2026 NFL Power Rankings Week 8: Does Anyone Want To Be The Best Team In Football?

Who is the best team in football? That’s not an easy question to answer anymore. The last undefeated team (Minnesota Vikings) barely has a functional offense. The powerful San Francisco 49ers have turned the ball over eight times in their past three games. The Kansas City Chiefs were just pounded by the defending champion Seattle Seahawks, who already have three losses. Every team in the top 10 has at least one undeniable flaw. But don’t worry. In a year where the only consensus is that there is no consensus, I’ve got some ideas. And I’ll sort it all out for you in my Week 8 NFL Power Rankings. *Super Bowl odds courtesy of DraftKings Super Bowl odds: +60000 (28th-best) The Chargers get the place of honor at the bottom of the rankings as the last remaining winless team in the NFL. And what kind of odds would you have gotten on that before the season started? This is a team that was a sleeper Super Bowl contender not that long ago. Depending on what book you used, the over/under on them for the season was either 9.5 or 10.5 wins. Now, will they even get to four? Better question: When will they get their first win of the season? For obvious reasons, circle their Nov. 22 game at home against everybody’s favorite opponent: the Jets. Next game: @ Rams (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: The Chargers are the only team in the NFL that has not won a game this season. Super Bowl odds: +80000 (tied for 29th-best) Pick your adjective: Inexcusable. Laughable. Disgusting. Predictable. They all apply to the way Aaron Glenn’s lifeless, undisciplined, unprepared team lost to the previously winless Dolphins in front of their disgruntled home fans this past Sunday. There have been worse losses in Jets history, but it’s hard to think of any right now. This was hideous. I’d rank them 39th if I could. That mess killed any goodwill they had built up with their relatively competitive start to the season. And yes, it was the final nail in Aaron Glenn’s tenure. He’ll just be killing time the rest of the season until he’s finally out of a job. Next game: vs. Raiders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: The only rookies with 100-plus receiving yards and a receiving touchdown in a game this season both play for the Jets: Omar Cooper Jr., who has done it twice in three games, and Kenyon Sadiq. Super Bowl odds: +100000 (tied for last) Admit it. You knew the Dolphins were going to beat the Jets on Sunday. I mean, if they were going to win one game all season long, that was always going to be it. And of course, it would be at MetLife Stadium. Every Jets fan knew it when they bought their ticket to that game. The Dolphins did it in style, too. Malik Willis threw a 63-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. RB Ollie Gordon ran all over the Jets for 103 yards. And the Miami defense got the big fourth-quarter stop when they needed it. Enjoy it, because things are almost certainly going to get worse — at least until they play the Jets again in Miami on Nov. 29. Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: The Miami Dolphins have won a game for the first time since Week 17 of last season, snapping a six-game losing streak. The win is also the first for Jeff Hafley as a head coach. Super Bowl odds: +100000 (tied for last) The Titans don’t really deserve to move up as much as a few other teams deserved to move down. But give them this: They almost took down the upstart Browns. They even showed some signs of offensive life — or at least RB Tony Pollard (129 yards, 3 touchdowns) did. Their defense was a disaster and they let Deshaun Watson have his first 300-yard passing day in five years. They’re also 1-6, so yeah, they should be lower. Don’t worry. After they lose to the Bengals this Sunday, they’ll probably slide back down before heading into their bye week. Next game: @ Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: Averaging 168.4 passing yards per game through Week 7, Cam Ward is on pace for the fewest passing yards per game by a quarterback to start every game in the last 20 seasons. Super Bowl odds: +80000 (tied for 29th-best) Mike LaFleur’s young team really does play hard and manages to hang around much better teams — sometimes. But the Cardinals are still so flawed, and QB Jacoby Brissett isn’t very good, and they remain in the throes of a ridiculous schedule. They’ve got the Cowboys, Seahawks, Rams and Chiefs over the next four weeks, with all but the Rams on the road. Then maybe they can catch their breath and see if they can build a little momentum as they head into the offseason and the NFL draft. Next game: @ Cowboys (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: The Cardinals are 2-0 at SoFi Stadium this season and 0-5 everywhere else. Super Bowl odds: +12500 (21st-best) Dan Quinn still has his job, which is something of a minor upset as the Commanders return from their bye week. And if they didn’t make the change already, then he’ll probably hang on until the end of the season. The good news for them is the schedule isn’t particularly tough the rest of the way, at least until they get to their late-season road trip through Minnesota and Jacksonville. And the NFC East still stinks, so there are still opportunities to take the division if they don’t fall too far behind. But lower your expectations. They’re 1-4-1 for a reason, and it’s not a good one. Next game: vs. Eagles (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: Through Week 7, the Commanders have allowed 28.7 points per game, the second-worst mark in the NFL. Super Bowl odds: +10000 (tied for 20th-best) What in the world …? If someone told me that the Buccaneers were going to score 43 points and run for 258 yards, I would have asked, "You mean over the next two weeks, or three?" But they just grounded the Panthers' defense to a pulp in the most unexpected fashion imaginable. I’d say it helped that QB Baker Mayfield returned from his thumb injury, but he threw 11 passes and totaled just 64 yards. Give credit to Todd Bowles’ defense (two interceptions) and special teams (recovered muffed punt), I guess. And put Bucs-Panthers high on the list of most inexplicable outcomes of the year. Next game: vs. Falcons (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: In Sunday's second quarter, the Buccaneers became just the second team in NFL history with a pass TD, rushing TD, field goal, defensive TD and special teams TD/returned XP in a single quarter. They joined the Jets in Week 1, 2018 (3Q vs. DET). Super Bowl odds: +25000 (tied for 26th-best) For a second-year coach, Kellen Moore sure feels like he’s barely clinging to his job as his team tumbles into its bye week after losing to the Steelers in Paris. The Saints have just been such a disappointment, especially offensively, which was supposed to be Moore’s specialty. And injuries (to RB Travis Etienne and rookie WR Jordyn Tyson) are only a part of it. The Saints have now lost four of five, and their lone win was a hold-on-for-dear-life nailbiter against the Giants. And when they come out of the bye week, there are no breaks in the schedule until nearly Christmas. Things could get ugly, fast. Next game: BYE Stat To Know: The Saints have scored 48 points in the final two minutes of either half this season, the most in the NFL. Super Bowl odds: +25000 (tied for 26th-best) Let the fire sale begin! Everything must go — everything except for RB Jonathan Taylor, who remains the only good thing (and only watchable thing) about this team. Scoring 10 points and gaining just 218 yards against the powerful Vikings' defense isn’t embarrassing, but that’s their third straight loss, and they’re 2-5 now and it sure doesn’t seem like things are going to get better. They are heading toward an offseason of big changes. There’s no reason not to start making them now. Next game: @ Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: The Vikings generated pressure on 60.9% of their blitzes against the Colts, recording four sacks on those plays. Indianapolis has now allowed 10 sacks over its last two games. Super Bowl odds: +20000 (25th-best) If the football gods had any mercy, they’d allow the Eagles to just punt on the rest of the season, because they’re getting kind of hard to look at. They are almost literally being held together by Band-Aids right now. Even Monday night, when they finally got RB Saquon Barkley back, he lasted nine plays before he added a back injury to his hamstring injury. It’s almost hard not to feel bad for them … almost. Actually, it’s probably not that hard for most NFL fans. They’ve been waiting a long time for the Eagles to fall apart like this. Next game: @ Commanders (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: After starting 2-0 this season, the Eagles have lost five straight games for the first time since Weeks 11-15, 2016. Super Bowl odds: +3500 (tied for 15th-best) Well, it looks like the Cowboys