The NFL has
seen an overtime game every week this season, and the Cleveland Browns have
been involved in four of them. While that is unusual, it's far from the only
surprising development we've had as midseason looms.
Some of those developments came to the forefront in Week
7.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have gone from the AFC title game
to the brink of irrelevance. The New England Patriots keep finding ways to win
but may have lost their newest offensive star. Andrew Luck has
returned to playing like an elite quarterback, and DeVante Parker isn't playing
at all.
Aside from the teams at the very top, the playoff picture
isn't becoming any clearer either.
There were definitely big winners and losers in Week 7 and a
little bit of everything in between. How did your favorite team grade out?
Let's take a look.
PITTSBURGH
STEELERS
Week 7 Bye
The Pittsburgh Steelers got off to a rocky start this
season, but they've battled back and managed to take control of first place in
the AFC North without even playing in Week 7. The defense started showing some
signs of growth leading up to the bye, and there's a chance Pittsburgh will
have Le'Veon Bell back by the end of the week.
Of course, the Steelers still don't know when or if Bell
will return, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The good news is that Pittsburgh may not need Bell to take
home the division title, as James Conner has filled in admirably—especially
over the last two weeks. Up next is a rematch with the Browns, who played the
Steelers to a tie in Week 1.
Season Grade: B
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Week 7 Opponent: Denver Broncos
Result: Lost 45-10
The Arizona Cardinals are a mess. The world got to see that
Thursday night as they were dominated by the Denver Broncos in prime time.
To say Arizona's performance against Denver was a failure
would be an understatement. Rookie quarterback Josh Rosen appeared rattled from
the opening whistle, the offense was in disarray and the defense could do
little to get Arizona back into the game.
The evening was particularly bad for Rosen, who threw three
interceptions—two were returned for scores—and was sacked six times.
For his part in the putrid offensive performance, offensive
coordinator Mike McCoy was fired Friday. Denver had allowed 200-yard rushers in
consecutive games coming in, but McCoy orchestrated a run game that gained just
69 yards.
This was expected to be a rebuilding season for the
Cardinals, and Thursday's disaster showed that the rebuild has a very long way
to go.
Week 7 Grade: F
Season Grade: D-
ATLANTA FALCONS
Week 7 Opponent: New York Giants
When: Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET
National TV: ESPN
Line (via OddsShark): ATL -4
The Atlanta Falcons have largely disappointed this season. A
team with the offensive firepower Atlanta possesses shouldn't be sitting at
2-4, but injuries and the league's 29th-ranked defense (417.2 yards per game
allowed) have had a lot to do with that record.
The Falcons just placed running back Devonta Freeman on
injured reserve, where he'll join defensive standouts Deion Jones, Ricardo
Allen and Keanu Neal.
A win over the struggling 1-5 New York Giants would pull the
Falcons closer to .500 and give them some momentum heading into the bye.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Week 7 Opponent: New Orleans Saints
Result: Lost 24-23
We talked about there being no shortage of surprises this
season. We got another late Sunday afternoon when Baltimore Ravens kicker
Justin Tucker missed an extra-point attempt for the first time in his career.
It came with the Ravens on the verge of tying the New Orleans Saints with less
than a minute remaining.
"I feel like I cost us the game," Tucker said,
per Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.
Tucker's miss didn't cost the Ravens the game by itself, but
this was a very even matchup that came down to the wire. The Baltimore defense
certainly did its part early, holding the Saints' vaunted offense to just seven
points in three quarters, but it also allowed 17 points in the final period.
What the Ravens need to work on heading into next week's
matchup with the Carolina Panthers is finding ways to finish on offense.
Baltimore only scored 21 points in last week's shutout win and nine points the
week before that. They sustained drives against the Saints—seven of their eight
drives covered at least 30 yards—but they twice made it into Saints territory
without scoring.
One more field goal, and that missed point-after wouldn't
have been the difference-maker.
Week 7 Grade: C-
Season Grade: B-
BUFFALO BILLS
Week 7 Opponent: Indianapolis Colts
Result: Lost 37-5
Rookie quarterback Josh Allen is sidelined with an elbow
injury, but the Buffalo Bills may want to think long and hard about whether to
get him back on the field once he's healthy. This team cannot put him in
position to succeed right now.
Allen has played poorly most of the season, but he isn't the
only problem with the Bills. Buffalo started journeyman Derek Anderson against
the Indianapolis Colts, and he provided just 175 passing yards with three
interceptions.
