Week four of the National Football League season had many unexpected outcomes as it became abundantly clear that this parity-filled season will promise results that contradict preseason expectations. This week was filled with both blowouts and nail biters, continuing to show that you never know what will happen over the weekend with NFL football.

Surprisingly, a team that is currently surging at this point in the season is the Washington Commanders and their rookie quarterback sensation, Jayden Daniels. Daniels — the number two  overall pick out of Louisiana State University — is currently a favorite for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award due to his electric play under center, where he has shown a proclivity with his passing and rushing. His pass completion percentage through the first four games of the season is at a shocking rate of 82.1%. Even more shocking is the fact that this breaks the record for any quarterback through the first four games of the season in NFL history. The Commanders are enjoying their 3-1 record, as the franchise has been the laughingstock of the league for a long while. In fact, they have only won a mere two playoff games since 1999. With Daniels at the helm, the Commanders’ fortune is changing for the better — and improving each week. Their most recent 42-14 thrashing of the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 29 only further cements their place as a team to watch for the next few years, thanks to their stellar young quarterback.

While the Commanders are on the rise, the Jacksonville Jaguars are in total freefall. Their winless season stayed intact with a heart wrenching 24-20 loss in the final seconds against the Houston Texans, making their current record 0-4. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been the poster child of their futility, failing to lead their squad to victory since a win against the Texans on Nov. 26, 2023. While not expected to contend during the deep stages of the postseason, they have been projected to hold respectable 8-9 record wise. While there is a great deal of time remaining in the season for them to reverse this negative trend, prospects for the future for both Lawrence and the franchise are looking increasingly bleak.

Finally, the week’s primetime Sunday Night football game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills did not involve a close contest, but rather complete domination by the Ravens in their 35-10 win. Ravens running back Derrick Henry was in his vintage form, running for an absurd 199 yards on 24 carries. In particular, his 87 yard touchdown run on the Ravens’ first offensive play of the game provided the momentum needed for them to get out in front and never look back. The Bills’ defense did not look up to the task of stifling a deep Ravens offense, probably as a result of their ranks being filled with injuries. Quarterback Josh Allen was consistently bothered by the Ravens’ pass rush all night and despite his ingenuity and creativity outside of the pocket, he could not muster a successful comeback. On the other hand, the Ravens are making up for their slow start with some signature victories to showcase their status as contenders for the rest of the season.

Despite the shock and awe from these games, the NFL’s parity is at an all-time high, and there are many teams vying for future playoff berths and deep runs into the postseason. In fact, as press time, only two teams have yet to win a contest: the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans. Furthermore, only three squads are still undefeated. This “leveling of the playing field” ensures that the NFL season will continue to be unpredictable, but more importantly, entertaining. The joy of watching games where a winner is not predetermined is incomparable and it is essential to why we watch sports. Hopefully this trend continues in the future!

Week 5 Games to Watch: 

Buffalo Bills vs. Houston Texans, one p.m. E.T. (Sunday, Oct. 6)

Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:20 p.m. E.T. (Sunday, Oct. 6)