seem to have established themselves as the only team capable of chasing the Giants in the NFC East this year — though that’s not saying much. Their offense had little trouble with a decimated Eagles team, but man, that defense is still a mess. They’re lucky Saquon Barkley couldn’t stay in this game because he was threatening to run all over them. Not that doing that is all that difficult these days. All that money and they’re still giving up about 150 yards per game on the ground. That won’t get them very far. Next game: vs. Cardinals (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: Despite the win, the Cowboys have allowed 20-plus points in 13 straight games, which is the longest active streak in the NFL by eight games and the longest streak in franchise history. Super Bowl odds: +3500 (tied for 15th-best) The Texans are undoubtedly a much-improved team over the past three weeks and can take comfort in that as they head into their bye week. But here’s their reality: It was always going to be tough, if not impossible, to rebound from an 0-4 start. The upstart Giants showed them how hard on Sunday by running all over them. The loss was bad enough, but giving up 420 yards to a Giants team starting its third QB this season? This Texans' defense just hasn’t been good enough and now the club is operating the rest of the season with almost no margin for error. Next game: BYE Stat To Know: The Texans’ defense has taken a major step back from last season, falling from second to 20th in points allowed per game and first to 18th in yards allowed per game. Super Bowl odds: +15000 (tied for 23rd-best) Remember when everyone was screaming that the Raiders belonged in the top 10? That was just four weeks and yet four losses ago. In fairness to them, those losses have come against the Chiefs, Patriots, Bills and Rams, and it’s pretty clear that all four of those teams are way out of the Raiders’ league. They do get a break against the Jets next Sunday. But after that, it’s the 49ers, Seahawks, Broncos and Browns. So yes, things definitely can still get worse. Which means it would be a bad time to switch to rookie QB Fernando Mendoza right now. Next game: @ Jets (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: After starting the season 3-0, the Raiders have lost four straight games, allowing an NFL-worst 35.75 points per game over that span. Super Bowl odds: +6500 (tied for 18th-best) I want to be more excited that the Falcons knocked off the top team in these rankings, but it felt a little fluky to me.  They didn’t exactly light up the 49ers on offense and they didn’t really do that much to stop them on defense. What they got was four turnovers, which counts, but isn’t something that happens all the time. And one came when RB Christian McCaffrey was out. So … yay! Big win. But they’re still 3-4. They are playing a lot better over the past five weeks, though. That does count for something in a really bad division. Next game: @ Buccaneers (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: The Falcons' win over the 49ers on Sunday was their first home win of the season. Atlanta is now 1-3 at home in 2026. Super Bowl odds: +3200 (14th-best) The Packers were a couple of missed kicks away from beating the Lions and moving up in these rankings, but they just couldn’t make the big stop or the big offensive play when it mattered most. QB Jordan Love is still playing well, and he’s got RB Josh Jacobs back now to boost their rushing attack. And their defense is playing sneaky good too. So the Pack has it all … except that they’re 4-3 and that puts them in last place in their tough division. So they remain in the middle of the pack for now. Next game: vs. Panthers (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: The Packers lead the NFL with 20 drops this season, a 7.6% drop rate on 263 targets. Super Bowl odds: +8000 (20th-best) Now that was a big and impressive win against a Texans team that was starting to get on a little bit of a roll. The Giants got an impressive performance from new QB J.J. McCarthy, a big rebound game from RB Cam Skattebo and some timely stops from their battered defense. John Harbaugh’s staff even outcoached the Texans in the overtime win. The Giants are now the class of a trash division, heading into their bye week with a 4-2-1 record. As Harbaugh said after the game, the Giants have positioned themselves to be in this until the end. And with the Eagles and Commanders on deck after their break, they can create some real separation in the division. Next game: BYE Stat To Know: With their win today over the Texans on Sunday, the Giants would match their win total from the 2025 season when they finished 4-13. Last season, they did not get their 4th win until Week 18 in a 34-17 win over the Cowboys. Super Bowl odds: +5500 (17th-best) That’ll teach me to put the Panthers in the top 10. I didn’t feel good about it then, and I sure don’t feel good about it after their inexplicable, disgusting 43-13 loss to the Bucs. I mean, Tampa QB Baker Mayfield threw for 64 yards and the Panthers still gave up 43 points. The Bucs ran for 258 yards! A week ago, I thought QB Bryce Young was a dark horse MVP candidate, and then he goes out and barely completes half his passes, throws for 163 yards and gets picked off twice? That’s the thanks I get for my faith. Next game: @ Packers (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: The Panthers have now given up 40-plus points in two of their first three home games this season. Super Bowl odds: +1300 (tied for seventh-best) Paging Lamar Jackson, you are needed in Baltimore, stat. Jesse Minter tried to keep this team afloat while his star QB was out with an ankle injury, but it’s all come apart over the past two games, as the Ravens have scored a total of 20 points. Add that to their total defensive collapse in the second half against the Bengals on Sunday, not to mention their upcoming games against the Bills and the Jaguars, and they are standing on the edge of a dangerous cliff. Jackson is good enough to rescue them. But he better come back quickly. Next game: @ Bills (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: The Ravens surrendered 35 unanswered points to the Bengals after holding a double-digit lead, the first time that has happened in franchise history. Super Bowl odds: +15000 (tied for 23rd-best) All the Browns do is win. It’s never pretty. It’s never impressive. And sometimes it doesn’t even make sense. But somehow they’re 5-2 despite giving up 13 points more than they’ve scored. This past Sunday, they needed QB Deshaun Watson’s first 300-yard game in five years to beat a bad Titans team on a last-second field goal. Sometimes they win with defense. Whatever it takes. Rookie coach Todd Monken somehow keeps pushing the right buttons, and no coach in the league is doing more with less. Next game: @ Steelers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: The last time the Browns were in first place in the AFC North this late in a season was in Week 10 of the 2014 season. Super Bowl odds: +6500 (tied for 18th-best) It’s probably time I stopped underestimating the Steelers, who have won three straight now and have only been out of one game this season in the final minutes. They win ugly and their 42-year-old QB is a shell of his old self, but give Mike McCarthy credit. Pittsburgh finds ways to win. And the emergence of RB Jaylen Warren as a legitimate two-way weapon has been huge for a team that needs to carry Rodgers more than he can carry them. It would be a big boost for the Steelers if they can beat the Browns at home next Sunday and stay atop the AFC North heading into their bye. Next game: vs. Browns (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: The Steelers now have a 5-2 record. They have made the postseason in 10 of the previous 11 seasons when starting 5-2 or better. Super Bowl odds: +1050 (fourth-best) Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in. It wasn’t just because of their win over the Raiders on Sunday. It was the way they raced out to a 28-3 lead, with some outstanding passing by QB Matthew Stafford and a strong, two-pronged rushing attack from Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. Their defense is a little shaky at times, but their offense still has the goods. If only they could put it together for more than one game at a time. Next game: vs. Chargers (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: With three passing touchdowns against the Raiders, Matthew Stafford is now the all-time leader in passing touchdowns in Rams franchise history. Super Bowl odds: +1900 (tied for 11th-best) The Patriots' narrow loss to the Bears on Thursday night might only be a bump in the road for a team that is clearly back on the right track. Drake Maye continues to play well. The Patriots still don’t run the ball very well, though, and that’s going to be a problem against a schedule that just doesn’t get much easier between now and the