sunday and be another weapon for Lamar Jackson. Likely’s toe infamously was out of bounds when these two teams last met in the 2024 season opener and Jackson and Likely will be looking to leave Arrowhead with a win this time.
It will take a great performance from Jackson to get a win against this Chiefs team and this can be his chance to prove he can win a game like this on the road. Jackson and the Ravens will be seeking their first win against Kansas City since 2021.
Why Kansas City will win:
The way the Ravens defense has been playing to begin this season shows that anyone can score on them. This might be the perfect time for the Chiefs to come alive on offense and find their footing as they await the return of receiver Rashee Rice in a couple of weeks.
For many years their own mistakes have cost the Ravens but right now they just don’t look good, especially on defense. Jackson may be magical but the offensive line isn’t great and he is 0-3 as a starter in Kansas City. Steve Spagnuolo is one of the best defensive coordinators in the league and he always finds a way to slow down this Baltimore offense.
Line: BAL -2.5
Over/Under: 48.5
Chicago Bears (1-2) vs. Las Vegas Raiders (1-2)
Sunday, Sept. 28, 2:25 p.m. MDT – Allegiant Stadium (CBS)
The Raiders host the Bears after coming off a loss to Washington while Chicago claimed their first win of the season after defeating the Cowboys.
Why Chicago will win:
The Bears looked really good against Dallas on Sunday but it remains to be seen if they have finally had a breakthrough or were they just playing the Cowboys. I like to think it was a bit of both and Las Vegas hasn’t posed much threat on defense through three weeks either. Caleb Williams looked really good and he was getting the ball to his playmakers all game.
Ben Johnson may have gotten through to his young quarterback who was dealing with a lot of criticism in the media already. If Chicago can repeat their success against this Raiders defense that gave up 41 points to Marcus Mariota and the Commanders last week, they should be in position for a primetime victory.
Why Las Vegas will win:
The Raiders have done a lot of good things in their first three games despite being 1-2. Getting running back Ashton Jeanty going has been something they’ve been unable to do and it needs to happen soon. Getting Jeanty going will take pressure off Geno Smith and help open up their offense.
Pete Carroll needs to see more from his defense after a disappointing showing last week. Taking away Williams’ first read and forcing him to go off script will play right into the Las Vegas defense’s hands. Star pass rusher Maxx Crosby will have to set the tone for the Raiders’ defense if they are going to shutdown this Chicago offense.
Line: LV -1.5
Over/Under: 48.5
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.