We’re beginning to get into the main course of the NFL season.
Of all the weeks to this point, the Week 4 Sunday slate is the best we’ve seen.
In the early window, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cincinnati Bengals are desperate. They take on the Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers, respectively. Another loss, and it’s over from a historical perspective for both teams.
Only one team, the 1992 San Diego Chargers, have ever lost their first four games and made the playoffs. Now, Jacksonville is looking to be the second after losing 24–20 in the final minute to Houston. However, the Bengals avoided such a fate, winning 34–24 over the revamped Panthers.
Additionally, the Minnesota Vikings remained unbeaten, taking an early 28–0 lead and holding off Jordan Love and the Packers down the stretch.
In the late window, the Kansas City Chiefs took a two-game lead in the AFC West with a 17–10 win over the injury-riddled Los Angeles Chargers. Also, Jayden Daniels lit up the Arizona Cardinals, completing all but four of his 30 passes in a 42–14 win
Finally, on Sunday night, the Baltimore Ravens crushed the Buffalo Bills, knocking them from the ranks of the unbeaten.
Let’s get to business.
SUNDAY
Ravens 35, Bills 10
My take: Baltimore (2–2) is back. After rushing for more than 270 yards last weekend against the Cowboys, the Ravens pounded the ball once more for 271 yards against Buffalo (3–1) in an easy victory. The night’s tone was set on Baltimore’s first play from scrimmage, when Derrick Henry ran right for an 87-yard touchdown. For the Bills, the main concern has to be the second level of their defense. The Ravens schemed them up all night in the run and the pass games, taking advantage of the injury-riddled linebackers. That’ll need to be somewhat rectified with the Texans on deck.
Stock up: Justice Hill is one of the most underrated players in the league, and has been for awhile. On Sunday, Hill accounted for 96 yards and a touchdown, helping Baltimore win on third downs and in the red zone. Hill was rewarded for his talents earlier this year, getting a two-year, $6 million extension.
Stock down: Buffalo’s coaching staff. The Bills got their first true test of the year against Baltimore and failed due in large part to a botched trick play and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich never adjusting to the Ravens’ downhill attack. The Buffalo staff has been maligned in the past against good teams, and we saw why against the Ravens.
Up Next: Bills at Texans, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 6; Ravens at Bengals, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 6
Chiefs 17, Chargers 10
My take: Kansas City (4–0) might be unbeaten, but all is not well. The Chiefs beat Los Angeles (2–2) to open up a commanding two-game lead in the AFC West, but they lost Rashee Rice to an apparent knee injury while also watching Patrick Mahomes struggle throughout much of the game. Mahomes finished with 245 yards on 8.8 yards per attempt, but he threw another interception and bailed out of clean pockets all game. As for the Chargers, they fought valiantly without many stars, but couldn’t win with the ground game. J.K. Dobbins ran for just 32 yards on 14 carries.
Stock up: Kareem Hunt was signed less than two weeks ago and immediately provided a spark for the Chiefs. Hunt ran for 69 yards on 4.9 yards per attempt while also catching two passes for 16 yards. With Isiah Pacheco out for at least another month, Hunt’s signing could prove key.
Stock down: It’s unfortunately due to injury, but how could it not be Rice? Rice looked like a budding superstar this season with 24 catches and 288 yards through three weeks. Then, disaster. Rice was injured by Mahomes on an attempted tackle in the first quarter, and was carted off with a knee injury. If he’s out for a prolonged time, the Chiefs will be without their best weapon.
Up Next: Saints at Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. ET Oct. 6; BYE
Vikings 31, Packers 29
My take: Minnesota (4–0) is for real. After beating the San Francisco 49ers and hammering the Houston Texans, the Vikings plowed Green Bay (2–2) with Sam Darnold throwing three more touchdowns, including a 14-yard spectacular to Justin Jefferson, making the score 21–0. Minnesota, which held a 28–0 lead and held on, is two games clear of the Chicago Bears and Packers. As for Green Bay, while there’s no reason to panic, Jordan Love must play better. He struggled against the Eagles in Week 1 and then was uneven on Sunday, throwing three interceptions.
