NFL Week 4: Biggest questions, takeaways for every game
Week 4 of the 2024 NFL season started Thursday night with the Dallas Cowboys defeating the New York Giants.
On Sunday, Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo nailed a 58-yard, game-winning field goal to down the New Orleans Saints. The Indianapolis Colts handed the Pittsburgh Steelers their first loss of the season, and quarterbackBaker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneerspummeled the Philadelphia Eagles, 33-16.
Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let's get to it.
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Cincinnati 34, Carolina 24
Bengals
Does this win instill confidence in the Bengals' season outlook? Not necessarily. To be clear, it was a much-needed win for a team that could not afford to go 0-4 to start the year. But the Bengals didn't salt the game away in this one. Cincinnati's offense stalled out on a few drives in the second half. Carolina wasn't able to make the Bengals pay for misfiring, but Cincinnati should have been able to breathe a sigh of relief much earlier than it did against the Panthers.
Most surprising performance: CB Cam Taylor-Britt. His big Week 2 performance against Kansas City feels like a lifetime ago. The third-year cornerback, who has played well, struggled on Sunday. He allowed five catches on six targets while the nearest defender, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. One of them was a 21-yard touchdown to wideout Diontae Johnson. Taylor-Britt rotated in and out of the game.
Eye-popping stat: RB Chase Brown and WR Ja'Marr Chase outperformed their projections in a couple of key categories. Brown finished 24 rushing yards over expectation on his first 15 attempts, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Chase also had 57 receiving yards over expectation, with 48.5 of those coming on his 63-yard touchdown catch. -- Ben Baby
Next game: vs. Ravens (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Panthers
Does Andy Dalton give the Panthers the best chance to win at QB? Yes. And yes. For the second straight game Dalton's steadying force and pinpoint passing -- he finished 25-for-40 for 220 yards, two touchdowns and an interception -- had a huge impact. Had it not been for a drop in the end zone by Johnson on the first series, who knows how this one turns out. Dalton has brought the deep ball back, something it didn't have with Bryce Young. That and the running game has opened up everything.
Biggest hole in the game plan: No answer for WR Tee Higgins when it mattered. Missed tackles aside, Carolina did a decent job on Chase with Jaycee Horn defending. Higgins was almost unstoppable against Mike Jackson in the first half. He had six catches and drew two pass interference penalties late in the half to set up a TD.
Most surprising performance: Rookie receiver Xavier Legette. He stepped up big time with Adam Thielen (hamstring) on IR. Legettte entered the game with six catches for 77 yards. He had five catches for 49 yards and a touchdown in the first half. He should only get better. -- David Newton
Next game: at Bears (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Atlanta 26, New Orleans 24
Falcons
Is it too early to be concerned about the Falcons offense?QBKirk Cousins and company pulled a rabbit out of a hat again, winning in the final minute just like in Week 2 against the Eagles. Younghoe Koo drilled a career-long 58-yard field goal with two seconds left. But worries remain. On Sunday, the Falcons got scores on defense and special teams. But, for the first time since Sept. 26, 2004, Atlanta won without scoring an offensive touchdown.
Eye-popping stat: Going into the fourth quarter, Cousins was only pressured on 6-of-27 dropbacks (22%). The quarterback had struggled when pressured this season and Atlanta had two starting offensive linemen (C Drew Dalman and RT Kaleb McGary) out with injuries. C Ryan Neuzil and RT Storm Norton came up big in relief.
Most surprising performance: Inside linebacker Troy Andersen, who missed most of last year due to injury, had an interception return for a touchdown, a tackle for a loss, a pass defended and the most tackles overall. Andersen has played more than many expected due to Nate Landman (calf) being on injured reserve. He exited the game in the fourth quarter with a knee injury and was questionable to return. -- Marc Raimondi
Next game: vs. Buccaneers (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Saints
Can the Saints find their Week 1 offensive groove again? The Saints have had to adjust the last two weeks without important players on offense, and it was clear how much Taysom Hill was needed after he scored two touchdowns in the first quarter and left with an injury. Their offensive output also dropped sharply when he wasn't in the lineup last week. New Orleans will have to figure out how to adjust with a patchwork offensive line if it wants to return to the heights it had in the first two weeks.
