With the season at the quarter mark for the majority of teams, only one undefeated team remains. The Kansas City Chiefs have yet to lose a game and have played excellent football in all aspects of the game to start the season. Their opportunity to move to 5-0 against the Houston Texans is just one of five games in Week 5 matchups.
5. Arizona Cardinals (2-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (3-1)
The Cardinals are coming off of an 18-15 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in overtime that ended on a Larry Fitzgerald touchdown. The Eagles are currently pacing the NFC East at 3-1 after their 26-24 win against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4.
Despite being 2-2, Arizona has been outscored by 17 points on the season. They lost by double-digits in their games against the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys and won two overtime games by way of field goals to the underwhelming Indianapolis Colts and 49ers. Those two teams are a combined 1-7, so the Cardinals would love to prove themselves with a win against a better team.
Look for the Eagles to continue to feed the ball to LeGarrette Blount. After not receiving a carry in Week 2, he has 28 carries for 203 yards over the last two games. Philadelphia's offense has been clicking early as they have scored at least 20 points with 354 total yards of offense in all four games.
4. Carolina Panthers (3-1) at Detroit Lions (3-1)
The Panthers sit tied atop the NFC South after Graham Gano's game-winning field goal as time expired gave Carolina a 33-30 victory over the New England Patriots in Week 4. The Lions are tied for first in their division, the NFC North, and beat the Minnesota Vikings 14-7 in Week 4.
The Panthers' defense has been Jekyll and Hyde in their first four games. After allowing just six points and an average of 196.5 yards in their first two games, they have given up 64 points and an average of 367.5 yards in their last two. Part of that is due to the competition, as the Patriots and New Orleans Saints sport two of the better offenses, while the same can't be said for the 49ers and Buffalo Bills.
Cam Newton will need to keep his head on straight after this week's controversial comment to a female reporter, as he faces a ball-hawking Lions pass defense. Through four games, Detroit has allowed just four touchdown passes while intercepting seven. The Lions' 11 takeaways are tied for the most in the NFL, and their +9 turnover differential is easily the best in football through four weeks.
3. Seattle Seahawks (2-2) at Los Angeles Rams (3-1)
The Seahawks received a much needed win in Week 4, topping the Indianapolis Colts 46-18. The Rams are arguably the most surprising team at the quarter mark of the season at 3-1. They came away with an impressive road victory over the Dallas Cowboys 35-30 in Week 4.
While the Seahawks lost in Week 3, they still scored 27 points. That now gives them 73 points in their last two games after scoring 21 in their first two. While last week's game against the Colts had Seattle face a defense that has given up the most points this season, it surely will help instill confidence in an offense that hasn't always worked like a well-oiled machine. Thomas Rawls and Eddie Lacy will have to step up for an offense that lost leading rusher Chris Carson -- likely for the season.
Very few, if any, would have guessed that the Rams would be the highest scoring team at 35.5 Points Per Game through four weeks. It was just last year that they finished last in the NFL averaging a putrid 14 points per game.
Their offense is being led by two players who had very disappointing seasons in 2016, Jared Goff and Todd Gurley. Goff has completed 66.7% of his passes with seven touchdowns and only one interception. Gurley already has seven touchdowns (four rushing, three receiving) and 596 yards from scrimmage in four games.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) at Houston Texans (2-2)
"Sunday Night Football" features the two most dynamic offensive rookies so far this season in Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt and Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. Kansas City is the NFL's only undefeated team and are coming off a Week 4 29-20 win over the Washington Redskins. The Texans are coming off of a dominant 57-14 win over the Tennessee Titans last week.
Hunt is not only the early Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite, he is also an MVP candidate through four games. His 502 rushing yards are 140 more than anyone else in the NFL. He has rushed for over 100 yards in three of the four games, and in the other game he rushed for "only" 81 with two rushing touchdowns. Hunt is averaging an absurd 7.4 yards per carry. He has six touchdowns (four rushing, two receiving) and 13 receptions.
Watson tied an NFL rookie record last week with five total touchdowns (four passing, one rushing). He has now started three games with the last two being exceptional. In Weeks 3 and 4, he completed 70.2% of his passes for 584 yards and six touchdowns. The 22-year-old also ran for another 65 yards and a touchdown.
1. Green Bay Packers (3-1) at Dallas Cowboys (2-2)
The Packers were easily able to handle the Bears 35-14 in Week 4's "Thursday Night Football" to move to 3-1. Dallas would like to get out of their early season malaise after they fell to .500 with a 35-30 loss to the Rams last week.
With Ty Montgomery listed as doubtful for the game, that may put more of an onus on Aaron Rodgers to do more work. Even with Montgomery, Green Bay is only averaging 74.5 rushing yards per game. The Packers have scored more points in each subsequent game with 17 in Week 1 and a season-high 35 in Week 4.
Rodgers faces a Dallas pass defense that has allowed Jared Goff, Carson Palmer, and Trevor Siemian to combine for eight touchdown passes and just one interception in the past three games.
They will be without defensive leader Sean Lee at the middle linebacker position for the second straight week. Forcing constant pressure will be key for a Dallas defense that has 12 sacks, led by NFL leader Demarcus Lawrence's 7.5.