Stock up: The Packers released Aaron Jones this offseason, and he’s proven to have plenty left in Minnesota. In his return to Lambeau Field, Jones ran for 93 yards on 4.2 yards per carry. For the season, he has 321 rushing yards, giving him an early shot at 1,000 yards for the fourth time in his career.
Stock down: Green Bay needs more, much more, from Luke Musgrave. The second-year tight end entered Sunday with just two catches for nine yards, and against Minnesota, caught three passes for 13 yards. After a promising rookie year, Musgrave has been absent.
Up Next: Jets at Vikings, 8:30 a.m. ET Oct. 6; Packers at Rams, 4:25 p.m. ET Oct. 6
Commanders 42, Cardinals 14
My take: This offseason, almost everybody in the media assumed the Cowboys or Eagles would win the NFC East. Maybe we were all forgetting about Washington (3–1). The Commanders easily handled Arizona (1–3) on the road despite being on a short week, with Jayden Daniels looking fantastic once again. Daniels accounted for 280 total yards and two touchdowns. If Daniels continues playing like this, Washington is one of the more intriguing teams in the NFC.
Stock up: Brian Robinson Jr. was uneven the first three weeks, but had a nice day in the win over Arizona. Robinson ran for 101 yards on 21 carries, helping the Commanders control the ball and, ultimately, set up the play-action game for Daniels. It was a good effort with Austin Ekeler out with a concussion.
Stock down: The Cardinals need more from second-year receiver Michael Wilson. Wilson caught just 11 passes for 100 yards through three weeks, and then produced three catches for only 38 yards against Washington.
Up Next: Browns at Commanders, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 6; Cardinals at 49ers, 4:05 p.m. ET Oct. 6
49ers 30, Patriots 13
My take: San Francisco (2–2) is starting to get healthy, and looked the part of a contender Sunday. While New England (1–3) isn’t a quality opponent, the Niners moved the ball consistently with George Kittle and Deebo Samuel returning to combine for 103 receiving yards. Defensively, San Francisco got a pick-six from Fred Warner, who took an interception 45 yards in the second quarter for a 13–0 lead. For New England, the only question is whether Drake Maye will start the next game, or if Jacoby Brissett holds onto the job.
Stock up: Let’s hear it for Kevin Givens. Givens is playing due to the season-ending injury to Javon Hargrave and notched 2.5 sacks on Sunday, which is more than he’s had in any single season of his career.
Stock down: After a week of tumult with Brandon Aiyuk, Niners fans had to be hoping for a good performance. Instead, he was targeted five times, catching two passes for 48 yards. While it’s early, Aiyuk has underperformed his new contract. Patience is key, but it’s been ugly.
Up Next: Dolphins at Patriots, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 6; Cardinals at 49ers, 4:05 p.m. ET Oct. 6
Raiders, 20, Browns 16
My take: Las Vegas (2–2) has been one of the unpredictable teams of the season. The Raiders were without Davante Adams and Maxx Crosby, and after losing last week to the one-win Panthers, found a way to handle Cleveland (1–3) at home. For the Browns, it was another bad passing day for a variety of reasons including Deshaun Watson, bad protection and big drops. With the AFC North being so tough, Cleveland doesn’t have much room for error moving forward. And yet it’s Jayden Daniels and the Commanders up next in Washington, suddenly a very tough matchup.
Stock up: Myles Garrett has been dealing with a foot injury all week and still notched two sacks of Gardner Minshew II. Unfortunately for Garrett, it wasn’t enough.
Stock down: Minshew was 14-of-24 for 130 yards (5.4 YPA). Luckily for him and the Raiders, the ground game finally got going with 152 yards on 5.2 YPC and two touchdowns.
Up Next: Browns at Commanders, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 6; Raiders at Broncos, 4:05 p.m. ET Oct. 6
Texans 24, Jaguars 20
My take: It’s officially time to worry about Trevor Lawrence. He’s lost his last nine starts dating back to last season, and this year has looked mediocre at best. Jacksonville (0–4) looks awful, and its $275 million quarterback is much more of a problem than an answer at the moment. In Houston (3–1), Lawrence completed 18-of-33 throws for 169 yards, averaging 5.1 yards per attempt. It’s putrid football by any measure, and certainly for one of the highest-paid players in the sport.
