cbssports
Two AFC playoff teams from the previous season entered Week 4 desperate to recover from early struggles. One responded emphatically, while the other endured a defeat that could derail its hopes of returning to the postseason. The New England Patriots knocked off the conference's top team for a much-needed win, and the Houston Texans, whom the Patriots eliminated in last year's divisional round, dropped to 0-4, prolonging a dreadful start. This contrast highlights the high stakes as the 2026 season reaches its first month.
It was a week that separated contenders from pretenders, with the gap between Super Bowl aspirants and teams vying for the No. 1 draft pick becoming glaringly apparent on Sunday. Additionally, Week 4 proved brutal on the injury front. While injuries occur weekly, the star power of those sidelined this weekend rivaled any of the first three weeks. Below are the biggest winners and losers from Week 4.
Winner: Drake Maye and the Patriots
Through three games, no player may have been a bigger letdown than Drake Maye, whose decline from MVP runner-up to the league's second-worst quarterback by passer rating was baffling. The 2025 version of Maye resurfaced in the Patriots' 29-26 upset of the Buffalo Bills. He threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns while leading New England in rushing with 54 yards. The loss of A.J. Brown to a high ankle sprain in Week 1 seemed to disrupt Maye's rhythm. Brown's return is imminent, but more importantly, Maye may have finally developed chemistry with his other targets. He distributed the ball to seven receivers on Sunday, tossed two touchdowns to Romeo Doubs, and benefited from Efton Chism III's one-handed grab for the game-winning score. This should significantly boost the confidence of a quarterback who struggled to find his footing early in the year. Maye's resurgence is vital for a Patriots team that could ill afford a 1-3 start. Bouncing back from a blowout loss was crucial, and doing so against the Bills—arguably the NFL's best team and New England's toughest AFC East rival—was ideal.
Loser: Texans
After the Houston Texans rebounded from an 0-3 start last year to make the playoffs, few wrote them off when they began 2026 with three straight losses. But now? A 34-30 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys leaves little room for hope. Defense was expected to be Houston's strength this season, but it faltered on Sunday, allowing three second-half touchdowns to Javonte Williams and having no answer for CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys' star receiver hauled in 17 catches, finishing one shy of Jason Witten's single-game franchise record, and did so against a secondary that was supposed to be among the league's best. The Texans have been porous on defense in all four losses. Houston should finally notch its first win next week against the Tennessee Titans in a matchup of winless AFC South teams. However, it may already be too late to salvage a disastrous start.
Loser: Commanders quarterbacks
Fans in London had little to cheer about for the Washington Commanders in Sunday's international game. The Indianapolis Colts pulled away for a 30-13 rout at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and it became clear the Commanders couldn't keep pace once Marcus Mariota exited with a game-ending knee injury. Washington led 6-0 with Mariota under center but was outscored 30-7 afterward. Rookie Athan Kaliakmanis, out of Rutgers, made his professional regular-season debut and completed just 15 of 33 passes with a touchdown and an interception. He also took a sack and absorbed multiple hard hits. The Commanders are so thin at quarterback that if Kaliakmanis had left the game, tight end Colson Yankoff would have been the emergency signal-caller. Going forward, Washington will either field a backup quarterback or a less-than-healthy Jayden Daniels. It's uncertain how effective Daniels will be upon returning from his elbow injury, which will require offseason surgery and forces him to play with a brace on his non-throwing arm.
Winner: Jets defense
Coach Aaron Glenn, the New York Jets defensive personnel, and their frustrated fanbase can finally breathe a sigh of relief—at least to some extent—following a 23-12 loss to the Chicago Bears. They would have preferred a win, but they shed a huge burden in the second quarter when five-time Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepted Tyson Bagent for the franchise's first pick in 637 days. The drought is finally over. The 20 games New York went without an interception was an NFL record. It was a hallmark of the team's defensive ineptitude last year and carried into the first month of 2026, even as the unit showed modest improvement. Still, much work remains on that side of the ball, as the takeaway wasn't enough to contain Chicago and its backup quarterback.
Loser: Eagles third-down offense
The Philadelphia Eagles made the wrong kind of franchise history in Week 4 with the worst third-down execution in their 94-year existence. Never before had the offense gone 0-for-12 on third down until Sunday's 24-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Compounding matters, the Eagles struggled on fourth down as well, converting just one of four attempts. Those three turnovers on downs proved costly in a scoreless second half. First-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion was always going to face heavy scrutiny given the high-pressure situation he inherited. Sunday's performance was hardly a ringing endorsement of his scheme or play-calling. Perhaps it speaks more to Jalen Hurts and his limitations, or maybe it was due to Saquon Barkley missing nearly the entire game with a hamstring injury. Regardless of blame, the Eagles cost themselves this game. They held a 10-point lead with four minutes left but lost because they couldn't extend their advantage in the second half and couldn't stay on the field to drain the clock in the final period.
Loser: Superstar health
Barkley isn't the only big name who left action in Week 4. Lamar Jackson also missed the second half of the Baltimore Ravens' victory with an ankle issue, and Ja'Marr Chase suffered a concussion in the second quarter of the Cincinnati Bengals' loss. Barkley, Jackson, and Chase are all at least top-three players at the most high-profile positions in football and were absent for most of the day. That's a tough blow for them, their teams, and fans everywhere. It's unclear whether Barkley will miss additional time. Chase must clear the NFL's concussion protocol before returning. Jackson is considered day-to-day, a promising update that could make him available in Week 5.
Originally reported by cbssports.