playoffs. They’re going to need to hold the ball to slow down some of the high-powered offenses they face. If they keep playing shootouts, it’s not going to end well for them. Next game: @ Dolphins (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: Rhamondre Stevenson’s 48-yard touchdown catch as time expired in the first half against the Bears was the Patriots’ longest touchdown to end a half since 2010. Over the past 20 years, 1,006 passes have been thrown in the final 10 seconds of a half from at least 40 yards from the end zone and traveled 10 or fewer air yards. Drake Maye’s throw to Stevenson was the only one to result in a touchdown. Super Bowl odds: +2100 (13th-best) Head coach Dan Campbell’s decision not to fire defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard looked a lot better than anyone expected when the Lions held the Packers to 17 points this past Sunday. It wasn’t a perfect effort, but they prevented the big plays when it mattered the most. And if they can actually get their defensive issues ironed out, they’ll be a strong Super Bowl contender. Their offense is good enough to beat anybody. They just need their defense to stop giving games away. Next game: vs. Vikings (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: The Lions' 4-2 start marks the first time in franchise history they’ve won at least four of their first six games in four consecutive seasons. Super Bowl odds: +1600 (ninth-best) They were shut out in the first half against Baltimore and had 59 total yards. That’s obscene for a team with as many weapons as they have. Then they scored 35 points and gained 299 yards in the second half, turning the game into a rout and reminding the world how dangerous they really are. I don’t even know what to say about Zac Taylor and this team anymore, though. The lack of consistency is absolutely maddening. But that second half showed why I keep ranking them this high. When they get going, they’re as good as any team in the league. Next game: vs. Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: After trailing 13-0 at halftime, the Bengals scored 35 unanswered points in the second half against the Ravens. The 35 second-half points are tied for the second-most points scored in any second half in Bengals franchise history, and their most in a second half since October 29, 1989. Super Bowl odds: +1200 (sixth-best) The 34 points the Jaguars gave up to the Texans before their bye week looks like a real anomaly for a defense that has been mostly impressive this season. It’s certainly nothing to worry about considering their upcoming schedule. They face the Colts, Ravens, Giants and Titans (twice) over the next five weeks. The Ravens and Giants are tough, but each of those games is winnable. The Jaguars could be rising in these rankings fast. Next game: vs. Colts (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: The Jaguars have gone 23 straight games without allowing a 75-plus-yard rusher, tied for the third-longest streak since 1966. Only the 49ers have had longer streaks: 27 games from 2021-23 and 26 games from 1989-91. Super Bowl odds: +1100 (fifth-best) The Seahawks just beat the No. 2 team in these rankings, knocking the Chiefs from their unbeaten perch. But the truth is they’re kind of wedged here in this spot because of their unflattering record. The defending champs are 4-3 and there’s just no way around that, even though two of those losses were to the 49ers and Broncos, two of the toughest teams in the league. The Seahawks are clearly capable of greatness, especially on defense. If they beat the Bears next Monday, they’ll likely be back in the top 5. Next game: vs. Bears (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: The Seahawks held the Chiefs to their fewest points (three, tied), total yards (213), first downs (11), and red zone drives (zero) in any game started by Patrick Mahomes. Super Bowl odds: +1400 (eighth-best) A healthy Caleb Williams really does change everything for the Bears, and it honestly doesn’t look like he’s 100% back yet. Once he is, there may be no stopping the Bears — or at least the Bears’ offense. The defense has shown some holes the past few weeks against some pretty high-powered offenses. It’s probably still good enough for the Bears to make a deep run. They’re playing and acting like they can. But it’s clearly Ben Johnson’s offense that’s going to carry them to the end. Next game: @ Seahawks (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: D'Andre Swift is the first Bears running back with at least seven touchdowns through the team's first seven games of a season since Neal Anderson in 1990. Super Bowl odds: +580 (best) I admittedly feel a little bad about dropping the 49ers this far against a Falcons team that has been impressive at times over the past few weeks, especially since I still suspect this is the best team in football — you know, in those rare moments when they're mostly healthy. But there’s no avoiding the reality that they are incredibly banged up, and they added RB Christian McCaffrey to their injury list with a calf injury. Mostly, though, I’m concerned about this: They’ve turned the ball over eight times in the past three games, including four on Sunday. They’re too good to be that careless with the ball. Next game: BYE Stat To Know: Despite their first loss of the season to the Falcons, the 49ers lead the NFL in offensive play success rate (60.6%) and net passing yards per pass play (7.83). San Francisco also ranks second in yards per play (6.36), behind only the Bills (6.48), and third-down conversion rate (50%). Super Bowl odds: +1900 (tied for 11th-best) The Broncos may have scored 30 points against the Cardinals, but this team still has a Bo Nix problem. He scored on a 62-yard run of his own and threw a short pass that RB R.J. Harvey turned into a 52-yard score. But other than that, the Broncos quarterback was once again unimpressive and downright shaky. Maybe this is just the way it’s going to be. The Broncos are just going to keep finding a way to win. But Nix is probably going to have to get it together at some point — like, perhaps, next Sunday against the Chiefs. Next game: vs. Chiefs (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: With their win over the Cardinals on Sunday, the Broncos are 12-2 vs. NFC opponents since the start of the 2024 season. Super Bowl odds: +900 (third) The Chiefs were bound to stumble at some point, but that was one ugly way to do it. Patrick Mahomes managed just 165 passing yards and an interception against the tough Seattle defense. And RB Kenneth Walker III was held to just 36 rushing yards by his former team. Given how bad that was, it’s probably worth noting that the Chiefs haven’t exactly played a tough schedule. They are now set up for a very interesting rematch this week with the best team they beat: the Broncos. Next game: @ Broncos (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: During the 20-3 loss to the Seahawks, Kansas City never reached the red zone, the first time that has happened in a Patrick Mahomes NFL start, with Sunday being his 153rd career start, including the playoffs. Super Bowl odds: +1700 (10th-best) Well, the Vikings are the last of the undefeated teams, but the Week 6 bye didn’t exactly do anything for their quarterback problem. Against a suspect Colts defense, Kyler Murray threw for 150 yards, which is almost criminal considering he’s got wideouts Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison on his side. Every week I am incredibly impressed with Brian Flores’ defense, but I wonder how long the Vikings can survive without a functioning offense. The Lions, Bills, Packers and 49ers are their next four opponents, so I suspect we’re about to find out. But for now, they get their highest ranking of the season. Sorry — the way they play offense, I just can’t put them at No. 1. Next game: @ Lions (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: The Vikings extended their winning streak to 11 games, tying the 1986-87 Bears for the longest winning streak with at least four different starting quarterbacks since 1950. Super Bowl odds: +700 (second-best) The Bills are back on top, mostly by default as they come off their bye week. They’ll only stay here if they’ve spent their week off plugging their defensive holes. They’re going to be tested quickly, too, with a game against the Ravens, in what should be Lamar Jackson’s first game back from his ankle injury. The 1-2 punch of Josh Allen and James Cook is enough to give the Bills the temporary crown, though. It’ll be fascinating to see how this high-powered offense does in two weeks in Minnesota. But the real test comes on Thanksgiving when they face their nemesis, the Chiefs. Next game: vs. Ravens (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET) Stat To Know: Through Week 7, the Bills lead the NFL in scoring (32.8 points per game), yards per play (6.48), points per drive (3.28) and scoring drive percentage (60%).

