NFL Week 7 notes and observations
The NFL Week 7 slate has concluded sans Monday night, and there’s plenty to talk about after a wild weekend of games.
– The AFC West is a two-team race. The Kansas City Chiefs were prohibitive favorites coming into the season but have fallen apart, losing 27-3 against the Tennessee Titans to fall to 3-4. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Raiders dispatched the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, moving to 5-2 and winning their second straight following the resignation of head coach Jon Gruden. With the Los Angeles Chargers at 4-2, both clubs appear destined for a long fight at the top.
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– The Detroit Lions might be winces, but they aren’t without fight. Against the heavily-favored Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium, the Lions pulled off an onside kick along with two successful fake punts. The Rams won 28-19, but not before Detroit led for a decent chunk of the game. Head coach Dan Campbell has to be sick at the prospect of going to Halloween without a victory, but Detroit isn’t an easy mark.
– The Chicago Bears desperately need a new head coach. Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Bears were waxed 35-3. Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady made history, becoming the first quarterback to ever throw for 600 touchdowns, while Bears rookie signal-caller Justin Fields posted a QBR of 1.9 while throwing three interceptions. It’s beyond ugly, and head coach Matt Nagy never offers up a single answer or adjustment. It’s pathetic.
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– The Cincinnati Bengals are for real. If the playoffs started today, the Bengals would be the AFC’s top seed after plowing the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium, 41-17 in NFL Week 7. Joe Burrow threw three touchdowns and rookie receiver Ja’Marr Chase notched 201 yards and a score, showcasing a lethal combination. If Cincinnati stays healthy, it should be a playoff team in a year most people believed the Bengals were ticketed for the basement of the AFC North.
– Last year, the Jacksonville Jaguars won their first game and didn’t win another. In 2021, another AFC South team might be turning the trick. The Houston Texans beat — ironically enough — Jacksonville in Week 1 but haven’t been victorious since. Last week, it was a pathetic 31-3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. This weekend, the margin shrunk in a 31-5 defeat. It’s been ugly for first-year head coach David Culley, and there appears to be no relief in sight.
