2025 NFL Week 7 Winners and Losers and Top Takeaways
The NFL trade deadline is less than three weeks away, and teams are already contemplating their options. Week 7's performances will go a long way in determining who will be the buyers and sellers in early November.
Thursday's victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers places the Cincinnati Bengals back in the thick of the AFC North race. However, other struggling teams, such as the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins, didn't fare as well in Week 7.
Here, Bleacher Report's NFL analysts—Brent Sobleski, Gary Davenport, Kris Knox and Moe Moton—provide the winners and losers from each of the weekend's contests, including takeaways of where every franchise stands after the latest slate of games.
Houston Texans vs. Seattle Seahawks
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Score: Seahawks 27, Texans 19
Seahawks Takeaway: The Seahawks have a defense more people should be talking about
Frankly, the same thing can be said about the Seahawks as a whole. Or the performance of Sam Darnold, who has made Seattle's braintrust look like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory for trading Geno Smith and signing Darnold.
But Seattle's defense entered Week 7 allowing less than 315 yards and 20 points a game, and the Seahawks won at the line of scrimmage throughout Monday's nightcap. Had the offense not kept giving the ball away, this would have been blowout-city.
Head coach Mike Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde deserve considerable credit for assembling a formidable unit whose play is far better than the notoriety of the players.
Winner: Seattle Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Smith-Njigba entered the week leading the NFL in receiving yards, and once again sailed past 100 yards and found the end zone. His performance this season is all the more impressive given that opponents know exactly what's coming—and can't do a thing about it.
Texans Takeaway: The Texans are a mediocre team…at best
There's nothing else to be said at this point. The only thing keeping Houston (a team many considered the favorites in the AFC South over the summer) out of the AFC South basement is the waking nightmare that is the Tennessee Titans.
Houston's defense is showing Sisyphean cracks. The offense is just awful, largely because the team routinely gets destroyed in the trenches.
Desperation throws to Nico Collins all game long isn't a scheme. It's a fiasco.
Loser: Houston Texans offensive line
This isn't even surprising. Houston's offensive line wasn't good in 2024, and Texans general manager Nick Caserio seemingly spent the offseason hell-bent on making it worse.
Mission accomplished, Sparky.
This is how you wreck a promising young quarterback—especially when mobility isn't exactly his forte.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Detroit Lions
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Score: Lions 24, Buccaneers 9
Lions Takeaway: Kelvin Sheppard is an upgrade on Aaron Glenn at defensive coordinator
That's right. we said it.
The Detroit Lions entered Week 7 short cornerback D.J. Reed. And cornerback Terrion Arnold. And safety Kerby Joseph. And safety Brian Branch. The Lions faced a Buccaneers team that was averaging over 350 yards of offense and over 27 points per game.
No problem.
What Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard was able to with a patchwork secondary Monday night was remarkable—Tampa barely cracked 250 total yards, scored just nine points and had less than 60 yards of offense in the first half.
Winner: Detroit Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs
There's not much to say about Gibbs' performance against Tampa other than, "wow." The third-year pro carried the ball 17 times for 136 yards and two scores—including a 78-yarder. He also caught three passes for 82 yards. His 218 scrimmage yards were the most by a Lions player since 2013.
Is that good? It sounds good.
Buccaneers Takeaway: The Buccaneers need to get healthy at wide receiver
The Lions head into the bye week after downing Tampa Monday night.
The Buccaneers wish they did.
It appeared that Tampa was going to get veteran wideout Mike Evans back in Week 7, but Evans lasted less than a half before being carted off with head and shoulder injuries--the latter of which turned out to be a fractured clavicle. Emeka Egbuka isn't 100 percent with a bad hammy. Chris Godwin watched yet another game from the sidelines.
The likes of Sterling Shepard and rookie Tez Johnson are doing their best, but the Tampa passing "attack" we saw at Ford Field isn't scaring anyone.
