NFL Winners and Losers: NFL Week 4 had a reunion game, resurgences and more


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It’s Week 4 of the NFL Season. In Week 3, Aaron Rodgers asked “How can you not be romantic about football?” I haven’t found an answer. So, once again, I’m writing about the bizarre, redeeming and athletically excellent moments from the NFL this week. 

Winner: Bill Belichick reminds everyone he’s immortal, too.

You know the story: For 20 years, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick were in cahoots. They haunted the NFL together and won an unprecedented six Super Bowls. All good things must come to an end, though, and their marriage ended abruptly and awkwardly last summer. Since then, the debate about who’s winning the breakup has been all Brady. That makes sense; Brady, you might have heard, is changing the definition of possible. He’s almost 45 years old but somehow remains arguably the NFL’s best player. He won the Super Bowl last year, too, proving he could win without his old head coach. Belichick, meanwhile, toiled through a losing season. 

However, there are signs that Belichick might reverse the current narrative. Yes, the Bucs emerged victorious with a close 19-17 win, but Brady failed to accumulate strong numbers, posting a meager 51.2% completion percentage, a weak 70.8 passer rating and just 269 passing yards. Belichick can take credit for that. He devised a game plan that neutralized what his opponent does best. It wasn’t enough to win the game, but Belichick gave his team a chance and showed his strategic instincts are still with him. 

Sunday gave Belichick a good reason to conclude he found Brady’s replacement. It’s too soon to make a final judgement call on rookie Mac Jones, but the early indicators are strong. Jones went toe-to-toe with his predecessor, playing better than his box score indicates — 31 of 40 for 275 passing yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. Jones’ interception resulted from an unfortunate deflection, and he routinely progressed through all of his reads to find the best option. Jones’ display of mental acuity should be considered an early positive. If he continues to develop, he’ll give Belichick the most important thing in sports, a talented young quarterback, to pair with his ingenious defensive coaching.

Winner: John Ross’ revival and the New York Giants

Five years ago, John Ross blazed a 40-yard dash in 4.22 seconds. His time broke the NFL Combine record and opened doors; it propelled him up draft boards, compelling the Cincinnati Bengals to select him with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2017 draft. Since then, it’s been all downhill for Ross. He failed to record a single catch during his rookie season, struggled through numerous injuries and never managed more than a subpar 506 receiving yards in a season. 

So when Ross, now a wide receiver for the New York Giants, caught a 52-yard touchdown pass last Sunday while totaling 77 yards for the game, it prompted a universal reaction: “Wait, John Ross still plays football?” The performance also put him back in the spotlight for the first time since his stunning sprint and, with the Giants in need of help at the wide receiver position after an injury to key receiver Sterling Shepard, afforded him a chance to revive his career in a suddenly significant role. He needs to capitalize. His career depends on it. Fortunately, he’s off to a good start. 

So is his team. Sure, the Giants are 1-3, but they’re a frisky 1-3. They’ve remained competitive in every game, and their last two losses were both determined by 3 points or less. Their quarterback Daniel Jones is quietly playing well. He ranks 12th in ESPN’s QBR metric and has played better than that statistic indicates. He’s stepping up and delivering gorgeous deep balls — such as the one lofted into Ross’ outstretched arms and another 33-yard touchdown at Washington — while finding ways to extend plays in the pocket and pick up yards on the ground. He’s also avoiding the turnovers that crippled his first two years in the league and has only thrown one interception this season. If he can string together a few more games at this level and utilize Ross, both he and Ross will save their careers and maybe give the Giants something they haven’t had in forever: hope. 

Loser: The Washington Football Team

I know, I know. Everyone’s corrupt in Washington. Still, the reports trickling out of the nation’s capital this Monday were stunning; they revealed that federal law enforcement raided the Washington Football Team’s facilities. Technically, the case involves Washington’s head athletic trainer Ryan Vermillion and not the actual team. Still: WTF, WFT? I mean, how often does a major professional sports team get raided by the feds? 

The Washington Football Team should be a winner. Despite entering the season with an average, 38-year-old quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick and watching him crumple with injury in the season’s first game, they are a decent 2-2. They’re also easy to root for because they possess one of the league’s best stories in quarterback Taylor Heinicke, Fitzpatrick’s replacement and the catalyst for Washington’s solid start. 

Heinicke was an unranked recruit in high school. No NFL team drafted him after his college career. When he finally did get a pro gig with the Houston Texans, he was quickly released. Four more teams brought him in for a cup of coffee then shipped him out. Now, after injuries beset Washington’s 2021 quarterback room and a call from the offensive coordinator Scott Turner, Heinicke has his chance, and he’s making the most of it. He’s played real well, completing 69.5% of his passes. He’s averaging 8.1 passing yards per attempt, which means he isn’t just relying on screen passes or harmless checkdowns. He’s pushing the ball downfield and threatening defenses. A 105.9 passer rating reflects his positive play. His rise drives Washington’s case to be considered a winner.

And, yet, because they are the Washington Football Team, an organization so accustomed to losing they no longer merit an actual name, they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and found a way to become losers. Anytime you get raided by the feds, you are a loser. That’s just the rule. Moreover, their stadium covered fans in feces during Week 1 after a liquid leak sprung from part of the roof. Hey, at least the WFT are representing their home city faithfully. Even when things should go well, they find a way to cover their constituents in waste. 

Mac Dilatush is a freshman providing commentary on NFL happenings week to week. His column, “NFL Winners and Losers,” runs every other Thursday.