2022 B/R NFL Power Rankings: Where Does Every Team Stand Entering Week 8?

The 2022 NFL season is seven weeks old. And this most recent week's action featured excitement and surprises galore.

The biggest surprise came before the games even started: The San Francisco 49ers shook up the balance of power in the NFC, dealing a package of draft picks to the Carolina Panthers for star running back Christian McCaffrey. However, McCaffrey doesn't play linebacker, so he wasn't much help to the Niners against Kansas City's buzzsaw of an offense.

The New York teams continued their surprising success, with the Giants downing the Jaguars in Jacksonville and the Jets outlasting the Broncos in Denver. The Dallas Cowboys got their franchise quarterback back and got a win against Detroit. And two of the greatest quarterbacks the NFL has ever seen both lost on the road—to tomato cans.

Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady are now a combined 6-8 this season. Go figure.

As is the case every week here at Bleacher Report, NFL Analysts Brent Sobleski, Maurice Moton and Gary Davenport have gathered to sort through the week that was and slot the league's teams from worst to first.

The top two teams actually didn't even play this week, but by virtue of Carolina's upset of the Buccaneers, there is a new No. 32.

Don't worry, it's a team that's used to the spot.

Last Week: 31

Week 7 Result: Lost at Las Vegas 38-20

Let’s see. How can we put this without sounding mean?

The Houston Texans stink.

This isn’t news. The Texans entered the season amid nonexistent expectations. Houston probably possesses the most talent-deficient roster in the NFL, though there have been bright spots, such as rookie running back Dameon Pierce.

But seven weeks into the 2022 season, the Texans are 25th in total offense, 27th in scoring offense, 31st in total defense and 20th in scoring defense. Those aren't the sort of numbers that will lead to many wins, and sure enough, Houston's only victory of the year came against the Jaguars in Week 5.

The Texans at least managed a season-high 404 yards of offense Sunday, giving head coach Lovie Smith a glimpse of what the team could be.

"Offensively we saw signs of what we can be," Smith told reporters. "Defensively we just didn't play well enough, kind of simple as that. I thought first half-wise we were in pretty good shape, but second half we didn't do what we needed to."

As things stand right now, Houston would pick both second and fifth in the 2023 draft. And at this point, those draft slots should mean more to Texans fans than what's happening on Sundays.

Stink for Stroud, or something to that effect.

Last Week: 32

Week 7 Result: Won vs. Tampa Bay 21-3

The Carolina Panthers entered Week 7 under the assumption that the team had more in common with an M1 Abrams than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Come for the NFL analysis, stay for the tank jokes.

However, the Panthers certainly didn’t look like a team angling for the first overall pick in the 2023 draft against the Buccaneers. Just days after trading star running back Christian McCaffrey, and a couple weeks after firing head coach Matt Rhule, the Panthers played far and away their best game of the season. Carolina didn’t just beat Tampa. They beat Tampa, drawing praise from interim head coach Steve Wilks in the process.

"That definitely wasn't a team out there that was trying to tank it," Wilks told reporters. "These guys right here have come together and they believe in one another. ... There is a lot that we can build on today."

This one win isn’t going to fix all that ails the Panthers, who have looked awful most of the season, especially on offense. This a team that will be embarking on a ground-up rebuild next season, and between now and then, there are going to be a lot more losses than wins.

But for one week at least, there is cause for celebration in Charlotte.

Last Week: 27

Week 7 Result: Lost at Dallas 24-6

Earlier in the season, the Lions may not have been winning, but at least the team was moving the football and scoring points.

Now, Detroit isn’t even doing that.

After getting blasted by the Cowboys in Week 7, the Lions have been outscored 53-6 over the past two weeks. However, despite the fact that the Lions are floundering as much as ever, head coach Dan Campbell told reporters that he still has faith the team can turn things around.

"I'm frustrated because we're losing, just like I was last year," said Campbell. "But I'm not down, I'm not losing confidence. I'm not going to go hide in a corner."

It’s becoming more difficult by the week to see what exactly Campbell is confident in. The Lions are terrible defensively, allowing the most yards and points per game in the league. Now the offense that was a bright spot isn’t having any more success moving the ball than the defense is preventing teams from doing so,

“From all indications, Campbell is well-liked by the players in Detroit,” Davenport said. "He’s certainly a favorite of the media given his colorful vocabulary. But the Lions just aren’t getting any better under his stewardship. In fact, you can argue that since the beginning of the season, the team has actually regressed. Unless he’s able to engineer a rather remarkable turnaround over the second half of the season, his second year as coach in Detroit will probably be his last.”

Last Week: 28

Week 7 Result: Lost at Miami 16-10

It's hardly unprecedented for rookie quarterbacks to struggle. Even all-time greats like Peyton Manning and Troy Aikman threw boatloads of interceptions on bad teams in their first season.

It's a lesson Kenny Pickett is learning the hard way.