Loser: Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield
Monday's effort against Detroit is not the stuff of MVP candidacies. Yes, Mayfield's passing game targets weren't great, but more than one of his 22 incompletions Monday was just a flat-out miss. Mayfield also did nothing with his legs—not a single scramble.
It's going to take better games than that from Mayfield to keep the Bucs atop the NFC South until the team gets healthier.
Atlanta Falcons vs. San Francisco 49ers
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Score: 49ers 20, Falcons 10
49ers Takeaway: Christian McCaffrey is Rounding into Pre-Injury Form
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey led the league in touches through the first six weeks, but he wasn't generating the big plays he regularly did before last year's injury-plagued campaign.
The three-time Pro Bowler averaged a modest 3.1 yards per carry coming into Sunday night and had just four scrimmage touchdowns. Against an improved Atlanta Falcons defense, though, he made big play after big play, finishing with 129 rushing yards, seven catches, 72 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Winner: Defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh, San Francisco 49ers
While McCaffrey deserves credit for essentially putting the offense on his back, the 49ers' victory wouldn't have been possible without a truly impressive outing by Robert Saleh's defense.
San Francisco has several rookies and young defenders on its roster, and it lost defensive leader Fred Warner to a season-ending ankle injury a week ago. Despite the setbacks, the Niners repeatedly derailed a Falcons offense that looked nearly unstoppable against the Buffalo Bills a week ago.
Last year's seventh-round pick, Tatum Bethune, was picked to replace Warner and finished with 10 tackles. The 49ers held the Falcons to just 292 total yards and 10 points.
Falcons Takeaway: Atlanta Isn't One of the Top Contenders in the NFC
The Falcons looked fantastic in their prime-time wins over the Bills and Minnesota Vikings earlier this season. However, Sunday's loss showed they are still a tier below the NFC's top contenders.
Offensively, the Falcons have talent but aren't balanced enough to truly thrive when Bijan Robinson is held in check. Defensively, they are much better than a year ago, but they don't have the sort of elite unit that can completely take over a game.
Loser: QB Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
Second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. had his bright moments on Sunday night, and he certainly wasn't solely responsible for Atlanta's loss. On a day when Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Bo Nix all picked up wins, though, his subpar performance serves as a reminder that he isn't on par with his fellow 2024 first-round quarterbacks just yet.
The 25-year-old threw for 241 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions, but he also had two big misses that changed the course of Sunday's game. Just before halftime, with the Falcons well within field-goal range, officials called intentional grounding, resulting in a 10-second runoff and the end of the half.
In the fourth quarter, he failed to connect with Drake London on 4th-and-1 from the 49ers' 35-yard line. San Francisco held a three-point lead at the time but extended the lead to 10 points on the ensuing drive.
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Washington Commanders vs. Dallas Cowboys
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Score: Cowboys 44, Commanders 22
Cowboys Takeaway: Healthy Cowboys Can Compensate for Defensive Woes
The Cowboys defense fared well against the Commanders' banged-up offensive unit that started the game without wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel and lost quarterback Jayden Daniels on the first drive of the third quarter. That said, the Dallas offense dictated the game.
The Cowboys scored on three of their first four drives, which forced the Commanders to operate in comeback mode with a shorthanded offense. Cornerback Tre'von Diggs didn't suit up, but wideout CeeDee Lamb and guard Tyler Booker returned from injuries.
With them back in the lineup, Prescott will continue to light up defenses through the air, and running back Javonte Williams should garner Comeback Player of the Year buzz.
In some weeks, Dallas will give up a ton of points and still outscore teams by the final whistle.
Winner: QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Prescott connected with CeeDee Lamb on five completions for 110 yards and a touchdown, though he also linked up with George Pickens four times for 82 yards and tossed a couple of touchdown passes to Jake Ferguson.
If the Cowboys had a better record, Prescott would receive well-deserved MVP mentions for his spectacular performances with and without Lamb. He's playing like a top-five quarterback right now.
