The List: More COVID cases, six unbeaten teams left and the Texans fire O’Brien

Six teams remain unbeaten after Week 4 of the NFL season. Early on Sunday afternoon, the Seahawks defeated the Dolphins in a game played nearly 3,300 miles from their home. Later in the day, the Bills stayed undefeated with a win over the Raiders. On Monday night, the Chiefs beat the Patriots in a rescheduled game due to New England quarterback Cam Newton testing positive for COVID-19. In the regularly scheduled Monday Night Football game, the Packers pulled away from the Falcons to improve to 4-0. The Steelers and Titans remain undefeated after having their game postponed until Week 7 after several Tennessee players and personnel tested positive for the coronavirus. 

The other big news was the Texans firing coach and general manager Bill O’Brien on Monday after Houston’s 0-4 start. Here are the rest of the happenings in Week 4.

THE GOOD

Browns beat the Cowboys but lost their top back:

Cleveland ran for 307 yards and Baker Mayfield had 165 yards and two touchdowns passing in a 49-38 victory over Dallas. Kareem Hunt totaled 71 yards and two scores, Odell Beckham Jr. added a 50-yard touchdown run late in the game and D’Ernest Johnson led all players with 95 yards rushing. However, the Browns’ most explosive back, Nick Chubb, left the game after Cowboys defensive tackle Trysten Hill rolled on his ankle while Chubb was blocking on a pass play. Chubb suffered an MCL injury and could miss six weeks.

Beckham caught five passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns, including a sweet 37-yard option pass from Jarvis Landry, his best friend, and a teammate at LSU. Landry added five catches for 48 yards.

All of that was overshadowed by yet another fantastic performance by Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, who threw for 502 yards and four touchdowns. He became the first player with at least 450 passing yards in three straight games, and his 1,690 yards so far this season is the most in any four-game stretch in NFL history.

Dallas once again fell behind early and tried to storm back late. Two Prescott touchdowns offset the Landry-to-Beckham pass and gave the Cowboys a 14-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. Cleveland scored the next 34 points to go up 41-14 heading into the fourth.

Prescott threw two more scoring passes and Tony Pollard added a rushing touchdown to cut Dallas’ deficit to three points with 3:42 left. The Browns took over at midfield after a half-squib, half-onside kick and Beckham scored on a reverse on the next play. Prescott completed four first-down passes on the ensuing drive, but his pass down the middle to Amari Cooper was intercepted by Denzel Ward. Cleveland is now 3-1 but sits in third place in the AFC North. Dallas falls to 1-3 and drops from first to third in the NFC East.

Read Richie Dordas’ story for more information about this game.  

Old defeats young as Brady’s Buccaneers top Herbert’s Chargers:

Future Hall of Famer Tom Brady overcame an early pick-six to throw for 369 yards and five touchdown passes in a 38-31 Buccaneers victory over the Chargers on Sunday afternoon. The 43-year-old Brady threw a touchdown pass to tight end Cameron Brate on his first possession. Herbert, a 22-year-old rookie with Los Angeles, responded with a beautiful 53-yard scoring pass to Tyron Johnson. Later in the first quarter, Brady was intercepted by Michael Davis, who returned the pick 78 yards for the touchdown and a 14-7 Chargers lead.

Herbert threw another scoring pass and Los Angeles opened up a 17-point advantage, but Brady’s touchdown to Mike Evans just before halftime closed Tampa Bay’s gap to 24-14. Brady added scores to O.J. Howard and Scotty Miller to give the Buccaneers a 28-24 lead, but Herbert found Jalen Guyton with a 72-yard touchdown on the final play of the third quarter to put the Chargers back on top. Brady hit Ke’Shawn Vaughn with his fifth scoring pass and Ryan Succop added a field goal for a seven-point cushion for Tampa Bay. Herbert’s final pass was intercepted by Carlton Davis III and the Buccaneers ran out the clock.

