NFL Week 4 Scores: Report Cards for Every Team
It was another great day in the NFL today with a handful of games coming down to the last few minutes.
At the quarter-point of the season, there is a lot left to be determined. But the cream is starting to rise to the top.
Here is a look at each team's Week 4 effort, along with an overall report card.
Baltimore Ravens (3-1)
1 of 32
Result: 17-14 win at Pittsburgh.
Offensive Breakdown: Joe Flacco struggled at times but that’s not terribly surprising. The Steelers defense has been smothering all season.
Still, considering the absence of Ray Rice, the passing game came up with several big plays down the field. And the acquisition of addition of T.J. Houshmandzadeh yielded its first huge result, as the Steeler killer caught the game-winning touchdown in the final minute.
The Baltimore offensive line deserves the most credit here. Not only did the Steeler defense grab just one sack, they did not put much pressure on Flacco the entire game.
Defensive Breakdown: Ray Lewis came up with the game-sealing interception and the defense kept Rashard Mendenhall under 100 yards. But several times during the game, receivers slipped underneath the Baltimore secondary: Charlie Batch just failed to get the ball there.
And, like the Steelers, the Ravens defense didn’t get the usual amount of pressure on the quarterback. Still, anytime you allow 14 points on the road, you’re doing fantastic and the Raven defenses play on third down this year has been fantastic. Today was no exception.
This Week’s Grade: A: The Ravens didn’t give up and earned their slim lead in the AFC North.
Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)
2 of 32
Result: 17-14 loss vs. Baltimore
Offensive Breakdown: Mercifully, it would appear that the non-Roethlisberger era is now over in Pittsburgh.
Although Charlie Batch came up with a few key throws, including a great toss to Antwaan Randle-El that set up the game’s first score, he missed several down-field throws that proved costly. And Batch looked a bit too eager to connect with speedster Mike Wallace on long bombs. As a result, Hines Ward caught just one pass and the Steelers struggled to get first downs.
Considering their opponent, the running game played as well as could be expected. In a game like this, the yards aren’t as important as the number of carries. Mendenhall’s 25 carries is what kept the game close.
Defensive Breakdown: Pittsburgh’s defense looked a bit off today. Apart from failing to repeatedly get pressure on Joe Flacco, the soft coverage from the secondary allowed the Ravens to grab a slew of underneath passes to Anquan Boldin. And despite Ray Rice’s limited participation, Pittburgh’s run defense struggled to contain Willis McGahee inside the red zone.
This Week’s Grade: For another valiant effort without their quarterback, give them a C+.
Atlanta Falcons (3-1)
3 of 32
Result: 16-14 win over San Francisco
Offensive Breakdown: Matt Ryan didn’t look particularly sharp, tossing a pair of interceptions. And the running game wasn’t all that productive either. Fortunately for the Falcons, their 1-for-4 effort in the red zone didn’t cost them a victory.
Defensive Breakdown: After surrendering an early touchdown, the Falcons defense was superb against a sub-par 49er offense. Although they hardly smothered the 49ers, Atlanta came up with several vital third down stops that allowed them to chip away at the deficit with field goals.
This Week’s Grade: A let down following their huge victory last week over the Saints was to be expected. B.
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San Francisco 49ers (0-4)
4 of 32
Result: 16-14 loss at Atlanta
Offensive Breakdown: Early on, it looked as if the change at offensive coordinator might lead to better production out of the unit. Alex Smith led the 49ers on an impressive 10-play, 88-yard touchdown drive. From then on, however, it was same old Niners. It doesn’t matter how many high first round draft picks the 49ers collect on offense, they are not a good group.
Defensive Breakdown: Mike Singletary’s defense deserves a pat on the back. When the game became close, at 14-7, the defense was able to limit Atlanta to only field goals. For all the team’s problems during this 0-4 start, very quietly, the 49ers are collecting a fantastic corps of linebackers.
This Week’s Grade: Ignore what the front office told the media, Coach Singletary’s job is in danger. C-.
