The Sunday slate for Week 4 of the 2026 NFL seasonkicked off in London between the Colts and Commanders. After a slow start, the Colts recovered to secure a victory abroad.
Back in the United States, the road team won in six of eight matchups during the early window. That included a bounceback win by Patriots QB Drake Mayeover the Bills. The Cowboys won a shootout in Houston, and the Rams pulled off an improbable comeback against the Eagles.
Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for teams that played Sunday. Fantasy football analysts Matt Bowen and Tristan Cockcroft also have fantasy takeaways from each matchup.
Let’s get to it with the biggest lessons from Sunday’s games.
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Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Patriots
Has Drake Maye turned a corner after a shaky start? Absolutely. Maye was effective with his legs and settled into a rhythm early by leading a 97-yard opening TD drive. He was also clutch in leading a game-winning TD drive in crunch time. Two turnovers still hurts — the first a lost fumble when the pocket collapsed, and the second a fluke play at the end of the second quarter when an inaccurate throw to a diving Romeo Doubs popped up into the air. Maye’s eight turnovers still lead the NFL.
Most surprising performance: Mike Vrabel being penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct at the end of the second quarter, which came immediately after CB Marcus Jones was penalized for defensive holding on third-and-16. Vrabel was upset, and the Bills — getting the ball at the 6-yard line — capitalized to score a TD three plays later. — Mike Reiss
Next game: vs. Raiders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Bills
How do the Bills fix their issues in man coverage? The Bills’ makeshift secondary lost challenge after challenge against the Patriots’ receivers in man coverage. Missing Christian Benford, Dee Alford and Jordan Hancock didn’t help. But the Patriots’ vertical attack exposed weaknesses in outside cornerbacks Maxwell Hairston and Davison Igbinosun. Making his first career start, Igbinosun got beat one-on-one by seldom-used receiver Efton Chism III for the game-winning touchdown.
Most surprising performance: WR Keon Coleman put together arguably his best game as a pro, catching six passes for 115 yards and the Bills’ go-ahead TD in the fourth quarter. After DJ Moore exited with a shoulder injury right before halftime, Coleman became Josh Allen‘s go-to target on third downs. Five of his catches either moved the sticks or resulted in points. — Nick Suss
Next game: at Rams (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: Patriots QB Drake Maye finally showed chemistry with WR Romeo Doubs, targeting him on 9 of 37 attempts. Doubs finished with 23.8 fantasy points. It’s the first elite fantasy day by any Patriots WR in 2026, and perhaps the start of a WR3/flex run for Doubs while A.J. Brown heals. — Cockcroft
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Rams
Will the Rams figure out how to avoid self-inflicted wounds?As a result of penalties, turnovers and special teams errors, the Rams struggled to get into a rhythm on offense until late in the fourth quarter. The penalties have been an issue this season; through four weeks, the Rams had 10 penalties accepted against them in red zone situations, which is three more than any other team, according to ESPN Research. On Sunday, the penalties came all over the field, as Los Angeles was called for eight penalties for 100 yards. The Rams will continue to struggle closing out wins if they cannot stop their unforced errors.
Most surprising performance: Despite missing Myles Garrett, Aaron Donald and Jaylen Watson, the Rams’ defense held the Eagles to 172 total yards and 0-of-12 on third down and 1-of-4 on fourth down. While the Eagles scored 20 points, 17 were scored on drives that started in Rams territory (two interceptions and a short field after a long punt return by the Eagles).– Sarah Barshop
Next game: vs. Bills (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Eagles
Are the Eagles in trouble? Injuries are mounting, and with more tough games upcoming, they’re facing a critical stretch of the season. The Eagles’ defense, coming off a rough game against the Bears, rebounded with a two-takeaway performance in the first half. But a late Rams surge turned a double-digit lead into a disheartening defeat. In the meantime, they lost edge Jonathan Greenard (ankle), cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (knee) and running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring) to go with a host of injuries entering the game. Philadelphia will be limping into next week’s game against the Jaguars in London before facing the Panthers and Cowboys.
