NFL Week 4: Notes and Quotes from Sunday's Action

For those who don't believe the NFL season moves incredibly quickly, consider this: We're already a month into the 2014 season. 

While the general landscape is still quite murky, we are at least starting to get a better look at which teams are equipped to thrive over the course of a full season and which ones are not.

Sunday saw plenty of statements made, both on and off the field.

Over the next few pages, we will take a look at some of the most important observations, stories and comments to emerge from Sunday's action.

The Packers Were Right to Not Panic

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The Green Bay Packers entered Week 4 with an uninspiring 1-2 record and a tough matchup with the division rival Chicago Bears on tap. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers wanted everyone to stress that it wasn't time to panic.

"Five letters here just for everybody out there in Packer-land: R-E-L-A-X," Rodgers said Tuesday on his ESPN Milwaukee radio show. "Relax. We're going to be OK."

Green Bay was more than OK against the Bears on Sunday, routing their rival 38-17. Rodgers appeared especially calm as he passed for 302 yards and tossed four touchdowns on the afternoon.

The Packers defense didn't allow Bears quarterback Jay Cutler to get too comfortable, which definitely helped Green Bay's cause. Cutler was sacked once and threw two interceptions during the game.

Perhaps Brandon Marshall Couldn't Stay Calm After the Loss

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Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall did catch a touchdown pass during the loss to Green Bay, but it was only one of two passes he hauled in on the afternoon.

He totaled just nine yards receiving during the game and helped create a turnover when he and Cutler failed to properly communicate on a route.

According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, Marshall refused to speak with reporters following the game.

Perhaps Marshall didn't want to address the leg injury that has slowed him in recent weeks or perhaps he simply didn't want to discuss Chicago's embarrassing performance in a critical division game.

Either way, his refusal to talk is probably a clear statement that Marshall was not a happy camper on Sunday.

The Steelers Are a Very Confusing Team

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The Pittsburgh Steelers traveled to Carolina and handed the Panthers a 37-19 beatdown last Sunday night. They looked very much like a playoff team while doing so.

However, the Steelers appeared extremely shaky in the six quarters prior to that game, getting outscored 50-9 during that time.

The contrast between the good Steelers and the bad Steelers has been so dramatic this season that it almost seems like two separate teams have taken the field at various times.

On Sunday, the bad Steelers returned and allowed the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers to escape Heinz Field with a 27-24 victory. 

The defense is especially confusing. It was dominant against the Panthers and for two quarters against the Cleveland Browns in Week 1 but has been otherwise inconsistent. The unit allowed second-year quarterback Mike Glennon to pass for 302 yards and two scores, including the game-winner with seven seconds remaining.

In a special column for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Bob Smizik described the latest loss, saying, "What was widely expected to be a laugher, turned out to be a crier -- and the joke’s on the Steelers."

And the Raiders Are Just Very Bad

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A change of scenery to London didn't help the Oakland Raiders perform better than they have at any other point in the season.

After the dominating 38-14 loss to the Miami Dolphins, the Raiders have slipped to 0-4 and have the look of the worst team in the entire league.

It didn't help that rookie quarterback Derek Carr was forced out of the game with knee and ankle injuries. According to former NFL physician Dr. David Chao, a left high-ankle sprain may cause Carr to miss some time.

The more concerning fact is that Oakland has struggled at times to even look like a competitive football team. It's fair to wonder just how close head coach Dennis Allen is to the chopping block.

According to CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora, owner Mark Davis is weighing the idea of replacing Allen with offensive coordinator Greg Olson on an interim basis. 

Doing so might not result in a better on-field product, but it would certainly send the message that the product on the field is far from excellent.

Steve Smith Is Proving to Be a Valuable Weapon in Baltimore

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Speaking of statements, how about the one made by Baltimore Ravens wideout Steve Smith Sr. against his former team on Sunday? 

Smith promised that there would be "blood and guts everywhere" if he had a chance to face the Carolina Panthers, who released him after 13 seasons during the offseason.

On Sunday, he got his opportunity and gashed the Panthers for 139 yards and two touchdowns on seven receptions.