For the second time in four games, Pickett threw three interceptions, including two late picks that quashed any hope of a Pittsburgh comeback. And given that rocky start, Sobleski wonders if he's truly the long-term answer under center in the Steel City.

"Four games into Pickett's starting career and one already has to wonder if the Steelers organization will be in the quarterback market again next year," he said. "Pickett does show enough to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. At the same time, he was the best from the worst quarterback class in recent memory.

"This year's only first-round quarterback—but not a top-10 selection—is expectedly experiencing rookie ups and downs. The concern is whether he can ever be the type of starter who elevates the play of those around him with the capabilities to consistently make top-tier throws. Currently, Pittsburgh owns a top-10 draft selection based on the team's 2-5 start. The front office wouldn't be doing its job if it doesn't consider the possibility."

If nothing else, Pickett has 10 more games to show the Steelers he's more Ben Roethlisberger than Bubby Brister.

Last Week: 25

Week 7 Result: Lost vs. New York Jets 16-9

It wasn’t supposed to be like this in Denver.

This was supposed to be the year the Broncos returned to prominence. The team mortgaged its future to acquire Russell Wilson, confident that he would be the final piece in a Super Bowl puzzle. With a new offensively minded head coach in Nathaniel Hackett, the Broncos were going to score points in bunches and challenge the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West.

Instead, seven weeks into the 2022 season, no team in the AFC is scoring fewer points per game than the Broncos. Wilson sat out the team’s Week 7 loss to New York with a hamstring injury. And the Broncos look like a team that wasted multiple first-round picks in a trade that could go down as one of the biggest boondoggles in NFL history.

“This latest setback can’t be blamed on Wilson,” Davenport said. "But you can be sure that as the losses keep piling up the grumbling in his direction will only continue to grow. After all, it’s not like the Denver offense has looked any better with Wilson than it did with Brett Rypien under center, The Denver defense has held opponents under 20 points six times in seven games, but the offense has more than one touchdown in just one game and has managed all of three points in the third quarter this year—the fewest of any team in any quarter.”

“I hope Hackett is renting,” he continued, “because with each miserable performance by his offense, it becomes more and more likely that he’ll be one-and-done as head coach.”

Last Week: 24

Week 7 Result: Lost at Baltimore 23-20

The Cleveland Browns have been close in just about every game they have played this season. Four of the team’s five losses are by a combined nine points, including Sunday’s three-point loss at Baltimore.

But almost only counts in horseshoes, and the fact is that rather than find a way to win, the 2022 Browns keep finding ways to lose. In Week 7, it was a critical false-start penalty that turned a potential game-tying field goal into a 61-yard prayer.

As Mary Kay Cabot wrote for Cleveland.com, Cleveland’s fourth straight loss led to a postgame shouting match in the Browns locker room. Edge-rusher Myles Garrett actually saw the dustup as a good thing—proof that the team isn’t about to give up on the season.

“I think it’s just a lot of guys who are passionate about winning, passionate about the game, and they’re going to voice their opinions,” he said. “Sometimes it spills out where people from the outside can hear. But nobody is no worse for the wear. I think everybody is just very intent on winning and fixing what we have going wrong.”

The Browns are officially in desperation mode ahead of next week’s Monday night tilt with the Cincinnati Bengals. But given how good the Cincinnati offense looked against Atlanta and how bad Cleveland’s defense has looked over the past month, the Browns' odds of salvaging their season don’t appear very high.

Last Week: 22

Week 7 Result: Lost at Arizona 42-34

Had you told the New Orleans Saints ahead of Week 7 that Andy Dalton would top 350 passing yards and throw four touchdown passes and that wide receiver Chris Olave would eclipse 100 yards receiving, the team probably would have liked their chances against the Arizona Cardinals.

The problem is that Dalton actually threw six touchdown passes...except two were for the other team. Dalton tossed three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns on back-to-back series in the second quarter.

After those three first-half interceptions put the Saints in a hole, head coach Dennis Allen was asked what advice he had for his floundering quarterback.

“Nothing, just keep doing what’s he doing, you know?” Allen said. “Compete. Come out here and fight and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Um, OK.

This is just the continuation of a theme for the Saints. New Orleans has now turned the ball over 16 times, most in the NFL. Part of the reason Dalton was out there was Jameis Winston's penchant for turning it over earlier in the season.

Simply put, turnovers are the kiss of death in the NFL. And if the Saints keep giving the rock away, the losses are going to keep piling up.

Last Week: 21

Week 7 Result: Lost vs. New York Giants 23-17

Remember when we thought the Jacksonville Jaguars might be good?

Those were good times.

Joking aside, the Jaguars have shown real improvement in 2022. They gave a one-loss New York Giants team all it could handle, leading most of the way before eventually coming up just short. But in the NFL, results are all that matter, and after a 2-1 start, the Jaguars have now dropped four straight.

It was a game filled with mental mistakes and questionable coaching decisions that came back to haunt Jacksonville. The Jags committed 13 penalties in the game and whiffed on two of four fourth-down tries. In a game the Jags literally lost by a yard, those mistakes mattered.

