Hemingway Report Week 4: Underdogs 10-5 ATS, Headhunters, and Backups Win Again

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In the latest Hemingway NFL Report, underdogs went 10-5 in Week 4, and the backup QB secured a win for teams without their starting quarterback. The backups stepped up once again as Gardner Minshew (Jacksonville), Daniel Jones (NY Giants), Teddy Bridgewater (New Orleans), and Kyle Allen (Carolina) improved to 8-1 as starters, replacing Nick Foles, Eli Manning, Drew Brees, and Cam Newton.

Jacksonville Jaguars QB Gardner Minshew
Jacksonville Jaguars QB Gardner Minshew improved to 2-1 as a starter after a victory over the Denver Broncos in Denver. (Image: Jack Dempsey/AP)

During Week 4, two more starting quarterbacks were knocked out with injuries, including Josh Allen (Buffalo) and Mitch Trubisky (Chicago).

Only three undefeated teams remain, including the San Francisco Niners (3-0), who had a bye week in Week 4. As expected, the two big Super Bowl 54 favorites, Kansas City and New England, are 4-0 after the first quarter of the season.

Here is the full Hemingway NFL Report for Week 4…

PERFECT 4-0

New England Patriots 16, Buffalo Bills 10… Bills fans are still in a tizzy over the helmet-to-helmet hit on Josh Allen that knocked him out of the game. If someone on the Bills lit up Tommy Brady like that, the entire Bills team would be banished to the Canadian Football League. The Bills slipped to 3-1, but their D is legit. The Pats barely beat a backup QB (Matt Barkley), and were lucky to win a game thanks to a blocked punt and ensuing touchdown.

Kansas City Chiefs 34, Detroit Lions 30… Matt Patricia’s squad came to play and, somehow, kept Patrick Mahomes out of the end zone. Scary to think the Lions were up 10-0 at one point. Alas, KC won the game and stayed undefeated thanks to three rushing touchdowns, including two from Darrel ‘Not Damien’ Williams.

VONTAZE CHEAP HIT REPRISE

Oakland Raiders 31, Indianapolis Colts 24… The Colts, missing T.Y. Hilton and Marlon Mack (left game with sprained ankle), got off to a slow start. They were down 14-0 and couldn’t keep up with Chucky and Raiders. Vontaze Burfict got tossed for a helmet-to-helmet cheap shot on TE Jack Doyle. That’s the last play of the season for the suspended Vontaze. Will it be his last game ever? XFL season starts soon.

ROAD DOGS PREVAIL

Philadelphia Eagles 32, Green Bay Packers 27… The Packers suffered their first loss of the season during a home game on Thursday Night Football. Carson Wentz threw three touchdowns on 16-for-27 attempts, while Aaron Rodgers threw two scores on 34-for-53 attempts. Rodgers won the aerial attack with 414 yards to 160 yards, but Philly cranked up their rushing attack (Jordan Howard two TD), and won the game when they picked him off in the end zone on a final drive.

Tennessee Titans 24, Atlanta Falcons 10… Marcus Mariota (three TD) found WR AJ Brown for two scores, and RB Derrick Henry racked up 100 yards. Tenn’s D stuffed Freeman and the Falcons’ run game. Ignore Matty Ice’s 18 scrambling yards, and the Falcons put up only 40 rushing yards.

Cleveland Browns 40, Baltimore Ravens 25… The Browns remembered they had a running game, and Nick Chubb lit up the Ravens for 165 yards and three TDs, including an 88-yard score. The Browns D also blitzed the crap out of Lamar Jackson, and it worked.

ANOTHER WIN FOR THE BACKUP QB… GARDNER MINSHEW 2-1

New Orleans Saints 12, Dallas Cowboys 10… The Saints prevailed as a home dog in the Superdome, and handed the Cowboys their first loss of the season. Their defense stepped it up against Dak (zero touchdowns) and Zeke (held to 35 yards). Backup Teddy Bridgewater improved to 2-0 as a starter, even though he got sacked five times and threw a pick. Saints kicker Will Lutz will be getting a street named about him for going 4-for-4 on field goal attempts, and scoring all 12 of the Saints points in the win.

Carolina Panthers 16, Houston Texans 10… Kyle Allen improved to 2-0 as a starter in place of Cam Newton. The AFC South is still wide open with four teams at 2-2. The Carolina Cats pulled off a big division road win against Houston. In the postgame presser, DeShaun Watson schooled the media on what playing against a prepared defense is like.

New York Giants 24, Washington Redskins 3… Danny Dimes is now 2-0 since Eli Manning got benched. Jay Gruden benched Case Keenum in hopes of firing up the team. Rookie Dwayne Haskins, a backup QB, saw his first action in the NFL. Haskins didn’t look any better with three picks. Jay Gruden is the betting favorite as the first head coach canned this season.

Jacksonville Jaguars 26, Denver Broncos 24… The Gardner Minshew legend grows some more with anther comeback win in Mile High for the backup QB. Minshew tossed two more TDs, but RB Leonard Fournette destroyed the Broncos for 225 yards, including an 81-yard beastly run. Then again, the Jags beat up a crappy team with an overrated QB, and a head coach who forgot they also had a run game.

RARE COVERS IN WEEK 4: FADE THE FISH

LA Chargers 30, Miami Dolphins 10… The tanking Dolphins are 0-4 ATS this season. Not only have the Fish been losing, they’ve been getting their arses handed to them.

Seattle Seahawks 27, Arizona Cardinals 10…  The Cards have yet to win a game, and sunk to 0-3-1. Tight end Will Dissly caught a seven receptions from Russell Wilson, and scored another touchdown.

OLD GUY IN COOL LID BEATS WUNDERKIND

Tampa Bucs 55, LA Rams 40… The Rams were down 21-0 to Bruce Arians’ Bucs, and couldn’t overcome the deep hole. Jared Goff’s fumble definitely hurt the Rams, who look nothing like the dominating team from the last two seasons. Expect a plethora of think pieces and podcasts recapping NFL Week 4 devoted to discussing the size of Jared Goff’s petite hands.

DA BEARS STILL HAVE DA BEST DEFENSE

Chicago Bears 16, Minnesota Vikings 6… Even with backup Chase Daniel in for Mitch Trubisky (dislocated shoulder and Labrum tear), the Vikings couldn’t overcome the stifling Bears D. Da Bears D allows only 11.75 points per game this season. Then again, the Vikes are having “Kirk Cousins” issues. I don’t think the Theilen clan will be sending the Cousins clan a Christmas card this year.

DEGEN GAME OF THE WEEK: BATTLE OF 0-3

Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Cincinnati Bengals 3… I hope you bet the under in this snoozer in the Degen Game of the Week for NFL Week 4. Backup QB Mason Rudolph won his first game by outplaying the OG Ginger, aka Andy Dalton.

For more succinct weekly recaps in the NFL including the growing saga of Gardner Minshew, check out: Hemingway NFL Report Week 1, Hemingway NFL Report Week 2, and Hemingway NFL Report Week 3.

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