Commanders Takeaway: Star Player Injuries Could Derail the Season
With a loss to the Cowboys, the Commanders dropped to 3-4. The fanbase will hold its collective breath while waiting for word on Daniels' hamstring injury.
Daniels can win games without his top playmakers, but if he's on the sideline, the Commanders will struggle to keep pace with the Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks and the Detroit Lions over the next three weeks.
Loser: Commanders' Starting Offense
The Commanders may need to acquire reinforcements for their offense if one of their two receivers isn't back next week. In the event Marcus Mariota has to fill in for Daniels, he'll need as much help as possible in an effort to get this team back on the right track before its Week 12 bye.
Indianapolis Colts vs. Los Angeles Chargers
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Score: Colts 38, Chargers 24
Colts Takeaway: Indianapolis Is a Playoff Contender, Best in the AFC South
Led by Daniel Jones, the Colts are legitimate playoff contenders.
Skeptics poked holes in their strength of schedule, but they have two wins against teams with winning records. The Colts barely beat the Denver Broncos at home, but they dominated the Los Angeles Chargers on the road.
Looking at both sides of the ball, Indianapolis is the most balanced and disciplined team in the AFC South. So, it's no surprise it has an early lead in the division.
It's time to recognize Daniel Jones and the Colts as legitimate contenders.
Winner: RB Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
For the second time in three weeks, Taylor scored three touchdowns in a game.
After dealing with injuries for a few years, he looks like the same player who won the 2021 rushing title. This time, the Colts have a more balanced offense with Jones under center, which forces defenders to respect the passing game and takes some pressure off Taylor on the ground.
Chargers Takeaway: Chargers Have Lost Their Physical Identity
Rarely do you see an opponent outmuscle head coach Jim Harbaugh's teams. He usually relies on a highly physical team approach on game day, but the Chargers aren't physical on offense or defense.
Los Angeles lost running backs Najee Harris (for the season) and Omarion Hampton (injured reserve) to injuries, which impacted its ground attack. Though edge-rusher Khalil Mack returned to action, Taylor still shredded the Chargers on the ground, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. Entering Week 7, Los Angeles fielded the 21st-ranked run defense.
Loser: Chargers' Ground Attack
Don't be so quick to crown Kimani Vidal as the fill-in starter for Hampton, who's recovering from an ankle injury. After his 124-yard rushing performance in Week 6, he recorded nine carries for 20 yards against the Colts.
The Chargers won't win many games with quarterback Justin Herbert throwing the ball 55 times. They need offensive balance. General manager Joe Hortiz must acquire running back help before the trade deadline.
Green Bay Packers vs. Arizona Cardinals
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Score: Packers 27, Cardinals 23
Packers Takeaway: Green Bay Is Winning But Not Playing Like a Title Contender
After the first two weeks of the season, the Green Bay Packers looked like the best team in football. Since then, they've come back to earth in a big way.
Yes, they are sitting at 4-1-1 and still have an excellent chance of challenging in the NFC North. However, they continue to play mistake-filled football—they had another 10 penalties on Sunday—and have been a completely different team on the road than at home.
Is Green Bay capable of going on a deep playoff run this winter? Sure, but it needs to clean up mistakes, and getting home-field advantage could be critical.
Winner: Edge Micah Parsons, Green Bay Packers
The Packers defense wasn't great overall against the Arizona Cardinals—and it hasn't been great on the road at all this season. However, it did get a stop on Arizona's final drive in what was a back-and-forth offensive battle.
And while pass-rusher Micah Parsons didn't end the game, he turned a 1st-and-10 at the Packers' 26-yard line into 2nd-and-19 at their 35 with his third sack of the game. Three plays later, Green Bay had its game-ending stop.
