Jim Lang breaks down week 4 in the NFL

By: Andrew Benson
RP Show Intern

What a weekend!

Every NFL game in week 4 had drama, storylines and action and we aren’t even done! Tonight the Las Vegas Raiders take on the Los Angeles Chargers in LA and will bring an end to a great week of football.

We had the chance to talk with Jim Lang, Canada’s foremost NFL expert on Monday’s The Rod Pedersen show, and ask him about tonight’s game, and a look back at some of the top moments of the weekend.

He said tonight’s game should be a battle between two great quarterbacks, but the difference maker will be the play of their respective defenses.

“The Raiders have a defence that no one talks about and is going to be the deciding factor in this game,” said Lang. “Will Justin Herbert be able to make plays down the field against that Raiders defence? Can the Chargers protect Herbert?  It’s going to be one of those last team with the ball wins these kinds of games.”

Analytics Expert Cynthia Frelund, who was on the RP show earlier in September, has the Raiders winning in 51.9% of her simulations with a projected final score of 28-27.

On top of an excellent Monday night game, Sunday night was one for the history books. Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers squeaked out a 19-17 win against the New England Patriots and Brady’s former coach Bill Belichick.

While it was built up as one of the biggest regular season games in years, the play on the field did not live up to the hype.

“Tom was a little raddled going into the game and I don’t think he played a typical Tom Brady game,” said Lang. “He seemed off on a lot of his throws and some of his reads. I think nerves and anxiety was a factor, even for a guy like Tom Brady.”

Earlier Sunday afternoon, Rod Pedersen’s Dallas Cowboys beat the undefeated Carolina Panthers 36-28 after scoring 20 points in the third quarter.

“My first take away from this weekend is how good Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot and the Cowboys offence and the Cowboys team have looked the last few weeks,” said Lang. This is what a healthy Dak Prescott is capable of. Their point differential for and against could be better, but my goodness the Dallas Cowboys look fantastic.”

Finally, one of the most impressive teams for Lang, and a team Darren Dupont said might be the best team in the league, is the Arizona Cardinals.

“Right now, the number one team in the NFL is the Arizona Cardinals,” said Lang. “The way they have played and who they have beat, I have been so impressed by them.”

The Cardinals defeated the Los Angeles Rams 37-20. Coming in, the Rams had been the hottest team in the NFL after winning 3 straight.

““I knew Kyler Murray and the Cardinals were good before the start of the season, but I didn’t think they would be this good against the Rams on the road in LA,” said Lang. “Quite frankly I thought LA was going to win the game. But the way Kyler Murray and the Cardinals played, it wasn’t even close and the Cardinals took it to the Rams.”

Make sure you check out the RP Show tomorrow for Dupont’s top 5 NFL teams heading into week 5!