It's Friday and The Stack is here with the week 4 preview and prediction blog that you demand.  Picks last week were crazy bad. 6-10.  Ouch!  For the year we're 26-22.  Can we improve?  Week 4 sure seems like the week to do it.  Off to a good start picking the Baltimore Ravens to win last night.  They beat the Cleveland Browns in a game that was closer than most people expected 23-16.  Joe Flacco certainly played well as did Browns rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden.  If I'm a Ravens fan, I'm a little disappointed in how my team played last night, but considering they just played a physical Sunday night game against the Patriots, a win is a win and the Ravens are 3-1.  Good start to the week.  So let's get right to it and check out who's going to win in "the stack" for today, Thursday, September 28:

Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons 1:00 PM ET FOX

Cam Newton and the Panthers better be ready after the stinker they put up at home last week on national television against the Giants.  Unfortunately, they're playing a red hot Falcons team who score points in bunches.  The Panthers are going to have to bring their "A" game while the Falcons bring their "C" game.  Don't think that is going to happen:

Prediction: Falcons 27 Panthers 17

New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills 1:00 PM ET CBS

Running back Fred Jackson may play for the Bills this week, but is he 100 percent healthy?  Doubt it.  C.J. Spiller is unlikely to play.  Without a healthy running back duo, the Bills just don't have the offensive weapons to match an angry Patriots team following their loss last Sunday to the Ravens.

Prediction: Patriots 26 Bills 17

Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions 1:00 PM ET FOX

The Vikings have a lot of buzz surrounding them following their win last week over the 49ers while the Lions have many questions including the health of quarterback Matthew Stafford.  Will he play Sunday?  Probably.  Will Christian Ponder have another great game?  He could.  If the Vikings don't let the success of last week and the hype they are getting get to their heads, they have a great chance to win that game.  I need to see that before I pick them.

Prediction: Lions 27 Vikings 20

Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans 1:00 PM ET CBS

Jake Locker was great last week against the Lions.  Nothing like playing a great defensive team like the Texans to temper that enthusiasm and excitement.  Will Ben Tate run for more yards than Chris Johnson?  I'm going to say yes.

Prediction: Texans 30 Titans 16

San Diego Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs 1:00 PM ET CBS

This game as far as I'm concerned is a complete toss-up.  The Chiefs looked great last week, particularly Jamaal Charles with 233 rushing yards.  The Chargers were embarrassed at home last week.  They are ready to bounce back and show people that this Chargers team is different than last year.  They're not as bad as the team showed last week are they?  I don't think so.  Against my better judgement, I'll take SD to pull out a narrow win.

Prediction: Chargers 23 Chiefs 20

San Francisco 49ers @ New York Jets 1:00 PM ET CBS

49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh will not let his team play as bad as they did last week against Minnesota.  And the Jets are without Darrelle Revis.  I don't see how they can win.  They don't have any offense.

Prediction: 49ers 26 Jets 13

Seattle Seahawks @ St. Louis Rams 1:00 PM ET FOX

How will the Seahawks play an early kickoff game on the road on a short week after an exhausting finish to their MNF game against the Packers?  They have to somehow get back to business and focus.  The ending to the game has distracted this team a lot from fully preparing for the Rams.  I think they can/will come back to cost them.  It will not shock me in the slightest if the Rams win this game.  But that Seahawks defense is tough.  Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Prediction: Seahawks 20 Rams 16

Miami Dolphins @ Arizona Cardinals 4:05 PM ET CBS

The Dolphins, most likely with no Reggie Bush, head to the desert to take on the undefeated Cardinals and that defense?  Will they win?  Not a chance.

Prediction: Cardinals 23 Dolphins 6

Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos 4:05 PM ET CBS

The Raiders comeback win last week against the Steelers was very impressive.  Carson Palmer looked really good.  This is the first division game for Peyton Manning and the Broncos.  I have a feeling that they know what's at stake for their season and they come out on fire.

Prediction: Broncos 34 Raiders 20

Cincinnati Bengals @ Jacksonville Jaguars 4:05 PM ET CBS

Sure the Jaguars had a great last-second win against the Colts last week, but they aren't playing the Colts this week.  The Bengals are far better and their offense is going to make the Jaguars defense look bad after this game is done.  Blaine Gabbert won't have to worry about the pressure of any game-winning driver this week.

Prediction: Bengals 31 Jaguars 14

New Orleans Saints @ Green Bay Packers 4:25 PM ET FOX

The Saints, with no defense, go into Green Bay, to face a Packers team furious with Monday night's finish.  Good luck Saints.  Wouldn't shock me if the Pack put up 70.

Prediction: Packers 49 Saints 24

Washington Redskins @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4:25 PM ET FOX

The Bucs contained Cam Newton in week one.  Now they get a man who resembles him in RGIII.  Will they contain him?  I'll say yes and the Bucs pull out a close one.  Will the fans come back though?  Don't know that one.  My guess is probably not.

Prediction: Bucs 20 Redskins 17

New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles 8:20 PM ET NBC

Michael Vick is playing for his job.  He has had too many turnovers to effectively lead this team.  He and the Eagles know what's at stake.  They've had twelve turnovers already. 12!  The Giants looked phenominal last week against the Panthers and with a healthy roster, they'll be ready to play.  But I think the Eagles are the more desperate team.  I think they can pull off this upset.  On a side note, watch the matchup between Eagles running back LeSean McCoy and Giants defenisve end Osi Umenyiora.  There is bad blood between them and we'll get to see it all play out.

Prediction: Eagles 24 Giants 20

Let's hope the predictions are better this week than last week.

Coming up Monday: NFL Sunday reaction plus MNF preview