With September coming to a close, NFL teams are starting to figure themselves out.
The fourth week of the 2024 season has already brought about several upsets, last-second surprises and more.
Here are all the winners and losers from Sunday’s action:
WINNER: Vikings just keep rolling
The Minnesota Vikings won’t stop winning.
Sam Darnold came out firing at Lambeau Field on Sunday as the Vikings jumped out to a 28-0 lead. Jordan Love — returning from an MCL sprain — helped get the Packers within 28-22 early in the fourth quarter. But Minnesota answered with a field goal to put the game out of reach and seal a 31-29 win.
Darnold went 20 of 28 for 275 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He now has 11 touchdowns in four games for the undefeated Vikings, who will head overseas to London next week for a date with the New York Jets. Love and the Packers are 2-2 after his four-touchdown, three-interception performance.
LOSER: Eagles can’t handle the heat
The Philadelphia Eagles‘ season has ended in Tampa Bay in two of the last three seasons. It didn’t end on Sunday, but it was another empty trip to Florida for the Birds.
The Buccaneers earned a 33-16 win over the Eagles after jumping out to a 24-0 lead in the opening 23 minutes. Baker Mayfield finished the game with 347 passing yards and three total touchdowns as Tom Brady watched his successor slice and dice the Philly defense. Temperatures felt like over 100 degrees throughout the hotly-contested game.
Tampa Bay is now 3-1 and in sole possession of the NFC South lead, while the Eagles dropped to 2-2.
WINNER: Bengals on the board, finally (AND JAGS?)
How badly did the Cincinnati Bengals need that one?
Joe Burrow and Co. scored their first win of the season on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. While it wasn’t technically a must-win, it might as well have been. Only one team in history (1992 Chargers) has ever started 0-4 and made the playoffs.
The Bengals held on against the Panthers, who were fresh off a surprise win in Week 3 with Andy Dalton. Burrow had 232 passing yards and two touchdowns in the 34-24 victory. With a game against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens on tap in Week 5, the Bengals finally have some positive momentum.
LOSER: Offense in New Jersey
Points and yards were hard to come by in the Denver Broncos vs. Jets game.
In the end, the Broncos came away with the shocking 10-9 road win. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix had -7 passing yards on 15 attempts at halftime, but the offense did just enough in the second half to win. Nix finished 12 of 25 for 60 yards and a touchdown, but the Jets offense was even worse at a rainy MetLife Stadium.
Aaron Rodgers finished 22 of 42 for 225 yards, but three field goals is all the Jets could muster as Greg Zuerlein missed a 50-yard field goal in the final minute to seal the loss. Both teams are now 2-2 heading into Week 5.
WINNER: Who needs offensive touchdowns?
The Atlanta Falcons offense didn’t score a touchdown. The Atlanta Falcons still beat the New Orleans Saints 26-24.
Younghoe Koo nailed a career-long 58-yard field goal with two seconds left to clinch the win in what was an odd game. Atlanta scored its lone touchdown on a muffed punt by Rashid Shaheed and a 47-yard pick-6 by Troy Andersen, and Koo added four field goals.
The Falcons are now 2-2, even with the Saints, as a battle with the division-leading Bucs looms in Week 5.
WINNER: Caleb Williams
It wasn’t a Jayden Daniels-type performance, but Caleb Williams did enough to quiet the noise.
The Chicago Bears quarterback went 17 of 23 for 157 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s 24-18 win over the Los Angeles Rams. It was a solid all-around performance for the Bears, who moved to 2-2. Matt Eberflus’ defense forced two turnovers and the offense did not give the ball away.
For the Rams, the injuries are becoming too much to overcome. Sean McVay’s squad is 1-3 with old friend Matt LaFleur and the Packers visiting SoFi Stadium in Week 5.
