Three weeks into the NFL season, we’re already seeing familiar storylines, huge surprises and a lot of history being made.
The Houston Texans are 0-3 – again – while the Las Vegas Raiders are a surprising 3-0. Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence renew a rivalry this week that dates back to college; Some of the NFL’s biggest stars are putting up ridiculous numbers, and Monday night in New Orleans will mark the anniversary of one of the most memorable games in NFL history.
Here are five things to watch for in Week 4.
Well, it’s déjà vu for Texans fans. Another 0-3 start.
Last season, the Texans became just the seventh team to make the playoffs after starting 0-3, and they actually did it twice — in 2025 and 2018. But no team has ever lost its first three games and then reached the playoffs in consecutive seasons.
And only one team started 0-4 and made the playoffs. It was the 1992 San Diego Chargers, who started 0-4 but then won 11 of their last 12 games.
Do the Texans have that kind of run in them?
Well, they should start finding a way to block and pass the ball, but their upcoming schedule isn’t that difficult. Their next seven games will be against the Dallas Cowboys, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars in London, New York Giants, Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland Browns and then the Indianapolis Colts at home.
If Houston can go 5-2 during this stretch and reach 5-5, the Texans would be well on their way to saving the season. And with the AFC South at just 3-9 collectively, chasing a division title is certainly not out of the question despite another terrible start.
On the other hand, Raider Nation is in great shape after another exciting victory.
The Raiders are 3-0 for the first time since 2021 and are actually the first team to start a season 3-0 after drafting a quarterback No. 1 overall.
But Fernando Mendoza has nothing to do with the victories.
Instead, Kirk Cousins, 38, found the fountain of youth!
Cousins has been fantastic, throwing three touchdowns in each of the Raiders’ first three games. Fans were hoping Cousins would play well after reuniting with Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak, who was his offensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings when Cousins had some of the best seasons of his career. Currently, Cousins is tied with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy for the most passing touchdowns this season.
Now, the Raiders’ wins thus far have come against the lowly Miami Dolphins, Chargers and New Orleans Saints, so this 3-0 start could turn out to be a mirage.
But if Las Vegas can beat the Kansas City Chiefs 3-0 at home on Sunday, it would be a huge win – and give the Raiders their first 4-0 start since 2002.
We have a showdown between the former No. 1 picks on Sunday in Cincinnati as Joe Burrow and the Bengals host Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars.
This is a game that Lawrence will definitely be pumped for as he has never beaten Burrow – even since college.
Burrow and LSU beat Lawrence and Clemson in the national championship game in January 2020. Burrow also beat Lawrence in their two head-to-head NFL matchups.
But if Burrow wants to get the better of Lawrence again, he better win late already.
Burrow was 1-34 while trailing in the final eight minutes of regulation.
Just a wild statistic.
If you drafted Jahmyr Gibbs, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, or Josh Allen in your fantasy league, you’re probably off to a good start as all three are scoring at a historic rate.
Gibbs was the consensus No. 1 fantasy pick, and he lived up to the hype, scoring six touchdowns in the Detroit Lions’ first three games. He is only the fifth running back to do so to start a season.
JSN, meanwhile, has been incredible for the Seahawks, leading the NFL in receiving yards and touchdowns. He had at least 120 receiving yards and a touchdown in every game, joining Hall of Famer Jerry Rice as the only receivers in NFL history to do so in each of the first three games of a season.
And then there’s Allen.
With two more rushing touchdowns in Sunday’s win over the Chargers, Allen became the first quarterback in NFL history to have multiple rushing touchdowns in three consecutive games.
The Buffalo QB already owns the most rushing touchdowns ever by a quarterback with 85. That places him tied for 17th on the NFL’s all-time rushing touchdowns list. And Allen is still only 30!
His Bills will look to get off to a 4-0 start when they host the New England Patriots on Sunday.
Monday night will be an emotional night in New Orleans as the Saints commemorate the 20th anniversary of their return to the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina.
On September 25, 2006, the Saints defeated the Atlanta Falcons 23-3 in their first game at the Superdome after the storm.
Steve Gleason’s blocked punt, which was recovered for a Saints touchdown, remains one of the most iconic moments in franchise – and arguably NFL – history. The moment is now immortalized by a statue outside the Superdome.
This game became known as the “Domecoming” or “Rebirth” game and served as a powerful symbol of recovery and resilience for the city of New Orleans and the entire Gulf Coast region following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
Twenty years later, the Falcons and Saints will meet again Monday night.
Both teams enter the match at 1-2.
THURSDAY
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns, 8:15 p.m. ET
Sunday
Indianapolis Colts @ Washington Commanders (in London, UK), 9:30 a.m. ET
Dallas Cowboys @ Houston Texans, 1 p.m. ET
New York Jets @ Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. ET
New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. ET
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m. ET
Arizona Cardinals @ New York Giants, 1 p.m. ET
Tennessee Titans @ Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Rams @ Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m. ET
Green Bay Packers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m. ET
Miami Dolphins @ Minnesota Vikings, 4:05 p.m. ET
Kansas City Chiefs @ Las Vegas Raiders, 4:25 p.m. ET
Denver Broncos @ San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Chargers @ Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 p.m. ET
Detroit Lions @ Carolina Panthers, 8:20 p.m. ET
Monday
Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints, 8:15 p.m. ET
Gn sports
