Week 7 NFL Capsules
League: NFL 
Posted on: 18 Oct, 2024 at 06:50 PM
Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
New England Patriots (1-5) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5), 9:30 a.m. ET in London
Jacksonville stays in London but shifts to Wembley Stadium for a second consecutive regular-season game in Europe. The Patriots are 8-1 against the Jaguars and appeared to find new energy in a quarterback change from Jacoby Brissett to rookie No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye. Maye looks to drive New England to a 4-1 all-time record in international games after a three-TD debut last week during which he established a quick connection with WR Demario Douglas (six catches, 92 yards, TD). The Jaguars are giving up a tick under 30 points per game and the offense is struggling to keep pace -- and stay healthy. In TE Evan Engram's return from injury last week, he posted 10 receptions against the Bears. Rookie WR Brian Thomas Jr. has been Trevor Lawrence's most consistent target. He leads all NFL rookies with 424 receiving yards. The Jaguars are back stateside next week -- not headed for a bye -- with these four games before the scheduled break: Packers, Eagles, Vikings, Lions.
Seattle Seahawks (3-3) at Atlanta Falcons (4-2), 1 p.m. ET
The Falcons are riding a three-game winning streak, their longest since winning the last four games of the 2019 season. Seattle opened the season by winning its first three games before dropping three straight. Atlanta is looking for its first winning season and playoff appearance since 2017 having just completed a three-game sweep of divisional opponents. QB Kirk Cousins set the franchise's single-game passing total with 509 yards and four touchdowns in a 36-30 win to open October. Then the run game took over against Carolina. Backup running back Tyler Allgeier led the team with 105 rushing yards and one score, while Bijan Robinson ran for 95 yards and two touchdowns. First-year head coach Raheem Morris has been impressed with the work of offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who is also in his first year. Robinson, who spent the last two seasons as the pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach with the Los Angeles Rams, has Atlanta averaging 24.8 points per game, up from 18.9 last season. Seattle is fighting injuries, especially in the secondary, and could be forced to use its fourth-string right tackle.
Tennessee Titans (1-4) at Buffalo Bills (4-2), 1 p.m. ET
The Bills introduce new No. 1 WR Amari Cooper, who was acquired Tuesday from the Browns and is looking forward to bigger and better things in his fourth NFL home. Not only did he gain three games in the standings by joining Buffalo, but he's now the top target of Josh Allen. Allen has thrown 156 passes this year without an interception. RB James Cook (toe) might not play. But he wasn't missed in Monday night's 23-20 win at the New York Jets as rookie Ray Davis accumulated 152 total yards (97 rushing, 55 receiving) on 23 touches. QB Will Levis struggled again and the Titans blew a late lead to the Colts last week. Levis completed 16 of 27 passes for only 93 yards. Of more importance to Tennessee is his turnover trouble. His fourth-quarter interception last week was his seventh in five games and his 10th giveaway this season. The Titans' problems offensively are obscuring the solid work of their defense, which is ranked No. 1 in the league in total defense (248.8 yards per game) and against the pass (137.0).
Cincinnati Bengals (2-4) at Cleveland Browns (1-5), 1 p.m. ET
Maybe AFC North rivalries can awaken the Browns, or perhaps the long-awaited return of RB Nick Chubb. Cleveland faces its first division opponent, hosting the Bengals in pursuit of a season-shifting win. Chubb is expected to take the field for the first time since a Week 2 knee injury prematurely ended his 2023 season. He comes back in a time of need for Cleveland, which just traded wideout Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday. The Browns are scoring the third-fewest points per game in the NFL (15.8) and have dropped four games in a row. The Bengals got off to an 0-3 start, but they have since won two of their past three games, most recently beating the New York Giants 17-7 in Week 6. Cincinnati's defense finally stepped up, holding an opponent under 24 points for the first time since a season-opening 16-10 setback against the New England Patriots. But Cincinnati has a six-game losing streak in Cleveland and has yielded an average of 27.5 points per contest in those defeats. QB Joe Burrow continues to do his part, ranking second in the NFL with 12 TD passes and fifth with 1,578 passing yards.
