NFL Week 4 cheat sheet: Packers' Micah Parsons returns to Dallas, plus Ravens meet Chiefs in do-or-die matchup
Here's everything you need to know for Week 4 in the NFL
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6 min read
Can you believe we're already a month into the season? And Week 4 promises to be the wildest of them all, even after seemingly every field goal last week was blocked, flipping games on their heads. Why? Because this slate is loaded with storylines.
Want Micah Parsons heading back to Dallas for the first time? You got it. How about a make-or-break showdown between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs? That's in there, too. Heck, let's go over to Ireland and sprinkle in an international game between the Vikings and Steelers with a side of Guinness.
As we gear up for all the madness of the weekend, let's make sure you're up to speed on all the latest happenings in the NFL. Below, this cheat sheet will be your one-stop shop for everything you need to know surrounding Week 4, ranging from the top storylines, games of the week, and some betting and fantasy advice.
Notable Week 4 storylines
Micah Parsons returns to Dallas
The Dallas Cowboys trading Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers just before the start of the 2025 season was one of the more shocking blockbusters in recent NFL history. Not only that, but we didn't have to wait long for Parsons to square off against his old club, as Dallas and Green Bay were already scheduled to face one another on "Sunday Night Football" at AT&T Stadium in Week 4 prior to this trade going down. So far, Parsons has been as-advertised, totaling 15 pressures entering Week 4 and helping Green Bay become one of the top defenses in the league.
| Packers defense | Stats (NFL rank) |
|---|---|
Points per game | 14.7 (1st) |
Yards per game | 232.3 (3rd) |
| Yards per play | 3.7 (1st) |
On top of this revenge narrative revolving around Parsons, both of these teams are trying to rebound after losses in Week 3. Green Bay endured arguably the biggest upset of the season thus far, falling to the Cleveland Browns. Meanwhile, the Cowboys lost to the Bears in Chicago.
Giants name Jaxson Dart starting QB
The big news out of New York this week is that Brian Daboll has benched Russell Wilson and has named rookie Jaxson Dart the Giants' starting quarterback going forward, beginning this week against the Chargers.
Here are some quick-hitter notes on Dart:
- No. 25 overall pick at the 2025 NFL Draft
- New York traded back up into the first round to take him
- Played college football at Ole Miss
- Has already logged six offensive snaps this season, but zero pass attempts
Dart truly caught the attention of the national spotlight this summer with a dazzling preseason. There, he completed 32 of his 47 passes for 372 yards (7.9 yards per attempt), three touchdowns and zero interceptions.
However, he faces a much tougher task going against a Chargers defense that is among the very best in the NFL. Not only that, but the road ahead for Dart and the Giants is treacherous outside of a trip to New Orleans to face the Saints in Week 5. After that, they host the Eagles, visit the Broncos and then take on the Eagles again -- only in Philly this time.
Can Michael Penix Jr. rebound after disastrous outing?
Speaking of first-round quarterbacks, Atlanta's top pick from 2024 is looking to rebound after an alarming showing against the Panthers last week. In the 30-0 defeat, Michael Penix Jr. completed 18 of his 36 passes for 172 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. On the season, his off-target rate of 15.2% is the third-lowest among quarterbacks, and his turnover-worthy throw rate is also bottom 10 in the league. That has the alarm bells ringing, and Penix would do himself a lot of favors by righting the ship this week against Washington.
Which teams are still undefeated entering Week 4?
- Buffalo Bills (vs. Saints)
- Indianapolis Colts (at Rams)
- Los Angeles Chargers (at Giants)
- Philadelphia Eagles (at Buccaneers)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Eagles)
- San Francisco 49ers (vs. Jaguars)
Buying or selling 3-0 NFL teams: Who are Super Bowl contenders (Bills) and pretenders (Colts) entering Week 4
Jeff Kerr
Which teams are still winless entering Week 4?
- New Orleans Saints (at Bills)
- New York Giants (vs. Chargers)
- Tennessee Titans (at Texans)
- Houston Texans (vs. Titans)
- Miami Dolphins (vs. Jets)
- New York Jets (at Dolphins)
There's a game in Dublin, Ireland 🍀
We're heading to Ireland in Week 4, so make sure you get your fantasy football lineups and bets set early on Sunday, as the kickoff between the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers is set for 9:30 a.m. ET.
- This is the NFL's first-ever game in Ireland.
- It will take place at Croke Park
- The Vikings are 4-0 in international games (all in London)
- Aaron Rodgers is 0-2 in his career in International games (both at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London)
In addition to the novelty of this game being played internationally, it's also quite a matchup. Both clubs are 2-1 on the season. Pittsburgh earned its second win of the season after forcing five turnovers in a victory over the Patriots. Meanwhile, the Vikings started veteran Carson Wentz after J.J. McCarthy went down with an ankle injury. Wentz completed 14 of his 20 throws for 173 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Cincinnati.
While the quarterbacks will naturally capture a lot of the attention, it's the defenses for both teams that could take over the game. Minnesota has one of the more feared units in the NFL, while Pittsburgh may have turned a corner last week, totaling five sacks and five takeaways.
There's a doubleheader on Monday night
We have not one, but two games on Monday night to wrap up Week 4.
- New York Jets at Miami Dolphins: Kickoff at 7:15 pm. ET (ESPN)
- Cincinnati Bengals at Denver Broncos: Kickoff at 8:15 p.m. ET (ABC)
The Jets and Dolphins both find themselves winless on the season, so one of these AFC East rivals will leave Hard Rock Stadium 0-4 and floundering. Miami has looked largely disorganized this season, which has heated up the seat under coach Mike McDaniel. However, they did look better against Buffalo last week, so it's possible they are turning the tide. Meanwhile, New York nearly pulled off an upset win over the Bucs last week, and the focus for this game will be whether or not Justin Fields can clear concussion protocol. If he can't, Tyrod Taylor will get a second-straight start.
In the later game, it could end up being pretty lopsided. Despite Cincinnati coming into this game with a 2-1 record and Denver with a 1-2 record, the Broncos should have the edge at home. Not only that, but the Bengals are trotting out Jake Browning at quarterback after Joe Burrow went down with turf toe. In his first start last week, Browning struggled, and the Bengals' offense managed just 10 points. If that continues, the Broncos could roll early.
Fantasy football window
- NFL Week 4 PPR Flex Rankings
- NFL Week 4 Non-PPR Flex Rankings
- NFL Week 4 QB rankings
- Jamey Eisenberg's Week 4 Start 'Em & Sit 'Em
Gambling window
Game of the Week: Ravens vs. Chiefs
Yes, Parsons heading back to Dallas is juicy, but let's not overlook this behemoth of the game between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs. For both AFC clubs, this is a do-or-die matchup as they enter Week 4 1-2 on the season. That means someone is dropping to 1-3 between these two, who were playing in an AFC Championship not too long ago. Since 1990, teams that fall to 1-3 through the first month reach the playoffs just 13.9% of the time. Neither one of these teams has suffered a 1-3 start or worse since 2015.
History tells us that Patrick Mahomes should have the edge in this matchup as he's 5-1 all-time against Lamar Jackson. However, Kansas City has looked disjointed throughout the first three weeks, so they are vulnerable. Meanwhile, Baltimore is arguably the more talented team, but has struggled with ill-timed turnovers. Specifically, Derrick Henry has had three fumbles this season, and two of them have occurred in the fourth quarter. That'll need to tighten up if the Ravens want to escape Arrowhead Stadium with a win and get their season back on track.
