Top 10 Most Surprising NFL Teams of Week 4 (2022)
Packers, what was that? You had the Patriots down to a third-string quarterback who had never played an NFL snap before. Aaron Rodgers looked off in the first half, and even in the second half, they didn't get going until late in the game and in overtime. The defense somehow let New England stick around far longer than they should have. The Packers won this game, but it's a sign that this Packers team isn't like what we're used to seeing. This team isn't good. Take this win and run, Cheeseheads, because you know this team isn't that good.
What a time to be alive when the Jets aren't absolutely garbage. Zach Wilson didn't have the best game, but he did what he had to do and won the game for the Jets. Yes, the Steelers aren't good and played down to the competition, but hey, a win is a win. It's promising to be 2-2 at this point and not last in the division. If you're a Jets fan, I'd take it.
The Patriots shouldn't have been in this game, but they nearly won it. Mac Jones was out, and Brian Hoyer was out, so Bailey Zappe stepped in and somehow made this a game. The Patriots took Green Bay all the way down to the wire in overtime at Lambeau, mind you. There's no shame in losing there. That's a promising performance to build on.
LA, what was that? Where was your offense? San Francisco owned you all game long, and Deebo Samuel torched you. The offense looked as bad as it did in the Buffalo game. I can't tell if it's a Super Bowl hangover or if the Rams just suck now, but they feel off. The biggest story of the game was Bobby Wagner tackling a fan who made it onto the field with a pink smoke device of some kind. What's with Monday night games and weird things happening?
The Giants have been the surprise story so far this season, but they haven't beaten many competitive teams. Take their record with a grain of salt. They looked unimpressive here. To be fair, Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor both got injured, so Saquon had to literally put the team on his back. The Giants won ugly yet again, but a win is a win. It's still shocking that the Giants aren't absolutely terrible. So far, this is their best start in over a decade.
The Steelers are in for a long season. The offense looks barely watchable. Pittsburgh did the unthinkable and put their rookie quarterback, Kenny Pickett, in the game. There were definitely some growing pains as he threw three interceptions. If the Steelers can't beat the Jets, that's not a good sign. Considering their gauntlet of a schedule coming up, this feels like a game they desperately needed. They could very easily be staring down the barrel of 1-7 or 1-8.
The 49ers are the Rams' kryptonite, at least in the regular season. Deebo Samuel and Jeff Wilson were the highlights for San Francisco offensively. On defense, the Niners shut down the Rams for the majority of the contest. If they play like that, this is a Super Bowl contender. The problem is that they are very inconsistent week to week.
Where has this Geno Smith been? Seriously, the dude is balling out like we haven't seen since his college days. Add Rashaad Penny, and the Seahawks didn't need to punt at all. Defense was nonexistent on both sides. It was a classic shootout, and Seattle came away with it. Somehow, the Seahawks are 2-2.
What is it with Baltimore at home? They blew yet another lead, this time a 17-point lead to Buffalo. Lamar threw a costly interception at the end that set the Bills' comeback in motion. It's crazy to think that Baltimore trailed for only a minimal amount of time in both losses. This is something that needs to be addressed down the road if they're going to be contenders. In hindsight, that decision to go for it on 4th down late, when Lamar threw that interception, was the deciding factor. It would've been better to just take the points.
Detroit is a tale of two sides of the football. Their offense is the best-ranked in the NFL, but the defense is basically nonexistent. Only Detroit could have a high-scoring offense and be 1-3 through four weeks. They have talent, but of course, they've wasted it with a lack of defense. This team will have a tough time winning games.