Date of Post: September 29, 2025, 12:00h.
Last Updated: September 29, 2025, 12:00h.
- Giants’ Jaxson Dart shines in thrilling rookie victory over the previously unbeaten Chargers
- Quarterback Jackson suffers hamstring injury during loss against Chiefs, return timeline uncertain
- QB Josh Allen boosts MVP candidacy with commanding win at home against the Saints
We’re down to just two teams. As of now, the Bills and the Eagles are the last remaining undefeated teams in the NFL after a Week 4 filled with surprising upsets.
A Great Day for Bettors
Overall, it was a positive day for gamblers.
Lamar Jackson’s hamstring injury was the headline news, and its full implications remain unclear. Will this be a minor setback, or will he miss multiple games? As Adam Schefter noted this morning, the Ravens are set to face the Texans next weekend before taking a bye week, which may influence their decision to rest their MVP quarterback.
After losing 37-20 to the Chiefs, the Ravens now stand at 1-3.
Jackson’s Hamstring Woes
A serious ACL injury affecting Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers occurred after he landed awkwardly following an attempted catch during the victory over the San Diego Raiders. Last season, Nabers made a record 109 receptions for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie.
Other notable highlights from Week 4 include the Packers and Cowboys’ 40-40 tie on Sunday night, a game that saw the Packers squander a lead against a struggling Cowboys defense. Ironically, Micah Parsons, known for his defensive prowess, now plays for Green Bay and recorded three tackles and a sack last night. Dallas QB Dak Prescott threw for three touchdowns, even without star player CeeDee Lamb.
Dart Shines in Rookie Game
Despite the bad news with Nabers, rookie quarterback Dart led the Giants to a stunning 21-18 win over the unbeaten Chargers. Dart showcased his energy, charisma, athleticism, and arm strength with a solid performance (13-for-20, 111 yards), bringing much-needed balance to the offense. Fans erupted with excitement at MetLife Stadium. The Giants enter next week’s game against the Saints with renewed vigor.
In a different narrative, Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes triumphed over Jackson before the injury. Ravens fans must be feeling disheartened. Their defense is struggling significantly—historically, only one team, the 2001 Patriots, has made it to the Super Bowl following a 1-3 start.
“This defense is unrecognizable. It’s the approach, the strategy. Everything has changed,” former coach Rex Ryan commented on ESPN’s Get Up this morning.
Mahomes Makes a Comeback
After underwhelming performances in the initial weeks of the season, Mahomes shone yesterday with a stellar line of 25-for-37, totaling 270 yards and four touchdowns to different receivers. Currently, Jackson finds himself at an 1-6 record against Mahomes.
“The morning games were favorable for the bettors, as nearly every outcome benefited them,” said Joey Feazel, Head of Football at Caesars Sportsbook. “The Giants’ upset was a rare disadvantage for bettors. For the second week running, a late scoring play from the Eagles aided in-play customers who wagered on the Bucs +6.5 with a late safety. This illustrates the need to remain engaged until the final whistle in Eagles games.”
“In the later afternoon, the Rams provided customers with a significant win with their comeback against the Colts, whereas surprisingly, the Chiefs did not yield great results for bettors as the Ravens were favored.”
Giants Upset Proves Challenging for Bettors
The best outcomes for bettors included the Steelers covering, Patriots covering and surpassing the total, Falcons covering and exceeding, and Lions covering. The Giants’ upset was the only early game to benefit the sportsbooks, Feazel noted, while the Chiefs over the Ravens proved advantageous later in the afternoon.
On the MVP front, after a lackluster performance from Chargers’ QB Justin Herbert (23-for-41, 203 yards, two interceptions) in the loss to the Giants, and with Jackson’s uncertain injury status, Josh Allen is solidifying his spot as the MVP frontrunner. His odds improved significantly from +230 to +140 at Caesars Sportsbook, alongside Mahomes shifting from +2500 to +1400.
Similarly, at ESPN BET, Allen’s odds improved from +175 to +130 after an impressive performance (16/22, 209 yards, 2 TDs, with 45 rushing yards) leading the Bills to a 31-19 victory at home against the Saints, while Jackson’s shifted from +275 to +800 and Mahomes from +2500 to +900, now ranking fourth.
Allen Becomes MVP Favorite
At ESPN BET, as kickoff approached, the Chargers emerged as the most wagered team for both the moneyline and spread before their outright loss to the Giants. A staggering 94.3% of bets and 90.2% of handle were placed on the Chargers’ moneyline, and 82.3% of bets and 64.9% of handle on their spread. The Giants (+220) ended up being the day’s biggest moneyline winner based on pre-game lines.
The Jaguars, previously 3.5-point underdogs, triumphed over the 49ers, rewarding 42% of bettors who backed them with points (equating to 46.5% of handle) and 18% who took them on the moneyline (with a handle of 18%) at +145.
Bettors had a productive day at BetVictor, according to trader Neil Gibson. In the game played in Ireland, the Steelers garnered significant support on the moneyline against the Vikings (winning 24-21). Steelers RB Jaylen Warren was inactive due to a knee injury, paving the way for Kenneth Gainwell, who impressed with 99 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns, although both running backs were popular picks with bettors (Gainwell went over his rushing yards total, while Johnson fell short of scoring).
Chargers Fail to Live Up to Expectations
Despite considerable early-game success, bettors faced setbacks when the Chargers fell short against the Giants (who were the best-backed team of the week), stated Gibson. “The Bills, Texans, Lions, and Patriots comfortably covered, while the Chargers prevented a more disastrous outcome. Atlanta, also heavily favored last week against the Commanders, performed as expected and delivered for bettors.
“The focus shifted to the Chiefs/Ravens game in the evening. Xavier Worthy receiving yards proved popular and favorable for customers. Fortunately, the 49ers’ failure to win or cover against the Jaguars saved us again. Essentially, parlays benefitted us due to the Chargers and 49ers’ losses, while the Dallas/Green Bay matchup was the worst result for us, especially with the points line covering substantially.”