Houston Texans (5-1) at Green Bay Packers (4-2), 1 p.m. ET
Two of the most consistent quarterbacks in the league since the start of the 2023 season are center stage at Lambeau Field. Jordan Love has two-plus TD passes in 15 games since he became the Packers' starter to open last season. C.J. Stroud has multiple TD passes in three of his past four road games, driving the Texans to the top of the AFC South. He had three TD passes in a 41-21 win at New England last week. Neither quarterback could solve the Vikings' defense run by Brian Flores, but Love thrives at home with four TD passes in each of his last two games in Green Bay. The Packers' defense is tops in the NFL with a plus-9 turnover differential and will be looking to force Stroud into uncharacteristic mistakes. Safety Xavier McKinney leads the league with five interceptions. Green Bay will use new kicker Brandon McManus after releasing rookie Brayden Narveson, who missed five of 17 field-goal attempts this season.
Miami Dolphins (2-3) at Indianapolis Colts (3-3), 1 p.m. ET
The visiting Dolphins are back at it following a well-timed week off and Miami has won four in a row coming out of its bye. The road team is also 4-1 in the past five meetings in this series. Miami remains in a holding pattern as it awaits word on the future availability of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (concussion). Tyler Huntley will again guide the NFL's lowest-scoring offense on the road. The Dolphins' output of 3, 12 and 15 points in the full games Tagovailoa sat out was two steps back from the juggernaut that averaged almost 30 per game last season. Standout receivers Tyreek Hill (23 catches, 286 yards, TD) and Jaylen Waddle (21-258-0) are taking a hit during the offensive upheaval. Last season, the two players combined for 191 receptions, 2,813 yards and 17 scoring receptions. Miami did have Raheem Mostert on the field for the first time in four weeks when he rushed for 80 yards against New England in Week 5. The Colts are experiencing their own quarterback quandary. Anthony Richardson (oblique) will start unless he has a setback but a number of Colts are hurting. WR Michael Pittman (back) played through severe pain last week -- and caught a TD pass from Joe Flacco -- and RB Jonathan Taylor (349 yards, four touchdowns) has missed the past two games due to an ankle injury.
Detroit Lions (4-1) at Minnesota Vikings (5-0), 1 p.m. ET
No matter the quarterback, Vikings WR Justin Jefferson isn't the player the Lions want to see coming after losing their top pass rusher. Aidan Hutchinson (broken leg) was the league's leader in sacks and without him, the Lions might need to dig deeper into their bag of tricks to move QB Sam Darnold out of the pocket. Jefferson has 140-plus yards in three consecutive dates with Detroit. In eight career games vs. the Lions, Jefferson has 62 catches for 1,073 yards (134.1 per game) and three TD catches. A Vikings' win would be significant in the packed NFC North standings and give Minnesota its first 6-0 start since 2009. The Lions are clicking of late behind mistake-free QB Jared Goff. He's going for his fourth consecutive win over the Vikings and has averaged 302 passing yards with six touchdowns and no picks in the past three meetings. His own alpha wide receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown, had seven catches and 100-plu yards in both matchups with the Vikings last season. Lions coach Dan Campbell is 4-2 against the Vikings since he arrived in Detroit.
Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) at New York Giants (2-4), 1 p.m. ET
Saquon Barkley is back at MetLife Stadium and heads to the visitor's locker room with the Eagles for the first time since exiting New York for Philadelphia in free agency. He's looked the part of difference-maker with at least 115 yards from scrimmage in four of five games this season. A main obstacle to Philadelphia's success inside is containing Pro Bowl DT Dexter Lawrence, who is tied for second in the NFL with 7.0 sacks and vowed not to miss this matchup despite being dinged up last week. The Giants are not well-suited to match up with the Eagles outside now that A.J. Brown is recovered from a hamstring injury. Brown and DeVonta Smith both hauled in TD passes from Jalen Hurts last week. Pass protection reemerged as a concern for the Giants when LT Andrew Thomas had season-ending foot surgery on Tuesday. It ended a stretch of more than 400 snaps together for the offensive line and introduces untested options into the starting mix. The Giants are getting production in the passing game from Jones and Wan'Dale Robinson, and first-round rookie Malik Nabers suits up for the first time in three weeks after clearing concussion protocol. Nabers could join a tiny group of receivers who had at least five catches in their first five career games (Terry Glenn, CeeDee Lamb, Puka Nacua).
