One thing we learned about each team after Week 7: Dolphins offense figured out? Justin Herbert regressing?

Week 7 of the NFL season has officially concluded, and once again, the results of certain games have taken us by surprise. The New York Giants and New England Patriots managed to secure unexpected victories, while the Minnesota Vikings pulled off a shocking win against the San Francisco 49ers. What’s more, three games were decided by a game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation, with the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, and Patriots emerging as the victorious teams. In a notable highlight, Jacksonville also scored a go-ahead touchdown, marking the first time since Week 6 of the 2022 season that there were at least three game-winning touchdowns in the final five minutes of regulation in a single week. Despite the element of unpredictability, Week 7 provided us with valuable insights on every team that played (excluding the six teams on bye).

First and foremost, the Arizona Cardinals have struggled in the fourth quarter this season, being outscored 67-7. Even in their recent loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the Cardinals failed to score any points in the fourth quarter. This makes them the team with the lowest fourth-quarter point total through seven games since the 1995 New York Jets, who were coached by none other than Rich Kotite. While the Cardinals have shown determination under Jonathan Gannon’s leadership, the talent disparity becomes evident in the final quarter of play.

Next, the curious case of Bijan Robinson raises eyebrows. Despite the victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Robinson only had one carry for 3 yards. This was attributed to a head injury that was not listed on the injury report. Robinson played a mere six snaps and did not receive any touches in the first half. He only entered the game during a two-minute situation due to persistent headaches the night before. While this may be an isolated incident, it certainly cast a shadow over an otherwise good divisional win.

On a positive note, the Baltimore Ravens showcased their explosive offense in the blowout victory against the Detroit Lions. They had an impressive nine plays of 20-plus yards in the first half alone, which ties them for the most such plays by any team in the first half since 2000. Lamar Jackson, in particular, had a phenomenal performance, completing 21 of 27 passes for 357 yards, three touchdown passes, and a rushing touchdown. He currently boasts a 71.0% completion rate and 363 rushing yards this season, making him the third quarterback to achieve a 70% completion rate and accumulate over 50 rushing yards per game in a seven-game span. Jackson’s exceptional play, coupled with Todd Monken’s evolving offense, hints at a promising future for the Baltimore Ravens.

However, the Buffalo Bills continue to struggle with slow starts. In their past three games, they have been outscored 30-10 in the first half. The interception thrown by Josh Allen on the first play of the game certainly did not help their cause, and they entered halftime with a mere three points on the board. While the Bills have demonstrated their ability to rally and take the lead, they exert a significant amount of energy to recover from these slow starts, leading to close losses against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Patriots. Over the past three games, the Bills have only held the lead for a total of 9 minutes and 53 seconds, indicative of their ongoing issue with sluggish starts.

Moving on, the Chicago Bears’ defense has proven to be opportunistic in recent games. Despite the focus being on Tyson Bagent’s start, it is important to note that the Bears’ defense forced a season-high three takeaways against the Las Vegas Raiders. In their last three games, the Bears have managed six takeaways, a significant improvement compared to their performance in the first four games where they only had two takeaways. Notably, the Bears have maintained a positive turnover ratio in their recent three games, contributing to their 2-1 record during this period. With their defense consistently making game-changing plays, the Bears have managed to keep their games competitive by allowing an average of only 17 points per game in their last three outings, resulting in 28 points off eight takeaways.

Shifting our attention to the Cleveland Browns, their backup quarterback, PJ Walker, must improve his performance. With Deshaun Watson tied up in contract negotiations and struggling to stay on the field, Walker has been filling in admirably over the past two games. However, in his latest showing, he completed just 15 of 32 passes for 178 yards, with one interception, resulting in a dismal passer rating of 51.3. Despite leading a game-winning drive of 12 plays for 80 yards, during which he went 3 of 9 for 56 yards, Walker’s overall performance fell short. Considering the Browns have a strong defense capable of making a deep playoff run, it is critical for them to have a backup quarterback who can support and complement the team’s offensive capabilities.

Interestingly, Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints has shown trust in his running game. Javonte Williams demonstrated a resurgence in his explosiveness last week, and Payton has exhibited growing belief in him. In their recent game, the Saints’ rushing attack accounted for 25 carries and 145 yards, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Williams, specifically, contributed 82 yards from 15 carries, averaging 5.5 yards per carry, while Jaleel McLaughlin added five carries for 45 yards, averaging 9.0 yards per carry. This combination of Williams and McLaughlin has proven to be effective for Payton’s offense, and his trust in the running game continues to grow with each passing week.

