Going into Week 4, five NFL teams were unbeaten in their season, and now, about midway through, just four remain. That is just how fast life can move in the league. From superstar injuries to yet more referee controversy, Sunday night brought with it a lot of action.
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Amid the 16 fixtures over the weekend, these nine games certainly had crowds from all over talking.
Commanders 13, Colts 30
In the first quarter, not many would have expected the Washington Commanders to be on the losing side in London, but by the time the clock rolled down, the Colts finally snapped their nine-game losing streak and found an NFL win.
Before the international game kicked off, though, singer Josh Levi’s performance of the U.S. National anthem was not very well received by fans. The rendition was different from how the anthem is usually sung, and this did not go unnoticed.
“The National Anthem is not meant to be sung in this manner. Hopefully that’s his last performance,” one fan wrote.
Some people focused on the fact that the singer was talented, but this idea may not have quite worked out.
“This was the worst rendition ive ever heard from someone who can sing,” another comment read.
A lot of other fans even spoke about how this was unexpected from the “talented kid” and about how they “mute the TV” upon hearing the rendition.
Soon into the game, the Commanders had a 6-0 lead, courtesy of two field goals, when they had to turn to their rookie quarterback, Athan Kaliakmanis. Backup QB Marcus Mariota was already filling in for an injured Jayden Daniels. Though Kaliakmanis managed a passing score, it didn’t come close to the Colts’ three touchdowns through the game.
The Washington Commanders turned to third-string rookie quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis after Marcus Mariota suffered a right knee injury in the first quarter.
For the first points of the game, a debatable toughness call on Amik Robertson turned out to change things. The 3rd and 14 turned into a first down with just around 35 yards needed for a touchdown.
Many fans felt that this call was clearly biased with the Commanders playing better than the Colts up until that call.
“The officials obviously wanted the Colts to win,” one fan said.
For some, it was not a new sight in the league at all.
“Refs been trash we all know it . S*** is unwatchable always injuries or flags, the fan said.
Though the Colts defense did show up, fans felt that this call was effective in giving them an advantage in the proceedings.
“This really changed the game, went from FG attempt to a TD. refs think they are the product,” one fan summed up as it seemed to turn the tide.
From then on, the Colts defense also impressed, with a crucial interception setting up a second touchdown as well. But the final result is still wrapped in in the debate over the ref call.
Texans 30, Cowboys 34
For the Dallas Cowboys, the road game looked quite lifeless in the beginning as they even trailed by ten points at one point.
The first half even ended 16-6 for them and was followed by Jaylin Noel’s 53-yard kick return to open the second half of the game. But soon, the rushing game came to their aid.
Javonte Williams ended the night with 62 rushing yards and three touchdowns, helping his franchise turn things around.
Dak Prescott had barely started the game before the Cowboys quarterback found himself in the middle of a heated exchange. On the opening offensive play, Prescott scrambled and slid, but former teammate Kenneth Murray Jr. still came flying in with a late hit after Prescott had given himself up.
To everybody’s surprise, no flag followed. Prescott immediately popped up and got in Murray’s face, turning a routine opening play into an early reminder of their history.
As for the incident itself, the Cowboys’ offense was not very happy about the shot. They were not in the mood to cut the former Cowboy some slack as they quickly moved to side with their shot-caller.
Bears 23, Jets 12
Even if against a team with an unimpressive 1-2 record, the Bears would cherish a win truly with their star quarterback out. That is exactly what happened. In Caleb Williams’ absence, Tyson Bagent scored his first touchdown since 2023.
Additionally, the rushing department ensured the win came with control as Kyle Monangai totaled 146 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
But it wasn’t all bad news for the New York Jets. Right after the first quarter, with just under 12 minutes left for halftime, veteran Minkah Fitzpatrick finally picked off the ball.
On the face of it, it was only one interception, but it arrived after 637 days and 20 regular-season games for the franchise. All in all, Geno Smith’s touchdown pass in the final quarter wasn’t enough to avoid defeat, pushing their record to 1-3 while the Bears bettered theirs to 3-1.
Bills 26, Patriots 29
Despite a turnover-heavy start to the season, Drake Maye and his team were able to ensure that the Buffalo Bills didn’t carry on undefeated, but the game did end up being a close call.
Initially, the Bills found their way into the game when head coach Mike Vrabel’s comments resulted in a penalty for the team. The expletive being used also resulted in a potential fourth down for the Bills turning into a great first-down opportunity.
