“The mail never stops. It just keeps coming and coming and coming. There’s never a let-up. It’s relentless. Every day it piles up more and more and more, and you got to get it out. And the more you get it out, the more it keeps coming in.”

That’s what the NFL rumor mill can make one feel like and likely what Garrett Wilson is dealing with given the New York Jets’ 2-5 start, but the star wide receiver isn’t letting that deter him from where he wants to be.

“Nah,” Wilson said in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon when asked if he’d request a trade from the Jets before the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline. “I see the stuff on social media, as well. I’m big on, not just when it comes to social media and stuff, controlling what I can control.”

Wilson recorded just two receptions for 26 yards on three targets in the Jets’ Week 7 loss at home to the previously win-less Miami Dolphins. On the season, Wilson, the 2022 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award winner, has totaled 37 receptions for 444 yards and three touchdowns.

Meanwhile, quarterback Geno Smith has tallied 1,623 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns, two interceptions and a 105.2 passer rating, while completing 70.0% of his passes.

With all that said, the Jets’ offense is 27th in the NFL in points (19.6 per game), 23rd in total yards (303.0 per game), 22nd in rushing yards (96.4 per game) and 21st in passing yards (206.6 per game). To boot, starting running back Breece Hall hasn’t played since Sept. 27 due to a quad injury.

Wilson is coming off a 2025 campaign that saw him limited to seven games due to a knee injury. From 2022-24, Wilson averaged 93.0 receptions for 1,083 yards and 4.7 touchdowns per year, while never missing a game.

“Yeah, of course, I want to be here. I want to win games, and that’s the one thing we’ve been missing,” Wilson said. “I love it here. Do I love it more than I love winning? Nah, to be completely honest, but I’m hopeful, and that’s why these losses each weekend hurt a little more.”

Wilson, whom the Jets selected with the No. 10 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, begins a four-year, $130 million contract next year.

The Jets host the Las Vegas Raiders (3-4) in Week 8 (Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX). New York then travels to play the Kansas City Chiefs (5-1) and hosts the Buffalo Bills (5-1).

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We’ve got four teams on this week’s list that didn’t make an appearance last week. 

And, we’ve got a new squad in the top three after BYU’s shocking loss to UCF.

Here are my latest college football rankings, with odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

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10.

Utah

Last Week: Not Ranked
To Make CFP: -135
Title Odds: +4000

It will not surprise me if the Utes lose this weekend in Cincinnati as Texas Tech just did. About the best thing you can say about the last two weeks is that Utah was tested and came out with wins. But I don’t feel great about the Utes surviving the next three games — at Cincy, against Utah and at Arizona — without a loss. And the Big 12 tie-breaker looks like it’s going to be messy … surprise!

9.

LSU

Last Week: NR
To Make CFP: -165
Title Odds: +1000

I think LSU has the most upside of any two-loss team. Having Bama and Texas up next ain’t easy, but if you’re looking for a long shot to make some Playoff noise, LSU might be the team for you. High ceiling, high risk.

8.

Kentucky

Last Week: NR
To Make CFP: +180
Title Odds: +6500

The Wildcats fell behind Vandy but came roaring back for a solid win in what could have been a very tricky spot. Now they have an idle week before three straight ranked opponents, which will determine if the Cats are CFP bound.

7.

Texas

Last Week: NR
To Make CFP: -125
Title Odds: +1500

There isn’t a team out there that has three wins the quality of what Texas has, with the Longhorns getting past Ohio State, Tennessee and most recently, Ole Miss. 

6.

Last Week: 4
To Make CFP: -800
Title Odds: +460

The Irish have a warm-up for Miami with Navy in Foxboro this week. Big picture, the Miami game means everything for the Irish. A win forgives the loss in Provo and helps realize the expectations people had for them. A loss puts them in a potential 10-2 logjam where their résumé might not even stack up with some 9-3 teams. But that’s still at least a week away (if at all) from coming into conversation. 

5.

BYU

Last Week: 2
To Make CFP: +145
Title Odds: +6500

BYU was ripe for an upset last week and that’s exactly what happened. I think the Cougars are the best team in the Big 12, but that Holy War against Utah will shape the CFP picture even further. Let’s just say hypothetically it comes to this, but a 10-2 BYU better get a nod over a 10-2 Notre Dame. 

4.

Last Week: 7
To Make CFP: -1250
Title Odds: +850

It doesn’t feel like Indiana is the fourth-best team in the country, but right now I’m OK with slotting the Hoosiers here. The health of QB Josh Hoover is a question after a really poor game Saturday and, honestly, the last three weeks. The IU defense — especially the front — remains the strength of the team. Against the remaining schedule, that unit can carry the Hoosiers to 11-1 and another CFP berth. 

3.

Last Week: 5
To Make CFP: -650
Title Odds: +550

We’ll have a much better idea of where the Buckeyes stand and what their future might hold after the game at USC. Everyone is looking forward to seeing what Luke Fahey has to offer in his first career start against a USC defense that is pretty mediocre. The Ohio State defense, however, is not mediocre. 

2.

Last Week: 3
To Make CFP: -1250
Title Odds: +420

The Dawgs were off last week ahead of the Cocktail Party in Atlanta. Gunner Stockton should be good to go after a shaky performance against Auburn. There’s still no doubt who the best team in the SEC is. 

1.

Last Week: 1
To Make CFP: -4000
Title Odds: +650

There really shouldn’t be any debate that Miami is No. 1 right now. Yeah, the SOS is worse than teams with a loss, but that will change as the season progresses. The Canes were utterly dominant against Pitt, even with the same injury concerns they have been dealing with in the secondary and OL. Bottom line is that they have Malachi Toney and you don’t. Toney has been the best all-around offensive weapon in the sport this season and is squarely in the Heisman mix. Next up is a trip to North Carolina ahead of the game in South Bend. Could be a little uneasy trip this week, as the Irish discovered a few weeks back.

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Welcome to The Plays that Stood Out, where we take a deep dive into the moments that shaped the past week of NFL games and try to figure out what they could mean for the teams and players going forward.

