Around The NFL breaks down what you need to know from all of Sunday's action in Week 7 of the 2024 NFL season. Catch up on each game's biggest takeaways using the links below:
London
Early Window
Late Window
Sunday Night
LONDON
Jacksonville Jaguars 32, New England Patriots 16
1-6-0
2-5-0
- RE-WATCH: Patriots-Jaguars on NFL+ Premium
Jeremy Bergman's takeaways:
- Thomas and the Tank engine take off. After running just five plays in the first quarter, Jacksonville quickly seized back control of Sunday's game starting with a dominant 22-point second quarter. Trevor Lawrence's efficient afternoon was bolstered by solid showings from Tank Bigsby and Brian Thomas Jr., the former filling in for the injured Travis Etienne and the latter enjoying his latest breakout game as QB1's go-to wide receiver. Bigsby bullied New England's front seven to the tune of 118 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries (all career highs), picking up a number of first downs and extending the Jags' clock-killing marches; he was the workhorse on Jacksonville's 17-play, 11:24 point-less drive straddling the third and fourth quarters. Thomas continued his hot run of play with 89 yards and a score on five catches and as many targets, piling on to his already team-leading totals. With Malik Nabers and Marvin Harrison Jr.'s setbacks, Thomas has reliably been the top rookie WR in the NFL this season. Owner Shad Khan wasn't wrong when he said this offseason that Jacksonville's roster was the most talented in its history. On days like Sunday, when the franchise QB is in control and the youngsters are making plays, it's all the more evident that the Jags have all the pieces -- even if at times their quality of play remains a puzzle.
- Maye's day marred by supporting cast. In his second NFL start, Drake Maye displayed greater comfortability and poise in the pocket, dishing dimes at every level with confidence and avoiding interceptions. That the green rookie signal-caller is already the most reliable piece in New England's offense, though, is a troubling sign. Rhamondre Stevenson, typically the heartbeat of this Pats offense, was a non-factor (25 yards on nine touches) coming off a foot injury. The offensive line, in its seventh iteration in as many games, lost another starter when Layden Robinson was sidelined, and it wilted in the shuffle. As for New England's pass catchers, Maye found a lot of them, but none with more frequency than Hunter Henry (eight catches, 92 yards). The wide receivers were more of a mixed bag. Ja'Lynn Polk dropped three more passes and slipped on a crucial two-point conversion before exiting with a head injury. Demario Douglas had just two grabs while dealing with an illness. Maye dropped a few beauties to K.J. Osborn and Kayshon Boutte -- and his 26-of-37, 276-yards, two-TD line is all you can ask of a rookie -- but there remain too few dependable difference-makers in the Pats' attack.
- The Doug Pederson regime lives to fight another day. A loss sinking Duval to 1-6 could have spelled the end of the head coach's tenure in Jacksonville; the Jaguars have underperformed this season and losing twice in London, their home away from home, is a non-starter. But the Jags will return to the States after a two-week stay in the U.K. still in it at 2-5, two games behind the rival Colts (second in the AFC South). It won't get any easier for Jacksonville upon landing. Next up is the rest of the NFC North (vs. GB, vs. MIN, at DET) and a prime-time trip to Philly, Pederson's last place of employment. By the Week 12 bye, the Jags will know what they have. What they need before then are at least two more wins.
Next Gen Stats Insight for Patriots-Jaguars (via NFL Pro): Nearly all of Trevor Lawrence’s passing production against the Patriots came on in-breaking routes (159 of 193 passing yards); his +15.2 EPA targeting in-breakers is the highest mark by a QB in a game this season. Lawrence’s average time to throw of 2.41 seconds was his quickest in a game this season, leading to a season-low three pressures against and zero sacks (14.3% pressure rate).
NFL Research: Parker Washington’s 96-yard punt return touchdown was the longest TD in an international game and the first-ever special teams TD in an international game.
EARLY WINDOW
Seattle Seahawks 34, Atlanta Falcons 14
4-3-0
4-3-0
Buffalo Bills 34, Tennessee Titans 10
1-5-0
5-2-0
- RE-WATCH: Titans-Bills on NFL+ Premium
Eric Edholm's takeaways:
- Amari Cooper turned around his Bills debut at halftime. It took a half for Cooper to get comfortable, but when he did he made his impact felt following last week’s trade from the Browns. Cooper had one first-half target, and it was a third-down drop on what should have been an easy grab. He was also seen grabbing his left hamstring and trying to get loose on the sideline in the first half. But Cooper would not go quietly in his Buffalo debut. He got loose for a TD on his first catch as a Bill, exploiting a great matchup in the red zone vs. a safety with the Titans bringing an all-out blitz. He then came back on the next series with a 19-yard catch that led to a field goal, and Cooper started the next series (which led to a TD) with a 27-yard grab. Cooper and the Bills started slowly offensively, going three and out on their first three drives, but they found a little rhythm before halftime and then cranked it up in the second half, ripping off 34 straight points to take control of the game.