Stock up: It has to be C.J. Stroud. After throwing two interceptions against the Vikings last week, Stroud rebounded with 345 passing yards and two touchdowns, leading Houston to a key divisional victory.
Stock down: If it’s not Lawrence, it’s coach Doug Pederson. This is an offense with real talent, and the Jaguars seem stuck. Maybe it’s time for Pederson to take control of the unit away from coordinator Press Taylor. Maybe it’s time to shuffle personnel. Regardless, something must be done.
Up Next: Colts at Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 6; Bills at Texans, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 6
Buccaneers 33, Eagles 16
My take: It’s time to have a dialogue against Nick Sirianni. While Philadelphia (2–2) is far from buried in the playoff race, it has played poorly for huge chunks of every game so far this season. Sirianni nearly cost the Eagles in their win against the Saints with bizarre game management, and then with the offense sans receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, the unit was helpless save for the rare Saquon Barkley breakaway. In a city known for its immense patience and understanding, the calls for Sirianni are only growing louder.
Stock up: After struggling against Denver, Baker Mayfield showed up to torch the Eagles. Mayfield threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns, constantly finding short and intermediate targets in both open and tight windows. When Mayfield plays the way he did Sunday, the Buccaneers are one of the NFC’s best teams.
Stock down: Everyone involved with Philadelphia's defense. Other than a quality showing against the Saints last week, the Eagles have looked disinterested in stopping anybody, allowing an obscene 1,244 yards of offense while averaging 28 points per game against. It’s a disgrace.
Up Next: BYE; Buccaneers at Falcons, 7:15 p.m. ET Oct. 3
Falcons 26, Saints 24
My take: In what was one of the wildest games in the history of this great rivalry, the deciding moment was a career-long, 58-yard field goal off the right foot of Younghoe Koo. Atlanta (2–2) suddenly pulls ahead of New Orleans (2–2) via tiebreaker in the NFC South, winning its second game in three weeks with a last-minute comeback. While the Saints got more than 80 receiving yards from both Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans lost because of two turnovers and a failure to hold up on the final drive, including a crushing a 30-yard pass interference penalty with 23 seconds left.
Stock up: Troy Andersen is becoming a key figure in Atlanta’s defense as a third-year linebacker. The former Montana State star notched 17 tackles Sunday.
Stock down: Where is Kyle Pitts? For years, the conversation has centered around former coach Arthur Smith not getting Pitts the ball. At other times, the talk was about a lack of any decent quarterback in the building. Those are no longer applicable, and through four games, Pitts has eight catches, 105 yards and a touchdown.
Up Next: Saints at Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. ET Oct. 7; Buccaneers at Falcons, 7:15 p.m. ET Oct. 6
Colts 27, Steelers 24
My take: A classic case of good news, bad news for Indianapolis (2–2). The Colts evened their record behind a quality defensive performance, but they lost quarterback Anthony Richardson to a hip injury in the first half. While Joe Flacco is one of the league’s best backups, the ability to evaluate Richardson might once again be hampered. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh (3–1) is no longer unbeaten largely due to six penalties and two turnovers, including George Pickens fumbling in the red zone. . The Steelers now get a beat-up Cowboys team coming to Pittsburgh for a Sunday night affair.
Stock up: After amassing only 88 receiving yards over the first three weeks, Michael Pittman Jr. stepped up against the Steelers. Pittman caught a game-high six passes for 113 yards, helping the Colts even their mark and stay in the AFC South race.
Stock down: Indianapolis won, but the defense has all kinds of problems. Despite the offense constantly putting the unit in good position, the Colts allowed 404 yards and 23 first downs to a limited offense with a beat-up front. It’s not going to be good enough against most teams with a solid passing attack.