"Not really," Smith said after the game when asked if he felt vindicated, per NFL.com. "When you play, you start to lose and forget who your opponent is."

It hasn't much mattered which opponents Smith has faced this season. Through four weeks he has racked up 429 yards and three touchdowns. He also has the Ravens looking like a very dangerous team.

San Diego Looks Like a Legitimate Contender

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The San Diego Chargers narrowly dropped an exciting Week 1 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals that ended in a one-point differential.

They haven't lost since and are quietly performing like one of the top teams in the entire AFC.

Since losing to the Cardinals, who are off this week and remain undefeated, the Chargers have bested the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills and the Jacksonville Jaguars. San Diego won all three games by at least two scores. 

With starting tailback Ryan Mathews sidelined with a knee injury since Week 2, the Chargers have been leaning primarily on quarterback Philip Rivers and the aerial attack.

“We weren’t as balanced but we were rolling pretty good in the passing game,” Rivers said after Sunday's 33-14 win over the Jaguars, via the Associated Press. “We spread the ball around today and that was pleasing. It was a collective effort.”

And Teddy Bridgewater Looks Like a Legitimate Star

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Former Louisville standout Teddy Bridgewater made his first start as quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

He shredded the Atlanta Falcons defense for 317 yards in a 19-of-30 passing performance. He also added 27 yards rushing and a touchdown on five carries.

However, the most impressive part of Bridgewater's performance is the way he energized a Vikings team that had lost two straight and did so with a veteran-like demeanor.

"He's too calm, man," wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson said of his quarterback, according to The Star Tribune. "He's too calm under pressure."

Bridgewater was carted off with an ankle injury and did not finish the game. According to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, however, Bridgewater expects to play next Thursday against the Packers.

Which Leaves Johnny Manziel as the Only First-Round QB Without a Start

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Who would have thought that the man known as "Johnny Football" would be the last prolific rookie quarterback to earn an NFL start this season?

Derek Carr began the season as the starter for the Oakland Raiders while Bridgewater and Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles made their first NFL starts on Sunday.

Because the Cleveland Browns are on their bye, Manziel spent the weekend watching Texas A&M win a tough overtime game against Arkansas at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. However, he probably wouldn't have done much playing were the Browns scheduled because of the steady hand of journeyman Brian Hoyer for Cleveland.

As hard as it may be to believe, this year's most polarizing rookie quarterback has also been its quietest early in the 2014 season.

The Cowboys Might Just Be Better Than Anticipated

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There were plenty of analysts who believed the Dallas Cowboys would be lucky to get to 8-8 for a fourth consecutive season.

The defense was historically bad a season ago, and quarterback Tony Romo spent most of the offseason recovering from back surgery.

The team looked terrible in its 28-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers to open the 2014 season.

After the loss, USA Today's Chris Strauss suggested that the Cowboys may want to continue playing poorly in order to justify blowing up the franchise following the season.

The problem is that the Cowboys have played relatively well since their Week 1 loss and now find themselves tied for first place in the NFC East with a 3-1 record. 

The big difference between projections and reality might be the ground game. DeMarco Murray has now rushed for 534 yards and six touchdowns in just four weeks.

"

Very impressive win for the @dallascowboys -- they have a winning formula if they can keep repeating it.

— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) September 29, 2014"

But the Saints May Be Far Worse That We Could Have Imagined

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The New Orleans Saints have established themselves as one of the more consistent NFC contenders in recent years, making the postseason in four of the past five seasons.

New Orleans had a busy offseason, bringing in guys like Pro Bowl safety Jairus Byrd and rookie receiver Brandin Cooks. Many believed it would make the Saints an improved team and a stronger contender.

It hasn't.

After Sunday's loss, the Saints find themselves tied for last place in the NFC South with a 1-3 record. The Saints have lost to the Cowboys, Falcons and Browns, with their lone win coming at home against the Vikings.

The good news is that the Saints are still not that far behind the 2-2 Panthers and 2-2 Falcons in a division that suddenly doesn't appear very intimidating. The other good news is that the Saints will play seven of their remaining 12 games at the Superdome.