Judging NFC Overreactions and Facts from Week 4

The top of the NFC was all over the place this weekend as the Philadelphia Eagles survived a scare from the Washington Commanders. At the same time, the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys dominated.

With Week 5 expected to bring a crazy weekend as the 49ers and Cowboys face off, here are our Week 4 takes.

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• Chicago Needs to Tear it Down

Overreaction or Accurate Reaction? Accurate Reaction

Through three weeks, the Chicago Bears were the laughingstock of the NFL. They stunk in every facet of the game, and Justin Fields looked like he had no clue. We saw them come alive to start their Week 4 matchup against the dreadful Denver Broncos, where they led 28-7 midway through the third quarter. We all know what happened after that. In a 31-28 loss, I don’t see how the Broncos continue onward. Maybe they are so bad they realize they don’t have to change anything to land Caleb Williams. Still, once this season ends, everything must be torn down and rebuilt to give the Bears hope for the future.

• Tampa Bay Will Win the NFC South

Overreaction or Accurate Reaction? Overreaction

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took down the New Orleans Saints 26-9 on Sunday in an NFC South showdown that resulted in the Bucs taking over first place in the division for the time being. I don’t see that sticking. The Carolina Panthers are no threat, but the Atlanta Falcons and Saints can be. Baker Mayfield has looked promising, but I can’t ignore that the Falcons and the Saints came into the season with the easiest schedules. We saw how the Bucs crumbled against the Philadelphia Eagles when they faced good competition, so I don’t see the Bucs’ wins continuing once the schedule tightens. 

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• Sam Howell Can be the Guy

Overreaction or Accurate Reaction? Overreaction

The Washington Commanders nearly came back and took down the Eagles on the road, and Sam Howell was clutch with his arm and legs despite falling short. Calls for Howell to be the guy beyond this year are starting to swirl, but I don’t see it. Through Weeks 1 and 2, Howell looked solid against Denver and Arizona, but as we learned, both those defenses are dreadful. Then, in Week 3 against Buffalo, Howell got flat-out embarrassed as he threw four interceptions against a stellar Bills’ defense. Consistency is the name of the game, and while Howell can come in and give the Commanders a fighting chance, he is not a difference-maker.

• Eagles are the Best Team in the NFC

Overreaction or Accurate Reaction? Accurate Reaction

As we saw in 2022, the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles were the two best teams in the NFC, and they are again this season. Both are 4-0, but the narrative around each team is complete. The 49ers seemingly can do no wrong, but the Eagles are scrutinized for everything they do despite having a much more difficult schedule. Yes, winning is hard, but we can’t be too quick to forget how badly the Eagles beat down the 49ers in last year’s NFC Championship. This will continue to be a conversation until the Eagles and 49ers meet on December 3, but Philly deserves more respect than they’re getting.

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