New Orleans Saints (3-1)
5 of 32
Result: 16-14 win over Carolina
Offensive Breakdown: For all those wide receiving weapons on offense, you’d figure Drew Brees could put up more points against a fairly depleted Panthers team. It’s clear that even though Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas don’t put up All-Pro numbers, their impact on the entire offense cannot be understated. The reigning champs need to find a way to run the ball if they’re going to return to the post-season.
Defensive Breakdown: Aside from the breakdown in coverage that allowed Jonathan Stewart to score in the second quarter, the Saints turned in a wonderful Sunday at the dome. Deangelo Williams is a great running back and without his 39-yard touchdown jaunt, the Saints stifled the Panthers run game.
This Week’s Grade: A win is a win, but New Orleans should have done a bit better against a rookie quarterback. B-.
Carolina Panthers (0-4)
6 of 32
Result: 16-14 loss at New Orleans
Offensive Breakdown: All of Carolina’s points came thanks to the legs of their two talented running backs. Yes, Jimmy Clausen is a rookie and Steve Smith left the game fairly early, but the rest of the Panthers receiving corps needed to contribute more. And the offensive line could have done a better job in protection.
Defensive Breakdown: By forcing Drew Brees to dump the ball off repeatedly, the potent Saints offense could not get the ball down field to their many options. That is what kept the game close. Imagine how much more difficult this season would be for the Panthers if their defense wasn’t doing a reasonably good job.
This Week’s Grade: John Fox doesn’t have the talent to keep this team in contention each week. This week was an aberration. B+.
New York Jets (3-1)
7 of 32
Result: 38-14 win at Buffalo
Offensive Breakdown: The quality of their opponent takes some of the luster off, but the Jets offense was fantastic this week. Shonn Green ran the ball like he did in last year’s playoffs and LaDanian Tomlinson looked like the L.T. of the five years ago. Anytime Mark Sanchez only has to throw the ball 24 times, the Jets are in great position to win.
Defensive Breakdown: Not surprisingly, the Bills offense was no match for Rex Ryan’s group. They forced nine punts out of the Bills and appear to be back on track after a shaky effort last week in Miami.
This Week’s Grade: The Jets did what they had to against a lesser opponent. A-.
Buffalo Bills (0-4)
8 of 32
Result: 38-14 loss vs. New York Jets
Offensive Breakdown: Ryan Fitzpatrick completing short passes over the middle and scrambling when under pressure is not a viable offensive gameplan. Even though the Jets defense is among the best run stuffers in the NFL, the trio of C.J. Spiller, Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson should be able to churn out more than 40 yards on 9 carries.
Defensive Breakdown: Virtually everything went bad for the Bills defense today. Over the middle and up the seem Mark Sanchez found wide open receivers repeatedly and surrendering a pair of 100-yard rushers is a recipe for disaster.
This Week’s Grade: After respectable efforts in Week 1 and Week 3, the Bills regressed today. D.
Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)
9 of 32
Result: 23-20 loss at Cleveland
Offensive Breakdown: The passing game finally looked like a force to be reckoned with as Terrell Owens put forth a break out game, 10 catches for 222 yards. Since all but one drive began deep inside their own territory, Carson Palmer did an outstanding job today putting points on the board.
Defensive Breakdown: Surrendering 23 points isn’t awful but to do so against a fairly unheralded group of skill players (Seneca Wallace, Peyton Hillis, Evan Moore) is not Marvin Lewis wanted to see. Last year, the Bengals masked their defensive problems by collecting turnovers; they couldn’t do that today.
This Week’s Grade: Every week one either the offense or defense doesn’t play well; this week the defense played the inconsistency role. C-.
Cleveland Browns (1-3)
10 of 32
Result: 23-20 win over Cincinnati
Offensive Breakdown: he offense came through everytime it needed to. Peyton Hillis will earn the accolades for breaking the 100-yard mark again but it was Seneca Wallace's clutch passing that allowed Hillis to continue getting touches. The Browns offensive line is starting to gel and it all starts with Joe Thomas.