What to make of the QB performance: Jalen Hurts found little success through the air (12-of-27, 93 yards). He capitalized on strong field position generated by the defense and special teams by tossing a pair of touchdown passes, both to Darius Cooper. But the Eagles were awful on third down, going 0-for-12. Hurts was working uphill without Smith, Barkley, tight end Dallas Goedert and tackle Lane Johnson, who was a late scratch because of personal reasons. But that won’t make the result much easier to swallow. — Tim McManus
Next game: vs. Jaguars (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET in London)
Fantasy football takeaway: After missing the past two games with hip and groin injuries, Rams WR Puka Nacua scored a season-high 27.7 fantasy points, catching nine of 12 targets for 125 yards and scoring on a low red zone rushing carry (jet sweep). With Nacua healthy and seeing this type of usage, he’s back as an elite WR1 in Sean McVay’s system. — Bowen
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Jaguars
Can the Jaguars keep relying on turnovers on defense? Jacksonville’s defense took the ball away twice and should have had a third (aTravis HunterINT was wiped out by a roughing the passer penalty). That is 10 takeaways in four games, which has helped make up for an inconsistent pass rush. It was part of the Jaguars’ identity in 2025, and it’s working again a month into 2026. However, injuries are mounting in the secondary (safeties Eric Murray and Caleb Ransaw left the game and cornerback Montaric Brown was inactive). That could impact the defense over the next two weeks.
What to make of the QB performance: It was an efficient day for Trevor Lawrence with 227 yards and one touchdown. The only blemish was missing a wide-open Brenton Strange for what could have been a game-sealing touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter. Instead, the Bengals made a push up until the final minute.
Best quote from the locker room: Jaguars HC Liam Coen on the team’s 13 penalties for 125 yards, including 10 for 100 in the first half: “Never been part of anything like that before in my life. I’m not going to say anything to get fined. That was just mental. It was mental. I’ve just never quite seen something that much the first half of a football game.”– Michael DiRocco
Next game: vs. Eagles (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET in London)
Bengals
Can the Bengals withstand losing Ja’Marr Chase for a period of time? Yes, Cincinnati can lean on WR Tee Higgins and TE Mike Gesicki as major receiving options if needed. But if Chase misses any time with a potential concussion (he was ruled out at halftime), that significantly hurts Cincinnati’s offense. Not only are the Bengals already down two receivers (Andrei Iosivas, Colbie Young), but Chase also tilts the field like few players in the NFL. Without him for most of the game, Higgins had his second career game with at least 150 receiving yards.
What to make of the QB performance:Joe Burrowdid well under a lot of pressure, but he threw two interceptions, including one in the red zone as the Bengals were driving to take the lead early in the fourth quarter. Since the start of the 2024 season, he now has an NFL-high 13 turnovers in the fourth quarter or overtime, per ESPN Research.
Best quote from the locker room: “We had our opportunities the last two weeks, but certainly this isn’t Armageddon or anything,” Burrow said. “We’re still in a great spot.”– Ben Baby
Next game: at Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: Bengals WR Tee Higgins dominated targets (16-of-53) after Ja’Marr Chase’s early injury exit, scoring 26.7 fantasy points. With some question about whether Chase can clear the NFL’s concussion protocol in time for Week 5, Higgins could elevate to fantasy WR1 status. — Cockcroft
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Cowboys
How badly did the Cowboys need this win? Really badly. Since 2000, the Cowboys have not opened a season with just one win in their first four games and made the playoffs. Coming off a debilitating late loss last week, the Cowboys won for just the third time with Dak Prescott as their starting quarterback when trailing by double digits at halftime, per ESPN Research. The Cowboys’ offense awoke in the second half, and Prescott delivered a winning drive with a 12-yard TD pass to CeeDee Lamb. Being .500 now doesn’t guarantee a postseason spot — since 2000, they have had 12 2-2 starts and made the postseason in just three of those seasons — but it gives them some life ahead of next week.
