While the numbers don’t fit quite as easily as with the 16-game season, the majority of the league crossed the quarter poll this past Sunday. As the dust settled on Week 4 of the NFL season, just the Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings would extend their undefeated start to the season, with Pittsburgh turning in a sloppy display against the Colts and the Bills suffering a humbling loss to a rampant Baltimore rushing attack.

Meanwhile, the UK’s adopted franchise, the Jacksonville Jaguars, continued their disappointing start to the season. Now the league’s only franchise without a mark in the win column, the Jags will hope they can get a win on the board before returning to London in Week 6.

Apart from a few blowouts, Week 4 was remarkably close. Eight of the 13 games played on Sunday were decided by one score or less.

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Sunday night’s marquee matchup between two of the AFC’s best quickly turned into a coming out party for the Baltimore Ravens (2-2). A faltering running attack in the first two weeks of the season had led to some concern around their acquisition of Derrick Henry. The King proved doubters wrong en route to 199 rushing yards on 24 carries, a touchdown on the ground and through the air against a chastened Buffalo Bills (3-1) squad. Henry showed outstanding speed to race away for an 87-yard touchdown on Baltimore’s first play from scrimmage, a play that set the tone for a dominant display from the whole offence.

Lamar Jackson would connect with Henry and backfield mate Justice Hill for touchdowns in the second quarter, giving the home team a commanding 21-3 advantage at the half. Aside from a miraculous completion to Khalil Shakir which set up Ty Johnson’s three-yard touchdown scamper, Josh Allen couldn’t find the same success he’s enjoyed so far in 2024. With the game well in hand after a trademark Jackson scamper to the end zone, the Ravens found behind continued success on the ground. Even when Henry coughed up the ball trying to cross the whitewash for the third time, Ravens full back Patrick Ricard was able to recover, giving the Ravens a 35-10 victory.

Remarkably, this is the first time the Bills had lost by more than six points in over 43 regular games. The last time they lost by such a margin was against the Carson Wentz-led Indianapolis Colts in Week 11 of the 2021 season, when they were vanquished 41-15.

Where the Bills couldn’t quite muster a comeback, the Green Bay Packers (2-2) almost turned a seemingly insurmountable deficit into a victory. Division rivals, the Minnesota Vikings (4-0), buoyed by another stellar performance from Sam Darnold, raced to a 28-7 lead at the half. The former Jet signal caller connected on touchdown passes to the returning Jordan Addison twice, Josh Oliver and Justin Jefferson in the first two quarters. Jefferson is the fifth player since 2000 to record at least 50 yards and a score in the first four games of the season, while Darnold is the sixth signal caller to throw for two touchdowns and surpass a 105 quarterback rating over the same period.

With Jordan Love returning to the fold following a knee injury, the Packers needed help to kick start their day. After two early interceptions, Love was given a lifeline just before halftime as a muffed punt from Jailen Nailor gave the Pack the ball at the three-yard line. Love then connected with Jayden Reed, giving Green Bay some hope during the break.

After a quiet third quarter, the Pack started taking their chances. Love capped off an 11-play, 89-yard drive by connecting with Dontayvion Wicks, and then turning another short field into points when he hit Tucker Kraft for six. A 33-yard Will Reichard field goal gave the Vikes just the breathing room they needed, giving Minnesota a 31-29 victory following another touchdown grab by Wicks.

The Indianapolis Colts (2-2) overcame an injury to starting quarterback Anthony Richardson to beat the previously undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) 27-24.

Pittsburgh had hitherto bested their opponents thanks to a fierce defence and mistake-free football on offence. The Colts managed to flip that script almost immediately, converting on their first three drives of the game. Michael Pittman enjoyed his best game of the season, hauling in nine catches for 113 yards, including a 32-yard grab that set the tone for Indianapolis. Jonathan Taylor opened the scoring on the ground with a two-yard plunge, while backup signal caller Joe Flacco would find Josh Downs along the goal line to open a two-score lead. Matt Gay would also add a field goal in the second quarter before Chris Boswell put the Steelers on the board.