Brady wasn’t the only star for Tampa Bay in the game. Evans caught seven passes for 122 yards and Miller added five receptions for 83 yards. Ronald Jones II also ran 20 times for 111 yards. Herbert threw for 290 yards and three scores, and Keenan Allen was the leading receiver with eight catches for 62 yards.

The Buccaneers are a part of Richie Dordas’ Biggest Winners and Losers in Week 4. Read his entire story here.

Best of the Rest:

Russell Wilson continued his torrid start to the season with 360 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-23 win over the Dolphins. Chris Carson ran for 80 yards and two scores, and second-year star DK Metcalf was Seattle’s leading receiver with four catches for 106 yards. Ryan Fitzpatrick had 315 yards and two interceptions for the Dolphins.

Patrick Mahomes had 236 yards and two touchdowns as the Chiefs stayed undefeated with a 26-10 win over the Patriots on Monday night. Damien Harris, a third-round pick in the 2019 draft who was making his first start, ran for 100 yards on 17 carries for New England.

For more on this game, check out Darren Braxton’s story.

The Bills remain unbeaten after posting a 30-23 victory against the Raiders late Sunday afternoon. Josh Allen had 288 yards and two touchdowns, with Stefon Diggs catching six passes for 115 yards for Buffalo. David Carr led Las Vegas with 311 yards and two scores, and tight end Darren Waller had nine catches for 88 yards.

See where the Bills sit in our updated Power Rankings.

The final undefeated team in action was the Packers, who scored a 30-16 win over the Packers on Monday night. Aaron Rodgers threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns, and tight end Robert Tonyan caught six passes for 98 yards and three scores for Green Bay. Matt Ryan had 285 yards passing, and Todd Gurley added 57 yards and two scores on the ground for Atlanta.

Check out Juan Guarin-Camargo’s story for more on this game.

Last year’s rookie phenom quarterback, Gardner Minshew II, outplayed this year’s top pick, Joe Burrow, but the Bengals won their first game on Sunday, 33-25 against the Jaguars. Minshew had 351 yards and two touchdowns, both to D.J. Chark, who had eight catches for 95 yards. Burrow threw for 300 yards, becoming the first rookie in NFL history to throw for at least 300 passing yards in three straight games. However, Cincinnati’s star against Jacksonville was Joe Mixon, who ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns and added another score receiving.

Dalvin Cook ran for 130 yards and two touchdowns helping the Vikings defeat the Texans, 31-23, for their first win of the season. Kirk Cousin threw for 260 yards and Adam Thielen (eight catches for 114 yards) and rookie Justin Jefferson (4-103) both reached the 100-yard plateau for Minnesota. Deshaun Watson had 300 yards and two scores and Will Fuller had six receptions for 108 yards, but Houston fell to 0-4 and fired head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien the day after the loss (more on that later).

Carson Wentz threw for 193 yards and a touchdown passing along with another score rushing, leading the Eagles to their first win, 25-20 on Sunday night against the injury-ravaged 49ers. Philadelphia also jumped into first place in the NFL East with a 1-2-1 record. All-Pro tight end George Kittle returned from a two-week absence due to a knee injury to register league-highs with 15 catches for 183 yards and a touchdown. Rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk added a highlight-reel 38-yard scoring run, but Nick Mullens was inconsistent and was replaced at quarterback by C. J. Beathard in the second half.

Juan Guarin-Camargo breaks down the Sunday night game here.

Drew Brees threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns to Tre’Quan Smith as the Saints edged the Lions, 35-29. Matthew Stafford had 206 yards and three scores for Detroit.

Philip Rivers threw for 190 yards and a touchdown as the Colts toppled the undefeated Bears, 19-11. Nick Foles threw for 249 yards and Allen Robinson had seven receptions for 101 yards in a losing effort.

Last year’s NFL MVP Lamar Jackson had 193 yards and two touchdowns passing and a career-long 50-yard touchdown run as the Ravens scored a 31-17 win over the They-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Dwayne Haskins threw for 314 yards and Terry McLaurin had 118 yards on 10 catches for Washington.