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/WZMXef2

The Week 7 Plays That Stood Out: The 49ers' Woes To The Seahawks' Dominant Defense

Welcome to The Plays that Stood Out, where we take a deep dive into the moments that shaped the past week of NFL games and try to figure out what they could mean for the teams and players going forward. This week, we’re looking at how Mike Evans's injury derailed the 49ers offense in Atlanta, what's driving Houston's defensive woes, and how the Seahawks defense shut down Patrick Mahomes and Kenneth Walker. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has worked minor miracles, keeping the offense afloat while the injury bug tears through his receiver room. At a certain point, though, you just run out of bodies. That’s how it looked Sunday in San Francisco’s first game without Mike Evans, a 29-20 loss in Atlanta that knocked the Niners back to the pack in the NFC. The absence was felt most on third down, where Evans has dominated San Francisco’s target share. Over the first six games, he moved the chains 11 times on third down; the rest of the team combined for 10. Against the Falcons, the 49ers had only two third-down receptions for first downs, both to George Kittle in the first quarter. On third down, Purdy finished 3-of-7 for 23 yards, a pick, and a passer rating of just 11.9. Even with Shanahan limiting his snap count, Evans has been a North Star for the passing game this season, and Purdy looked lost without him. A couple of plays really stood out. Take this third-and-17 play from the second quarter. That’s not a situation where you’d expect the offense to convert, but the 49ers just needed a solid gain to get back into field goal range. San Francisco comes out in a trips set, with Brandin Cooks, Evans’s stand-in, isolated on the back side. With the Falcons pushing their coverage to the three-receiver side, there's a crease in the coverage that Cooks’ deep in-breaker can exploit, but Purdy never looks his way and takes a checkdown that gains only two yards. Targeting Cooks would have been risky, but we’ve seen Purdy rip those deep in-breakers to Evans with blind faith throughout the first month and a half. If big No. 5 is running that route instead of Cooks, that ball is getting thrown. This next play came on fourth-and-10 late in the game. It’s another trips set with Cooks isolated on the backside. This time, Atlanta crowds the line of scrimmage and shows blitz. The Falcons sent a six-man pressure, but two defenders backed off into coverage, creating a 4-over-3 on the trips side. That left cornerback A.J. Terrell on an island with Cooks. If it’s Evans vs. Terrell, Purdy is taking that matchup every time. With Cooks out there, Purdy never even glances toward the single-receiver side and ends up taking a sack that snuffs out a potential Niners rally. There’s still an opportunity to complete the crosser, but the pressure gets to Purdy; he drops his eyes and runs himself down a cul-de-sac of pass rushers. This was the highest level of difficulty Purdy has faced all season. He came into the game with a league-low 71 dropbacks on plays with a pass probability greater than 75%, per Next Gen Stats. In Atlanta, he took 25 such dropbacks – and he did it without his star wideout. The takeaway: Shanahan tried his best to feature the other 49ers stars who are healthy enough to play. Christian McCaffrey got touches on seven of his first eight snaps and ended up in the blue medical tent with a leg injury. Kittle was targeted a season-high 10 times, but he’s not the explosive play machine he once was, so those targets produced just 88 yards. Like Evans, McCaffrey and Kittle are older and have extensive injury histories, so Shanahan can’t just spam touches for them without increasing their injury risk. Until the 49ers are fully healthy – or at least get Evans back on the field – Shanahan will have to maintain this delicate balance, and the offense will remain limited. All right, I’ve seen enough of this Houston team to give up any hope of it making a deep postseason run. That hope rested mostly on the defense turning things around, reclaiming its title as one of the league’s best units, and pairing it with an offense that was just good enough to do its part in January. After watching J.J. McCarthy and Cam Skattebo put up career days on Demeco Ryans’ defense, I’m selling all of my stock. I think general manager Nick Caserio summed up the defensive issues best on Monday morning. If you watched the final two overtime plays – Skattebo’s 42-yard stroll through the Texans' front and Devin Singletary’s 30-yard game-winner – you wouldn’t need Caserio to tell you Houston has a tackling problem, especially in the secondary. On both plays, safety Calen Bullock was one-on-one with the ball carrier. On Skattebo’s run, he took a bad angle, allowing the plodding back to get past him. Against Singletary, a quick stutter step left him grasping for air. The Texans secondary combined for 10 missed tackles against the Giants, bringing their season total up to 43. Only Denver’s secondary has whiffed on more tackles this season, per Pro Football Focus. The safeties, Bullock and Reed Blankenship, have been the main culprits, with seven and eight missed tackles, respectively, but the whole unit has played a role. Cornerback Kamari Lassiter has missed six tackles, nickelback Jalen Pitre has missed five, and Derek Stingley and M.J. Stewart have missed four apiece. Football is a beautifully complex sport, but sometimes the results are easy to explain. Houston’s defense has regressed because the secondary isn’t winning its one-on-one battles. The takeaway: It’s not just the tackling, either. Texans defensive backs have been getting dunked on at the catch point all season. Only the Jaguars have given up more yards on tight-window throws and only three teams have surrendered more expected points added, per Next Gen Stats. Opposing quarterbacks are averaging 8.1 yards per attempt on those contested throws. Last season, that number was a league-leading 2.0 yards per attempt. That’s a remarkable difference. Issues at the catch point and poor tackling in the secondary have spiked opponents’ explosive play rate, which is driving the defensive regression. Ryans said Monday that he believes in Houston’s scheme, and I’m inclined to agree. The players are in position to make stops; they just haven’t. Until this highly paid secondary starts playing up to its price tag, I’m fading the Texans. If you forgot – or were distracted by the turbulent offense – Sunday’s comprehensive beatdown of the Chiefs was a reminder that Seattle is still home to the NFL’s best defense. The statistical nuggets coming out of the game are astonishing. Kansas City couldn’t create any explosive plays. It couldn’t produce in general. Just gaining a first down felt like a chore. The Seahawks didn’t just make Patrick Mahomes look mortal. They did it while also neutralizing Kenneth Walker, who came into the game leading the world in just about every meaningful run metric. The star running back managed just 36 yards on 14 carries. It was the first time he was held without an explosive run and the first time he was held to a success rate lower than 40%, per Next Gen Stats. And Seattle did it without loading the box with run defenders. Seahawks coach/defensive play-caller Mike MacDonald could keep calling his two-high safety looks and enjoy a numbers advantage in the passing game. Pick pretty much any of Mahomes’ 33 passes and pause when he hits the back of his drop. And almost every time, you’ll see Seattle with a plus-one advantage in coverage on both sides of the field. Mahomes’ interception came on a play where the Seahawks are caught in a run blitz against play-action. That’s typically an advantage for the offense, but Seattle gets four defenders over three receivers to the playside while Mahomes is chased by Nick Emmanwori and his 4.3 speed. Seattle can play like that against the pass because they can do this against the run. Here, Kansas City comes out with three tight ends, and only one receiver split wide. The Seahawks match it with their nickel defense and keep both safeties deep, leaving a run gap open. But Seattle closes them with a strong scheme and even better talent. Derrick Hall and Leonard Williams cave in the strong side, creating a wall that boxes Walker in. Jarran Reed occupies a double team, and DeMarcus Lawrence wins inside and closes off the cutback lane. Both Seahawks linebackers remain unblocked, allowing them to fill any open gaps. Seattle’s defensive alignment made it hard for Kansas City’s blockers to build double teams, and the defensive talent on the line made it hard to win those matchups, leaving Walker nowhere to go. That’s how you overcome a disadvantage in the box. This snapshot of the Next Gen Stats tracking dots clearly illustrates how the Seahawks' run defense functions. You can see the vertical penetration to the play side, with the backside defenders working horizontally to prevent cutback lanes from forming. The takeaway: It’s like MacDonald is playing a rigged game of rock-paper-scissors, where scissors don’t beat paper, so they can throw it with impunity. In this case, paper is their two-high coverages. Seattle can stay in their shell coverages without worrying about getting gashed on the ground. And it’s not like the Seahawks are just surviving against the run. They own the league’s dominant run defenses, which makes the suffocating coverage possible. 1. Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon has tormented opposing offenses with his exotic blitzes on third down, so credit to the Lions coaching staff for having an answer on Sunday. Sometimes, the solution to a complex schematic problem is as simple as putting the ball in your best player’s hands. For Detroit, that’s Jahmyr Gibbs, who moved the chains on two key third-down runs, with both coming on the same run play against the same pressure look from Green Bay. The first one came on third-and-5 on the opening drive. With the Packers showing blitz, Detroit ran a crack toss with Amon-Ra St. Brown motioning across the formation and the play-side offensive tackle pulling outside, leading the way for Gibbs on third-and-5. That extended the Lions' first of two touchdown drives on Sunday. The second play essentially iced the game for Detroit. Facing third-and-7 and a similar pressure look from Green Bay, the Lions tossed it to Gibbs with St. Brown and Penei Sewell clearing out a path to a first down. Gibbs wisely went down, letting Detroit bleed the clock before a chip-shot field goal to win. 2. The Rams will likely be in the market for another receiver with Davante Adams out for a couple of months, but Sean McVay has to be happy with the blocking effort he got out of his receiving corps on Sunday in the 35-21 win over Las Vegas. Konata Mumpfield's effort on Kyren Williams’ 17-yard touchdown run really stood out. Mumpfield wards off a cornerback just long enough before landing the key block on the safety, creating a downfield seal all on his own. Los Angeles went back to basics on Sunday, running multi-tight-end sets and mashing the Raiders on the ground. That ground-and-pound strategy only works if you’re getting explosive runs, and those are much easier to come by when receivers are willing to block. 3. It’s been a month since I begged the NFL teams to run more lateral plays, and it appears they’re listening. Per Pro Football Focus, offenses have run seven since Week 3, including three in Week 7, and the success rate remains encouraging. Four of those seven plays – all on third- or fourth-and-10-plus – have gone for first downs. As these designed laterals continue to dig offenses out of deep situational holes, I expect to see even more. The NFL never fails to live up to its reputation as a copycat league.

