NFL Week 4 has come to a close, and there are a lot of storylines to cover as we wrap up the fourth weekend of NFL football. Officiating accountability, unexpected heroes, and a renewed dynasty headline the news from NFL Week 4. Here are some (potential) overreactions to the fourth slate.
On primetime television this week, we got to see three of the four NFC South teams play. A lot of fans may have groaned at that prospect, due to the division being aggressively mediocre over the past few seasons, but we did get to see some bright young stars who are emerging out of the quarterback room. It started with Bryce Young on Sunday night with the Carolina Panthers. Young had a fantastic night in the Panthers’ win over the Lions, as he was able to manage the game very efficiently and find the end zone twice. He had some highlight-reel throws to his top wideout, Tetairioa McMillan, who accounted for 192 of Young’s 329 yards.
Monday night, it was a battle between Tyler Shough of the Saints and Michael Penix Jr. of the Falcons. The Falcons came out the victor, as they have now scored 90 total points in the two games that Penix has started. Before that, they had managed only 16. Penix hasn’t completely lit up the stat sheet, but he has made the throws they’ve asked him to make, and he has kept the mistakes to a minimum, letting Bijan Robinson run wild the rest of the time. On the other side, Shough may have lost the game, but he has been slinging it well for New Orleans. He has put up 1203 yards in only four games, signaling that Kellen Moore is comfortable letting Shough command the offense with his arm. He has formed a great connection with Chris Olave, who has racked up almost 500 yards already.
There was a lot of controversy online Sunday afternoon after two videos of NFL officials went viral for the wrong reasons. In both cases, it involved officials getting in heated exchanges with players. This is not an uncommon occurrence, but the circumstances of these exchanges were slightly different. Referee Jeff Seeman was suspended for two games after video showed him shouting expletives at Cardinals TE Trey McBride. McBride had previously asked officials for a pass-interference flag, which may have prompted Seeman’s harsh reaction. Referee Adrian Hill was suspended one game after appearing to berate Vikings LB Eric Wilson for knocking Hill to the ground in what looked like an accidental collision.
The NFL Referees Association has challenged the suspensions for the officials, noting especially with Seeman that the precedent for a two-game suspension isn’t there. A lot of fans have spoken up, however, to say that accountability for officials who lose their temper during games is a good thing. Some have even pointed out that when these referees are reacting this strongly during these kinds of instances, it could have an impact on their judgment for the remainder of the game.
After scoring all 15 of the Vikings’ points against the Dolphins this past weekend, Reichard is responsible for almost 50% of Minnesota’s total points this season. He set a new career-high with five field goals in that game as he converted on all of his chances. He is a perfect 12/12 to start his 2026 campaign. The Vikings offense has been anemic since a Week One bludgeoning of the Packers, scoring only one offensive touchdown in that stretch. Minnesota has relied on their defense and Reichard to carry the load while the offense struggles. The thought was that the offensive production would pick up once Kyler Murray was back on the field, but he has been mediocre in his two games.
Kansas City has started the season 4-0. The last time they did that was not too long ago in 2024, when they finished 15-2 and went to the Super Bowl. It’s unclear exactly what sparked this turnaround from last season, just because so many things have gone right for the Chiefs these first few weeks. Kenneth Walker III looks unstoppable coming off his Super Bowl MVP, Eric Bieniemy is back running the offense, just like he did in the heyday of this team, and Patrick Mahomes looks to be back to himself after a couple of down seasons. Their toughest test will likely come in two weeks when they travel to Seattle, but as of now, they are undefeated, and the vibes are once again immaculate in Kansas City.
Brock Purdy, as everyone undoubtedly knows by now, has gone from Mr. Irrelevant, the last pick in the NFL draft, to one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the league. He is a testament to the 49ers‘ ability to draft and develop QBs, as his tape coming out of Iowa State doesn’t look like the polished and reliable player who has the reins of the Niners’ offense. In the past, he has been a dark horse in MVP discussions, but those have mostly amounted to hype, and Purdy has been on the outside looking in when awards season rolls around.
This year, Purdy should be the frontrunner through four weeks. He leads the league by a significant margin in passer rating and QBR. He has been incredibly efficient, as he is also first in net yards/pass attempt and touchdown percentage. This has led the 49ers to a 4-0 start, even after they were dealing with a litany of injuries out of the gate. There is a lot of season left to play, but if Purdy can keep up this pace, he should be an MVP frontrunner at year’s end.
Follow The Game Haus on Google
Add The Game Haus as a Preferred Source to see more of our gaming, esports, and sports coverage in Google Search.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
