One season after only one NFL team defended its 2024 division title—that would be the NFC East’s Philadelphia Eagles—there are some interesting clubs residing in first place after four weeks of play. And three of those clubs are the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, and San Francisco 49ers.
None of those first-place clubs are shocking considering their early season performances. Andy Reid’s team has been rejuvenated by running back Kenneth Walker III, Minnesota has allowed the fewest points in the league, and Kyle Shanahan’s balanced club has the NFL’s seventh-ranked offense and seventh-ranked defense.
Speaking of the Chiefs, the AFC West leaders and the first-place Carolina Panthers are off this week as this week's schedule features only 15 contests.
Take a look at 5 key numbers for Week 5 of the 2026 NFL Season
5
You have to go back to 2019 to find the last time five clubs opened their seasons with four straight losses. This year, the dubious starts belong to the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Tennessee Titans. There are also the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers, a pair of playoff teams from a season ago. Can any of these teams do what has only been once—make the playoffs after opening 0-4? That would be the then-San Diego Chargers in 1992, led by Bobby Ross in his debut season as an NFL head coach.
1
The NFC South has certainly earned its share of criticism in recent seasons. In 2025, the Carolina Panthers became the second team in four years to win the division with a losing record. This season, the Panthers and Atlanta Falcons have split their first four games, while the 1-3 New Orleans Saints are just ahead of the 0-4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Last Sunday night, Carolina became the first team in the division to win a game in their own building. The combined home record for the four NFC South clubs in 2026 is just 1-7.
232
Talk about disparity? Ben Johnson’s Chicago Bears lead the league in rushing, averaging an impressive 196.3 yards per game on the ground. At the very bottom of the rankings are the Green Bay Packers, who are not faring well without suspended running back Josh Jacobs. Matt LaFleur’s club rushed for a season-high 86 yards in last Sunday’s win at Tampa. Meanwhile, the Bears ran for 232 yards in beating the Jets. Coincidentally, the Packers have totaled a mere 232 yards on the ground in their four outings this season.
140
Back in 1992, the Seattle Seahawks set a very dubious NFL record by scoring just 140 points in a 16-game season. The head coach was Hall of Famer Tom Flores, in his first season with the ‘Hawks. His team never scored more than 17 points in any of their 16 contests. There’s a long way to go, but Jeff Hafley’s Miami Dolphins have totaled only 46 points in four games this season—13 or less in each outing. The ‘Fins have scored only four touchdowns in 2026, but could get well this week against the unpredictable Bengals.
0
A year ago, Kyle Shanahan’s San Francisco 49ers finished 12-5 and earned a playoff berth. They knocked off the Eagles in Philadelphia before getting blown out at Seattle, 41-6, in the divisional round. The team’s injury-riddled defense managed only 20 sacks in 17 regular-season games. This season, Shanahan’s team is one of three 4-0 teams, and that zero also represents the number of sacks allowed by the Niners in 2026. That number could certainly be in doubt this Sunday as they once again face the ‘Hawks in Seattle.
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