32 stats that explain the 2025 NFL season through 4 games

Four weeks isn't enough time to tell us who'll win Super Bowl 60. But it is enough time to tell us which teams could make it there and which have their work cut out for them.

There's more to the first four games of 2025 than just wins, losses and fantasy points. September was a showcase of each team's strengths and flaws. Fortunately, we've got enough data after nearly a quarter of the season to understand what each franchise is doing right and what they need to fix.

Let's take a look at all 32 teams in alphabetical order and learn more about what's going right and what's going wrong, one statistic at a time. The stats below were sourced from a combination of RBSDM.com, NFL Pro and Pro Football Reference, all of which are incredibly useful.

Arizona Cardinals: 6.0 sacks

That's how many sacks new additions Josh Sweat and an ageless Calais Campbell have combined for in four games. Last year's top Cardinal, Zaven Collins, led the team with 5.5 sacks. While a soft opening schedule has played a major role, Arizona's offseason additions have helped boost the team to a top-six scoring defense. The offense, on the other hand, has regressed from 12th to 22nd. Head coach Jonathan Gannon remains stuck playing whack-a-mole in the desert.

Atlanta Falcons: 38.7 percent

Atlanta is tied for seventh in the NFL when it comes to pressure rate at 38.7 percent. The Falcons ranked 31st at 28.1 percent last fall. Impressively, that's come with minimal counting stats from 2025 first rounders Jalon Walker and James Pearce, who have 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits between them. Once those two hit their stride, a team that's recently had one of the league's worst pass rushes could suddenly be a top five unit.

Baltimore Ravens: 64 sacks

Lamar Jackson was sacked 23 times in a near-MVP 2024 season. Through three-plus games — he left Week 4's loss to the Buffalo Bills in the third quarter — he's already at 15. That's a whopping 64-sack pace that's somewhat skewed by the seven sacks the Detroit Lions notched in Week 3, but still immensely concerning. His pressure rate is at a career-high 41.2 percent and undoubtedly contributed to the hamstring injury that may derail his season. What's worse: 11 of those sacks came against four-man rushes, suggesting there's a fundamental lapse at play rather than the bad luck of being overloaded on a regular basis.

Buffalo Bills: 0.9 percent

That's where Buffalo's win probability bottomed out in Week 1, trailing the Ravens 40-25 with fewer than five minutes to go. Then, Josh Allen cemented his 2024 MVP award with a glorious comeback and helped make the Bills the AFC's only undefeated team. Then the next three games were against teams with a combined 1-11 record (and the only win came because the Dolphins got to play the Jets), so we're holding on to opening night for now.

One concern? A defense allowing a league-high 4.6 yards of separation per target this season. That secondary could prove to be a concern against the AFC's elite quarterbacks.

Carolina Panthers: 0.271 EPA per snap

Bryce Young has been a disaster early in the year in all three of his NFL seasons. In 2023 and 2024, he averaged -0.297 EPA per dropback in the first four games of the season, but rose to -0.026 in the 13 that followed (even if he wasn't always playing). That's an increase of 0.271 — or roughly a field goal's worth of value every 11 snaps. This year, he's at -0.037 as he builds a rapport with first round wideout Tetairoa McMillan.

Could a similar mid-season glow-up finally convince the Panthers he can be a franchise quarterback? Or will rising to mediocrity merely seal his fate as a waste of draft assets?

Chicago Bears: 1,258 receiving yards

Rome Odunze is on pace for over 500 more receiving yards than he had as a rookie alongside Caleb Williams last fall. He's also averaging 1.25 touchdown catches per game. The latter number isn't sustainable, but we've seen the former first-round pick blossom into Williams' top target — he has 13 more passes thrown his way than anyone else on the roster. That points to more than just a rising star at wideout; Williams' sack rate has dropped by 53 percent and his time to throw has risen to 3.17 seconds, creating the space Odunze has needed to be a game-changer downfield.

Cincinnati Bengals: 28 games

If Joe Burrow sits out the rest of the 2025 season due to a turf toe injury that required surgery, he'll have missed 28 games across his six NFL seasons. Cincinnati's ability to continue stepping on rakes in order to supercharge an offense that can't keep him protected (nearly three sacks per game in his career) has nearly squandered all the goodwill from 2021's surprising Super Bowl run.

