Every week, Yardbarker highlights crucial folks main into the week’s NFL video games.
From gamers to coaches and past, listed here are the ten most essential folks to regulate in Week 4.
Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert
Herbert went into Week 3 listed as questionable on the damage report with a high-ankle sprain and would depart the second half of a 20-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers after aggravating the injury. Subsequent up for the 2-1 Chargers is the 3-0 AFC West-leading Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. Head coach Jim Harbaugh mentioned Herbert’s damage is “progressing well,” however whether or not meaning he’ll swimsuit up in opposition to Kansas Metropolis or be even remotely near one hundred pc stays to be seen.
Detroit Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson
Hutchinson has 6.5 sacks and is on tempo to interrupt the NFL file for sacks in a season. Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt share the file of twenty-two.5 sacks in a season and Hutchinson’s averaging over two sacks per recreation with 14 extra video games to go. Hutchinson will look to maintain racking up sacks in opposition to the 3-0 Seattle Seahawks.
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce
Las Vegas was throttled on Sunday by the beforehand winless Carolina Panthers 36-22. After the sport, Antonio Pierce called out players for making “enterprise choices” and mentioned that the Raiders would return the favor by making some enterprise choices of their very own. The sort of frank language by Pierce may impress the workforce this week in opposition to the 1-2 Cleveland Browns, or it could possibly be the start of one more Raiders head coach dropping the locker room en route to a different disappointing season.
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor
The Bengals are 0-3 and their possibilities of making the playoffs are shortly fading. A loss to the 1-2 Carolina Panthers on Sunday can be completely devastating and appears believable. The Bengals passing protection was atrocious in opposition to Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels on “Monday Evening Soccer” (21-of-23 for 254 yards and two passing touchdowns), and it would not be a shock to see Panthers QB Andy Dalton mild them up. Dalton handed for 319 yards and three passing touchdowns final week in opposition to the Raiders. Head coach Zac Taylor will not be on the recent seat if the Bengals lose, however his seat may get hotter.
Indianapolis Colts QB Anthony Richardson
The second-year quarterback has had an unsightly begin to the season with three passing touchdowns, six interceptions and a 49.3 completion proportion. As ugly as these numbers are, the Colts are coming off a 21-16 win over the Chicago Bears and will actually flip their season round with a win over the 3-0 Pittsburgh Steelers. It will not be straightforward for Richardson, although, because the Steelers have the No. 6-ranked passing protection.
Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley
Barkley leads the NFL in dashing yards at 351 and is tied for first in dashing touchdowns with 4. Barkley and the 2-1 Eagles face the 2-1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. The Eagles may have an enormous edge with Barkley in opposition to the Bucs’ No. 25-ranked dashing protection that is permitting 137.7 dashing yards per recreation.
Inexperienced Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur
Regardless of Jordan Love being injured in Week 1 in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Packers are an inconceivable 2-1 heading into an NFC North tilt versus the Minnesota Vikings. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has gotten essentially the most out of backup Malik Willis, who the workforce traded for in late August. LaFleur mentioned that Love is “making progress” together with his damage. Whether or not it is Love or Willis beginning, they’re going to be going in opposition to an excellent Vikings protection and a artistic defensive coordinator in Brian Flores. The three-0 Vikings have allowed simply 30 factors this season, which ranks No. 2 within the NFL. LaFleur has been among the finest offensive play-callers this season, whereas Flores has been among the finest on protection. This needs to be an amazing chess match between LaFleur and Flores.
Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins
The Falcons are 1-2 and can face the 2-1 New Orleans Saints this Saturday. If the Falcons preserve dropping video games, it may solely be a matter of time for the calls to start out No. 8 total choose Michael Penix Jr. develop as a substitute of 36-year-old Kirk Cousins. Cousins has been a middle-of-the-pack quarterback this season, underperforming after signing a four-year, $180 million contract this offseason that features $100 million in assured cash. The Falcons drafted Penix within the first spherical for a cause and will show sensible to offer him some snaps if Cousins stays common.
Buffalo Payments QB Josh Allen
Allen will change into an early front-runner for MVP if the Payments enhance to 4-0 with a win over the Baltimore Ravens this season. Allen has handed for 634 yards, seven passing touchdowns and nil interceptions with two dashing scores this yr. The gunslinger ranks No. 1 in ESPN Whole QBR at a formidable 92.6.
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton
A lot has all the time been fabricated from Payton’s partnership with future Corridor of Fame quarterback Drew Brees on the New Orleans Saints. As such, there are excessive hopes Payton may help flip rookie Oregon quarterback Bo Nix into an elite participant. Nix’s profession has gotten off to a rocky begin statistically, as he is but to throw for a landing and has 4 interceptions. If Payton cannot flip Nix and the 1-2 Broncos into winners in opposition to the 2-1 New York Jets, the notion of him being a quarterback whisperer could begin to fade.
