Week 4 of the 2015 NFL season will be remembered for the breakout performance from rookie running back Todd Gurley and the plethora of missed kicks by placekickers around the league.
While Gurley’s stock is pointed straight up after the first 100-yard rushing game of his NFL career, a few kickers might be looking for new jobs after struggling to guide the ball through the uprights.
Here are the NFL’ers that saw their stocks rise or fall in Week 4:
Rising
GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 04: Running back Todd Gurley #30 of the St. Louis Rams runs past free safety Rashad Johnson #26 of the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of the NFL game at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 4, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Rams RB Todd Gurley: So this is why St. Louis used the No. 10 overall pick on the former Georgia star. Gurley exploded in the second half of the Rams’ upset win over the Cardinals, busting off big gain after big gain on his way to a career-high 146 rushing yards. The rookie back ran through some sizable holes in the Arizona defense, but he also showed he can hit another gear when breaking into the second level. Late in the game, Gurley delivered the knockout punch with two long runs—while also consciously staying in bounds to bleed the clock. He looks like a special talent.
Falcons running game: Atlanta routed the Houston Texans on Sunday, largely thanks to a productive pair of running backs. Devonta Freeman was once again a touchdown machine, scoring three times for the second week in a row. He rushed for 68 yards and caught five passes for 81 more. The Falcons pulled him and most of their starters before the fourth quarter, leaving backup Terron Ward with most of the late carries. He turned his 19 attempts into 72 yards and another score. Overall, Atlanta received 140 rushing yards and four touchdowns from its two backs in a 48-21 win. The Falcons are now on pace to rush for 36 touchdowns in 2015.
Panthers CB Josh Norman: Say hello to the NFL’s top turnover producer. Norman picked off Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston twice on Sunday, giving him four on the young season. He returned his first for a touchdown on Tampa Bay’s opening series, ending the scoring play with a great celebration in the end zone. Adding in a forced fumble back in Week 1, Norman now has five turnover plays in 2015—including two resulting in scores and the game-clinching pick against the Saints a week ago. The Panthers might want to consider locking him up for the long haul.
Browns TE Gary Barnidge: Everyone loves a good underdog story, right? An afterthought for the better part of his first seven years in the NFL, Barnidge has now caught 12 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns over the last two weeks. No other tight end has been more productive during that stretch. On Sunday, his juggling catch near the end zone set up the Browns’ game-tying touchdown late against San Diego. Maybe the 30-year-old tight end is just a late bloomer.
Packers run defense: Matt Forte running circles around Green Bay’s defense back in Week 1 feels like a distant memory. The Packers shut down Carlos Hyde on Sunday, limiting the sophomore running back to just 20 rushing yards during a 17-3 win over the offensively-challenged 49ers. The performance wasn’t just a mirage. Over the last three weeks, Hyde, Jamaal Charles (49) and Marshawn Lynch (41) have combined to rush for only 110 combined yards against the Packers’ suddenly stout run defense. Todd Gurley and the Rams travel to Green Bay in Week 5.
Broncos pass rush: Facing the Denver defense in the thin Rocky Mountain air doesn’t seem fair. Wade Phillips’ group put Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater under siege on Sunday, sacking him seven times and hitting him on at least four other dropbacks. Safety T.J. Ward sealed the game for Denver when he delivered a strip-sack of Bridgewater on the final drive, while Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware—the NFL’s premier pass-rushing tandem—were once again unblockable. Even backups Shane Ray and Shaquil Barrett would start for some teams. The Broncos now have an NFL-high 18 sacks through four games.
Falling
PITTSBURGH, PA – OCTOBER 01: Josh Scobee #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after missing a field goal in the second half of the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field on October 1, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
NFL kickers: What a week for the game’s most vulnerable position. Pittsburgh’s Josh Scobee kicked things off on Thursday night, as his two fourth-quarter misses allowed Baltimore to tie the game in regulation. The Ravens eventually won in overtime, and Scobee was released on Saturday.
The carnage for kickers continued a day later. Jason Myers of the Jaguars missed two game-winning kicks. Kyle Brindza couldn’t connect on two field goals and an extra point for the Buccaneers. Blair Walsh missed a 38-yard kick as the Vikings lost by three points. Caleb Sturgis failed to convert a 33-yarder and one extra point for the Eagles. Zach Hocker clanked a potential game-winner in New Orleans. Overall, NFL kickers missed 14 field goals and four extra points in Week 4. Cairo Santos (7-for-7 on field goals), Robbie Gould (game-winner against Oakland) and Chandler Catanzaro (5-for-5) saved the position from what could have been an abysmal week.
Miami Dolphins: One win in four weeks is an ugly look for a team many expected to compete in the postseason in 2015. The Dolphins were blasted by the Jets in London 27-14, making it possible that Joe Philbin becomes the first head coaching casualty of the 2015 season. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill attempted 44 passes but gained just 167 net passing yards, while Miami’s run defense was shredded by Jets running back Chris Ivory—who rushed a career-high 166 yards. The Dolphins finished 0-for-12 on third down and were outgained by almost 200 yards. It doesn’t matter what country Miami plays in. The Dolphins are not good.
RBs named Murray: Latavius Murray and DeMarco Murray will probably want to forget about Week 4. The Raiders’ Murray was responsible for two unforgivable turnovers against the Bears. After letting a Derek Carr pass clank off his chest for an easy interception, Murray fumbled away a pitch for another giveaway. He was promptly benched for Roy Helu. Philly’s version wasn’t much better. He carried the football eight times for 36 yards and caught two passes as the Eagles lost to Washington. The $40 million man now has 47 yards on 29 carries through Week 4. He openly complained about his usage in Chip Kelly’s offense after the Eagles’ third loss in four games.
Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston: Playing quarterback in the NFL is insanely difficult, as Winston is finding out the hard way. The No. 1 overall pick threw four interceptions and lost a fumble during Sunday’s blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers, bringing his league-high turnover mark to nine. He also committed two intentional grounding penalties. No judgments should be made after just a handful of games, but Winston has really struggled in three of his first four starts. The Buccaneers will just have to work through the ups and downs, no matter how bad the downs are. Hopefully, Winston and turnovers won’t always be a packaged deal.
Houston Texans: The Texans took another hard knock on Sunday, losing their third game in four tries to start the season. J.J. Watt called the performance “pitiful,” and that’s probably underselling it. Houston fell behind 42-0 before losing to the Falcons by a 49-21 scoreline. The offense’s problem at quarterback was easy to predict before the season, but who saw the Texans defense getting consistently run over? The Falcons converted 10 third or fourth downs and produced four scoring drives with nine or more plays. If Houston doesn’t get things figured out on defense, the Ryan Mallett-Brian Hoyer tag team effort at quarterback might struggle to get the Texans to five wins.