Chris Simms' NFL All-Week 4 Team

Having an upper-echelon quarterback changes the complexion of an NFL team. I saw this firsthand during my time as a scout with the New England Patriots. Knowing Tom Brady was going to be under center every single week gave the team a quiet sense of confidence and a silent sense of accountability. 

Players knew that if there was something in the game plan that Brady couldn't pull off, no one could. They also knew that if they didn't do what Brady wanted them to do on the field, they weren't going to be on it. Brady's presence also allowed coaches to open up the playbook. His arm talent allowed them to design and call plays they wouldn't have dared with a lesser quarterback.

Ever since Brady became the starter in New England, the Patriots have been a different franchise.

For my All-Week Team for Week 4, I'm starting things with three quarterbacks who appear to be changing the courses of their respective franchises. Their performances over the weekend showed why, and we're going to dig into those—along with the showings of my other top 19 players.

These are my top 11 offensive and top 11 defensive players for Week 4.

QB: Alex Smith, Chiefs

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith has been one of the biggest surprises of the 2017 season because he reinvented himself. I used to refer to him as Charlie Checkdown because of his conservative nature, but that's not who he is this year. Smith is aggressive in the passing game, and he's a playmaker.

Kansas City is a completely different team because of this.

We saw a lot of the reinvented Smith against the Washington Redskins. His aggressiveness stood out when he fired a pass down the seam to Travis Kelce right over a defender early in the game. His physical ability and fearlessness were on full display on the game-winning drive, when he dropped a dime to Albert Wilson in stride while on the run.

Smith played the type of game in Week 4 that we're used to seeing from Aaron Rodgers. That's remarkable for a guy we used to call a game manager.

QB: Deshaun Watson, Texans

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The MVP of the week is, of course, Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. This is another guy who is changing his team with the way he's playing.

The amazing thing is how much Watson has improved his arm strength. The big question I had and the one my NFL friends had was this: Would Watson be able to put the pedal to the metal throwing the football when need be?

Anyone who says arm strength isn't important for a quarterback doesn't know that much.

Being around NFL passers has made Watson realize what he needs to do at the NFL level. Guys who are open in college are covered in the pros. Watson has figured out how to zip the ball into those tight windows, and it's made him a complete quarterback.

We saw this against the Tennessee Titans, when Watson made plays with his legs but also carved up the secondary with sharp, accurate passes. He's changing what the Texans are able to do on offense and has made them one of the better teams in the AFC.

QB: Jameis Winston, Buccaneers

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Jameis Winston has changed the fortunes of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He's a tremendous player, but he's also a great leader. He couldn't be calmer in clutch situations, which we saw against the New York Giants.

Right before the half, with the Buccaneers nursing a three-point lead, Winston found himself under pressure. He calmly stepped up in the pocket and delivered a clutch ball to Mike Evans to set the team up with a goal-to-go opportunity.

Winston had another big throw at the end of the game to Cameron Brate. He again moved up in the pocket and threw a perfect 26-yard pass to set Tampa up for the game-winning field goal.

It's not just Winston's throwing and smooth demeanor that is making the Buccaneers offense better. He's capable of moving effortlessly around the pocket, and when he needs to run, he can run.

TE: A.J. Derby, Broncos

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Quarterbacks aren't the only ones who can transform an offense. Tight end A.J. Derby is doing exactly that for the Denver Broncos.

Derby had a breakout game against the Oakland Raiders, and he's looking like he can be a game-changer. He had a huge one-handed catch down the sideline that he took in for a touchdown. He ran a wheel route out of the fullback position, got open downfield and finished the play in a big way.

Derby is effective in space and can run routes like a wide receiver when split out wide. He was the best pass-catching player for either team Sunday, and he can add a new dynamic to the Broncos offense moving forward.

TE: Charles Clay, Bills

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Tight end Charles Clay was the only real pass-catching threat for the Buffalo Bills in their game against the Atlanta Falcons. Heck, he was the Bills offense for the most part.

Clay had two big-time catches that were the two biggest plays for Buffalo. He's another hybrid-type tight end who is difficult to defend. It doesn't matter if you're an athletic safety or a fast linebacker—it's hard to run with a guy like Clay.

What makes Clay even more dangerous in the Bills offense is Tyrod Taylor's aggressive mindset and his ability to make throws off the bootleg. It's a perfect combination because Clay can create his own space down the field. When Taylor extends plays, these two are able to hook up for impact gains.