Up Next: Cowboys at Steelers, 8:20 p.m. ET Oct. 6; Colts at Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 6
Bengals 34, Panthers 24
My take: It took four weeks, but Cincinnati (1–3) finally got a win. After not punting against the Washington Commanders on Monday night, the Bengals showcased an awakening offense once more, going for 373 total yards on 6.0 yards per play. While Carolina (1–3) lost, it wasn’t the embarrassment we saw with Bryce Young leading the offense. Andy Dalton was serviceable, going 25-of-40 for 220 yards. Going forward, the Panthers have hope of being a tough out for most weeks, including against quality contenders.
Stock up: For the second consecutive game, Ja’Marr Chase made an elite play to spark the offense. Against the Commanders, Chase caught a 41-yard touchdown to get things rolling. On Sunday, with the game tied at seven, he made a third-down reception and broke multiple tackles to go 63 yards. Cincinnati needs more of Chase getting chunk yardage.
Stock down: Despite winning, not everything is great for the Bengals. Throughout the afternoon, veteran corner Cam Taylor-Britt was toggled in and out of the lineup after getting beaten and later committing a penalty.
Up Next: BYE; Bengals at Ravens, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 6
Bears 24, Rams 18
My take: Nothing has been easy for Chicago (2–2) this season, and yet the Bears are right where they need to be. Caleb Williams had a solid performance, going 17-of-23 for 157 yards and a touchdown, despite facing pressure at times from a young, energized Los Angeles (1–3) front. As for the Rams, it’s a tough loss after a potentially season-changing win over San Francisco last week. Now, Los Angeles is two games under .500 and going home for a key game against Green Bay.
Stock up: D’Andre Swift finally got going. After signing a three-year deal this offseason, Swift was averaging a rancid 1.8 yards per carry on 37 attempts. Against the Rams, Swift gained 93 yards on 5.8 YPC while adding seven catches for 72 yards, helping Chicago even its record.
Stock down: It’s tough to get on Matthew Stafford considering the injury situation, but the Rams need Stafford to play nearly flawless football. While he has at times, he struggled to find a rhythm while facing a tough Bears defense. All told, going 20-of-29 for 224 yards and an interception isn’t enough.
Up Next: Packers at Rams, 4:25 p.m. ET Oct. 6; Panthers at Bears, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 6
Broncos 10, Jets 9
My take: In an ugly offensive display, Denver (2–2) beat New York (2–2) with Greg Zuerlein missing a potentially game-winning 50-yard field goal in the final minute. Both Aaron Rodgers and Bo Nix struggled, with Rodgers throwing for 225 yards on a miniscule 5.4 yards per attempt, while Nix threw for 60 yards on 2.4 YPA. Ultimately, though, the Broncos have leveled their record with road wins over the Buccaneers and Jets, something nobody saw coming.
Stock up: Although the Jets lost, they should feel good about their secondary receivers behind Garrett Wilson. Mike Williams caught four passes for 67 yards, while Allen Lazard was good for five receptions and 58 yards. It’s a step forward, although the offense as a whole was a mess Sunday.
Stock down: It has to be Nix, even in victory. Throwing for 60 yards is gross, even in the driving rain of New Jersey. And this isn’t an isolated moment of struggle, as Nix has averaged 3.3, 7.0, 6.0 and 2.4 yards per attempt in his first four starts. The good news? Denver’s defense is excellent.
Up Next: Raiders at Broncos, 4:05 p.m. ET Oct. 6; Jets at Vikings, 8:30 a.m. ET Oct. 6
THURSDAY
Cowboys 20, Giants 15
My take: Dallas (2–2) won the game but lost plenty in the process. The Cowboys are now going to be without star defenders Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, as both left with lower-body injuries. That said, Dallas evened its record with a road divisional win over New York (1–3), which couldn’t find the end zone. While the Giants have been much more competitive over the past three weeks, they’re still one of the more limited offenses in football, and now star rookie receiver Malik Nabers is dealing with a concussion.
Stock up: The Dallas run defense. After being torched for 274 rushing yards by the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3, the Cowboys rose up and stuffed the Giants time and again. New York finished with 26 yards rushing on 24 carries.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as NFL Week 4 Recap: Who’s Up, Who’s Down, What’s Next for Every Team.
