You can tell a lot about the NFL in just three games. The Kansas City Chiefs (3-0 SU and ATS) look like the best team in the league, and as usual, the Cleveland Browns (0-3 SU, 1-2 ATS) look like one of the worst. But there’s still a lot of football left to be played this year, and Week 4 of the regular season could turn out to be pivotal: There are seven divisional games on this week’s schedule.

The most intense of these rivalry games will take place Sunday (1 PM ET, FOX) when the Baltimore Ravens host the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North. Both teams are 2-1 heading into this game, and the winner will take first place in the division with plenty of running room between now and the playoffs. The Steelers are 3-point road favorites with a total of 41.5 points, down from 44.5 at the open as both teams deal with injuries on their offensive lines. Baltimore has the recent edge in this rivalry at 6-2 SU and 5-2-1 ATS over their past eight games, with the Under at 4-3-1.

 

I Remember Sam

The NFC North has three winning teams after three games, including both the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions at 2-1 SU and ATS. They’ll meet in Minneapolis Sunday afternoon (1 PM ET, FOX), but odds are pending on this very important game while the Vikings decide who will start at quarterback. Sam Bradford (knee) remains day-to-day after skipping Wednesday’s practice, so Case Keenum could end up getting another start against the Lions.

Sunday’s late-afternoon game (4:25 PM ET, CBS) between the Oakland Raiders and the Denver Broncos should be an entertaining AFC West affair. Once again, both teams enjoy 2-1 records after three weeks, although they’re chasing down Kansas City for first place; the Broncos are 3-point favorites at Mile High, which illustrates how closely matched these teams are on paper – although the Raiders are 13-5 ATS on the road under head coach Jack Del Rio.

Before any of those games get underway, Week 4 kicks off Thursday night (8:25 PM ET, CBS) with the oldest rivalry of them all. The Chicago Bears visit the Green Bay Packers as 7.5-point underdogs, and if the Bears can pull off the upset here, it’ll throw the NFC North into chaos. It could happen: Two years ago, Chicago beat the Packers 17-13 as 7.5-point road dogs. The 1-2 Bears are also 5-0 ATS in their last five games against winning teams, while 2-1 Green Bay is in a 0-4 ATS funk against losing teams. Fans at Lambeau Field will be suitably cheesed off if those trends continue Thursday.

 

*Odds as of September 28, 2017