NFL - Week Four Recap

 

The Minnesota Vikings continue to serve notice to the rest of the NFL that they are the real deal as they beat the host Green Bay Packers, 31-29 to improve to 4-0 this season. Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (pictured left) had three touchdown passes and wide receiver Jordan Addison scored twice (receiving and rushing TD) as they built up a 28-0 lead in the first half. The Packers (2-2) battled back as QB Jordan Love (389 passing yards, four TD, three interceptions) threw four scoring passes. However, two missed field goals by Packers kicker Brayden Narveson proved to be huge in the loss for Green Bay. 

 

The Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) survived a road game and came away with a 17-10 victory against the Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) as the defense shut down the Chargers after L.A. built a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. The Chiefs turned the ball over twice (fumble and interception) but QB Patrick Mahomes threw a 54-yard scoring pass to WR Xavier Worthy while a field goal and a fourth quarter two-yard TD run by Samaje Perine with 6:04 remaining proved to be the difference in the outcome. Chargers QB Justin Herbert had a TD pass in defeat. 

The Washington Commanders (3-1) routed the host Arizona Cardinals, 42-14 with a balanced attack (216 rushing yards, 233 passing yards) and two rushing scores by RB Jeremy McNichols and 101 rushing yards and touchdown from Brian Robinson, Jr. while rookie QB Jayden Daniels had a TD pass and a scoring run in the easy win. The Cardinals dropped to 1-3 as QB Kyler Murray was sacked four times. 

Tampa Bay (3-1) routed the visiting Philadelphia Eagles, 33-16 with QB Baker Mayfield (347 passing yards) throwing and running for a touchdown while the Buccaneers defense limited the Eagles (2-2) to 227 yards in offense. 

The San Francisco 49ers (2-2) steam rolled the visiting New England Patriots, 30-13 as linebacker Fred Warner took an interception back 45 yards for a score and tight end George Kittle caught a 12-yard TD pass from QB Brock Purdy, who had 288 passing yards in the win. The Patriots (1-3) dropped their third straight game as QB Jacoby Brissett threw for a touchdown, but was also sacked six times while they turned the ball over three times. 

Houston improved to 3-1 with a 24-20 home win against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who dropped to 0-4 this season. Texans QB C.J. Stroud (345 passing yards) threw his second TD pass (to Dare Ogunbowale) with 18 seconds remaining. Jacksonville QB Trevor Lawrence had two TD passes in the loss. 

Younghoe Koo made a 58-yard field goal with two seconds left in regulation as the Atlanta Falcons beat the visiting New Orleans Saints, 26-24 to improve to 2-2. Two defensive scores for the Falcons (fumble recovery and 47-yard INT return by Troy Andersen) and four field goals made the difference for the win. Taysom Hill had two rushing touchdowns along with a TD run by RB Alvin Kamara for the Saints (2-2) in the loss. 

The Cincinnati Bengals (1-3) won their first game this season on the road, beating Carolina, 34-24 behind two running scores by Chase Brown and a pair of TD passes from QB Joe Burrow to lead the way. Carolina QB Andy Dalton had two TD passes and Chuba Hubbard had a scoring run in defeat for the Panthers (1-3). 

The Chicago Bears (2-2) won at home, 24-18 against the Los Angeles Rams (1-3) with running backs Roschon Johnson and D'Andre Swift scoring rushing touchdowns and rookie QB Caleb Williams throwing a nine-yard TD pass to WR D.J. Moore. The Rams only scored one touchdown in the loss as kicker Joshua Karty made four field goals, but it wasn't enough. 

 

Indianapolis raced out to a 17-0 lead and then held off a furious comeback by the Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) to earn a 27-24 home victory and improve to 2-2 this season. Quarterback Joe Flacco (pictured right) came in for injured Colts starter Anthony Richardson and threw for two touchdowns while RB Jonathan Taylor had a running score to pace the offense. Steelers QB Justin Fields had two scoring runs along with 312 passing yards and TD pass in defeat. 

 

On Thursday night, the Dallas Cowboys (2-2) beat the host New York Giants, 20-15 as they limited the Giants (1-3) to five field goals while QB Dak Prescott (221 passing yards) threw for a pair of touchdowns, including a 55-yard strike to WR CeeDee Lamb to make the difference. 

The Sunday night game in Baltimore was all Ravens (2-2) as they crushed the Buffalo Bills, 35-10 with RB Derrick Henry (199 rushing yards on 24 carries) set the tone on the first play from scrimmage with an 87-yard TD run. Ravens QB Lamar Jackson had two TD passes and a scoring run as well and the Baltimore defense limited (NFL's top scoring offense) the Bills (3-1) to just one touchdown and 236 total yards in offense. 

The Denver Broncos (2-2) won a yawner, 10-9 against the host New York Jets (2-2) in a driving rain storm with rookie QB Bo Nix (just 60 yards passing in the win) hitting WR Courtland Sutton for an eight-yard scoring pass and a 47-yard field goal by Will Lutz to offset three field goals by Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein, who missed a potential game winner from 50 yards out in the final minute of the game. Jets QB Aaron Rodgers was sacked five times in the loss. 

The Las Vegas Raiders (2-2) came back and beat the visiting Cleveland Browns, 20-16 with a pair of field goals and scoring runs from Tre Tucker and DJ Turner. The Browns (1-3) led 10-0 after the first quarter as QB Deshaun Watson had a touchdown pass, but the Raiders defense took over from there (one interception and three sacks) and the only Browns score the rest of the game came on a 25-yard fumble return by Rodney McLeod, Jr. early in the fourth quarter. 

In Miami on Monday night, the Tennessee Titans (1-3) got their first win this season with a 31-12 trouncing of the Dolphins (1-3) as Tyjae Spears and Tony Pollard had scoring runs while kicker Nick Folk made five field goals and the defense got a safety and limited the Dolphins to just 184 yards in total offense. Tyler Huntley (Miami's third string quarterback) had a scoring run in the loss. 

The other Monday Night Football game in Detroit saw the Lions (3-1) win, 42-29 over the Seattle Seahawks (3-1) with QB Jared Goff completing all 18 pass attempts for 292 yards and two touchdowns and also scored on a seven-yard TD reception from Amon-Ra St. Brown while RB Jahmyr Gibbs scored two rushing touchdowns. The Seahawks rolled up 516 yards in total offense in defeat with RB Kenneth Walker III scoring three touchdowns and QB Geno Smith (395 passing yards, one TD, one INT) throwing a nine-yard scoring pass to AJ Barner.

WEEK FOUR RESULTS 

Dallas 20, N.Y. Giants 15 

Chicago 24, L.A. Rams 18 

Atlanta 26, New Orleans 24 

Minnesota 31, Green Bay 29

Indianapolis 27, Pittsburgh 24 

Houston 24, Jacksonville 20 

Tampa Bay 33, Philadelphia 16 

Cincinnati 34, Carolina 24 

Denver 10, N.Y. Jets 9 

Kansas City 17, L.A. Chargers 10

Washington 42, Arizona 14

San Francisco 30, New England 13 

Las Vegas 20, Cleveland 16 

Baltimore 35, Buffalo 10

Tennessee 31, Miami 12

Detroit 42, Seattle 29