From the incredible passing numbers put up by Patrick Mahomes and Ryan Fitzpatrick to Matt Breida topping Ezekiel Elliott and Christian McCaffrey for the most rushing yards in the NFL, the first three weeks of the 2018 season have provided plenty of surprises. While there are some things that most handicappers just won’t see coming, there are other outcomes that are much easier to forecast. Here is a look at the best NFL prop bets for Week 4.
Saquon Barkley Over Rushing Yards
Rookie first-round pick Saquon Barkley has averaged 4.7 yards per carry while rushing for 236 yards and two touchdowns through the first three weeks of the season. He should see plenty of touches once again this Sunday when the New York Giants host the New Orleans Saints in a must-win game. The Saints defense has been paltry, giving up points aplenty in Weeks 1 and 3, and probably should have given up more to the Cleveland Browns in Week 2. It will be a struggle to slow down Barkley on the road in tough conditions outdoors. Look for Barkley to top his career-high for rushing attempts and rushing yards with a big performance against the Saints in Week 4.
Josh Rosen Over Interceptions Thrown
Arizona Cardinals head coach Steven Wilks was so fed up with the play of quarterback Sam Bradford that he finally benched him in the fourth quarter of a 16-14 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Bradford had thrown for just 400 yards in almost three full games with two touchdowns and four interceptions when he was benched. Rookie first-round pick Josh Rosen didn’t fare much better as he threw the game-clinching interception in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Rosen will to get the start against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday in what could be another tough outing for the Arizona offense. Seahawks safety Early Thomas is already up to three interceptions in as many games. He could have another monster performance against the Cardinals. Take the over on Rosen interceptions.
Tom Brady Over Passing Yards
The Patriots are coming off consecutive losses in which Tom Brady has been held to a combined 367 passing yards. There is a good chance Brady and the New England offense ramp things up big time when they host the Miami Dolphins in an early season must-win game. Miami is 3-0 and would take a commanding three-game lead atop the AFC East with another win this Sunday. That means Brady and company will be playing as if they absolutely must win at home against an opponent they have dominated in recent seasons. Factor in the potential addition of wide receiver Josh Gordon to the lineup and the fact that the Dolphins have lost two rotational pass rushers (Andre Branch and William Hayes) and all signs point toward a massive performance for Brady. Take the over for Brady’s passing yards total.
Todd Gurley Under Rushing Yards
Speaking of playing with a sense of urgency, the Vikings should do exactly that following a brutal blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills as 17-point favorites. Minnesota was beat up by the Bills on both sides of the football, falling to 1-1-1 on the year ahead of a tough NFC showdown against the Los Angeles Rams on a short week. The focus for the Vikings this week will be slowing down the Rams rushing attack. Todd Gurley has averaged 4.1 yards per carry while rushing for 255 yards and four scores this season. If Minnesota can keep him in check, they could have a shot to upset Los Angeles. We should see a much more spirited effort from Minnesota this week after getting run all over by the Bills. That means Gurley could find it tough sledding.
Will Jason Garrett Be The Dallas Cowboys Head Coach In 2019?
Yes: +135
No: -180
We’re still in the month of September but a number of head coaches are already starting to feel the hot seat. Maybe none more so than Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, whose Cowboys look like they will be in for a long, mediocre season. While Garrett has produced some quality regular seasons in the past with the Cowboys — winning 13 games in 2016 and 12 in 2014 — the overall picture is grim. He has just one playoff win in eight years as head coach and if he fails to win more than nine games this year, this will be the sixth time in eight years that the Cowboys have been 9-7 or worse under his watch.
Worse yet is the fact that the Cowboys aren’t entertaining, which is always a point of emphasis with owner Jerry Jones. They aren’t explosive or electric. Once a promising quarterback, Dak Prescott is nothing better than average these days. And he has no receivers to work with. This team is going to labor offensively all year and if the wins aren’t there, Jones’ is likely to cut the cord.