What's more troubling is that the Bills defense, which came
in ranked third in yardage (311.7 per game allowed), seemed to quit against the
Colts.
Indianapolis had its way in the trenches and on the ground.
The Colts averaged 5.9 yards per carry and totaled 220 yards rushing.
The lone bright spot from Sunday's game is that the rushing
attack looked good, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Of course, the Bills also
lost running back LeSean McCoy to a head injury,
so maybe there's nothing positive to take away from the blowout loss.
Week 7 Grade: F
Season Grade: D+
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Week 7 Opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
Result: Won 21-17
Do call it a comeback. The Panthers entered the
fourth quarter down 17-0 to the Philadelphia Eagles. Then Cam Newton went off.
He tossed two touchdown passes, engineered three scoring drives and led the
offense to nine first downs in the fourth quarter.
The Eagles defense had no answer for Newton and the Panthers
offense in the final period. Carolina's defense, on the other hand, came up
big.
Philadelphia was unable to extend its lead in the fourth
quarter, but the Eagles had a chance to do so on their final possession. Carson
Wentz took the snap for a 4th-and-2 play from the Panthers' 14-yard line and
got strip-sacked by veteran Julius Peppers. The Panthers recovered and were
able to kneel out the clock.
Does knocking off the defending champs prove that the
Panthers are a quality team? Not necessarily. The Eagles have also lost to the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans this season. Carolina also got itself
into a large hole against them in the first place. However, the win does push
the Panthers to 4-2 and keep them in the race for the NFC South alongside the
Saints.
Week 7 Grade: B-
Season Grade: B-
CHICAGO BEARS
Week 7 Opponent: New England Patriots
Result: Lost 38-31
The Chicago Bears weren't able to knock off the New England
Patriots, but they gave the defending AFC champs all they could handle. They
literally came up a yard short of tying the game on a Hail Mary as time
expired.
Ultimately, mistakes cost the Bears. Mitchell Trubisky threw
for 333 yards and two touchdowns, but he also tossed two interceptions. Special
teams gave up a 95-yard kick-return touchdown to Cordarrelle Patterson. A
blocked punt also resulted in a Patriots touchdown.
If any of those miscues don't happen, the Bears probably win
this game.
This is the second consecutive tough-to-swallow defeat for
the Bears following last week's overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins. It hurts,
and it drops Chicago to 3-3. However, the Bears are still very much in it in
the NFC North, and they have winnable games against the New York Jets and the
Bills coming up in the next two weeks.
Week 7 Grade: C-
Season Grade: C
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Week 7 Opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
Result: Lost 45-10
The Cincinnati Bengals are not ready for prime time. It
feels like we've been saying this for years now (we have), and we have to say
it again after Sunday night's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. It was an
embarrassing display by a team that has, at times, looked like one of the best
in the AFC.
The game was close early in the second quarter, as
Cincinnati pulled within seven points on a C.J. Uzomah touchdown reception, but
things quickly spiraled. The Bengals entered halftime with a 24-7 deficit and
gave up 14 more points within the first five minutes of the second half.
You could almost forgive the Bengals for being shredded by Patrick
Mahomes and the Chiefs offense—few have been able to slow them this season.
What's hard to swallow is the fact that the offense was an inefficient mess for
most of the game.
Andy Dalton had
his worst game of the season, passing for just 148 yards with a touchdown and
an interception. A.J. Green was
responsible for 117 of those yards. Let's not act like the loss was entirely
Dalton's fault, though. This was a complete failure to game-plan and execute on
all levels.
Week 7 Grade: F
Season Grade: B-
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Week 7 Opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Result: Lost 26-23 (OT)
You're not going to win many games in the NFL when you rack
up 114 penalty yards, give up six first downs by penalties and twice fail on
fourth down in scoring range. That's what the Browns did Sunday, and it cost
them an overtime game against the Buccaneers.
This is a game the Browns should have won. Baker Mayfield
(23-of-34 for 215 yards, two touchdowns) got off to a slow start but played
great in the second half. Nick Chubb sparked the run game with 80 yards and a
score on just 18 carries, and Cleveland's defense produced four turnovers and
four sacks.
But the Browns weren't prepared, got off to a slow
start—again—and couldn't play a disciplined brand of football.
This is a reflection of the coaching staff, and owner Jimmy
Haslam has to be wondering if keeping Hue Jackson was the right move.