This week, we’re looking at how Mike Evans’s injury derailed the 49ers offense in Atlanta, what’s driving Houston’s defensive woes, and how the Seahawks defense shut down Patrick Mahomes and Kenneth Walker. 

The 49ers Suffer From Mike Evans’ Absence In Atlanta

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has worked minor miracles, keeping the offense afloat while the injury bug tears through his receiver room. At a certain point, though, you just run out of bodies. That’s how it looked Sunday in San Francisco’s first game without Mike Evans, a 29-20 loss in Atlanta that knocked the Niners back to the pack in the NFC.

The absence was felt most on third down, where Evans has dominated San Francisco’s target share. Over the first six games, he moved the chains 11 times on third down; the rest of the team combined for 10. Against the Falcons, the 49ers had only two third-down receptions for first downs, both to George Kittle in the first quarter. On third down, Purdy finished 3-of-7 for 23 yards, a pick, and a passer rating of just 11.9.  

Even with Shanahan limiting his snap count, Evans has been a North Star for the passing game this season, and Purdy looked lost without him. A couple of plays really stood out. Take this third-and-17 play from the second quarter. That’s not a situation where you’d expect the offense to convert, but the 49ers just needed a solid gain to get back into field goal range. San Francisco comes out in a trips set, with Brandin Cooks, Evans’s stand-in, isolated on the back side.

With the Falcons pushing their coverage to the three-receiver side, there’s a crease in the coverage that Cooks’ deep in-breaker can exploit, but Purdy never looks his way and takes a checkdown that gains only two yards.

Targeting Cooks would have been risky, but we’ve seen Purdy rip those deep in-breakers to Evans with blind faith throughout the first month and a half. If big No. 5 is running that route instead of Cooks, that ball is getting thrown.

This next play came on fourth-and-10 late in the game. It’s another trips set with Cooks isolated on the backside. This time, Atlanta crowds the line of scrimmage and shows blitz.

The Falcons sent a six-man pressure, but two defenders backed off into coverage, creating a 4-over-3 on the trips side. That left cornerback A.J. Terrell on an island with Cooks. If it’s Evans vs. Terrell, Purdy is taking that matchup every time. With Cooks out there, Purdy never even glances toward the single-receiver side and ends up taking a sack that snuffs out a potential Niners rally.

There’s still an opportunity to complete the crosser, but the pressure gets to Purdy; he drops his eyes and runs himself down a cul-de-sac of pass rushers.

This was the highest level of difficulty Purdy has faced all season. He came into the game with a league-low 71 dropbacks on plays with a pass probability greater than 75%, per Next Gen Stats. In Atlanta, he took 25 such dropbacks – and he did it without his star wideout.

The takeaway: Shanahan tried his best to feature the other 49ers stars who are healthy enough to play. Christian McCaffrey got touches on seven of his first eight snaps and ended up in the blue medical tent with a leg injury. Kittle was targeted a season-high 10 times, but he’s not the explosive play machine he once was, so those targets produced just 88 yards. Like Evans, McCaffrey and Kittle are older and have extensive injury histories, so Shanahan can’t just spam touches for them without increasing their injury risk.

Until the 49ers are fully healthy – or at least get Evans back on the field – Shanahan will have to maintain this delicate balance, and the offense will remain limited.

The Texans Get Run Over By The Giants’ Running Game

All right, I’ve seen enough of this Houston team to give up any hope of it making a deep postseason run. That hope rested mostly on the defense turning things around, reclaiming its title as one of the league’s best units, and pairing it with an offense that was just good enough to do its part in January.

After watching J.J. McCarthy and Cam Skattebo put up career days on Demeco Ryans’ defense, I’m selling all of my stock.

I think general manager Nick Caserio summed up the defensive issues best on Monday morning.

If you watched the final two overtime plays – Skattebo’s 42-yard stroll through the Texans’ front and Devin Singletary’s 30-yard game-winner – you wouldn’t need Caserio to tell you Houston has a tackling problem, especially in the secondary. On both plays, safety Calen Bullock was one-on-one with the ball carrier.

On Skattebo’s run, he took a bad angle, allowing the plodding back to get past him.

Against Singletary, a quick stutter step left him grasping for air.

The Texans secondary combined for 10 missed tackles against the Giants, bringing their season total up to 43. Only Denver’s secondary has whiffed on more tackles this season, per Pro Football Focus. The safeties, Bullock and Reed Blankenship, have been the main culprits, with seven and eight missed tackles, respectively, but the whole unit has played a role. Cornerback Kamari Lassiter has missed six tackles, nickelback Jalen Pitre has missed five, and Derek Stingley and M.J. Stewart have missed four apiece.

Football is a beautifully complex sport, but sometimes the results are easy to explain. Houston’s defense has regressed because the secondary isn’t winning its one-on-one battles.

The takeaway: It’s not just the tackling, either. Texans defensive backs have been getting dunked on at the catch point all season. Only the Jaguars have given up more yards on tight-window throws and only three teams have surrendered more expected points added, per Next Gen Stats. Opposing quarterbacks are averaging 8.1 yards per attempt on those contested throws. Last season, that number was a league-leading 2.0 yards per attempt. That’s a remarkable difference. Issues at the catch point and poor tackling in the secondary have spiked opponents’ explosive play rate, which is driving the defensive regression.  

Ryans said Monday that he believes in Houston’s scheme, and I’m inclined to agree. The players are in position to make stops; they just haven’t. Until this highly paid secondary starts playing up to its price tag, I’m fading the Texans. 

How The Seahawks Defense Stuffed The Chiefs In A Locker

If you forgot – or were distracted by the turbulent offense – Sunday’s comprehensive beatdown of the Chiefs was a reminder that Seattle is still home to the NFL’s best defense. The statistical nuggets coming out of the game are astonishing.

Kansas City couldn’t create any explosive plays.

It couldn’t produce in general.

Just gaining a first down felt like a chore.

The Seahawks didn’t just make Patrick Mahomes look mortal. They did it while also neutralizing Kenneth Walker, who came into the game leading the world in just about every meaningful run metric. The star running back managed just 36 yards on 14 carries. It was the first time he was held without an explosive run and the first time he was held to a success rate lower than 40%, per Next Gen Stats.