Describe the game in two words: Injuries everywhere. The Saints came into this game shorthanded with two offensive linemen and starting linebacker Demario Davis out. Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave and Hill were also dealing with injuries. Things only got worse during the game when Hill went out with an abdomen injury (he was previously listed as having a chest injury), linebacker Willie Gay Jr. was ruled out and Tyrann Mathieu had a groin injury.
Most surprising performance:Kamara's injury performance. Kamara came in the game with a hip/rib issue and took several shots to his ribs throughout the game. Kamara scored the go-ahead touchdown, had a key blitz pick up toward the end of the game, rushed for 77 yards and caught seven passes for 42 yards. -- Katherine Terrell
Next game: at Chiefs (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Tampa Bay 33, Philadelphia 16
Buccaneers
What changed for the Bucs after last week's collapse against the Broncos? QB Baker Mayfield and the Bucs scored three touchdowns in the first 16 minutes and four total. They exploited Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's soft coverage with a ton of quick hitters, protecting the vulnerable right side of an offensive line still without right tackle Luke Goedeke (concussion). Defensively, their meager pass rush saw 6.0 sacks after just 2.0 in the first three games and their secondary looked more sure-footed.
Describe the game in two words: David Dominated. Lavonte David contributed eight total tackles, including 2.0 sacks, 2.0 tackles for a loss, a forced fumble, a pass breakup and a quarterback hit in one of his finest games in recent memory.
Early prediction for next week: The Bucs have entered arguably their most difficult stretch of the season, with three divisional games in a span of four weeks, plus games against the Ravens, Chiefs and 49ers, with three of those games played in prime-time. That includes the Falcons on the road Thursday night in Week 5, a game that, based on the Falcons-Saints finish and Liam Coen and Raheem Morris' history working together, will result in an overtime finish. -- Jenna Laine
Next game: at Falcons (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Eagles
What should we make of the Eagles heading into their Week 5 bye? They're an average, mistake-prone team right now. True, they were operating without OT Lane Johnson (concussion), WR A.J. Brown (hamstring) and WR DeVonta Smith (concussion) against Tampa Bay, but that doesn't excuse them sleep-walking through the first quarter, when they were outgained 186-0. It doesn't absolve a defense that gave up nearly 30 first downs and well over 400 yards to the Bucs. And it doesn't wash away the fact that they have lost the turnover battle in every game they have played so far. The coaching has left something to be desired, as the talented roster has struggled to put it all together. It will be a long couple of weeks in Philly before the Eagles host the Browns on Oct. 13.
Troubling trend: Jalen Hurts has 27 turnovers since start of last season, the most in the NFL (four more than anyone else). Seven of those have come this season, which ranks second in the NFL behind only Will Levis. He had a crusher of a giveaway late in the third quarter at the Tampa Bay 19 yard-line. He initially evaded pressure from LB Lavonte David on 1st-and-10 but was stripped from behind by David as Hurts tried to take a shot into the end zone. As has been the case with many of his turnovers, it was an example of trying to do too much.
Biggest hole in the game plan: RB Saquon Barkley had just two rushes on the Eagles' first three possessions as the team fell behind 24-0. On a day when Philadelphia was missing its top two receivers and its standout tackle in Johnson, a Barkley-heavy, ball control game plan would have served the team well. The coaching staff waited too long to get him going. -- Tim McManus
Next game: vs. Browns (Sunday, 10/13, 1 p.m. ET)
Chicago 24, L.A. Rams 18
Bears
What improvements can the Bears' offense build on? Rookie QB Caleb Williams had completed just 44% of his passes against the blitz through the first three weeks, but he was 8-of-9 for 75 yards with a TD against the Rams' blitz. The Bears also figured out how to attack a goal-line opportunity after failing a week earlier against the Colts. Roschon Johnson scored from a yard out for the game's first TD.
Most surprising performance: Swift was averaging 1.8 yards per carry and had 114 yards of offense through the first three weeks of the season. The Bears vowed to keep featuring the Pro Bowl running back, who broke through as Chicago's leading rusher (93 yards) and receiver (72) against the Rams. His 36-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter was the Bears' longest since Velus Jones Jr. ran in a 42-yard TD in Week 18 of 2022.
