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FOX Sports’ NFL experts provide the biggest takeaways from every Sunday game in Week 4 and what they mean for each team going forward.
Eagles: There was never a doubt that the Eagles offense was going to struggle without A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, but there’s really no excuse for what their defense is doing right now. They gave up 445 yards and let the Bucs score touchdowns on three of their first four drives. They can’t get any pressure on the quarterback, their coverage is generally terrible (Baker Mayfield threw for 347 yards). They brought in Vic Fangio to fix what was a defensive mess last season, but once again, the Eagles have one of the worst defenses in the league. If they can’t start pressuring the quarterback, their scheme is unsustainable. They have six sacks this season in four games, after the two they had on Sunday. With a front that includes Bryce Huff, Josh Sweat and Jalen Carter, that seems almost impossible.
Bucs: Tom Brady was back at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Sunday — this time as a FOX analyst — to see his old team. What he saw was that he clearly left the Bucs in good hands. Baker Mayfield may have been picked up off the scrap heap last year, but he sure looks like he wasn’t just a one-year revival. He’s been terrific this season and was again on Sunday, carving up the Eagles’ shaky secondary for 347 yards. He’s got two terrific receivers (Mike Evans, Chris Godwin), a good line, a strong rushing attack, a dangerous defense. All the ingredients are there for him to turn the Bucs into a real contender. Mayfield still has a lot to prove, but he really does look like the old Mayfield — the one who had enough talent to once be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. — Ralph Vacchiano
Vikings: Is there a better playcalling duo than head coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores? I struggle to name one. Time after time, quarterback Sam Darnold has delivered, making excellent decisions and getting the ball into the hands of Minnesota’s myriad playmakers. Surrounded by this much talent and this head coach, Darnold never needed to be a world-beater, and yet he’s thrown for multiple scores in every game this season. It’s time we start taking Darnold seriously — especially when he has this defense on the other side of the ball. Flores’ scheme is like a floating amoeba: It has no shape, no tendencies, it continuously changes throughout games. It looks unsolvable, just ask any of the (really good) quarterbacks who have gone against it this season. The Vikings had five takeaways against their division rivals in Green Bay on Sunday and are showing no signs of slowing down.
Packers: Just when it seemed Matt LaFleur had started to figure out the aforementioned defense at the end of the third quarter on Sunday against the Vikings, the Packers continued to shoot themselves in the foot. The good news is that hasn’t been a pattern and looks to be more like an anomaly. LaFleur switched his entire offensive scheme with Malik Willis at the helm in quarterback Jordan Love’s absence. Getting Love back this week, LaFleur switched it back, and it was up and down in a performance marred by penalties and drops. But it was also against the best defense the Packers have seen this year. Playing from behind also got the Packers out of their offensive rhythm, which should have included running back Josh Jacobs a lot more. I’m positive this isn’t a sign of things to come, but rather an offense getting used to having its star back. — Carmen Vitali
Rams: Injuries were bound to bite the Rams eventually. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is one of the best when it comes to getting the ball out quickly and recognizing pressure. But the Bears defense made him pay for holding the ball at all, and the cracks on offense have started to show for Los Angeles. The good news is that should get better for the Rams when they get their top two receivers back, Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. In even better news, the Rams’ defensive front looks phenomenal. Collegiate teammates Jared Verse and Braden Fiske are a heck of a tandem and are wreaking havoc. Once Sean McVay’s unit gets healthy, they should prove to be a much better team. Until then, it’s not going to be easy going.
Bears: Can everybody relax in Chicago now? It wasn’t perfect, but it was quarterback Caleb Williams‘ best outing and the best example of complementary football the Bears have shown this season. The defense again came up clutch with an interception of Matthew Stafford in the end zone as well as another to seal the game in the fourth quarter. Leaning on the defensive effort, Williams & Co. finally sustained offensive drives, and it seems that offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has figured out his personnel. D’Andre Swift had his coming-out party while Waldron used Roschon Johnson as his changeup back. The Bears are still getting used to one another and they need to clean up the pre-snap penalties, but the vision is becoming clearer in Chicago. The improvement is there week to week. This is exactly what should have been expected of this team, and it’s right on schedule. — Carmen Vitali
Steelers: Justin Fields finally flashed an ability to carry Pittsburgh’s offense. Although it came in a loss, the Steelers needed to show the rest of the NFL the development of a big-boy offense to be considered a serious playoff contender in the AFC. The Colts jumped out to a 17-0 lead, forcing Fields and Pittsburgh’s offense to open it up. Fields obliged, throwing for 312 yards and a touchdown, along with totaling 51 yards and two scores on the ground. Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith leaned into Fields’ unique skill set, allowing him to make plays outside the pocket with his arm and his feet, with good results for the Steelers.
Colts: Is there a quarterback controversy in Indianapolis? Anthony Richardson suffered a hip injury after a big hit by Pittsburgh safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in the first half, forcing the second-year QB to leave the game. Richardson did not return, giving way to last year’s NFL Comeback Player of the Year, Joe Flacco. The 39-year-old played well, finishing 16 of 26 for 168 yards and two touchdown passes. Richardson missed most of his rookie season with a shoulder injury and has struggled with inconsistent play when healthy. With the Colts at 2-2, Flacco could be the best option for Indianapolis moving forward, allowing Richardson some time to recover and learn from watching an experienced veteran. — Eric D. Williams
Saints: The Saints are grinding out close games, and Alvin Kamara might be the most consistent part of their offense. His 1-yard touchdown with a minute left nearly gave New Orleans a huge road divisional win over the Falcons, and his production in four games has been vintage Kamara. Kamara has 362 rushing yards in his first four games — basically in a contract year with a balloon contract he’s unlikely to play on in 2025. Wouldn’t it be wild if Kamara gets his first career 1,000-yard season in his ninth NFL season?
