The NFL season will be one month over after Monday's game between the Falcons and the Packers. You have some teams like the Bills, Titans, and Bears who are all surprisingly 3-0 and other teams like the Cowboys and Saints who are 1-2 despite high expectations heading into this season.
With all that being said, here are four teams ahead of Week 4 who are facing must-win games this weekend:
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Yes, this team is riddled with injuries but they dealt with injuries last year and Carson Wentz was able to put the team on his back and lead them to an NFC East division crown. This year, it's a complete 180. The Eagles gave up 8 sacks in a Week 1 loss to the Washington Football Team, nearly had 40 points dropped on their defense in a Week 2 loss to the Rams, and imploded during a Week 3 tie to the Bengals. Wentz is completing less than 60% of his passes and has twice as many interceptions as touchdown passes (6 INTs, 3 TDs). While the NFC East is known right now as the NFC Least, the Eagles are still in a must-win situation. They take on an injury-plagued team themselves in the San Francisco 49ers Sunday night and a loss puts them at 0-3-1 on the season and the way they're playing, that might be too deep of a hole for them to dig out of. There's even been chatters of Jalen Hurts replacing Wentz at QB. If that doesn't light a fire under this team, maybe nothing will.
HOUSTON TEXANS
This is the 2nd time in 3 years this team has started 0-3. When they did that back in 2018, they finished the season on an 11-2 run and ended up winning the AFC South. This year, it appeared that the schedule-makers had it out for the Texans as they opened the season on the road against the Chiefs and Steelers with a home game against the Ravens in the middle. They no longer have DeAndre Hopkins to throw the ball too and their top wideouts in Will Fuller and Brandin Cooks are always hurt, the offensive line has already given up 13 sacks, and they are the 2nd worst rushing team in the NFL. The Texans this week take on the Minnesota Vikings who have also struggled this season before back-to-back divisional games. With the Titans continuing to win, the Colts having an actual starting QB, and the Jaguars performing better than expected; things could get rough for Houston if they don't start winning this week.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Yes this is a surprising team facing a must-win situation considering many thought they were tanking this season but Gardner Minshew is proving that he can make this team competitive. After a shocking win over the Colts in Week 1, the Jags have dropped back-to-back games. In that Week 1 one, win Minshew only had 1 incomplete pass and 3 touchdown passes. In the following two weeks, he's had 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. A loss this week against the Bengals and the 'Tank for Trevor' crowd will get much, much louder so if Minshew wants to keep his job, he needs to win this weekend.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
This was a team that was looking forward to taking a step forward this year. The defense was supposed to be the staple of this team and through 3 games, the team has given up 102 points which is good for 3rd most in the NFL and that includes a team in the Jets that has played 4 games. They are giving up the 3rd most yards per game on the season and sit at 0-3 while both the Packers and Bears are both 3-0. Kirk Cousins is throwing interceptions left and right. After the Houston Texans this week, the schedule doesn't get any easier with games against the Seahawks, Falcons, Packers, Lions, Bears, and Cowboys. The Vikings could be out of the playoff race very early if they don't get back on track and it starts this weekend.
Playoff races could start to take shape after this weekend in the NFL. For these teams, they could see themselves on the outside looking in if they don't get their acts together.
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images