NFL The Final Word: Derrick Henry puts Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl picture as Tua Tagovailoa’s absence is felt in Miami

From Derrick Henry destruction to Todd Bowles and his impressive Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sky Sports NFL presenter Neil Reynolds has his final say on Week Four of the 2024 season on the road to Super Bowl LIX…

The first month of the season is in the books, and incredibly we are down to just two undefeated teams in the Minnesota Vikings and the Kansas City Chiefs.

This league remains as unpredictable as ever, and the race to the Super Bowl is going to be wide open.

The Ravens running riot

I think it is fair to say the Baltimore Ravens have shown how they are going to move forward in this 2024 season, they will be physical, they will run the football and they are going to be powered by Lamar Jackson and, specifically, Derrick Henry.

They dominated the Buffalo Bills in a 35-10 win in Sunday Night Football, and got going from the very beginning with an 87-yard touchdown run by Henry. He has topped 150 rushing yards in each of the last two games and has rushed 49 times for 350 yards in the past two weeks in wins over the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo. Baltimore have put up 545 yards and three touchdowns on the ground; they are going to pound their way back into this Super Bowl picture.

Washington’s new star

I could not be more impressed with Jayden Daniels and the 3-1 start he has made with the Washington Commanders. He is so efficient with the ball, and normally completion percentage can be quite low for a rookie.

Daniels completed 21 of 23 passes in a Week Three win over Cincinnati and on Sunday he hit on 26 of 30 passes in a 42-14 win over the Arizona Cardinals. He is also a regular threat on the ground and has a completion percentage through his first four games of 82.1 per cent. That is an NFL record, beating a guy you might have heard of, by the name of Tom Brady. It’s a good start, he is well protected up front, he has a good running game around him – Washington ran the ball 37 times for 216 yards and four touchdowns. The future looks bright for Daniels and Washington.

The Chiefs grind out another win

Patrick Mahomes turns the ball over, Carson Steele fumbles, Rashee Rice goes out with a likely season-ending knee injury and the Kansas City Chiefs are down 10-0. But they are able to take their time against the Los Angeles Chargers when it came to scoring because of Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.

Once again this unit stepped up and led the Chiefs. It is a very different Kansas City team now, one that has to be a bit more pragmatic and certainly build on defense. It is not just the blitzes and the pass coverages we so often think about with Spagnuolo. They shut down a Chargers team that loves to run the football under Jim Harbaugh. LA gained just 55 yards on the ground and didn’t score a point in the final 41 minutes.

Will Jags’ fortune turn in London?

It’s been a challenging start to the season for the Jacksonville Jaguars, beginning 0-4. It was always going to be difficult as they were playing playoff teams from a year ago in the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans, but what has been notable is this team hasn’t found a way to finish and that’s what they talked so much to me about during training camp – finding ways to get over the line. That hasn’t happened.

That has heaped pressure on Trevor Lawrence at quarterback, he has lost his last nine starts, and on head coach Doug Pederson, who has now lost nine of 10 games dating back to last season. The Jags might need this upcoming trip to London as a bit of a buffer and a break from the first part of their season to the rest because a change is something definitely needed at the moment.

Dolphins suffer without Tua

It was a tale of two quarterbacks on Monday Night Football. Jared Goff went 18 for 18 passing in Detroit’s 42-29 win over the Seattle Seahawks. This Lions offense is just loaded with weaponry and I think we are seeing that now as they move into the season with their 3-1 record.

Also on Monday night, the Miami Dolphins started their third quarterback in what is shaping up to be a very difficult season. They were absolutely lost with Snoop Huntley under center, it was the same with Skylar Thompson and we are seeing the value of a starting quarterback. Tua Tagovailoa’s absence has completely ripped the floor out of this Miami Dolphins season. They look a shadow of the team that was gaining 400 yards on the regular last year. Unless Tua comes back, and comes back quickly, this is a lost season for the Dolphins. If I’m Tua and see the record we have with our backs against the wall, I’m not sure I’m rushing back from my health situation.

It’s not looking good for the Dolphins. It’s looking very good for the Lions.

Player of the Week – Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens

He was dominant on the ground, and he is imposing his will on defenders. But he does so much more than that, and I think a perfect example of his completeness as a running back is the very first touchdown run. He breaks through the secondary and there are safeties 30/40 pounds lighter than him level with Henry, and he runs away from them. They do not catch him. He is an absolute thoroughbred and an incredible athlete and somebody who is so integral to his team’s chances this season.

Play of the Week – Darnold’s TD pass to Jefferson

My Play of the Week is the touchdown pass from Sam Darnold to Justin Jefferson in the first half of what ended up being a tighter-than-it-shoulder-have-been victory for the Minnesota Vikings. Darnold was sensational in the first half and the back shoulder throw to Jefferson for a touchdown is going to be one of the best passes you will see all season long. Jefferson didn’t even have to move; Darnold basically aimed at the back of the defender’s helmet and then the ball hits Jefferson straight in the chest. It was inch perfect, as good as you can get. We have seen back shoulder throws many a time at Lambeau Field with Aaron Rodgers delivering the passes, and this was every bit as good from Darnold.

Coach of the Week – Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

If you named coaches in the NFL this week, you would name a lot before you get to this guy. I want to give some plaudits to Todd Bowles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His team thrashed the Philadelphia Eagles 33-16 with Baker Mayfield having a big day at quarterback while Tom Brady looked on from the television booth.

Bowles doesn’t get enough credit around the league, and he doesn’t get enough credit this week. Hurricane Helene slammed Florida and the other states in America leading up to Week Four. Mayfield, among other players on that Bucs team, had to evacuate their homes and players and coaches are creatures of habit who put in a lot of hours of work leading into a Sunday. For Bowles to have his team as ready as they were in Week Four to dismantle the Eagles spoke volumes to his leadership and the maturity of his players. There are a lot of good things going on in Tampa right now.

On my radar…

It is time for the NFL London games! This is our month, this is where we all come together for two games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and one at Wembley Stadium to see the New York Jets against the Minnesota Vikings, the Chicago Bears against the Jacksonville Jaguars and then the Jags against the New England Patriots.

To me this is so much about the games on the field and seeing legends like Aaron Rodgers and seeing the Sam Darnold story, Caleb Williams, Justin Jefferson, maybe even Drake Maye if he is playing for the Patriots by then. But really this is about the fans, the football family coming together.

Enjoy the games. Enjoy being part of what is continuing to be a historic chapter in the NFL’s international story and if you see me, give me a wave and say hello!

Week Five begins on Thursday when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers face the Atlanta Falcons from 1.15am, live on Sky Sports NFL in the early hours of Friday; Also stream with NOW.

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