The day started out in London where it was 6:30 AM on the West Coast and untold people rubbed their sleepy eyes and said aloud, “so what channel is this on?”
There were six teams that scored more than 30 points, but also six more that failed to break ten points. We had several more monster performances from Christian McCaffrey, David Montgomery, A.J. Brown, Stefon Diggs, Josh Allen, and even Justin Fields (don’t worry, they still lost).
There continues to be several head-scratching performances – both good and bad. But only five quarterbacks threw for 300 yards and just barely since none had more than 335 yards.
We move into the byes in Week 5. Time to consider advance planning.
Atlanta 7, Jacksonville 23 - London game
Apparently, Falcons get tired when they fly across the Atlantic because their performance was limited to Bijan Robinson (14-105), who also caught five passes for 32 yards. And they finally threw to Kyle Pitts the only notable receiver was Jonnu Smith (6-95) while Drake London (3-28, TD) caught the only touchdown and just missed on a second score. Desmond Ridder is not showing the necessary improvement and only passed for 191 yards, a score, and two interceptions. The Falcons offense was punchless in the first half and opted just to run Robinson in the second half. They drop to 2-2 and host the Texans this week.
The Jaguars were not that much better. Trevor Lawrence continues to regress from last year when he threw for just 207 yards and one touchdown to Calvin Ridley (2-38, TD). Christian Kirk (8-84) and Evan Engram (7-59) were the top receivers and caught all but eight completions. Travis Etienne ran for 55 yards on 20 carries and added just 17 yards on three receptions. Like so many international games, both teams played a sloppier, less effective game than usual, but the Jaguars rise to 2-2 and play in Buffalo for Week 5.
Miami 20, Buffalo 48
The Dolphins were in another high-scoring game, just not as the team with all the points. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 282 yards and one touchdown, and the Bills finally figured out how to slow down the speedy Miami receivers. Tyreek Hill (3-58) and Jaylen Waddle (4-46) were the top pass catchers and Braxton Berrios (6-43, TD) caught the only passing score. Raheem Mostert (7-9) cooled off from last week but added 36 yards on three catches. Devon Achane (8-101, 2 TD) had another monster game thanks partly to a 55-yard run. The Fins didn’t measure up in their AFC East matchup and fell to 3-1. They’ll host the Giants this week to get back to winning.
The Bills needed that dominating performance to reset the division. Josh Allen was at his best, throwing for 320 yards and four scores and running for a touchdown. Stefon Diggs (6-120, 3 TD) and Gabe Davis (3-61, TD) handled the receiving scores. James Cook only ran for 29 yards on 12 carries but scored once and added a 48-yard gain on his only catch. This was fantasy nirvana, with the right players racking big fantasy points. They rise to 3-1 to tie up the AFC East and host the Jaguars for Week 5.
Minnesota 21, Carolina 13
The Panthers led 13-7 at the half and never scored again. Bryce Young passed for 204 yards that mostly went to Adam Thielen (7-76) and Terrace Marshall (9-56). Miles Sanders was questionable with a groin injury but was active and only gained 19 yards on 13 carries, plus three catches for 13 yards. The lone Panthers’ touchdown came on a 99-yard interception return to start the game. The incoming Vikings were very motivated to win, and the Panthers offense took a step backward with Young slogging through his learning curve. The Panthers drop to 0-4 and play in Detroit this weekend.
The Vikings won and finally had no reason to throw on every play in the second half. That resulted in Kirk Cousins only throwing for 139 yards and two scores to Justin Jefferson (6-85, 2 TD). T.J. Hockenson only caught two passes for 24 yards as the next-best receiver. Alexander Mattison looked great again when he ran for 95 yards on 17 carries but Cam Akers showed up and had 40 yards on his five runs. How does this split evolve? The 1-3 Vikings take their win home to face the Chiefs, when he will need to return to his prolific passing.
Denver 31, Chicago 28
This was two games. The first lasted for three quarters and witnessed the Bears taking a 28-7 lead when Justin Fields magically became an NFL quarterback – a really good one – and he ended with 335 yards and four touchdowns, which ruins everything we ever thought about the Denver secondary. DJ Moore (8-131, TD) and Cole Kmet (7-85, 2 TD) had great performances, and even Darnell Mooney (4-51) had a relatively respectable showing. Khalil Herbert ran for 103 yards on 18 carries and scored on his four catches for 19 yards. Roschon Johnson (5-13) finally had the lesser role in the backfield. But they let the Broncos mount a comeback and score 24 points in the final fifteen minutes of the game. That has to be discouraging for the 0-4 Bears who play on Thursday in Washington this weekend.
