The 1972 Miami Dolphins are just two losses away from popping champagne once again.
Six teams entered Week 4 undefeated, but only two came out unscathed.
The Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles are the lone remaining undefeated teams, and both face interesting tests this Sunday.
To get you set for Week 5, here’s a look at each team’s case to remain undefeated, as well as some other storylines to keep an eye on.
Bills face divisional test
The Bills have the easier matchup on paper than the Eagles, but nothing is a given in a divisional game. Just look at what an undermanned San Francisco 49ers team did to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night.
And the Bills host a New England Patriots squad that is riding some momentum after a dominant performance against the Carolina Panthers last Sunday.
Buffalo has its clear strengths — James Cook is second in the league in rushing through four weeks, and when Josh Allen has needed to, he’s put on his superman cape and shown why he won MVP last season.
However, other than a Week 1 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens when they needed a stunning comeback in the fourth quarter, the Bills haven’t exactly had a gauntlet to start the season.
Their last three wins have come against the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints, who are a combined 1-11 through four weeks.
A month into the season, New England represents the Bills’ biggest divisional threat in the AFC East.
The Patriots have shown signs of competitiveness under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel, but Buffalo has been absolutely dominant at home over the past two seasons.
So what do the Pats need to do to pull off the upset on Sunday night? According to Vrabel, they’ll have to be pretty much perfect.
“The last time they lost at home was 14 games ago,” Vrabel said. “We’re well aware of that and have to do a lot of really good things to give ourselves a chance.”
Do the Eagles know they’re 4-0?
For a team that’s gone undefeated to start the season, there is a lot of negativity surrounding the Eagles right now.
Part of that comes with the extra scrutiny of being the defending Super Bowl champs, but there are also some worrying signs despite Philadelphia’s perfect record.
A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, the Eagles’ top two wide receivers, are frustrated with their role in the offence, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported Saturday.
Brown has been held to less than 27 yards in three of four games this season, and sent out a cryptic tweet after last Sunday’s win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“I see that we’re struggling and I’m a guy that wants the ball in those times when we can’t find a way. Give it to me,” Brown said Wednesday.
Unfortunately, this Sunday’s matchup is going to be a tough one for the offence to really get going in. They face a ferocious Broncos defence that includes last year’s DPOY Patrick Surtain at corner.
The 2-2 Broncos are also coming off their most complete game of the season after a dominant win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday.
It’s weird to say that a 4-0 team could really use a convincing win to quiet some of the noise. But for the Eagles, that’s exactly the case.
Injuries shaking up AFC North
Coming into the season, there was a clear pecking order in the AFC North.
The Baltimore Ravens were the top dog and a popular Super Bowl pick, while the Cincinnati Bengals were predicted by many to have a bounce-back season.
But just four weeks in, some key injuries have severely shifted the landscape in the division.
The Bengals have looked historically bad without quarterback Joe Burrow, who is out for a minimum of three months with a turf toe injury. Meanwhile, the Ravens have been decimated on defence, and Lamar Jackson is dealing with a hamstring injury that will keep him out for at least one game.
Jackson’s absence is a severe hit to the Ravens’ chances as they have lost nine of the past 11 games in which he didn’t play.
Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers and 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers have quietly climbed to 3-1 and sit atop the division.
No question, the Steelers still have question marks of their own. But all of a sudden, this no longer looks like the Ravens’ division to lose.
Another new QB in Cleveland
Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but the Cleveland Browns will once again have a new face under centre this week.
After benching veteran Joe Flacco, the Browns will turn to rookie Dillon Gabriel against the Minnesota Vikings in London on Sunday.
Gabriel, who the Browns selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, will become the 41st different quarterback to start for the Browns since 1999.
To put that in context, no other team has had more than 30 in that time.
And if Gabriel struggles in his first few games, that number could very well hit 42 as rookie Shedeur Sanders is still waiting in the wings (and going full mime in interviews).
But maybe, just maybe, Gabriel could prove to be the guy Browns fans have been waiting for.
Game to watch: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) @ Seattle Seahawks (3-1) — Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
It’s a feel-good QB matchup on Sunday in Seattle.
Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold were drafted just two picks apart in 2018. And after they both bounced around with a couple of different teams early on, they have now revived their careers and have their teams looking like contenders in the NFC.
Mayfield is a little longer into his career resurgence, as he’s in his third year as the Buccaneers’ starter and is looking for a third straight NFC South title.
But now with the Seahawks, Darnold is on a similar trajectory to Mayfield after a standout season with the Vikings in 2024.
“Sam and I are really close,” Mayfield said this week. “I’m happy for him — from going a couple different places that weren’t great for us to having a good opportunity elsewhere, it’s fun to see. I knew he just needed that chance, and he’s thriving now. It’s good to see, but hopefully not this weekend.”
Mayfield and Darnold are both easy guys to root for, but only one can get to 4-1 this Sunday.
Forrest’s Favourites (Season record: 5-4 — All odds courtesy of BetMGM)
Broncos @ Eagles — Pick: Broncos +4: As outlined above, this Broncos defence should cause all sorts of problems for the Eagles’ offence. Ride with the Broncos and the points.
Dolphins @ Panthers — Pick: Panthers +1.5: Panthers QB Bryce Young has won six out of seven of his career games at home. The Panthers host a 1-3 Dolphins team that just lost their top offensive weapon on a short week, so take the Panthers.
Patriots @ Bills — Pick: Patriots +8.5: Division games are never easy, and the Patriots have some momentum on their side. They might not win, but they should be able to make it a close game at the very least.
Full Week 5 schedule (All times ET)
Thursday, Oct. 2
San Francisco 26, LA Rams 23 (OT)
Sunday, Oct. 5
Minnesota vs. Cleveland in London, 9:30 a.m.
NY Giants at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
Denver at Philadelphia. 1 p.m.
Houston at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Dallas at NY Jets, 1 p.m.
Las Vegas at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.
Miami at Carolina, 1 p.m.
Tennessee at Arizona, 4:05 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Seattle, 4:05 p.m.
Washington at LA Chargers, 4:25 p.m.
Detroit at Cincinnati, 4:25 p.m.
New England at Buffalo, 8:20 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 6
Kansas City at Jacksonville, 8:15 p.m.
Byes: Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, Pittsburgh
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
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