USA TODAY International Edition
NFL weekend wrap- up
Week 7: 32 things learned, winners/ losers
The 32 things we learned from Week 7 of the 2019 NFL season:
1. I live in Washington, and Sunday was the first time I can recall having championship- caliber teams from all the major sports in town simultaneously: the World Series- bound Nationals, WNBA champion Mystics, the NHL’s Capitals ... and NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, who improved to 6- 0 for the first time since 1990 by coming to the nation’s capital to shut out the lowly Redskins in a downpour.
2. Welcome to the MVP race, Aaron Rodgers. The Packers star, who’s already won the award twice, matched his career high by generating six touchdowns ( 5 passing, 1 rushing) against Oakland. Prior to Sunday, he hadn’t been posting Rodgers- esque numbers while adapting to new coach Matt LaFleur’s offense but might now be ready to embark on one of his patented hot streaks. And with Green Bay tied for the league lead with six wins, you can’t discount the Leader of the Pack.
3. And you thought the Democratic presidential field was large. Rodgers isn’t the only one we can add to a group of MVP candidates that seems likely to grow in the wake of Patrick Mahomes’ unfortunate injury and a bad game Sunday by Seattle’s Russell Wilson.
4. Start with second- year Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, who had a major hand in Baltimore’s 30- 16 upset in Seattle. After running for 116 yards, he now has 576 this season — meaning he’s more than halfway to Michael Vick’s record for rushing yards by a quarterback in one year ( 1,039 in 2006).
5. Along with Christian McCaffrey, who was off Sunday, let’s throw Vikings RB Dalvin Cook’s name into the mix, too. He scored twice Sunday while churning out 142 yards on the ground, giving him the league rushing lead ( 725).
6. Though he’s now 5- 0 this season, Saints QB Teddy Bridgewater won’t be in the MVP running since Drew Brees could be back as soon as next weekend. But I’d be fine voting Bridgewater comeback player of the year even if it’s been a while since the unfortunate 2016 knee injury that sidetracked his career.
7. Trying to think of a more disastrous recent holdout than that of soonto- be free agent Chargers RB Melvin Gordon, who managed 32 yards on 16 carries Sunday and failed twice to punch in what would have been a gamewinning TD from the 1- yard line in the final minute against the Titans. Gordon also fumbled on his final attempt. Still not sure why the Bolts haven’t gone back to Austin Ekeler as their primary ball carrier.
8. Good to see Packers RB Aaron Jones come up with that 21- yard TD catch against the Raiders six days after his horrendous drop of a gimme TD from Rodgers on Monday Night Football.
9. Colts QB Jacoby Brissett passed for 326 yards and four TDs on Sunday, thresholds he’d never reached in an NFL game, to power Indianapolis past Houston for first place in the AFC South.
10. Nice to see first- round Titans DL Jeffery Simmons on the field Sunday. He finished with four tackles, including a sack, in his debut — one many thought might not happen until 2020 given he tore an ACL in February while preparing for the draft.
11. Some things never change: New Tennessee K Cody Parkey hit yet another upright during a PAT attempt. But bitter Bears fans were in no position to rip him.
12. Chicago has now lost the first game following its bye in six consecutive seasons.
13. Guess Eagles coach Doug Pederson should get out of the prediction business?
14. Guess Cowboys coach Jason Garrett and his first- place team are back in business after dismantling Pederson’s crew?
15. Back to Mahomes — really great news that his knee injury apparently isn’t season- ending. In the NFL’s 100th celebration season, which has been long on historic celebrations but short of compelling football, good to know one of the league’s electrifying performers should return — and perhaps prevent a Patriots cakewalk in the AFC.
16. Moore’s former Dolphins teammate, QB Ryan Tannehill, improved his all- time ledger to 43- 46, winning his first start as a Titan while adding some needed spark to Tennessee’s offense.
17. Applause for the Kansas City defense, which stepped up dramatically in Mahomes’ absence. The Chiefs collected nine sacks in Denver — they had 11 total in the first six games — scored on a fumble recovery and limited the Broncos to six points and 205 yards, both season lows. K. C. will need more of the same from Frank Clark and Co.
18. Speaking of the moribund AFC, the conference is a collective 47- 56 heading into Monday night’s Jets- Patriots game.
19. Road teams are 58- 46- 1 this season.
20. The Rams’ Johnny Hekker — for my money, the greatest punter in NFL history ( sorry, Ray Guy fans) — completed a 23- yard pass Sunday on a fake to give L. A. a fresh set of downs. The former high school quarterback is now 12for- 20 in his NFL career for 179 yards and a TD, his 106.0 passer rating the third best since 1970 among non- QBs with at least 20 attempts.
21. One would have to be foolish to pick the Falcons at this point, but the Rams — sporting new CB Jalen Ramsey — finally looked like a team that might do damage in the playoffs. Ramsey helped limit Atlanta WR Julio Jones to fewer than 100 receiving yards, the offense was balanced ( 38 passes, 36 runs), and Aaron Donald threw RB Devonta Freeman out of the club. Courage points to diminutive Freeman for taking on the biggest guy in the room ... but we’re docking sanity points, too.
22. Miami’s 21 points and 381 yards were both season highs. Didn’t stop them from dropping to 0- 6.
23. Conversely, the Bills improved to 5- 1, their five victories coming against teams with a combined record of 6- 25.
24. Cincinnati RB Joe Mixon averaged about 7 inches per carry Sunday ( 2 yards on 10 rushes) and is generating just over 3 yards per run this season.
25. When are the Bengals ( 0- 7) going to take a look at rookie QB Ryan Finley? Just asking because they’re fast working themselves into position for Tua Tagovailoa or whomever they might want atop the 2020 draft.
26. With Ramsey on the field, the Rams got one INT on Sunday ( from LB Cory Littleton).
27. The Lions and Vikings combined to score nine TDs in nine red- zone trips.
28. Detroit WR Marvin Jones tied his career high with four TD grabs against Minnesota — making him just the fourth player ever to have multiple games with at least four scoring catches. Might be a good time for fantasy owners to sell high on Jones. Might also be a good time for the Lions to sell high on Jones, who’s under contract through next season, given they suddenly look like a team that might not recover from that brutal Week 6 loss in Green Bay. The trade deadline is Oct. 29.
29. Lions QB Matthew Stafford also made a little history, becoming the fastest player ( 147 games) to pile up 40,000 yards. But it’s just a “little history” because you know that mark won’t stand for long.
30. The Cardinals- Giants game was billed as a battle of first- round rookie QBs Kyler Murray and Daniel Jones. But it turned into the Chase Edmonds show, the second- year Arizona RB rushing for 126 yards and three TDs — becoming just the fifth player with three rushing TDs of 20- plus yards in a single game.
31. If the Giants can’t handle the Cards at home, we can stop talking about New York as an NFC East dark horse.
32. Maybe the Bears should trade for David Johnson.