“It’s a bit odd to say there’s room for optimism with a two-win team,” Davenport said. “But these aren’t the same Jaguars as the tomato cans of years past. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is improving. Travis Etienne looks like the real deal at running back. There are promising pieces like linebacker Devin Lloyd and edge-rusher Travon Walker on defense. The talent is there; now the team just needs to get out of its own way and learn how to close wins out.”

Last Week: 30

Week 7 Result: Won at New England 33-14

Will the real Chicago Bears please stand up?

In Week 6, the Bears couldn't generate any sort of consistent offense in a home loss to a mediocre (at best) Washington Commanders team. With the Bears headed to Gillette Stadium Monday night to face one of the NFL's better defenses, expectations were…not high.

But as Larry Mayer wrote for the team's website, Bears general manager Ryan Poles insisted that he saw a team headed in the right direction.

"What I was really encouraged about was how we handled this mini-bye," Poles said. "I think regardless of your record, the ability to look in the mirror and see what we do well, what did we not do well, what we have we struggled with and then attack those things.

"Our coaches met with the players, we met with the coordinators and just talked about that exactly, and then what's the plan to improve and take the next step? The work that was put in this week was incredible, making some adjustments to get guys in positions to be successful and do better and hopefully win some games."

Apparently, Poles was on to something because the Bears dominated the game on both sides of the ball and cruised to a win.

Offensively, the Bears gashed New England for 243 yards on the ground, and while Justin Fields didn't light the world on fire, he made enough plays to keep the sticks moving. Defensively, the Bears held the Pats to just 260 yards of offense and forced four turnovers.

It was easily Chicago's best game of the season and one that gives the team something headed into next week's tilt with the Dallas Cowboys that has been sorely lacking in 2022: positive momentum.

Last Week: 29

Week 7 Result: Won vs. Green Bay 23-21

So, as it turns out, all the Washington Commanders needed to do to turn things around was bench Carson Wentz.

It’s hardly all Wentz’s fault that the Commanders pitched and lurched their way to a 2-4 start. But there’s also no denying that with Wentz sitting out due to injury, Taylor Heinicke and the Commanders played their best game of the season Sunday against the Packers. Offensively, Heinicke did a better job of avoiding mistakes than Wentz has most of the season, and Washington piled up 166 yards on the ground. Defensively, the Commanders allowed just 232 yards of offense.

Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin lauded Heinicke for adding a sense of urgency to the offense while speaking to reporters after the game.

"He plays like it's his last game every single time," McLaurin said. "That energy just spreads throughout this team. You just want to be able to make that play to elevate him."

Coupled with last week’s victory over the Chicago Bears, the Commanders have peeled off consecutive victories to get back to within a game of .500. And while Washington may not be a good team, the Commanders deserve some credit for keeping their season on the rails.

Last Week: 19

Week 7 Result: Lost at Cincinnati 35-17

The Atlanta Falcons have been all over the place in 2022. There have been highs, including a Week 6 win over the San Francisco 49ers. But there have also been lows, such as getting blown out by the Bengals while surrendering a jaw-dropping 537 yards of offense and being outgained by over 300 yards.

This was a game where the Falcons were dominated in every facet. The Bengals had 29 first downs to Atlanta's 13. Cincinnati had 11 third downs in the game and converted seven of them. Joe Burrow attempted more than three times as many passes as Marcus Mariota, who admitted to reporters after the loss that Atlanta was beaten just about every way a team can be.

"They did a good job defensively to get us off the field and then sustain drives," Mariota said. "They were throwing it around, but they were able to keep the ball and win time of possession. When you're already behind 14, 21 points, they're holding the ball and we're going to have limited possessions."

The good news is that with the Saints and Buccaneers also both losing in Week 7, the Falcons technically remain tied for first place in the NFC South. But the bad news is the team that got boat-raced in the Queen City can’t be viewed as any kind of legitimate contender anyway.

Last Week: 26

Week 7 Result: Won vs. Houston 38-20

The Las Vegas Raiders came out of their bye week with a mailing address in Downtown Desperation. Earning a win over the hapless Texans doesn’t fix that; at 2-4, the Raiders have a lot of work to do to crawl back into the playoff picture. But they have a pulse again, and per Moton, the team has running back Josh Jacobs to thank for that.

“In Week 7, the Las Vegas Raiders rode Josh Jacobs to a 38-20 win. He rushed for 143 yards and three touchdowns—two of those scores in the fourth quarter as the Silver and Black broke away with a big lead,” he said.

“Over Vegas’ last three games, all competitive matchups, Jacobs has registered 69 carries for 441 yards and six touchdowns. As the workhorse out of the backfield, he’s become the focal point of head coach Josh McDaniels' offense, which has worked out in the team’s favor with tight end Darren Waller hampered by a hamstring injury and wideout Hunter Renfrow missing Weeks 3 and 4 with a concussion. Though the Raiders have one of the league's best pass-catching trios with Davante Adams, Renfrow and Waller (when healthy), they should continue to lean on Jacobs, who’s averaging a whopping 5.7 yards per carry.”

