Down to One Unbeaten

This Week

Kansas City came to Seattle on Sunday night 5-0, with the league's leading rusher and the look of the AFC's best team. It left with three points. The Seahawks won 20-3 and held the Chiefs to 213 total yards and 50 on the ground, and the champions looked like the champions again: stop the run, get the ball to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, let the other team make the mistakes. Smith-Njigba caught nine passes for 150 yards and a touchdown. Seattle has now gone 36 games without allowing a 100-yard rusher, the league's longest active streak, and Sunday was the clearest demonstration yet of why that number matters.

Kansas City had no answer for it. With the run game shut down, the Chiefs managed one field goal, and Harrison Butker missed from 45, his 10th miss since the start of last season. "He's off a bit. Got to fix it," Andy Reid said. Rashee Rice is still out, and a trip to Denver, winners of three straight, is next. Kenneth Walker III, last season's Super Bowl MVP for Seattle, ran 14 times for 36 yards in his return, which tells you the Seahawks didn't need him to be great. Seattle is 4-3 and Chicago visits next Monday.

The bigger picture is the one the standings will show this morning. Kansas City lost its perfect start Sunday night, San Francisco lost its perfect start Sunday afternoon in Atlanta, and Minnesota is the only unbeaten team left. Seven weeks in, the league's top tier looks less like a set of juggernauts and more like a group of good teams with one or two things that could undo them: a kicker in Kansas City, ball security in San Francisco, an offense in Minnesota.

Falcons 29, 49ers 20. A week after he was carted off against Chicago, rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels wore the green dot, intercepted Brock Purdy in the final three minutes, and recovered George Kittle's fumble with 57 seconds left. San Francisco, which had six turnovers in its first six games, gave Atlanta four, and the Falcons turned them into 13 points. Michael Penix Jr. threw three touchdowns with no interceptions. "Too sloppy to win," Kyle Shanahan said. The 49ers head into their bye at 6-1; Atlanta (3-4) won at home for the first time this season.

Minnesota at 6-0, by the inch. The Vikings had 128 yards before Kyler Murray's 35-yard scramble at the end of the third quarter and still beat the Colts 16-10, with Blake Cashman (12 tackles, two sacks, four passes defensed) leading a defense that has allowed a league-low 74 points. The offense has 10 touchdowns in six games, the fewest for a team with that record since the 1933 Bears, per ESPN. The next four are at Detroit, Buffalo, at Green Bay, and at San Francisco. "We're not far off," Kevin O'Connell said.

A 258-to-59 half, and then a rout the other way. Baltimore outgained Cincinnati 258-59 in the first half with Tyler Huntley starting for the injured Lamar Jackson, but led only 13-0. Ja'Marr Chase used halftime to light into his own offense -- "Somebody's got to make a play for us," he said he told them -- and the Bengals scored touchdowns on their first five second-half possessions to win 35-13, with Joe Burrow throwing four touchdowns and Tee Higgins catching six balls for 148 yards, all after the break. Per Sportradar, the Ravens are the first team in 76 years to lead by 13 or more at halftime and lose by 20 or more.

Watson does it again. Deshaun Watson led his fifth fourth-quarter winning drive of the season, hitting Harold Fannin Jr. for 36 yards to set up Andre Szmyt's 32-yard field goal on the final play: Browns 27, Titans 24. Asked whether officials missed a false start on the Fannin play, Titans coach Robert Saleh said, "Live, I think they did, yeah." Tennessee has gone 65 straight games without consecutive wins, tying the 2014-18 Browns. Every team in the AFC North now has a winning record, and so does every team in the NFC North.

Paris gets a grinder. The first regular-season game in France went to Pittsburgh, 16-10, before 78,488 at Stade de France. Aaron Rodgers threw his 540th touchdown pass, a 4-yarder to Darnell Washington, to pass Peyton Manning for third all time, and the 42-year-old sealed it with an 8-yard scramble on third-and-6. Payton Wilson's red-zone interception of Tyler Shough, on a play he said he had repped "more than 20 times now," swung the third quarter. The Saints ran 17 times for 18 yards, and per ESPN no Saint rushed for 10 yards in a game for the first time since 1993.

