The league now has only three teams without a loss.

This past Sunday, both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills faced defeats, leaving the Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, and Seattle Seahawks as the only teams still unbeaten (Seattle’s game is on Monday night against the Detroit Lions).

At the same time, some teams considered potential playoff contenders, like the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles, experienced tough losses. Consistency has been a major issue for many teams in the early part of the 2024 season, making for an unpredictable landscape. Among the most surprising developments has been the performance of the Washington Commanders.

Here’s a look at the key winners and losers from Week 4’s Sunday games.

WINNERS

Ravens Silence Doubters with Strong Finish

The Baltimore Ravens have often been criticized for losing leads late in games. However, they decisively beat the Bills, who were also undefeated, with a score of 35-10.

Baltimore focused on their strength: running the football. Derrick Henry contributed with 199 rushing yards, part of a total of 271 rushing yards against Buffalo. The Ravens also excelled in the red zone, scoring touchdowns on all four of their opportunities and playing with both physicality and aggression on defense. When they play like this, they have the potential to achieve great things, though they have a tendency to undermine their own success.

Commanders on the Rise

Washington could have found a future star in Jayden Daniels, who set a record with an 82.1% completion rate, the highest for any player in their first four games of a season. The offensive line has shown remarkable improvement, allowing no sacks in their 42-14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, bringing their record to 3-1.

Daniels has time to make plays and his agility makes him tough to defend. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has developed a play style that suits Daniels, allowing him to efficiently connect with his teammates, despite a receiving corps that isn’t the strongest. While the defense still has areas for growth, they consistently pressured Kyler Murray, showcasing coach Dan Quinn’s influence on the team.

Vikings Confirm Their Contender Status

For those questioning the Minnesota Vikings’ potential, their performance against the Green Bay Packers should clear any doubts, as they erupted for the first 28 points of the game before securing a 31-29 victory at Lambeau Field.

Notably, Minnesota demonstrated resilience by recovering from a stretch where they allowed the Packers to score 22 consecutive points. The defense, led by coordinator Brian Flores, forced two turnovers during crucial moments, giving Sam Darnold a chance to extend the lead with a field goal. While the game presented challenges, including three turnovers and missed opportunities in the red zone, the Vikings showcased their capability to compete at a high level.

Falcons Stay Competitive in NFC South

The NFC South race could remain tight until the end of the season. The Atlanta Falcons captured a significant 26-24 win over the New Orleans Saints with a last-minute 58-yard field goal from Younghoe Koo, handing New Orleans their second straight loss.

Even though Atlanta has yet to find their offensive rhythm, they relied on their defense to emerge victorious. Quarterback Kirk Cousins has been methodical, and Atlanta managed to win despite being outgained 366-315, recording fewer first downs and losing time of possession. Remarkably, the Falcons did not score a touchdown, as the defense and special teams contributed two scores. Atlanta now stands at 2-2, trailing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) by just one game.

LOSERS

Jets’ Inconsistency and Breece Hall’s Struggles

It’s hard to determine the identity of the New York Jets. With Aaron Rodgers at the helm, they display moments of brilliance, but they also experience periods of disorganization and mental errors that let games slip away.

In less than ideal weather during a 10-9 setback against the Denver Broncos, the Jets’ performance fell short. They had a golden opportunity late in the first quarter when a defensive pass interference call placed them on the Broncos’ 1-yard line. However, Breece Hall stumbled into his own linemen and threw away a pass on third down, only to have a false start derail their fourth-down attempt, forcing them to settle for a field goal. New York (2-2) tallied 13 penalties on the day, leaving Rodgers visibly frustrated at times. Hall himself had just 4 yards on 10 carries and struggled with blocking assignments.

Steelers’ Slow Starts Lead to Defeat

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense has struggled this season, and Sunday’s 27-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts presented an opportunity to improve, especially in their rushing attack.

Facing a Colts team ranked low in rushing defense, allowing an average of 179 rushing yards per game, the Steelers needed more from their running back Najee Harris, who managed only 19 yards on 13 carries. Throughout their four games, Pittsburgh has only scored a total of 29 points in the first half, showcasing a need for improvement in their start.

The team has managed to secure wins primarily through their defensive strength. Meanwhile, the Colts successfully countered Pittsburgh’s pass rush and took control of the game. Sunday highlighted that the Steelers’ offense, apart from Justin Fields’ remarkable plays, struggles to recover during the defense’s off days.

The Jaguars may have already reached their peak

After losing to the Houston Texans 24-20, Jacksonville finds itself among just two teams without a win in the NFL, the other being the Tennessee Titans who are set to play on Monday. Looking back to last season, the Jaguars have lost nine out of their last ten games; their only win was in Week 17 against a struggling Carolina Panthers team, which only recorded two victories in 2023.

Trevor Lawrence showcases flashes of strong performance, yet he often seems tense and preoccupied with the fear of making errors. His precision with short to medium passes has noticeably declined. Under the guidance of Coach Doug Pederson, the team’s management of game situations has been frequently confusing. The decision to throw the ball twice towards the end of the game when it was critical to run the clock is dubious. Additionally, they failed to convert on four plays inside the Houston 5-yard line. This seems like a franchise facing a considerable overhaul.

Eagles urgently need their wide receivers back

The Eagles currently appear unable to compensate for the absence of key receivers DeVonta Smith (concussion) and A.J. Brown (hamstring). In their 33-16 defeat to the Buccaneers, Philadelphia managed some success in their running game, despite Tampa Bay scoring the first 24 points of the match. However, Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ passing game lacked any significant impact without Smith and Brown.

Hurts managed to throw for only 158 yards. The top receiver for the Eagles on Sunday was Parris Campbell, who caught just four passes for a total of 17 yards. Hurts recorded an average of merely 3.2 yards per passing attempt, placing him second to last, ahead of only the Broncos (2.4) who played in challenging weather conditions.

In terms of defense, which struggled against Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers, the story is markedly different.