Underdogs causing havoc: what are the biggest NFL Week 4 trends to watch out for?

There are some stand out reasons for why the NFL season has been so chaotic in the first three weeks of the season: what are the biggest reasons for underdogs dominating?

Underdogs still rule the 2024 NFL season to date: through three weeks, we’ve already seen the biggest favourite in each week’s slate lose outright, and underdogs in general covering the points spread at over a 52% rate.

Last week’s action alone saw the Rams, Panthers, Giants and Broncos all notch their first win of the year as huge underdogs, while amazingly, through 48 games, home and away team wins are split this year right down the middle at 24-24.

The other big trend that has allowed this to happen?

Scoring remains down, with over 57% of games hitting the points total under for the season.

Lower scores mean more chances for tight games and comebacks, and fans have been lapping it up.

It means Week 4 – and its slew of divisional match-ups – offers plenty more opportunity for fans to cheer for upsets, as Jaymz Clements from NFL Straya previews Week 4 of the 2024 NFL season above, breaking down all the games for the weekend ahead.

Week 3 gave fans a 14-point Rams comeback win over their heated rivals in San Francisco to further the Sean McVay-Kyle Shanahan coaching rivalry, the Panthers rode some Andy Dalton brilliance after benching last year’s No. 1 draft pick Bryce Young to a massive win in Las Vegas, while the Chiefs defence held Kirk Cousins and the Falcons comeback attempt in check on Sunday Night Football.

It leaves five remaining 3-0 teams across the NFL – Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Minnesota and Seattle – as each had ridden some luck (KC) or leaning on either an efficient offence (Seattle, Buffalo), intimating defence (Pittsburgh and Minnesota, who have surrendered only 26 and 30 points respectively over their three games) to stay unbeaten after three rounds.

Is your team still undefeated? 💥 pic.twitter.com/cn93na7k8b

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 24, 2024

The three teams still mired at 0-3 – Cincinnati, Jacksonville and Tennessee – are staring at playoff oblivion: only one team in the last 25 years has made the playoffs after starting 0-3: the 2018 Houston Texans.

The Bengals, in particular, would be feeling hard-done by: its offence didn’t punt or turn the ball over against Washington in Week 3 and still lost. Now Joe Burrow and co are in a tough spot: having begun each of the last three seasons 0-2, they’ve not been 0-3, so face an almost impossible task to make the postseason.

Jacksonville, meanwhile, with No. 1 picks on both offence (Trevor Lawrence) and defence (Travon Walker), are woefully underperforming and it might cost coach Doug Pederson his job before too long.

Elsewhere, Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets looked excellent on Thursday Night Football, electric Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels looked incredible against the Bengals and teams like the Saints and Bucs had tough outings after being 2-0.

Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets scrambles against the New England Patriots in Week 3. Picture: Al Bello/Getty Images

The story of the round heading into Week 4 are the big name 1-2 teams that need to win to get their seasons back on track: the defensively inept Dallas, injury-plagued San Francisco, the hard-done-by Falcons and a Baltimore team that has a huge game against a fellow would-be contender on Sunday Night Football.

For the Aussie NFL players, Philly’s Jordan Mailata is relishing his role in front of superstar Saquon Barkley, while Baltimore’s Daniel Faalele is still trying to get his season on track, while the punters – Mitch Wishnowsky, Michael Dickson, Matthew Hayball and Tory Taylor are all performing well.

Either way, Aussie NFL fans have a terrific Week 4 slate to dig into, so watch the NFL Straya breakdown above to see who should win and why.

Will the divisional match-ups – New Orleans @ Atlanta, Minnesota @ Green Bay, Jacksonville @ Houston, KC @ Chargers – deliver fireworks? Can the 0-3 teams snag a win? Does Doug Pederson survive another Jags loss?

Can the Chiefs, Bills, Steelers, Seahawks and Vikings stay unbeaten?

Find out with NFL Straya’s NFL Week 4 preview and in the breakdown above.

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NFL WEEK 4 SCHEDULE

FRIDAY 10.15am AEST 

Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants

MONDAY 3am AEST 

Cincinnati Bengals @ Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos @ NY Jets

New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons

Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers

Pittsburgh Steelers@ Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans

LA Rams @ Chicago Bears

Philadelphia Eagles @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

MONDAY 6.05am AEST 

New England Patriots @ San Francisco 49ers

Washington Commanders @ Arizona Cardinals

MONDAY 6.25am AEST

Cleveland Browns @ Las Vegas Raiders

Kansas City Chiefs @ LA Chargers

MONDAY 10.20am AEST 

Buffalo Bills @ Baltimore Ravens

TUESDAY 9.30am AEST 

Tennessee Titans @ Miami Dolphins

TUESDAY 10.15am AEST 

Seattle Seahawks @ Detroit Lions

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Originally published as Underdogs causing havoc: what are the biggest NFL Week 4 trends to watch out for?