Now, the Raiders need to string some wins together. And with just one game against an opponent that is currently .500 or better over the next four weeks, the table is set for the team to potentially do just that.

Last Week: 16

Week 7 Result: Lost vs. Chicago 33-14

Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots is regarded as one of the best head coaches in NFL history. Maybe the best.

But Monday night at Gillette Stadium, he may have stepped in it—big time.

As Belichick told ESPN's Lisa Salters (via Zack Cox of NESN), maybe the plan all along really was to play both Mac Jones and rookie Bailey Zappe at quarterback against the Bears. But that's not what it looked like in the moment. In the moment, it looked like Belichick pulled Jones in favor of Zappe after Jones threw an early interception.

At first, it seemed to have been another shrewd play. Zappe gave the offense a boost, leading a pair of touchdown drives. The crowd erupted. All was right with the world.

But the Patriots didn't score another point after that. Zappe threw two interceptions of his own and also fumbled. The Patriots were blown out at home by a Bears team no one would confuse with the 1985 iteration. And now there's a full-blown quarterback controversy in Beantown.

It's not like Jones hasn't had success. He led the Patriots to the postseason last year. But giving him just six pass attempts after a multi-week layoff makes it seem like the Patriots don't have much confidence in him.

And after Monday's turkey, it's no easier having confidence in this Patriots team.

Last Week: 18

Week 7 Result: Lost at Washington 23-21

The Green Bay Packers are in trouble. After dropping back-to-back games to the Giants and Jets, the Pack entered Week 7 in something of must-win mode. Green Bay needed a win over a bad Commanders team to stop the bleeding and keep the Packers above .500.

It didn’t happen.

Not only did Green Bay not win, but they also trailed most of the game. The Packers offense remains stuck in neutral, putting up just 232 yards of offense on Sunday. It was another listless performance that left Aaron Rodgers searching for answers while speaking to reporters after the game.

"We just got to play better—all of us," Rodgers said. "There's probably a number of plays in every phase that we could've done better. The margin of error is so tight, a couple calls don't necessarily go our way and we don't execute at all on offense in certain situations. ... It's not winning football."

At least one of our analysts isn’t holding his breath waiting on a rebound.

“Poor roster construction and a disinterested future Hall of Fame quarterback have the Green Bay Packers searching for answers,” Sobleski said. “The two issues feed off one another. Because Aaron Rodgers doesn't trust his receivers, he's not pushing the ball down the field. Because the offense is limited, those same targets aren't developing rapidly enough to make the unit far more explosive. Allen Lazard's 340 receiving yards lead the team, yet Green Bay's top target is tied for 37th overall in the category. Rodgers, meanwhile, ranks 25th or worse in average yards per attempt and QBR. As a whole, the unit ranks 20th and 23rd in total yards and scoring, respectively. A three-game losing streak doesn't look like it'll come to an end this weekend against the Buffalo Bills.”

Last Week: 23

Week 7 Result: Won vs. New Orleans 42-34

The Arizona Cardinals have badly needed some good news of late. In addition to getting a win over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night, the Redbirds finally got what they've been waiting for:

DeAndre Hopkins is back.

Playing in his first game of the season after serving a six-game suspension, Hopkins wasted no time in reclaiming the title of Kyler Murray's go-to wideout. With Marquise Brown sidelined by a foot injury, Hopkins dominated Arizona's passing game, receiving a whopping 48.3 percent of the targets, Hopkins turned those 14 targets into 10 catches for 103 yards, and Murray made it clear to reporters after the win that he was happy to have Hopkins back.

"It was great just having him out there," Murray said. "His feel for the game, his communication, you can't put a price tag on him."

It wasn't all sunshine and puppies, though. Murray and head coach Kliff Kingsbury had a heated exchange in the second quarter, although Murray downplayed the kerfuffle after the game.

"He's real animated over there on the sideline sometimes," Murray said, per The Athletic. "It's ... 'Calm down, we're good. We're going to make it right.' We ended up scoring, so that was good, but that's all I was saying. Just chill out."

Maybe Kingsbury had just heard about the Christian McCaffrey trade.

Last Week: 10

Week 7 Result: Lost at Carolina 21-3

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in very real trouble.

It’s not just this one game, although getting blasted by arguably the worst team in the league is bad enough. But the struggles go deeper than that. The Tampa offense is a parody of the unit that ranked second in the league in both yards and points per game last season. Since starting the season 2-0, the Buccaneers have dropped four of five. For the first time since 2002, Tom Brady is under .500 seven games into the season.

Brady allowed to reporters after the game that he’s at a loss as to why the offense has been so bad of late.

"No one feels good about where we're at," he said. "No one feels good about how we played or what we're doing. We're all in it together, and we have to pull ourselves out of it."

