NFL Week 7 Takeaways
1. The Carolina Panthers laid an absolute dud. After coming off of a tough loss ten days ago at home to the Eagles, I expected the Panthers to come out with their “A” game on Sunday. But Cam Newton and company might as well have not even made the trip to Soldier Field. Carolina scored just three points and were absolutely dominated up front by a mediocre Bears team. In the NFC, there is no superior team, especially with Aaron Rodgers going down, so seeing the Panthers lack of focus in a game in which they could have asserted themselves as the conference’s favorite was quite surprising.
2. The Los Angeles Rams are not going anywhere. Every week I feel as though I am waiting for the Rams to implode. Why? I’m not sure, but I have just been very skeptical of Jared Goff and their teams as a whole. With that being said, I think it is time to pay them their dues. Last week the Rams played in Jacksonville, won, and because they were scheduled to square off with the Cardinals in London this week, didn’t even fly home from Jacksonville. Instead, they stayed in Florida and prepared for their divisional opponent. That preparation paid off to the tune of a 33-0 shellacking. The Rams are for real, from Sean McVay to Jared Goff and Todd Gurley, and at 5-2 have inserted themselves in the midst of the NFC playoff picture.
3. Jameis Winston’s decision-making is befuddling. His talent is undeniable, but it seems as though that there are multiple times each Sunday where I am left asking myself, “What was he thinking there?” I picked the Buccaneers to go to the Super Bowl this year because I thought that Winston would take that next step. Boy, was I wrong. At 2-4, Tampa Bay is just vying to be relevant.
4. I cannot wait to see the Vikings offense when Teddy Bridgewater returns. Right now, Minnesota is 5-2 and that is without superb quarterback play. If Bridgewater can rekindle who he was prior to his catastrophic leg injury, the Vikings will have an opportunity to be the first team to play a Super Bowl in their own stadium.
5. Addition by subtraction in Miami. I don’t think that it was a coincidence that after Jay Cutler went down in the fourth quarter that the Dolphins mounted a fourteen-point comeback to dethrone the Jets. Don’t let the Dolphins 4-2 record fool you, Cutler has been abysmal all season. Matt Moore is more than a serviceable backup. In fact, he might be the premier backup in the NFL. Now, I know that is like being the winner of the losers bracket, but it counts for something, especially when your starting quarterback was planning on working in television until just mere weeks before Week 1. From what I have seen this season, the Dolphins are a better team with Matt Moore under center.
6. The ruling on Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension will make or break the Cowboys season. On Sunday, the Cowboys tailback demonstrated why he is the most dynamic weapon in the NFL outside of a healthy Odell Beckham Jr. Elliott accounted for 147 yards and two scores on the ground while also tacking on a 72 yard touchdown reception for good measure. If Elliott is allowed to play for the remainder of the season, the Cowboys and Eagles will be neck and neck for the NFC East crown. If his suspension is handed down, Dallas is done.
7. The Broncos are reeling. A week after the most shocking game of the season in which the lowly Giants upset Denver, the Broncos fell again on Sunday to their division foe, Los Angeles Chargers. Now sitting at 3-3, the Broncos, who looked so dominant against the Cowboys earlier this season, find themselves at a crossroads. Their offense has been sputtering. Do they make a quarterback change? I wouldn’t rule it out. Something needs to change it Denver, and fast! The Chiefs, Raiders, and now the Chargers have the Broncos on their heels.
8. Ben Roethlisberger looked like Ben Roethlisberger. The past couple of weeks, the hefty gunslinger in Pittsburgh hasn’t quite looked like himself, or even an NFL quarterback for that matter. But on Sunday, Roethlisberger turned back the clock and had a vintage Big Ben performance, going 14 of 24 for 224 yards and a pair of scores. Yes, he’s 35-years old, but he can still sling it.
9. The Patriots defense is just fine. On Sunday night, in a Super Bowl rematch against Matt Ryan and the Falcons, New England’s defense was sensational holding the potent Atlanta attack to just seven points. The Patriot secondary certainly had their share of struggles in the first quarter of the season, but the past few weeks they have been lights out. What else would you expect from a Bill Belichick led defense?
10. Carson Wentz is the NFL MVP thus far. The Eagles quarterback has absolutely shredded opposing defenses as Philadelphia sits at 6-1 and alone atop the NFC East. In just his second season, Wentz is distinguishing himself in a league filled with talent at the position. Tom Brady is right there, but as of now, it’s Wentz’s award.