Trend to watch: The Cowboys must figure out a lot of things, but their field goal protection is near the top of the list. For the second straight game, Brandon Aubrey had a long field goal attempt blocked. Last week in Rio, it was a 59-yard attempt from his left side. On Sunday, it was a 62-yard try from his right. The last time the Cowboys had field goal tries blocked in back-to-back games came in 1991. Those Cowboys, however, won both games. These Cowboys split them. — Todd Archer
Next game: vs. Buccaneers (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Texans
Where did it all go wrong? The Texans received the ball with 6:55 left trailing 27-23, and the offense scored a touchdown, giving them hopes of capturing their first win. But the defense completely fell apart on Dallas’ subsequent drive, which Dak Prescott capped with a touchdown pass to wideout CeeDee Lamb. Prescott shredded Houston for 335 passing yards while Lamb finished with 17 catches for 189 yards — puzzling stats considering the defense has three Pro Bowl defensive backs. This season has been the opposite of complementary football. If the offense plays well, the defense doesn’t match it. And when the defense plays well, the offense struggles.
What to make of the QB performance: C.J. Stroud continued his high-level play, throwing for 347 yards and two touchdowns. Stroud did his part and led the offense into the end zone late in the fourth quarter. But for the second straight week, the defense failed to close it. — DJ Bien-Aime
Next game: at Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: Texans QB C.J. Stroud scored a season-high 23.08 points, and he should be viewed as a matchup-based starter with WR Nico Collins back on the field. Collins, who missed the past two games with a hamstring injury, caught seven of a team-high eight targets for 110 yards and two touchdowns. He is the difference-maker for Houston’s pass game. — Bowen
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Giants
Did Jameis Winston do enough to keep the starting job? This is the up-and-down Winston experience that is expected. Yes, there were two ugly interceptions. But there were also some “Wow!” throws and three touchdown passes. It was his 20th career three-touchdown game. He went 18-of-29 for 250 yards. It wasn’t pretty, but it was enough to produce a victory for the second straight week. Winston has been adamant about being judged on wins and losses. This probably bought him some more time with J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings.
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Key stat to know: The Giants scored their first TD in 152 minutes and 56 seconds of game action, a mark of more than 10 quarters. Malachi Fields‘ 12-yard touchdown reception from Winston late in the second quarter on a broken play ended the drought after 25 drives. New York hadn’t scored a touchdown since the fourth quarter of Week 1, when Jaxson Dart was still the quarterback.
Best quote from the locker room: “You know who else came through? Tae Banks. Tae Banks,” Giants coach John Harbaugh said ofDeonte Banks‘ game-sealing 98-yard interception return for a touchdown. “He came through with a huge play and after a crazy pass interference.”– Jordan Raanan
Next game: vs. Commanders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Cardinals
What happened after Arizona’s first two touchdowns? The Cardinals had a chance to put Sunday’s game to bed early … like first-quarter early. Up 14-6, Arizona turned the ball over when Marvin Harrison Jr. picked off Jacoby Brissett on the second play of the team’s third drive. The offense fell apart from there, gaining 7 total yards until the second-to-last play of the first half. The Cardinals’ offensive line, which was creating holes that allowed Arizona’s running backs to average 9.0 yards per carry on the first two drives, struggled to spring runs and protect Brissett.
Key stat to know: Eight. That’s the number of plays of 10 yards or longer that the Cardinals’ defense allowed vs. the Giants. Limiting explosive plays has been a priority for Arizona’s defense. The Cardinals gave up six plays of 15 yards or longer in the loss. — Josh Weinfuss
Next game: vs. Lions (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: Giants WR Malik Nabers finally had that big game working with QB Jameis Winston (23.2 FPTS and 24% target share) ahead of an appealing Week 5 matchup. And TE Isaiah Likely got involved, too (13.6 and 41%). Both warrant places in all fantasy lineups for next week. — Cockcroft
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Ravens
What’s the concern level regarding Lamar Jackson‘sinjury? Jackson didn’t play in the second half after sustaining an ankle injury on the final offensive snap before halftime. It appeared Titans linebacker Jermaine Johnson II landed on the side of Jackson’s left ankle. With Jackson remaining in uniform on the sideline, this feels like a case where the Ravens didn’t want to risk further injury to him, considering they had a double-digit lead. Still, Baltimore struggled without Jackson. In five drives with backup Tyler Huntley, the Ravens totaled 98 yards, no points and punted four times. That said, if Jackson has to miss any more time, Baltimore has confidence in Huntley, who was 2-0 last season.
