It's already been filled with drama and talking points; from domestic violence scandals and a swathe of of injuries to star players across the league, to teams with surprising records (both good and bad) and a hilarious South Park parody featuring the Washington Redskins.
For UK fans, week four will be dominated by talk of the NFL's first of three annual soujourns across the pond. The Miami Dolphins' destruction of the Oakland Raiders at Wembley was an impressive team performance, but there have been a number of phenomenal individual performances over the last three weeks, and that didn't change in week four. Let's take a look at who lit the league up this week:
Teddy Bridgewater
We'll officially declare the Matt Cassel "era" over in Minnesota. Cassel's fractured foot has put him out of action for a while, and Bridgewater's performance on Sunday may mean we never see the former Patriots quarterback in a Vikings uniform again. Bridgewater starred in one of the most impressive rookie quarterback debuts in recent years, leading the Vikings to a win over the Atlanta Falcons. Bridgewater was calm and composed all game, passing for 317 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions and a rushing touchdown.
Andrew Luck
Arguably the league's MVP at the quarter mark, Luck has - despite his team's 0-2 start - been in stellar form, and Sunday saw him bring his touchdown total for the season to 13. Against AFC South rivals the Tennessee Titans, Luck completed 29-of-41 passes, threw for 393 yards and four touchdowns. Only three NFL quarterbacks have thrown more through the first four games of a season since 1960 - Kurt Warner and Don Meredith (14) and, of course, Peyton Manning (16). With Luck and J.J. Watt, the 2014 MVP race could easily come from the AFC South.
DeMarco Murray
As someone with DeMarco Murray in his fantasy football team, I am well aware of the calibre of his performances this season. If you've been hiding under a rock, you'll not be aware that Murray has rushed for 534 yards and five touchdowns. He's also lost three fumbles but those numbers mean that Murray is on pace for 2,136 yards and the crown to Eric Dickerson's three-decade old single-season rushing title. Obviously, we're only in September, but his 149 yard, two-touchdown game against the Saints will help him on his way.
Steve Smith
Whether it's Katherine Grainger finally winning her Olympic gold medal at her fourth and final summer games, Kurt Warner resurrecting his career in Arizona and leading the franchise to their first Super Bowl, or Derek Jeter hitting a walk-off single in his final appearance at Yankee stadium, sports fans love a storyline. In the NFL, a whole load of fuss is made whenever this situation unfolds: 'X legendary player returns while playing for a new team to Y team that they spent most of their career with'. In recent years we have seen Peyton Manning face the Indianapolis Colts, Brett Favre returning to Lambeau as a Viking and - on Sunday - Steve Smith suiting up for the Baltimore Ravens against the Carolina Panthers. Smith stuck it to his former team of 13 seasons with seven catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns.
Larry Donnell
As I wrote in my review of the New York Giants' rout of the Washington Redskins on Friday, the Giants now have a force at tight end. No-one is crowning the 2011 undrafted free agent out of Grambling State the next Jimmy Graham, but by the end of the year he could be regarded as one of the league's most potent offensive threats. Through four games Donnell has 25 receptions (tied for 7th in the league and 3rd among tight ends) for 236 yards and four touchdowns. Three of those came in one game, as Donnell caught touchdown passes on three of his first five receptions on Thursday night. His huge frame gives Eli Manning a crucial presence in third down and red zone situations, something the New York Giants have missed since Martellus Bennett departed for Chicago in 2013.
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