Teddy Bridgewater had 276 yards and two touchdowns passing and Robby Anderson added eight receptions for 99 yards in a 31-21 Panthers win against the Cardinals. Kyler Murray tossed three touchdowns, but Carolina held him to just 133 yards.

Statistical leaders:

Prescott was far and away the NFL’s top passer in Week 4 with his 502-yard, four-touchdown performance. Joining him in the 300-yard club are Brady (369 and five scores), Wilson (360), Minshew (351), Rodgers (327 and four touchdowns), Fitzpatrick (315), Haskins (314), and Carr (311). Deshaun Watson and Joe Burrow both threw for exactly 300 yards on Sunday to round out the group.

Joe Mixon was far and away the best rusher this week, totaling 180 yards and two touchdowns against the Jaguars. Also with 100 or more yards and two scores are Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook (130) and Denver’s Melvin Gordon (107). Two unlikely players, Tampa Bay rusher Ronald Jones (111 yards) and New England’s Damien Harris (100) are also among the league’s top performers.

San Francisco tight end George Kittle led the NFL in Week 4 with both 15 receptions and 183 yards. Cowboys star Amari Cooper was second in both categories, posting 12 catches and 134 yards in a loss to the Browns. Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans (122 yards), Washington’s Terry McLaurin (118), and Buffalo’s Stefon Diggs (115) round out the top five yardage leaders in the league.

THE BAD

Texans fired Bill O’Brien during his seventh season with the club:

Bill O’Brien had a 52-48 record during his tenure in Houston, and the Texans even made him the general manager prior to the 2020 season. His first big move in that new role was trading star wide receiver and fan-favorite DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals for running back David Johnson, a move that was widely criticized by both media experts and fans alike. The result was the team’s first 0-4 start since 2008 and O’Brien being the first head coach fired in the NFL this season.

Two days after the news broke, it was allegedly reported that O’Brien had recently been in verbal confrontations with Houston’s other star, defensive end J. J. Watt, along with defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and other players and staff members. Texans owner Cal McNair announced that associate head coach, and former Chiefs and Browns head coach, Romeo Crennel will lead the team on the field for the rest of the season, while executive vice president of football operations Jack Easterby will be the interim general manager.

Honestly, there was no other answer in this situation. O’Brien may have earned his position with the Texans after turning around Penn State football after the Jerry Sandusky scandal. He traded away one of the team’s biggest stars, argued with players and coaches, and lost control of the locker room. Houston is 0-4 when they should conceivably be at least 2-2 and, as both coach and general manager, O’Brien will definitely be the fall guy for the team’s lack of success.

Broncos top Jets on Thursday night for their first win:

Melvin Gordon ran for 107 yards and two touchdowns, and the Broncos defeated the Jets, 37-28, for their first win of the season. Brett Rypien threw for 242 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in his first career start, and Tim Patrick had six catches for 113 and a score for Denver.

Sam Darnold had 230 yards passing along with 84 rushing, including a 46-yard touchdown run that opened the scoring for New York. He suffered a sprained shoulder during the game and will miss Sunday’s contest against the Cardinals, with veteran Joe Flacco starting in his stead. Jamison Crowder (seven catches for 104 yards) and Jeff Smith (7-81) were receiving leaders. The Jets have been outscored 131-65 this season.

 Juan Guarin-Camargo breaks down this battle of winless teams here. 

Injury issues – Pre-Game:

Seattle safety Jamal Adams’ groin injury will leave him out for several weeks. Several other star players missed Week 4, including Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas and Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette (both with ankle injuries), Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson (hamstring), and Rams running back Cam Akers (ribs). Packers wide receiver Alan Lazard will miss at least a month after having core muscle surgery.

