The Los Angeles Rams are a solid, but unspectacular 2-2 through the first quarter of the season, which is similar to many NFC playoff hopefuls.
Not all 2-2 records are created equally, as Rams and Panthers fans likely feel much differently about the start compared to Eagles and Packers fans. Things have certainly changed for several of these teams when I last did a panic meter for them after Week 1.
Here is the panic meter for seven playoff-hopeful 2-2 NFC squads heading into Week 5.
Los Angeles Rams
Week 4 Result:
Beat Eagles 24-20
The Rams haven’t played a complete game all year to date. That was a key issue for them around the same time last season before they went on a run. LA’s talent level is there, and has always been there. So now is the time to play like the contender they were expected to be.
There are a few things to fix, including the team’s unwillingness to run the ball more and putting too much on Matthew Stafford’s plate. Defensively, the Rams played great, yet the anemic Eagles aren’t the greatest measure of anything. Right now, panic shouldn’t be on the minds of the fanbase, but simply put, Los Angeles must string together a complete game and do it soon.
Panic Meter: There still isn’t much reason to panic now, especially with several injured players set to return in the coming weeks. Losing to the Bills on Monday night might change that, however.
Philadelphia Eagles
Week 4 Result: Lost 24-20 to Rams (so nice, I had to say it twice)
Oh boy, that was a horrible loss to the Rams on Sunday. Okay, I had to say it again, but that was for the last time, I swear! The Eagles have a putrid offense and haven’t converted a third down since the first half of their game against Da Bears. Is Nick Sirianni sleeping on the job or what? They’re also set to be without several stars in this weekend’s game against the Jaguars in London.
Holy hell. Have fun with that, Jalen Hurts! Vic Fangio’s defense has its work cut out this week. Many fans have longed to see Philadelphia go down the crapper, and it would appear that they might get their wish.
Panic Meter: Panic a lot, and panic often Eagles fans. You might be as the kids say, cooked.
Dallas Cowboys
Week 4 Result: Beat Texans 34-30
The Cowboys’ defense still hasn’t shown any improvement compared to the last time I did a panic meter post. Dallas has given up at least 30 points in two games, and nearly a third in the season opener against the Giants. If it’s any consolation, though, they might not have the worst D in Texas — sorry Houston.
Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb’s chemistry remains unmatched, as evidenced by the All-Pro Lamb popping off for 189 receiving yards in Week 4. Look, the Cowboys are unlikely to get much better on defense, but if their offense manages to reach the end zone in bunches every week, it’s not going to matter in the long run.
Panic Meter: Compared to Week 1, the panic has lessened quite a bit in Dallas. With the Eagles freefalling, the Cowboys can definitely take advantage and reclaim the NFC East.
Carolina Panthers
Week 4 Result: Beat Lions 32-26
What’s there really to panic about for the reigning NFC South champs? Yes, they’ve suffered some bad defensive injuries to begin the season. Yet, Bryce Young and second-year wideout Tetairoa McMillan showed on Sunday night that something special might be blossoming in Charlotte.
Young’s continued growth has been a joy to see — as long as it doesn’t come at the Rams’ expense. He’s finally showing what made him so special coming out of Alabama and the best might be yet to come. Carolina will need it if it hopes to defend their division crown.
Panic Meter: Like I said, there’s nothing to panic over for now. They keep up this level of play and a second straight NFC South title is in their sights.
Atlanta Falcons
Week 4 Result: Beat Saints 45-24
After looking like one of the worst offenses to ever grace the gridiron through the first two games, the Falcons have piled up the points in back-to-back blowout wins over the Packers and Saints in primetime. Michael Penix returning has certainly helped matters.
All-Pro running back Bijan Robinson is an absolute cheat code, and the engine that keeps this team running. Anyone, and I mean anyone with a pulse can win the NFC South. Why not Atlanta? The Falcons won’t maintain this dominant pace for the rest of the season, of course, However, if their playmakers continue to perform at a high level, they can hang with anyone in the league.
Panic Meter: Just copy and paste what I said about the Panthers. Atlanta is going to be just fine if Penix stays healthy.
Green Bay Packers
Week 4 Result: Beat Buccaneers 17-10
Green Bay returned to the win column Sunday, albeit in a painfully underwhelming win over the Baker Mayfield-less Bucs. Packers fans haven’t endured much mediocrity since winning the Super Bowl in 2010. However, this is likely their worst team in quite some time.
Their defense isn’t great, and performing well against a bad Tampa Bay team isn’t going to cut it. The offense remains painfully inconsistent, even after slapping a few band-aids to fix its glaring offensive line problem. Keep in mind, this wasn’t even the guantlet of their schedule, which is set to come up. Coming out of these first few games at .500 is incredibly disappointing and shouldn’t sit right with anyone in cheesehead nation. Matt LaFleur will be fighting for his job the rest of the way.
Panic Meter: The Bears being a 2.5-point favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook despite starting a backup quarterback at Lambeau Field should tell you everything you need to know. Packers fans should already be bracing for the worst yet to come.
Detroit Lions
Week 4 Result: Lost 32-26 to Panthers
Welp, the Lions have fallen back to earth after making their long-awaited return to contention. Why is Detroit not haven’t the best season despite fielding a quality offense? Let me drop this here:
The offense can only do so much when the defense cannot stop a nosebleed. Plus, what happens when the offense has a bad game? Detroit’s unit isn’t good enough to account for that. It’s unrealistic to expect the Lions will be in a shootout every week, but at this rate, they might be.
Panic Meter: The state of the Lions’ defense is enough reason to sound the alarms. Hope you enjoyed the ride of winning seasons the last few years, One Pride. It’s going to be a bumpy ride the rest of the way.