Defensive Breakdown: Although T.O. got a huge chunk of his 222 yards on one play--in which the defender fell down--the Browns still lost track of Owens on 9 other plays. It's pick your poison with Chad Ochocinco on one side and Owens on the other but the Browns still need to improve in the secondary. Keeping Cedric Benson under wraps, however, was a vital part of the win.
This Week’s Grade: Finally, after three unsuccessful tries earlier this season, the Browns were able to hang on to their lead. B+.
Green Bay Packers (3-1)
11 of 32
Result: 28-26 win over Detroit
Offensive Breakdown: Last week the Bears quieted the seemingly furious Packer offense: not terribly shocking. Today, the Lions surprised Mike McCarthy’s offense. Ryan Grant’s injury was bound to change the offense and the running game naturally suffered today. But for Aaron Rodgers to throw just 17 passes is worrisome.
Defensive Breakdown: Without Charles Woodson’s interception-turned-touchdown, the Packers might be staring at 2-2. And the defense managed to limit all of Detroit’s second-half scores to field goals. Still, against a backup quarterback, the Packers cannot yield 431 total yards.
This Week’s Grade: They won the ball game in very ugly fashion. C.
Detroit Lions (0-4)
12 of 32
Result: 28-26 loss at Green Bay.
Offensive Breakdown: Shaun Hill kept the Lions in the ball game. Of course when you have Calvin Johnson, that’s a lot easier. With all the attention focused on him, Johnson played an exceptional. If the running game had been a tad better, the Lions would have grabbed win number 1.
Defensive Breakdown: They did a fine job hemming in the Packers running game and an even better job on Aaron Rodgers. A scoreless second half at Lambeau Field is tremendous moral victory for Detroit.
This Week’s Grade: Sooner or later, the Lions will win one of these close ones. For the fine defensive effort, they get a B.
Denver Broncos (2-2)
13 of 32
Result: 26-20 win at Tennessee
Offensive Breakdown: Again (albeit early in the season) Josh McDaniels looks like a genius. He has no running game yet the Broncos passing game is tremendous. Last week it was Brandon Lloyd, this week Eddie Royal had the big day. And while Kyle Orton will never be considered a top quarterback, each week, he manages to put up incredible numbers. Today: 70% completions, 341 yards.
Defensive Breakdown: They surprisingly shut down Chris Johnson as a kick return by Tennessee was the only thing that kept the ball game close. The secondary has done a great job all season and, together, Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins have raised the level of play across the board.
This Week’s Grade: On the road, the Broncos played beyond most peoples’ expectations. A-.
Tennessee Titans (2-2)
14 of 32
Result: 26-20 loss vs. Denver
Offensive Breakdown: Chris Johnson is not going to be able to rush for 100 yards every week. Although Vince Young usually bears the brunt of the responsibility, his wide receivers didn’t contribute much today.
Defensive Breakdown: Holding the Broncos to practically nothing in the running game doesn’t say very much: Denver’s ground game has been atrocious this season. So, considering the fact that Kyle Orton threw on almost every down, the Titans defense played decent. Forget the stats.
This Week’s Grade: This Titans team is not as good as they looked against the Giants last week. C.
St. Louis Rams (2-2)
15 of 32
Result: 20-3 win over Seattle
Offensive Breakdown: Sam Bradford, wow! Back-to-back wins over quality opponents despite minimal production from the running game. It’s way too early to give him the league MVP but his short tenure in St. Louis has been nothing short of sparkling. He made all the throws today and repeatedly picked up the first downs that the Rams needed to control the clock.
Defensive Breakdown: The front seven put pressure on the quarterback all day and against a paltry running game, the Rams did what they were supposed to do. It’s no wonder that they surrendered just a single field goal.
This Week’s Grade: Who would have thought that they’d be tied for first place at this point. A+.