This isn't the same Browns team that went winless in 2017.
It's young, feisty and talented, yet it's still losing winnable games. If this
trend is going to change, a bigger change may have to come at the top.
Week 7 Grade: C-
Season Grade: C-
DALLAS COWBOYS
Week 7 Opponent: Washington Redskins
Result: Lost 20-17
A bad call may have cost the Dallas Cowboys a chance to tie
the game at the end of regulation. Long snapper L.P. Ladouceur was called for a
snap infraction. The penalty turned a 47-yard attempt into a 52-yard attempt
that Brett Maher bounced off the upright.
Whether or not you agree with the call (Tony Dungy does not),
the reality is it wasn't the reason Dallas lost.
The offense reverted to a conservative brand of
play-calling, the Cowboys couldn't get Washington to respect the deep-passing
game, and the defense allowed the Redskins to control the game on the ground
(130 yards rushing).
Mistakes also hurt, of course, as quarterback Dak Prescott
lost two fumbles, one in his own end zone that Washington pounced on for a
score.
Dallas put itself in a 10-point fourth-quarter hole, and
that isn't the type of situation this team is built to overcome. The Cowboys
now enter the bye week and need to use it to figure out what kind of team
they're built to be. At 3-4, they're just kind of there right now.
Week 7 Grade: D
Season Grade: C-
DENVER BRONCOS
Week 7 Opponent: Arizona Cardinals
Result: Won 45-10
"We're going to kick their ass," Broncos
linebacker Von Miller said of the Cardinals prior to Thursday night's game.
Miller may have simply been making a bold statement to fire
up his team—but he wasn't wrong. Denver took the Cardinals to the woodshed, and
it was never close.
The Cardinals were forced to take a timeout after their
first play from scrimmage. On the following play, Rosen threw a pick that was
returned by Todd Davis 20 yards for the touchdown. The Denver defense got
another pick-six 12 minutes later, and the Cardinals were forced to burn
another timeout as the first quarter wound down. Before the second quarter even
began, the game was essentially over.
This was as dominant a performance as we've seen from any
team this season, and it could represent a turning point for the 3-4 Broncos.
Denver will now have a long week to prepare for the rival Chiefs. If the
Broncos can steal that game, they'll be right back in the playoff mix.
Week 7 Grade: A+
Season Grade: C
DETROIT LIONS
Week 7 Opponent: Miami Dolphins
Result: Won 32-21
It appears the bye week did the Detroit Lions some good.
They carried the momentum of a big win over the rival Green Bay Packers into
it, and they came out with a new offensive philosophy that the Miami Dolphins
had no answers for.
The Lions, long a pass-first team with Matthew Stafford at
the controls, went run-heavy against the Dolphins. They ran the ball 35 times,
averaged 7.1 yards per carry and racked up a total of 248 yards on the ground.
That's just 74 yards fewer than Miami gained running and passing.
The running game allowed the Lions to control the ball for
nearly 34 minutes of game time, and it allowed Stafford to be an efficient
offensive complement instead of forcing him to carry the load.
Stafford finished 18-of-22 for 217 yards and two touchdowns.
Detroit's defense didn't dominate. However, it made enough
stops when it mattered to prevent the Dolphins from ever mounting a comeback
once the Lions went up by 10.
This was a big win for the Lions, who are lurking behind the
4-2-1 Minnesota Vikings in the division.
Week 7 Grade: B+
Season Grade: C+
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Week 7 Bye
The Packers managed to snag a little momentum with a
thrilling comeback victory versus the 49ers last week, but there are serious
questions about this team.
We've seen an improved Packers defense this season—it has
ranked eighth, allowing 328.3 yards per game—and Green Bay is beginning to field
a potent committee backfield. However, this is still a team that leans too
heavily on quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
At 3-2-1, Green Bay is still a player in the NFC North, but
there is a daunting matchup with the Los Angeles Rams coming up in Week 8.
Season Grade: C+
HOUSTON TEXANS
Week 7 Opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
Result: Won 20-7
The Houston Texans were clear about how they wanted to
attack the Jacksonville Jaguars. They ran the ball early—even utilizing
designed runs for Deshaun Watson—and continued to run throughout the day. While
Houston averaged less than 4.0 yards per carry, it totaled 141 yards on the
ground.
Grinding out the game proved to be all the Texans needed to
do offensively because the Jaguars offense was ineffective early. Jacksonville
had just five first downs and 114 yards plus a lost fumble in the first half.
The Texans jumped out to a 13-0 lead at the break.
Watson (12-of-24 for 139 yards and a touchdown) made some
timely throws, but this game was about playing more physically than the Jaguars
and letting the defense do its thing—it came away with three turnovers.
After losing three games to start the season, Houston has
now ripped off four wins in a row and sits atop the AFC South.
Week 7 Grade: A-
Season Grade: B-
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Week 7 Opponent: Buffalo Bills
Result: Won 37-5
Over the past few weeks, we've been talking about how Andrew
Luck appears to be back to 100 percent but doesn't have the talent around him
to consistently win. Against the Bills, the Colts got big contributions from
seemingly everyone around Luck.
The defense forced five turnovers and held the Bills to five
points, Marlon Mack racked up 126 yards on just 19 carries and T.Y. Hilton
caught a pair of touchdown passes. Eight different players caught passes on the
day.
Yes, Luck did his part too. He completed 17 of 23 pass
attempts and tossed four touchdowns. However, he didn't have to carry the team,
which was a departure from what we've seen this season.
Is Indianapolis a playoff team? Probably not, but the Colts
aren't that far behind the 4-3 Texans, who lead the division. Another team
effort like this one will likely net the Colts a win next week against the
Oakland Raiders and put them back in the divisional race.
Week 7 Grade: A
Season Grade: C-
JACKSONVILLE
JAGUARS
Week 7 Opponent: Houston Texans
Result: Lost 20-7
Perhaps the Jaguars couldn't handle success. Last year, they
came a few plays away from knocking off the Patriots and reaching the Super
Bowl. Over the last couple of weeks, they've been lucky to string a few
successful plays together.
Jacksonville's defense, once the cream of the NFL, hasn't
looked like the dominant unit of 2017. It gave up 70 points in the two games
leading up to the Texans matchup. It fared a bit better against Houston,
allowing 20 points, but it also allowed the Texans to rack up 141 yards rushing
and failed to force a turnover.
This proved costly, as the Jaguars offense was a mess. It
managed just seven points, and those didn't come until after quarterback Blake
Bortles got benched in favor of Cody Kessler.
Bortles was just 6-of-12 for 61 yards with two lost fumbles
when he was pulled.
There are going to be questions about Jacksonville's
quarterback plans moving forward, but this is far from the only question mark
around the team.
Week 7 Grade: F
Season Grade: D+
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Week 7 Opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
Result: Won 45-10
We've been saying all season the Chiefs defense is a
liability. It proved to be last week against the Patriots, but it was the
opposite Sunday night against the Bengals. The Chiefs held Cincinnati to a mere
239 yards of total offense and 10 points.
The way this Chiefs offense is rolling—it had 551 yards of
offense—10 points is never going to be enough.
"When you play the Chiefs, you better bring it,"
SiriusXM's Geoff Schwartz said. "If you make mistakes, like the Bengals did, you
have no chance."
The Bengals made a few mistakes against the Chiefs, and they
got blown out of the water.
If this complete performance is a sign of things to come,
the rest of the AFC should be trembling. Patrick Mahomes and Co. only need an
average defense on their side to beat most teams. With an above-average unit on
board, Kansas City may be unstoppable.
Week 7 Grade: A+
Season Grade: A-
LOS ANGELES
CHARGERS
Week 7 Opponent: Tennessee Titans
Result: Won 20-19
London trips can be challenging for NFL teams, and the Los
Angeles Chargers certainly didn't have an easy time gutting out a win over the
Titans. The Chargers very nearly lost, as Tennessee opted for a do-or-die
two-point try after scoring a touchdown with 31 seconds remaining.
L.A. was able to get a win because of the passing game.
Playing without Melvin Gordon, who missed the game with a hamstring injury, the Chargers totaled 47 yards on the ground
and 2.9 yards per carry.
It's not like the Chargers moved the ball at will through
the air either. Philip Rivers connected with Ty Williams on a 75-yard scoring
strike early but passed for just 231 yards outside of that play.
The Chargers defense played well at times but also allowed
the Titans to sustain drives. This limited Los Angeles' opportunities and
allowed the Titans to get back in the game.
An ugly win is still a win, though, and the Chargers should
be happy to get this one. This could have been a trap game, but L.A. escapes to
take a four-game winning streak into the bye.
