NFL Week Seven storylines to follow
There were several close games this week in the NFL but the best one was the Sunday night matchup between the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks. It went into overtime and the Cardinals came out with a surprising victory as Russell Wilson threw an interception in overtime that cost his team the game. Did Wilson throw himself out of the MVP discussion? (My answer is no because nobody is playing better than him right now)
New Orleans faced the Carolina Panthers and it went down to the wire as the Saints escaped another game with a win due to a missed field goal by their opponent. They are clearly missing Michael Thomas in this offense.
The game between the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions was filled with mediocrity as the Lions drove down to win it and now sit at 3-3. The Lions look to have figured things out and could be a team that shakes up the playoff standings in the NFC by upsetting a couple of teams late in the year.
BOLD STATEMENTS
Ryan Tannehill is the perfect quarterback for the Tennessee Titans. The pairing of Tannehill and Derek Henry is working very well for the Titans. It’s easy to say this now, but a lot of people were saying the Titans shouldn’t have kept both of them this past offseason.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could very well be representing the AFC in the Super Bowl this year. They are a complete team and have an offense that’s a true pick your poison with the number of weapons they have.
The Carolina Panthers are a team to watch moving forward for the next couple of years. They have speed and talent on both sides of the ball. They will be winning the NFC South in the near future.
Below are my NFL Power Rankings after Week Seven.
32. NEW YORK JETS (0-7) — LAST WEEK 32
Sam Darnold is BACK! The Jets kept themselves in this game much longer than anyone anticipated, but eventually, the mental mistakes took place and they lost. Once the Jets are locked in for the number one pick in the NFL draft, they will fire Adam Gase.
31. NEW YORK GIANTS (1-6) — LAST WEEK 30
The New York Giants have been in some close games the last couple of weeks but the Philadelphia Eagles made more plays on Thursday night. The Giants are another young team with a new coaching staff and are still figuring out how to win games in the NFL. The foundation is there, the Giants need to keep building on the offensive line and putting reliable weapons around Daniel Jones. Evan Engram is not one of them.
30. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-6) — LAST WEEK 29
The Jacksonville Jaguars have plenty of talent on the field, but the offense is struggling to stay consistent. One turnover on a kickoff and this team crumbles. The possibility of Trevor Lawrence being a Jaguar next season is very exciting.
29. CINCINNATI BENGALS (1-5-1) — LAST WEEK 28
Joey Burrow did all he could to put the Bengals in a position to win this week. The defense is struggling to slow down opposing offenses; even after they spent money on their secondary this offseason.
28. HOUSTON TEXANS (1-6) — LAST WEEK 25
Deshaun Watson has no time to throw and the defense couldn’t stop the Green Bay Packers offense. The Texans need a better offensive line, running back, and defensive secondary. Good luck to the next group that has to come in and fix this dumpster fire.
27. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-5) — LAST WEEK 27
On a bye. Will not change place in rankings.
26. ATLANTA FALCONS (1-6) — LAST WEEK 26
The defense continues to be an issue for the Atlanta Falcons as they lose a close one. Matt Ryan is doing everything in his power to keep them in games and the offense is not one to blame. If this defense ever figures it out, the Atlanta Falcons could be a very fun team to watch.
25. DALLAS COWBOYS (2-5) — LAST WEEK 20
The Dallas Cowboys defense is just god awful. The offensive line can’t block and they can’t stop turning the ball over. It’s going to be a long season for the Cowboys
24. WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM (2-5) — LAST WEEK 31
The Washington Football team has a win over the Philadelphia Eagles and now the Dallas Cowboys. Kyle Allen played a flawless game of football and the defense locked up the Cowboys offense. The NFC East is wide open and Washington might have an actual shot at winning it.
23. DENVER BRONCOS (2-4) — LAST WEEK 21
The offense had over 400 total yards but matched that with multiple turnovers and a loss. The defense sacked Patrick Mahomes several times and in a way, contained the Kansas City Chiefs offense from any explosive plays. The Broncos could possibly get back on track next week against the Los Angeles Chargers.
22. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (2-4-1) — LAST WEEK 23
The Eagles were without Zach Ertz or Miles Sanders but still found a way to get the win on Thursday night. It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win in the NFL. I can’t help but wonder how dangerous this team would be if everyone was healthy.
21. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (2-4) — LAST WEEK 22
Justin Herbert finally gets his first win as a starting NFL quarterback. The future for the Los Angeles Chargers is bright if they can keep all of their stars healthy. The connection between Herbert and Keenan Allen is going to be fun to watch for the next couple of years.
20. DETROIT LIONS (3-3) — LAST WEEK 24
Matthew Stafford and Kenny Golladay. That is the Detroit Lions. Their last drive was filled with impressive throws and catches that put them in a position to score and eventually win the game. The Lions need to continue to find ways to put together complete games if they want a chance at the playoffs.
19. MIAMI DOLPHINS (3-3) — LAST WEEK 19
On a bye. Will not change place in rankings.
18. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2-4) — LAST WEEK 15
Yikes. The New England Patriots just got destroyed at home and Cam Newton was benched after three interceptions. This will be a long season for the New England Patriots if they continue to turn the ball over.