Cardinals Takeaway: Quarterback Questions Aren't About to Disappear
For the second straight week, the Cardinals have lost a close game to a top-tier contender with backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett behind center. For the second straight week, Arizona's passing game has looked far more efficient and consistent than it did with Kyler Murray at quarterback.
Murray will likely be healthy enough to return from his foot injury after the Week 8 bye. Expect Jonathan Gannon to get plenty of questions over the next two weeks about whether he should reclaim the starting spot once healthy.
Loser: Offensive Coordinator Drew Petzing, Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals offense was mostly solid against Green Bay, but coordinator Drew Petzing still deserves some blame for another loss. Sunday's play-calling wasn't nearly as bad as it was during the Week 5 meltdown against the Tennessee Titans. However, one play call stands out for the wrong reasons.
With under six minutes remaining and with a three-point lead, the Cardinals decided to go for it on 4th-and-1 from their own 48. That decision is on Gannon, but the decision to run a simple QB sneak into a Packers defensive front that was clearly expecting it was on Petzing.
The Packers scored the go-ahead touchdown on the ensuing drive.
New York Giants vs. Denver Broncos
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Score: Broncos 33, Giants 22
Broncos Takeaway: Late Comeback Could Provide Much-Needed Offensive Spark
The Denver Broncos mounted an epic comeback on Sunday afternoon, battling back from deficits of 19-0 and 26-8 to win a thriller on a walk-off field goal. Their late offensive explosion could be just what the offense needs to get out of its recent slump.
Denver appeared to leave its offense at home during last week's 13-11 win over the New York Jets in London. Bo Nix and Co. didn't look any better through three-plus quarters on Sunday. Then, the offense caught fire.
The Broncos ripped off 33 points in the fourth quarter and, aided by a Justin Strnad interception, scored 25 of them inside the final six minutes.
Winner: QB Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
This year, Nix has rarely looked like the same efficient quarterback he was late in his rookie season. Against the New York Giants, he spent most of the game struggling to push the ball down the field. However, he was instrumental to Denver's comeback.
The second-year QB threw two touchdown passes, ran for two more scores, and made a couple of huge throws that gained chunk yardage on Denver's game-winning field-goal drive.
Giants Takeaway: The Front Office Will Take Heat From Meltdown
There was no shortage of hot-seat chatter surrounding Giants head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen entering the regular season.
The Week 4 pivot to rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart bought the front office some time, but it was never guaranteed to save the jobs of Daboll and Schoen permanently.
Sunday's collapse is the sort of game that will throw the front office right back onto the hot seat. CBS' Kevin Harland said during the broadcast that teams had won 1,602 straight games when leading by 18 or more points inside of six minutes in regulation.
New York caught some unfortunate breaks, and Denver deserves credit for the comeback, but that sort of collapse can't sit well with Giants ownership.
Loser: K Jude McAtamney, New York Giants
It took a team effort for the Giants to blow a 26-8 lead late in the fourth quarter. Kicker Jude McAtamney is going to be the biggest scapegoat this week, though. He missed a pair of extra-point tries, including one after Dart's go-ahead touchdown run with less than 40 seconds remaining.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Minnesota Vikings
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Score: Eagles 28, Vikings 22
Eagles Takeaway: Philadelphia Offense Comes to Life
After two weeks of the Eagles offense floundering, the solution was simple: Take some risks in the passing game.
Jalen Hurts was deadly when pushing the ball down the field. According to Pro Football Focus, the Philadelphia quarterback completed nine of 12 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns when thrown beyond 10 yards.
The downfield shots were both part of the Eagles' planned attack and Hurts making the most of opportunities when plays broke down and he needed to work outside of structure.
Winner: WR DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
Smith produced a career day against the Minnesota Vikings. His 183 yards were a single-game best since entering the league as a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
A.J. Brown is a big, physical target capable of creating significantly after the catch. Smith presents a different skill set that's based on crisp route-running, quickness and the ability to threaten defenses at every level.