Las Vegas Raiders (2-4) at Los Angeles Rams (1-4), 4:05 p.m. ET
Aside from a popularity contest -- California still loves the Raiders -- Sunday's game matches a pair of teams off to disappointing starts with offenses in dire need of consistency and a few good men to play wide receiver. The Raiders and Rams are two of 11 NFL teams averaging fewer than 19 points per game. And the concerns are even more heightened on defense, where the Raiders are tied for fifth worst in the NFL at 27.2 points allowed per game, while the Rams are fourth worst at 27.8 per game. Rams QB Matthew Stafford has averaged 247.6 yards per game, 11th best in the NFL, but has just three touchdown passes in five games and has been sacked 16 times behind a makeshift line. The Raiders moved away from Gardner Minshew last week and went to Aidan O'Connell at quarterback against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6. But Las Vegas had its second-lowest point total of the season in a 32-13 home loss. O'Connell is set to start again this week to guide an offense that has moved away from wide receiver Davante Adams, after he was traded to the New York Jets for a third-round draft pick. Adams played the first three games and caught 18 passes. Without him the past three games, rookie TE Brock Bowers had 19 receptions for 187 yards and one TD. Jakobi Meyers, considered the Raiders' top wideout in Adams' absence, did not play last Sunday with an ankle injury.
Carolina Panthers (1-5) at Washington Commanders (4-2), 4:05 p.m. ET
Dave Canales and the Panthers had a vision for what this season might look like for 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young, and it appears to be playing out -- in Washington. Rookie QB Jayden Daniels has performed at what teammates dubbed this week "an MVP level," steering Washington to the top of the NFC East in Dan Quinn's debut season with the Commanders. Daniels' 75.3 completion percentage is the second-highest all-time in the first six games of an NFL career (minimum 100 pass attempts). Young was bypassed by journeyman Andy Dalton at QB and the offense has performed well enough to hang around in most games. RB Chuba Hubbard is third in the NFL with 485 rushing yards. Getting the ball in the end zone isn't a challenge for Washington, which averages 29.7 points per game. But the Panthers are putting up only 17.2 points per game. Daniels has connected with Terry McLaurin for a TD in four consecutive games while the combination of RBs Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler and Daniels has helped Washington generate a dynamic running game, averaging 157.3 yards and more than two TDs per game.
Kansas City Chiefs (5-0) at San Francisco 49ers (3-3), 4:25 p.m. ET
49ers LB Fred Warner and head coach Kyle Shanahan were frank in their discussions about facing the Chiefs, who beat San Francisco in the Super Bowl in February (and in 2019), and QB Patrick Mahomes on Sunday. Mahomes is 4-0 with 1,356 pass yards (339 per game), 11 TDs (10 pass, one rush) with a passer rating of 104.6 against San Francisco. The Cliff's Notes version of their outlook on the Week 7 matchup: Beating Mahomes can't be done at the microphone. The 49ers are relatively rested coming back from a Week 6 Thursday night victory at Seattle, but the Chiefs are returning from their bye week. They've won five of the past six games coming out of the bye, and head coach Andy Reid is 21-4 all-time after byes. Kansas City got back to work this week with RB Kareem Hunt reinstalled as the lead back and the Chiefs leaning on a collective at wide receiver to help settle an offense prone to stalling in the red zone. Mahomes has six touchdowns and six interceptions in 2024. Production isn't a problem for San Francisco. QB Brock Purdy has 1,629 passing yards and nine touchdowns with the 49ers developing a running game without RB Christian McCaffrey (Achilles). Jordan Mason (shoulder) left last week's game only to see rookie Isaac Guerendo gain 99 yards on the ground.
New York Jets (2-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2), 8:20 p.m. ET
Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers are together again, as the longtime Packers' teammates debut with the Jets at Pittsburgh in prime time with little time to waste. The week before acquiring Adams the Jets fired their head coach, and falling to 2-5 could prompt more changes. The Steelers made waves of their own by opening the door for Russell Wilson to claim the QB job this week in what head coach Mike Tomlin framed as a declaration of health for the former Broncos and Seahawks starter. Justin Fields accepted responsibility for the demotion, saying he didn't do enough to win the job while Wilson was hobbled. Pittsburgh's defense might give Wilson time to settle in, as the Steelers give up just 14.3 points per game. LB Patrick Queen, in his first season in the middle of the 3-4 after playing for the Ravens, is becoming a major part of the machine and posted a season-high 13 tackles last week. He'll have the responsibility of helping contain Jets RB Breece Hall (169 yards from scrimmage last week).
