If you were picking an MVP through four weeks of the NFL season, it would be hard not to choose Brock Purdy.
The San Francisco 49ers quarterback has looked nearly flawless as he's led his team to a 4-0 start.
Purdy leads the league in a number of categories, including passing touchdowns (11), passer rating (126.2) and total expected points added (59.24).
But in Week 5, he faces the ultimate test — a test he failed multiple times last year.
The 49ers head to Seattle on Sunday to take on Mike Macdonald's vaunted defence.
In the last two meetings between these two NFC West rivals, a Week 18 showdown and the divisional round of the playoffs, the 49ers were outscored 54-9 and couldn't manage a single touchdown.
To be fair to the 49ers, they were significantly banged up at the end of last year, but it still wasn't pretty, particularly on offence.
Purdy was held to just a 64.9 passer rating over the two games and averaged just 4.7 yards per pass attempt.
“They did a really good job against us with out-physicaling us and getting to the ball fast and flying around and closing the windows in the pass game and stuff,” Purdy told reporters this week. "... Obviously, for me it sucked how last year ended and not getting in the end zone and scoring and stuff like that. So for sure went back and watched some stuff this off-season. Sort of just like, ‘All right, what was it? How could I have played better? And what did I need to do?’ Sort of just being hard on myself in that regard. But every game is new.”
While every game is new, the Seahawks defence looks to be in the same form as last year.
Macdonald's unit leads the league in yards allowed per game (246.5) and yards allowed per play (4.0).
Sunday will give us a chance to find out just how good this 49ers offence truly is.
Here are some other storylines to keep an eye on in Week 5:
Broncos, Texans switch up playcallers
It's never a great sign when a team makes a major coaching adjustment just four weeks into a season, but that's exactly what the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans have been forced to do.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton announced this week that he will be taking over offensive playcalling duties from first-year offensive co-ordinator Davis Webb.
The Broncos offence has looked anemic at times under the design of Webb, especially in the first two quarters, as Denver has managed to score just 13 first-half points through four games.
“Certainly this isn't championship football,” Payton said of his team's start to the season this week.
The Broncos are still 2-2, and the sky isn't completely falling, but they are already two games behind the Chiefs in the AFC West.
The same can't be said about the Texans, who are off to a 0-4 start and are in danger of seeing this season slip away.
The winless start has caused Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans to take over defensive playcalling for a unit that has largely disappointed over the first four weeks.
After leading the league in yards allowed (277.2) and ranking second in points given up (17.3) last season, the Houston D has taken a huge step back in 2026, allowing 343.75 yards and 27.25 points a game.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and we will see on Sunday if either coaching shake-up can make a big difference.
Falcons look to make another prime-time statement
No team has changed its outlook more over the last two weeks than the Atlanta Falcons.
With third-string QB Cooper Rush at the helm over the first two weeks, the Falcons were borderline unwatchable.
It had many (including this writer) wondering why the NFL would subject us to three straight weeks with the Falcons in a prime-time slot.
Well, all that looks silly now, as the return of third-year QB Michael Penix Jr. has completely turned things around in Atlanta.
The Falcons have dominated their last two prime-time games, with convincing wins over the Packers and the Saints to get back to 2-2.
Bijan Robinson may very well be the most exciting player in the league to watch with the ball in his hands, and Penix's return has made Drake London look like a star wide receiver once again.
The Falcons have another chance to show what they're capable of this week when they take on the Lamar Jackson-less Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football.
If they win this one, it might be time to start thinking about playoff football in Atlanta.
Game to watch: Buffalo Bills (3-1) @ Los Angeles Rams (2-2) — Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET
Outside of the Seahawks-49ers clash, the next best game of the week comes on Monday night when the Rams host the Bills.
The last time Matthew Stafford and Josh Allen went head-to-head two seasons ago, the Rams won a thriller 44-42 in a game where Allen accounted for six total touchdowns.
Now, the two teams face off again, each with something to prove.
The Rams are lucky not to be 1-3 as they scraped out a win over the Eagles last week. They haven't looked anything close to the team many predicted them to be this season, particularly on offence.
A large reason for that is the play of Stafford, who has thrown six interceptions over the first four weeks. For context, he didn't throw his sixth interception of the season until Week 17 last year when he won MVP.
On the flip side, the Bills are coming off a disappointing loss to the Patriots last week in which Allen threw a late-game interception he probably wants back.
Monday's game is the perfect spot for one of these teams to make a statement to the league with everyone watching.
Forrest's Favourites (Season record: 3-3)
Browns @ Jets — Pick: Browns +2.5: The 3-1 Browns have impressed early this season, and now they are getting points against a Jets team that has lost three in a row.
Colts @ Steelers — Pick: Steelers -2.5: The Steelers have a big rest advantage in this one, as not only did they last play on Thursday, but the Colts are also coming back from a London trip.
Bears @ Packers — Pick: Bears -1.5: Ben Johnson has proved that it doesn't really matter who's at quarterback for the Bears to be successful. Meanwhile, the Packers haven't shown any signs that they are on the same level as the Bears.
Full Week 5 schedule (all times ET):
Thursday, Oct. 8
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24, Dallas Cowboys 16
Sunday, Oct. 11
Philadelphia Eagles vs Jacksonville Jaguars (Tottenham, London), 9:30 a.m. ET
Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET
Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots, 1 p.m. ET
Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m. ET
Cleveland Browns at New York Jets, 1 p.m. ET
Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m. ET
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. ET
New York Giants at Washington Commanders, 1 p.m. ET
Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m. ET
Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers, 4:25 p.m. ET
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 p.m. ET
Baltimore Ravens at Atlanta Falcons, 8:20 p.m. ET
Monday, Oct. 12
Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Rams, 8:15 p.m. ET
Bye week: Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs
