Week 4 of the NFL season featured a dynamic quarterback-receiver passing duo in Atlanta with Matt Ryan breaking the Falcons’ single-game passing record, impressive rookie performances by Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott and Will Fuller, a few unlikely 3-1 teams and a memorable meltdown in San Diego.
Here is a closer look at the best and worst from the fourth week in the 2016 NFL season:
Best
Matt Ryan-Julio Jones connection
Ryan and Jones put together an impressive performance and got in the record books during Atlanta’s 48-33 win over the Panthers. Ryan threw for 503 yards—including 300 to Jones—giving the NFL its first ever quarterback-receiver combination to have 500 yards passing and 300 yards receiving in a single game.
Sunday was also the first time Ryan had thrown for over 500 yards in a game, while Jones’ career-high 300 receiving yards marked the sixth-most in a single game in NFL history. The two all but finished off the defending NFC champions with a 75-yard, catch-and-run touchdown in the fourth quarter. Thanks in large part to Ryan and Jones, the Falcons have the NFL’s most productive offense (38.0 points per game) through the first four weeks of 2016.
WR Michael Crabtree, Oakland Raiders
Three of Crabtree’s seven catches produced touchdowns, including a pair of scores in the fourth quarter as the Raiders held on and beat the previously undefeated Ravens in Baltimore. Crabtree’s touchdown receptions just kept getting better.
After hauling in a short fade from Derek Carr in the first quarter, Crabtree snagged a second score in traffic on third down and then beat the Ravens by making an over-the-shoulder catch and getting two feet in the end zone with 2:13 left in the contest. Through four games, Crabtree has four touchdowns and two game-winning plays (including the two-point conversion to win in Week 1).
QB Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
Playing with injuries to both legs, Wilson hung tough in the pocket against the Jets’ pressure and shredded New York’s secondary through the air. He completed 23 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns, while taking just two sacks and finishing the game with zero turnovers.
Wilson could have been an easy target for New York’s disruptive front, but he kept dropping back and beating the Jets for completions downfield, including big gains to Jimmy Graham and Doug Baldwin, and a 42-yard touchdown to rookie Tanner McEvoy. He finished Seattle’s 27-17 win with a 133.5 passer rating.
WR Will Fuller, Houston Texans
The Texans’ rookie receiver was dynamic in every way during a 27-20 win over the Titans. The Notre Dame product had 148 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, including a 67-yard punt return for the go-ahead score in the second half.
His 5-yard touchdown in the first quarter gave the Texans a 7-0 lead, and he later had a 28-yard reception on third down that helped set up a field goal. Oh, and don’t forget about his one-handed catch in traffic for 20 yards. Fuller looks like the real deal.
Dallas Cowboys rookies
The Cowboys used a pair of inspiring performances from rookies to escape San Francisco with a 3-1 record after four games. Quarterback Dak Prescott threw for 245 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while running back Ezekiel Elliott ran 23 times for 138 yards and a score.
Prescott still doesn’t have an interception despite 132 attempts to start the season, and Elliott is on pace for 1,648 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Cowboys couldn’t have asked for a better start from their rookie backfield.
Los Angeles Rams
Credit the Rams for overcoming an embarrassing Week 1 loss with three straight wins, including impressive victories over the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals. Sunday’s win in Arizona featured 266 passing yards and two touchdown passes from quarterback Case Keenum, and five takeaways and three sacks by the Los Angeles defense.
No one expected the Rams to be 3-1 after four games, especially after the 49ers took them to the woodshed in the season opener. Jeff Fisher’s team will now have to go 5-7 over the final 12 games to finish 8-8.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers bounced back from last week’s blowout loss to the Eagles by blowing out the Chiefs on Sunday night. Pittsburgh scored the game’s first 36 points, using five touchdown passes and a two-point conversion from Ben Roethlisberger to put the game away early.
Roethlisberger connected with eight different receivers and hit on three different touchdowns of 30 yards or more, while the Steelers defense forced two turnovers and held the Chiefs without a point until the fourth quarter.
Worst
Carolina Panthers defense
We already touched on the impressive numbers from Ryan and Jones, who together torched the Panthers on Sunday. But the stats get worse for Carolina’s steam-rolled defense. The Falcons gained 571 total yards, averaged 8.8 yards per play and converted eight third downs.
Atlanta also marched down the field for scoring drives of 92, 98 and 99 yards. The stunning defensive collapse has left the defending NFC champions with a 1-3 record to start 2016.
New England Patriots
New England’s final game without Tom Brady was an ugly one. Rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett led an offense that was shutout by the Bills at Gillette Stadium, marking the first time the Patriots failed to score at home since 1993.
New England converted 1-of-12 third downs, lost a fumble and had nine penalties, including an offensive pass interference call that wiped away a 90-yard touchdown on the first play of the game. The Patriots are 3-1 and Brady’s on his way back, but Sunday showed that Bill Belichick can’t always provide the right answers without his star quarterback.
San Diego Chargers
For the third time in four games, the Chargers coughed up a late lead and lost a game they clearly should have won. Sunday’s disaster might have been the worst of the calamities. Up 13 points in the fourth quarter on the winless Saints, the Chargers proceeded to fumble twice in their own territory—leading to a pair of quick touchdowns and a 35-34 deficit.
A final opportunity to salvage the game ended with Philip Rivers throwing an interception on fourth-and-long. The Chargers could very easily be 4-0. Instead, San Diego is now one of the most disappointing 1-3 teams in history.
Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota
The top two picks in the 2015 draft are having major issues to start their sophomore seasons. Winston threw two more interceptions in a 27-7 loss to the Broncos, giving him eight through four games in 2016.
Mariota completed only 13-of-29 passes and tossed an ugly interception as Tennessee fell to the Texans. Both the Buccaneers and Titans are now 1-3, with young quarterbacks struggling to take care of the football. Winston and Mariota have combined for 17 turnovers in 2016, and both rank in the bottom third of the NFL in passer rating.
Detroit Lions
Detroit’s 17-14 defeat in Chicago handed the Bears their first win of 2016 and the Lions their third-straight loss. Sunday was a no-show for Detroit’s offense and defense. The Lions managed just 263 total yards and had two scoring drives thwarted by Matthew Stafford interceptions, while Detroit’s defense allowed 302 passing yards and two touchdowns to Brian Hoyer and 111 rushing yards to rookie running back Jordan Howard.
The Lions aren’t healthy, but it’s hard to excuse losing to a winless division rival, especially one playing a backup quarterback and multiple no-namers on defense.