Thursday's quarterback rematch. Caleb Williams threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns, and the Bears beat Drake Maye and New England 30-24, two years after Maye won the rookie meeting 19-3. Luther Burden had four catches for 130 yards, including a 24-yard screen for a touchdown on third-and-17. Cairo Santos missed from 53, then made a 58-yarder with 1:34 left, a career long that ties the franchise record. Cole Kmet hurt his right knee late, and Ben Johnson said it didn't look good.

Detroit survives its coach's gamble. With the score tied 17-17, Dan Campbell went for it on fourth-and-1 from his own 24 with under five minutes left, and Jahmyr Gibbs was stopped for no gain. Green Bay rookie Trey Smack then had a 35-yard try partially blocked by D.J. Wonnum, his second miss of the day from 35 or closer. Goff drove the Lions into range with help from two Karl Brooks penalties, Gibbs twice went down short of the goal line to run the clock, and Jake Bates won it 20-17 from 22 yards on the final play. The Packers (4-3) are last in the division.

McCarthy's first start, Skattebo's answer. A week after he replaced Jameis Winston in the fourth quarter against New Orleans, J.J. McCarthy made his first start of the season in Houston and went 20-of-28 for 252 yards. Cam Skattebo, who got zero carries a week after his overtime fumble in the Washington tie, ran 17 times for 124 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown and a 42-yard burst in overtime that set up Devin Singletary's 30-yard winning run. Giants 27, Texans 21, and New York (4-2-1) leads the NFC East.

The Rams look like the Rams for a half. Los Angeles led Las Vegas 28-6 at halftime and won 35-21, with Matthew Stafford throwing three touchdowns to pass Roman Gabriel for the franchise record (155); he already holds Detroit's, making him the first player to own the career mark for two teams. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum combined for 192 rushing yards. The Raiders have lost four straight, and Klint Kubiak said "we're thinking about everything," including No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza.

Tampa Bay breaks its one-score habit. The Buccaneers had played 12 straight one-score games before Sunday, then ran 49 times for 258 yards and beat Carolina 43-13 in Charlotte while Baker Mayfield, back from a dislocated thumb, threw 11 passes. Tampa Bay sacked Bryce Young five times (three by YaYa Diaby), forced four turnovers, returned a strip-sack for a touchdown, and returned a blocked extra point 70 yards for two points. Atlanta goes to Tampa on Sunday.

MNF thoughts (not played). Dallas (2-4) at Philadelphia (2-4), 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN, and the Cowboys are favored by about four points on the road. That says plenty about the Eagles: four straight losses, 58 points in those four, Jalen Hurts out with blood clots and expected to miss the rest of the season, and Saquon Barkley's hamstring still a question. Dallas, for its part, has 29 points in two games and ranks 30th in defense. The loser falls 2.5 games behind the Giants, and both teams are provisional in the rankings below.

The 32 Rank

1. 1

   Minnesota Vikings (6-0)

   The only unbeaten team left, and the league's best defense by points allowed. Brian Flores' pressure buried Daniel Jones, and the special teams have been reliable even with Will Reichard's streak ending on a block. The offense is the hinge, and a four-game stretch with three road trips will expose it if it doesn't improve.

2. 2

   San Francisco 49ers (6-1)

   Still second, because six wins and a plus-58 point differential don't evaporate on one sloppy afternoon. The roster that lost in Atlanta was missing most of its receivers, and Evans, Samuel, and Nick Bosa are among those the team hopes to get back after the bye. Ball security and the kicker are the hinges.

3. 3

   Buffalo Bills (5-1)

   Bye-week hold. Josh Allen tied Jim Kelly's franchise touchdown-pass record before the break, and the turnover-free win in Las Vegas was the cleanest game of their season. Baltimore visits next.

4. 4

   Kansas City Chiefs (5-1)

   Seattle showed what happens when Walker can't run: 50 rushing yards, 213 total, three points. Rashee Rice is still out, and Butker's leg is a genuine problem. A trip to Denver, winners of three straight, is next.

5. 5

   Chicago Bears (5-2)

   Two straight wins with Williams back, and Burden is becoming the field-stretcher this offense needed. Kmet's knee and Malik Muhammad's toe are the worries. They go to Seattle a week from tonight.

