The NFL’s last two undefeated teams – the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles – both fell from their lofty perches last Sunday, and now comes a Week 7 slate that includes five 5-1 teams, three 4-2 teams and one Group of other floating teams about .500.
Several games on the schedule this week are potential playoff previews, including the Miami Dolphins vs. the Eagles, both of whom are potentially Super Bowl contenders.
Meanwhile, life isn’t getting any easier for a number of struggling teams. The starting quarterbacks of the Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants are plagued by injuries that will or could force them to miss Week 7. Jimmy Garoppolo and Justin Fields as well as Anthony Richardson have already been ruled out for the season. Daniel Jones and Deshaun Watson were both questionable before Sunday.
Here are five of the league’s most intriguing storylines. (Find the NFL Week 7 schedule here.)
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1. Heavyweight showdown between Lions and Ravens
Two of the league’s better teams – one from the NFC and one from the AFC – face off at M&T Bank Stadium. The Detroit Lions (5-1) are looking to extend their winning streak to five games and extend the early lead they took in the NFC North. But they have a big challenge in Baltimore against the Ravens.
Detroit’s offense is one of the best in the NFL, trailing only Miami and Buffalo in points scored. But Baltimore has the second-best defense in the league, so things may not be so easy for Jared Goff and his offense. Or will they? Last week, against a very good Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense, Goff threw for a season-high 353 yards and two touchdowns. Amon-Ra St. Brown had 12 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. With a win on Sunday, the Lions would match the best start in franchise history dating back to 1956.
Meanwhile, the Ravens are coming off a win at Tennessee and are looking to regain momentum after a tumultuous start to the season that included missed opportunities and losses in very winnable games against the Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers. Can Lamar Jackson and his talented but streaky receivers keep up with the Lions? (Lions at Ravens, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET.)
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2. Continued dominance of the Chiefs?
The Chiefs have rattled off five straight wins after losing their season opener to the Lions, and they still haven’t quite hit their stride while averaging 30 fewer yards and 5 fewer points per game than last season. On Sunday, the Chiefs welcome the Chargers, who are off to a 2-3 start. Something is missing for the Chargers, who suffered a narrow loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night after a Justin Herbert interception with 90 seconds left ended their hopes of a comeback victory.
Brandon Staley needs to start turning things around, but the Chargers have lost their last three meetings with the Chiefs and six of their last eight. Kansas City also hasn’t had much competition for the division title recently: It has won the AFC West seven straight seasons.
Sunday’s game has the potential to be a highly entertaining shootout between two of the league’s best quarterbacks, Herbert and Patrick Mahomes. However, it is never clear which Chargers team will show up. (Chargers at Chiefs, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET.)
3. Dolphins-Eagles: Best vs. Best?
The 5-1 Eagles welcome the exciting 5-1 Dolphins to Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday night. Given the talent level of these teams, it’s not unreasonable to wonder if this could be a preview of the Super Bowl.
Philadelphia’s undefeated streak ended last week with a disappointing last-minute loss to the New York Jets. To recover, it will have to find a way to slow down the Dolphins, whose offense is running at a torrid pace (2,992 total yards, the second-most in NFL history through six games). The Eagles’ defense is one of the top in the league, and that unit is paired with an offense that trails only the Dolphins (498.7) in yards per game (395.0).
Both teams are led by young, charismatic and extremely creative head coaches. Both feature two of the most talented young quarterbacks in the game: Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa, former teammates at Alabama. And both offenses feature dynamic wide receiver duos: Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle for Miami and AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith for Philadelphia.
Another intriguing figure in this matchup is Miami defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who worked as a consultant for the Eagles before their Super Bowl 57 appearance. Fangio knows the Eagles well, but his new unit in Miami has yet to get along quite well. Additionally, the Eagles coaches have a good understanding of Fangio’s philosophy. Who is ahead in this chess game? (Dolphins at Eagles, Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET.)
4. Decline of the patriot empire
For two decades, Bill Belichick’s Patriots ruled the AFC East. It might be generous to call her a shell of herself.
This display of the Patriots — 1-5 and losers of three straight games — is basically unrecognizable. Bill Belichick was once one of the league’s most untouchable coaches, and now he’s facing questions about job security. Worst case scenario, the Patriots need a turnaround. But a win against Buffalo seems like a mission impossible.
The Bills are riding high and are among the league leaders on both sides. Meanwhile, the Patriots are weak on offense and sorely lacking in making a difference on defense. Buffalo has won the last four meetings with New England, including a playoff matchup in January 2022. The Patriots last defeated the Bills in December 2021 in Buffalo in a low-scoring matchup (14-10). It seems unlikely, but can Belichick rediscover some magic and concoct a recipe enough to keep up with Josh Allen and Co. this time around? (Bills at Patriots, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET.)
Purdy suffered his first loss as a starting quarterback (11 games) as the 49ers limped to a 19-17 loss to the Browns. His 49ers’ perfect record from 2023 was also spoiled. How will they react now?
Next up is a Monday night date with the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis, where the 49ers haven’t won since 1992. Look for Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores to initiate a steady stream of blitzes to disrupt young Purdy.
His effectiveness could depend on the availability of running back Christian McCaffrey, who is questionable. But without wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who was out for at least the next two games Saturday, Purdy will have to shoulder a heavier load than he’s used to. This could be one of the biggest tests of his young career and an opportunity to prove whether he can lead a team rather than just act as a facilitator.
Without a full supporting cast at his disposal, Purdy will have to shoulder a heavier load than he’s used to. This could be one of the biggest tests of his young career. (49ers at Vikings, Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET.)
(Top photos of AJ Brown, Bill Belichick, Lamar Jackson: Al Bello, Chris Unger, Justin K. Aller / Getty Images)
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