“I think we all just kind of assumed that Brady and the Buccaneers would turn things around,” Davenport wrote. “And a matchup with the lowly Panthers appeared to be the perfect spot to do so. Instead, the Bucs were outplayed in every phase of the game by a one-win Panthers team that entered Week 7 dead last in the league in offense. Tampa may still be the best team in a bad division. But the team we have seen over the last month is no threat to the heavyweights in the NFC, Tom Brady or no Tom Brady.”

"This is the end, beautiful friend," Sobleski added. "This is the end. Tom Brady's career has reached the point where the greatest quarterback of all time faces his own personal Apocalypse Now. Back-to-back inexcusable losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers show a team spiraling out of control, not a Super Bowl contender. No one denies Brady's greatness or the things he's done with his current organization. But he clearly doesn't look right this season. With the quarterback not necessarily playing well, the rest of the team is following suit."

Last Week: 14

Week 7 Result: Lost vs. Tennessee 19-10

Scoring has been an issue for the Colts all season long. The team has topped 20 points in a game just once, and that was against the Jaguars. But if Sunday’s loss to Tennessee was any indication, that output was less turning a corner and more one fluke outing against a bad team.

After Indy’s latest offensive dud, head coach Frank Reich said the team is working toward correcting the issue, even if the results aren’t there yet.

“The name of the game is points, right?” Reich said. “We’re not scoring enough points. I think we’ve made progress in some of those areas. I think we’ve found more rhythm lately. We just have to find the end zone more.”

That’s the problem with these Colts, though. Every time the team takes a step forward, it’s followed by two back. Fresh off last week’s win (arguably the Colts’ best game of the year), Indy was a mistake-prone mess again against the rival Titans. In the last three meetings with Tennessee, the Colts have turned the ball over a whopping nine times, including three on Sunday.

There are big changes afoot though. With Matt Ryan dealing with a shoulder injury, Reich said Monday that Sam Ehlinger will start under center against the Commanders this week. It's not a temporary thing, either.

Per Reich, Ehlinger will start the rest of the season.

Last Week: 15

Week 7 Result: Bye Week

The defending Super Bowl champions need a hug.

Yes, the Rams got back to .500 with a Week 6 win over the hapless Carolina Panthers. But beating the NFL's worst team by 14 points at home doesn't come close to fixing all that ails Los Angeles.

The Rams have been one-dimensional offensively; the team ranked 31st in the NFL in rushing entering Week 7. Per Pro Football Focus, an offensive line that finished the 2021 season seventh in the league now ranks 29th. No one in the NFL had more interceptions entering the week than Matthew Stafford's eight, the second year in a row he has paced all QBs in that category. The Rams are among the league leaders in both giveaways and sacks allowed, and L.A. came into Week 7 ranked 25th in points per game.

As if all that wasn't bad enough, the team's pursuit of Christian McCaffrey didn't just come up short—the Panthers elected to deal him to the Rams' biggest rival.

Other than that, though, everything's great.

The reality for these Rams is this: Los Angeles isn't the team it was last year on either side of the ball. The offense is a mess, and that's putting an untenable amount of pressure on a defense that is struggling to rush the passer.

From what the Rams have shown to date, making the playoffs at all won't be easy.

And getting back to the Super Bowl isn't happening.

Last Week: 6

Week 7 Result: Lost vs. Seattle 37-23

Here we go again with the Los Angeles Chargers. Just when it appears the Chargers are ready to take their spot among legitimate Super Bowl contenders, the team lays an egg. This time, it was a sloppy effort against the Seattle Seahawks in which the Bolts surrendered 404 yards of offense, committed a pair of costly early turnovers and converted just five of 15 third-down attempts.

After the loss, head coach Brandon Staley told reporters that the team’s first-quarter miscues (a failed fourth-down attempt and two turnovers, all of which Seattle converted into points) were just too much for the Chargers to overcome.

"We were able to fight our way back and get back into the game, but there's a lot of energy that goes with that. Then, we just didn't play a clean enough second half in any phase to create any momentum and to get the lead back," Staley said. "Just didn't play well enough today in any phase."

Coupled with Kansas City’s impressive win over the San Francisco 49ers, the Chargers head into the bye in an all-too-familiar position: staring up at the Chiefs in the AFC West. And with cornerback J.C. Jackson (who will miss the rest of the season) and wide receiver Mike Williams joining a seemingly ever-growing list of key Chargers with injuries, the team badly needs that off week to try to get healthy ahead of a second-half push.

Last Week: 11

Week 7 Result: Lost vs. Kansas City 44-23

Week 7 was quite the emotional roller coaster for the San Francisco 49ers. Late Thursday night, news broke that the Niners has acquired star running back Christian McCaffrey in a trade with the Carolina Panthers. McCaffrey’s arrival in the Bay Area gave the 49ers one of the most loaded groups of skill-position talent in the league.

Excitement was sky-high...right up until Sunday’s game with the Chiefs started. Then the 49ers were carved to pieces by Patrick Mahomes in a beatdown that exposed an uncomfortable truth, according to Sobleski.

