Patriots ride a late surge and Drake Maye’s late-game poise to a pivotal win in Buffalo, signaling a possible uptick in a young QB era in New England. The crew weighs the path from Mac Jones to Maye, the coaching edge, and the defense’s return to form, while Colts’ early dominance and Baker Mayfield’s high-floor leadership spark NFC chatter. A Broncos comeback shakes the AFC West, while the 49ers’ Week 5 mastery under Kyle Shanahan sets up a five-week stretch for elite teams.

Fantasy angles skew toward Drake Maye’s ceiling as a potential streamer in favorable matchups, Jonathan Taylor’s continued monster touch volume for Indy, and Baker Mayfield’s late-season surge in Tampa. The chatter also treats Brock Purdy and the 49ers as a stabilizing force, with wide receiver usage in Philadelphia driving Diggs and Hurts into must-start territory in bold lineups.

Rams go for it on fourth and one at the 12 late in overtime, a bold call that sparked a field of opinions. The panel agrees the moment itself was acceptable, but the play call felt off — sticking to a power run into a brick wall behind a short handed 49ers front while Stafford was slinging all day. A simple tie would have kept the Rams within the playoff picture and altered the standings, underscoring how aggressive decisions shape late season odds.

Beyond the clock, the discussion pivots to Kyle Shanahan’s QB factory and the evolving narrative around Mac Jones, Brock Purdy, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Sam Darnold. Stafford’s hot-hand thesis clashes with analytics, while Shanahan’s track record of reviving QBs looms large. The show ties the Rams’ outcome to the broader, dynamic space of fourth down philosophy in the modern NFL.