Another Sunday, another full slate of NFL action nearly in the books. And boy was the latest round of regular-season action chock-full of drama, from the Minnesota Vikings surviving a major Green Bay Packers comeback to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers routing the Philadelphia Eagles once again.
Here are some of the biggest winners and losers from Week 4:
Winner: The Vikings’ mettle
Minnesota fans got to experience every emotion on Sunday, basking in an early rout of the rival Green Bay Packers, then tightening up as Jordan Love slung it around to make things close. Was it a perfect game for the purple contenders? No. But even on a day where Sam Darnold had two turnovers, the Vikes never seemed truly ready to cough up their fourth straight win. They continue to impress as a complete operation.
Loser: The Nick Sirianni-Jalen Hurts combo
The Eagles’ defense will get raked over the coals for surrendering 33 points to Baker Mayfield and Co., and missed tackles were again a glaring issue, but the bigger concern is the duo running the ship. Playing without your top two wideouts hurts, especially when those two wideouts also happen to be among the NFL’s best, but Hurts has now been hit or miss in the majority of his three-plus seasons under Sirianni, whose offense continues to look erratic and sluggish at the start of games. Only Saquon Barkley is truly excelling in Philadelphia right now, so it’s a good thing this club is getting an early bye in Week 5.
Winner: The Bears’ run game
Finally, some life on the ground in Chicago. After three weeks of atrocious work behind an iffy line, D’Andre Swift exploded against the Los Angeles Rams to take a load off rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. Roschon Johnson also got involved as an effective red-zone option. If the Bears can actually sustain momentum in this area, it could make a world of difference for Williams’ growth, and Matt Eberflus’ defense.
The big man remains a boom-or-bust talent when on the field, but once again, just four games into the season, we’re left to wonder when the 2023 first-round pick will be healthy enough to suit up. The Indianapolis Colts possibly have bigger issues, with plenty of others banged up in Sunday’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, but this makes two straight years where the youngster has struggled to stay upright.
Winner: The Burrow-Chase connection
The Cincinnati Bengals’ explosive duo was on display a week ago, but in a losing effort. On Sunday, Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase were on point, but this time, it mattered on the scoreboard. Do the Bengals still have defensive issues? Sure. But dropping 34 points and getting a home run from Chase out wide bodes well for this group, which depends on Burrow dishing to his playmakers.
Loser: The Jets’ offense
It didn’t take long for the magic of Aaron Rodgers to dwindle in gloomy weather against the Denver Broncos. Fresh off a scrappy but promising two-game win streak, Rodgers was much more human in an ugly, rain-soaked defeat behind an even uglier offensive line. He’s still got the arm to guide a contender in today’s NFL, but at 40, on admittedly banged-up legs, can A-Rod survive this setup?
Winner: The 49ers’ status as contenders
Beating up on the New England Patriots isn’t going to blow anyone away, but how about Brock Purdy’s continued poise airing it out, even when his weapons aren’t at full speed? Better yet, with the rival Rams falling to the Bears and the Cardinals struggling to keep up with the Commanders, it suddenly doesn’t seem that crazy to suggest San Francisco will be just fine in the NFC West race.