Cleveland Browns: 7.0 yards downfield

Joe Flacco earned comeback player of the year honors after just five games with the Browns in 2023. He pushed that team to the postseason behind a let-it-fly approach that traded off risky throws for game-breaking plays. His average target distance that season? 9.3. This year it's down to 7.0 with just an 8.1 percent deep ball rate — 22nd-highest among starting QBs. You'd think that would mitigate risk but, nope! Flacco's interception rate is effectively the same as it was in 2023 (3.9 to 3.8 percent) despite what should be shorter, easier plays. And, thus, he was replaced by third round rookie Dillon Gabriel before Week 5.

Dallas Cowboys: 3.3 percent

The Cowboys' sack rate in 2024 ranked second in the NFL at 8.7 percent. But despite a useful 32 percent pressure rate this fall, Dallas' 3.3 percent sack rate ranks 29th. That inability to generate negative plays has led to opponents converting more than 58 percent of their third downs through four weeks — worst in the NFL by a significant margin. No other team is higher than 52.

Denver Broncos: 48.1 percent and 2.7 yards

Those numbers are Denver's pressure rate and average separation downfield — both best in the NFL. The Broncos have opposing quarterbacks in hell. That's only led to a single interception in four games, but the turnovers will come. Denver's defense is currently scary but has the capacity to be much more.

Detroit Lions: 137 yards

That's how many rushing yards David Montgomery is supposed to have, per NFL Pro. His actual total? 245, leading to an NFL high 108 rush yards over expected (RYOE) and 5.7 yards per carry — fourth-best in the NFL. While Jahmyr GIbbs may lead the team in rushing yards, Montgomery continues to be its less heralded run-game MVP.

Green Bay Packers: 57.3 percent

Week 3's inability to handle Cleveland pass rush knocked down Jordan Love's average target distance, and at 7.8 air yards per attempt he's throwing shorter passes than he ever has as a full-time starter. But he's averaging a career-best 8.3 yards per attempt because his targets are averaging 4.0 yards of separation per target (fifth-best in the NFL). So what's 57.3? That's the percentage of Love's passing yards that have come after the catch, as Matt LaFleur continues to find ways to create big openings and larger gains downfield.

Houston Texans: 7.2 yards and 2.74 seconds

The good news? The Texans have reduced C.J. Stroud's pressure rate to a manageable-on-the-surface 34.5 percent. The bad news? His time to throw and average target depth are both career lows, leaving him to wallow as an average quarterback staring up at the heights of his 2023 offensive rookie of the year campaign.

Indianapolis Colts: 40.3 percent

Daniel Jones has a 103.3 passer rating this fall, nearly 11 points higher than his breakthrough 2021 campaign that ended with a New York Giants playoff win. While that rating was boosted by short passes, his average target distance this fall is 8.3 yards — two full yards deeper than that dink-and-dunk Giants attack. What's making this possible? A career-high and league-leading 40.3 percent play-action rate that's bought him space in the pocket and unlocked space downfield. Why is it working? Because Jonathan Taylor is averaging better than 100 rushing yards per game.

Jacksonville Jaguars: 69.0 passer rating

Jacksonville entered 2025 with major questions to answer across its secondary. While the arrival of Travis Hunter would certainly help, he needed to be a rising tide for a group whose 0.241 EPA allowed per opponent dropback was by far the worst in the NFL. While they haven't played a murderer's row of offenses, the Jaguars' 69.0 passer rating allowed this season leads the NFL.

Jourdan Lewis and Eric Murray have both punched well above their weight classes as free agent signees of modest acclaim. But if they backslide, Hunter's ability to shake off a slow (relatively) start could be the cantilever that keeps this team balanced on its tightrope toward the top of the AFC South.

Kansas City Chiefs: -21 rush yards over expected

Patrick Mahomes leads the Chiefs in rushing yards through four weeks, which is concerning! But it's not unfamiliar. Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt have combined for -21 RYOE this season, which seems bad until you consider that pair had -121 RYOE in 2024… and the Chiefs still made it to the Super Bowl. In 2023 Kansas City's tailbacks had -2 RYOE. 2022? Eight rushing yards over expected. If there's any team in the NFL built to overcome average or slightly below-average running backs, it's Kansas City.