Falcons: Kirk Cousins didn’t throw a touchdown, but did just enough in the final minute to set up a monster kick from Younghoe Koo for a crucial last-minute win over the Saints. Cousins has just four touchdowns in four games. One TD a game is what the Falcons were getting from middling quarterbacks last season without spending $180 million. If Atlanta is going to be more than a .500 team, the Falcons need much more of the old Cousins, rather than someone who can set their team up for three field goals in the second half to win a squeaker. But for now, it’s good enough to have them 2-2 and tied with the Saints going into a huge home game against the Bucs on Thursday night. — Greg Auman
Jaguars: Just a soul-crushing defeat for the Jaguars. They played their best game of the season Sunday — the kind of performance that could’ve turned their dreadful 2024 around — but couldn’t find a way to finish on either side of the ball down the stretch, blowing a third-quarter lead. Now we wait to see how Jacksonville responds moving forward. Does it cling to the good — a season-high 20 points, its first takeaway of the season (on special teams), strong performances from Brian Thomas Jr. and Christian Kirk, breakout showings from 2023 draft picks Tank Bigsby and Ventrell Miller — or does an 0-4 hole eliminate any hope that was left for the season? Next week’s date with the division-rival Colts should give us clarity one way or the other.
Texans: Nico Collins is a top-five receiver in the NFL right now, period. With 12 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville, he’s on pace for 2,078 receiving yards for the season. He’s a mismatch nightmare downfield with his blend of size, speed and play strength. His scramble-drill connection with C.J. Stroud is starting to look like some of those great quarterback-wide receiver tandems we’ve seen in recent history. Even though we’ve yet to see Houston’s receiver trio at full strength — second-year pro Tank Dell, who’s had a slow start to the season, missed Sunday’s game due to injury — Collins looks like the undisputed WR1. That should make the Texans’ talented offense all the more difficult as the season wears on. — Ben Arthur
Broncos: The Broncos have won two in a row because it turns out they have a really good defense. And that’s important because the defense is going to have to carry them this season as they try to win despite rookie quarterback Bo Nix. At some point he’ll probably be very good, but that point is not today. Granted, the conditions were poor and the Jets defense is good, but Nix was particularly awful — just 12 of 25 for 60 yards. He didn’t throw an interception and he did throw his first career touchdown pass, so that’s good. But he’ll need to be a lot better to help out a defense that’s doing all it can. Denver had five sacks and forced a turnover against the Jets on Sunday. The Broncos have 16 sacks and have forced five turnovers this season. They can win with that, if Nix can even get to a point where he can at least “manage” a game with any consistency.
Jets: Was it really just one week ago that Aaron Rodgers looked like his old self and the Jets looked ready to become a Super Bowl contender? Because what they did on Sunday was the exact opposite. Their offense looked completely out of sync against a bad team. Rodgers threw for just 225 yards. Breece Hall had a hard-to-fathom four yards on 10 carries. And the Jets committed 13 penalties (six of which were declined). Sure, it was raining, but that can’t possibly be an excuse for an offense that looked like a remnant of their old, ugly, Zach Wilson days. Maybe Rodgers’ performance last week against the Patriots was the outlier. If so, these Jets will have a hard time even competing for a playoff berth. They’ve got a top defense, good young offensive talent, and probably the best quarterback they’ve had in decades. But performances like this turn it all into a waste. — Ralph Vacchiano
Bengals: The Bengals reminded the NFL that they’re an AFC contender. After losing each of their first three games by six points or fewer, they beat the Panthers on the road by double digits. Maybe you put an asterisk there because it’s the Panthers, but the way Cincinnati’s offense is starting to hum should make future opponents nervous. They’ve improved their point total each week. Joe Burrow at this point seems to have put the wrist injury from last season behind him. Both JaMarr Chase and Tee Higgins had more than 60 receiving yards for the first time this season. Odds are against Cincinnati making the playoffs with a 1-3 start, but its offensive firepower makes anything possible.
Panthers: With Andy Dalton under center, the Panthers may not be a good team, but they’re actually not as bad as we’ve been led to believe. They’ve put up 70 points in two games with the veteran compared to 13 in two with Bryce Young. The Panthers’ second-half rally Sunday came short, but they have a fight to them that they didn’t have with the former No. 1 overall pick. And we’re seeing more from their receivers with Dalton throwing passes. Having Diontae Johnson and first-round rookie Xavier Legette to depend on with Adam Thielen on injured reserve isn’t a room that’s devoid of talent. Both had touchdowns against Cincinnati. Running back Chuba Hubbard had a second consecutive 100-yard rushing game, too. Contention is more realistic for Carolina in future years, but it should at least be competitive in 2024. Their next two opponents are both .500 in the Bears and the divisional-rival Falcons, representing winnable games. — Ben Arthur
The following writers contributed to this story: Ben Arthur (@benyarthur); Greg Auman (@gregauman); Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis); Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano); Carmen Vitali (@CarmieV); Eric D. Williams (@eric_d_williams).
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