And Seattle did it without loading the box with run defenders. Seahawks coach/defensive play-caller Mike MacDonald could keep calling his two-high safety looks and enjoy a numbers advantage in the passing game. Pick pretty much any of Mahomes’ 33 passes and pause when he hits the back of his drop. And almost every time, you’ll see Seattle with a plus-one advantage in coverage on both sides of the field.

Mahomes’ interception came on a play where the Seahawks are caught in a run blitz against play-action. That’s typically an advantage for the offense, but Seattle gets four defenders over three receivers to the playside while Mahomes is chased by Nick Emmanwori and his 4.3 speed.

Seattle can play like that against the pass because they can do this against the run. Here, Kansas City comes out with three tight ends, and only one receiver split wide. The Seahawks match it with their nickel defense and keep both safeties deep, leaving a run gap open. 

But Seattle closes them with a strong scheme and even better talent. Derrick Hall and Leonard Williams cave in the strong side, creating a wall that boxes Walker in. Jarran Reed occupies a double team, and DeMarcus Lawrence wins inside and closes off the cutback lane. Both Seahawks linebackers remain unblocked, allowing them to fill any open gaps.

Seattle’s defensive alignment made it hard for Kansas City’s blockers to build double teams, and the defensive talent on the line made it hard to win those matchups, leaving Walker nowhere to go. That’s how you overcome a disadvantage in the box. This snapshot of the Next Gen Stats tracking dots clearly illustrates how the Seahawks’ run defense functions. You can see the vertical penetration to the play side, with the backside defenders working horizontally to prevent cutback lanes from forming.

The takeaway: It’s like MacDonald is playing a rigged game of rock-paper-scissors, where scissors don’t beat paper, so they can throw it with impunity. In this case, paper is their two-high coverages. Seattle can stay in their shell coverages without worrying about getting gashed on the ground. And it’s not like the Seahawks are just surviving against the run. They own the league’s dominant run defenses, which makes the suffocating coverage possible. 

Three And Out

1. Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon has tormented opposing offenses with his exotic blitzes on third down, so credit to the Lions coaching staff for having an answer on Sunday. Sometimes, the solution to a complex schematic problem is as simple as putting the ball in your best player’s hands. For Detroit, that’s Jahmyr Gibbs, who moved the chains on two key third-down runs, with both coming on the same run play against the same pressure look from Green Bay.

The first one came on third-and-5 on the opening drive. With the Packers showing blitz, Detroit ran a crack toss with Amon-Ra St. Brown motioning across the formation and the play-side offensive tackle pulling outside, leading the way for Gibbs on third-and-5.

That extended the Lions’ first of two touchdown drives on Sunday. The second play essentially iced the game for Detroit. Facing third-and-7 and a similar pressure look from Green Bay, the Lions tossed it to Gibbs with St. Brown and Penei Sewell clearing out a path to a first down.

Gibbs wisely went down, letting Detroit bleed the clock before a chip-shot field goal to win.

2. The Rams will likely be in the market for another receiver with Davante Adams out for a couple of months, but Sean McVay has to be happy with the blocking effort he got out of his receiving corps on Sunday in the 35-21 win over Las Vegas. Konata Mumpfield’s effort on Kyren Williams’ 17-yard touchdown run really stood out.

Mumpfield wards off a cornerback just long enough before landing the key block on the safety, creating a downfield seal all on his own.

Los Angeles went back to basics on Sunday, running multi-tight-end sets and mashing the Raiders on the ground. That ground-and-pound strategy only works if you’re getting explosive runs, and those are much easier to come by when receivers are willing to block.

3. It’s been a month since I begged the NFL teams to run more lateral plays, and it appears they’re listening. 

Per Pro Football Focus, offenses have run seven since Week 3, including three in Week 7, and the success rate remains encouraging. Four of those seven plays – all on third- or fourth-and-10-plus – have gone for first downs.

As these designed laterals continue to dig offenses out of deep situational holes, I expect to see even more. The NFL never fails to live up to its reputation as a copycat league.

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Allow him to reintroduce himself.

Jay-Z has spent the last seven years helping choose who performs at the Super Bowl halftime show. This time, he decided to pick himself.

The music mogul will headline the Super Bowl LXI halftime show, which was announced during halftime of Monday’s Dallas Cowboys-Philadelphia Eagles game. Super Bowl LXI is set for Feb. 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Jay-Z’s entertainment company, Roc Nation, partnered with the NFL in 2019 to help select and produce the halftime show, and the league renewed that deal in 2024. It’s Jay-Z’s first time headlining the show he has helped shape since the partnership began.

Jay-Z has also been performing, celebrating milestone anniversaries this year: 30 years since his debut album, “Reasonable Doubt,” and 25 years since “The Blueprint.” That celebration has included stadium shows in London, Paris and, last weekend, at SoFi, the same venue that will host the Super Bowl.

A Jay-Z-led show would continue a run of hip-hop and genre-crossing headliners under Roc Nation. 

Bad Bunny headlined last year and Kendrick Lamar headlined the year prior. The last time the Super Bowl was held at SoFi Stadium, Dr. Dre led a West Coast hip-hop lineup alongside Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent.

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The Milwaukee Brewers might just be unstoppable, and the fifth inning on Monday night was a perfect example.

Milwaukee scored eight runs in Game 3 of the 2026 World Series, giving it a 10-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays. The Brewers’ relentless lineup made history in multiple ways.

The Brewers became the first-ever team to score eight runs with two outs in World Series history and the second ever to do it in the postseason, after the Dodgers scored 10 in the first inning against the Braves in the 2020 National League Championship Series.

Garrett Mitchell had an RBI single and scored on Cooper Pratt’s two-run double. (Getty Images)

The Brewers’ eight runs in the fifth inning tied the most in World Series history without a home run. Two other teams have done that before: the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 6 against the New York Yankees and the 1921 New York Giants in Game 3 against the Yankees.

