After being playfully roughhoused by Ndamukong Suh in our Sky Sports NFL Week 7 preview show on Sunday night, Jason Bell was able to relax and watch an exciting set of games unfold. At one point, he commented on the league’s unpredictability, stating that this is precisely why teams strive to make it to the playoffs – because once in the playoffs, anything is possible!
I absolutely concur. Predicting outcomes in this league has never been more challenging and it seems to get increasingly unpredictable every Sunday. This applies both on and off the field.
Did any of us wake up on Sunday morning pondering if Bill Belichick could realistically be in a difficult position in New England? However, before his team with a 1-5 record took on the Buffalo Bills, it had been announced that Belichick had signed a profitable contract extension with the Patriots during the offseason, effectively putting an end to that discussion for the time being.
Had it really? Even as Sunday’s kickoffs approached, I found myself speculating if a persistent poor performance could possibly lead to Belichick being let go by the end of the season, despite the financial consequences. However, predictably, there was an element of surprise in the forecast for Foxboro and New England astounded the Bills by clinching a 29-25 win.
The win’s style was just as startling as the outcome. For the majority of the game, New England managed to keep Josh Allen under control. However, they faltered towards the end, with Allen scoring through a one-yard sneak with just 1:58 left in the game. The Patriots were in a tight spot, requiring a field goal to draw level or a touchdown to take the lead. The responsibility to lead them down the field fell on quarterback Mac Jones, who had been underperforming in the past month.
However, he did march them, successfully completing passes to Rhamondre Stevenson, Hunter Henry, DeVante Parker, and Demario Douglas. He then clinched the game by hitting Mike Gesicki from one yard out, scoring the game-winning point with 12 seconds to spare.
Considering Jones’ latest performance, I question whether the most passionate Patriots supporters would have maintained confidence prior to that final drive. It served as yet another indication that nothing in the NFL can be presumed as certain.
The night was not short of tense finishes. Cleveland triumphed over Indianapolis with a touchdown run by Kareem Hunt with just 15 seconds left. At the last second, Younghoe Koo’s kick led Atlanta to win against Tampa Bay. Similarly, the New York Giants held off the Washington Commanders near their own end zone, scoring a 14-7 victory.
The drama we crave as NFL fans was fully served on Sunday night with six out of the 10 games being decided by a single score. This thrilling trend is expected to continue throughout the rest of the regular season and most likely into the playoffs as well. So, all you have to do is stick around because literally anything can happen!
Who’s Hot…
The Baltimore Ravens… In what is shaping up to be a wide-open league, the Baltimore Ravens are coming together very nicely indeed. Their defense was excellent in their London win, recording six sacks against the Tennessee Titans and the only concern was their red zone inefficiency. The defense balled out again during Sunday’s 38-6 thrashing of the Detroit Lions and the scoring woes were emphatically put to bed. Lamar Jackson led from the front, throwing for 357 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for a score. The defense is a swarming, brooding unit perfect for Baltimore. On the day the great Terrell Suggs was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor, the Ravens recorded five more sacks in a defensive masterclass as they moved to 5-2. It was an emphatic win from a talented team. Why not them in a competitive AFC?
Myles Garrett… It wasn’t a classic Cleveland Browns performance on the defensive side of the ball, allowing Gardner Minshew to put up 38 points one week after San Francisco could only muster 17 against the same defense. Go figure! But Myles Garrett had himself a difference-making day, as he usually does. He was everywhere, wrecking plays on defense and on special teams. Garrett became the first NFL player since at least 1991 to have two sacks, two forced fumbles (one was recovered in the end zone for a touchdown) and a blocked field goal in the same game. He also passed Hall of Famer Reggie White for the most sacks by a player before turning 28 years old with 82. It’s a rather obscure stat, but any time you’re passing a legend like White; you’re doing something right.