- Backup QB Mason Rudolph gave Titans early boost, but pass protection broke down. Stepping in for an injured Will Levis, Rudolph was sharp early Sunday at Buffalo. He completed 18 of 23 first-half passes for 155 yards and a TD, which was impressive given how much pressure the Bills were generating consistent pressure. Rudolph coughed up a fumbled snap on the third series, and though the Bills couldn’t cash in on it, their pass rush eventually couldn’t be contained. Rudolph was pressured on more than half of his attempts and was 7-of-17 passing for 60 yards with two sacks and an interception after halftime. The Titans had trouble giving him clean pockets for most of the game until the Bills were protecting a big lead. Jaelyn Duncan became their third starting right tackle of the season, but he left the game early with a hamstring injury, giving way to Nicholas Petit-Frere, who allowed a game-high eight pressures. The Titans were limited in this one, with only two active running backs (Tony Pollard and Julius Chestnut), and they again struggled to get the ball to their two best receivers. Calvin Ridley caught three passes for 42 on nine targets, letting a few balls slip through his hands, and DeAndre Hopkins ran 22 routes but caught only one pass (his only target) for minus-2 yards.
- Greg Rousseau-led Bills defense to strong finish. The Titans led 10-0 as both the Bills’ offense and defense slumbered through the start of Sunday’s game. Tennessee’s first turnover was a pure giveaway on Rudolph’s second-quarter fumble, but it woke up Buffalo’s defense, which finished with a strong effort overall. Rousseau had an early offsides penalty but finished the game with a game-high 11 pressures and a half sack. DaQuan Jones and Ed Oliver also helped with strong interior pressure, and Dawuane Smoot made a pair of tackles for loss. The Bills stopped the Titans on fourth down at the Tennessee 44-yard line, leading to a Buffalo touchdown that started the ball rolling for them. The Titans totaled only 11 yards on 11 third-quarter plays. If there was one negative on the defensive side for Buffalo, it was that Terrel Bernard suffered two injuries that caused him to leave the game -- first with a head injury and later with an ankle. Before that, he was all over the field, and the Bills are hoping for good news on his status.
Next Gen Stats Insight for Titans-Bills (via NFL Pro): Bills WR Keon Coleman caught 4 of his 7 targets for a career-high 125 yards, with all his production coming lined up out wide (24 of 28 routes). Coleman generated a team-leading 62 yards after the catch, including +43 yards after the catch over expected.
NFL Research: With his 68th victory, Josh Allen tied Aaron Rodgers and Hall of Famers Joe Montana, Brett Favre and Terry Bradshaw for the sixth-most wins in a quarterback’s first 100 starts.
Cincinnati Bengals 21, Cleveland Browns 14
3-4-0
1-6-0
Green Bay Packers 24, Houston Texans 22
5-2-0
5-2-0
- RE-WATCH: Texans-Packers on NFL+ Premium
Eric Edholm's takeaways:
- Brandon McManus hits game-winner in his Packers debut. The Packers have been dealing with kicking questions for multiple seasons now, but their latest attempt at a solution is now 1 of 1 on game-winning attempts. In a tight, back-and-forth game that saw eight lead changes, the recently signed McManus was called on for a 45-yard field goal -- his first attempt of the 2024 season -- with three seconds remaining. He made his first practice try (after the Texans called timeout) and nailed the redo (the one that counted), earning his first Lambeau Leap and helping the Packers move to 5-2. In fact, it wasn’t even a perfect snap; credit to holder Daniel Whelan, who got the ball down nicely in time for the game-winning kick. McManus also made all three of his extra-point tries, and the Packers needed every one of them. They scored on their first possession of the second half but went cold offensively prior to the final drive, trailing 22-21. Jordan Love drove Green Bay into range with four completions, the final two to Romeo Doubs. Doubs’ clutch catch with seconds remaining made it an easier attempt for McManus.
- Texans have to solve their issues protecting C.J. Stroud. You have to tip your cap to Stroud, who endured a ferocious Packers rush all game yet still was able to put the Texans in a position to win. The 13-play, 45-yard field goal drive that gave Houston a 22-21 lead with fewer than two minutes remaining ate up more than six minutes of clock, but the Texans’ shorthanded defense couldn’t get one more stop. Frankly, it was a miracle the Texans were even in a position to win given how they pass blocked. Stroud completed only 11 of 20 passes for a career-low 86 yards. He was sacked four times and pressured on nearly half his dropbacks. He resorted to scrambling late in the game to get the Texans moving, but it wasn’t enough. Joe Mixon ran for 115 yards and two TDs, but four of his final five runs went for negative yards as the Packers finally adjusted defensively. But all game long, they flummoxed Stroud and the Texans’ offensive line with a kitchen sink’s worth of pressure looks, bringing the house one play and dropping everyone out on the next. The Texans seemingly fixed some of their protection concerns in recent weeks, but Sunday was a step backward.
