Some wild, last-minute finishes and bold play-calling decisions highlighted Sunday’s NFL action, and with the schedule now one quarter of the way through, some trends are starting to emerge. Here are Week 4’s winners and losers.

Winners

Baltimore Ravens: On a day in which the Bengals gutted through a huge victory against the Falcons, Baltimore might have had the biggest impact in the AFC North. Beating the Steelers, 26-14, in Pittsburgh, the Ravens offense outgained the Steelers 451-284 and sustained drives by keeping third-down situations manageable and converting eight of 17 attempts. Most impressive, however, was Baltimore’s defense — and specifically its secondary — that has clamped down on opposing quarterbacks and has become one of the stingiest units in the NFL. The Ravens frustrated Ben Roethlisberger most of the night, and except for a few explosive passing plays, they kept the Steelers in front of the chains. It’s still early, but Baltimore looks like a contender in the AFC North.

Matt Nagy: The head coach of the Chicago Bears had a masterful game plan to help quarterback Mitchell Trubisky break through some struggles in a 48-10 victory against the Buccaneers. Nagy dialed up pre-snap motions, misdirection and creative play designs to create mismatches and scheme receivers open. Trubisky lit up the box score for a career day and threw five first-half touchdowns — all of them to different targets — He completed 19 of 26 throws for 354 yards and six touchdowns (nearly matching last season's total of seven) and added 53 rushing yards. Chicago is 3-1 and in first place in the NFC North.

Ezekiel Elliott: Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said the Cowboys were ready to start “slinging it around” and Dallas had its best offensive performance of the season in a 26-24 victory against the Lions. Elliott was the reason why. He posted a career-high 240 yards from scrimmage, including a team-high 88 receiving yards. Thirty-four came on a huge wheel route down the right sideline with 1:23 left in the game in a gain that eventually set up the game-winning field goal. All that success came against a Detroit team that entered Sunday ranked 26th in scoring defense (29.3 points a game), so the Cowboys still need to show they can produce consistently against more formidable units. Either way, it’s clear Elliott will be heavily relied upon.

MORE NFL:

Week 4:32 things we learned

Trouble in Titletown? Packers need to address potential rift

NFL's most overlooked story? Mariota, Titans off to surprising start

Oakland Raiders: They entered Week 4 having been outscored 37-3 in the fourth quarter of games this year, but reversed the trend and erased a 14-point second-half deficit to beat the Browns, 45-42, including scoring 21 points in the final frame. The Raiders showed resolve down the stretch, forcing rookie Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield into four turnovers and limiting self-inflicted mistakes. Running back Marshawn Lynch, receiver Amari Cooper and tight end Jared Cook all stepped up, and Oakland now has something upon which to build.

Losers

Miami Dolphins: They had a chance to take a commanding three-game lead in the AFC East, but the Dolphins fizzled and fell flat in a 38-7 loss against the Patriots, who improved to 2-2. The Dolphins offensive line yielded pressure and committed penalties. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill struggled with accuracy. The offense found itself in third-and-longs all game, and Miami once again showed it wasn't up to the task of facing the Patriots on the road, dropping their 10th straight game in Foxborough.

Need fantasy football help? The Huddle answers!

Earl Thomas: Sunday reinforced exactly why he held out. The star safety for the Seahawks suffered a lower left leg fracture in a 20-17 victory against the Cardinals when he dove to try to break up a touchdown pass. As the medical staff carted him off and used an air cast to protect his injured leg, Thomas flashed a middle finger at the Seattle sideline. Thomas had been looking for a new contract or a trade from Seattle but reported to the team for Week 1 even when the organization didn't blink. Now Thomas will have to work his way back from injury with free agency on the horizon. Seattle could still slap the franchise tag on him, but that image of Thomas flicking off the sideline may be the final one of him in a Seahawks uniform.

Todd Bowles: It’s tricky to criticize coaching decisions in the NFL — strategy in tense, in-game situations isn’t easy — but Bowles had some truly head-scratching decisions in a 31-12 loss against the Jaguars. First, down 22 points in the fourth quarter on a fourth-and-eight with 12:53 to play from Jacksonville’s 20-yard line, Bowles elected to kick a field goal. Even with the conversion, it remained a three-score game at 25-6. Then, down 13 with 4:33 left to play from their own 20-yard line, Bowles opted to punt, giving the Jaguars the ball and the chance to melt the clock. The next time New York got it back, there were just 25 seconds left on the clock and the Jags had scored another touchdown. Bowles, a defensive-minded coach, allowed the Jaguars to earn 503 yards. At 1-3, that seat will be getting hot.

Tyler Eifert: Cursed with awful injury luck, Eifert fell victim to another serious ailment when he suffered a broken ankle in a 37-36 victory against the Falcons. Eifert was playing in only his 14th game since the start of the 2016 season, and now likely faces the rest of the season rehabbing. He’s a significant contributor when healthy, and the Bengals, who are 3-1 and look poised to compete in what could be a tight AFC North, again need to adjust to life without him.

Philadelphia Eagles: The most concerning aspect of Philly’s slow start after its Super Bowl title is that its offense — last year’s strength — has been stagnant. In a 26-23 loss against the Titans, the Eagles scored touchdowns on just one of four trips into the red zone. They are converting just 57.1 percent of trips into TDs, one year after posting a rate of 65.5 percent, which led the league. Philadelphia is scoring just 20.5 points a game, and if that doesn’t improve, its 2-2 start might get worse.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes Twitter @LorenzoGReyes.

If you love talking football, we have the perfect spot for you. Join our new Facebook Group, The Ruling Off the Field, to engage in friendly debate and conversation with fellow football fans and our NFL insiders.