There were a lot more smiles on the Denver sideline at the end of the game than there were when they fell behind 28-7. Russell Wilson threw for 223 yards and three scores with no interceptions. There were no receivers better than Jerry Jeudy (3-52) and Marvin Mims (2-47), so the passing wasn’t anything special. Courtland Sutton (3-27, TD) scored to salvage his fantasy output but the only Bronco with a top performance was undrafted Jaleel McLaughlin who rushed for 72 yards on seven carries after Javonte Williams was injured. He also caught three passes for 32 yards and a score while becoming a hot add on the waiver wire. The 1-3 Broncos needed this win and host the Jets this week for another good shot at a win.
Baltimore 28, Cleveland 3
This game turned on the late news that Deshaun Watson would be inactive, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson would start. That could have gone better. The rookie passed for only 121 yards and three interceptions, which is why they waited until the last minute to announce the change. None of the Browns’ receivers were better than David Njoku (6-46) and the Browns only score was in the first quarter. Jerome Ford (9-26) and Kareem Hunt (5-12) had no chance of rushing with the defense crowding the line and daring them to throw. The Browns defense was good enough to compensate for losing Nick Chubb. They maybe could have handled losing Deshaun Watson. But losing both has sunk the offense too far for the defense to matter. The Browns fall to 2-2 and head onto their much-needed bye in Week 5.
The Ravens didn’t need a big performance from any players to win this game. Lamar Jackson ran for two scores and threw for two more but only passed for 186 yards and ran for 27 yards. Gus Edwards (15-48) was the only other rusher of any note and that was in a game where they could have run on pretty much every play. Mark Andrews paid off with 80 yards and both receiving touchdowns on five catches, mostly because he could, not that they needed it. The Ravens rise to 3-1 and head to Pittsburgh this week.
Pittsburgh 6, Houston 30
These are NOT the old Texans. And unfortunately, these are the new Steelers. Kenny Pickett only threw for 114 yards and an interception and was injured at the end of the third quarter. Mitchell Trubisky entered the game and only threw five passes in the blowout loss. George Pickens only caught three passes for 25 yards while Pat Freiermuth was also injured. Najee Harris was the only successful fantasy play with 71 yards on 14 carries and a 32-yard catch as the leading receiver. Jaylen Warren only ran eight times for 29 yards. The loss drops the Steelers to 2-3 and they host the Ravens this week while hoping to get their quarterback and tight end back in time.
C.J. Stroud appears to be just what the Texans needed when they spent their 1.02 pick in the NFL draft. The rookie is already in rare company in his productive first year, and he passed for 306 yards and two scores. Both touchdowns went to Nico Collins (7-168, 2 TD) and Dalton Schultz (3-42, TD) scored on a halfback pass from Devin Singletary. No other receivers gained more than 26 yards. Dameon Pierce ran for 81 yards and added a 27-yard catch. The Texans offense looked great with Stroud at the helm, and now their defense is showing up. They rise to 2-2 and play in Atlanta for Week 5.
Los Angeles Rams 29, Indianapolis 23 Overtime
What a heartbreaker for the Colts. They fell behind 23-0, battled back in the second half to tie the game and then watched Puka Nacua score the final touchdown to beat them.
Matt Stafford passed for 319 yards and a score to Nacua (9-163, TD) who notched his first touchdown. Tyler Higbee (5-64) was the only other receiver with more than 24 yards. Kyren Williams (25-103, 2 TD) scored twice in the first quarter and added three catches for 24 yards, Ronnie Rivers gained 47 yards on nine rushes as the Rams backfield continues to be far more productive than expected with what was thought to be the worst O-line in the league. The Rams could not stop the Colts from scoring in the fourth quarter but won the coin toss and then used eight plays to throw the winning score to Nacua. The 2-2 Rams host the Eagles for Week 5.
The passing effort still wasn’t great with Anthony Richardson back under center, as he threw for only 200 yards and two scores but also ran for 56 yards and a touchdown. Josh Downs (2-34) and Michael Pittman (1-15) haven’t fared nearly as well with Richardson passing. Zack Moss ran for 70 yards on 18 carries. The Colts showed impressive confidence and determination coming back from 23-0 to send it into overtime, and maybe would have won had they gotten the coin toss. They drop to 2-2 and host the Titans this weekend.