Smith's 11 targets were also a season-high. He needs to be involved more as the Eagles' season progresses.
Vikings Takeaway: Red-Zone Woes Doom Squad
On a positive note, Minnesota managed to move the ball inside the red zone on six different occasions. Conversely, the Vikings managed only one touchdown during those instances. That effort is an easy identifier why the team lost in what turned out to be a one-score outcome.
Minnesota is far too talented at the skill positions to perform so poorly near the goal line. Carson Wentz and Co. must be more efficient when operating in tight spaces with six points on the line.
Loser: CB Isaiah Rodgers, Minnesota Vikings
Rodgers had a tremendous start to his 2025 campaign. It didn't carry over into Sunday's contest.
The Eagles wide receivers cooked Rodgers. As a whole, the Vikings secondary allowed Hurts to post a perfect quarterback rating. But Rodgers struggled the most.
As Eagles Nation noted, Rodgers allowed five receptions for 151 yards and touchdown when in coverage. It's a performance the defensive back will need to forget quickly.
New Orleans Saints vs. Chicago Bears
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Score: Bears 26, Saints 14
Bears Takeaway: Adjustments Create Potent Run Game
The passing attack draws the most attention when discussing Ben Johnson's offense. However, the foundation of Johnson's scheme is built around the rushing attack, which is now potent for the Chicago Bears.
Chicago's offensive line is gelling and playing a physical brand of football. The Bears have four new starters up front compared to last season's unit. Their comfort level with each other took time, which is understandable. Now, the group has come together nicely, particularly with Theo Benedet at left tackle.
As Erik Lambert noted, Chicago fielded the league's worst ground game going into its Week 5 bye. Over the last two weeks, the Bears averaged 183.5 yards per game, including 222 against the Saints.
Winner: RB Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears
D'Andre Swift has been on a heater lately, with a pair of 100-yard efforts during the aforementioned two-game streak.
However, the Bears' running game will stay potent and be far more dangerous with the emergence of rookie ball-carrier Kyle Monangai also contributing. Monangai posted career-highs Sunday with 13 carries for 81 yards, including his first rushing touchdown.
Swift and Monangai have the talent to be an outstanding duo the Bears can build upon and make life easier for Williams.
Saints Takeaway: New Orleans Isn't As Close As Team Believes
Each week's post-game comments from the Saints are the same. Typically, the sentiment is they had a chance but just fell short. A 1-6, New Orleans is a bad football team and the group isn't showing significant improvement.
"Another tough battle for us," head coach Kellen Moore told reporters after the contest. "A game not without opportunities. They ran the ball better than us, they created more turnovers … they played better than us, coached better than us."
With those last few comments, Moore is starting to acknowledge his team's actual standing.
Loser: QB Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints
Each week, Rattler played relatively well despite his team's overall ineptitude. The same can't be said about Sunday's performance. Rattler threw three interceptions and lost a fumble, which included multiple poor decisions. He was very much part of the reason why the Saints lost.
The idea the Saints might have something in Rattler remains an open discussion.
New England Patriots vs. Tennessee Titans
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Score: Patriots 31, Titans 13
Patriots' Takeaway: New England Offense Rounds Into Shape
While Drake Maye is budding superstar (more on him in a bit), the Patriots' quarterback is getting help from an emerging supporting cast.
The belief in Rhamondre Stevenson as the team's RB1 paid off for New England's coaching staff. The group would have been validated in benching the ball-carrier after too many fumbles.
Instead, head coach Mike Vrabel stuck with Stevenson, who rewarded the squad with an 18-carry, 88-yard performance against the Tennessee Titans.
Stefon Diggs already emerged as a No. 1 target. He caught a team-leading seven passes Sunday for 69 yards. Fellow wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is now a legitimate vertical threat that defenses must address.
The Patriots are finally maximizing the talent on their roster.
