Week 4 NFL storylines: Are Cardinals, Panthers for real?

In the blink of an eye, the NFL heads to the October information of its schedule.

And portion it volition beryllium hard to support the frantic gait created successful a whirlwind September, you get the feeling this is shaping up arsenic 1 of the astir thrilling seasons successful league history.

That means nary shortage of storylines. Here are 4 to ticker successful Week 4.

Chiefs successful trouble?

While it is casual — and close — to constituent to a defence that is giving up the third-most points successful the NFL arsenic the superior culprit for the Chiefs’ 1-2 start, the discourtesy has besides been to blame.

Hence, the determination to motion wide receiver Josh Gordon this week upon his reinstatement by the NFL. Gordon, though, does small to assistance a defence that is giving up 160 yards per crippled connected the crushed — second-worst successful the NFL — and has been consistently torched portion surrendering the ninth-most passing yards successful the league.

Kansas City whitethorn drawback a interruption against the offensively challenged Eagles this week, but their superior antiaircraft issues volition beryllium hard to resoluteness in-season.

Are they for real?

Not galore radical predicted the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals would beryllium 3-0 close now, yet present they are arsenic they some caput into big-time games.

The Cardinals caput to Los Angeles to look the 3-0 Rams. The Panthers tin marque a large connection with a roadworthy triumph implicit the Cowboys.

Arizona diagnostic the highest-scoring violative successful the NFL and a antiaircraft giving up the 11th-fewest points.

Carolina has a lock-down defence surrendering the second-fewest points and the 16th-best discourtesy down rejuvenated backmost Sam Darnold, who has travel live successful Charlotte.

Under the radar?

Lost successful the marvel of Justin Tucker kicking an NFL grounds 66-yard tract extremity to prevention the Baltimore Ravens astatine the buzzer past Sunday was the advancement shown by the Detroit Lions, the gut-wrenching victims of Tucker’s heroics.

Detroit, which plays the Bears successful Chicago connected Sunday, finds itself an all-too-familiar 0-3 aft the archetypal 3 weeks. On the surface, it looks similar conscionable different bittersweet commencement for a franchise that historically plays atrocious football.

The Lions, though, person shown combat nether first-year caput manager Dan Campbell. You get the feeling that if Detroit tin ever get its roster stabilized, Campbell tin genuinely make thing successful Motown.

Perfection a mirage?

As astonishing arsenic the Raiders’ 3-0 commencement is, truthful excessively is the cleanable grounds of the Denver Broncos.

Safe to say, though, not each unbeaten records are equal. While the Raiders person acceptable an NFL people by becoming the archetypal squad to commencement a play by beating 3 teams coming disconnected 10 wins oregon much the twelvemonth before, the Broncos person beaten 3 teams — the Giants, Jaguars and Jets — with a combined grounds of 0-10.

Still, it’s intolerable to disregard the 8.7 points they are giving up per game, the fewest successful the successful NFL

Their crippled astatine location against the Ravens connected Sunday should supply the astir compelling grounds yet whether the Broncos are for real.