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/0zEuySY

Big Bets Report: $5, 8-leg Parlay Narrowly Misses Million-Dollar Payday

Sunday was National Tight Ends Day, and don’t think the public betting masses didn’t know it. Bettors were all over tight ends in player props for NFL Week 7 odds, particularly in touchdown scorer markets. No surprise, the 49ers’ George Kittle was the most popular of all. But in a missed-it-by-that-much wager for the ages, a $5 parlay fell one leg short of $1 million by banking on a couple of Kittle touchdowns. More on that close call, a battle of major wagers on Patriots vs. Bears, a $10K-to-$422K conversion and a parlay on which a couple tight ends indeed delivered. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Ahead of Sunday’s games, a Hard Rock Bet customer put all of five bucks on an eight-leg parlay of anytime touchdown scorers. In honor of National Tight Ends Day, four legs were on players at that position: The other four legs: Add up all those numbers with a parlay calculator, and you’ve got eye-popping odds that look more like a Social Security number: +21081593. In slightly easier-to-digest terms, that’s about 210,816/1. Making it more interesting, all those players were competing at the same time, in the 1 p.m. ET Sunday kickoff window. And seven legs got there for the bettor, including Judkins scoring two TDs — which he actually did before halftime of Cleveland’s 27-24 win over Tennessee. But while Kittle had a solid day, with eight catches for 88 yards, he didn’t find the end zone at all. If Kittle had struck paydirt twice, then the bettor would’ve turned that $5 into a whopping $1.054 million. If the bettor just excluded the Kittle leg, the ticket still would’ve profited about $140,000. Which is a fine day, to be sure. So close. The Patriots-Bears Thursday night game drew a trio of major wagers at three sportsbooks. Station Sports in Las Vegas took the biggest of those bets, a hefty $600,000 Patriots +3.5 (-140). On the flip side, Caesars Sports had a Michigan customer put $175,000 on Bears -3 (-115). And at DraftKings Sports, a bettor put $50,000 on Bears' moneyline -155, simply needing Chicago to win, regardless of the final margin. The Bears held on for a 30-24 win and cover. So the Caesars bettor banked $152,174 (total payout $327,174), and the DK customer won $32,258 (total payout $82,258). But the Station high-roller made a massive six-figure donation to the house. Ouch. At Fanatics Sportsbook, a couple of tight ends helped get half the job done and two wideouts did the other half for a customer. The bettor put $200 on a four-leg anytime TD scorer parlay, with tight ends Trey McBride and Tucker Kraft joined by wide receivers Drake London and Marvin Harrison Jr. London and Harrison delivered first for the Falcons and Texans, respectively, in Sunday’s early window of games. In the late window, McBride and Kraft found the end zone for the Cardinals and Packers, respectively. The bettor also utilized a 20% boost promotion, hiking the odds from +4075 to +4890 — just shy of 49/1. So that $200 turned a profit of $9,780 (total payout $9,980). Not a bad day’s work. For something a little more relatable: A Hard Rock Bet customer turned a mere two George Washingtons into $5,071.50 on a three-leg parlay of first touchdown scorers. Two of those legs were longer shots: Dolphins wideout Caleb Douglas and Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. were both +2000. The third leg was Colts running back Jonathan Taylor +475. All three were the first players into the end zone in their respective games. At healthy odds of +253475 — almost 2535/1 — the bettor's two bucks turned into $5,071. And how about something completely unrelatable: Putting $10,000 on an eight-leg NFL parlay. That’s not advisable in pretty much any situation. As the cliché goes: Parlays are a bookmaker’s best friend. But in this instance, a Hard Rock customer got to the pay window on a combination of plays on point spreads, moneylines and totals, along with one player prop: Giants wideout Malik Nabers over 68.5 receiving yards. Nabers finished with 111 yards and the other seven legs hit, as well. On Sunday night, Seahawks' moneyline clinched it, with Seattle beating the Chiefs 20-3. At odds just beyond +4120, the bettor’s $10K turned into $422,030. During football season, this space is normally reserved for notable wagers on the NFL and college football. But when someone knocks out a nearly $1.5 million win on a two-leg parlay, exceptions must be made. A high-roller at Fanatics Sportsbook put $18,000 on an NHL player-prop parlay: Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl +575 to have two or more goals vs. the Wild, and Hurricanes forward Nikolaj Ehlers +1100 to have two or more goals vs. the Canucks. Run those numbers through the parlay calculator, and you get odds of +8000. Both players delivered, and the bettor profited $1.440 million, for a total payout of $1.458 million. It’s not all about making big bets or cashing out huge on a 10-leg parlay. Which, to be clear, is rare. Sometimes, it’s about putting 10 bucks on a single straight bet, backing a long shot or semi-long shot, and getting a solid return on investment. For example, at DraftKings Sportsbook, taking Rams tight end Davis Allen to score the game’s first TD at +3500. Or better still, Allen to score two or more TDs at +8000. A tenner on the first would’ve netted $350. On the second, your wallet would be stuffed with $800. Caesars Sports has an interesting offering each week on the 1 p.m. ET Sunday NFL games: First player to score a touchdown, based on elapsed game time. If you had Zay Flowers +2800 in Week 7, step up and claim your prize. The Ravens' wideout scored just 84 seconds into Sunday’s game vs. the Bengals. A $10 wager on that would’ve blossomed into $280 profit, in short order. As noted above, Station Sports took a $600,000 play on the Patriots to cover vs. the Bears. In fact, as has been the case much of the season, Station is seeing quite a few six-figure NFL bets. Sportsbooks don’t reveal who’s making the bets. But if you buy into social media rumors, most — perhaps all — of these Station plays are coming from the same customer. If so, that customer had a very up-and-down last few days. Along with that Patriots setback, Station took the following major wagers: Other notable major wagers from the weekend: Always bear in mind that these high-rolling customers have the disposable income to not only make big bets, but absorb what for us are jaw-dropping losses. Keep your bet size and expectations reasonable. Never bet more than you can afford to lose.