Winner: QB Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Statistically, Maye provided the best performance ever by a Patriots quarterback with Sunday's effort. He became the first quarterback in franchise history to complete over 90 percent of his passes when attempting at least 20 during a single contest.
Surprisingly, Tom Brady never accomplished that feat.
Maye also became the third QB in NFL history with six straight games throwing for at least 200 yards and a passer rating over 100 while under the age of 24, per The Athletic's Chad Graff.
Titans Takeaway: Injury Deals Significant Blow to Titans Roster
Tennessee already fields one of the league's worst rosters, which is backed up by the team's 1-6 start. However, Jeffery Simmons is a legitimate difference-maker. He's easily counted among the NFL's best defenders.
Unfortunately, he was ruled out of Sunday's game after suffering a hamstring injury. Hamstrings are notoriously difficult to heal without extended rest.
Tennessee is struggling mightily. Simmons is the Titans' best player, which means any missed time will drastically affect the squad's chances to compete in the coming weeks.
Loser: QB Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
How far Ward is from being a legitimate starting NFL quarterback became obvious with Maye playing in the same game.
The Titans fired head coach Brian Callahan last week, in part, because of his inability to place this year's No. 1 overall pick in a position to succeed.
Ward thought he could play his game after the leftover staff simplified the offense. Instead, the rookie continued to make the same type of mistakes he's made all season, with two more poor turnovers.
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs
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Score: Chiefs 31, Raiders 0
Chiefs Takeaway: Kansas City's Offense Is Ready to Go Into High Gear
Last week, against the Detroit Lions, the Chiefs scored 30 points without wideout Rashee Rice. With him, they dropped 31 on the Raiders and could've done more damage if they kept their starters in the game.
Even with tight end Travis Kelce in his latter years, the Chiefs' aerial attack can run laps around opposing defenses with Rashee Rice joining Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown. The trio played their first game together on Sunday.
Winner: WR Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs
After serving a six-game suspension, Rice made an early statement, scoring two touchdowns in the first half. Patrick Mahomes made sure to get him in the flow of the offense. In all likelihood, Rice will lead the Chiefs in targets, catches and receiving yards through the second half of the season.
Raiders Takeaway: It's Time to Trade Older Veterans, Start More Rookies
The Raiders have a lot of work to do before they can enter the playoff discussion, and it should start with a youth movement.
Unlike his tenure in Seattle, head coach Pete Carroll has been hesitant to start rookies and inexperienced players over older experienced veterans.
Carroll and his staff must realize the club needs to focus on the future, which means allowing younger players to learn on the job, make mistakes and improve for the betterment of this team's long-term outlook.
Loser: HC Pete Carroll, Las Vegas Raiders
The Chiefs toyed with the Raiders in a 31-0 shutout. From Kansas City's opening drive, Las Vegas looked outmatched.
The Raiders have lost three games by 17 or more points in three of the last five weeks.
Maxx Crosby exited Sunday's game with a knee injury. Left tackle Kolton Miller is on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Jakobi Meyers sat out with knee and toe injuries.
All that being said, Las Vegas didn't show much fight against a division rival. Carroll must own another one of his team's new lows in an embarrassing loss.
Miami Dolphins vs. Cleveland Browns
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Score: Browns 31, Dolphins 6
Browns Takeaway: The Offense Must Run Through Quinshon Judkins
The Cleveland Browns topped 20 points for the first time since last December, and they only got seven points out of their defense.
The offense still didn't look particularly crisp against a lackluster Miami Dolphins defense, but Cleveland employed a game plan that made sense.
With rain and wind impacting conditions, the Browns were smart to take a run-first approach. It was even smarter to lean on rookie running back Quinshon Judkins, who is the team's most reliable offensive player.
While rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel attempted just 18 passes, Judkins logged 25 carries. He averaged just 3.4 yards per carry, but he scored three touchdowns, consistently kept Miami's defense honest and allowed the Browns to actually field a functional offense.