TE: Travis Kelce, Chiefs

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With all due respect to Rob Gronkowski, Kansas City's Travis Kelce is the best pass-catching tight end in football right now.

Kelce can do multiple things from the traditional tight end spot. He's a solid blocker, and he can beat people with both speed and with his route-running. However, the Chiefs use Kelce in more ways than other teams are willing to use their tight ends.

This isn't because the Chiefs are devoid of weapons, either.

Kelce can line up at the fullback position or at quarterback in the Wildcat. He can also split wide and play like a receiver. He can make magic with a shovel pass on the inside, or he can split the seam and cut through the heart of the defense, like he did against Washington early Monday night.

The variety of ways Kansas City utilizes Kelce speaks to how the team views him and his playmaking ability.

TE: Cameron Brate, Buccaneers

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Brate probably had the biggest play of the game for the Buccaneers in Week 4. He beat safety Landon Collins—who, in my opinion, is the best safety in the game—off the line and got open downfield in a short-yardage situation. That's the play that set up the game-winning kick.

This was a game where Evans and DeSean Jackson couldn't be the focal points of the offense because of the quality of the New York secondary. Brate took over and became a problem for the Giants defense.

Not only did he help set up the game-winning field goal, he also allowed Tampa Bay to take a lead midway through the fourth quarter. He got open on a post route and hauled in a 14-yard touchdown catch. Essentially, the Buccaneers' final two scores—and their victory—came courtesy of Brate.

RB: Todd Gurley II, Rams

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For the second week in a row, Todd Gurley II was basically the Los Angeles Rams offense. He had some amazing runs against the Dallas Cowboys, and almost all of them were solid.

Gurley gained 121 yards on 23 carries, but it's not like he had a 70-yarder that skewed the total. He consistently ran for five yards or more, which shows he's seeing holes and that he's not afraid to get the tough yards.

What Gurley can do in the passing game is also impressive. His 53-yard touchdown catch-and-run was incredible. He sliced through the middle of the Cowboys defense to get open downfield, then he ran away from the entire secondary to the end zone.

Gurley has built a reputation as a powerful runner, but he's really challenging guys like Kareem Hunt as a player who can do it all for his team. The fact head coach Sean McVay is allowing Gurley to do it all should tell you all you need to know about how he views his workhorse back.

RB: LeGarrette Blount, Eagles

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It's always interesting when you see a coach change his scheme in order to utilize a player's talent. This is what the Philadelphia Eagles' Doug Pederson did against the Los Angeles Chargers in order to take advantage of LeGarrette Blount.

Coming into the season, Pederson had a tendency to favor runs to the outside, where he hoped backs could create space. Against L.A., he allowed Blount to do what he does best and smash into the defense on downhill carries.

Blount is a physical presence. He's one of those players where you don't realize just how big he is until you meet him in person. He's every bit of 250 pounds, and he's running up the middle and making people miss. He's also better than people realize in the passing game, and the Eagles could probably utilize him more in that way.

If you want to see how Blount is the total package, just watch his 68-yard run against the Chargers. He burst through the middle, juked one defender, stiff-armed another and nearly ran away from the entire defense.

Leaning on Blount more should be Philadelphia's formula moving forward.

WR: Keenan Allen, Chargers

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Chargers receiver Keenan Allen did his best to try taking over the game against the Eagles. He had a huge day and made some of the biggest plays for L.A.

Allen had a 49-yard reception just before the end of the first half to help set up a field-goal opportunity. He faked a slant, ran back outside and got open down the field. In fact, he had another big reception on the drive for 10 yards and was targeted twice more. The ensuing kick brought the Chargers within a touchdown and kept them in the game.

When L.A. was down late, Allen was again Philip Rivers' go-to target. He had a 50-yard reception that helped set up a touchdown and gave the Chargers a chance to win, bringing them within two points with just under seven minutes remaining.

But the defense couldn't get the ball back.

WR: DeAndre Hopkins, Texans

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It's usually not sexy with Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins. He's not going to make Odell Beckham Jr.- or Julio Jones-type wow plays. That's not who Hopkins is. What he will do is make tough, physical catches with consistency. This makes him a great security blanket for a young quarterback like Watson.

Whenever Watson is in doubt, he throws it to Hopkins. This is because he trusts him—and he should. Hopkins plays the receiver position as physically as anyone in the game, and he has a tremendous catch radius.

