NFL Week 4 roundtable: Vikings vs. Packers showdown, emergence of Justin Fields, 0-3 teams in jeopardy
If 0-3 means danger, 0-4 means disaster for an NFL team. The Jacksonville Jaguars and Cincinnati Bengals – both with high expectations entering the year – could find themselves in that position after Sunday.
Before the season, some might not have expected that Minnesota Vikings – Green Bay Packers would be perhaps the most interesting game of Week 4. But Sam Darnold’s rebirth, Brian Flores’ “wild” and “different” defense, and Malik Willis’ stellar backup job (as well as Jordan Love’s status) changed the plans.
Elsewhere, it’s getting harder by the week to wrest the Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback job from Justin Fields. He leads Pittsburgh on the road against Anthony Richardson and the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
There’s plenty to discuss ahead of Sunday’s Week 4 games. The AthleticsMike Sando, Zak Keefer and Jeff Howe tell it all.
The Jaguars (at Houston) and Bengals (at Carolina) are trying to avoid the dreaded 0-4 start. Both teams had high expectations for the year. Should Jacksonville or Cincinnati be more concerned about the direction of the season?
Sando: Jacksonville! The Jaguars have existential questions about their football leadership, about the quarterback they just paid, about the essence of their operation. They would love to have the Bengals’ problems.
Beetle: I very much agree with Mike on this one. The main difference I see is the quarterback play. Joe Burrow has been much better in the last two weeks, even after two defeats, while Trevor Lawrence seems completely lost. He misses throws that no starter should miss, let alone a No. 1 pick who has been very good since entering the league. He has now lost eight straight starts. Something’s not right in Jacksonville. As for the Bengals, this defense is letting them down. Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are good enough to win games, but without Cincinnati playing any kind of complementary football, the Bengals can’t turn this around.
How: Before the season, I mentioned the Jaguars’ four-game schedule as their biggest concern, so the 0-3 start wasn’t entirely unpredictable. However, the lack of struggle and leadership was much more unexpected. In conversations with executives this week, they saw a team that lacked an identity on offense and struggled to protect the quarterback, and saw Lawrence’s inaccuracies as likely due to inconsistent fundamentals born of declining confidence. The Jaguars better work together or massive changes could happen in the not-so-distant future. The Bengals are likely out of the AFC North race, but they are still talented and resilient enough to push for a playoff spot.
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Between the Sam Darnold Redemption Tour and Malik Willis keeping the Packers afloat (Jordan Love was too Classified as doubtful on Friday), Vikings-Packers is suddenly one of the biggest games of the year so far. How do you see this matchup going?
Sando: The Vikings’ defense gives Minnesota an edge, while the Packers may turn to the quarterback. I would lean more toward Green Bay if Love had played and if he was in a rhythm. The Packers could win it either way; they’re home, and Sam Darnold won’t get through the season without turning it around again.
Beetle: Quarterbacks get all the love in this league – and Darnold and Willis would have been great considering the circumstances they were put in – but the sneaky storyline that needs to be paid attention to in this league is defense. Brian Flores’ Vikings unit has overwhelmed the 49ers and Texans offenses in consecutive weeks and is chasing the QB at a historic clip. Jeff Hafley was outstanding in his first year leading the Packers defense. This not only features two of the league’s most underrated head coaches in Kevin O’Connell and Matt LaFleur, but also two of the best defensive coordinators so far this season.
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How: The Willis story was an early season highlight, but Brian Flores’ defense has made Brock Purdy and CJ Stroud look ordinary in recent weeks. Whether it’s Willis or Love returning from injury and a two-week layoff, I’d be pretty surprised if they get the better of the Vikings’ defense. Darnold’s start was impressive, but I’m curious to see how he handles setbacks in the game. Not much has happened yet, and I’m sure Matt LaFleur and his staff have something in the works to throw him off a bit. This game could set the tone for the Coach of the Year conversation.
The Steelers are looking at a 4-0 start as they travel to Indianapolis on Sunday. Has Justin Fields done enough to keep the starting job over Russell Wilson, should Wilson ultimately be cleared to play?