“Everyone already knows the game is slanted toward the offensive side of the ball,” he said. “How much so became readily apparent when the 49ers tried to slow the Kansas City Chiefs. San Francisco entered the contest with the league's top-ranked defense. The unit allowed only 255.8 yards per game entering the contest.

"Mahomes and Co. torched the Niners for 529 yards. San Francisco allowed 9.1 yards per play, which is the most allowed by a Niners defense since 1965, per ESPN's Nick Wagoner. Mahomes' 423 passing yards are the most surrendered since Kyle Shanahan became head coach, according to Akash Anavarathan of Niner Nation. San Francisco can't even rely on its defense to carry the team against quality opponents.”

Things aren’t going to get any easier moving forward, either. San Francisco’s next two games are against the rival Rams and Chargers, two teams with postseason aspirations of their own.

Here’s hoping that McCaffrey is a quick study.

Last Week: 20

Week 7 Result: Won at Los Angeles Chargers 37-23

Russell who?

This was supposed to be a rebuilding season in Seattle, the first season in the transition away from Russell Wilson. Seattle certainly wasn’t supposed to be all alone in first place atop the NFC West seven weeks in.

That’s right where they are though. In his first season as Seattle’s starter, Geno Smith is among the league leaders in passer rating and completion percentage. And after dropping almost 40 points on a good Chargers team, Moton said it’s high time we started taking these Seahawks seriously.

“The Seahawks have exceeded early expectations with a 4-3 start, and they dominated a popular Super Bowl pick in the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday—without wide receiver DK Metcalf (knee) for most of the game,” he said. “Smith moved the ball through the air with 31-year-old journeyman wideout Marquise Goodwin as one of his primary targets. Meanwhile, rookie running back Kenneth Walker III had his first signature game, rushing for 168 yards and two touchdowns.

"Behind a solid offensive line with two quality tackles in Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas, Smith could cook with different receivers, and Walker can pick up big gains on the ground,” he continued. “The surprising Seahawks lead the NFC West, and they’re going to hang around the playoff picture with a balanced offense.”

Last Week: 17

Week 7 Result: Won vs. Pittsburgh 16-10

We aren't even halfway through the 2022 campaign, but it feels like this iteration of the Miami Dolphins is already in its third season.

Miami came roaring out of the gate, winning three straight to open the season, including handing the Buffalo Bills their first loss of the year. But then quarterback Tua Tagovailoa got hurt, and the Dolphins went through a three-game skid.

Tagovailoa was back under center Sunday night against the Steelers, and while the Miami offense stalled after a hot start, the team still did enough to earn a six-point win and get back above .500.

"The Dolphins should feel good about their defense coming up with three turnovers against the Steelers, including a game-sealing interception," Moton said. "The unit went into Week 7 ranked 27th in scoring with just four takeaways.

"Secondly," he continued, "Miami found some balance in its offense, eclipsing 86 rushing yards for just the second time this season; Raheem Mostert led the charge with 79 yards on the ground. Though Tagovailoa struggled to move the ball in the second half, he clearly gave the passing attack a boost in his return from a two-game absence."

However, while the Dolphins got back on the winning track, Davenport isn't quite ready to put Miami in the same tier as the Chiefs and Bills, or even the Bengals.

"Miami showed early in Sunday night's game how lethal it can be offensively if firing on all cylinders," he said. "But the Dolphins were also blanked in the second half. Miami has the potential to hang with the AFC's best teams, but until the Dolphins show more consistency on both sides of the ball, it can't be assumed they will."

Last Week: 13

Week 7 Result: Won at Denver 16-9

Much like their Met Life stadium roommates, the New York Jets aren’t playing especially well offensively.

And just like the New York Giants, it hasn’t mattered. After winning in Denver for the first time since 2010, the Jets are 5-2 for the first time since that same season.

That’s also the last time the Jets made the playoffs, in case you were wondering.

However, Sunday’s win came at a high cost, with rookie running back Breece Hall suffering a season-ending ACL tear in the game. As Moton wrote, that’s going to ramp up the pressure on quarterback Zach Wilson and New York’s other backs to up their game ahead of a critical stretch in the schedule.

“Let’s start with the good news,” Moton said. “The Jets stacked another victory, coming out on top of the Denver Broncos with their fourth consecutive win. Wilson hasn’t turned the ball over since his Week 4 debut.

“Unfortunately for the Jets, they also lost Breece Hall for the season. The team will need Wilson to do a little more than pass for 100-something yards, which has been the case in each of the last two games. Michael Carter and Ty Johnson can handle the bulk of the carries, and the defense should remain stout, but Wilson must pull more of his weight with three division games against the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills coming up.”

The Jets wasted no time addressing Hall's injury. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Jets shipped a conditional pick to Jacksonville for former 1,000-yard back James Robinson.

Last Week: 12

Week 7 Result: Won vs. Indianapolis 19-10

If you’re into high-flying offense and style points, then the Tennessee Titans are not the team for you. The Titans are a decidedly old-fashioned team.