--Monday
Baltimore Ravens (4-2) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2), 8:15 p.m. ET
Stop the run, stop the Ravens? Perhaps, but Bucs head coach Todd Bowles fully grasps the difficulty in accomplishing what sounds like a simple task. The Ravens are dominating teams with a downhill running back and an escape artist quarterback. Lamar Jackson, who is 22-1 in 23 starts against NFC teams, has 10 touchdown passes but is also ninth in the NFL in rushing (403 yards), eight spots behind league leader and backfield sidekick Derrick Henry (704 yards, NFL-best eight rushing TDs). Baltimore isn't playing keep-away with the rushing attack, but might consider becoming more prone to the downshift if the Ravens' own pass defense can't figure things out. Quarterbacks are completing more than 67 percent of their passes and averaging 275.7 yards per game, and Baltimore allowed 11 touchdown passes in its first six games. That's where Baker Mayfield slides into the picture. Mayfield leads the NFL with three games with three-plus TD passes and threw four last week. Top receiver Mike Evans has a TD in seven of his eight "Monday Night Football" appearances and Chris Godwin had a season-high 11 receptions for 125 yards and two TDs last week. As for stopping Jackson and Henry: Tampa's defense gave up 4.7 yards per carry and eight rushing touchdowns in the first six games.
Los Angeles Chargers (3-2) at Arizona Cardinals (2-4), 9 p.m. ET
RB J.K. Dobbins' redemption tour continued last week as the reliable lead alongside QB Justin Herbert. Dobbins is fifth in NFL with 87.6 rushing yards per game in 2024, relieving strain on Herbert and a group acclimating to Jim Harbaugh's preferred grinding, conservative style. Herbert is averaging just 163 passing yards per game. The Chargers try to rev up the attack on Monday night when they face the struggling Cardinals. Arizona is 27th in scoring defense, allowing 27.2 points per game. The Cardinals have allowed 34 or more points on three occasions, including last week's 21-point loss to the Green Bay Packers. The Chargers are tied for 26th in scoring offense at 18.2 points per game and sit 28th in total offense at 281 yards per game during Harbaugh's first season with the club. Herbert hit 200 passing yards for the first time all season when he threw for 237 in last weekend's 23-16 road victory over the Denver Broncos. The Cardinals fell behind 24-0 to the Packers in the first 25-plus minutes of the contest and later lost three second-half fumbles to sabotage any chance of a comeback. They committed 13 penalties for 100 yards.
--Field Level Media
Jacksonville stays in London but shifts to Wembley Stadium for a second consecutive regular-season game in Europe. The Patriots are 8-1 against the Jaguars and appeared to find new energy in a quarterback change from Jacoby Brissett to rookie No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye. Maye looks to drive New England to a 4-1 all-time record in international games after a three-TD debut last week during which he established a quick connection with WR Demario Douglas (six catches, 92 yards, TD). The Jaguars are giving up a tick under 30 points per game and the offense is struggling to keep pace -- and stay healthy. In TE Evan Engram's return from injury last week, he posted 10 receptions against the Bears. Rookie WR Brian Thomas Jr. has been Trevor Lawrence's most consistent target. He leads all NFL rookies with 424 receiving yards. The Jaguars are back stateside next week -- not headed for a bye -- with these four games before the scheduled break: Packers, Eagles, Vikings, Lions.
Seattle Seahawks (3-3) at Atlanta Falcons (4-2), 1 p.m. ET
The Falcons are riding a three-game winning streak, their longest since winning the last four games of the 2019 season. Seattle opened the season by winning its first three games before dropping three straight. Atlanta is looking for its first winning season and playoff appearance since 2017 having just completed a three-game sweep of divisional opponents. QB Kirk Cousins set the franchise's single-game passing total with 509 yards and four touchdowns in a 36-30 win to open October. Then the run game took over against Carolina. Backup running back Tyler Allgeier led the team with 105 rushing yards and one score, while Bijan Robinson ran for 95 yards and two touchdowns. First-year head coach Raheem Morris has been impressed with the work of offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who is also in his first year. Robinson, who spent the last two seasons as the pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach with the Los Angeles Rams, has Atlanta averaging 24.8 points per game, up from 18.9 last season. Seattle is fighting injuries, especially in the secondary, and could be forced to use its fourth-string right tackle.