Week 7 Grade: C+
Season Grade: B
LOS ANGELES RAMS
Week 7 Opponent: San Francisco 49ers
Result: Won 39-10
This isn't the first time we've said this, and it likely
won't be the last: What's scary about the Los Angle Rams is their ability to
win games in a variety of ways. We've seen Jared Goff torch opposing defenses.
We've seen Todd Gurley pound teams out of contention. We saw some of both
against the San Francisco 49ers, but it was the Rams defense that really
dominated.
L.A. sacked 49ers quarterback CJ Beathard a whopping seven
times while forcing four turnovers.
The Rams might not have had the most lopsided victory of
Week 7 (see Chiefs), but it was close. Goff threw for an efficient 202 yards,
Gurley had three total touchdowns, Malcolm Brown added 65 more rushing yards on
just 13 carries, and Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods each topped the 60-yard
mark.
When you add the standout performance of L.A.'s defense to
the equation, it's hard to find a scenario where the 49ers ever had a chance.
The next challenge will be trying to stop the late-game
magic Aaron Rodgers can bring. If the Rams play in all phases as they did in
Week 7, late-game heroics will be irrelevant.
Week 7 Grade: A+
Season Grade: A
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Week 7 Opponent: Detroit Lions
Result: Lost 32-21
So much for Brocktober being a thing, right? Well actually,
Brock Osweiler played pretty well for the Dolphins on Sunday, finishing
22-of-31 for 239 yards and two touchdowns. He did most of his damage on short
and intermediate throws, but he also played relatively mistake-free ball.
The problem for Miami was that it couldn't stop the run.
Kerryon Johnson battered the Dolphins for 158 yards on just 19 carries, and the
Lions running game limited the Dolphins' offensive opportunities.
Unfortunately, the Dolphins didn't just lose the game; they
may have lost wide receiver Albert Wilson for an extended period to a leg
injury. According to his agent Drew Rosenhaus (h/t Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald), Wilson's
season "is on hold right now."
Rosenhaus wasn't the only agent to talk about his Miami
client in Week 7, either.
Parker was inactive for the Lions game. With a Thursday
night game against the Texans looming—and with Wilson likely unavailable—the
Dolphins had better figure out how to get Parker on the field and back into the
offense in a hurry.
Week 7 Grade: D+
Season Grade: C
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Week 7 Opponent: New York Jets
Result: Won 37-17
It's a testament to their overall talent that the Minnesota
Vikings played a sloppy game and still managed to top the New York Jets by 20
points on the road.
The Vikings got off to a fast start, scoring a touchdown on
the game's opening drive. Things bogged down for the remainder of the first
half, though. Minnesota scored just three more points and gained just 46 more
yards in the half following that drive.
After taking a 10-7 advantage into the half, though, the
Vikings came out fast. They scored on their first drive of the third quarter,
picked Sam Darnold on the next scrimmage play and then scored again. They ended
up rattling off 27 second-half points and picking off Darnold two more times.
Still, this wasn't a great day for the Vikings offense,
which converted just 13 percent of its third-down attempts.
The Vikings will need to be sharper next week against the
New Orleans Saints.
Week 7 Grade: B-
Season Grade: B-
NEW ENGLAND
PATRIOTS
Week 7 Opponent: Chicago Bears
Result: Won 38-31
No Rob
Gronkowski, no problem for the New England Patriots.
That isn't exactly accurate. The Patriots had a lot of
trouble with the Bears on Sunday. It just so happens that an inability to score
points wasn't one of them. Tom Brady tossed
three touchdowns, James White and Julian Edelman both caught scores and Josh
Gordon had his first 100-yard game as a Patriot.
New England's defense, though, was an issue. It allowed 453
yards of total offense and let Chicago back in the game after the Patriots held
a 14-point fourth-quarter lead. If the defense hadn't tackled Kevin White on
the 1-yard line on the game's final play, it may have cost the Patriots a win.
Unfortunately, it seems likely that this victory came at a
steep cost. Rookie running back Sony Michel left the game with a nasty-looking
knee injury and never returned. He's scheduled for an MRI on Monday, according
to Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.
The Patriots have to put in extra work on offense to
overcome their lackluster defense. That's already a difficult formula to
sustain. It becomes even more difficult if Michel is out for a significant
amount of time.
Week 7 Grade: C
Season Grade: B-
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Week 7 Opponent: Baltimore Ravens
Result: Won 24-23
What a day for Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Though he
certainly didn't carve up Baltimore's defense—he finished 22-of-30 for 212
yards and two touchdowns—he was efficient, he avoided turnovers and he helped
the Saints get their fifth consecutive win.
