NFL overreactions/underreactions: Week 4

Some points can be made about certain teams about a quarter through the NFL season, but it is unknown if they will continue throughout the season.

Here are some storylines that have popped up during the season's first quarter and how some CommRadio members feel about them.

Underreaction: Doug Pederson will be fired at season’s end

After the Jacksonville Jaguars fell into an 0-4 hole with a loss at Houston to the Texans on Sunday, head coach Doug Pederson said the coaches couldn’t make the plays.

If that says anything, it points to quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s struggles, who has lost eight straight starts dating back to last season.

Lawrence was signed to a five-year, $275 million contract in the offseason and he has completed just 53.3 percent of his passes for 729 yards, four touchdowns and one interception in 2024.

Throwing between 10 and 19 yards downfield and facing the blitz are two areas where Lawrence’s regression has been the most prevalent.

Pederson was in a similar situation in 2020 in Philadelphia after Carson Wentz signed a four-year, $128 million pact and he regressed to a benching towards the end of that season.

Pederson was subsequently fired after that season and Wentz was traded to the Indianapolis Colts as the Eagles took over with the quarterback-coach pairing of Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni.

Only one team since 1990 has started 0-4 and made the playoffs: the 1992 San Diego Chargers.

If the Jaguars end up with the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, they will be in a good position to trade it away and support Lawrence with an array of options with the assets they pick up, but he also needs good coaching, and Pederson is not that.

The Jaguars must consider firing Pederson mid-season to stop the quarterback’s regression and find an offensive-minded coach like Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to right the ship in 2025. - Owen Klein

Overreaction: Jayden Daniels will lead the Commanders to an NFC East crown

After suffering an opening-day loss to Tampa Bay, the Commanders have been rolling on a three-game win streak.

A lot of that success has to do with the dominating offense led by Jayden Daniels and new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

The 23-year-old rookie has been exactly what the Commanders have been looking for at quarterback, compiling an impressive 82.1 completion percentage across the first four games.

Daniels has provided efficient and productive performances right out of the gate, and credit must also go to Kliff Kingsbury.

Kingsbury got his revenge against the team he coached for three years, and dominated them with a 40-point performance.

The Cardinals came into the game with expectations with their offense as well but were only held to 14 total points.

If Washington can continue to play above-average defense, it will open the door for Jayden Daniels to shine as he has been all season.

Looking at the NFC, The Commanders hold the third seed in the conference and lead the NFC East.

With the opponents in the division looking shaky through the first four weeks, it will open the door for the Commanders to win their first division title since the 7-9 season in 2020. - Ben Barker

Overreaction: Anthony Richardson isn’t the future of the Colts franchise

In the first week of the NFL season, Anthony Richardson recorded 212 passing yards, 56 rushing yards and three total touchdowns and, to top off that performance, he threw a 60-yard pass off of his back foot.

Richardson might have the strongest arm in football and it should be easy to realize that he has way too much talent to give up on him this early on.

Anthony Richardson is 22 years old and has only played in seven games in his NFL career. No franchise should be even thinking about moving on from him when he’s had such a small sample size to display what he can do.

He needs the chance to keep learning and he needs more time to get better as an NFL quarterback.

Richardson has had poor performances in the last two weeks and he’s going to have to prove to the Colts franchise that he can stay on the field but as of now, it’s just too early to count out a 22-year-old quarterback who can throw the football the length of a field. - Jacob Zacharia

Underreaction: Deshaun Watson will be a backup by the end of the year

It has been just over two years since Deshaun Watson and let's just say it did set up one franchise, but not the one receiving the player that led the league in passing back in 2020. The Texans got a haul of picks who turned into some cornerstones for their rebuild by the names of Tank Dell and Kenyon Green, but let's look into Deshaun Watson.

His career with the Browns did start with an 11-game suspension and has been riddled with injuries, but in the games he has played, they haven’t been eye-popping and have actually been a disappointment.

Watson has a 9-7 record with his new team, having a 79.5 passer rating, 2,944 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. This all while playing on a $230 million fully guaranteed contract. These stats to say the least have been disappointing.

This is exactly why I think the Browns will eventually move on from Watson and turn to former first-overall pick Jameis Winston. Winston led the league in passing just a year before Watson and has proven to be a serviceable backup option as his career progressed.

As the season continues however we shall see how the Browns manage this situation. - Peyton Waddell

Owen Klein is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ojk5092@psu.edu.

Ben Barker is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email bsb5566@psu.edu.

Jacob Zacharia is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jjz5612@psu.edu.

Peyton Waddell is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email prw5142@psu.edu.