Tennessee Titans (1-4) at Buffalo Bills (4-2), 1 p.m. ET
The Bills introduce new No. 1 WR Amari Cooper, who was acquired Tuesday from the Browns and is looking forward to bigger and better things in his fourth NFL home. Not only did he gain three games in the standings by joining Buffalo, but he's now the top target of Josh Allen. Allen has thrown 156 passes this year without an interception. RB James Cook (toe) might not play. But he wasn't missed in Monday night's 23-20 win at the New York Jets as rookie Ray Davis accumulated 152 total yards (97 rushing, 55 receiving) on 23 touches. QB Will Levis struggled again and the Titans blew a late lead to the Colts last week. Levis completed 16 of 27 passes for only 93 yards. Of more importance to Tennessee is his turnover trouble. His fourth-quarter interception last week was his seventh in five games and his 10th giveaway this season. The Titans' problems offensively are obscuring the solid work of their defense, which is ranked No. 1 in the league in total defense (248.8 yards per game) and against the pass (137.0).
Cincinnati Bengals (2-4) at Cleveland Browns (1-5), 1 p.m. ET
Maybe AFC North rivalries can awaken the Browns, or perhaps the long-awaited return of RB Nick Chubb. Cleveland faces its first division opponent, hosting the Bengals in pursuit of a season-shifting win. Chubb is expected to take the field for the first time since a Week 2 knee injury prematurely ended his 2023 season. He comes back in a time of need for Cleveland, which just traded wideout Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday. The Browns are scoring the third-fewest points per game in the NFL (15.8) and have dropped four games in a row. The Bengals got off to an 0-3 start, but they have since won two of their past three games, most recently beating the New York Giants 17-7 in Week 6. Cincinnati's defense finally stepped up, holding an opponent under 24 points for the first time since a season-opening 16-10 setback against the New England Patriots. But Cincinnati has a six-game losing streak in Cleveland and has yielded an average of 27.5 points per contest in those defeats. QB Joe Burrow continues to do his part, ranking second in the NFL with 12 TD passes and fifth with 1,578 passing yards.
Houston Texans (5-1) at Green Bay Packers (4-2), 1 p.m. ET
Two of the most consistent quarterbacks in the league since the start of the 2023 season are center stage at Lambeau Field. Jordan Love has two-plus TD passes in 15 games since he became the Packers' starter to open last season. C.J. Stroud has multiple TD passes in three of his past four road games, driving the Texans to the top of the AFC South. He had three TD passes in a 41-21 win at New England last week. Neither quarterback could solve the Vikings' defense run by Brian Flores, but Love thrives at home with four TD passes in each of his last two games in Green Bay. The Packers' defense is tops in the NFL with a plus-9 turnover differential and will be looking to force Stroud into uncharacteristic mistakes. Safety Xavier McKinney leads the league with five interceptions. Green Bay will use new kicker Brandon McManus after releasing rookie Brayden Narveson, who missed five of 17 field-goal attempts this season.
Miami Dolphins (2-3) at Indianapolis Colts (3-3), 1 p.m. ET
The visiting Dolphins are back at it following a well-timed week off and Miami has won four in a row coming out of its bye. The road team is also 4-1 in the past five meetings in this series. Miami remains in a holding pattern as it awaits word on the future availability of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (concussion). Tyler Huntley will again guide the NFL's lowest-scoring offense on the road. The Dolphins' output of 3, 12 and 15 points in the full games Tagovailoa sat out was two steps back from the juggernaut that averaged almost 30 per game last season. Standout receivers Tyreek Hill (23 catches, 286 yards, TD) and Jaylen Waddle (21-258-0) are taking a hit during the offensive upheaval. Last season, the two players combined for 191 receptions, 2,813 yards and 17 scoring receptions. Miami did have Raheem Mostert on the field for the first time in four weeks when he rushed for 80 yards against New England in Week 5. The Colts are experiencing their own quarterback quandary. Anthony Richardson (oblique) will start unless he has a setback but a number of Colts are hurting. WR Michael Pittman (back) played through severe pain last week -- and caught a TD pass from Joe Flacco -- and RB Jonathan Taylor (349 yards, four touchdowns) has missed the past two games due to an ankle injury.