Jackson Chourio was the star of the show with two hits in the inning. He started the game 4-for-4, becoming the fourth player ever with four hits in the first five innings of a World Series game.

Here is how the inning unfolded:

Lefty Cam Booser entered the game in relief of Rays starter Freddy Peralta, who left the bases loaded and two outs. 

Brice Turang greeted Booser with a single that brought home Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich. Then, Garrett Mitchell’s single scored William Contreras. Next was a Cooper Pratt double that saw Turang and Mitchell cross the plate, before another double by Sal Frelick drove in Pratt to come in. 

Frelick’s double led to another pitching change, with Cole Sulser replacing Booser. Hamilton then singled and Frelick scored.

To cap the scoring, Chourio doubled for his second hit of the inning to bring in Frelick and bring his mark for the game to 4-for-4. Jake Bauers finally ended the inning with a flyout.

Brice Turang celebrates his two-run single that drove in the first two runs of the Brewers’ eight-run fifth inning. (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Here’s a record of the Brewers’ run-scoring at-bats after Booser entered the game with two outs and the bases loaded:

Walk
Single
Single
Single
Double
Double
Single
Double
Out

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Oregon quarterback Dante Moore is not expected to return this season, coach Dan Lanning announced Monday night.

Moore has not played since getting concussed on a late hit at Southern California in late September. He resumed practicing earlier this month but remained in the concussion protocol.

“I’m not anticipating him being back, no,” Lanning said during his weekly news conference in Eugene.

Moore returned to school as a senior instead of declaring for the NFL draft when he could have been a top-10 pick. The Ducks were ranked No. 2 in the AP Top 25 ahead of this season and Moore was considered a candidate for the Heisman Trophy; they are now 4-3 and unranked.

Moore, 21, threw for 926 yards and nine touchdowns with no interceptions in four games this season.

“I think if it was up to Dante in any shape, way, he would want to be out there playing for the guys. But unfortunately, it’s not really up to Dante. It’s not really up to me,” Lanning said. “We can control the setting at practice where he’s able to do things for us, where that’s not always the case in the game. And you know, we said before that this is a serious deal that he’ll 100 percent be able to make a full recovery from. That hasn’t changed, definitely feel that way. But for him to be out there on the field for us right now, that’s not going to happen.”

Lanning declined to speculate about whether Moore might return to Oregon next season.

“We’d love to have Dante out there. He’s still going to be a big part of this team and helping us move forward, finding opportunities for us to be better. I can tell you, we’re getting one of the best scout team quarterback looks every single week in practice, and he looks good out there,” Lanning said.

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Moore threw for 3,565 yards, with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season. Oregon had just one loss in the regular season, at home to Indiana, before losing to the Hoosiers again in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

A five-star recruit, Moore started five games for UCLA as a freshman, throwing for 1,610 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He transferred to Oregon and spent 2024 as Dillon Gabriel’s backup, eventually taking a redshirt.

Dylan Raiola took over for Moore against the Trojans, throwing for 289 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-27 victory. But Raiola, who previously started two seasons at Nebraska, struggled in a 17-15 loss to UCLA, completing 6 of 19 passes for 43 yards with two interceptions.

Third-stringer Brock Turner started the next week against Nebraska, but he was ineffective. Raiola relieved him and found Jamari Johnson for a 4-yard scoring pass with 28 seconds left that gave Oregon a 17-14 win.

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Raiola was 27 of 41 for 246 yards last Saturday in a 21-10 loss at Illinois, which effectively ended the Ducks’ hopes for a playoff berth. The next day, Oregon fired offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer.

The Ducks host No. 20 Northwestern on Saturday.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Tropicana Field (ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.) – The Brewers are one win away from history.

With a 3-0 World Series lead, the dominant 103-win club is on the doorstep of the first championship in franchise history, 44 years after their last trip to the Fall Classic.

Tampa Bay is backed into a corner no team has ever escaped. In the history of the Fall Classic, no club has rallied from being down 0-3. The Rays, also chasing their first title, must win four straight, starting with Game 4 on Tuesday night.

A Brewers sweep would cap an October that already included sweeping the Dodgers. Milwaukee’s champagne is waiting on ice. 

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Who is the best team in football?

That’s not an easy question to answer anymore.

The last undefeated team (Minnesota Vikings) barely has a functional offense. The powerful San Francisco 49ers have turned the ball over eight times in their past three games. The Kansas City Chiefs were just pounded by the defending champion Seattle Seahawks, who already have three losses. Every team in the top 10 has at least one undeniable flaw.

But don’t worry. In a year where the only consensus is that there is no consensus, I’ve got some ideas. And I’ll sort it all out for you in my Week 8 NFL Power Rankings.

*Super Bowl odds courtesy of DraftKings

Record: 0-6

Previous ranking: 30 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +60000 (28th-best)

The Chargers get the place of honor at the bottom of the rankings as the last remaining winless team in the NFL. And what kind of odds would you have gotten on that before the season started? This is a team that was a sleeper Super Bowl contender not that long ago. Depending on what book you used, the over/under on them for the season was either 9.5 or 10.5 wins. Now, will they even get to four? Better question: When will they get their first win of the season? For obvious reasons, circle their Nov. 22 game at home against everybody’s favorite opponent: the Jets.

Next game: @ Rams (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Chargers are the only team in the NFL that has not won a game this season. 

Record: 2-5

Previous ranking: 28 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +80000 (tied for 29th-best)

Pick your adjective: Inexcusable. Laughable. Disgusting. Predictable. They all apply to the way Aaron Glenn’s lifeless, undisciplined, unprepared team lost to the previously winless Dolphins in front of their disgruntled home fans this past Sunday. There have been worse losses in Jets history, but it’s hard to think of any right now. This was hideous. I’d rank them 39th if I could. That mess killed any goodwill they had built up with their relatively competitive start to the season. And yes, it was the final nail in Aaron Glenn’s tenure. He’ll just be killing time the rest of the season until he’s finally out of a job.

Next game: vs. Raiders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The only rookies with 100-plus receiving yards and a receiving touchdown in a game this season both play for the Jets: Omar Cooper Jr., who has done it twice in three games, and Kenyon Sadiq. 