Los Angeles Chargers: 33.4 and 42.7 percent

The first number is Justin Herbert's 2024 pressure rate. The second is his 2025 number with Rashawn Slater out for the season and Joe Alt sidelined by a high ankle sprain. As a result, Herbert is throwing deep less often and throwing into tighter windows as teams bring pressure without sacrificing blitzers from the secondary. In Week 4, that manifested in the Chargers' first loss of the year. Is it a sign of things to come?

Los Angeles Rams: 44.9 percent

That's the Rams' pressure rate; fourth-best in the NFL. The Rams blitz rate? 22.4 percent, 23rd-highest in the league. Los Angeles has created the cover for a weaker secondary by ensuring it can sew chaos in the pocket without having to hope and pray single coverage holds up.

Las Vegas Raiders: 4.1 yards

Pete Carroll's return to the sideline has featured a very un-Carroll defense. The Raiders' overhaul has given way to a secondary whose 0.164 expected points added per opponent dropback ranks 24th in the NFL. Despite the presence of Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas is blitzing (29.6 percent) more often than it generates pressure (27.6) and overtaxing a secondary that discarded useful corners in Nate Hobbs and Jakorian Bennet last offseason. That's left plenty of space for opposing quarterbacks to strike downfield, leading to 4.1 yards of separation per target — third-worst in the league.

What is good news for Pete Carroll? Ashton Jeanty has begun to come alive, which means he'll either be able to lean on his run game or pull defenders close to the line of scrimmage to stop it. The Raiders have faced the third-fewest stacked boxes on run plays this fall, and changing that could be the key to creating the space Geno Smith needs to revive himself.

Miami Dolphins: 60 percent

Mike McDaniel currently has the shortest odds to be the first head coach fired this season at -150. That puts it at roughly 60 percent that he'll not only be canned, but canned before Brian Daboll or Callahan. Is that fair for a coach handed one of the league's worst secondaries and who'll now be without WR1 Tyreek Hill for the rest of the season? Probably not! But McDaniel's ability to make the Dolphins good but not great may be a hindrance for a team in need of a reset. A handful of bad losses this season could send him back to the coordinator ranks.

Minnesota Vikings: 9.1 percent

J.J. McCarthy was the 10th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Since then, he's been available for only two of the 22 games Minnesota has played — 9.1 percent. That's given some journeymen backups a chance to shine, but it's been anathema to any kind of analysis as to whether McCarthy can be the franchise quarterback the Vikings drafted him to be. The good news, however, is McCarthy has been the NFC Offensive Player of the Week in 50 percent of his starts. Granted, he's only been good for two of those eight quarters, but at least it's something.

New England Patriots: 1.6 percent

Drake Maye's interception rate has been cut nearly in half, down from three percent as a rookie (10 picks in 12 games) to only two in four starts this fall. How? New head coach Mike Vrabel and an improved defense have led to fewer deep shots in an offense that lacks the blocking or receiving talent to pull those off regularly. That's led to more short targets, where the second-year QB has excelled. Not only does his 74 percent completion rate lead the league, but his passer rating actually jumps from 101.2 to 126.0 when blitzed. Maye is seeing the field and processing like a veteran, and the Patriots may have found their franchise QB.

New Orleans Saints: 2.98 seconds

No team in the NFL has been slower at getting to the quarterback than a Saints pass rush led by Carl Granderson and a 36-year-old Cameron Jordan. Help is on the horizon; Chase Young has yet to play in 2025 thanks to a calf injury. He was quietly one of the game's most effective pass rushers last season despite only 5.5 sacks. His 73 pressures were sixth-most in the league in 2024. His presence should help a feisty New Orleans team throw a little more support behind Spencer Rattler who, good or bad, is wildly entertaining behind center.

New York Giants: 2.48 seconds

The Giants really, really wanted to keep things simple for Jaxson Dart in his first NFL start. That led to a litany of quick-hit passes and less than 2.5 seconds from snap to pass against the Los Angeles Chargers. That led to success in a 21-18 win, thanks in no small part to the 54 rushing yards he picked up on a combination of designed runs and scrambles. There's value to that, but LA made him significantly less effective when his top option was covered — his success rate dropped from 53.8 percent on quick throws to 25 percent when taking longer than 2.5 seconds in the pocket. Can he evolve in time to save head coach Brian Daboll's job?