Detroit Lions (4-1) at Minnesota Vikings (5-0), 1 p.m. ET
No matter the quarterback, Vikings WR Justin Jefferson isn't the player the Lions want to see coming after losing their top pass rusher. Aidan Hutchinson (broken leg) was the league's leader in sacks and without him, the Lions might need to dig deeper into their bag of tricks to move QB Sam Darnold out of the pocket. Jefferson has 140-plus yards in three consecutive dates with Detroit. In eight career games vs. the Lions, Jefferson has 62 catches for 1,073 yards (134.1 per game) and three TD catches. A Vikings' win would be significant in the packed NFC North standings and give Minnesota its first 6-0 start since 2009. The Lions are clicking of late behind mistake-free QB Jared Goff. He's going for his fourth consecutive win over the Vikings and has averaged 302 passing yards with six touchdowns and no picks in the past three meetings. His own alpha wide receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown, had seven catches and 100-plu yards in both matchups with the Vikings last season. Lions coach Dan Campbell is 4-2 against the Vikings since he arrived in Detroit.
Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) at New York Giants (2-4), 1 p.m. ET
Saquon Barkley is back at MetLife Stadium and heads to the visitor's locker room with the Eagles for the first time since exiting New York for Philadelphia in free agency. He's looked the part of difference-maker with at least 115 yards from scrimmage in four of five games this season. A main obstacle to Philadelphia's success inside is containing Pro Bowl DT Dexter Lawrence, who is tied for second in the NFL with 7.0 sacks and vowed not to miss this matchup despite being dinged up last week. The Giants are not well-suited to match up with the Eagles outside now that A.J. Brown is recovered from a hamstring injury. Brown and DeVonta Smith both hauled in TD passes from Jalen Hurts last week. Pass protection reemerged as a concern for the Giants when LT Andrew Thomas had season-ending foot surgery on Tuesday. It ended a stretch of more than 400 snaps together for the offensive line and introduces untested options into the starting mix. The Giants are getting production in the passing game from Jones and Wan'Dale Robinson, and first-round rookie Malik Nabers suits up for the first time in three weeks after clearing concussion protocol. Nabers could join a tiny group of receivers who had at least five catches in their first five career games (Terry Glenn, CeeDee Lamb, Puka Nacua).
Las Vegas Raiders (2-4) at Los Angeles Rams (1-4), 4:05 p.m. ET
Aside from a popularity contest -- California still loves the Raiders -- Sunday's game matches a pair of teams off to disappointing starts with offenses in dire need of consistency and a few good men to play wide receiver. The Raiders and Rams are two of 11 NFL teams averaging fewer than 19 points per game. And the concerns are even more heightened on defense, where the Raiders are tied for fifth worst in the NFL at 27.2 points allowed per game, while the Rams are fourth worst at 27.8 per game. Rams QB Matthew Stafford has averaged 247.6 yards per game, 11th best in the NFL, but has just three touchdown passes in five games and has been sacked 16 times behind a makeshift line. The Raiders moved away from Gardner Minshew last week and went to Aidan O'Connell at quarterback against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6. But Las Vegas had its second-lowest point total of the season in a 32-13 home loss. O'Connell is set to start again this week to guide an offense that has moved away from wide receiver Davante Adams, after he was traded to the New York Jets for a third-round draft pick. Adams played the first three games and caught 18 passes. Without him the past three games, rookie TE Brock Bowers had 19 receptions for 187 yards and one TD. Jakobi Meyers, considered the Raiders' top wideout in Adams' absence, did not play last Sunday with an ankle injury.
Carolina Panthers (1-5) at Washington Commanders (4-2), 4:05 p.m. ET
Dave Canales and the Panthers had a vision for what this season might look like for 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young, and it appears to be playing out -- in Washington. Rookie QB Jayden Daniels has performed at what teammates dubbed this week "an MVP level," steering Washington to the top of the NFC East in Dan Quinn's debut season with the Commanders. Daniels' 75.3 completion percentage is the second-highest all-time in the first six games of an NFL career (minimum 100 pass attempts). Young was bypassed by journeyman Andy Dalton at QB and the offense has performed well enough to hang around in most games. RB Chuba Hubbard is third in the NFL with 485 rushing yards. Getting the ball in the end zone isn't a challenge for Washington, which averages 29.7 points per game. But the Panthers are putting up only 17.2 points per game. Daniels has connected with Terry McLaurin for a TD in four consecutive games while the combination of RBs Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler and Daniels has helped Washington generate a dynamic running game, averaging 157.3 yards and more than two TDs per game.
