Week 4 of the 2026 NFL season brought the usual Sunday marathon, plus the added wrinkle of football waking up early with games overseas. For Buckeyes fans, though, the real interest was closer to home: a few Ohio State products made noise, and a few more saw the injury bug keep biting their teams.
The biggest headline belonged to Carnell Tate. He broke out in a big way, catching four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown in the Cleveland Browns’ 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football. Cleveland moved to 3-1 with the victory.
Arvell Reese also had his moment. In the Browns’ win, he picked off a pass and returned it 34 yards, giving Ohio State fans another reason to keep an eye on Cleveland.
The rest of the week was packed from Thursday through Monday, starting with that Browns-Steelers matchup and rolling all the way into Monday Night Football. Sunday opened in North London, where the Indianapolis Colts beat the Washington Commanders 30-13 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Around the league, the results came fast and loud. The Baltimore Ravens got past the Tennessee Titans 28-14 despite an injury to quarterback Lamar Jackson.
The New England Patriots became the first visiting team to win at the new Highmark Stadium, edging the Buffalo Bills 29-26. The Chicago Bears beat the New York Jets 23-12 while starting their third quarterback of the season.
The Dallas Cowboys outlasted the Houston Texans 34-30 in a wild one, and the New York Giants erased an Arizona Cardinals lead with 17 unanswered second-half points in a 36-24 win.
The late window delivered more drama. The Kansas City Chiefs held off the Las Vegas Raiders 30-27 to hand them their first loss of the season.
The Los Angeles Chargers came up short in their comeback attempt and fell to the Seattle Seahawks 30-23. The San Francisco 49ers stayed unbeaten with a 24-12 win over the Denver Broncos.
Sunday night turned into a shootout, with the Carolina Panthers beating the Detroit Lions 32-26. Then on Monday night, the Atlanta Falcons went into the Super Dome and beat the New Orleans Saints 45-24.
In Other News...
Ryan Day, Ohio State Accused Of Creating An Ugly Fox Standoff
Dave Portnoy says the buildup to Ohio States trip through FOXs Big Noon Kickoff orbit turned into something far messier than a standard TV disagreement. The Barstool Sports founder claimed the Buckeyes and Ryan Day objected to his presence from the start, with complaints reportedly made to the Big Ten and FOX as the network tried to manage a pregame-show situation that was never especially subtle to begin with.
Portnoy also said he was blocked from accessing Ohio States stadium and later told by FOX to stay home from a scheduled appearance because the Buckeyes would not cooperate if he showed up. For Ohio State, the episode adds another awkward layer to an already closely watched relationship with one of college footballs biggest media partners, even as the full chain of decisions behind the standoff remains the part everyone is still talking around. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Can Turn Homecoming Into A Bigger Big Ten Problem
Ohio State comes into homecoming weekend in a familiar spot, riding a convincing 31-14 win over Iowa and setting up another Big Ten test against Maryland. The Buckeyes have already handled one physical conference opponent, and now they return home with the kind of matchup that usually asks more about focus than talent. Maryland arrives with plenty of pressure attached, and Ohio State is favored to keep its strong start rolling.
Mike Locksleys situation adds another layer to a game that already matters in the standings. The Terrapins uneven season, along with the broader body of work under their coach, has made his position a talking point, and another lopsided result would only intensify that conversation. For Ohio State, the task is straightforward enough: take care of business and avoid giving a struggling league opponent any kind of foothold on a weekend meant to feel festive. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Won But These Buckeye Mistakes Wont Fly Much Longer
Ohio State handled Iowa 31-14 and kept its Big Ten footing secure, but the win came with enough sloppiness to leave the Buckeyes looking less polished than the final score suggested. False start penalties on Gabe VanSickle and Austin Siereveld broke up drives, and the pass defense drew scrutiny again with interference flags involving Devin Sanchez and others, a reminder that even in a comfortable result the details still matter for a team with bigger goals ahead.
The same was true on special teams, where Connor Hawkins missed a field goal and added to a night that had more frustration than the scoreboard would indicate. Coaching choices and some inconsistent officiating also became part of the conversation, but the broader point was hard to miss: Ohio State can keep winning this way for a while, yet the margin for cleaning up those recurring mistakes is shrinking. [Read more 🡒]