Rams rally, Jaguars surge and Ravens worry in wild NFL Week 4

Week 4 in the NFL reshaped several storylines, as the Los Angeles Rams mounted a late comeback against the Philadelphia Eagles, Trevor Lawrence finally beat Joe Burrow, and Lamar Jackson’s ankle injury introduced major uncertainty for the Baltimore Ravens. At the top of the standings, the Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers all stayed perfect.

Rams storm back on Eagles as Barkley goes down

In Los Angeles, the Rams overturned a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to edge the Eagles 24-20. Matthew Stafford threw for 317 yards but was intercepted twice, and it was the ground game that ultimately drove the victory for Sean McVay’s team.

Kyren Williams scored twice on the ground, while Puka Nacua capped his return from a two-game absence due to hip and groin issues with a rushing touchdown and 125 receiving yards. The Rams improved to 2-2, handing Philadelphia (2-2) a second loss of the season in a game where the Eagles went 0-for-12 on third down. The day worsened for Philadelphia when Saquon Barkley left with a hamstring injury, just a week after a 27-7 defeat to the Chicago Bears led by Case Keenum.

Lawrence clears Burrow hurdle, Bengals lose stars

In Jacksonville, Trevor Lawrence finally solved Joe Burrow, guiding the Jaguars to a 22-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Including a 2020 college championship matchup, Lawrence had been 0-3 against Burrow entering the day, but he completed 18 of 23 passes for 227 yards and one touchdown as Jacksonville moved to 3-1.

Burrow threw for 428 yards but was undone by two interceptions and a non-existent run game, with the Bengals managing only 23 rushing yards on 15 attempts. Cincinnati (2-2) also suffered two significant blows at wide receiver: Ja’Marr Chase exited in the second quarter with a concussion, and Tee Higgins left late with a groin injury. On the other side, Jacksonville’s defense extended an impressive run of 22 straight games, playoffs included, without allowing any opposing player to reach 75 rushing yards.

Unbeatens hold as Jackson injury shadows Ravens win

Elsewhere, the Chiefs, Vikings and 49ers each improved to 4-0. Kansas City outlasted the division rival Las Vegas Raiders 30-27 behind a dominant 177 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Kenneth Walker. The win came with a heavy cost, however, as Tyquon Thornton suffered a severe ankle injury that, based on the disturbing visuals, could sideline him for an extended period.

San Francisco handled the Denver Broncos 24-14, with Brock Purdy throwing two touchdown passes behind a strong performance from his offensive line. Remarkably, the 49ers quarterback has yet to be sacked this season. In Minnesota’s 15-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins, kicker Will Reichard accounted for all of the Vikings’ points with five field goals, in a game where Minnesota piled up more penalty yards (85) than Miami produced net passing yards (77).

In Baltimore’s 24-14 win over the Tennessee Titans, Lamar Jackson left late in the second quarter after a left ankle injury suffered on a sack, giving way to Tyler Huntley. Before departing, Jackson had thrown for 222 yards and two touchdowns. The Ravens’ record has historically dipped below .500 when he is out, underscoring how vital his health is to their season outlook.

In New York, the Giants have emerged as an early surprise, sitting atop the NFC East with Jameis Winston as their starting quarterback after four weeks. At 3-1 following a 36-24 win over the Arizona Cardinals, they lead the 2-2 Eagles and Dallas Cowboys. Their schedule, relatively soft so far, is expected to become more challenging as stronger opponents loom in the coming weeks.