Is Aaron Glenn on the hot seat following the Jets’ loss to the Dolphins? (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)

Record: 1-5

Previous ranking: 32 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +100000 (tied for last)

Admit it. You knew the Dolphins were going to beat the Jets on Sunday. I mean, if they were going to win one game all season long, that was always going to be it. And of course, it would be at MetLife Stadium. Every Jets fan knew it when they bought their ticket to that game. The Dolphins did it in style, too. Malik Willis threw a 63-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. RB Ollie Gordon ran all over the Jets for 103 yards. And the Miami defense got the big fourth-quarter stop when they needed it. Enjoy it, because things are almost certainly going to get worse — at least until they play the Jets again in Miami on Nov. 29.

Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Miami Dolphins have won a game for the first time since Week 17 of last season, snapping a six-game losing streak. The win is also the first for Jeff Hafley as a head coach.

Record: 1-6

Previous ranking: 31↑

Super Bowl odds: +100000 (tied for last)

The Titans don’t really deserve to move up as much as a few other teams deserved to move down. But give them this: They almost took down the upstart Browns. They even showed some signs of offensive life — or at least RB Tony Pollard (129 yards, 3 touchdowns) did. Their defense was a disaster and they let Deshaun Watson have his first 300-yard passing day in five years. They’re also 1-6, so yeah, they should be lower. Don’t worry. After they lose to the Bengals this Sunday, they’ll probably slide back down before heading into their bye week.

Next game: @ Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: Averaging 168.4 passing yards per game through Week 7, Cam Ward is on pace for the fewest passing yards per game by a quarterback to start every game in the last 20 seasons. 

Record: 2-5

Previous ranking: 26 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +80000 (tied for 29th-best)

Mike LaFleur’s young team really does play hard and manages to hang around much better teams — sometimes. But the Cardinals are still so flawed, and QB Jacoby Brissett isn’t very good, and they remain in the throes of a ridiculous schedule. They’ve got the Cowboys, Seahawks, Rams and Chiefs over the next four weeks, with all but the Rams on the road. Then maybe they can catch their breath and see if they can build a little momentum as they head into the offseason and the NFL draft.

Next game: @ Cowboys (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Cardinals are 2-0 at SoFi Stadium this season and 0-5 everywhere else.  

Record: 1-4-1

Previous ranking: 27

Super Bowl odds: +12500 (21st-best)

Dan Quinn still has his job, which is something of a minor upset as the Commanders return from their bye week. And if they didn’t make the change already, then he’ll probably hang on until the end of the season. The good news for them is the schedule isn’t particularly tough the rest of the way, at least until they get to their late-season road trip through Minnesota and Jacksonville. And the NFC East still stinks, so there are still opportunities to take the division if they don’t fall too far behind. But lower your expectations. They’re 1-4-1 for a reason, and it’s not a good one.

Next game: vs. Eagles (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: Through Week 7, the Commanders have allowed 28.7 points per game, the second-worst mark in the NFL. 

Record: 2-5

Previous ranking: 29 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +10000 (tied for 20th-best)

What in the world …? If someone told me that the Buccaneers were going to score 43 points and run for 258 yards, I would have asked, “You mean over the next two weeks, or three?” But they just grounded the Panthers’ defense to a pulp in the most unexpected fashion imaginable. I’d say it helped that QB Baker Mayfield returned from his thumb injury, but he threw 11 passes and totaled just 64 yards. Give credit to Todd Bowles’ defense (two interceptions) and special teams (recovered muffed punt), I guess. And put Bucs-Panthers high on the list of most inexplicable outcomes of the year.

Next game: vs. Falcons (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: In Sunday’s second quarter, the Buccaneers became just the second team in NFL history with a pass TD, rushing TD, field goal, defensive TD and special teams TD/returned XP in a single quarter. They joined the Jets in Week 1, 2018 (3Q vs. DET).

Record: 2-5

Previous ranking: 24 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +25000 (tied for 26th-best)

For a second-year coach, Kellen Moore sure feels like he’s barely clinging to his job as his team tumbles into its bye week after losing to the Steelers in Paris. The Saints have just been such a disappointment, especially offensively, which was supposed to be Moore’s specialty. And injuries (to RB Travis Etienne and rookie WR Jordyn Tyson) are only a part of it. The Saints have now lost four of five, and their lone win was a hold-on-for-dear-life nailbiter against the Giants. And when they come out of the bye week, there are no breaks in the schedule until nearly Christmas. Things could get ugly, fast. 

Next game: BYE

Stat To Know: The Saints have scored 48 points in the final two minutes of either half this season, the most in the NFL.

Record: 2-5

Previous ranking: 23 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +25000 (tied for 26th-best)

Let the fire sale begin! Everything must go — everything except for RB Jonathan Taylor, who remains the only good thing (and only watchable thing) about this team. Scoring 10 points and gaining just 218 yards against the powerful Vikings’ defense isn’t embarrassing, but that’s their third straight loss, and they’re 2-5 now and it sure doesn’t seem like things are going to get better. They are heading toward an offseason of big changes. There’s no reason not to start making them now.

Next game: @ Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Vikings generated pressure on 60.9% of their blitzes against the Colts, recording four sacks on those plays. Indianapolis has now allowed 10 sacks over its last two games.

Record: 2-5

Previous ranking: 22 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +20000 (25th-best)

If the football gods had any mercy, they’d allow the Eagles to just punt on the rest of the season, because they’re getting kind of hard to look at. They are almost literally being held together by Band-Aids right now. Even Monday night, when they finally got RB Saquon Barkley back, he lasted nine plays before he added a back injury to his hamstring injury. It’s almost hard not to feel bad for them … almost. Actually, it’s probably not that hard for most NFL fans. They’ve been waiting a long time for the Eagles to fall apart like this.

Next game: @ Commanders (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: After starting 2-0 this season, the Eagles have lost five straight games for the first time since Weeks 11-15, 2016.