Tampa Bay 26, New Orleans 9
Derek Carr was active, sort of, but the Saints couldn’t generate nearly enough offense to stay in the game that was close until the fourth quarter. He played with the bad shoulder and only passed for 127 yards and no scores. Michael Thomas (4-53) and Rashid Shaheed (3-33) were the top receivers and the only ones with more than one catch. The only positive was the return of Alvin Kamara from suspension and he ran for 51 yards on 11 carries and caught 13 passes for 33 yards for a great debut in a reception point league. The loss drops the Saints to 2-2 and they head to New England for Week 5.
Baker Mayfield exceeded all expectations when he passed for 246 yards and three touchdowns. Mike Evans (3-40) left with a hamstring injury and Chris Godwin (8-114) stepped up. The scoring went to Deven Thompkins, Cade Otton and Trey Palmer, though none had any appreciable yardage. Rashaad White ran for 56 yards and added three catches for 20 yards. Besides Godwin, no Buccaneer had much production but they didn’t need to do much with the Tampa Bay defense handing the Saints. They rise to 3-1 and head onto their Week 5 bye.
Cincinnati 3, Tennessee 27
The Bengals scored in the first quarter and never again. Joe Burrow was held to only 165 passing yards and no scores. Ja’Marr Chase (7-73) was the only receiver with more than 26 yards, and Tee Higgins (2-19) left with a rib injury. Joe Mixon ran well enough with 67 yards on 14 carries but only caught a nine-yard pass. He was never a factor since the Bengals progressively fell further behind. Hopefully, Higgins is not hurt too badly, because this offense can ill afford to lose anyone. Burrow is clearly not himself yet. The Bengals fall to 1-3 and head to Arizona for Week 5.
The Titans have played up and down this year, and this was an “up” week. Ryan Tannehill passed for 240 yards and one score to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (5-51, TD) while DeAndre Hopkins ended with 63 yards on four catches. Derrick Henry ran for 122 yards and a score on 22 carries, plus caught an 11-yard pass. He also threw a two-yard touchdown on a trick play. The 2-2 Titans needed this win and will try for their first back-to-back win while spending Week 5 at the Colts.
Las Vegas 17, Los Angeles Chargers 24
The Raiders were forced to go with rookie Aiden O’Connell since Jimmy Garoppolo was out with a concussion. The Raiders proved more competitive than expected, especially after falling behind 24-7 at halftime. They held the Chargers scoreless the rest of the way and at least made a game of it. O’Connell threw for 238 yards and Davante Adams (8-75) scored once but they did not challenge the spot and Josh Jacobs (17-58, TD) ran it in instead. Jacobs also caught eight passes for 81 yards as the top receiver. No other receiver managed more than 33 yards, O’Connell ran in one score but the offensive attack dropped a couple of notches without Garoppolo. The 1-3 Raiders host the Eagles on Monday in week 5, so they need to get Garoppolo back or O’Connell better prepared.
The Chargers took the early lead and coasted to the win. Justin Herbert only threw for 167 yards and one score to Keenan Allen (3-32, TD). Joshua Palmer (3-77) was the leading receiver thanks to a late 51-yard catch to gain the first down that helped run out the clock for the win. Austin Ekeler remains out and Joshua Kelley ran for 65 yards on 17 carries. The absence of Mike Williams wasn’t that apparent or a problem for this matchup. Palmer had three catches and the rookie Quentin Johnston only caught one pass for 18 yards. The 2-2 Chargers head onto their Week 5 bye hoping to finally get Austin Ekeler healthy again.
New England 3, Dallas 38
Okay, so the Arizona game last week is now a huge outlier. The Cowboys, yet again, obliterated their opponent with their defense and the offense was shockingly unproductive for winning by 35 points. The Cowboys offense only scored two touchdowns. Dak Prescott passed for 261 yards and one score to CeeDee Lamb (4-36, TD) while Jake Ferguson (7-77) and Michael Gallup (5-60) were the busiest receivers. Tony Pollard only ran for 47 yards on 11 carries while eight different Cowboys recorded at least one rush. Deuce Vaughn (8-9) and Rico Dowdle (3-9) were amazingly ineffective considering the huge win. The 3-1 Cowboys head to San Francisco for the Week 5 Sunday night game when the offense is going to need to be a more active participant in the game.