6. 6

   Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

   Three straight wins, a share of the division lead, and a defense that held New Orleans to 18 rushing yards. Rodgers can still win a game with his legs late. Cleveland comes to town for first place.

7. 7

   Denver Broncos (5-2)

   Three straight wins, 12 quarterback hits on Sunday, and finally some big plays from the offense: Nix's 62-yard run, RJ Harvey's 52-yard screen, Marvin Mims Jr.'s 47-yard catch. Kansas City at home decides whether Denver is a real AFC West contender.

8. 8

   Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)

   The second half in Baltimore was the best 30 minutes any team played this weekend; the first half, with 59 yards, was among the worst. Tennessee at home is the chance to put four quarters together.

9. 9

   Cleveland Browns (5-2)

   Five wins in six games, and all of them tight. Watson owns the last drive, and Quinshon Judkins and KC Concepcion give him more help than he had in September. The record has outrun a point differential that is still negative.

10. 10

    Detroit Lions (4-2)

    Two straight wins, Brian Branch back from his Achilles tear, and Goff steady. Two lost fumbles and two failed fourth downs nearly cost them. The Vikings come to Ford Field.

11. 11

    Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)

    Bye-week hold, still leading the AFC South. Penalties were the bye-week project, and Indianapolis comes to town.

12. 12

    Seattle Seahawks (4-3)

    The champions looked like themselves Sunday night: stop the run, get the ball to Smith-Njigba. Rashid Shaheed's knee and Charles Cross's ankle are the worries. Chicago visits next Monday.

13. 13

    Green Bay Packers (4-3)

    Last in the division despite a defense that has been strong for a month. Two short misses and eight roughing-the-passer flags in seven games are self-inflicted. Carolina on Thursday is a quick reset.

14. 14

    New York Giants (4-2-1)

    McCarthy steadied the offense, and the run game produced 188 yards. They lead the NFC East heading into the bye, with Philadelphia waiting on Nov. 8.

15. 15

    New England Patriots (4-3)

    Maye threw for 321 yards but also the end-zone interception that changed the game in Chicago. The offensive line's health remains the variable. Miami is next.

16. 16

    Baltimore Ravens (4-3)

    Two straight division losses and a 1-2 record without Jackson, plus a collapse that hadn't happened in 76 years. Buffalo on the road is next, and Jackson's ankle is the question that matters.

17. 17

    Atlanta Falcons (3-4)

    Beat San Francisco. Penix played turnover-free, the defense forced four, and the Falcons finally won at home. Now they have to win on the road against a Tampa team that just ran for 258.

18. 18

    Los Angeles Rams (3-4)

    A dominant first half in Las Vegas and Stafford's record. Since 2020, 10 of 41 teams that started 3-4 made the playoffs. The Chargers come to SoFi next.

19. 19

    Carolina Panthers (3-3)

    Still on top of the NFC South, but a 43-13 home loss with three Young turnovers and a muffed punt was a hard reset. Taylor Moton was carted off with an ankle injury before a Thursday trip to Green Bay.

20. 20

    Las Vegas Raiders (3-4)

    Four straight losses and a defense giving up 35.8 points a game in that stretch. Cousins leads the league in touchdown passes, which shows where the problem isn't. The Jets are next.

21. 21

    Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-5)

    The best performance of their season came against a division rival, and Mayfield barely had to throw. Atlanta comes to town next.

22. 22

    Houston Texans (2-5)

    Stroud threw for 153 yards, and the defense allowed 188 on the ground. Tank Dell's return was the bright spot before a needed bye.

23. 23

    Philadelphia Eagles (2-4) -- provisional, MNF pending

    Four straight losses and Hurts expected out for the season. McKee finally gets a full week of first-team work. A home win keeps them in a weak division race.

24. 24

    Dallas Cowboys (2-4) -- provisional, MNF pending

    Favored on the road against a rival, which says more about the Eagles' month than about Dallas. The defense ranks 30th. A loss would leave them 2.5 games back.

25. 25

    Indianapolis Colts (2-5)

    Three straight losses, and Jones has four touchdown passes and seven interceptions. Steichen is sticking with him anyway.

