Week 7 was maybe not the most nail-biting slate of games. We were missing a bunch of great teams on byes and half of the games saw a winning margin of 20+ points. Nevertheless, there were still some good games and great performances on show. Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly from Week 7.
The Good
Rookies set a record pace – Ja’Marr Chase and Kyle Pitts always looked like blue chip prospects and through the first seven weeks they are living up to that billing. Both are setting the pace at their positions and look set to break a number of rookie records. Chase’s 754 yards are the most by any player through their first seven career games. He is also on track to smash Justin Jefferson’s rookie receiving yards record by over 400 yards. As for Pitts, he has taken over from Julio Jones as Atlanta’s leading receiving weapon. He already has 471 yards and is on pace to break Mike Ditka’s rookie tight end record that has stood for 60 years.
Detroit’s aggressive play calling – It wasn’t enough to get them the win over the Rams, but the Lions’ aggressive approach to play calling was a welcome surprise and kept the game much closer than anyone expected. They kicked and recovered an onside kick after their first drive, giving them a 10 point lead early on. They were also aggressive on fourth down and ran two successful fake punts. Detroit might not win many games this season, but they will be an entertaining team to watch under Dan Campbell.
D’Ernest Johnson’s rushing success – Johnson’s success this weekend is what the NFL is really all about. After going undrafted out of USF, Johnson worked his way into the AAF before landing as the Browns’ third string running back. He got the start this weekend with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt out and took his chance. The Browns offense didn’t skip a beat as Johnson racked up 146 yards from his 22 carries. He also managed to score the first touchdown of his NFL career and helped Cleveland to a 17-14 win over Denver.
The Bad
Washington’s red zone offense – Washington’s red zone offense was painful to watch against Green Bay. Credit has to go to the Packers’ defense, but Washington’s inability to convert was maddening. For starters, they didn’t have a red zone play until the second half. When they did they were stuffed on a 4th and goal with the score at 21-7. On the very next drive they had another turnover on downs, this time from the 2-yard line. They made their final trip to the red one on the next drive and that ended with a Taylor Heinicke interception.
Justin Fields’ ball security – Fields was always going to have a tough time against the Bucs this weekend, but he looked lost as the Bears fell to a 38-3 defeat. He managed a paltry 184 passing yards at a just 5.8 yards per attempt. Ball security was the main concern. Fields threw three picks and lost two of his three fumbles. That doesn’t put him in great company. The last two quarterbacks to log zero touchdowns and five turnovers in a game are Sam Darnold and Nathan Peterman.
Derrick Henry’s production – This might be a little harsh after Tennessee made light work of the Chiefs, but Henry’s performance was a little disappointing. After all, he entered this weekend averaging over 130 yards and almost two touchdowns per game. He was also facing a Chiefs defense that ranked 31st in EPA per rush. The stage was set for Henry to dominate again, but he was a non-factor in this one. Tennessee gave him plenty of opportunities, but he managed just 86 yards on his 29 carries. He didn’t have a single run over 11 yards.
The Ugly
Kansas City’s offense – I’m not sure I ever expected to put Mahomes and the Chiefs in this category, but that is a sign of how far they have fallen this year. Through the opening six games it was their defense causing problems and acting as a liability. Despite all of their flaws, their offense had still ranked second in EPA per play this season. You wouldn’t have known it from how they played against Tennessee. At halftime they had just 68 yards and trailed 27-0. It finished 27-3, marking the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era that the Chiefs had failed to score a touchdown. To top it all off, he took a nasty hit in the fourth quarter that forced him to leave the game.
Sam Darnold and the Panthers – How quickly things soured in Carolina. Just a few weeks ago we were looking at an undefeated Panthers team and asking whether Darnold had turned the corner. Now there are questions about whether or not the Panthers should even re-sign him after this season. He was abysmal this weekend against the Giants. After getting a field goal on their opening drive, their next eight drives ended in either a punt, a pick, or a safety. Darnold was eventually benched for P.J. Walker in the third quarter.
Week 7 MVP
Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals – There really couldn’t be any other player to take this spot. Chase finished with eight catches for 201 yards and a touchdown, including a long of 82 yards.
Rookie of the week
Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals – The fact that Chase makes Week 7 MVP and Rookie of the Week should come as no surprise. Not many receivers could rack up over 200 yards against Baltimore, led alone in their seventh career game.
Stat of the week
Zero – This is the number of points the Jets have scored in the first quarters of their six games this season. They are the first team to do so since the Lions in 2008. That Detroit team finished the season 0-16.