Record: 3-4

Previous ranking: 25 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +3500 (tied for 15th-best)

Well, it looks like the Cowboys seem to have established themselves as the only team capable of chasing the Giants in the NFC East this year — though that’s not saying much. Their offense had little trouble with a decimated Eagles team, but man, that defense is still a mess. They’re lucky Saquon Barkley couldn’t stay in this game because he was threatening to run all over them. Not that doing that is all that difficult these days. All that money and they’re still giving up about 150 yards per game on the ground. That won’t get them very far.

Next game: vs. Cardinals (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: Despite the win, the Cowboys have allowed 20-plus points in 14 straight games, which is the longest active streak in the NFL by eight games and the longest streak in franchise history.

Dak Prescott threw three touchdowns on Monday night, but the Cowboys have issues all around the quarterback. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Record: 2-5

Previous ranking: 19 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +3500 (tied for 15th-best)

The Texans are undoubtedly a much-improved team over the past three weeks and can take comfort in that as they head into their bye week. But here’s their reality: It was always going to be tough, if not impossible, to rebound from an 0-4 start. The upstart Giants showed them how hard on Sunday by running all over them. The loss was bad enough, but giving up 420 yards to a Giants team starting its third QB this season? This Texans’ defense just hasn’t been good enough and now the club is operating the rest of the season with almost no margin for error.

Next game: BYE

Stat To Know: The Texans’ defense has taken a major step back from last season, falling from second to 20th in points allowed per game and first to 18th in yards allowed per game.

Record: 3-4

Previous ranking: 18 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +15000 (tied for 23rd-best)

Remember when everyone was screaming that the Raiders belonged in the top 10? That was just four weeks and yet four losses ago. In fairness to them, those losses have come against the Chiefs, Patriots, Bills and Rams, and it’s pretty clear that all four of those teams are way out of the Raiders’ league. They do get a break against the Jets next Sunday. But after that, it’s the 49ers, Seahawks, Broncos and Browns. So yes, things definitely can still get worse. Which means it would be a bad time to switch to rookie QB Fernando Mendoza right now.

Next game: @ Jets (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: After starting the season 3-0, the Raiders have lost four straight games, allowing an NFL-worst 35.75 points per game over that span.

Record: 3-4

Previous ranking: 20 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +6500 (tied for 18th-best)

I want to be more excited that the Falcons knocked off the top team in these rankings, but it felt a little fluky to me.  They didn’t exactly light up the 49ers on offense and they didn’t really do that much to stop them on defense. What they got was four turnovers, which counts, but isn’t something that happens all the time. And one came when RB Christian McCaffrey was out. So … yay! Big win. But they’re still 3-4. They are playing a lot better over the past five weeks, though. That does count for something in a really bad division.

Next game: @ Buccaneers (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Falcons’ win over the 49ers on Sunday was their first home win of the season. Atlanta is now 1-3 at home in 2026. 

Record: 4-3

Previous ranking: 14 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +3200 (14th-best)

The Packers were a couple of missed kicks away from beating the Lions and moving up in these rankings, but they just couldn’t make the big stop or the big offensive play when it mattered most. QB Jordan Love is still playing well, and he’s got RB Josh Jacobs back now to boost their rushing attack. And their defense is playing sneaky good too. So the Pack has it all … except that they’re 4-3 and that puts them in last place in their tough division. So they remain in the middle of the pack for now.

Next game: vs. Panthers (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Packers lead the NFL with 20 drops this season, a 7.6% drop rate on 263 targets.

Record: 4-2-1

Previous ranking: 21 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +8000 (20th-best)

Now that was a big and impressive win against a Texans team that was starting to get on a little bit of a roll. The Giants got an impressive performance from new QB J.J. McCarthy, a big rebound game from RB Cam Skattebo and some timely stops from their battered defense. John Harbaugh’s staff even outcoached the Texans in the overtime win. The Giants are now the class of a trash division, heading into their bye week with a 4-2-1 record. As Harbaugh said after the game, the Giants have positioned themselves to be in this until the end. And with the Eagles and Commanders on deck after their break, they can create some real separation in the division.

Next game: BYE

Stat To Know: With their win over the Texans on Sunday, the Giants matched their win total from the 2025 season when they finished 4-13. Last season, they did not get their fourth win until Week 18.

Record: 3-3

Previous ranking: 10 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +5500 (17th-best)

That’ll teach me to put the Panthers in the top 10. I didn’t feel good about it then, and I sure don’t feel good about it after their inexplicable, disgusting 43-13 loss to the Bucs. I mean, Tampa QB Baker Mayfield threw for 64 yards and the Panthers still gave up 43 points. The Bucs ran for 258 yards! A week ago, I thought QB Bryce Young was a dark horse MVP candidate, and then he goes out and barely completes half his passes, throws for 163 yards and gets picked off twice? That’s the thanks I get for my faith.

Next game: @ Packers (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Panthers have now given up 40-plus points in two of their first three home games this season. 

Record: 4-3

Previous ranking: 9 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +1300 (tied for seventh-best)

Paging Lamar Jackson, you are needed in Baltimore, stat. Jesse Minter tried to keep this team afloat while his star QB was out with an ankle injury, but it’s all come apart over the past two games, as the Ravens have scored a total of 20 points. Add that to their total defensive collapse in the second half against the Bengals on Sunday, not to mention their upcoming games against the Bills and the Jaguars, and they are standing on the edge of a dangerous cliff. Jackson is good enough to rescue them. But he better come back quickly.

Next game: @ Bills (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Ravens surrendered 35 unanswered points to the Bengals after holding a double-digit lead, the first time that has happened in franchise history. 

Record: 5-2

Previous ranking: 17 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +15000 (tied for 23rd-best)

All the Browns do is win. It’s never pretty. It’s never impressive. And sometimes it doesn’t even make sense. But somehow they’re 5-2 despite giving up 13 points more than they’ve scored. This past Sunday, they needed QB Deshaun Watson’s first 300-yard game in five years to beat a bad Titans team on a last-second field goal. Sometimes they win with defense. Whatever it takes. Rookie coach Todd Monken somehow keeps pushing the right buttons, and no coach in the league is doing more with less.