However, if you’re into winning, then it’s a different story. Because after a 0-2 start that included am embarrassing blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Titans have peeled off four straight wins. And after downing the rival Colts for the second time Sunday, the Titans are firmly in the driver’s seat in the AFC South.

While talking to reporters after the game, Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill said the victory and the winning streak both speak to the toughness and resiliency of his team.

"We're a tough team," Tannehill said. "We're going to keep battling, and we find a way to win. And at the end of the day, that's what we're trying to accomplish each and every week is going out and finding a way to win, and our team's going to battle and find a way to do that."

However, while the Titans have a firm grip on the division, their validity as a Super Bowl contender remains in question. Tennessee will have a chance to make a statement in that regard soon enough; in two weeks, they travel to Arrowhead to face the red-hot Chiefs.

Last Week: 9

Week 7 Result: Won vs. Atlanta 35-17

When you score on your first four possessions and sail past 300 passing yards in the first half alone, it’s probably going to be a good day. Sure enough, Week 7 was for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Joe Burrow connected with Tyler Boyd for a long score on Cincinnati’s first possession, and the Bengals never looked back, cruising past the Falcons to keep pace with the Baltimore Ravens atop the AFC North.

After an 0-2 start, the Bengals have peeled off four wins in five games. While speaking to reporters after the game, head coach Zac Taylor said he had no doubts that his team would turn things around a slow start.

"Well, I hope you all listened to me as I got up here at 0-2 and said just be patient," Taylor said. "This season is very young. We know what type of team we have and the faith I have in these players and coaches. This season is still in its infancy stages. Today gave us a chance to separate a little bit."

The Bengals are well-positioned to build up even more momentum in the weeks to come. Over the next two weeks, they will play a pair of 2-5 teams in the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers before their Week 10 bye.

"The reigning AFC champions are back in the building and playing like they last season," Sobleski said. "After a sluggish 2-3 start, the Bengals won their last two contests with a high-flying offense capable of lighting up any defense. Joe Burrow threw for 781 yards and six touchdowns in those two games. He's done so with the help from the super-saiyan version of Ja'Marr Chase, who caught 15 passes for 262 yards and four scores during the same span.

"When their offense is operating at full tilt, the Bengals can compete with anyone in the league and give the AFC a third top team behind the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs."

Last Week: 8

Week 7 Result: Won vs. Cleveland 23-20

The Baltimore Ravens have been rather adept as snatching defeat from the jaws of victory this season. In each of their three losses, they held a double-digit lead in the second half.

While things got a bit dicey at the end Sunday, the Ravens were able to hold off the Browns to keep pace with the Cincinnati Bengals and stay in first place in the AFC North.

It wasn’t an especially attractive win. Lamar Jackson completed only nine passes in the game, and the Ravens barely cracked 250 yards of offense. But they made plays when they needed to, and they got a two-touchdown effort from running back Gus Edwards, who saw his first game action of 2022 after missing all of last season with a serious knee injury.

“The Ravens aren’t easy to figure out,” Davenport said. “Between the blown leads and the modest offensive numbers at times, they appear to be a tier below teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills in the AFC. But the Ravens have a pair of wins over teams that are above .500 this season and gave the Bills all they could handle in Week 4. Add in the hardest player in the league to defend in Jackson, and it’s wise not to underestimate Baltimore.”

Last Week: 5

Week 7 Result: Won at Jacksonville 23-17

It hasn’t been especially pretty, but the New York Giants just keep winning.

After outlasting the Jaguars in Jacksonville, the Giants are the first team in NFL history to start 6-1 or better and have each of its first seven games decided by one possession. Their six victories have been by a combined 27 points.

The G-Men trailed the Jags for most of the game and needed a goal-line stand at the final gun to preserve the win. Head coach Brian Daboll told reporters afterward that he’s happy to get a win any way he can, but the Giants still have plenty of things to clean up.

"I'm never really happy," Daboll said. "It's always on to the next week. I'm glad we won. But like I say every week: There's certain things to clean up. This week is no exception."

There’s still at least some skepticism surrounding New York’s validity as a Super Bowl contender. The Giants don’t pile up stats or blow opponents out. But wins over the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans proved that they can beat good teams. Even if the Giants lose to Seattle next week, they would still hit their bye week at 6-2.

Had you asked the Giants before the season if that would be an acceptable record at the bye, they would have nodded so hard that their heads would have popped off.

Last Week: 7

Week 7 Result: Won vs. Detroit 24-6

The Dallas Cowboys got two things they needed in Week 7. The first was a bounceback win after last week’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The second was the return of quarterback Dak Prescott, who hadn’t played since Week 1 because of a thumb injury.

Prescott didn’t light up the stat sheet against Detroit. He barely cracked 200 passing yards and threw only one touchdown. But he was efficient (113.3 passer rating) and didn’t make mistakes, earning praise from Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy afterward.

“I thought Dak performed better as the game went on,” McCarthy said. “At the quarterback position, to come back from an injury on your throwing hand, just he needs reps. He needs to continue to get the reps. Obviously, I thought he had a winning performance today.”