When given a one-on-one opportunity, Hopkins is a pretty safe bet.

He's almost a wideout version of a grinding running back. He can wear down a defense, and we saw that against the Titans. He had 10 catches for 107 yards, but his longest play went for 21.

Watson is developing a rhythm with Hopkins, and teams should start doubling him more if they're going to stop the Houston offense.

DE: Khalil Mack, Raiders

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Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack was the best pass-rusher in the NFL in Week 4. His power is unmatched, and it didn't matter if he was going against Menelik Watson or Donald Stephenson, Mack had his way.

What separates Mack from other edge-rushers is his ability to push tackles back into the quarterback. He did that consistently against the Broncos and nearly caused Trevor Siemian to fumble at one point. Like other pass-rushers, Mack can beat you with speed too.

He is also amazing against the run, which often goes overlooked. He's one of the best run-stopping defensive ends in football—if not the best. He was incredible against both the run and the pass all game in Denver.

LB: Whitney Mercilus, Texans

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You're not going to look at Texans linebacker Whitney Mercilus' stats and say wow. He was, however, extremely disruptive against the Titans against both the run and the pass. As is usually the case, Mercilus affected what Tennessee did on offense.

He often gets overlooked because of J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney. He is a difference-maker in his own right, however. If you put him on one of about 28 other teams, he would be hands down the star of the defense. Right now, he's the unsung hero of the Houston defense.

The Texans ask Mercilus to do it all, and he delivers. He can play middle linebacker. He can rush from the edge. He can cover running backs, and he can take on blockers. The stat sheet says Mercilus had just one tackle, but I don't give a damn. He creates chaos, and he's a mismatch for virtually anyone a team puts up against him.

LB: Luke Kuechly, Panthers

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Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly was a man on a mission against the Patriots—both as a player and as a leader.

As much as Brady was in control of the New England offense, Kuechly was in control of the Carolina defense. He was all over guys if they made a mistake, he was telling people what to do before the snap, and he was phenomenal after the snap.

Kuechly was everywhere against the run and against the pass. He was a crucial part of taking away the over-the-middle short passing game of the Patriots, a team that likes to throw to its backs, but the Panthers mostly shut that down. James White, for example, caught 10 passes, but he averaged less than five yards per reception.

There weren't many times when a back caught the ball underneath and then raced downfield for a big gain. Kuechly was a major reason why.

NT: Domata Peko Sr., Broncos

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If you're wondering why the Broncos run defense has made such a big turnaround this season, it's because of Domata Peko Sr.

Peko is playing phenomenal football. He dominated the three interior linemen for the Raiders in Week 4, and he wrecked a lot of plays in the process. That isn't easy to do because the Oakland offensive line is very good.

We're not talking about a space-eater who simply plugs the middle. Peko is an athletic, physical tackle who can collapse the offensive line into the backfield. He consistently beat double-teams and shed blocks in order to help stop backs like Marshawn Lynch for no gain.

Lynch averaged just 1.3 yards per carry against Denver, and Peko was a big reason why. He may be in his 12th season, but Peko is still one of the best nose tackles in the game.

DT: Grady Jarrett, Falcons

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Another interior defensive lineman capable of taking over games is Grady Jarrett of the Falcons. While the entire league knows about Peko, Jarrett is secretly becoming one of the best defensive tackles in the game.

Jarrett isn't a plugger who is going to make a mosh pit of the running game. He's more of a speed-athleticism tackle. Think of a poor man's Aaron Donald. He was the reason why LeSean McCoy and the Bills running game never got going. He was consistently harassing Tyrod Taylor when Taylor dropped back to pass as well.

Quarterbacks have a hard time eluding Jarrett when he busts through the line and gets free—even mobile ones like Taylor. Jarrett finished the game with seven tackles—a lot for an interior defensive lineman—but his impact on the game was even bigger than that.

LB: Deion Jones, Falcons

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One reason why the Falcons are building one of the better defenses in the NFL is the fact that lurking behind guys like Jarrett is linebacker Deion Jones.

Jones has to be in the conversation for the best middle linebacker in football. He represents the new-era linebacker, they type who will be soon taking the mantle from guys like Bobby Wagner. His ability to be disruptive is similar to Wagner's, but I'd say he's faster than Wagner and a better sideline-to-sideline player than Wagner was in his prime.