Mahomes and Kelce… It has not been a vintage start to the season for the Kansas City Chiefs offense, but what we saw last night from Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce was everything we have come to expect from that dynamic partnership. Their connection is uncanny and so often made up on the fly. They get on the same page when plays break down and neither can explain quite how they did it afterwards. Mahomes was red hot in the first half and ended the game with 424 passing yards and four touchdowns. Kelce was, as is so often the case, his primary target; reeling in 12 for 179 yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs have played well on defense all season long. If their offense is now revving into high gear, this team that has won six straight can make a fourth Super Bowl appearance in the last five years.
Who’s Not…
The Detroit Lions… The Lions were the talk of the NFL heading into Baltimore in Week 7. They were owners of the best record in the league at 5-1, they were chasing a 6-1 start for the first time since 1956 and their offense was considered one of the best in the game. That said, there were just a few whispers about the fact that four wins in a row by at least 14 points (a first for Detroit since 1934) had come against Atlanta, Green Bay, Carolina and Tampa Bay – none of whom would be confused with an NFL powerhouse. The manner of Detroit’s one-sided loss suggests that there is work to be done before they can be considered a true contender. There was little offensive balance, especially early on as the game got away from them, and Jared Goff really didn’t handle the pressure very well as he skipped too many passes off the turf, threw one interception and posted a quarterback rating of 68.4. He had gone into the game as the third-highest passer in the league with a rating of 105.1 but he was mostly terrible. Back to the drawing board for the Lions.
The Miami Dolphins… Much like the Lions, the Miami Dolphins were creating headlines and a multitude of feel-good stories heading into Week 7. Their offense was operating at a higher level than any other unit in the league and a 5-1 start had Fins fans dreaming of the Super Bowl appearance for the first time since the 1984 season. But it had been noted that their wins came against teams with a combined record of 5-24 and their lone loss came against a good team in Buffalo. So, here came a significant test on the road against the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles. Miami couldn’t handle the physicality of the Eagles in a 31-17 loss. The Dolphins rushed for just 45 yards, Tua Tagovailoa was sacked three times and threw a pick and Tyreek Hill was held to 88 receiving yards on 11 catches – and one of those went for a 27-yard touchdown. Take out that one play and the other 10 Hill catches were good for just 61 yards. Back to the drawing board go the Dolphins.
The Fast Five…
- Sometimes it’s puzzling how they manage, but the Pittsburgh Steelers consistently find winning strategies. After their 24-17 triumph over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, they now boast an impressive 4-2 record. Despite rushing for only 86 yards, Kenny Pickett failing to throw a touchdown pass, and the defense only recording two sacks, the Steelers still found a path to victory. As is often the case, T.J. Watt played a crucial role with a pivotal interception that led to a touchdown in the second half.
- The Jacksonville Jaguars have been on a successful streak, clinching their fourth consecutive win against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night. Notably, the Jags have demonstrated no adverse impacts from their prolonged stay in London, reinforcing their two UK wins with consecutive victories upon returning to America. This suggests a potential for more two-game trips to London for the Jaguars in the future.
- The Indianapolis Colts suffered a narrow 39-38 defeat to Cleveland on Sunday, dropping their record to 3-4. However, I still see potential for a promising future for this team. Despite losing rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson for the year, they continue to play with intensity. Head coach Shane Steichen is proving to be a pivotal figure. I appreciate many of his offensive strategies and find his leadership in his first year intriguing. He and his team have captured my interest, even though they are still a work in progress.
- Reaching the pinnacle of the football world and playing the toughest role – an NFL quarterback, is a daunting task. It becomes even more challenging when your college football career doesn’t include playing in the SEC or any other prestigious Division I school. Hence, Sunday night was an extraordinary one for Tyson Bagent – an unsigned rookie from Shepherd University, who steered the Chicago Bears to a triumphant 30-12 victory against the Las Vegas Raiders. It’s unusual for quarterbacks from a Division II school in West Virginia, where home audience is typically around 5,000, to play on such a grand stage. However, Bagent seemed perfectly at ease, completing 21 of 29 passes for 162 yards, scoring one touchdown, with no interceptions. His performance was not flamboyant, but it wasn’t disastrous either. It remains to be seen how long Bagent will remain in the limelight. However, he can always cherish the fact, even if it’s for one game, that he was a starting quarterback in the NFL. Quite spectacular.