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/ZWfSGsL

Overreaction Monday: Chiefs Not A Super Bowl Contender? Steelers Are Legit?

With each passing week, are the so-called overreactions starting to become reality? That might be the case after Sunday's slate of games. Week 7 brought us some more exciting finishes around the NFL, but we also got some pretty strong statements. The defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks showed that they shouldn't be doubted in their decisive win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Elsewhere, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns continue to tack on wins, while the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens had losses that could show some cause for concern. What should we make of the biggest statements from Week 7, though? Let's overreact (or not) to Sunday's slate. In their first real test of the season, the Kansas City Chiefs looked like they were not ready for prime time. The league’s leading rusher and reigning Super Bowl MVP, Kenneth Walker III, was held to a season-low 36 yards in his return to Seattle in the Chiefs' blowout 20-3 loss to the Seahawks. And, maybe more notably, Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes was held to a career-low three points. The Chiefs finished with just 257 yards and failed to reach the red zone in eight offensive possessions. They totaled just 11 first downs and finished 3 of 11 on third down. Like the New England Patriots last year, who used one of the easiest schedules in the league to propel themselves to the Super Bowl, the Chiefs have one of the easiest schedules this season due to their 6-11 record last year. And just like the Patriots last year, they were hit with a reality check when they faced the Seahawks. Conclusion: Not An Overreaction It's simple: If Kansas City wants to make a deep playoff run, the Chiefs must prove they can beat the top teams in the NFL, like the Seahawks. Unless you think highly of the Denver Broncos, the Chiefs haven't gotten that win yet. The Chiefs were playing without key pieces on offense, including both starting offensive tackles Josh Simmons and Jaylon Moore, plus wide receivers Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton. Still, players like tight end Travis Kelce failed to pick up the slack and provide an option in the passing game for Mahomes, who struggled with 165 passing yards and an interception. Mahomes has now thrown an interception in two straight games and three in his last four. He also doesn't have any touchdowns in the last two weeks after the Chiefs' bye. Defensively, the Chiefs had no answer for reigning Offensive Player of the Year Jaxson Smith-Njigba, who finished with nine receptions for 165 yards and a score. That allowed Sam Darnold to arguably have his best game of the season after some struggles in recent weeks. Jordan Love completed 60% of his passes for 274 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on Sunday, but it wasn’t enough to put the Green Bay Packers on his back and carry them to a victory against the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Even with running back Josh Jacobs being active for the first time this season after missing the first six games due to an offseason arrest, the Packers still could not effectively run the football, totaling 60 yards on the ground. And Love’s pass-catching group also let him down, with three drops, per Pro Football Focus. Defensively, the Packers couldn’t slow down Jared Goff, who’s playing at an MVP level this season. The Cal product threw for 303 yards and two scores. Green Bay’s defense also allowed Jahmyr Gibbs to run for 115 yards on 29 carries. Conclusion: Not An Overreaction Love was the fourth-leading passer in the NF entering Sunday and is playing at an elite level, but he still needs help. The Packers have one of the worst kicking situations in the league, with rookie Trey Smack missing two field goals in this one, including a 34-yard attempt that could have won the game that was blocked by the Lions. Smack’s 68.8% field goal percentage is among the worst in the NFL. However, even with the struggles on offense with running the football and drops, along with the kicking game, help for Love is on the way in the form of edge rusher Micah Parsons, who should be returning soon from knee surgery that prematurely brought an end to his 2025 season. The return of Parsons gives Green Bay a true alpha to lead the defense. And led by defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, the Packers have shown they can play stifling defense by shutting down one of the best offenses in the league in the Dallas Cowboys two weeks ago. But for Love and the Packers to win the NFC North, Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur must figure out how to elevate them to his franchise quarterback’s level. J.J. McCarthy led the New York Giants to an overtime victory on the road in what was supposed to be one of the best defenses in the NFL at the start of the season: the Houston Texans. McCarthy didn’t put up "wow" numbers, but he was efficient. He finished 20 of 28 for 252 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. Five of those completions went for at least 20 yards and he led seven New York drives into Houston territory. With the victory, the Giants lead the NFC North at 4-2-1. The Giants matched their win total from the 2025 season when they finished 4-13. Last season they did not get their fourth win until Week 18, a 34-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys. McCarthy’s performance followed a 243-yard, one-touchdown passing effort in a loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 6 — and that was in only in one quarter of action. McCarthy subbed in for Jameis Winston in mop-up duty last week, playing well enough that head coach John Harbaugh named him the starting quarterback this week. With last year’s first-round selection Jaxson Dart suffering a season-ending knee injury that required surgery, McCarthy is another former first-round pick with good movement skills that gives the Giants an opportunity to compete for a postseason berth this season. McCarthy should be part of the conversation for starting quarterback beyond this season if he can continue to stay healthy. Conclusion: Overreaction McCarthy has not shown in the NFL at this point that he can stay on the field for any length of time, so we should pump the brakes on him being the long-term starter in New York … for now. Besides, New York’s success on offense was really about Cam Skattebo and the running game. Skattebo finished with 127 rushing yards, including a 42-yard burst that helped seal the game in overtime. Fellow running back Devin Singletary put the game away with a 30-yard run for the winning score in the extra period. The Giants finished with 188 rushing yards as a team. The Giants also held Houston’s offense to just 237 total yards. However, McCarthy’s off to a good start, and it will be interesting to see if he can stay healthy, keep the solid play going and not throw the ball to the other team. Don’t look now, but 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers has the Steelers tied atop the AFC North — again. The defending division champs held on for a 16-10 victory over the New Orleans Saints in the NFL’s first game in Paris. Rodgers achieved yet another big accomplishment in his storied career, eclipsing Payton Manning (539) on the all-time touchdown passes list with 540. Rodgers is now third on the list, trailing only Tom Brady (649) and Drew Brees (571). Accolades aside, Rodgers looks more comfortable finding Pittsburgh’s playmakers in the offense. He finished 19 of 30 (63%) for 212 yards, with a touchdown pass and no interceptions. Rodgers completed passes to seven different pass catchers. Also, Rodgers joins Brady (68) as the only quarterbacks in the NFL with at least 20 wins at age 40 or older, according to FOX Sports Research. The Steelers have now won three games in a row, and four of their last five. Rodgers’ reunion with Pittsburgh head coach Mike McCarthy has been rocky at times, but has also exceeded expectations for a team few NFL observers expected to compete for a postseason berth. Conclusion: Not An Overreaction While Rodgers has been good, it’s been running back Jaylen Warren and the return of a dominant Pittsburgh defense that have paved the way to consistent winning for the Steelers. Warren had another strong performance for Pittsburgh, finishing with 101 yards rushing on 18 carries. With Rico Dowdle healthy, he has combined with Warren to form a potent 1-2 punch out of the backfield as a safety valve for Rodgers in the passing game. The two combined for 10 catches and 81 yards on Sunday. But Warren has been the catalyst and deserves mention among the best backs in the league. Warren’s 718 scrimmage yards entering this weekend’s games were fifth in the NFL. Along with a dynamic playmaker in Warren, Pittsburgh’s defense is back to playing good football. The Steelers held New Orleans to 11 rushing yards on 14 designed runs (0.8 yards per carry), the fewest yards per designed run by any team in a game this season, according to Next Gen Stats. Over Pittsburgh’s three-game winning streak, the Steelers held opposing offenses to 17 points a game, with eight sacks and three takeaways. Baker Mayfield led a Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense that was responsible for 34 points in a 30-point win over the Carolina Panthers in a 30-point victory in his first game back from a broken thumb. The Buccaneers have defeated the Panthers in 13 of their past 16 games. The Buccaneers scored 33 first-half points against the Panthers. It’s the third-most Tampa Bay has scored in the first half since 1991, according to FOX Sports Research. Mayfield only threw for 64 yards and a touchdown. But with the Bucs totaling 258 yards on the ground, all Mayfield had to do was turn around and hand the ball off. Defensively, Tampa Bay forced two turnovers and sacked Bryce Young five times. Conclusion: Not An Overreaction The Bucs have won two of their last three games and, at 2-5, sit just 1.5 games back of the division-leading Panthers at 3-3. And Tampa Bay still has five NFC South division games left, including two each against the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints. A healthy Mayfield gives the Bucs one of the most talented quarterbacks in the division. Head coach Todd Bowles has the defense playing better over the last month. The Bucs also should get right tackle Luke Goedeke (calf), do-everything receiver Emeka Egbuka (concussion/foot) and defensive back Antoine Winfield (ribs) back at some point this season. Tampa Bay only plays three teams with a winning record over the last 10 games, so an easier record and a healthy Mayfield should help the Bucs make things interesting in the NFC South. As I preached a few weeks ago in this column, things should be OK in Tampa as long as the Buccaneers continue to right the ship.