We saw his quickness and his fast reaction time against Buffalo. There were times when McCoy got through the hole and probably thought he was about to break a long run. However, Jones was on him like white on rice.

Jones' physicality and speed jump off the screen. If I were going to construct a perfect NFL defense, Jones and Ryan Shazier would man the middle of the linebacker group.

LB: Ryan Shazier, Steelers

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What Jones is for the Falcons, Shazier is for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He's going to clean up just about anything that gets past the line of scrimmage. Shazier, however, does things linebackers just don't do.

This is a guy who ran a 4.3 40 coming out of college. That's ludicrous. The way he flies around the field is amazing. His interception to help close out the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4 demonstrates this.

Joe Flacco came off a bootleg and faked a run. Shazier bit on the run initially, and Flacco thought he had an open lane in the middle of the field. But Shazier recovered so quickly he was able to undercut the throw and pick it off.

Now, I can't speak for Flacco, but if I had been in his position, there's no way I'd believe a linebacker could recover fast enough to make that play.

S: Micah Hyde, Bills

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Bills safety Micah Hyde might not have been all over the field against the Falcons. I have to put him on my All-Week team, however, because the two big plays his team needed him to make, he made.

How many times have we seen a safety drop an interception on a crucial drive, only to have the opposing team come back a few plays later and get the winning score? Hyde had two big interceptions against Atlanta that helped seal the game.

His first pick came when he high-pointed the ball down the middle. With the Falcons driving again, he laid out and got his hands underneath a tipped pass. Both turnovers came in the second half and were crucial to the Bills' victory.

Guys usually play defense because they cannot catch. When you have someone who can make plays when the ball hits his hands like Hyde does, it's special.

S: Andre Hal, Texans

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Andre Hal was another safety who was special in Week 4. He got the game started right for Houston with an interception on Tennessee's opening drive. That set the Texans up with a short field and then a 7-0 lead.

Hal made another huge play just before the end of the first half. At 30-14, the game was still within reach for the Titans when Marcus Mariota tried to go up the sideline with the ball. Hal picked him off and set up Watson and Co. with another short field.

Watson was intercepted on the ensuing drive, but that second pick stopped the Titans from getting back in the game and allowed the Texans to take their 16-point lead into the locker room. The game was essentially out of reach for Tennessee from there, and Hal was the one who set the tone and put the nail in the coffin.

He has tremendous ball skills, he's a great tackler, and he doesn't get the recognition he deserves.

CB: Desmond Trufant, Falcons

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Was cornerback Desmond Trufant perfect for the Falcons in Week 4? No. He got beat on a touchdown, but that's going to happen when you're matching up with a team's best receivers.

Trufant blanketed the receivers all game, and he prevented far more plays than he allowed. He was a big reason why no Bills wideout went off.

On the touchdown Trufant did allow, Jordan Matthews lined up just inside the numbers on the right side of the field and then worked his way all the way to the left sideline to make the catch. Trufant had to fight through traffic in order to follow Matthews. An out-of-position safety essentially picked Trufant on the play, and it still took a pinpoint throw from Taylor to get the score.

Trufant's presence changed what Buffalo was able to do offensively because it couldn't count on its receivers to dominate. The Bills got big plays from Clay, their tight end, and that's about it. Their receivers combined for 38 yards after Matthews had 61 yards by himself against the solid Broncos defense in Week 3.

While the stats might not say Trufant was impactful in Week 4, the tape does.

CB: Trumaine Johnson, Rams

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Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant's stats (five catches for 98 yards) suggest Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson also wasn't special in Week 4. As is the case with Trufant, however, the game film says otherwise.

Johnson's coverage throughout the game was fantastic. Bryant beat him cleanly just one time, when Dak Prescott placed the ball over Johnson's shoulder and Bryant was able to go get it. That's going to happen when you're asked to shadow one of the best receivers in the league.

The rest of Bryant's catches came against zone coverage and weren't exactly Johnson's fault. When given man-to-man opportunities against Bryant, Johnson won far more than he lost. More importantly, he prevented Bryant from taking over the game or from making that one impact play that could have shifted the contest in Dallas' favor.

What the film also shows—and stats don't—is that L.A. trusted Johnson enough to play him in single coverage against Bryant. This allowed the Rams safeties to do creative things in the passing game and to creep down and focus on Ezekiel Elliott in the running game.