Next game: @ Steelers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The last time the Browns were in first place in the AFC North this late in a season was in Week 10 of the 2014 season. 

Record: 5-2

Previous ranking: 15 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +6500 (tied for 18th-best)

It’s probably time I stopped underestimating the Steelers, who have won three straight now and have only been out of one game this season in the final minutes. They win ugly and their 42-year-old QB is a shell of his old self, but give Mike McCarthy credit. Pittsburgh finds ways to win. And the emergence of RB Jaylen Warren as a legitimate two-way weapon has been huge for a team that needs to carry Rodgers more than he can carry them. It would be a big boost for the Steelers if they can beat the Browns at home next Sunday and stay atop the AFC North heading into their bye.

Next game: vs. Browns (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Steelers now have a 5-2 record. They have made the postseason in 10 of the previous 11 seasons when starting 5-2 or better.

Record: 3-4

Previous ranking: 16 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +1050 (fourth-best)

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in. It wasn’t just because of their win over the Raiders on Sunday. It was the way they raced out to a 28-3 lead, with some outstanding passing by QB Matthew Stafford and a strong, two-pronged rushing attack from Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. Their defense is a little shaky at times, but their offense still has the goods. If only they could put it together for more than one game at a time.

Next game: vs. Chargers (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: With three passing touchdowns against the Raiders, Matthew Stafford is now the all-time leader in passing touchdowns in Rams franchise history.

Record: 4-3

Previous ranking: 11

Super Bowl odds: +1900 (tied for 11th-best)

The Patriots’ narrow loss to the Bears on Thursday night might only be a bump in the road for a team that is clearly back on the right track. Drake Maye continues to play well. The Patriots still don’t run the ball very well, though, and that’s going to be a problem against a schedule that just doesn’t get much easier between now and the playoffs. They’re going to need to hold the ball to slow down some of the high-powered offenses they face. If they keep playing shootouts, it’s not going to end well for them.

Next game: @ Dolphins (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: Rhamondre Stevenson’s 48-yard touchdown catch as time expired in the first half against the Bears was the Patriots’ longest touchdown to end a half since 2010. Over the past 20 years, 1,006 passes have been thrown in the final 10 seconds of a half from at least 40 yards from the end zone and traveled 10 or fewer air yards. Drake Maye’s throw to Stevenson was the only one to result in a touchdown.

Record: 4-2

Previous ranking: 13 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +2100 (13th-best)

Head coach Dan Campbell’s decision not to fire defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard looked a lot better than anyone expected when the Lions held the Packers to 17 points this past Sunday. It wasn’t a perfect effort, but they prevented the big plays when it mattered the most. And if they can actually get their defensive issues ironed out, they’ll be a strong Super Bowl contender. Their offense is good enough to beat anybody. They just need their defense to stop giving games away.

Next game: vs. Vikings (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Lions’ 4-2 start marks the first time in franchise history they’ve won at least four of their first six games in four consecutive seasons. 

Record: 4-2

Previous ranking: 12 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +1600 (ninth-best)

They were shut out in the first half against Baltimore and had 59 total yards. That’s obscene for a team with as many weapons as they have. Then they scored 35 points and gained 299 yards in the second half, turning the game into a rout and reminding the world how dangerous they really are. I don’t even know what to say about Zac Taylor and this team anymore, though. The lack of consistency is absolutely maddening. But that second half showed why I keep ranking them this high. When they get going, they’re as good as any team in the league.

Next game: vs. Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: After trailing 13-0 at halftime, the Bengals scored 35 unanswered points in the second half against the Ravens. The 35 second-half points are tied for the second-most points scored in any second half in Bengals franchise history, and their most in a second half since October 29, 1989. 

Joe Burrow threw four touchdown passes in the second half of the Bengals’ win over the Ravens. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Record: 4-2

Previous ranking: 8

Super Bowl odds: +1200 (sixth-best)

The 34 points the Jaguars gave up to the Texans before their bye week looks like a real anomaly for a defense that has been mostly impressive this season. It’s certainly nothing to worry about considering their upcoming schedule. They face the Colts, Ravens, Giants and Titans (twice) over the next five weeks. The Ravens and Giants are tough, but each of those games is winnable. The Jaguars could be rising in these rankings fast.

Next game: vs. Colts (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Jaguars have gone 23 straight games without allowing a 75-plus-yard rusher, tied for the third-longest streak since 1966. Only the 49ers have had longer streaks: 27 games from 2021-23 and 26 games from 1989-91. 

Record: 4-3

Previous ranking: 7

Super Bowl odds: +1100 (fifth-best)

The Seahawks just beat the No. 2 team in these rankings, knocking the Chiefs from their unbeaten perch. But the truth is they’re kind of wedged here in this spot because of their unflattering record. The defending champs are 4-3 and there’s just no way around that, even though two of those losses were to the 49ers and Broncos, two of the toughest teams in the league. The Seahawks are clearly capable of greatness, especially on defense. If they beat the Bears next Monday, they’ll likely be back in the top 5.

Next game: vs. Bears (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Seahawks held the Chiefs to their fewest points (three, tied), total yards (213), first downs (11), and red zone drives (zero) in any game started by Patrick Mahomes. 

Record: 5-2

Previous ranking: 6

Super Bowl odds: +1400 (eighth-best)

A healthy Caleb Williams really does change everything for the Bears, and it honestly doesn’t look like he’s 100% back yet. Once he is, there may be no stopping the Bears — or at least the Bears’ offense. The defense has shown some holes the past few weeks against some pretty high-powered offenses. It’s probably still good enough for the Bears to make a deep run. They’re playing and acting like they can. But it’s clearly Ben Johnson’s offense that’s going to carry them to the end.

Next game: @ Seahawks (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: D’Andre Swift is the first Bears running back with at least seven touchdowns through the team’s first seven games of a season since Neal Anderson in 1990.