Injury issues – During Games:

Tight end O. J. Howard joined Fournette on the list of Tampa Bay’s injured players. Howard suffered a torn ACL against the Chargers and his season is over. Running back LeSean McCoy (ankle) and wide receiver Chris Godwin (hamstring) will also miss the Buccaneers' game on Thursday against the Bears. The Cowboys will be without two key offensive linemen for an extended period. Center Joe Looney suffered a sprained MCL and right tackle La’el Collins will have hip surgery, which will likely end his season. Dallas’ other starting tackle, Tyron Smith, played against the Browns but suffered a setback in his return from a neck injury. He is contemplating season-ending surgery. Atlanta safety Damontae Kazee will also miss the final 12 games after tearing his Achilles tendon.

In addition to Chubb and Jets quarterback Sam Darnold, other players who suffered injuries during Week 4 games included Bears linebacker Khalil Mack (knee), 49ers cornerback K’Waun Williams (sprained ACL), Texans tight end Jordan Akins (ankle and concussion), Jaguars defensive end Josh Allen (knee) and linebacker Myles Jack (ankle), Falcons star receiver Julio Jones (hamstring), and Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks (foot) and wide receiver Adam Thielen (shoulder)

THE UGLY

Titans and Patriots face more coronavirus concerns:

The Titans have had more positive coronavirus tests since their Week 4 game against the Steelers was moved to Week 7 late last week. Since that announcement on Oct. 2, five more players and three more team personnel have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the team’s total to 23. Tennessee’s game against Buffalo was moved to Tuesday. The change forced the Bills’ Week 5 contest against the Chiefs to be moved from next Thursday night to the following Sunday.

Tennessee is also facing an NFL investigation after holding unauthorized team workouts at a local high school after their facilities were closed following the Week 3 game against the Vikings.

New England quarterback Cam Newton tested positive last weekend and missed Sunday’s loss to Kansas City. The Patriots received even more bad news on Wednesday when cornerback and 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore also received a positive test. The following day, the league announced that the Patriots-Broncos game will be moved from its late Sunday afternoon start to 5 p.m. Monday. The Chiefs need to be careful, since quarterback Patrick Mahomes hugged Gilmore after the game.

The Raiders are also in trouble again for a coronavirus-related incident. Previously, head coach Jon Gruden was fined for not wearing his mask properly during a game and the team was fined $50,000 for allowing an unauthorized employee into the locker room after a game. On Monday, nearly a dozen players faced a financial punishment for attending a fundraiser in Henderson, Nevada, last week in support of tight end Darren Waller’s charity, Beyond the Wall. Waller was fined $30,000 and all of his teammates were docked $15,000 each for the event, which included more than 50 people in attendance and many of the not wearing face coverings, both violations of state COVID-19 protocols.

Giants defense improves, but offense falls flat against the Rams:

The New York Giants were much better on the defensive end Sunday, but their anemic offense failed to reach the end zone yet again in a 17-9 loss to the Rams. New York limited the high-powered Los Angeles offense to 58 yards rushing and 240 overall for the game, however, the Giants only totaled 295 yards, with Daniel Jones throwing an interception and getting sacked five times. 

Jared Goff threw for 200 yards and a touchdown, and Cooper Kupp had five receptions for 69 yards and a score for the Rams. Jones passed for 190 yards, but the Giants have scored just 47 points in four games this season. There was also a fight at the end of the game between Los Angeles cornerback Jalen Ramsey and New York wide receiver Golden Tate. Ramsey used to be in a relationship with Tate’s younger sister, Breanna, and the two have two daughters together. However, Ramsey left Breanna Tate while she was still pregnant and Golden Tate picked that moment in the game to show his displeasure with the situation. 

New York has a chance to win its first game against Dallas on Sunday, but they have to get the ball into the end zone first.

Week 5 games of note:

The week starts with a pair of 3-1 teams featuring quarterbacks who started in Super Bowl LII. Tom Brady and the Buccaneers take on Nick Foles and the Bears. Also, the 4-0 Bills face the 3-0 Titans, the Chiefs battle the Raiders in an AFC West showdown, and the Eagles and Steelers square off in the battle of Pennsylvania teams.

Writer

-By: Kevin Rakas