The first month of the NFL season is now behind us, as we have wrapped up week four, which saw plenty of high-stakes games. The weekend featured the first ever regular season game in Ireland, a clash between a couple of AFC heavyweights, and the return of the league’s best defensive player to the stadium he used to call home.

With that said, there is plenty for us to unpack here at betcha as we bring you our fourth review of the season.

Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Week

Offensive – Ashton Jeanty | Running Back | Las Vegas Raiders

The breakout we have all been waiting for was Ashton Jeanty looking like his Boise State self. As a junior, he was the best running back from a production standpoint we have seen at the collegiate level since the great Barry Sanders. His historic numbers totaled 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns in the ground game alone. His knack for forcing missed tackles and breaking off massive runs is what got him drafted by the Raiders at the sixth overall pick in April’s draft.

Through the first few weeks of the season, he hadn’t quite had the explosive start he was looking for. However, this weekend against the Chicago Bears, he was the force multiplier we all expected to see in his rookie season.

On the ground, he broke out rushing for 135 yards on 19 attempts at a 7.1 average, which are phenomenal numbers. In the second quarter, it was vintage Jeanty who ripped off a 64-yard gash in a one-play drive that ended in a touchdown for his side.

It wasn’t just on the ground that Jeanty was effective; he was a red zone threat in the passing game, making two catches for 17 yards and two more scores.

It was outstanding to see such a highly touted rookie back breaking out before our eyes this week, and I expect performances closer to this more often from Jeanty throughout the rest of the season.

Defensive – Abdul Carter | Edge Rusher | New York Giants

Back-to-back weeks on the review for the third overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, Abdul Carter, who is quickly finding his feet as a professional. As we mentioned last week, there were massive hopes for Carter coming out of college because of how historically disruptive he was at Penn State, drawing comparisons to Micah Parsons due to his athletic traits.

The great news for Giants fans is that those expectations don’t seem overblown at all. Carter already looks like a primary disruptor off the edge for the Giants, just four games into his career.

Many won’t dive into his game this weekend, with most of the attention going to Jaxson Dart’s first NFL start, where he led his team to a win over a strong Chargers side. However, for me, Carter was just about the most impressive player on the park. While he didn’t record a sack, he was constantly in Justin Herbert’s face, registering a career-high eight pressures and a pass rush win rate of an absurd 18.8 percent, meaning he was beating his opposing tackle at will.

In this game, the bulk of Carter’s damage came as a pass rusher, and there’s no doubt his run defence still needs some work. That development will come with more reps against NFL-level linemen.

Regardless, it’s clear in the early stages that the Giants may have a true, field-tilting pass rusher on their hands with the way Carter has adapted to the league.

Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week

Offensive – Puka Nacua | Wide Receiver | Los Angles Rams

Yes, Sean McVay is a superb offensive mind and Matthew Stafford is one of the best to ever do it, but Puka Nacua is a special player. Everyone knows the story about him being a day three pick, but every team has to be kicking themselves because this guy is a top-three wideout in the league and is second to none when it comes to production and volume.

In week four, he put all of his skills on display as he and his quarterback willed their team to a much-needed victory after losing at the buzzer last time out. He made 10 catches for 170 yards and a touchdown, which are just absurd numbers, but somewhat normal for him. Looking back at his career, he has 15 100-plus yard games, 18 90-plus yard performances, and only 14 games where he didn’t reach either of those marks. His early season form encapsulates those numbers, as he hasn’t gone for less than 91 yards and has broken 100 yards on three occasions.

However, this weekend against the high-flying Colts, Nacua was the difference, making huge plays after play and was the key reason for their win.

Defensive – T.J. Watt | Edge Rusher | Pittsburgh Steelers

It’s been a slow start to the season for the recently extended T.J. Watt by his own lofty standards, but the trip to Dublin to face the Vikings might be the spark that gets him going. It was clear to see the impact Watt can have when he is firing on all cylinders, because he influences the game in every facet. That’s what makes him a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

We all know his production as a pass rusher is his calling card, and he showed that brilliantly at Croke Park. He led the game with seven pressures, a 16 percent pass rush win rate, and managed to bring Carson Wentz down for one sack.

When it came to run defence, Watt didn’t have a whole lot to do. When you are recognised as the best run-defending edge in the league, teams tend to avoid your side of the field.

What really set T.J. apart from every other defender this week, though, was a play only he seems capable of making. The interception he forced on Carson Wentz was a perfect example of his instinctive brilliance. While running a wrap around move in his pass rush, he recognised Wentz was about to release the ball. Watt then got his hands up in the passing lane, tipped the ball to himself, and came down with the interception.

What’s wild about that play is that it marked the seventh interception of his career, which are numbers you simply don’t expect from an edge rusher.

Game of the Week | Micah Parsons Bowl

Sunday Night Football has been treating us to the goods this season, and this weekend was no different as the Micah Parsons Bowl took place in Jerry World. This was the highly anticipated showdown between Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys as they welcomed back the one that got away.

All the pre-match hype rightly surrounded No. 1s return to the Lone Star State, but it was his new offence, led by Jordan Love, that got off to a flyer. The Packers jumped out to a 13 to 0 lead early in the second quarter, with the Cowboys showing no signs of life on either side of the ball.

That all changed when they blocked a PAT and became just the 15th team ever to return it for a two-point conversion. Then Dak and the boys caught fire, scoring before the break and hoping they could avoid conceding again before half-time. The Cowboys’ defence stepped up even further, forcing a fumble on Jordan Love at the Packers’ 20-yard line. Dak then threw a strike to George Pickens, giving Dallas the improbable lead heading into the break.

From there, it was tit for tat throughout the second half, with both teams going back and forth, throwing haymaker after haymaker. The scoreboard kept ticking as both quarterbacks were in the zone, making just about every play imaginable. All of the final seven drives in regulation ended in points, including a go-ahead touchdown for the Cowboys with a minute left, and a game-tying 50-plus-yard field goal from the Packers.

Tied at 37, the game went to overtime. The Cowboys got the first crack with the ball and Dak drove the length of the field, but they came away with only three points, leaving the door open for Green Bay. What followed was a conservative and somewhat pessimistic drive from LaFleur and Love, which was only enough to tie the game again with another field goal.

Despite the disappointing draw, the game was a brilliant showcase of why people love the sport. If you’re even slightly interested, I strongly recommend checking out the highlights.