Week 4 NFL winners: Zach Wilson nearly upsets Super Bowl champions

Sean McDermott, head coach, Buffalo Bills: After a record-breaking 70-point performance a week ago, it looked like the Miami Dolphins offense simply couldn’t be stopped. That was until McDermott, who is also calling defensive plays with defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier on a one-year sabbatical, provided a blueprint for how to slow down the high-octane Dolphins.

The 20 points Miami scored were its fewest this season. Although they totaled 393 yards of total offense, the Dolphins went 3-for-10 on third down, 0-for-3 on fourth down and turned the ball over twice. Tua Tagovailoa was pressured more on Sunday than in any other game in 2023 (he was sacked four times) and both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle never had a reception longer than 20 yards.

Nick Caserio, GM, Houston Texans: Many assumed C.J. Stroud was Houston’s consolation prize after missing out on Bryce Young with the No. 2 overall pick in April. But four games into 2023, Stroud not only appears to be the better option between the two, but Caserio looks like a genius for drafting him.

Stroud, who is on pace for an all-time rookie season following Sunday’s 30-6 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns – his third straight game with 280 or more passing yards and multiple touchdowns. His 1,212 passing yards are the second-most through a QB’s first four starts and his four games without an interception is the third-longest streak to begin a career. Caserio might have himself a franchise signal-caller for the next decade-plus.

Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers: The more people doubt Purdy, the more he proves them wrong. The second-year quarterback completed 20-of-21 passes for 281 yards and a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals. His 95.2 completion percentage is a new 49ers single-game record and he’s now third in the NFL in completion percentage (72.3). 

Purdy is also one of just three QBs to start every game and not throw an interception this season and he’s recorded a passer rating of 111.3 in three of his four starts. The 23-year-old is now 12-0 in games he starts and finishes. It appears the 49ers made the right call keeping Purdy and moving on from Trey Lance.

Les Snead, GM, Los Angeles Rams: When the Rams took receiver Puka Nacua in the fifth round out of BYU in April, it was one of the more quiet Day 3 selections of the 2023 draft. But four games into his rookie year, Nacua is mowing down rookie receiving records across the NFL, not just in L.A..

Nacua surpassed both of Anquan Boldin’s rookie records for most receptions (39) and receiving yards (501) through his first four games. The 22-year-old rookie hauled in nine of his 10 targets for 163 yards and his first career touchdown – a 22-yard game winner in overtime that sealed the Rams 29-23 win over the Indianapolis Colts – on Sunday. He was given the game ball in the locker room by head coach Sean McVay following the victory.

Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator, Detroit Lions: When the head-coaching cycle gets going next offseason, Johnson will likely be one of, if not the first candidate called when teams start conducting interviews. After guiding the Lions to the No. 4 overall offense and No. 5 scoring offense last year (and setting a franchise record with eight games scoring 30 or more points), he’s picked up right where he left off in 2023.

Detroit ranks eighth in scoring and total offense through four games and the team is 3-1 and sitting atop the NFC North. In a 34-20 win over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night, Johnson showed his full array of skills. The Lions ran up 401 yards of total offense, including 211 on the ground, had 10 more first downs than the Packers, ran 73 plays, went 2-for-2 on fourth down and dominated time of possession 37:58 to 22:02. Johnson is one of the top offensive minds in the NFL and he may have already solidified himself a future head-coaching job.

Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans: Anyone still questioning whether Henry is due to hit the “running back cliff” as he approaches his 30th birthday likely isn’t after Sunday’s 27-3 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. 

Henry rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown while passing Hall of Famer Earl Campbell for second on the Oilers/Titans all-time rushing list. He’s now just 1,390 yards away from breaking Eddie George’s franchise rushing record (10,009 yards) – a mark he could easily top by the middle of next season. George set the mark in 128 games across eight seasons. 

David Montgomery, RB, Detroit Lions: Montgomery proved in Thursday’s win over the Packers that he’s not going to hand over the No. 1 running back job to rookie Jahmyr Gibbs just because he was a top-15 draft pick. The 26-year-old scored a career-best three touchdowns while tying a career-high with 32 carries and rushing for 121 yards, the third-most of his career.

Montgomery has scored at least one touchdown in every game he’s played with the Lions and has shown he’s capable of carrying the team's run game. Montgomery rushed for 800 or more yards every year with the Chicago Bears, including 1,070 yards in 2020, but the Lions may finally be giving him the chance to prove he’s an RB1.