Winner: Head coach Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns
Heading into Week 7, Kevin Stefanski's seat was getting awfully hot. The 1-5 record was bad enough, but his game plan against the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday was even worse.
Judkins received just 12 carries while Gabriel attempted a whopping 52 passes last week. This week's game plan was much more sensible, and Cleveland looked like a competent football team as a result.
Beating a bad Miami team won't give Stefanski any long-term security, but dominating the Dolphins should cool the hot seat considerably.
Dolphins Takeaway: This Is a Broken Team
The Dolphins came into this game as underdogs, so their loss isn't surprising. However, few expected Miami to get blown out by a one-win Browns team in this fashion.
Mike McDaniel's pass-heavy game plan didn't fit the less-than-ideal weather conditions. Miami's execution was even worse than the game plan. While the Dolphins' defense showed some occasional fight, players were visibly frustrated throughout the game.
This was a display of bad football, plain and simple, and it's hard to see the Dolphins finding a way out of their current funk.
Loser: QB Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
A week after Tua Tagovailoa publicly called out teammates and questioned his team's leadership, the quarterback became Miami's biggest liability.
He completed just 12 of 23 attempts for 100 yards, threw three interceptions—including a comically bad one out of his own end zone—and was eventually pulled for Quinn Ewers.
To make matters worse, Tagovailoa appeared to lose his composure several times and was anything but the calm, collected lead Miami currently needs.
If the Dolphins are going to snap their skid, they may need to sit Tagovailoa for a stretch.
Carolina Panthers vs. New York Jets
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Score: Panthers 13, Jets 6
Panthers Takeaway: Bryce Young Injury Looms Large
The Carolina Panthers moved to 4-3 with a win over a bad New York Jets team—and in the process, continued to prove they're not terrible themselves. However, starting quarterback Bryce Young suffered an ankle injury and did not return.
Young and the Panthers were finally starting to gain some momentum in Year 2 under head coach Dave Canales.
Andy Dalton is one of the better backups in the NFL, but Young's injury, if significant, comes at an inopportune time. Carolina is still evaluating the 2023 first overall pick and has a tough matchup with the Buffalo Bills looming in Week 8.
Winner: CB Jaycee Horn, Carolina Panthers
In what was largely a defensive battle, the team that made the biggest stops was always likely to walk away with a victory. Cornerback Jaycee Horn had two of the biggest plays in the game.
Late in the third quarter, he robbed the Jets of a touchdown with a fantastic one-handed interception in the end zone. He had a second pick in the fourth quarter that helped seal the win for Carolina.
Jets Takeaway: Time to Start Auditioning Other Quarterbacks
The Jets have seen occasional flashes from Justin Fields, mostly as a scrambler, but they haven't seen him emerge as a steady starting quarterback. He struggled again versus the Panthers and was replaced to start the second half by Tyrod Taylor.
Unfortunately, the offense wasn't any more efficient with Taylor behind center. He repeatedly underthrew receivers, was picked off twice, and finished just 10-of-22.
Overall, the winless Jets shouldn't be buyers at the trade deadline, but they may need to find another quarterback to audition over the second half of the season.
Loser: QB Tyrod Taylor, New York Jets
Taylor got the start in Week 3 while Fields was sidelined with a concussion. He played relatively well in that game, tossing a pair of touchdown passes and helping New York come close to pulling off the upset.
Had Taylor played well again on Sunday, he might have secured himself a longer look to be New York's starting quarterback. He may get more starts this season—he challenged the Panthers' secondary better than Fields—but he'll likely be viewed as a placeholder, at best.
Los Angeles Rams vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
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Score: Rams 35, Jaguars 7
Rams Takeaway: Matthew Stafford Can Still Carry a Super Bowl-Caliber Team
This past offseason, Stafford dealt with a back issue that sidelined him for practices, and some wondered if he would be able to perform at an optimal level. Thus far, he has answered that question.