This Cowboys team doesn’t need Prescott to throw for 400 yards. This isn’t last year’s team that led the NFL in yards and points per game. The 2022 Cowboys are about playing defense, controlling the line of scrimmage and running the ball.

"Although Prescott didn’t light up the Lions’ porous defense, we should give him some time to heat up," Moton said. "The Cowboys also don’t need Prescott to throw for 300-plus yards because they have a ground attack that’s racked up at least 134 yards in four of their last five contests and a stifling top-three scoring defense. As one of the league’s most balanced clubs, the Cowboys should only trend up from here as Prescott finds his groove again."

Last Week: 4

Week 7 Result: Bye Week

For the first time since 2016, the Minnesota Vikings are 5-1. However, they do have a few causes for concern moving forward, starting with their defense.

Entering Week 7, the Vikings were 26th in the league in total defense. They've done a good job of limiting the damage from all of those yards (12th in scoring defense), but when you consistently allow a lot of yards, the points will eventually follow. The Vikings are also 21st in defensive DVOA at Football Outsiders.

The second issue is Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, whose yards per attempt and air yards per attempt are both substantially lower than they were last year. First-year head coach Kevin O'Connell dismissed concerns about his quarterback, though, telling reporters that Cousins is just taking what defenses give him.

“I will say, we’ve had some shorter targets that have gone for explosive gains with catch-and-runs and guys getting underneath coverages," O'Connell said. "If (opponents) do want to play things deep to short, (Cousins) will keep making great decisions and being really accurate with the ball underneath.”

The Vikings have yet to show they can hang with the league's best teams. They suffered a lopsided loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2, and their only victory against a team with a winning record was a Week 6 triumph over the Tua Tagovailoa-less Miami Dolphins.

Games at Buffalo in Week 10 and home against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11 should offer an indication as to whether this team is better than the 2016 squad that started 5-1 but finished 8-8.

Last Week: 3

Week 7 Result: Won at San Francisco 44-23

The Kansas City Chiefs sent a message Sunday in San Francisco.

Fresh off a close loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Chiefs seemingly faced another stiff test against a 49ers defense that ranked at or near the top of the league in a number of statistical categories. But Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense carved that defense up without breaking a sweat.

Mahomes was magnificent against the Niners, throwing for 423 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster had his second straight big game, hauling in seven passes for 124 yards and a score. The Chiefs averaged 5.3 yards per carry, topped 40 points and amassed a whopping 529 yards of offense.

Nineers linebacker Fred Warner admitted to reporters after the game that the San Francisco defense isn’t used to being embarrassed like that.

"Our defense prides itself on eliminating explosive plays," Warner said. "That's just what the game felt like. Just explosive plays, one after another just keeping drives going and then them finding a way to get in the end zone."

The Chiefs are now once again all alone atop the AFC West. Given how they played against San Francisco, a seventh straight division title seems like a foregone conclusion.

Last Week: 2

Week 7 Result: Bye Week

The Buffalo Bills entered their bye week on the highest of notes. Last week, they staked their claim as the AFC's best team by downing the Kansas City Chiefs on the road.

There are plenty of reasons for the Bills' success this season. They entered Week 7 ranked first in total offense, second in scoring offense, second in total defense and first in scoring defense. But as head coach Sean McDermott told reporters, there's no question that this is quarterback Josh Allen's team.

“He’s the face of the franchise, the face of the organization,” McDermott said. “He’s just grown leaps and bounds through his career, to this point. It’s been fun to watch, having a front-row seat to watch his development and growth.”

The Bills have no clear weaknesses, Their skill-position talent, led by wide receiver Stefon Diggs, is solid. Their offensive line may not be great, but it's capable. Their defense is as loaded with talent as any in the league.

The Bills aren't going to be easy to beat in the playoffs. And if they hang on to the No. 1 seed in the AFC—and the home-field advantage that comes with it—it'll only be that much harder.

Last Week: 1

Week 7 Result: Bye Week

For just the third time in franchise history, the Philadelphia Eagles are 6-0. A win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 8 would tie the 2004 Super Bowl team for the Eagles' best start ever.

However, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts isn't about to get complacent.

“It’s very hard to win in this league, and that’s the balance I have to obtain—in knowing how hard it is, but also being eager and hungry to want more,” Hurts said, via Zach Berman of The Athletic. “When you have self-disappointment, that’s a breed to self-improvement. ... Enough is never enough. It’s always going to be that way. For me, win, lose or draw, the process remains the same.”

"Hurts may not be satisfied," Davenport said, "but he's playing as well as any quarterback in the league. He has a full grasp of an Eagles offense that is diverse and loaded with firepower. The Philly defense ranks fourth in both yards and points allowed. And perhaps most importantly, the Eagles have the best collection of secondary talent in the league.

"The San Francisco 49ers may have stolen the headlines this week, but until the Eagles take an 'L,' the top spot here is theirs."