Seattle Seahawks (2-2)
16 of 32
Result: 20-3 loss at St. Louis
Offensive Breakdown: What an awful effort today by the offense. They only managed 15 first downs and Matt Hasselbeck was incapable of putting any drives together. His two turnovers also hurt a great deal. But another week where the Seahawks couldn’t run the ball is the main reason why Seattle was stunned by St. Louis.
Defensive Breakdown: The defense put pressure on the rookie quarterback, collecting 4 sacks. But they couldn’t come up with the big stop on third down. Rookie Quarterback Sam Bradford’s offense converted 7 of 16 third down tries and that’s why the Rams sustained several long drives.
This Week’s Grade: Pete Carroll just did not have his team ready to play today. D.
San Diego Chargers (2-2)
17 of 32
Result: 41-10 win over Arizona
Offensive Breakdown: Phillip Rivers has to be an early season favorite for the league MVP. There is not nearly as much talent on this Charger team as there was three years ago and Rivers still put up 41 points against a fairly decent Arizona club.
The argument that anyone can throw touchdowns to Antonio Gates is not terribly absurd but Rivers has consistently been able to find his second and third options. Today he was 15 of 20 and deserved most of the credit for the team’s near flawless offensive display.
Defensive Breakdown: Without defensive end Shawn Merriman, the Chargers essentially pitched a shutout today. The Cardinals scored just a defensive touchdown and a last minute field goal that meant virtually nothing. The key to the victory was how the unit contained Larry Fitzgerald. He caught 7 passes but limited his run after the catch. Nine sacks also helped their cause.
This Week’s Grade: A fine overall effort this week for the Jekyll-and-Hyde Chargers. A-.
Arizona Cardinals (2-2)
18 of 32
Result: 41-10 loss at San Diego
Offensive Breakdown: Maybe Matt Leinart would have been a better option after all. Derek Anderson struggled once again and as a result the Cardinals could do nothing right on offense. Beanie Wells couldn’t find any room to run and neither could Tim Hightower. Still, it was the nine sacks that most sabotaged the unit. With no protection, no running game and no efficiency at the quarterback position it’s could be a long season for Arizona. Ten first downs is an atrocious total.
Defensive Breakdown: Not much fight in the Cardinal’s veteran unit today. Although neither the running game nor Phillip Rivers posted gaudy numbers, Arizona was unable to get off the field. They lost the time of possession battle and allowed the Chargers to convert half of their third down attempts.
This Week’s Grade: There’s not much positive right now in the Phoenix area. D.
Indianapolis Colts (2-2)
19 of 32
Result: 31-28 loss at Jacksonville
Offensive Breakdown: Don’t be fooled by the stats (63 yards, 2 touchdowns) that Joseph Addai put up today. The Colts running game remains anemic. It might yield more wins than losses but the Colts strategy of just letting Peyton Manning throw the ball all afternoon is problematic. Still, no one is surprised that Colts passing game was once again excellent.
Defensive Breakdown: Despite the loss, Indy’s defense did a pretty good job today. Jacksonville’s offense is grossly underrated. By keeping Maurice Jones-Drew to just 100 yards they won half the battle. More pressure on David Garrard, who was untouched, and the Colts would be 3-1.
This Week’s Grade: It’s always tough for the Colts in Jacksonville. They put up a solid effort and only lost on a miracle last-second field goal. B+.
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2)
20 of 32
Result: 31-28 win over Indianapolis
Offensive Breakdown: Although Maurice Jones-Drew is the bread and butter, David Garrard has been unbelievably efficient this season. They won the ball game today because of his accuracy: 17 of 22. The offensive line did a tremendous job keeping Garrard from being sacked.
Defensive Breakdown: Peyton Manning did what Peyton Manning has been doing for years so the 28 points isn’t that big of a black eye for Jack Del Rio’s unit. Still, when Reggie Wayne is clearly the focus of your defensive approach, you can’t let him catch 15 passes for 196 yards.
This Week’s Grade: A great win for these surprising Cats. A-.
