Man, NFL Week 4 winners always seem to tell a story of who's actually for real and who just got lucky in September. By the time October 2025 rolled around, the "fluke" teams started falling off, and the heavyweights began to flex. Honestly, if you looked at the scoreboard this week, you saw a mix of absolute dominance and some of the weirdest "how did they win that?" finishes we’ve seen in years.
Take the Kansas City Chiefs. They didn't just win; they essentially dismantled a Baltimore Ravens team that people thought was a Super Bowl lock. Patrick Mahomes looked like he was playing a video game on rookie mode, throwing four touchdowns in a 37-20 blowout. It helped that Xavier Worthy was back in the lineup. His speed basically forced Baltimore’s safeties to play in the parking lot, leaving huge lanes for JuJu Smith-Schuster and Travis Kelce. When Mahomes has that kind of space, it's over before it starts.
The NFL Week 4 Winners Who Gritted It Out
Sometimes winning is ugly.
The Philadelphia Eagles are the poster child for this right now. They took down the previously unbeaten Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-25, but it wasn't exactly a masterpiece. They were up 24-6 at the half and then... just stopped. Five straight three-and-outs. They had to take an intentional safety at the end just to run out the clock. It was weird. But a win is a win, especially when Jalen Hurts is gutting through a game where his offensive line is literally falling apart. Losing Lane Johnson to a shoulder injury is a massive problem moving forward, though.
Then you’ve got the Chicago Bears. They beat the Raiders 25-24 in what was probably the sloppiest game of the weekend. Both teams couldn't stop tripping over their own feet. But the Bears found a way. D’Andre Swift punched in a score late, and then Josh Blackwell blocked a 54-yard field goal attempt as time expired. That’s two wins in a row for Ben Johnson's squad. They aren't "good" yet, but they’re becoming hard to beat, which is a start.
The Surprise Stars of Sunday
- Drake Maye (Patriots): The kid looks like the real deal. He put up 203 yards and two scores through the air, plus one on the ground, in a 42-13 demolition of the Panthers.
- Jaxson Dart (Giants): Talk about a debut. In his first NFL start, he led the Giants to a 21-18 upset over the Chargers. It’s a bittersweet win, though, because Malik Nabers tore his ACL. That’s a brutal blow for a team finally finding a rhythm.
- Tutu Atwell (Rams): With 1:33 left, Matthew Stafford found Atwell for an 88-yard bomb to beat the Colts 27-20.
- Parker Washington (Jaguars): His 87-yard punt return was the spark Jacksonville needed to hand the 49ers their first loss of the season (26-21).
Historic Wins and International Luck
We have to talk about Dublin.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers went over to Ireland and knocked off the Minnesota Vikings 24-21. Aaron Rodgers was surgical—18 for 22. It turns out "the luck of the Irish" is just having a veteran QB who knows how to exploit a zone defense. DK Metcalf was a monster, taking a crossing route 80 yards for a score, which is now the longest touchdown in the history of the NFL International Series.
The Vikings fans have to be frustrated. They had Justin Jefferson (126 yards) and Jordan Addison (114 yards) both going off, but their offensive line disintegrated at the worst possible moment. Losing Ryan Kelly to an injury mid-game basically killed their timing.
What This Means for the Standings
Look, the AFC East is becoming the Buffalo Bills' backyard. They moved to 4-0 after beating the Saints 31-19. Meanwhile, the Dolphins finally got a win against the Jets, but they lost Tyreek Hill to a serious-looking knee injury. The attrition rate this week was honestly staggering.
In the AFC South, the Colts' loss to the Rams means the division is wide open again. It’s a mess.
One thing is for sure: NFL week 4 winners aren't just teams with the best stats. They’re the teams that survived the injury bug. Whether it’s the Chiefs getting their weapons back or the Giants winning while losing their best receiver, the depth of these rosters is being tested earlier than usual this season.
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Actionable Insights for Week 5
If you're looking at these results to figure out what happens next, keep an eye on these three things:
- Monitor the Eagles' O-Line: If Lane Johnson is out for an extended period, the Eagles' offense will continue to stall in the second half. They lack the same rhythm without him.
- The "Maye" Effect: Drake Maye is playing with a confidence we haven't seen in New England since... well, you know. He’s worth a look in fantasy leagues if he's still sitting on your waiver wire.
- Ravens Regression: Baltimore’s defense is banged up. They lost Roquan Smith and Marlon Humphrey during the Chiefs game. Until they get healthy, they are a high-risk bet against any team with a competent passing attack.
The NFL is a marathon, not a sprint, but Week 4 is usually when we see who has the legs to keep going.