Week seven saw some standout performances, upsets, and things that made you go hmmm. Here are my winners and losers:
Winners:
- Philadelphia Eagles: Wide receiver Josh Huff had a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. While the defense had six sacks as the Eagles defeated Minnesota Vikings 21-3. A surprise score indeed.
- Detroit Lions: Quarterback Matthew Stafford had only one touchdown pass, but it was a big one as his pass to wide receiver Anquon Boldin ended up being the game-winner as they defeated the Washington Redskins 20-17. Lions have won three in a row, and are now 4-3.
- Miami Dolphins: Running back Jay Ajayi rushed for 214 yards and a touchdown, becoming just the fourth player in NFL history to run for 200+ yards in back to back games. More importantly, the Dolphins held off the Buffalo Bills 28-25.
- New York Jets: Quarterbacks Geno Smith (who left with a torn ACL) and Ryan Fitzpatrick each threw a touchdown pass, and even better neither threw an interception. Running back Matt Forte rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown as the Jets defeated the Baltimore Ravens 24-16.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Quarterback Jameis Winston threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns, two of those to wide receiver Mike Evans. Running back Jacquizz Rodgers rushed for 154 yards as the Bucs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 34-17.
Losers:
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Quarterback Landry Jones threw for 281 yards and a touchdown in relief of Ben Roethlisberger. But Jones had 18 incompletions which cost the Steelers more scoring opportunities in their loss to the New England Patriots 27-16.
- Minnesota Vikings: Quarterback Sam Bradford being sacked six times and turnovers stalled drives in their loss to Philadelphia, their first of the season.
- Buffalo Bills: They were 3 for 13 on third downs and were held to just 67 rushing yards in their loss to Miami.
- Atlanta Falcons: They couldn’t hold onto a 17-point lead and a controversial play call to go for it on fourth down at midfield came back to bite the Falcons. Running back Devonta Freeman was stalled on that fourth down, and San Diego kicker Josh Lambo’s 42-yard field goal helped the Chargers defeat the Falcons 33-30 in overtime.
- Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals: We knew this was going to be a low scoring affair between these two NFC West rivals. Both defenses did their jobs, so it ended up going to overtime, where it came down to the kickers. After trading field goals early in overtime, Arizona’s Chandler Catanzaro’s 24-yard chip shot field goal that would’ve given his team the win, hit the crossbar. With 11 seconds left in the extra session, Steven Hauschka’s 27-yard field goal that would have given Seattle the win, went wide left. It ended up finishing in a 6-6 tie, the first tie in the NFL since 2014. This game will be in the history books, but some will say for all of the wrong reasons.
Storylines Going Into Week Eight:
Washington faces Cincinnati. In the AFC South, Kansas City goes to Indy. On a roll, Detroit travels to Houston.
In the AFC East, Buffalo hosts New England. Arizona plays Carolina. Denver will try to get revenge as they host San Diego.
In an intriguing inter-divisional match-up finds Green Bay going to Atlanta. In the NFC East, Philadelphia goes to Dallas.