Sando: Staying with Fields is easy. There’s no need to change unless Fields gets injured or really falters. It’s a long season. There’s a good chance Wilson will play at some point. There’s just no need to force it as long as everything goes well.
Beetle: Not if you ask Mike Tomlin, who basically says he won’t make this decision until he has to. But if Fields keeps playing like this, Wilson may never see the field again this season. Tomlin is experienced enough to know that you don’t mess up a good thing. Fields isn’t making things any brighter, but he seems to be getting more comfortable each week, and his upside is greater than that of Wilson, who is far from the same player he was during his peak in Seattle. All short of an absolute dud – or a really bad month – from Fields, Wilson gets his starting job back.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (2) warms up next to quarterback Russell Wilson before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Acrisure Stadium. (Barry Reeger/Imagn Images)
How: Absolute. Fields has done everything the Steelers have asked of him. He has an absolute gift beauty of a ball on Calvin Austin’s 55-yard touchdown against the Chargersbut above all he must play responsible football and play on time. That’s perfect. It’s great to see a team and a quarterback aligned to get the best out of each other. This is the definition of complementary football, and Fields and the coaching staff – and that immensely talented defense – all deserve credit. I’d be stunned if Fields kept up this pace and was relegated to the bench.
After a spectacular Monday Night Football performance, Jayden Daniels takes the Commanders on the road against the Cardinals. What has been most impressive about Daniels’ start to the season? Will his play change Washington’s ceiling this year?
Sando: Daniels’ poise was very impressive. The way he held strong against the rush, knowing he would land a big blow before delivering the clinch 27-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin was an example of this.
Beetle: Daniels has been the best of the rookie QBs thus far, and it’s not particularly close. I think a big part of this is what Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has asked Daniels to do: he takes advantage of his rookie QB’s immense skills without having to carry the entire offense on his shoulders. That’s much harder than it sounds. Daniels had just two incompletions in Monday night’s win, and part of those were the quick throws that Kinsburgy kept calling. It’s a delicate balance to start a rookie passer right away and let him get the experience of playing regular season games without letting the unforgiving nature of this league bury his confidence along the way. The Commanders are passing this test so far, and they deserve credit for that.
How: If Daniels keeps this up, the Commanders will be knocking on the door for the playoffs, so I’d say this is definitely a change in their ceiling. Kingsbury’s offenses stalled late when he led the Cardinals, so that’s something to keep an eye on. Of course, some of that was due to Kyler Murray getting beat up, and executives still believe that could be problematic for Daniels if he takes on too much contact. If they can keep the run game going, with both Daniels and Brian Robinson, the Commanders will be in good shape.
The Seahawks are 3-0 in an NFC West where the 49ers and Rams are struggling with injuries. The Lions’ path to another division title looks a little more difficult given the way the Vikings and Packers are playing. Have your preseason expectations about Seattle or Detroit changed after three games?
Sando: My expectations remain about the same, but if Seattle’s defense has its way against the Lions’ offense, I’ll wonder a little more loudly if the opponents catch up to Detroit’s offense. That was a potential concern heading into the season.
Beetle: Kudos to Mike Macdaniel and the Seahawks for their 3-0 start. You can only play against the teams in front of you. But let’s be honest: Seattle hasn’t beaten anyone yet. I seriously doubt the Broncos, Patriots or Dolphins will end up as a playoff team in 2024. Monday’s game is the first real test for the Seahawks, and if they stick with the 49ers and Rams – two teams with their own issues on the field right now – in the NFC West, this is their chance to prove it . The only thing that worries me about Detroit’s path to a second straight NFC North title is how good the division is. This is the best in the league, and it’s easy to imagine three teams all making the playoffs: the Lions, Packers and Vikings. Look at the back of the schedule, when all of the NFC North see each other in quick succession. This turns out to be a wild finish.
How: The Seahawks did a good job winning games, but weren’t really playing their best. They have also had to overcome some injuries of their own, although they are not as prominent as their divisional counterparts. I believed the Seahawks would be a playoff team this season, so my expectations with them are still the same. As for the Lions, they shook off a surprising loss to the Bucs with an impressive win against a vastly improved Cardinals team. I still have the Lions among the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
(Top photo of Trevor Lawrence: Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