Entering Week 7, the 37-year-old signal-caller led the league in passing yards. In London, he carved up the Jaguars defense without one of his Pro Bowl receivers.
Stafford's arm is alive, well and accurate. As long as he's healthy, the Rams have a shot to make another Super Bowl run.
Winner: QB Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Stafford threw for an efficient 182 yards and five touchdowns against the Jaguars, without star wideout Puka Nacua. He benefited from short fields thanks to his defense forcing Jacksonville to turn the ball over on downs four times.
Nonetheless, Stafford took care of the ball and logged his fifth career five-touchdown performance in a strong outing in London.
Jaguars Takeaway: Jacksonville Too Undisciplined To Be Top-Tier Team
The Jaguars earned praise after their win over the Kansas City Chiefs two weeks ago, but they took a step back at Wembley Stadium.
Jacksonville's offense sputtered, kicker Cam Little missed a field goal early in the game, and the team committed 13 penalties, which cost it 113 yards.
If the Jags want to be a playoff contender, they must tighten up their execution in all three phases of the game. Entering Week 7, Jacksonville was the second-most penalized team.
The Jags can be their own worst enemy on the field, and that issue must be addressed during their Week 8 bye.
Loser: WR Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
Thomas had a brutal outing in London. He dropped key passes that could have extended drives and put the Jaguars in position to score more points. While quarterback Trevor Lawrence struggled with ball placement at times, his lead wide receiver didn't do much to help him on accurate throws.
Thomas has been mostly inconsistent through the first seven weeks of the season and looks nothing like the player who earned a Pro Bowl nod last year.
Rookie wideout Travis Hunter, who caught eight passes for 101 yards and a touchdown, is more trustworthy in the passing game right now.
Pittsburgh Steelers v. Cincinnati Bengals
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Score: Bengals 33, Steelers 31
Bengals Takeaway: Cincinnati Reverses Course With Big AFC North Victory
The biggest storyline surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals entering Thursday's contest was whether the team planned to trade defensive end Trey Hendrickson at some point over the next two weeks and to whom.
Instead, the Bengals emerged victorious right when they were at their most desperate, snapping a four-game losing streak, and now sit within striking distance of the AFC North leaders.
At 3-4 and a game-and-a-half behind the team they just beat, the Bengals shouldn't look to dump talent at the deadline, especially with winnable upcoming meetings against the New York Jets and Chicago Bears before the team's bye.
Winner: QB Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals
Flacco has been a member of the Bengals for eight days. Eight. He's already played in two games and performed exceptionally well Thursday considering a short turnaround after being traded during the prior week.
The 40-year-old veteran was brought in to provide offensive stability and someone capable of consistently getting the ball to the Bengals' talented wide receivers.
Flacco understood the assignment. He threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns, including a franchise-record 16 completions to Ja'Marr Chase, in just his second game with the Bengals.
Steelers Takeaway: Pittsburgh's Upside is Limited Due to Poor Roster Construction
The Steelers walk away from their latest outing still leading the AFC North. Everything they want to achieve is still in front them. However, Pittsburgh will fail to do so if it doesn't get better in key areas.
Surprisingly, Aaron Rodgers has been everything the team hoped he'd be upon signing this offseason. However, Pittsburgh's offense lacks a No. 2 wide receiver, and coordinator Arthur Smith is leaning heavily on the squad's tight ends.
Defensively, the problems are even bigger, with the group not being anything close to what Steelers fans are used to seeing.
Loser: Steelers Defense
Pittsburgh was already a bottom-eight defense entering Thursday's contest. The unit allowed a staggering 470 yards to an offense led by Flacco. Again, he has been a member of the Bengals for eight days.
Meanwhile, Cincinnati's anemic rushing attack managed 142 yards—Chase Brown entered the contest averaging just 2.7 yards per carry and supplied 9.8 against the Steelers.
Pittsburgh's defense is soft and undisciplined, while its stars are failing to show up and make an actual difference.
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