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/LzT3OEW

Seattle Suffocates Patrick Mahomes: 4 Takeaways From The Seahawks' Win Over The Chiefs

Lumen Field (SEATTLE) – The defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks finally looked like the dominant team that ran through the playoffs last season, manhandling the previously undefeated Kansas City Chiefs 20-3 in a nationally televised game on Sunday night. The win moved Seattle to 4-3 on the year, two games behind the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West (6-1), who like the Chiefs (5-1) also fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 29-20 road loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The Seahawks snapped a two-game losing streak with the victory and now get an extra day to prepare for another tough game at home against the Chicago Bears (5-2). The Chiefs will try to rebound on the road against their AFC West rivals, the Denver Broncos (5-2) in Week 8. Here are my takeaways: With running back Kenneth Walker III serving as the engine of the offense, Patrick Mahomes has been playing good ball in his return from a season-ending knee injury. Entering Sunday’s contest, Mahomes had a 103.1 passer rating, which was his highest passer rating since his MVP season of 2022 (105.2). However, with Seattle shutting down Walker and the running game, Mahomes struggled. He finished 19-of-33 for 165 yards, with no touchdowns and an interception. Mahomes also had a fumble that Kansas City managed to recover in the second half. The Chiefs averaged 414 total yards a contest entering Sunday’s game but finished with just 213 total yards. Kansas City did not get the ball into the red zone. The Seahawks lead the NFL in total defense (237.3 total yards allowed), pass defense (141.3), yards per play allowed (4.0) and takeaways (11). Mahomes fell to 4-4 in his career in games against the top total defense entering the week (including postseason). In his return to Lumen Field, Walker became the first Super Bowl MVP in league history to face the team he won the award with the following year. But in his homecoming, the Seahawks seemed to benefit from their familiarity with their former running back. Walker entered Sunday’s contest leading the league in rushing with 665 yards. He had more rushing yards than 19 NFL teams through six weeks of the NFL season and rushed for 100 yards in four of his first five games this year. But Seattle swarmed to the football when Walker got the ball, making sure to cover up the cutback lanes and not allowing the Michigan State product to bounce outside. The result was Seattle limiting Walker to 36 yards on 14 carries, forcing other players on offense to beat them. Walker’s replacement for the Seahawks, Emanuel Wilson, rushed for 100 yards. The Ohio State product entered Sunday’s contest leading the league in receptions (49), receiving yards (717) and receiving touchdowns (7). But for some odd reason, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo decided to cover Jaxon Smith-Njigba on the perimeter in press coverage with rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane. It was predictably not a successful strategy to slow down Smith-Njigba, who finished with a game-high nine receptions for 150 receiving yards and a score. According to Next Gen Stats, Delane allowed four receptions for 85 yards and a score as the nearest defender on JSN in coverage on six targets. The last player to win the receiving triple crown was Ja’Marr Chase in 2024, and the defending NFL Offensive Player of the Year has a chance to achieve that lofty mark if teams continue to cover him like the Chiefs. Like last season, Darnold had struggled at the start of this season. Since returning from a glute injury, Darnold has seven interceptions, tied for second-most in the league. Darnold had as many touchdowns (seven) as interceptions (seven) entering Sunday’s contest. And Seattle’s 12 giveaways was tied for the third-most in the league. But against the Chiefs, Darnold focused on not taking sacks, being decisive and getting the ball out quick, with good results. Darnold completed 20-of-28 passes for 257 yards, including a touchdown to Smith-Njigba. However, Darnold also had an awful decision at the end of the first half, when he forced a pass into the back of the end zone into coverage to Rashid Shaheed that was intercepted by Nohl Williams, who almost took it back for a touchdown. Fortunately for Darnold, left tackle Charles Cross got Williams on the ground, and Harrison Butker missed a 58-yard field goal. Butker also missed from 45 yards. With Drew Lock nursing a right elbow injury, the Seahawks have little choice but to stick with Darnold, and hope that his solid performance against the Chiefs is a sign of things to come.

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/YipnEXT

Detroit Holds Onto Valuable Win: 3 Takeaways From The Lions' Win Over The Packers