This eventually resulted in yet another rushing touchdown for Josh Allen, now at 86 rushing touchdowns.
The Patriots had controlled the first half and carried a 14–7 lead late into the second quarter. Then, on a crucial third-and-goal from the 16, Josh Allen’s pass fell incomplete, seemingly forcing Buffalo to settle for a field goal. Instead, a string of penalties kept the drive alive and completely changed the game’s momentum.
With 1:50 on the clock, the Patriots not only threw a passing TD but also converted the extra 2-pt attempt, meaning Allen needed a field goal to at least equalize 29 – 29. This eventually proved too difficult a task for the team.
Bengals 17 Jaguars 22
Trailing by ten points at the end of halftime, the Bengals seemed to have no answers. Joe Burrow entered halftime with 0 touchdowns and an interception, while Trevor Lawrence had already thrown a touchdown without turning the ball over.
But the bigger blow for Cincinnati came when Ja’Marr Chase went down in the second quarter. With 12:04 remaining, Chase caught a 4-yard pass before Jarrian Jones grabbed and twisted his facemask, drawing a flag.
As Chase fell, Ventrell Miller delivered a heavy hit that sent his helmet into the turf, leaving the Bengals star with a concussion. Chase eventually walked off under his own power and headed straight into the blue medical tent.
Giants 36, Cardinals 24
Jameis Winston is making the most of his chance with Jaxson Dart sidelined. In his second start of the season, the veteran quarterback has already thrown three touchdowns, but the Giants’ offense was quickly overshadowed by a scary moment involving Malik Nabers.
Nabers went high for a 39-yard pass from Winston before landing hard on his right shoulder. That immediately raised concerns given what happened just two weeks ago, when the same shoulder dislocated against the Rams.
Add in the surgically repaired knee he is still playing on after tearing his ACL and meniscus last September, and another hard landing was enough to leave Giants fans holding their breath.
Ravens 24, Titans 18
Lamar Jackson’s night ended with a scare, but the Ravens still found a way to win. Jackson’s left ankle twisted underneath Jermaine Johnson II as the Titans defensive end sacked him on the final play of the first half.
He returned to the sideline in the second half, which would certainly give the fans some hope. Still, he was listed as questionable with an ankle injury and never saw the field again. In his absence gthe backup QB couldn’t score a passing touchdown either.
Baltimore still held on for a 24-18 win, snapping its home losing streak and improving to 3-1. Derrick Henry added 73 rushing yards and a touchdown against his former team, while the Ravens moved into a tie with Cleveland atop the AFC North.
But with Jackson now the biggest question mark, the win came with a concern Baltimore can’t simply ignore.
Eagles 20, Rams 24
Despite maintaining an impressive lead at halftime, failure to score in the entirety of the second half for the Philadelphia Eagles cost them a home game. However, that might not be the worst news from the evening for the franchise.
2024 Super Bowl winner Saquon Barkley was having a decent day. In his two rushing carries, he’d gained eight yards while also managing two receiving yards. But unfortunately, injury woes surfaced. In a rushing attempt, he was six yards in after the handoff and even made it out of bounds, but with a limp in his leg.
Soon enough, he was seen uncomfortable, with his hand on his right leg, clutching the hamstring area. When he entered the blue medical tent on the field, some would have hoped he’d return later. But unfortunately, he was ruled out later.
Now, both teams head into the next Week with a 2-2 record each.
Buccaneers 14, Packers 17
Heading into Week 4, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers knew they needed a win. Among 32 teams, they were among very few who were 0-3. Unfortunately, a scoreless final quarter meant they’d eventually lose to the Packers by just three points.
While the Packers did manage their second win of the season, they also had to deal with last-minute surprises. Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, who has only missed three regular-season games for the team in his two years had to deal with an injury.
During the third quarter of the Week 4 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers standout linebacker Edgerrin Cooper suffered a devastating, non-contact lower-leg injury.
Cooper suddenly went down while changing direction during a blitz. There was no contact, but the linebacker immediately grabbed his lower left leg and looked behind him, reacting as though something had struck his heel. It was an ominous moment, especially given the way Achilles injuries can happen without contact.
For now, four unbeaten teams remain, but Week 4 left plenty of teams with bigger concerns than their records. Lamar Jackson’s ankle, Ja’Marr Chase’s concussion, Saquon Barkley’s hamstring, and Edgerrin Cooper’s injury could make Week 5 even more consequential.