The fourth week of NFL football started off with very disappointing news as COVID-19 outbreaks caused two of the week’s best matchups to be postponed. At the beginning of the week the Tennessee Titans announced that they had multiple players and staff members test positive for COVID-19, postponing their game against the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers back to week 7. The other matchup affected by COVID-19 was the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs. The Patriots announced their starting quarterback Cam Newton tested positive, pushing the game back until further notice. After another round of testing, the Patriots were able to confirm Newton was the only player to have the virus, so they were able to play the game on Monday. Newton has been the most important part of the Patriots offense this year, totaling 714 passing yards, 149 rushing yards, and six total touchdowns. Newton’s absence left Belichick choosing between the lesser of two evils, Brian Hoyer and J.T. Stidham. Hoyer was lucky enough to be the starter, looking to redeem himself after a poor career in Houston. Unfortunately, Hoyer was unable to prove himself and was benched for Stidham after throwing for 130 yards and a pick. Stidham came off the bench and did exactly what everyone expected him to do, throwing for two interceptions on 60 yards passing, with a completion rate of 38%. The Chiefs defense certainly took advantage of New England’s lack of quarterbacks, allowing less than 200 yards in the air and returning one of three interceptions for a touchdown. Patrick Mahomes was in for a challenge against one of the most experienced defensive back groups in the league. Mahomes did not receive much help from the ground game, with the Patriots holding the Chiefs to less than 100 total rushing yards. However, Mahomes was able to carry the load by throwing for 236 yards and two touchdowns, winning the game 26-10.
One of this week’s most notable moments was the Houston Texans decision to part ways with Head coach Bill O’Brien, who also serves as the team’s general manager. The decision was announced by the Texan’s front office after a disappointing 0-4 start to the season. Their first three losses came from the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, and Pittsburgh Steelers, three of the league’s top teams. This put a lot of pressure on Bill O’Brien and the Texans as they prepared to redeem themselves against a 0-3 Vikings squad that is yet to prove anything positive this year. Deshaun Watson and the Houston Offense matched up great against a Viking defense with the lowest graded secondary in the league. The Houston Offense was not able to find their rhythm the first half, totaling six points earned through two field goals. Meanwhile, the Vikings Offense made a statement with Dalvin Cook rushing for two touchdowns and a field goal by Dan Bailey, giving the Vikings a 17-6 lead at half. The Houston offense came out hot after halftime with Watson connecting with Will Fuller V for a 24 yard touchdown, and a 25 yard field goal by Ka’imi FairBairn the next drive. Sadly, for Bill O’Brien’s sake, the Vikings were able to respond strong enough to secure a 31-23 victory. The Texan’s future is now filled with uncertainty as they search for new leadership positions in a season that has hardly just begun.