Despite two fumbles, Justin Fields showed more of the athletic ability that made him a first round pick, and surely cemented himself as the Steelers QB for the foreseeable future. From the middle of the third quarter he would lead three straight touchdown drives, converting two on the ground himself, and also completing an eight yard strike to Pat Freiermuth. However, a Flacco touchdown lob to Alec Ogletree was enough to keep the Steelers at bay.

With both Richardson and Taylor leaving the game, the Colts face uncertainty in the backfield ahead of their week 5 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Depending on the result of the Titans game on Monday, the Jaguars (0-4) could go into that game with the ignominy of being the NFL’s last winless franchise in the 2024 season, as they fell 24-20 to their division rival Houston Texans (3-1).

Both sides showed fleeting moments of competence, mixed in with sloppy play and ill-discipline. The Jags took the lead through rooke wideout Brian Thomas Jr., who along with Tank Bigsby (seven rushes for 90 yards), was the Jags most consistent threat on the day. He would go on to record nine catches for 86 yards on the day.

The Texans would quickly respond, finding pay dirt either side of a Jacksonville field goal. First, Stefon Diggs turned running back, deputising for the injured Joe Mixon on a six-yard scamper, before Nico Collins continued his outstanding start to the season with a three-yard grab from CJ Stroud. Collins’ 489 yards through four games outpaces his nearest rival by over 100 yards (Malik Nabers on 386).

While the Jags would retake the lead in the third quarter through a Christian Kirk touchdown snatch in the front corner of the end zone, neither offense could take control of the game. CJ Stroud’s 356-yards passing on the day was undone by stupid penalties; the Texans lost 93 yards from flags on the day.

Eventually, the Texans would piece together a coherent offensive sequence, marching down the field and converting on a one-yard touchdown pass to former Jags’ full back Dare Ogunbowale. Doug Pederson’s chippy press conference following the final whistle will do little to appease Jags’ fans fears that this season may already be lost.

Week 4 proved a remarkably fruitful time for rookie signal callers, with Bo Nix, Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams all leading their franchises to a victory.

Daniels remains the pick of the bunch, as he continues to set new benchmarks for rookie quarterbacks. In the Wahsingtom Commanders (3-1) 42-14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals (1-3) Daniels completed 26 of his 30 attempts making him the first player in NFL history to connect on 85% of his passes in back-to-back games (minimum 15 attempts). His four rushing touchdowns in his first four games is a feat matched only by Cam Newton, Anthony Richardson and Robert Griffin III.

While the rookie will garner the headlines, the Commanders put in a complete performance to best Arizona, holding the Cardinals to just 115 yards through the air and sacking Kyler Murray four times. Four of their five touchdowns, and 216 of their 449 yards came on the ground, despite losing veteran Austin Ekeler to injury in Week 3, and Washington deservedly took a single game lead in a lacklustre NFC East.

Williams’ performance may not have been as impressive, but the first overall pick made just enough plays when it counted to lead his Chicago Bears (2-2) to a scrappy 24-18 win over the ailing Los Angeles Rams (1-3).

Following a three-turnover game in Week 3, Williams was mistake-free, protecting the ball en route to a 157-yard, one touchdown, no interception stat line. He was able to lean on a resurgent D’Andre Swift, as the 2023 Pro Bowl running back gained 165 yards from scrimmage on 23 touches.

After the Rams opened the scoring with two field goals, the Bears would take over the game in the second quarter, with Roschon Johnson and DJ Moore scoring either side of halftime. Aside from a Kyren Williams three-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter, the Rams struggled to convert, with drives stalling in and around the red zone. Once Swift broke free for a 36-yard touchdown to quickly re-establish the Bears two score lead, Matthew Stafford was unable to mount a serious threat without his star wideouts.