Washington Redskins (2-2)
21 of 32
Result: 17-12 win at Philadelphia
Offensive Breakdown: Donovan McNabb’s homecoming was triumphant in terms of victory but he wasn’t terribly brilliant. Nevertheless, he produced two early touchdowns that put the Redskins in the driver’s seat for the win. More importantly than McNabb’s personal win, however was the vast improvement in the ground game. Clinton Portis and Ryan Torain were a very good pair this week.
Defensive Breakdown: As Troy Aikman indicated during the Fox broadcast, Washington’s greatest feat Sunday was knocking Michael Vick out of the game early. That completely changed the Eagles approach. Washington’s defense took advantage: it’s as simple as that.
This Week’s Grade: Given the Redskins recent woes, a road win against a hated division opponent is nothing short of a miracle. A.
Philadelphia Eagles (2-2)
22 of 32
Result: 17-12 loss vs. Washington
Offensive Breakdown: Kevin Kolb looked like a backup who was not ready to play. After today’s output, it would seem that Michael Vick did deserve the bulk of the credit for the Eagles recent offensive displays. LeSean McCoy, Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin all looked very pedestrian without Vick under center.
Defensive Breakdown: The bad start—two touchdowns on the Redskins first two possessions—was what cost them the game. The Eagles silenced both McNabb and the Redskins running game throughout the second half so they gave their team a chance to mount a comeback. It was a nice effort.
This Week’s Grade: This was a hiccup for the Eagles; losing such a unique quarterback that early is a tough break to overcome. C.
Houston Texans (3-1)
23 of 32
Result: 31-24 win at Oakland
Offensive Breakdown: After a week off during their terrible effort against the Cowboys, the high powered Texans offense was once again hitting on all cylinders. With Arian Foster missing the first quarter, the Texans still managed to top 200 yards as a team and Matt Schaub was very efficient. And against a very good front four, the Texans offensive line kept Schaub clean and upright all day.
Defensive Breakdown: The defense took advantage of Oakland’s mistakes and tallied 3 turnovers. Still, they did a poor job of salting away the game: ahead 31-14 very early in the fourth quarter, the Raiders grabbed 10 quick points to make it a lot closer.
This Week’s Grade: Houston is turning into, arguably the most well balanced team in the AFC, and today they showed why. B+.
Oakland Raiders (1-3)
24 of 32
Result: 31-24 loss vs. Houston
Offensive Breakdown: Bruce Gradkowski turned in a gutsy effort against a strong pass rush. He suffered four sacks and made his share of mistakes but tight end Zach Miller bailed him out frequently.
Defensive Breakdown: This was not a good matchup for the Raiders mediocre defense. Because they struggle against great running games like Houston’s they needed to pressure Schaub. They couldn’t.
This Week’s Grade: Not much is expected out of the Raiders each week anymore. So for fighting back in the fourth quarter, they deserve some praise. Some. B-.
New York Giants (1-2)
25 of 32
The troubled Giants battle on Sunday night against the 3-0 Bears. Check back later for a report card on their showdown.
Chicago Bears (3-0)
26 of 32
Maybe the biggest surprise this season, the Bears head to the Meadowlands for an epic showdown Sunday night. Check back later for a report card.
New England Patriots (2-1)
27 of 32
The Pats will have a huge AFC East showdown on Monday night when they travel to Miami.
Miami Dolphins (2-1)
28 of 32
The Dolphins will look to rebound after the disappointing loss last Sunday night against the Jets.
Dallas Cowboys (1-2)
29 of 32
The Cowboys have a week off. They're back next Sunday, hosting the Titans.
Kansas City Chiefs (3-0)
30 of 32
The surprising Chiefs got their bye week very early. They return to action next week against Indianapolis.
Minnesota Vikings (1-2)
31 of 32
The disappointing Vikings will continue to try and continue the comeback next week. Brett Favre returns to the Meadowlands as the Vikes battle the Jets on Monday night.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)
32 of 32
The young Bucs return to take on the Bengals, at home next Sunday.
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