NFL Monday Morning Review - Top Performers From Preseason Week Four

The final week of the NFL preseason is rarely something to look forward to. We are tantalisingly close to the start of the regular season, and Thursday marked one final obstacle to overcome before we can officially celebrate the return of NFL football.

Case in point: the San Diego Chargers hosted the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night. They will play each other in a bona fide meaningful game in a week's time, bringing into question why this game was even being played at all. You could ask the same of all week four fixtures, but the truth is that they prove a useful opportunity for coaches to iron out creases, and they allow roster bubble players to make one last statement as they fight for a roster spot. With the majority of starters rested, there were scant few players who truly stood out, but here's the rundown of the best of week four.

Derek Carr

With Matt Schaub battling injury and looking like a shadow of his former self, the Raiders should start the Carr (sorry) in week one against the New York Jets. Despite being overshadowed by other rookie quarterbacks, Carr has been solid all preseason, and capped it off with a stellar showing against the Seattle Seahawks. He completed 11 of 13 passes for 143 yards, threw three touchdowns, led four consecutive touchdown drives and had an almost-perfect passer rating of 152.1 on Thursday night. Most significantly, Carr played against the Seahawks' first and second-team defensive units for a significant portion of the game.

Santonio Holmes

Santonio Holmes has been absent for so long you'd be forgiven for thinking he had retired. The Super Bowl XLIII MVP has missed almost half of his games since 2012 with injuries, but there are signs that he could be back to his best. Unemployed only a matter of weeks ago, Holmes was picked up off the couch by the Chicago Bears and impressed in the preseason finale. He caught only one ball, but turned it into a 32 yard catch-and-run touchdown that showcased his still-explosive speed. There's a slot receiver job there for the taking, and with Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey on the outside, we should be scared of the Bears offense this season.