NFL Week 4 delivered plenty of highlights and lowlights, but who were Sunday’s biggest winners and losers? These 10 players, coaches, and teams stuck out the most in what was another unpredictable football Sunday.
Winner: D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
D’Andre Swift came into Week 4 ranked 59th in rushing yards, with 68 yards on 37 attempts for a paltry 1.8 YPC average, the worst in the NFL. He needed a big day in the worst way. So did Chicago’s offense, who had multiple players request coaching adjustments this week. Swift went from zero to hero, rushing for 93 yards and a touchdown on just 16 attempts. He also hauled in seven passes for 72 yards to lead all Bears pass-catchers. Swift’s breakout performance couldn’t have come at a better time in the six-point win over the Rams.
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Loser: New York Jets
On paper, the New York Jets had an easy win with the Denver Broncos paying a visit to MetLife Stadium. But NFL games are not played on paper. Aaron Rodgers and Gang Green’s fanbase suffered through a rain-soaked game that featured the worst offense of the week. Yet, despite a total of just 434 yards gained on both sides, the Jets were in position to get a sloppy win until a 50-yard kick from Greg Zuerlein missed wide right. Losing a very winnable game to an offense that failed to score a touchdown looks bad for these playoff hopefuls.
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Winner: Joe Flacco, Indianapolis Colts
The year is 2043, and Joe Flacco is still putting on his cape to come off the bench and save the day, even at the age of 58. It feels like the former Super Bowl winner can deliver a win when his number is called, and another Anthony Richardson injury provided the latest example in Week 4. Perhaps fueled by taking on an undefeated Steelers team, Flacco looked, calm, cool, and collected while slinging two touchdowns in a big Colts win.
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Loser: Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
Najee Harris has been fairly consistent since becoming the 24th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s had over 1,000 rushing yards each of his first three seasons. But his Week 4 performance won’t help those efforts carry over to fourth year. Harris was going up against a Colts defense that allowed an NFL-worst 179 rushing yards per game. The 26-year-old had 13 carries, but only tallied 18 yards on the ground. He did have three catches for 54 yards, but the Steelers needed him to be more effective moving the chains as a rusher in their three-point loss.
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Winner: Washington Commanders
Nobody scored more than the Washington Commanders in NFL Week 4. Scoring 42 points is impressive against any opponent, but especially so for a team that overhauled their front office, changed quarterbacks, and entered a season with low expectations. Jayden Daniels looks like a future superstar, and Washington’s playoff hopes are very much on the rise.
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Loser: Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles squeaked out a win over a red-hot NFC South team in Week 3, defeating the Saints by three points. But the Eagles couldn’t repeat their success against a Buccaneers team coming off an embarrassing 26-7 loss. This time, it was a fumble-fest, with Jalen Hurts and Cooper DeJean both committing costly turnovers in an ugly 33-16 loss.
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Winner: Younghoe Koo, Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons probably didn’t deserve to win Sunday’s game. They gained fewer yards, (366 to 315) and lost the time of possession battle (35:42 to 24:18). Yet, for the second time this season, Atlanta’s offense did just enough to carve out a game-winning drive. But the real hero here was Younghoe Koo who drilled an incredible 58-yard kick to level the score in the NFC South with the Falcons and Saints both moving to 2-2.
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Loser: Green Bay Packers kicker Brayden Narveson
They can’t all be winners. Even sometimes when you do win, like Brayden Narveson, who landed in Green Bay after everyone else lost the Packers’ training camp kicking competition, you end up losing. After missing both of his field goal kicks, which included a 37 and 49-yarder, there’s a good chance Narveson loses his job later this week. In a game where the Packers lost by just two points, Narveson’s misses ring loudly through Lambeau Field.
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Winner: Minnesota Vikings
No one expected the Vikings to be undefeated after Week 4. Not only because this was a team that lost Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter, but also because they’ve faced the 49ers, Texans, and Packers in a three-week span. But Vikings, with Sam Darnold as their leader, have checked all the boxes so far. Offensively, Kevin O’Connell has one of the NFL’s best schemes and the same is true for Brian Flores on defense.
Loser: Doug Pederson and the Jacksonville Jaguars
Congratulations are in order for the Jacksonville Jaguars. They’re the only team that’s lost all four games they’ve played this season. Their AFC South rivals could join them if the Tennessee Titans lose to the Dolphins on Monday night. But the Titans were expected to be bad. Meanwhile, Doug Pederson’s Jaguars were supposed to compete for a playoff spot after a nine-win season in 2023. Instead? Now Pederson could be on the hot seat, and we can already think of a few worthy candidates.