Key stat to know:Tyler Loop‘s64-yard field goal that ended the first half was the longest in M&T Bank Stadium’s 28-year history. It surpassed the previous long by 6 yards. This has been quite a run by Loop, who won last week’s game in Rio with a 56-yard field goal as time expired. — Jamison Hensley
Next game: at Falcons (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Titans
Has Carnell Tate emerged as the Titans’ top pass catcher? Quarterback Cam Ward threw to Tate more than any other pass catcher, and this year’s No. 4 pick delivered. Tate became the first Titans receiver to gain 100 or more receiving yards since Calvin Ridley (131) against the Cardinals on Oct. 5, 2025. Tate also drew an illegal contact call on the team’s second drive, which led to their first touchdown. Although he had a few drops and a fumble, he has clearly emerged as the top receiver for Ward, who said last week that he noticed Tate getting open and wanted to increase his targets.
What to make of the QB performance: The stats won’t say so, but Ward played much better than he did in the first three games. He seemed more comfortable in the pocket and even stared down the pass rush before delivering the ball to Tate on a third down. Most of Ward’s throws were on the money and his only interception wasn’t his fault, as the ball bounced off Tony Pollard‘s hands. He also cleared 200 passing yards for the first time this season. — Turron Davenport
Next game: vs. Texans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: Ravens WR Zay Flowers scored a season-high 25.8 fantasy points this week, but where do we see the wide receiver for Week 5 if QB Lamar Jackson (ankle) is out? If Tyler Huntley gets the start, the Ravens could be more run-heavy. But look for a play-action passing game script, which should create schemed targets for Flowers. He’ll stay in the WR2 range. — Bowen
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Packers
Is this enough to think the Packers are back on track? Well, they needed to go the distance to beat a winless team that started an undrafted rookie quarterback, so it probably won’t convince anyone of much. Throw in the loss of one of the Packers’ best defensive players, linebacker Edgerrin Cooper to an Achilles injury, and new problems were created. At least this got them to 2-2 with a run of three home games in the next four weeks. Even though the potential loss of Cooper could be difficult, they will get Micah Parsons back at some point.
Most surprising performance: The Packers blew two legitimate scoring chances in the fourth quarter with turnovers. First, running back Kaleb Johnson lost a fumble at the Bucs’ 1-yard line with a little more than 9 minutes left. On the next possession, Jordan Love threw an interception at the Bucs’ 7-yard line. It marked the first time since a 2013 loss to the Bengals that the Packers had multiple fourth-quarter turnovers with a lead, according to ESPN Research. — Rob Demovsky
Next game: vs. Bears (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Buccaneers
Can Jalon Daniels keep the Bucs afloat while Baker Mayfield is out? There were some encouraging things about Daniels’ performance, even with the two interceptions. Although he didn’t have a passing attempt over 20 air yards, he orchestrated two touchdown-scoring drives, including one that ended on a 10-yard throw to Kenny Gainwell. On the final drive, Daniels also made clutch passes to Ted Hurst III on fourth-and-1 and Cade Otton on third-and-3. But that drive ultimately ended in an unblocked Evan Williams forcing an interception on fourth-and-11. Daniels finished 19-of-27 for 148 yards with one touchdown and two INTs.
Trend to watch: Coming into this game, the Bucs had the second-best rushing defense in the NFL and the Packers had the worst rushing offense. That part of the defense showed up, limiting the Packers to 86 rushing yards. Tampa Bay also forced timely turnovers in the fourth quarter, including an interception by cornerback Jacob Parrish with 4:26 to go. — Jenna Laine
Next game: at Cowboys (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: Packers WR Matthew Golden continues to see steady volume, and his red zone usage creates scoring opportunities. Golden, who had 11.7 points this week, has seen at least six targets in each game this season. And he has caught a touchdown in back-to-back games on end zone throws. He should be in the lineup for Week 5. — Bowen
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Bears
Did Tyson Bagent justify being QB1 for the Bears after Case Keenum‘s Week 3 strong performance? Keenum, who led the Bears to a rout of the Eagles in Week 3, was officially the starter Sunday, but only because coach Ben Johnson put him at QB for the first snap. After that, Bagent took over and went 25-of-34 for 268 yards. He didn’t throw a TD and was picked off once, although three other interceptions were negated by penalties. The Bears leaned on their run game as a result (232 yards) until Bagent got on track in the second half.
