9. Will Melvin Gordon get the squeaky wheel treatment?
Gordon has been battling a knee injury in recent weeks, but it is reportedly nothing serious. Coming off a breakout season in 2016, he hasn’t been as big of a part of the Chargers’ offense as anticipated. Earlier in the week, Gordon said he is “super frustrated” that he has not been getting more touches. He’s averaging just 3.1 yards per carry and got just 11 touches in a close loss to the Eagles in Week 4. With L.A. facing a Giants team this week that has allowed 142.8 yards rushing per game this year, don’t be surprised if Gordon hears his number called early and often.
10. Can the Jaguars beat one of the AFC’s best teams?
The Jaguars have a ton of talent on defense and have made obvious improvements on that side of the ball, but watching Blake Bortles and Jacksonville’s offense can still be an adventure. After their 44-7 thumping of the Ravens in London in Week 3, Jacksonville blew a great opportunity to improve to 3-1 by losing to the Jets. With the way they’re built at the moment, it seems like the Jags’ defense has to make game-changing plays for them to win. That won’t be easy to do against a Pittsburgh Steelers team that should continue to improve as Le’Veon Bell gets more comfortable after his offseason holdout.
11. How will Mitchell Trubisky handle his NFL debut?
Even though they traded up to the second overall spot in the draft to get Trubisky, the Bears wanted the former UNC star to spend an entire season on the bench before being thrown into the fire. Unfortunately, Mike Glennon didn’t allow that. The veteran played poorly through the first four games of the season, and the Bears are not going to be patient any longer.
Trubisky made some impressive throws in the preseason, and the talent is obviously there. Winning in the NFL is extremely difficult as a rookie, however, and the 23-year-old will face a tough first test playing against the Vikings in a meaningful divisional game. Trubisky won’t be on a short leash, but getting off to a good start would be huge for his confidence.
12. Is this as good as it gets for Miami’s offense?
Dolphins coach Adam Gase called his team’s offense “garbage” after an embarrassing 20-6 loss to the Jets in Week 3. How did the players respond? By getting shut out in London in a 20-0 loss to the Saints. On paper, Miami should have no problem scoring points. They have plenty of playmakers in running back Jay Ajayi and explosive wide receivers Jarvis Landry and DeVante Parker, but the play-calling and execution has been horrendous.
It’s easy to blame Jay Cutler, and the quarterback’s two touchdowns and two interceptions through three games is nothing to get excited about. But the problems run far deeper than Cutler, which is why Gase emphatically dismissed any talk of a QB change heading into Sunday’s game against the Titans. Tennessee just allowed the Texans to score 57 points. If the Dolphins can’t find the end zone, Gase’s head might explode.
13. Who will step up in Seattle’s backfield?
Just when Chris Carson took a firm hold of the No. 1 running back spot on the Seahawks’ depth chart, the seventh-round rookie suffered a leg injury that required surgery. Thomas Rawls is supposedly healthy again, and Eddie Lacy looked good in relief of Carson against the Colts, but both backs have been healthy scratches at one point this season. There’s a reason Carson took control of the job.
Pete Carroll hinted earlier in the week that Rawls will get the first shot, but Seattle will likely go with a hot-hand approach. If the Eddie Lacy of old is ever going to make another NFL appearance, now would be a good time.
14. Is Cam Newton back?
Newton lit up the Patriots’ defense in Week 4, but that defense happens to be off to a historically bad start. While the 2015 NFL MVP appears to be fully recovered from offseason shoulder surgery, he was struggling heading into the game against New England. Sunday’s game at Detroit should be much tougher, as the Lions are allowing just 17.5 points per game, which is tied for fourth-best in the NFL. Panthers fans will want to see Newton put together back-to-back solid performances before they can exhale. He may feel he has something extra to prove after this week’s controversy.
15. Are the Chiefs the NFL’s best team?
The 4-0 Chiefs are the last remaining undefeated team in football, and it’s hard to argue with their body of work so far. Andy Reid’s team has won games on the road against the Patriots and Chargers and defeated the Eagles and Redskins at home. Kansas City’s defense continues to hold its own even without All-Pro safety Eric Berry, and rookie running back Kareem Hunt has made the offense tough to stop with his MVP-caliber start. Even Alex Smith, who is supposedly being phased out after the Chiefs drafted Patrick Mahomes III, has looked outstanding. The quarterback has thrown eight touchdown passes and no interceptions, compiling a passer rating of 124.2.
Reid still has yet to prove he can lead a team to a Super Bowl win, but he’s a perennially underrated coach. The 4-0 record is not a fluke nor a coincidence. Reid’s teams seem to be in the hunt every year, and 2017 is no different. This week they visit Houston and can’t let their guard down against a team coming off a 57-point explosion in Week 4.
