Week 4 of the 2018 NFL season is in the past, and what a week it was. This season is hectic and unpredictable so far, and it may become even more so in the weeks to come. Although two teams (the Carolina Panthers and Washington Redskins) served their bye week, there was a plethora of noteworthy action from the 30 remaining teams who played this week. The NFL is shaping up to be different this year with new teams emerging at the forefront, even in the normally predictable AFC. Here are a few summaries of the most notable games from Week 4.
Houston Texans 37, Indianapolis Colts 34, OT
Quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Andrew Luck, both of whom returned from injuries last year, lit up the stat sheet with stellar passing performances in this divisional offensive spectacle. The game went to overtime, and Indianapolis head coach made a questionable decision to go for it on fourth down at their own 43 with 27 seconds left in the game, which they failed to convert. In the end, Houston prevailed after kicking a game-winning field goal. Both teams move to 1-3 on the season with the Texans holding the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10, Chicago Bears 48
Whatever "FitzMagic" Ryan Fitzpatrick had diminished as Chicago steamrolled Tampa Bay en route to a blowout victory. Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky had a career day with 354 passing yards and six touchdowns as the Buccaneers had no answer for him and his bevy of offensive weapons. The Bucs put starting quarterback Jameis Winston in the game in the second half, but he could not get anything going and threw two interceptions. The Bucs drop to 2-2 while the Bears improve to 3-1.
Detroit Lions 24, Dallas Cowboys 26
After the two teams traded blows throughout the contest, the Lions were handed a heartbreaking loss in Dallas as Cowboys kicker Brett Maher kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired. Detroit looked solid offensively overall, but so did Dallas as their quarterback Dak Prescott picked up the slack and led his team to a victory with running back Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys move to 2-2, while the Lions regress to 1-3 as their margin of error grows thinner.
Cincinnati Bengals 37, Atlanta Falcons 36
Atlanta regained its peak offensive form from 2016, but the defense's weak spots shone through as injuries continue to ravage them. Andy Dalton and A.J. Green lifted Cincinnati to victory, scoring a game-winning touchdown at the last second. Another heartbreaking loss for the Falcons as they drop to 1-3, while the Bengals take the lead in the AFC North at 3-1 with a head-to-head tiebreaker over Baltimore.
Cleveland Browns 42, Oakland Raiders 45, OT
Perhaps the wildest game in a week full of wild games, the Raiders prevailed over the Browns after Cleveland squandered an eight-point lead to force overtime. Another offensive clash, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr played his best game in recent memory as the defense struggled. A field goal in overtime sealed the deal for Oakland as they improve to 1-3, while Cleveland regresses to 1-2-1.