17. CAROLINA PANTHERS (3-4) — LAST WEEK 18
The Carolina Panthers were so close to tying this game and putting the New Orleans Saints in a position to make a game-winning drive. That’s back to back losses for the Panthers, but there is still plenty to be excited about. Their offense is filled with speed and old Teddy ‘two gloves’ Bridgewater has been slinging it this season. The defense is young but they are getting better as the season goes on.
16. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (4-2) — LAST WEEK 16
On a bye. Will not change place in rankings.
15. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (3-3) — LAST WEEK 14
The Las Vegas Raiders had one of those games where they couldn’t slow down the weapons of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The defense struggled to get pressure on Tom Brady and the secondary didn’t stand a chance against the receiving weapons of the Bucs. The Raiders have an offense that can explode for a big play at any moment, but it is the defense that is holding them back. Once that is fixed, lookout.
14. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (4-3) — LAST WEEK 17
Jimmy G came back to New England and put on a clinic with the San Francisco 49ers. They completely destroyed the Patriots and are flying back home happy, even though they are currently in last place in their division.
13. CLEVELAND BROWNS (5-2) — LAST WEEK 13
Baker Mayfield had an awful first quarter but after that showed why he was the number pick. The man has been under a lot of scrutiny lately with turning the ball over and deservedly so, but this week he led them to victory. The Browns offense might have just lost Odell Beckham Jr but showed they have several other guys who can fill the void in this offense. The thing is though this performance was against the Bengals, so take that praise lightly.
12. BUFFALO BILLS (5-2) — LAST WEEK 12
It was a slow start for the Buffalo Bills this week, but they eventually figured it out and got themselves back on track. The Bills are back in the win column as they begin to prepare for the New England Patriots.
11. CHICAGO BEARS (5-2) — LAST WEEK 8
Nick Foles might just be the new Ryan Fitzpatrick. The man will explode for a couple games, then the next thing you know he’s throwing multiple interceptions and people are questioning why he’s the starter. The Bears offensive line didn’t do him any favors though and the play calling was filled with too many deep shots. The Bears went away from what they normally do on offense, which is mid level throws down field and running the ball effectively. The defense is not at fault in this game.
10. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (4-2) — LAST WEEK 10
It was another close game for the New Orleans Saints but thanks to a missed field goal, they won in regulation. Alvin Kamara is having a huge season for the Saints and showed that again this week. Their defense stepped up when it mattered most. They have been struggling the last couple of weeks, but when called upon they made the play. Hopefully, this offense has Michael Thomas back next week.
9. ARIZONA CARDINALS (5-2) — LAST WEEK 11
Have yourself a night Kyler Murray! Only one interception and three touchdowns. The man did all he could to bring the Cardinals back and to win. A complete team win for the Arizona Cardinals as they will continue to build off of this moving forward. The Cardinals are a team to watch moving forward this season.
8. TENNESSEE TITANS (5-1) — LAST WEEK 5
The Tennessee Titans will be playing close football games all year with their style of play. If they can’t make field goals they will continue to lose those close games. Ryan Tannehill is the perfect quarterback for this offense to pair with Derek Henry and he put them in a position to tie it. The Titans are still leading the AFC South so there is no need to panic.
7. LOS ANGELES RAMS (5-2) — LAST WEEK 7
Give Johnny Hekker the game ball. He won you this game by putting the Bears up against the own goal line time and time again. The defensive pass rush is unstoppable for the Los Angeles Rams at times and Sean McVay will toy with defenses when his offense is clicking. The Rams are in the toughest division in the NFL right now. If they want to find themselves in the playoffs again, they must continue to play like they did on Monday night.
6. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (4-2) — LAST WEEK 9
Sheesh, this offense is going to be scary. It already is, but now you add Antonio Brown to this receiving core with Tom Brady at the helm. Good luck everybody else because the defense is playing great too. They have so much young talent and they fly around on the field. The Bucs are looking to be the real deal right now.
5. GREEN BAY PACKERS (5-1) — LAST WEEK 6
The Green Bay Packers were back to doing whatever they wanted on offense and their defense was harassing Deshaun Watson all game. Aaron Rodgers was throwing the ball all over the Texans defense and the Packers are back on track.
4. BALTIMORE RAVENS (5-1) — LAST WEEK 4
On a bye. Will not change place in rankings.
3. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (5-1) — LAST WEEK 1
What a game this was for the Seattle Seahawks. Russell Wilson’s three interceptions were shocking to see, but the Seahawks are still in the driver seat in the NFC West. The defense was exposed by the Arizona Cardinals as they continued to get down the field when needed. The Seahawks will be just fine moving forward this season.
2. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (6-1) — LAST WEEK 2
Another game where the defense led the way for the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are showing they can beat you in more ways than one this season. They don’t need deep shots from Patrick Mahomes to Tyreek Hill to scare defenses. The Chiefs run the ball well and show enough misdirection that defenses are left confused just long enough for the Chiefs to make something happen.
1. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (6-0) — LAST WEEK 3
This team is dangerous — on both sides of the ball. The defense creates consistent pressure with TJ Watt and Bud Dupree, then the offense has a new receiver to showcase each week it feels like. Big Ben is leading the way and the Steelers are looking to be in Super Bowl form.