Bo Nix overcame punishing conditions in East Rutherford to squeak out a victory for the Denver Broncos (2-2) over the New York Jets (2-2), despite ‘boasting’ a statline of 7-for-15 for -7 yards in the first half.

The aftermath of Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on both quarterbacks, despite the gaping discrepancy in their experience. Aaron Rodgers could only lead his offence to two field goals during the first 30 minutes of the game. Where his counterpart couldn’t muster those singular moments of magic that have defined his career, Nix showed his ability to rise to the moment on a third-quarter drive that featured two crucial completions to Courtland Sutton. The second of those throws found the wideout alone at the back of the end zone for an eight-yard score.

That would prove the pivotal sequence, as both teams could only muster a field goal as Denver left the Meadowlands with a 10-9 victory. Both Robert Saleh and Sean Peyton made questionable decisions as the clock ticked down, both choosing to try 50+ yard field goals on a sodden field when playing for field position may have proven a more fruitful avenue. Greg Zeurlein missed his last attempt to steal the game, his 50-yard attempt curling right of the goalposts.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) dominance over the in-fighting Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) continued on Sunday, with Philly again showing that internal strife may be having an adverse effect on the field. Where the Birds may not be loving life, Baker Mayfield is surely cockahoop following another metronomic display en route to 347 passing yards, two touchdowns through the air, one on the ground and a 33-16 win for the former number one overall pick.

The Bucs raced to a commanding 24-0 lead halfway through the first quarter, as Mayfield connected on touchdown lobs to Mike Evans and Trey Palmer, before running one in himself. While the Bucs were clicking, they were aided and abetted by woeful tackling by their opponents, Fox’s Broadcast estimated the Eagles missed 10 tackles in the first 20 minutes of play.

Not only were the 24 points unanswered by the Eagles, they were amassed before Jalen Hurts’ offense had even acquired a first down. Without AJ Brown, Devonta Smith and Lane Johnson, Hurts was again made to look unequipped to change the game by a Tampa Bay coaching staff that seemingly has his number.

Either side of the break, the Eagles started to show signs of life, however, with Parris Campbell snatching a touchdown inside the two minute warning, and Sqauon Barkley ripping off a 60-yard run on the first play from scrimmage in the second half. Eventually, Hurts would plough through for another 1-yard rushing touchdown. With 43 rushing touchdowns he is now third all-time in NFL history for running scores by quarterbacks.

This riposte would prove a false dawn, as the Bucs were able to control the clock and keep the Eagles at bay for the remainder of the game. A blocked extra point return for a safety following a Bucky Irving rushing touchdown provided brief excitement, but the Eagles have major questions heading into their bye week.

The Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) continued their winning start to the season, besting their AFC rival Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) 17-10 in a dogged affair. An early Patrick Mahomes interception brought potential issues for an already banged up offense however, the Super Bowl MVP’s tackle attempt would see him careen into the knee of Rashee Rice, potentially ending the star wideout’s season. With Isiah Pacheco, Hollywood Brown and Rice on the shelf, Mahomes had to rely on his oldest, and newest weapon to get the job done. Travis Kelce recorded a statline of 9/87, more than doubling his catches and yards on the season to date. A 54-yard strike to Xavier Worthy (which travelled 62 yards in the air, according to Next Gen Stats, the longest completion by air yards in Mahomes career) dug the defending champs out of an early hole. The Chargers raced to a 10-0 lead after Ladd McConkey’s first NFL touchdown and a Cameron Dicker field goal in the first stanza. However, the Chiefs defence would stymie Justin Herbert for the remainder, holding the quarterback to just 156 passing yards, and holding the Chargers to 4/13 on third down. Backup running back Samaje Perine would ultimately ice the game away for the Chiefs with a two-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

