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    • Steelers and Eagles pay for stumbles
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    Steelers and Eagles pay for stumbles

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    The number of undefeated teams in the NFL has dropped to three.

    The Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills each lost their respective games on Sunday, leaving the Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks as the only undefeated teams (Seattle plays the Detroit Lions on Monday night).

    Elsewhere, several teams considered contenders – such as the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles – suffered ugly defeats. Across the NFL, teams have struggled to find consistency as the 2024 season begins, so there is still a lot to sort out. One of the biggest surprises, however, was the rookie Washington Commanders.

    Here are Sunday’s winners and losers of week 4.

    WINNERS

    Ravens calm the story and finish a game strong

    The Baltimore Ravens have developed a reputation for racing to big leads only to squander them late in the game. Against the Bills, a team that entered Sunday undefeated and playing balanced football, the Ravens categorically strangled Buffalo 35-10.

    Baltimore didn’t try to outsmart anyone and stuck to what it does best: running the ball. Derrick Henry accounted for 199 yards on the ground, and Baltimore rolled up 271 rushing yards against the Bills. The Ravens executed in the red zone, converting all four trips into touchdowns. They were physical and delivered punishing hits on the defense. When the Ravens play like this, they are capable of greatness. The problem is that sometimes they get in the way of their own way.

    Commanders could build something special

    Washington may have found a star in Jayden Daniels, whose 82.1% completion percentage is the highest in NFL history for any player through the first four games of a season. The offensive line may be the unit in the entire NFL that has shown the most improvement year-over-year; in a 42-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, the Commanders (3-1) did not give up a single sack.

    Daniels gets plenty of time to throw, but his mobility proves difficult to defend. Still, I have to thank offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury for coming up with an offense that’s perfect for Daniels, one in which he can distribute the ball to the playmakers in stride, even if Washington’s receiving corps is far from the best. The defense certainly has room for improvement, although Kyler Murray was under pressure all game, as coach Dan Quinn continues to put his stamp on this team.

    Vikings confirm their status as a contender

    If anyone still doubted Minnesota’s status as a contender, the Vikings entering Lambeau Field and scoring the game’s first 28 points against the Green Bay Packers should have put those concerns to rest. What was perhaps most impressive was how Minnesota responded to secure the 31-29 victory after allowing its NFC North rival to score 22 unanswered.

    Defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ unit forced Green Bay into a pair of turnovers on the Packers on two possessions, each playing only twice. That gave Sam Darnold and the offense a chance to make it a two-possession game, which they did with a 33-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter. Admittedly, this wasn’t the cleanest game for Minnesota; it committed three turnovers and failed to convert two of five drives inside the red zone. Still, the Vikings once again showed that few teams play better football than them.

    Falcons are fortunate to be able to keep pace in the NFC South

    This may be a division that won’t be decided until late in the season. Still, after a career-high 58-yard field goal from Younghoe Koo, the Atlanta Falcons pulled out a huge 26-24 win, handing the New Orleans Saints two straight losses.

    Atlanta still hasn’t put together a sharp offensive game despite the speed and athleticism at the skill positions. Quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​has remained deliberate and plodding in his processing after the snap. Atlanta defeated New Orleans despite a 366-315 lead, fewer first downs (25-14), loss of time of possession (35:42-24:18) and inefficiency on third down. In fact, the offense failed to produce a single touchdown as the Falcons defense and special teams generated a few scores. Nevertheless, Atlanta (2-2) recorded a huge victory over New Orleans (2-2) and is one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1).

    LOSERS

    Breece Hall, sloppy Jets are among the league’s most erratic

    It’s hard to know what kind of team the New York Jets are. With Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, they have offensive brilliance. But then they suffer from problems when they lack urgency and competence, make mental mistakes and lazily allow themselves to play a snowball game.

    Conditions were rainy and cool during the 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos, so attacking football was always going to be a challenge. However, this was unacceptable. Near the end of the first quarter, New York was gifted a defensive pass interference call that put the ball on the Broncos’ 1-yard line. Breece Hall ran into his linemen (twice), the third-down play was thrown out of bounds and the fourth-down play was derailed due to a false start, forcing New York to settle for three. The Jets (2-2) committed 13 penalties on Sunday. Rodgers was caught several times staring at his teammates in apparent disbelief over these pre-snap violations. One false start was for Hall, who gained just four yards on 10 carries and failed to pick off a blitzing player on the last-gasp fourth down.

    Steelers are slowly catching up

    The Pittsburgh Steelers offense was already one of the most pedestrian units in the NFL, but Sunday’s final 27-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts seemed like an opportunity to build progress, especially in the rushing game.

    Indianapolis came into the game ranked second to last in rushing defense, averaging 179 rushing yards per game. Still, running back Najee Harris (13 carries for 19 yards) remains ineffective, especially early in games. Pittsburgh needs more from him. The Steelers have scored just 29 first-half points in their four games. They have been able to get wins because of their defense. However, the Colts neutralized Pittsburgh’s pass rush and controlled the game. Sunday showed that, outside of Justin Fields’ heroics, the Steelers offense can’t overcome days by defense.

    This build of the Jaguars may have already reached its peak

    After falling 24-20 to the Houston Texans, Jacksonville is one of only two winless teams left in the NFL; the other is the Tennessee Titans, who play Monday. Looking back at last season, the Jaguars have lost nine of their last 10 games, with the lone win coming in Week 17 of last season against a Carolina Panthers team that won two games in 2023.

    Trevor Lawrence has moments where he plays well, but he often seems too tight and seems worried about making mistakes. His accuracy on short to medium routes has declined. Under coach Doug Pederson, the team’s situational management was often perplexed. The decision to throw the ball twice late in the game, when ensuring a running clock should have been paramount, must be questioned. The offense also had four plays inside the Houston 5-yard line and was denied on downs. This feels like a team moving toward significant change.

    Philadelphia desperately needs its receivers back

    The Eagles look like a team that won’t be able to make up for the loss of star receivers DeVonta Smith (concussion) and AJ Brown (hamstring). In a 33-16 loss to the Buccaneers, Philadelphia’s offense got production in the ground game — even though Tampa Bay scored the game’s first 24 points — but Jalen Hurts and Philly’s passing team lack any sting without Smith and Brown.

    Hurts threw for 158 yards. Sunday’s leading Eagles receiver was Parris Campbell, who caught four passes … for 17 yards. Hurts averaged 3.2 yards per pass attempt, which was second worse to the Broncos (2.4), who played in a rainy slop.

    When it comes to the team’s defense, which was attacked by Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers, that’s a whole different story.

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