New York Jets: 10 drops

The Jets haven't made it easy on Justin Fields (or Tyrod Taylor, his injury replacement). New York has allowed pressure on 51 percent of its dropbacks; no other team is higher than 44 percent. But even when Jets QBs get the ball out (and they do, despite a nine percent sack rate) they've been let down by their receivers. Only the Jaguars have a higher drop rate than New York's 9.3 percent (no other team is worse than 6.4). Garrett Wilson isn't the problem. He has one drop in 38 targets (2.6 percent). Everyone else? Nine in 66 (13.4 percent).

Philadelphia Eagles: 40 percent

No quarterback in the league is getting blitzed more than Jalen Hurts, who faces extra defenders two out of every five dropbacks. That's led to a 43 percent pressure rate that's 10 points higher than in 2024 and Hurts' lowest time in the pocket since 2022. That hasn't stopped Philadelphia from winning, but it has limited the team's downfield passing. A.J. Brown isn't happy with his role (14 catches in four games), Hurts' average target distance is the lowest of his career (6.8 yards downfield, fifth-lowest among 2025 starters) and the Eagles' wideouts have combined for only 397 receiving yards to date — 106 fewer yards than Puka Nacua has on his own.

Pittsburgh Steelers: 5.8 yards and 17.4 yards

DK Metcalf has been the exact kind of rising tide the Pittsburgh offense needed. While his average target in the team's quick-hit offense (Aaron Rodgers' time to throw is a career-low 2.52 this fall) is only 5.8 yards downfield, his average catch has sprung for 17.4 yards. Metcalf has the yards-after-catch juice to prop up an aging quarterback no longer capable of regularly escaping pressure in the pocket. That's helped the Steelers rise to the top of a suddenly shaky AFC North.

San Francisco 49ers: 17.9 percent and 46.2 percent

The first number is how often opponents have blitzed Purdy, the lowest in the league. The second is how often Purdy has been pressured, second only to Justin Fields among starting quarterbacks. The Niners are getting torched up front and it's been especially problematic near the end zone. San Francisco has only six touchdowns on 14 trips to the red zone, 27th-best in the NFL.

Seattle Seahawks: -0.17 EPA

Sam Darnold is having another excellent year. His expected points added per dropback are almost enough to counteract the EPA of his running backs! Seattle has gotten useful blocking from its offensive line but limited returns from the running backs on which it spent Day 2 draft picks in 2022 and 2023. Kenneth Walker has been roughly average while Zach Charbonnet's breakthrough has been deferred another year; his -47 rush yards over expected are third-worst in the NFL and a significant factor for a team that has struggled mightily to run the ball outside its tackles.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 23.7 percent

That's the percentage of throws Baker Mayfield is making into tight windows — first among starting quarterbacks and one of only two QBs over 20 percent (Jake Browning is the other). Playing on hard mode has dropped Mayfield's completion rate down from 71 percent to 59.

It also suggests new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard is struggling to create the open space his predecessor, Jaguars head coach Liam Coen, was able to find in Mayfield's career-best 2024 campaign. That's a rough tightrope to cross. While Mayfield has handled his business in a 3-1 start, those tough throws could wind up costing the Tampa offense as the season wears on.

Tennessee Titans: 33.8 percent

Cam Ward's success rate — a play that gains at least 40 percent of yards needed for a first down or touchdown on first down, 70 percent of yards needed on second down, and 100 percent on third or fourth down — is effectively one in three through his first four NFL games. That's forced him into a litany of third-and-longs and a 27.8 percent third down conversion rate. Both those stats are dead last in the NFL. Ward is being forced to do too much and now Tennessee has to be careful not to let bad habits become part of his game.

Washington Commanders: 3.96 yards after contact

The Commanders have been buoyed by a run game that ranks in the top three in most advanced metrics. But the bulk of their 155 rushing yards per game have come after contact, where backs Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Chris Rodriguez and Jeremy McNichols are all averaging 4.2 yards per carry after contact or better. Only six teams in the NFL face a stacked box more often than Washington's offense and this group still ranks second in rushing EPA, just behind the Buffalo Bills. Once Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin heat up, this offense could be something special.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: 32 NFL teams, 32 stats to explain what they're doing right (or very wrong)