Down to three unbeaten teams after four weeks: the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers and a surprise entrant, the Minnesota Vikings.
Week 4 served up another wild slate, with nine games decided by a single score heading into Monday night’s Falcons-Saints matchup. The Denver Broncos, usually resilient in comebacks, couldn’t erase an 11-point second-half deficit and fell 24-14 to the 49ers; coach Sean Payton’s group must fix sluggish starts, having produced just 13 first-half points through four games. Meanwhile, Kenneth Walker III continues to look like the offseason’s best addition, rushing for 177 yards and two touchdowns in the Chiefs’ road win over the previously unbeaten Las Vegas Raiders.
Here are quick reactions to Sunday’s action.
Los Angeles Rams — comeback win, but concerns remain
The Rams rallied from a 10-point hole to beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-20, powered by Kyren Williams (146 scrimmage yards and the game-winning 7-yard touchdown where he fought through multiple tackles) and edge rusher Byron Young (2.5 sacks, including a late strip-sack on Jalen Hurts). With key players sidelined, Young stepped up to fill the rush gap. Sean McVay notched his first victory over Nick Sirianni as L.A. moved to 2-2, but problems persist: special teams allowed a 41-yard punt return and kicker Harrison Mevis missed a 48-yard attempt and mishit a kickoff, and Matthew Stafford’s two first-half interceptions contributed to the early deficit.
Conclusion: Not an overreaction — Stafford has been uneven. He ranks high in passing yards but is tied for second in interceptions and has a middling passer rating (80.1). He’s had long stretches of poor play this year, then warmed up late in games; the Rams need the MVP-caliber, consistently sharp Stafford they had last season.
New England Patriots — impressive showing, but temper expectations
The Patriots looked like last season’s Super Bowl team in a 29-26 win over the Buffalo Bills. Drake Maye completed 269 yards with three TDs and one interception and added 54 rushing yards, leading New England to a late go-ahead score. The defense forced two turnovers and kept Josh Allen in check, limiting Buffalo to 340 total yards.
Conclusion: Overreaction — it was a strong win, but the Patriots still lack top personnel (A.J. Brown remains absent) and haven’t established a reliable running game. They have tougher tests coming, so it’s wise to be cautiously optimistic rather than declare them back to their peak.
Philadelphia Eagles — offensive alarm bells
Under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, the Eagles’ offense hasn’t fired, averaging just 18.3 points per game (down from 22.3 last year). Jalen Hurts managed only 93 passing yards in the loss to the Rams and the team went 0-for-12 on third down. The running game has been inconsistent too—Saquon Barkley exited with a hamstring issue, and the team’s 4.16 yards per carry puts them toward the bottom of the league.
Conclusion: Not an overreaction — Hurts hasn’t looked fully comfortable, and injuries to DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Eli Stowers and Lane Johnson have further hampered the offense. Right now, Philadelphia is far less dangerous than it was a season ago.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers — early struggles, but don’t panic yet
The Bucs are 0-4 after a 17-14 loss to the Packers, extending a skid that carried over from last season. Injuries and inconsistent quarterback play (Baker Mayfield hasn’t been himself and missed Sunday) have hurt Tampa Bay’s chances in a winnable NFC South.
Conclusion: Overreaction — while worrisome, Todd Bowles has recently made the Bucs a model of consistency, winning division titles and reaching the playoffs. Their defense has been shaky overall (24th in points allowed), but there are signs of life and the division race is still within reach.
Las Vegas Raiders — legitimate contender
The Raiders gave the Chiefs a scare in a 30-27 loss, showing toughness on both sides of the ball before Kenneth Walker III and Patrick Mahomes made the difference for Kansas City. Las Vegas’ defense has been a strength: linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker have been impactful, young defensive backs Hezekiah Masses and Treydan Stukes have stepped up, and Maxx Crosby remains a top pass rusher. Offensively, Kirk Cousins managed the game efficiently and threw for 365 yards.
Conclusion: Not an overreaction — the Raiders look capable of competing with top clubs, and coach Klint Kubiak has his squad believing. If they keep this level up, they’ll be a tough out all season.
Washington Commanders — coaching questions amid injuries
The Commanders, who entered the year with higher hopes after a disappointing 2025, sit 1-3 after losing to the Colts. Star QB Jayden Daniels is sidelined with a dislocated elbow, backup Marcus Mariota exited with a knee injury, and Washington was forced to turn to rookie Athan Kaliakmanis. Injuries to core pieces like Terry McLaurin, Sam Cosmi and Laremy Tunsil have compounded the problems.
Conclusion: Overreaction — despite the rough start, Dan Quinn shouldn’t be written off yet. He took this team to the NFC Championship two seasons ago and has prior head-coaching success; with a healthy Daniels, Quinn should be given time to try to right the ship.
Los Angeles Chargers — offensive coordinator on the hot seat
The Chargers fell to 0-4 after a 30-23 loss to Seattle, extending a losing streak into seven games overall. Jim Harbaugh publicly backed offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, but the offense has been porous. Justin Herbert has struggled, throwing multiple costly interceptions (including two in Sunday’s game), and the team ranks near the bottom in scoring at 14.7 points per game.
Conclusion: Not an overreaction — the offense is underperforming badly, and McDaniel must fix it quickly. Herbert’s six interceptions on deep throws and a 70.6 passer rating paint a dire picture that needs immediate correction.
Carolina Panthers — Bryce Young emerging as an elite QB
Bryce Young continued his hot start in a 32-26 win over the Detroit Lions, completing 29 of 41 for 329 yards, two TDs and no interceptions. He leads the league in passing yards (1,268), is among the top in TDs, and boasts a 100.0 passer rating. Advanced metrics also show he’s thriving under pressure and on deep throws. Rookie/second-year receiver Tetairoa McMillan had a breakout performance with 14 catches for 192 yards and two scores.
Conclusion: Not an overreaction — Young is playing like a top-tier quarterback and has the Panthers’ offense clicking, putting Carolina in a good position to defend its NFC South crown.
Fan Take: These early-season developments matter because they reveal which teams are peaking, which coaching staffs are under pressure, and which quarterbacks are shaping the narrative for their franchises—storylines that will influence trades, play-calling trends and playoff outlooks. For fans, the next few weeks will show whether these patterns hold or if the league’s parity sparks a major midseason shakeup.
Source: www.foxsports.com