The Patriots offense never did get into gear. Mac Jones threw for 150 yards and two interceptions before getting the hook later in the game. Hunter Henry (4-51) was the top receiver and the passing offense was a dud. Rhamondre Stevenson (14-30) was the primary back, regardless of speculation that Ezekiel Elliott would be the starter since he was back at his old home. But Zeke only ran for 16 yards on six carries and did not, contrary to all expectations, score any touchdowns. The 1-3 Patriots are seeing the season start to get away from them and host the Saints on Sunday. This was also Bill Belichick’s worst losing margin ever.
Arizona 16, San Francisco 35
The 49ers sent a 2023 second, third, and fourth-round pick and a fifth-rounder in 2024 for Christian McCaffrey. Seems even more of a steal now. He rushed for 106 yards on 20 carries and three touchdowns and caught seven passes for 71 yards and a fourth touchdown. No other rusher gained more than ten yards. Besides Brandon Aiyuk (6-148), no other receiver gained over 22 yards. Brock Purdy threw the one score to McCaffrey on his 20-of-21 completions for 283 yards, and he also ran in the only non-McCaffrey touchdown. The Cardinals made it look like a game when they were 16-21 in the third quarter but never scored again. The 4-0 49ers are one of the two teams that are still undefeated and get a statement game for Week 5 when they play the Cowboys on Sunder night.
The Cardinals lost by 19 points but made it look more interesting than expected, at least through the third quarter. Josh Dobbs threw effectively for 265 yards and two scores with no turnovers. Marquise Brown (7-96) and Michael Wilson (7-76, 2 TD) led the receivers, and even Zach Ertz (6-53) helped move the sticks. James Conner was limited to 11 rushes for 52 yards, but Dobbs ran for 48 yards on his 12 runs. The outcome was never in doubt, but the Cardinals never went away and accepted their fate. They drop to 1-3 and host the Bengals this week.
Kansas City 23, New York Jets 20
The Chiefs led 17-0 at the end of the first quarter and it seemed that a laugher was happening. But the Jets tightened up the scoreboard to 17-12 at the half, and tied it 20-20 in the third quarter. The Chiefs only managed one field goal in the fourth quarter but it was enough. Mahomes also took a knee at the Jets 3-yard line to runout the clock rather than take the easy touchdown.
Isiah Pacheco was the player of the game with 115 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries (5.8 YPC), and three catches for 43 yards. Patrick Mahomes only passed for 203 yards and one score with two interceptions that could have been four had the Jets not dropped the chance. Travis Swift Kelce led the receivers with six catches for 60 yards and tight end Noah Grey had a 34-yard touchdown on his only catch in the game. It was a defensive battle as most Jets’ matchups are, but the Chiefs pulled it out and rise to 3-1 and travel to Minnesota for Week 5 where the passing stats are bound to be much healthier.
Zach Wilson wasn’t bad, he threw for 245 yards and two scores but fell short. Alan Lazard (3-61, TD) and Garrett Wilson (9-60) were the top receivers and Tyler Conklin (4-58) was more involved than usual. Breece Hall gained 56 yards on just six carries thanks to a 43-yard gain. He added three receptions for 13 yards and is limited in volume of touches – he’s been very productive when used. Dalvin Cook (5-16) did little as a runner. The 1-3 Jets aren’t as bad as their record indicates, but have been just bad enough to lose. They head to Denver for Week 5.
GAME-O-THE-WEEK: Washington 31, Philadelphia 34 Overtime
This was much more of a game than was expected. And maybe the Eagles were almost caught in a trap game that wasn’t over until overtime. Sam Howell passed for 290 yards and one score to Jahan Dotson (4-27, TD). Terry McLaurin (8-86) and Curtis Samuel (7-51) were the top receivers and Samuel scored on a one-yard run. Brian Robinson only ran for 45 yards on 14 carries but scored once. The Commanders led 17-7 and then fell behind 24-31 until Dotson scored as time expired to send it into overtime. They won the coin toss but went three-and-out, which let the Eagles eventually kick the winning 54-yard field goal. The 2-2 Commanders host the Bears on Thursday night this week, so good things are on the horizon.
The Eagles defense almost gave the game away. The offense was plenty productive with Jalen Hurts passing for 319 yards and two scores, plus ran for 34 yards. A.J. Brown (9-175, 2 TD) and DeVonta Smith (7-78) accounted for the bulk of all completions. D’Andre Swift ran for 56 yards and one score plus caught four passes for 23 yards. This should have been a standard, easier win for the Eagles but the Commanders wouldn’t go away and had their chance in overtime to win. The 4-0 Eagles are one of only two undefeated teams and play at the Rams this week.