Most surprising performance: After maxing out at 10 carries in each of the Bears’ first three games, Kyle Monangai carried the load on the ground (30 rushes, 146 yards, 2 TDs) and became the third different Bears player with multiple rushing touchdowns in a game this season. On an afternoon whenD’Andre Swiftcouldn’t punch the ball in twice from inside the 3-yard line and later fumbled, Chicago needed everything it got from Monangai to break through on offense. — Courtney Cronin
Next game: at Packers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Jets
Were the Jets doomed by injuries or just bad offense? They played without four starters, including RB Breece Hall, but this was inexcusable. QB Geno Smith played his worst game; the third-down offense was terrible (0-for-7); and Garrett Wilson (3 catches, 27 yards) and Kenyon Sadiq (0 catches) were nonfactors. The Jets had 99 total yards before a 58-yard TD strike to Isaiah Williams in the fourth quarter. They’re having an identity crisis. The Jets want to be a physical, run-heavy team, but they veer from the plan because of inconsistent execution and/or lack of commitment. They’d better figure it out soon after losing three straight.
Key stat to know: It’s over, it’s over! SafetyMinkah Fitzpatrick picked off Tyson Bagent in the second quarter, ending the longest interception drought in NFL history. The Jets went 20 games and 643 pass attempts without one, dating back to Jan. 5, 2025. It was Fitzpatrick’s first full game as a Jet. This is why they traded for him in the offseason — to make plays on the ball. They could’ve had four interceptions, but three were nullified by penalties. — Rich Cimini
Next game: vs. Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: Backup RBs were the standouts on both teams: Braelon Allen (94% snap and 100% rushing shares and 4.2 YPC) for the Jets and goal-line standout Kyle Monangai (7 goal-to-go carries, 2 TDs, 28.0 total FPTS) for the Bears. Allen is the clear insurance policy for Breece Hall’s managers, and Monangai’s usage signals flex-play appeal for fantasy moving forward. — Cockcroft
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Colts
Can the Colts keep winning in ugly fashion? There’s a lot to be said for the Colts getting back to .500 after their 0-2 start. But their two victories raise as many questions as reasons for optimism. The performance of QB Daniel Jones in each of the past two games has been concerning, to say the least. After committing three turnovers in a win over the Texans, he was responsible for two more Sunday while the offense was often lethargic. The Colts have shown defensive improvement for the second straight week, but neither of the offenses they’ve played has showed much explosiveness. Still, getting back on track gives the Colts a chance to recover from their poor start.
Most surprising performance: Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner continues to dominate despite recently coming back from a very delicate neck surgery. Buckner, at 32, was all over the field on Sunday, pressuring Washington’s quarterbacks, stuffing the run and more. Buckner chasing down quarterback Marcus Mariota on a scramble was especially impressive, as was his consistent batting of passes at the line of scrimmage. — Stephen Holder
Next game: at Steelers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Commanders
Can the Commanders recover from all these injuries?As the saying goes, it’s getting late early for the Commanders. They were already playing minus their top four offensive players — tackle Laremy Tunsil, receiver Terry McLaurin, quarterback Jayden Daniels and guard Sam Cosmi— and then they lost backup QB Marcus Mariota. The good news for them? They’re hopeful Daniels can return in Week 5, but they need McLaurin (hamstring) and Cosmi (concussion) and their returns remain uncertain. And the worst part for Washington: After facing the Giants next Sunday, they play at San Francisco and then host the Eagles and Rams. Injuries plus that schedule equals trouble.
What to make of the QB performance: Athan Kaliakmanis, who was filling in for Mariota,has a big arm and plays with poise, but he’s also inexperienced and playing behind a patchwork line. Bad combo. He completed 15 of 33 passes for 186 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. With Mariota injuring the same knee that sidelined him multiple weeks in training camp, the Commanders need to consider signing a veteran to back up Jayden Daniels. However, the line needs to provide more help or it won’t matter. — John Keim
Next game: at Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: With Mariota (knee) and Daniels (elbow dislocation) both injured, the Commanders’ offense is in a precarious spot. Kaliakmanis had his moments — he was 2-of-6 for 95 yards and a touchdown on deep throws — but he’s a raw prospect. If he has to start in Week 5, downgrade the rest of the Commanders’ skill position players across the board. — Cockcroft
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