- Packers were inconsistent offensively but came through when needed. Love’s first two TD throws were things of beauty, scoring on back-to-back drives in the second quarter and giving Green Bay a 14-10 lead. But Love also threw two first-half interceptions -- both arguably his fault, too -- that led to 10 Texans points on a day when they struggled to move the ball through the air. A muffed punt also led to a Houston touchdown and a 19-14 halftime lead. Love led a strong third-quarter touchdown drive to give the Packers the lead again, and they delivered on the final, go-ahead possession. But in between were too many fits and stalls, even with a good game from Josh Jacobs that featured his first NFL receiving touchdown. It shouldn’t have been so difficult against a Texans defense that coming into the game was missing starters on every level -- DT Mario Edwards Jr., LBs Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To'oTo'o and DBs Jimmie Ward and Kamari Lassiter. The Packers nearly spoiled a strong defensive performance thanks to their three turnovers, but they had just enough for a big win.
Next Gen Stats Insight for Texans-Packers (via NFL Pro): Josh Jacobs totaled 76 rushing yards across 12 carries in Week 7 against the Texans, generating +21 rush yards over expected. Jacobs has now generated +79 RYOE in his first season with the Packers, eighth-most among running backs entering the Week 7 afternoon slate. Jacobs also added five receptions for 16 yards and a touchdown through the air, recording 32 yards after the catch.
NFL Research: Josh Jacobs scored his first career receiving touchdown in Week 7 after having 211 receptions and 1,556 receiving yards to start his career without one. Only Thomas Jones had more career receptions before getting his first career receiving touchdown in NFL history.
Indianapolis Colts 16, Miami Dolphins 10
2-4-0
4-3-0
Detroit Lions 32, Minnesota Vikings 31
5-1-0
5-1-0
Philadelphia Eagles 28, New York Giants 3
4-2-0
2-5-0
- RE-WATCH: Eagles-Giants on NFL+ Premium
Kevin Patra's takeaways:
- Saquon Barkley runs wild against former club. Barkley insisted revenge on the Giants wasn't on his mind entering Sunday. What would have looked like if he had been out for revenge??? On the first possession, Barkley caught a pass on third-and-long and bulldozed DB Dane Belton. It was on. The running back was the best player on the field, generating big play after big play. Barkley galloped for runs of 55, 41 and 38 yards en route to 176 rushing yards on 17 carries. The running back did all that damage in only three quarters, resting for all but one snap of the fourth. It marked the second-most rushing yards in a game in Barkley's career (189 in Week 16, 2019). Barkley's 10.4 yards per carry were the most in a game in his career with 15-plus carries. Even with the offensive line missing three starters, the running back has shown the ability to hit home runs. His three runs of 55-plus yards this season are the most in the NFL. The Eagles still couldn't score in the first quarter, and the offense was up-and-down Sunday, but leaning on Barkley was a cure-all.
- Giants' offense is in trouble without Andrew Thomas. If this is what Brian Daboll's crew looks like sans the starting left tackle -- yikes. The Giants couldn't generate a lick of offense. Daniel Jones was battered repeatedly by Philly's defensive front, the ground game was silent and Big Blue generated 119 total yards (or 68 fewer scrimmage yards than Barkley alone). Given the state of the Giants offensive line, it was surprising that Daboll didn't lean on the ground game early, with just three total handoffs in the first half. The game plan got Jones knocked around, and the quarterback missed a host of throws when he did have time. Daboll benched Jones with more than 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter in favor of Drew Lock. The coach said after the game that he did so to create a "spark," but Jones remains the starter. Instead of creating a spark, Lock simply turned out the lights on a forgettable game. The backup missed throws badly, fumbled twice and the offense remained in the mud. If Jones continues to take a beating in bad losses, the Giants organization will have to decide how long they're willing to risk injury for the $40 million quarterback.
- Eagles throw a sack party at MetLife. Philly entered the day with 11 total sacks in five games. Sunday, Vic Fangio's defense slammed the quarterback to the ground eight times, including seven on Jones. Everybody on the Eagles feasted. Nakobe Dean and Jalen Carter each generated two sacks. Getting production from those two critical young pieces will pace Philly's defense the rest of the way. Notably, Philly did the damage without bringing extra rushers. The Eagles recorded all eight of their sacks with a four-man pass rush, the most sacks and the highest sack rate (21.6%) with a four-man pass rush in a game this season. Even Bryce Huff got in on the fun. Huff generated five pressures on 18 pass rushes against the Giants, his first game with multiple pressures this season. It was the type of performance we expected when Fangio signed in Philly. Now, they need to continue against better offenses.
Next Gen Stats Insight for Eagles-Giants (via NFL Pro): Dexter Lawrence recorded five pressures and two sacks on 17 pass rushes (29.4%) in Week 7, including his highest sack rate (11.8%) since Week 1, 2020.
NFL Research: Barkley's 176 rush yards are the second-most by a player vs a former team in NFL history (CIN Cedric Benson had 189 rush yards vs CHI in Week 7, 2009).
LATE WINDOW
2-4-0
1-4-0
1-5-0
4-2-0
5-0-0
3-3-0
SUNDAY NIGHT
2-4-0
4-2-0