Kansas City Chiefs (5-0) at San Francisco 49ers (3-3), 4:25 p.m. ET
49ers LB Fred Warner and head coach Kyle Shanahan were frank in their discussions about facing the Chiefs, who beat San Francisco in the Super Bowl in February (and in 2019), and QB Patrick Mahomes on Sunday. Mahomes is 4-0 with 1,356 pass yards (339 per game), 11 TDs (10 pass, one rush) with a passer rating of 104.6 against San Francisco. The Cliff's Notes version of their outlook on the Week 7 matchup: Beating Mahomes can't be done at the microphone. The 49ers are relatively rested coming back from a Week 6 Thursday night victory at Seattle, but the Chiefs are returning from their bye week. They've won five of the past six games coming out of the bye, and head coach Andy Reid is 21-4 all-time after byes. Kansas City got back to work this week with RB Kareem Hunt reinstalled as the lead back and the Chiefs leaning on a collective at wide receiver to help settle an offense prone to stalling in the red zone. Mahomes has six touchdowns and six interceptions in 2024. Production isn't a problem for San Francisco. QB Brock Purdy has 1,629 passing yards and nine touchdowns with the 49ers developing a running game without RB Christian McCaffrey (Achilles). Jordan Mason (shoulder) left last week's game only to see rookie Isaac Guerendo gain 99 yards on the ground.
New York Jets (2-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2), 8:20 p.m. ET
Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers are together again, as the longtime Packers' teammates debut with the Jets at Pittsburgh in prime time with little time to waste. The week before acquiring Adams the Jets fired their head coach, and falling to 2-5 could prompt more changes. The Steelers made waves of their own by opening the door for Russell Wilson to claim the QB job this week in what head coach Mike Tomlin framed as a declaration of health for the former Broncos and Seahawks starter. Justin Fields accepted responsibility for the demotion, saying he didn't do enough to win the job while Wilson was hobbled. Pittsburgh's defense might give Wilson time to settle in, as the Steelers give up just 14.3 points per game. LB Patrick Queen, in his first season in the middle of the 3-4 after playing for the Ravens, is becoming a major part of the machine and posted a season-high 13 tackles last week. He'll have the responsibility of helping contain Jets RB Breece Hall (169 yards from scrimmage last week).
--Monday
Baltimore Ravens (4-2) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2), 8:15 p.m. ET
Stop the run, stop the Ravens? Perhaps, but Bucs head coach Todd Bowles fully grasps the difficulty in accomplishing what sounds like a simple task. The Ravens are dominating teams with a downhill running back and an escape artist quarterback. Lamar Jackson, who is 22-1 in 23 starts against NFC teams, has 10 touchdown passes but is also ninth in the NFL in rushing (403 yards), eight spots behind league leader and backfield sidekick Derrick Henry (704 yards, NFL-best eight rushing TDs). Baltimore isn't playing keep-away with the rushing attack, but might consider becoming more prone to the downshift if the Ravens' own pass defense can't figure things out. Quarterbacks are completing more than 67 percent of their passes and averaging 275.7 yards per game, and Baltimore allowed 11 touchdown passes in its first six games. That's where Baker Mayfield slides into the picture. Mayfield leads the NFL with three games with three-plus TD passes and threw four last week. Top receiver Mike Evans has a TD in seven of his eight "Monday Night Football" appearances and Chris Godwin had a season-high 11 receptions for 125 yards and two TDs last week. As for stopping Jackson and Henry: Tampa's defense gave up 4.7 yards per carry and eight rushing touchdowns in the first six games.
Los Angeles Chargers (3-2) at Arizona Cardinals (2-4), 9 p.m. ET
RB J.K. Dobbins' redemption tour continued last week as the reliable lead alongside QB Justin Herbert. Dobbins is fifth in NFL with 87.6 rushing yards per game in 2024, relieving strain on Herbert and a group acclimating to Jim Harbaugh's preferred grinding, conservative style. Herbert is averaging just 163 passing yards per game. The Chargers try to rev up the attack on Monday night when they face the struggling Cardinals. Arizona is 27th in scoring defense, allowing 27.2 points per game. The Cardinals have allowed 34 or more points on three occasions, including last week's 21-point loss to the Green Bay Packers. The Chargers are tied for 26th in scoring offense at 18.2 points per game and sit 28th in total offense at 281 yards per game during Harbaugh's first season with the club. Herbert hit 200 passing yards for the first time all season when he threw for 237 in last weekend's 23-16 road victory over the Denver Broncos. The Cardinals fell behind 24-0 to the Packers in the first 25-plus minutes of the contest and later lost three second-half fumbles to sabotage any chance of a comeback. They committed 13 penalties for 100 yards.
--Field Level Media
