Camille Wallace
DJMS Student/Staff Writer
Rookie debuts and continued winning streaks had sports fans on the edge of their seats in NFL week 4 action.
Let’s start with one of the biggest surprises — the New England Patriots pulling off a win against the Carolina Panthers. After a slow start, the Patriots exploded in the second quarter, flipping the momentum. QB Drake Maye looked sharp, hitting two long touchdown passes and helping New England grab control early. The defense did its part also by forcing turnovers and keeping Carolina from finding their rhythm.
Next came the New York Giants, who shocked everyone by taking down the Los Angeles Chargers in a wild upset. Rookie QB Jaxson Dart made his first career start and showed incredible poise under pressure. He threw for just 111 yards, but he made smart decisions and did not turn the ball over — a win in itself for a young QB facing a tough defense.
The Giants’ defense came up big, forcing multiple turnovers and keeping the Chargers’ offense in check. Unfortunately, the win came with bad news — star rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers went down with what looks like a season-ending leg injury, according to ESPN. Even so, the Giants walked away with a 20 – 17 victory and some much-needed hope moving forward.
Over in the AFC (American Football Conference), Kansas City reminded everyone who still runs the conference. QB Patrick Mahomes was in classic form, throwing four touchdowns in a 37–20 win over the Baltimore Ravens. Mahomes and Travis Kelce were in sync all afternoon, connecting for two scores and plenty of big plays as they do quite often.
The Ravens, on the other hand, took a significant hit — Lamar Jackson left the game with a hamstring injury and is rumored to miss next week’s matchup against the Texans. Backup QB
Tyler Huntley tried to keep things close, but once Mahomes got rolling, there was no slowing down the Chiefs.
But the wildest game of the day — and maybe of the entire season so far — happened in Dallas, where the Cowboys and Green Bay Packers battled to a 40–40 tie after two overtimes. The drama started long before kickoff. Micah Parsons, who left Dallas in the offseason to join Green Bay, returned to face his former team — and he made sure everyone noticed. Parsons was a menace all game, racking up two sacks and proving why he’s still one of the league’s best defenders.
On the flip side, Dallas wide receiver George Pickens gave Green Bay all they could handle, hauling in several crazy catches — including a one-hander that might already be the catch of the year. Both teams went back and forth, trading big plays until time finally ran out with neither side able to finish the job.
Across the rest of the league, there was plenty more action. The Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles both stayed undefeated, with decisive wins over the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Bengals continued to struggle without QB Joe Burrow, falling to 1–3 after another rough outing.
Ivian Lee, a Saints fan and senior physical education major from Little Rock, Ark., enjoyed the dynamic week of NFL football.
“It was a great week for football, but that Packers and Cowboys game was really what football is all about. I know it was a tie, but it was definitely a good game,” said Lee.
Kylan Taylor, a junior physical education major from Shaw, Miss., who is a die-hard Packers fan, was excited by the competitive sparring displayed in the Cowboys vs Packers matchup.
“I strongly dislike the Cowboys and the entire franchise for real. I wanted them to lose so badly, but it ended up being a tie, which is better than them winning, honestly,” said Taylor.
There is one thing Week 4 showed fans: the NFL is full of surprises. Rookie quarterbacks can win in their first start, former teammates can become fierce rivals, and even games that seem decided can turn wild in an instant. As we head into Week 5, one thing is for sure — no one is safe and anything can happen.