Oh yeah, and Brees tossed his 500th career touchdown pass
and finally beat the one NFL team he'd never defeated.
This was far from a perfect afternoon for the Saints,
though. Brees had to lead a comeback because New Orleans dug a sizable hole
over the first three quarters. The Saints scored on their final three
meaningful possessions—the last possession was purely a clock-killer—and if
they hadn't, they easily could have lost.
The defense is still the weakness of this team, and it can
prove extremely costly when the offense isn't clicking. It nearly cost the
Saints a win in Baltimore, and it's going to have to be better next Sunday
night against the Vikings.
Week 7 Grade: C+
Season Grade: B
NEW YORK GIANTS
Week 7 Opponent: Atlanta Falcons
When: Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET
National TV: ESPN
Line (via OddsShark): ATL -4
The Giants are a hard team to figure out. They have a ton of
offensive and defensive talent—names like Odell Beckham Jr., Saquon Barkley,
Olivier Vernon and Landon Collins litter the roster—but poor offensive line
play and some questionable play-calling have consistently hampered the team.
Three of New York's five losses have been by a touchdown or
less.
Can the Giants finally put things together and earn their
second win of the season?
NEW YORK JETS
Week 7 Opponent: Minnesota Vikings
Result: Lost 37-17
The Jets' hot streak came to a crashing halt against the
Vikings.
New York dropped 76 combined points in back-to-back wins
coming into Week 7. It mustered just 17 against Minnesota, had just 263
offensive yards and turned the ball over four times. While the defense did play
well in spurts, particularly in the first half, it couldn't keep the game close
down the stretch.
Really, the final outcome shouldn't come as a surprise. The
Jets are a rebuilding team with a rookie quarterback. The Vikings are a team
that reached the NFC title game last year and added $84 million man Kirk Cousins in the offseason.
What's worrisome is rookie Sam Darnold (three interceptions,
one lost fumble) continues to be mistake-prone. Yes, the Vikings have a good
defense, but this wasn't his first multi-turnover game of the season—and he's
only had one game without an interception.
If the Jets are going to have a chance against the Chicago
Bears defense next week, Darnold is going to have to do a better job of taking
care of the football. This team has promise, but it isn't talented enough to
survive multiple turnovers against playoff-caliber teams.
Week 7 Grade: D
Season Grade: C-
OAKLAND RAIDERS
Week 7 Bye
The Oakland Raiders desperately needed a break from the
season after getting dominated by the Seattle Seahawks in London last week.
Oakland was lucky to get its lone win of the season in Week
4, and it has lost by at least two touchdowns in each of the last two games.
The offense cannot get players like Amari Cooper (now trade
bait) and Marshawn
Lynch (now injured) going, and the defense seems to only be for
cosmetic purposes. The Raiders rank 29th in defensive scoring, allowing an
average of 29.3 points per game.
This 1-5 team lacks direction—aside from its direction to
Las Vegas.
Season Grade: D-
PHILADELPHIA
EAGLES
Week 7 Opponent: Carolina Panthers
Result: Lost 21-17
Are the Eagles experiencing a Super Bowl hangover? Perhaps.
Injuries have played a part in the team's struggles this season—and its 3-4
record—but they haven't been the only problem.
Yes, the Eagles missed Carson Wentz and Alshon Jeffery early
in the season. They also recently placed running back Jay Ajayi on injured
reserve. However, these absences weren't responsible for the defense's late
collapse against the Panthers.
Carolina ripped off 21 unanswered points in the fourth
quarter and ripped away the Eagles' chances of getting above .500.
"This one hurts because we freakin' had it," tight
end Zach Ertz told reporters. "In terms of gut-wrenching [losses], this
is freakin' top-two, for sure, top-three. That's the only way to put it."
Consistency was a big part of Philadelphia's Super Bowl
campaign last year, and it hasn't been there in 2018. The Eagles will have a
chance to right the ship against the reeling Jaguars next week in London.
Week 7 Grade: C-
Season Grade: C-
SAN FRANCISCO
49ERS
Week 7 Opponent: Los Angeles Rams
Result: Lost 39-10
The 49ers have managed to stay in a few games this season,
primarily because of some quality scheming by head coach Kyle Shanahan. Against
the Rams, though, there were no answers.