As for the Detroit Lions, their quarterback, Jared Goff, struggled immensely under pressure against the Ravens. He completed only 6 of 14 passes for 47 yards, with one interception, under pressure, resulting in a subpar passer rating of 22.0. Goff faced zone coverage in 68.4% of his snaps under pressure and endured five sacks, which is uncharacteristic for both him and the Lions’ offensive line. So far this season, Goff has thrown two touchdowns and three interceptions under pressure, with a passer rating of 60.9. This is a concerning trend that opponents can exploit in future games against the Lions.

Moreover, the Green Bay Packers’ first-half performance against the Broncos was anything but impressive. Coming into the game, the Broncos had allowed the most points and yards per game in the NFL. However, the Packers failed to capitalize on this opportunity in the first half, with only four possessions that resulted in three punts and a missed field goal. The Packers remained scoreless, gaining only 86 yards of offense. Jordan Love completed just 10 of 13 passes for a mere 47 yards, averaging a paltry 2.4 air yards per attempt. It was not until the second half that the Packers managed to gain momentum, scoring 17 points on their first three possessions. Nonetheless, their lackluster game plan in the first half reflects the need for improvement, especially considering Love’s completion rate of only 53.7%, with a passer rating of 63.9 during the initial halves of games.

Meanwhile, Shane Steichen, the offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts, continues to impress with his proficiency in developing quarterbacks. His work with Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts has been nothing short of incredible, and Anthony Richardson was on a similar trajectory before his season-ending injury. Despite a poor showing from Gardner Minshew in Week 6, Steichen’s decision to start him as QB1 for the remainder of the year paid off. Minshew completed 15 of 23 passes for 305 yards, with two pass touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. He became the first Colts quarterback in history to achieve this feat. Steichen strategically utilized the read option to counter the Browns’ strong defense, resulting in a total of 38 points scored by the Colts. Even though the Colts lost the game, their future looks promising due to Steichen’s ability to develop quarterbacks.

In Jacksonville, Trevor Lawrence proved that wearing a knee brace did not hinder his mobility. While it was not initially planned for Lawrence to wear a knee brace, he demonstrated exceptional agility and speed with it on. He ended the game with five scrambles for 62 yards, including runs of 26 and 23 yards. Surprisingly, Lawrence achieved a season-high rushing yardage despite the perceived limitations imposed by the knee brace. Additionally, he completed 20 of 29 passes for 204 yards, with one touchdown and a commendable passer rating of 100.4. Whether Lawrence will continue to wear the knee brace in the next game remains uncertain, but his performance in the first game with it was undeniably impressive.

Additionally, it appears that Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce performs exceptionally well when singer Taylor Swift is present. As their friendship or potential relationship became public, Swift has attended four games, and Kelce has consistently excelled in those matches. Since Swift first witnessed Kelce’s performance in Week 3, the All-Pro tight end has averaged an impressive 108 receiving yards per game. In the games when Swift is absent, Kelce’s average receiving yards drop significantly to 46.5 yards. Overall, Kelce has accumulated 34 catches for 424 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 12.5 yards per catch when Swift is in attendance. This correlation between Swift’s presence and Kelce’s performance sparks speculation that her continued support may yield even better results. Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge that Kelce’s undeniable talent plays a significant role in his success.

Lastly, in hindsight, it would have been wiser for the Las Vegas Raiders to start Aidan O’Connell over Brian Hoyer against the Chicago Bears. In their recent matchup, Hoyer struggled to make any significant impact on the Raiders’ offense, completing only 17 of 32 passes for 129 yards, with two interceptions, resulting in a mere 37.1 passer rating. In comparison, O’Connell’s performance may have been more promising, as evident in his previous outings. Hindrances aside, it is crucial to acknowledge the formidable performance showcased by the Bears’ resurgent defense. With O’Connell in the lineup, the Raiders could potentially have fared better against such a formidable opponent.

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John Smith

ohn Smith is your NFL insider, providing in-depth coverage of football’s biggest league. With a passion for the game and a keen eye for statistics, John delivers game analysis, player profiles, and breaking news to keep readers updated on all things NFL.