Week 4 NFL winners and losers: Mike Tomlin's Steelers, Jaxson Dart's Giants turn scrappiness into victory

Another Sunday, another full slate of NFL action nearly in the books. And Week 4 has been chock-full of dramatic storylines, from Aaron Rodgers taking on an old NFC North foe in the Minnesota Vikings (in front of an international crowd, no less) to Jaxson Dart making a star-studded debut as the new starting quarterback of the New York Giants.

Some contenders showed up in a big way, like the Detroit Lions against the Cleveland Browns. Others were upended in surprise fashion, a la the Los Angeles Chargers against Dart's Giants, who survived a nail-biter but also lost arguably their best player in the process (more on that below). Still others got their form of payback, with Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris calling his squad's win over the Washington Commanders an "apology" to fans for the team's ugly Week 3 defeat.

Among all of Sunday's most noteworthy coaches, players and teams, which stand out as Week 4's biggest winners and losers? Here's a rundown of the day's top difference-makers:

Winner: Liam Coen

The Jacksonville Jaguars coach spent part of this week deflecting questions about his team's "legal sign-stealing," a practice abruptly brought into the open air by San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Coen got the last laugh, though, as Saleh's defense couldn't outlast Jacksonville in a 26-21 ball game. It helped that Brock Purdy turned the ball over three times in a sloppy return to the field for an injury-ravaged group, but you can bet Coen's boys will celebrate this one with a little extra flair. The Jaguars are suddenly 3-1 in the AFC South.

Loser: Lamar Jackson

A hamstring injury sidelined the former NFL MVP before the end of Sunday's anticipated showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs, but had Jackson actually stayed in the matchup, he might've drawn even harsher criticism. Yes, he remains a transcendent talent and one of the best playmakers at his position. He also remains desperately in need of a defining win against the Chiefs. The Baltimore Ravens star was once again loose with the ball before exiting, helping put his club in a hole and all but jump-start the Chiefs back to playoff-caliber form.

Winner: Mike Tomlin

It's not safe to bet against Tomlin's Pittsburgh Steelers when they're underdogs, and it proved true again in Ireland, where Aaron Rodgers turned in arguably his sharpest performance of the season against a Brian Flores-led Minnesota Vikings defense that just got done shredding the Cincinnati Bengals the week prior. Tomlin's own "D" also showed up, logging 10 tackles for loss and forcing two timely turnovers of Carson Wentz. His Steelers may be more scrappy than spectacular (as usual), but it's good enough for first place in the AFC North as we stand.

Loser: Brian Callahan

It's one thing to take your lumps while turning the page to a rookie quarterback. It's another to leave said quarterback out to dry -- or, in Cam Ward's case, to sling the ball all over the yard while running for his life. Ward didn't mince words when addressing the state of the Tennessee Titans after a 26-0 loss to a Houston Texans club that looked absolutely lifeless prior to Week 4. The real concern in Nashville is that Callahan, the man at the helm of the entire operation, has no answers to right the ship after already ceding offensive play-calling duties.

Winner: Michael Penix Jr.

Everyone and their brother took turns kicking Penix while he was down after a sloppy Week 3 loss in which he tossed two picks, cherry-picking stats to suggest the young quarterback was ill-fitted for the NFL stage. The former first-rounder responded with composure against the Washington Commanders, hitting 20 of 26 passes for 313 yards and two scores while feeding the always-dynamic Bijan Robinson. Even better: Penix also got his perimeter weapons involved, incorporating both Drake London and Kyle Pitts while threading the needle down the field.

Loser: Bryce Young

Young led the Carolina Panthers to a blowout win in Week 3, but even in that contest, the former No. 1 overall draft pick struggled to show up through the air. It was more of the same -- and much worse -- against the New England Patriots on Sunday, when Young's squad easily won the time-of-possession battle but mustered fewer than 200 total yards passing. Coach Dave Canales once again defended his young quarterback after the loss to fall to 1-3, but it's basically been the same story for years here: Young has fight but precious little passing juice.

Winner: Jaxson Dart

The New York Giants won zero games with Russell Wilson under center to start 2025. In one game with Dart running the show, they are 1-0. Yes, it's a team sport. But Dart's debut couldn't have gone much better. Not only did the Ole Miss product provide an immediate spark on the ground, putting the G-Men in the end zone with his legs, but he also withstood a killer injury to No. 1 wideout Malik Nabers (feared ACL tear) to outlast Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers, who'd been tabbed a new title candidate after such a pristine start to the year.

Loser: Kevin Stefanski

The Giants got their quarterback spark by going from the old guy (Wilson) to the fresh talent (Dart), and it worked for the most part on Sunday. Under Stefanski's direction, the Cleveland Browns are still trying to trudge through with an aging arm in Joe Flacco, who had another couple of picks against the Detroit Lions. Now, would their best alternative -- say, rookie Dillon Gabriel -- fare much better? It's up for debate. The fact a debate can even be had, however, is why plenty of Browns fans are frustrated. Why keep going through the motions just to lose?

Winner: Vic Fangio

The Philadelphia Eagles offense started Week 4 strong, with Dallas Goedert hauling in a couple of scores to give the reigning champions a sizable lead over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But it was Fangio's defense that once again stepped up when it mattered most, suffocating Baker Mayfield at just the right times to preserve a fourth straight victory, and the Eagles' 10th straight win dating back to 2024. Birds fans should rest easy knowing their team is 4-0, literally the best in the NFL, without yet putting together a complete performance in 2025.