Ford Field (DETROIT) – During the pregame festivities, the big screen inside Ford Field showed a hype video of a pack of Lions tearing at a Packers jersey. The home crowd roared. By the time the game wrapped up, the Lions’ faithful were indeed happy — even if it wasn’t as dramatic as the video suggested it would be. Detroit hit a chip-shot field goal in the final second to top the Green Bay Packers 20-17 on Sunday. The game had a little bit of everything. Two quarterbacks playing at a high level, some controversial calls, and elite playmakers delivering in the clutch, as Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs did with 37 of his 116 rushing yards on their final drive of the game. Here are my takeaways: Yes, Brock Purdy and Josh Allen are on a tier of their own in the MVP race at the moment. Jared Goff deserves to at least be in the conversation. He’s been that good. Against Green Bay, he completed 22-of-32 passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns to continue a stellar start to the season. Through seven games, he has 14 touchdowns to zero (!) interceptions. That's tied for the most touchdown passes thrown without an interception in a team's first six games of a season in NFL history, per FOX Sports Research, showing that Goff’s operating in a flow state in first-year coordinator Drew Petzing’s offense. Goff certainly benefits from having a superstar running back in Jahmyr Gibbs and one of the league’s top wide receiver tandems in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, but he consistently puts Detroit’s top playmakers in a position to succeed, keeps the offense on schedule and delivers timely chunk plays. The Lions had the NFL’s worst pass defense through six weeks, and the expectation in Detroit is that the secondary play will get better with the return of Brian Branch. The 2024 Pro Bowl safety/nickel made his 2026 debut Sunday after missing the first six games of the season while on PUP, recovering from an Achilles injury suffered in December. It wasn’t perfect, but we saw signs of progress from the Lions’ back end against the Packers. Early in the fourth quarter, Branch picked off a deep pass from Jordan Love intended for Christian Watson in the middle of the field. The interception immediately followed an impressive pass breakup from backup cornerback Khalil Dorsey on a Love deep shot to Bo Melton. Detroit left much to be desired in pass defense, though. The Lions gave up several chunk plays on third and fourth down. Green Bay turned a fourth-and-5, fourth-and-2 and fourth-and-3 into completions of 22, 27 and 28 yards, respectively. On a third-and-long in the final minute of the first quarter, Jordan Love also hit a wide-open Tucker Kraft in the end zone. But Sunday was a step in the right direction. It was a sign that plays could be made by the secondary to help out an Aidan Hutchinson-led pass rush and one of the league’s best offenses. And remember, Week 7 marked Branch’s first game in 10 months. He was on a snap count. It could only get better for him and the Lions’ defense. With Josh Jacobs off the commissioner exempt list, the Packers’ hope is that their run game — which has been the NFL’s worst through six weeks — can finally get going. His season debut did nothing to support those dreams. The three-time Pro Bowl selection had 11 carries for just 36 yards, including eight rushing yards at halftime, as part of a Green Bay rushing attack that went nowhere once again with just 60 rushing yards. Through seven games, the Packers have yet to reach 100 net rushing yards. Of course, Jacobs wasn’t expected to light it up in his return. He couldn’t even practice during his stay on the commissioner's exempt list, so this past week marked his first team work since training camp. So this could just be a short-term thing as Jacobs gets his legs under him. A big-time positive was his 25-yard catch-and-run touchdown, where he broke a couple of tackles near the sideline to reach the end zone. But if Jacobs’ rushing performance wasn’t a blip, the Packers’ upside will continue to be limited. Between a lackluster running game and coach Matt LaFleur’s recurring game mismanagement issues, which showed up again Sunday (going for a touchdown on fourth-and-4 at the Lions’ 7 late in the second quarter and turning the ball over on downs when a chip-shot field goal would’ve tied the game), Green Bay can’t be seen as an elite offense. NFC North play continues next week for the Lions, who’ll host the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday. Minnesota remained undefeated with a 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 7, but it has three quality teams on its tail in the division. The Packers, meanwhile, will have a quick turn, returning home to Green Bay to host the Carolina Panthers (3-3) on Thursday Night Football.

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/5liwD0W

Will The Rams Be Able To Turn It Around? What NFL Execs, Scouts Make Of L.A.'s 2-4 Start

This year's Dream Team hasn't had a dream start. After entering the season as the overwhelming Super Bowl favorite, the Los Angeles Rams are 2-4 and lagging well behind the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West race. Los Angeles' latest loss was its most disappointing yet, with the Rams being on the wrong side of the biggest upset of this NFL season when they lost to the Arizona Cardinals last week. So, what in the world is happening in Los Angeles, and will the Rams be able to snap out of it? We asked people around the league that question, plus their thoughts on Jalen Hurts' health situation as the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback is out for the year with blood clots. Here's what we learned. Eric D. Williams: League sources I spoke with were not necessarily surprised by the struggles of the Rams to start the year. However, those folks I talked to also believe that the Rams are built to rebound because of the person leading them: head coach Sean McVay. "Everyone loved their roster construction this summer!" an NFL front office executive told me. "They were the Dream Team. I’m not overly critical of it, though. There are pros and cons to doing it that way. They are older and therefore more susceptible to injury or a steep decline in performance. "They had some bad luck in a couple of games. Now they’ve got the Kobie Turner injury. They have never had depth and that is the reason for the poor special teams play. I still think they will be OK. They have an elite coaching staff." Three of L.A.’s four losses came in the final moments of the game, including an overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills where kicker Harrison Mevis had a game-winning field goal attempt blocked and then was released. So, the Rams are close. But they also have the fourth-oldest roster in the league, so injury concerns were an issue when the season started, and the Rams have lost a handful of foundational players to the injured reserve, including Myles Garrett, Davante Adams and Turner. "It’s a combination of bad luck and relying on an older roster," a league source who has seen the Rams in person this season told me. "They easily could have won the last two games. … They should be 3-3 or 4-2, but they’re 2-4. The roster isn’t amazing, but it’s not bad at all. "Missing kicks is missing kicks. They got a bad call in Denver. The most surprising thing to me is they couldn’t score more this past game [against the Cardinals]. Aside from that, it’s nothing shocking. The margins are small. And they have mostly played some good teams." The schedule does get easier. Three of L.A.’s four losses came against playoff teams from last season (49ers, Broncos and Bills). Over the next four games, Los Angeles faces teams with a combined record of 6-17-1. A longtime scout told me he’s concerned with McVay’s long-term prospects for the rest of the year, though. "The pressure of going all in for the Super Bowl like they did in the past with the ‘F’ them picks’ and winning in that year is intensified by themselves, the fans and the media," the scout told me. "Also, the sportsbooks! Couple that with the Myles Garrett trade and injury, Puka Nacua’s offseason antics and the unretiring of Aaron Donald and that added to the pressure. "Now you’ve got the unforeseen injuries and bad FG protection. Plus, throwing the ball so much and not establishing an offensive identity by an offensive guru head coach. Just a perfect storm for a coach to fight his way out of it. I’d like to know who Coach McVay turns for guidance. Who’s his Football Muse?" Ralph Vacchiano: A lot of questions still remain about how the Philadelphia Eagles handled quarterback Jalen Hurts after he was diagnosed with a blood clot in his calf two weeks ago, and why they let him play the next day. But one thing seemed clear to many around the NFL, even after tests discovered more blood clots in Hurts’ lungs: The Eagles weren’t going to willingly risk their quarterback’s life for a game. "I find it impossible to believe that if doctors told the Eagles it was too risky for Hurts to play, that they would’ve let him play," an NFL executive told me. "Even if Hurts insisted, they wouldn’t have taken that kind of risk. We’re not talking about a sprained ankle here. It’s serious stuff. "We all want to win, and we’ll do almost anything to win, but we’re not monsters." By all accounts, the Eagles aren’t either. Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, said on Tuesday that "I have great confidence … and believe that everyone acted with an abundance of caution." And when the Eagles announced on Monday that the additional clots were discovered and Hurts was headed to injured reserve, it came in a joint statement from the team and Hurts’ agent, Nicole Lynn. That’s not necessarily a sign that the Eagles did everything right. But it was a strong signal that Hurts’ camp didn’t have a problem with how things were handled. "You don’t think she’d be screaming bloody murder if the Eagles somehow screwed this up?" another NFL executive told me. "She’s aligned with the team on this. And from everything I’ve heard, they really are comfortable with how [Eagles general manager] Howie Roseman and all the doctors handled it. Trust me, if they weren’t, we’d all know." That doesn’t mean mistakes weren’t made, though, which is why the NFLPA is calling for a "full investigation" even after the NFL has apparently exonerated the Eagles. Even some outside doctors, who notably weren’t part of Hurts’ evaluation, have gone on record questioning how he was allowed to play after the first clot was discovered. "I’m not a doctor, so maybe they’re right," the first executive told me. "But Howie didn’t make the medical decision on his own. There’s no way he overruled his medical people. So if doctors and specialists say he can play, and he wants to play, what are you supposed to do?"

from Latest NFL News & Videos from FOX Sports https://ift.tt/HSGZzmy