The 49es offense turned the ball over four times. It
struggled to sustain drives—just 3-of-12 on third and fourth downs—and produce
explosive plays. The defense failed to limit big plays, get key stops and keep
the 49ers in the game.
Of L.A.'s 13 drives, seven ended in points, and two ended
with the clock at triple zeroes.
Though the 49ers entered this season with some hype, this
was still going to be rebuilding season No. 2—the first full one with Jimmy
Garoppolo under center. Once Garoppolo went down with a torn ACL, the season
became completely about building for the future.
There are few things to build off in losses like this,
though perhaps San Francisco can find some positives in the coming weeks.
Matchups with the Cardinals and Raiders are on tap.
Week 7 Grade: F
Season Grade: D
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Week 7 Bye
The rebuilding Seahawks may not be a playoff team in 2018,
but they cannot be counted out. They've won three of their last four games and
narrowly lost to the undefeated Rams in that stretch.
Seattle hasn't had to completely rebuild, of course, as key
players like Russell
Wilson, Doug Baldwin and Bobby Wagner are still on the roster.
However, the Seahawks have still had to forge new identities on offense and
defense. They now rely more on the defensive front seven and the ground game
anchored by Mike Davis and Chris Carson.
The Seahawks may not be able to catch the Rams in the NFC
West, but they're not going to provide a cakewalk for any opponent this season.
Season Grade: C+
TAMPA BAY
BUCCANEERS
Week 7 Opponent: Cleveland Browns
Result: Won 26-23 (OT)
The Buccaneers are fortunate that kicker Chandler Catanzaro
redeemed himself with a 59-yard field goal in overtime. He missed an extra
point and a 40-yarder en route to the extra period, but those weren't the only
mistakes the Buccaneers made.
The Tampa defense, which was solid in the first half, didn't
adjust in the second half as the Browns did. Cleveland erased a 14-point
deficit and came close to scoring range in overtime after picking off Jameis
Winston.
Winston played horribly down the stretch. He was able to
move the ball through the air (365 yards passing), but with his weapons, that's
to be expected. He also turned the ball over three times, held it too long too
often and missed several throws in the second half.
Tampa stays in the NFC South race with the win, but the
Buccaneers are going to have to play better over the next two weeks—against the
Bengals and Panthers—if they hope to stay there.
Week 7 Grade: C
Season Grade: C
TENNESSEE TITANS
Week 7 Opponent: Los Angeles Chargers
Result: Lost 20-19
Say what you will about Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, but
you cannot call him a timid man. After his team pulled within one point on a
late touchdown, he decided to go for it all on a two-point try. The attempt
failed, but it easily could have gone the other way.
Even if you want to question Vrabel's refusal to try for
overtime, it's hard to question his game plan against the Chargers. He limited
L.A.'s offensive opportunities with a grinding ball-control offense, which kept
the game close and gave his team a chance in the end.
The players executed Vrabel's plan to near perfection.
Tennessee racked up 23 first downs, converted nine of 15 third downs and controlled
the ball for more than 35 minutes of game time.
As Trent Dilfer might say,
you can't lose and still win. However, this loss should still give the Titans
some confidence. The Chargers came in as one of the hottest teams in the AFC,
and Tennessee was one play away from knocking them off.
The Titans are just 3-4 but have the look of a team that can
hang with anyone. They'll now have the bye before facing off with the Cowboys
on Monday night in Week 9.
Week 7 Grade: C
Season Grade: C
WASHINGTON
REDSKINS
Week 7 Opponent: Dallas Cowboys
Result: Won 20-17
Since getting picked apart by Drew Brees and the Saints a
couple of weeks ago, the Redskins defense has been stout, allowing just 17
points in each of the last two games.
This has made Washington a very dangerous team because the
offense is built to control the tempo, grind out games and complement that
solid defense. Alex Smith is a game-manager who will still make the explosive
play, and even at 33, Adrian
Peterson is the kind of back who can break a team's will once
he gets going.
Both Smith and Peterson played well against Dallas, but it
was the defense that set up this win. It was able to corral running back
Ezekiel Elliott (2.2 yards per carry) and force the Cowboys to play an
offensive game they didn't want to.
The defense also handed Washington a 10-point fourth-quarter
lead with a late sack-fumble-touchdown.
Washington now sits in first place in the NFC East at 4-2
and has a winnable game against the rival Giants upcoming.
Week 7 Grade: B
Season Grade: B
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