Hot off the Grill-NFL Week 4

RSS is back with Hot Off The Grill's NFL Week 4 Preview. I'll really have to pull myself out of this week long NFL boycott due to Brett Favre's last-minute heroics, inducing a week of hero worship across the NFL. Thankfully, every Sunday is a new day in the NFL, and this week is no different in a slate full of big games. Brett Favre's Vikings lead off our look ahead to the NFL week.

Big Kielbasa's Game Of the Week - Green Bay (2-1) @ Minnesota (3-0)

Before everyone goes crazy and calls this an NFC Championship Preview, let's look at the facts. Green Bay's 2 wins have come at home against the Bears, thanks to 4 Jay Cutler picks, and on the road against one of the many minor-league NFL teams, the St. Louis Rams. Minnesota's 3 wins have come on a miracle Hail Mary last week against the 49ers, the worst team in the league in the Browns, and another barely professional crew in the LIons. So, needless to say, neither one of these teams have been as impressive as you'd be lead to believe. Still, every division game featuring these two teams and Da Bears will be critical in the big picture of the season.

Let's save the Brett Favre hysteria for other media outlets (like RSS "fave" Colin Cowherd, who's pathetic show on ESPN2 will attempt to set a record for most mentions of the Brett Favre name on Monday...words really can't describe how stupid that is) and focus on the other players in the game. First, Aaron Rodgers knows this is the biggest game of his career. He's the reason the Packers ousted the old man two years ago, and he's proven the decision right, throwing for 714 yards and 4 TDs.

However, this game will come down to the two defenses. The Packers have made some improvement under new D-coordinator Dom Capers, while the Williams Wall still stands strong in Minnesota. It should be an intense, hotly contested affair in the bright lights of MNF. As for the pick, it's hard for me to know who to go with, but here's betting that the old man gets confused once or twice and throws to the green and yellow jerseys instead of the purple ones. Rodgers outperforms Favre and the Pack win a big road game. PICK-PACKERS

Beer Brat's Spotlight Game Of the Week - NY Jets (3-0) @ New Orleans (3-0)

Our spotlight game takes us to the only matchup of unbeatens in Week 4 as the Saints host the Jets. Most of the attention will be on how Jets HC Rex Ryan tries to combat Drew Brees and the Saints unparalleled offense, but the real matchup may be on the other side of the ball. The Saints won a game with defense last week in Buffalo for the first time in, well, at least this decade. Mark Sanchez hasn't really been tested yet this season, but he'll be going into a tough environment in the SuperDome. Brees and co. should be able to make just enough plays to outduel the young gun and the Jets. PICK-SAINTS

Chorizo's Upset Of the Week - San Diego (2-1) @ Pittsburgh (1-2)

In this day and age, it's never too early for a must-win game, which is what the defending champion Steelers are facing this week hosting the Chargers. After close back-to-back defeats at Chicago and at Cincinnati, the Steelers need to right the ship, or else face falling behind division rivals. Meanwhile, the Chargers come in 6.5 point underdogs after a home loss to Baltimore. Look for Phillip Rivers to torch a vulnerable Steelers secondary, especially with no run game from the Steelers to neutralize the high-powered San Diego attack. Another reason why this is the upset, San Diego has NEVER won in Pittsburgh, not even by accident. Something's gotta give, right? PICK-CHARGERS

Andouille's UTR Game - Baltimore (3-0) @ New England (2-1)

Who would think a game such as this would be under the radar, but that's the case as Baltimore travels to Foxboro to face the Pats. The Ravens D is as stout as ever after losing several key components, and it seems the training wheels have been taken off second-year QB Joe Flacco. Meanwhile, the Pats looked like a more complete team against the Falcons last week. This should be a true slugfest between two teams who could meet again in January. At this point though, all the momentum seems to be riding with the Ravens, so play the hot hand. PICK-RAVENS

Hot Dog Of The Week - Bears WR-Devin Hester

Well, last week's Hot Dog OchoCinco did so well, we're sticking with the wideouts this week and going with the Bears Devin Hester. Yes, while Hester may not yet be a true #1, he had his best game as a pro last week, including the game-winner against the Seahawks. Jay Cutler has started to get comfortable in his surroundings, and it's been Hester who's shown the ability to go up and make big catches. This week against a porous Lions pass defense, Hester should shine again, for at least 100 yards and a touchdown. Heck, he may even reach back into the memory bank and run a punt back for a TD as well.

Extra Toppings -

-Never in my life have I ever seen so many bad teams in the NFL. If Roger Goodell had a better working relationship with the new UFL, this would be the perfect season for soccer-style relegation. Even in this day of parity, does anyone expect Cleveland, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Detroit, or Oakland to turn things around any time soon...anyone?? I rest my case.

-Ok Josh McDaniels, everyone thinks you're the cat who swallowed the canary with perhaps the luckiest 3-0 start in NFL history. Let's see how smart you look after this run of games: Dal, NE, SD, Bal, Pit, Wash, SD, NYG, KC, Ind, Oak, Phi, KC. Except for the three against Oakland and KC, how many more wins do you see in there. This is still a 6-10 team at best.

-Here's betting that Drew Brees won't get half the recognition in victory that Mark Sanchez would if the Jets win.

-My head will literally explode if Brett Favre wins to move to 4-0. Save for that one TD pass, which was an outstanding catch by Greg Lewis, Favre has probably been the least important cog in the Vikings success. This team will live and die by their D and All Day AP.

-Another coach on the hot seat may be Titans HC Jeff Fisher. A lot was expected of this team, and if they start the season 0-4 by losing to the Jags, it's hard to say how far they might fall in the AFC.

Randall's Got His Eye On You... Jim Zorn

We may go the whole season and not see a more obvious candidate for a person on the hot seat than Redskins head coach Jim Zorn. A wink and a nod won't be enough to keep him out of Randall's crosshairs this week. It all started so well for the Redskins last season with the first-time head coach, but since a 6-2 start last season, the Redskins are only 3-8. Earlier this season, he was criticized for his dubious decisions in the red zone against the Rams by ex-Washington QB Sunny Jurgensen. Now, after being the first coach in over a year to be defeated by the Lions, he faces another very winnable game against an equally bad Tampa Bay squad. Another poor performance and Zorn might as well start packing his bags to make way for one of a host of big-name coaches sitting on the sidelines.

That concludes our Hot off the Grill Preview. Speaking of grills, Mr. Yoder I and myself will be at Crew Stadium for buck a brat night! Hopefully our food coma will recede by tomorrow and we can enjoy a big day of NFL action. Until then, it's bye for now!