Describe the game in two words: Defensive stops. Chicago's first touchdown came after the defense gifted the offense a 16-yard field after sacking Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and recovering the fumble. The Bears sealed the game when safety Jaquan Brisker intercepted Stafford late in the fourth quarter. -- Courtney Cronin
Next game: vs. Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Rams
Can RB Kyren Williams keep the Rams afloat until WRs Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua return? A week after a comeback victory over the San Francisco 49ers, the Rams' offense struggled for most of the game. Their lone touchdown came on a 3-yard run by Williams early in the fourth quarter. It was Williams' seventh straight game with a rushing touchdown, which breaks a tie for the second-longest streak by a Rams player since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger. Williams ran for 94 yards and a touchdown on 19 attempts. Nacua will miss at least one more game on injured reserve with a knee injury. There is a chance Kupp could be back for Week 5 against the Green Bay Packers, but head coach Sean McVay has been clear the Rams won't rush the receiver back.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Red zone conversions. The Rams only scored one touchdown on four trips to the red zone. They didn't move the ball consistently and struggled on third down, converting just 5 of 11 attempts (45%).
Eye-popping stat: Rookie kicker Joshua Karty's missed field goal in the second quarter was the first miss of his NFL career, but the 12th missed field goal for a Rams kicker since the start of last season. According to ESPN Research, that's the most in the NFL during that time period. Karty did make his four other field goal attempts. -- Sarah Barshop
Next game: vs. Packers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Dallas 20, N.Y. Giants 15
Cowboys
Just how big was this win against the Giants? Imagine what a loss would have been like. Three straight losses, and it would have been Armageddon. Folks would be wondering when the Cowboys would win again, with a schedule that features the Steelers, Lions and 49ers in the next month. The Cowboys can take some solace in their run defense, even if the Giants don't have an Alvin Kamara or Derrick Henryin their backfield. In addition, WR CeeDee Lamb rebounded from a poor performance against the Ravens in Week 3.
Most surprising performance: Cornerback Amani Oruwariye was elevated from the practice squad Thursday afternoon, and he dressed because rookie Caelen Carson was out with a shoulder injury. Oruwariye was then called on in the second half after Andrew Booth struggled, and he ended the game with an interception on a Hail Mary. Carson's injury might not be long term, and DaRon Bland (foot) has had his eyes on a potential return against the Steelers, but Oruwariye helped settle down the secondary.
Eye-popping stat:QuarterbackDak Prescott completed 22 of 27 passes, marking the 12th time he has completed at least 80% of his attempts in a game, which is the most by any player since 2016. Prescott was dialed in throwing outside the numbers, completing 10 of 12 throws for 117 yards and a touchdown, according to ESPN Research. Inside the numbers, he was 12-of-14 for 104 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 5.4 air yards per attempt, his lowest mark in a game since Week 3 of last season, after averaging 8.8 in the first three games. -- Todd Archer
Next game: at Steelers (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Giants
Have the Giants closed the gap between themselves and the top of the NFC East? They've definitely closed the gap on the Cowboys, as evidenced by what unfolded Thursday night. The Giants got outscored 89-17 in their two meetings with Dallas last season, but they had a chance to win in the first meeting this time. "Again, the result stinks," coach Brian Daboll said, "but I thought there was improvement."
Early prediction for next week: Rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers is back for Week 5 in Seattle. He left Thursday's contest late in the fourth quarter with a concussion. But Nabers was in the Giants' facility on Friday and in good spirits, according to Daboll. The 10 days in between games gives him a better chance to clear the concussion protocol and not miss a game.
Troubling trend: The Giants averaged 1.1 yards per carry against a Cowboys team that came into the contest with the worst run defense in the NFL. Running back Devin Singletary had 14 carries for 27 yards. Quarterback Daniel Jones did nothing on the ground. This wasn't the blueprint for success against the Cowboys. Not even close. That will need to improve if the Giants are to get a win against the Cowboys or Eagles this season. -- Jordan Raanan
Next game: at Seahawks (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