26. 26

    New Orleans Saints (2-5)

    Shough completed 30 of 38 and still lost because there was no run game. Kellen Moore wants to "really dig in and solve this thing" over the bye.

27. 27

    New York Jets (2-5)

    A late rally against Miami fell short, and Aaron Glenn is 0-8 in division games. Las Vegas visits next.

28. 28

    Arizona Cardinals (2-5)

    Ten straight home losses, and one touchdown on five red-zone trips Sunday. Dallas is next.

29. 29

    Washington Commanders (1-4-1)

    Terry McLaurin's torn patellar tendon ended his season. Philadelphia visits in prime time next Sunday.

30. 30

    Miami Dolphins (1-5)

    Jeff Hafley's first win came with Malik Willis making plays and Ollie Gordon II running for 103 yards. New England visits next.

31. 31

    Tennessee Titans (1-6)

    Tony Pollard ran for 129 yards and three touchdowns, and the Titans still lost. The streak without back-to-back wins rolls on.

32. 32

    Los Angeles Chargers (0-6)

    Bye week. Jim Harbaugh said everything on offense is under review, down to how much of the playbook the players can digest.

I Think I Think

1. 1

   Dan Campbell's fourth-and-1 from his own 24 in a tie game was defensible on paper and reckless in context. "I knew we would get the ball back if it didn't work out," he said, and he was right -- but if Smack makes a 35-yarder, Detroit gets it back down 20-17 with 3:21 left instead of tied. Aggressive coaching earns its reputation over 17 games. On Sunday, the Lions won in spite of it.

2. 2

   Xavier McKinney said he didn't care if his officiating rant drew a fine. Tucker Kraft's answer deserves more attention: "I don't think the refs lost us the game. I don't. We had the game, and we gave it away." Eight roughing-the-passer penalties in seven games is a technique problem as much as a refereeing one.

3. 3

   Benching Kirk Cousins for Fernando Mendoza might be a reasonable long-term move, but it would be the wrong diagnosis. Cousins leads the league with 16 touchdown passes. The Raiders' defense has allowed 35.8 points and 416.5 yards a game since Week 4, and the run game hasn't reached 100 yards since Week 3. The quarterback is not why Las Vegas is 3-4.

4. 4

   Shane Steichen says he has "a ton of faith" in Daniel Jones. Four touchdowns and seven interceptions in seven games is what the film says. Faith is a fine thing for a coach to have; a third straight loss with 108 passing yards is a hard thing to keep defending.

5. 5

   Atlanta's next three are at Tampa Bay, then Cincinnati and Kansas City at home. The Falcons forced four turnovers Sunday but also gave up 400 yards, and against a Tampa offense that just ran for 258, the yardage number matters more than the takeaway number.

6. 6

   Jeff Hafley asked his offensive linemen whether to go for it on fourth-and-1 with the game on the line. "When I saw the look in their eyes, I was very confident that we'd get it," he said. Willis got two yards. A coach asking his players and then trusting them is how a 0-5 locker room starts believing again.

7. 7

   Bo Nix had 37 rushing yards in six games, then took off for 62 on one play and asked reporters, "You believe me now?" The more important number: Denver, which had been winning with almost no offense, scored 30 with three plays of 47 yards or more. Kansas City comes to town with something to prove.

8. 8

   Jesse Minter's "we're too much of a momentum team" was an honest diagnosis. Baltimore rides the wave both ways, and without Jackson the bad waves are bigger. Trey Hendrickson's return to face his old team produced two quarterback hits and no tackles -- not what the Ravens paid for.

9. 9

   Tank Dell played his first game in almost two years and caught a 43-yard pass. "I didn't have no worries about getting tackled," he said. "It felt cool actually." Good for him.

10. 10

    Harrison Smith decided right before the season to come back for a 15th year. Six games later he has the game-sealing interception that kept Minnesota unbeaten, the 40th of his career. Some decisions look obvious in hindsight.

11. 11

    Joey Slye punted for the first time in his NFL career after Tommy Townsend hurt his knee, and hit a 42-yarder. On a weekend when kickers missed makeable field goals from Detroit to East Rutherford, a kicker punting well was a nice twist.