- On Sunday, Bagent played as the quarterback for the Bears, replacing Justin Fields. Brian Hoyer took on the role for the Raiders, Josh Dobbs continued to be the stand-in for Kyler Murray in Arizona, P.J. Walker took over for the injured Deshaun Watson in Cleveland, Gardner Minshew replaced Richardson in Indianapolis, and Tyrod Taylor subbed for Daniel Jones for the New York Giants. Remember this when you see penalties aimed at protecting quarterbacks – they’re major NFL stars and their prolonged absence doesn’t benefit anyone.
Fact of the Week
Bill Belichick achieved his 300th regular season win with a victory over Buffalo on Sunday, making him the third coach in NFL history to reach this milestone. He now stands behind only two legendary figures in the game, Don Shula (328 wins) and George Halas (318 wins).
Finish That Sentence
Every week, I invite you, the readers, through X, to send me the beginning of a sentence at random. Similar to what we used to do on our NFL Live stage show tours, I will complete your sentence based on the first idea that pops in my mind. Let’s get started…
From Finn Reynolds (@FinnReynolds2) If the Super Bowl were to be played tomorrow it would be between… the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. I think Miami can still be dangerous on their day, it’s hard to write off Joe Burrow and the Bengals and the Ravens have the defense to stifle the Chiefs in a one-off showdown. But I would just back Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and Travise Kelce to figure it out. Pedigree and experience count large come playoff time and I think that would put KC in a strong position to get back to the big game. Even though they lost for the first time last week, I would still say San Francisco from the NFC. There are two powerhouses in that conference and I just trust the 49ers more than Philadelphia. The Eagles are still turning the ball over too often. Jalen Hurts has 10 turnovers already (eight interceptions and two fumbles) having committed just eight all of last season. Those mistakes can be devastating and season-ending in knockout games in January.
From John McLellan (@JohnMcLellan82) The team who have disappointed me so far is… the Buffalo Bills, because I think they have a chance to be a really good football team and they should have a better record than 4-3. Or should they? They could easily have lost to the New York Giants in Week 6 and that would see them sat at 3-4 right now. Either way, they’re only marginally better than middle of the pack at the moment and need to up their game across the board. They are very frustrating because there is too much reliance on Josh Allen to serve up his magic at quarterback. And if he cannot produce at the highest of levels, there are not many who step up in his absence and pull off the win. There are very few Steelers-like victories in Buffalo. For the most part, they tend to be inspired by Allen or they just don’t happen.
From Peter (@bdlpeter) The problem with the Los Angeles Chargers is…_ not just one thing. I would say there is pressure building on head coach Brandon Staley because at times this season he has made some bizarre decisions and a team that is not devoid of talent is 2-4 after Sunday’s loss in Kansas City. Offensively, they cannot protect Justin Herbert – they just allow too much pressure on their quarterback. And a lot of that pressure in the second half at Arrowhead – 30 minutes of play in which the Chargers failed to score a single point – came without blitzing from the Chiefs. That is a worry and it’s holding back a truly talented passer in Herbert. And the defense is still far too leaky, ranking 31st in the NFL in yards allowed. Again, that puts pressure on the offense to do the bailing out. This team should be better, but it’s the same old story with the Chargers. Staley’s seat is warming.
Final Thought…
The column began with the ‘Any Given Sunday’ theme, and fittingly, the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, and New York Giants battled it out on Sunday to clinch their second victories of the season. Often, the media discusses teams intentionally losing, or ‘tanking’, to acquire top players like USC quarterback Caleb Williams, reminiscent of previous ‘Tank for Tua’ and ‘Suck for Luck’ campaigns. However, such tactics are disrespectful to the competitive athletes who play in the NFL each Sunday. Even the underdog teams can occasionally secure a win, and this Sunday was a prime example of that.