A mini-crisis in San Francisco was averted as the 49ers (2-2) comfortably handled the New England Patriots (1-3) 30-13 in North California. Rookie head coach Jerod Mayo reiterated his support for Jacoby Brissett as the Pats’ starting QB, despite the veteran taking six sacks, fumbling three times (one of which was lost) and giving up a pick-six to star linebacker Fred Warner. Mayo may be protecting first round pick Drake Maye, as the Pats clearly are undermanned across the board, but especially along a defensive line that was no match for the Niners vaunted, if hitherto underperforming, pass rush. Offensively, Brock Purdy showed a clean pair of heels to produce both out of the pocket and in structure, en route to 288 yards and a touchdown in the air. Jordan Mason continued to deputise admirably for Christian McCaffrey, turning in 123 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries.

Two stuttering and embattled offenses met in Las Vegas, with the Raiders (2-2) ultimately besting the Cleveland Browns (1-3) 20-16. The Browns showed promising signs in the first quarter, Deshaun Watson marshalling a fluid drive before finding Blake Whiteheart in the end zone for a one-yard throw. A Dustin Hopkins field goal extended the lead, but signalled a total cratering of the Browns’ offensive game plan. Las Vegas scored 20 unanswered points either side of half time with two field goals by Daniel Carlson, and two rushing touchdowns scored by Tre Tucker and DJ Turner respectively. A fumble return for a touchdown by Rodney McCleod Jr. flattered the Browns, whose moribund offensive play continues to raise questions about their decision to invest so heavily in Watson. Their 3.9 yards per play so far this season is the joint lowest in the NFL (with Chicago).

The Atlanta Falcons (2-2) rode their luck en route to a 26-24 win over divisional rivals the New Orleans Saints (2-2). The scoring started after Raheed Shaheed muffed a punt inside his own five, allowing KhaDarel Hodge to recover the ball for the opening touchdown. Derek Carr and his offense looked to put a disappointing effort in Week 3 behind them, and they looked efficient marching the ball down the field thanks in large part to Taysom Hill. The ‘Swiss Army Knife’ would score twice on short runs, before leaving the game with an abdomen injury. His absence short circuited New Orleans offense, after becoming bogged down in midfield, a Matthew Judon tip ballooned Carr’s pass into the hands of Troy Andersen, with the linebacker taking the ball back 47 yards to give the Falcons the lead. After exchanging field goals in the third quarter, Alvin Kamara would score with one minute remaining, giving the Saints a one point lead. The Kirk Cousins-led Falcons did just enough to bring Younghoe Koo into range, the All Pro kicker nailing a 58-yarder for the win. The Falcons offense will be grateful for the efforts of their defense and special teams colleagues, Kyle Pitts recorded zero catches, while Bijan Robinson (7 rushes for 28 yards) was outgained by Tyler Allegeir (8/60) on the ground.

The Cincinnati Bengals (1-3) got off the schneid with a convincing win over the Carolina Panthers (1-3). Much of the pre-game chatter was focussed on the return of Andy Dalton to the Queen City, but while he played a fine game, he was unable to match the power of the Bengals offense, ultimately losing 34-24. The two teams would go back and forth to start the game, a Chase Brown rushing touchdown quickly cancelled out by a Chubba Hubbard score. Both men ran well on the day, Brown having the best day of his young career with 15 carries for 80 yards and two scores; Hubbard eclipsed 100 yards on 18 carries. Joe Burrow found Ja’Marr Chase over the middle for a 63 yard catch and run. Chase now has nine scores of 60-or-more yards, tying him for third all time. Again the Panthers would reply quickly, Dalton finding Xavier Legette for an eight-yard score. A rushing touchdown either side of the half, one for Brown and one for Zack Moss, gave the Bengals an unassailable lead. This performance will please Bengals fans Chase, Tee Higgins (6 catches for 60 yards), and Burrow (22/31 for 232 yards) all looked somewhat closer to their explosive best for the first time this season.