Week 4 games to watch in the NFL

Only three teams remain undefeated through the first three weeks of the NFL season — Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Chicago — and each of them missed the playoffs last season.

FOR THE RECORD:
NFL: A headline on Sam Farmer’s NFL column in Wednesday’s Sports section incorrectly said that rival teams Pittsburgh and Baltimore were “steeling for a fight in Baltimore.” This weekend’s game between the Steelers and Ravens will be played in Pittsburgh, not Baltimore. —

Although a 3-0 start doesn’t necessarily translate into a trip to the postseason, it certainly doesn’t hurt. Since 1990, 75.2% (79 of 105) of teams that won their first three games made the playoffs. On the flip side, at least one 3-0 team wound up missing the playoffs in eight of the last 10 seasons.

Regardless, there’s plenty of optimism to go around in the league, considering 18 teams are 2-1 or better — a record number at this point in the season.

Of the undefeated teams, the Steelers have the toughest test this weekend, playing host to AFC North rival Baltimore, which has a typically nasty defense. Like Pittsburgh’s, the Ravens’ defense has allowed just two touchdowns this season (both coming in a victory over Cleveland on Sunday).

Most remarkable about Pittsburgh’s run is that it has come without suspended quarterback Ben Roethlisberger — out until the Steelers play host to the Browns on Oct. 17 — and with the next two quarterbacks in line, Byron Leftwich and Dennis Dixon, both injured. Dixon started the Steelers’ first two games but left with a knee injury in the second.

Unflappable Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin said the season has “gone how I expected it to go” but conceded: “I didn’t foresee the number of injuries at the quarterback position; that’s been the surprise. Had you told me two of the quarterbacks were going to get hurt, I might not have been too optimistic.”

Enter journeyman Charlie Batch. He played a spectacular game against surprisingly undefeated Tampa Bay on Sunday, throwing three touchdown passes in a 38-13 victory.

Mostly, though, it’s been old-time Steelers football that has prevailed through the first three weeks: a power running game and a devastating defense. The Steelers ran for 201 yards against the Buccaneers, and Pittsburgh’s defensive numbers include 10 sacks, five interceptions and just two touchdowns surrendered.

Take into account the Ravens could be without running back Ray Rice (bruised knee) on Sunday, and the Steelers might just hand Roethlisberger a gift-wrapped 4-0 start.

Other games to watch:

Washington at Philadelphia: Quarterback Donovan McNabb plays his first game in Philadelphia since the Eagles boldly traded him within the division. That’s not the only brazen decision made by Eagles Coach Andy Reid. He also benched McNabb’s successor, Kevin Kolb, in favor of the red-hot Michael Vick. Both of those moves will be under the microscope in this grudge match.

San Francisco at Atlanta: The 49ers were supposed to be the class of the NFC West. Now, they’re still looking for their first victory. Coach Mike Singletary canned offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye this week in hopes of sparking some positive change. A victory won’t come easy against an Atlanta team fresh off an overtime win at New Orleans.

Indianapolis at Jacksonville: The Colts have won four of the last five meetings with the Jaguars, but all of those have been decided by a touchdown or less. This time, it looks as if the job of Jacksonville Coach Jack Del Rio is dangling by a thread. The Jaguars are coming off consecutive 25-point losses to San Diego and Philadelphia. If they were to lose Sunday, they would be 1-3. That would be their worst start since Del Rio’s first season in 2003, when the team started 0-4 and slid to 1-7.

sam.farmer@latimes.com

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