Record: 6-1

Previous ranking: 1 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +580 (best)

I admittedly feel a little bad about dropping the 49ers this far against a Falcons team that has been impressive at times over the past few weeks, especially since I still suspect this is the best team in football — you know, in those rare moments when they’re mostly healthy. But there’s no avoiding the reality that they are incredibly banged up, and they added RB Christian McCaffrey to their injury list with a calf injury. Mostly, though, I’m concerned about this: They’ve turned the ball over eight times in the past three games, including four on Sunday. They’re too good to be that careless with the ball.

Next game: BYE

Stat To Know: Despite their first loss of the season to the Falcons, the 49ers lead the NFL in offensive play success rate (60.6%) and net passing yards per pass play (7.83). San Francisco also ranks second in yards per play (6.36), behind only the Bills (6.48), and third-down conversion rate (50%).

Record: 5-2

Previous ranking: 4

Super Bowl odds: +1900 (tied for 11th-best)

The Broncos may have scored 30 points against the Cardinals, but this team still has a Bo Nix problem. He scored on a 62-yard run of his own and threw a short pass that RB R.J. Harvey turned into a 52-yard score. But other than that, the Broncos quarterback was once again unimpressive and downright shaky. Maybe this is just the way it’s going to be. The Broncos are just going to keep finding a way to win. But Nix is probably going to have to get it together at some point — like, perhaps, next Sunday against the Chiefs.

Next game: vs. Chiefs (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: With their win over the Cardinals on Sunday, the Broncos are 12-2 vs. NFC opponents since the start of the 2024 season.

Record: 5-1

Previous ranking: 2 ↓

Super Bowl odds: +900 (third)

The Chiefs were bound to stumble at some point, but that was one ugly way to do it. Patrick Mahomes managed just 165 passing yards and an interception against the tough Seattle defense. And RB Kenneth Walker III was held to just 36 rushing yards by his former team. Given how bad that was, it’s probably worth noting that the Chiefs haven’t exactly played a tough schedule. They are now set up for a very interesting rematch this week with the best team they beat: the Broncos.

Next game: @ Broncos (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: During the 20-3 loss to the Seahawks, Kansas City never reached the red zone, the first time that has happened in a Patrick Mahomes NFL start, with Sunday being his 153rd career start, including the playoffs. 

Record: 6-0

Previous ranking: 5 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +1700 (10th-best)

Well, the Vikings are the last of the undefeated teams, but the Week 6 bye didn’t exactly do anything for their quarterback problem. Against a suspect Colts defense, Kyler Murray threw for 150 yards, which is almost criminal considering he’s got wideouts Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison on his side. Every week I am incredibly impressed with Brian Flores’ defense, but I wonder how long the Vikings can survive without a functioning offense. The Lions, Bills, Packers and 49ers are their next four opponents, so I suspect we’re about to find out. But for now, they get their highest ranking of the season. Sorry — the way they play offense, I just can’t put them at No. 1.

Next game: @ Lions (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: The Vikings extended their winning streak to 11 games, tying the 1986-87 Bears for the longest winning streak with at least four different starting quarterbacks since 1950.

Record: 5-1

Previous ranking: 3 ↑

Super Bowl odds: +700 (second-best)

The Bills are back on top, mostly by default as they come off their bye week. They’ll only stay here if they’ve spent their week off plugging their defensive holes. They’re going to be tested quickly, too, with a game against the Ravens, in what should be Lamar Jackson’s first game back from his ankle injury. The 1-2 punch of Josh Allen and James Cook is enough to give the Bills the temporary crown, though. It’ll be fascinating to see how this high-powered offense does in two weeks in Minnesota. But the real test comes on Thanksgiving when they face their nemesis, the Chiefs.

Next game: vs. Ravens (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Stat To Know: Through Week 7, the Bills lead the NFL in scoring (32.8 points per game), yards per play (6.48), points per drive (3.28) and scoring drive percentage (60%).

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The Cowboys and Eagles came out of the gates hot, teasing us with the prospect of a highly entertaining shootout. But it wasn’t to be. 

As expected, a Philadelphia offense missing Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith couldn’t match the pace or keep up with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens in the 38-21 loss on Monday night. 

Eagles backup Tanner McKee got off to a solid start, but quickly spiraled and threw away the game. Saquon Barkley’s return from a hamstring injury helped early on, but he aggravated it on his second carry and was compromised for the rest of the night. 

Dallas did just enough to turn this one into a laugher. Dak Prescott threw for three touchdowns, and the running backs racked up 196 yards on the ground. The defense eventually tightened up after a few costly mistakes helped the Eagles score in the first half.

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Baker Mayfield returned to the lineup for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but it was nearly everyone around him on his team who stood out in Week 7.

We have several players from the Bucs on our All-Star Team this week, and rightly so. They absolutely dominated the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, picking up a 43-13 win to keep up in the NFC South race. 

A handful of other stars also had standout performances. In fact, we had a slew of quarterbacks who had a strong case to be featured on this week’s All-Star Team. However, one second-half performance was too strong for us to overlook.

So, who are our All-Stars for this week? Here’s a full look at our Week 7 All-Star Team.

Easy call at quarterback this week, and most of Joe Burrow’s production came in the second half. The Cincinnati Bengals turned a 13-0 deficit into a 35-13 win over the Baltimore Ravens. Burrow threw for four touchdowns after halftime, going 16-for-18 for 249 yards in the second half alone. 

We could have gone with Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who had three touchdowns as they handed the San Francisco 49ers their first loss, or either QB in Thursday’s game. Young stars Caleb Williams and Drake Maye went for 300-plus yards and two touchdown passes in the Chicago Bears’ win over the New England Patriots. 

Going back to Burrow, he has 15 touchdowns against three interceptions, giving him the best passer rating he’s ever had six games into a season.

Tony Pollard had a monster first half, finishing with 129 rushing yards and three scores in the Tennessee Titans’ loss to the Cleveland Browns. Bucky Irving was busy in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ rout of the Carolina Panthers, rushing for 106 yards and two touchdowns as part of a 258-yard rushing day for the team. 

This wasn’t easy to choose, though. Quinshon Judkins went for 96 and two scores in beating Pollard and the Titans, and New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo finished with 124 yards and a touchdown in their win over the Houston Texans.

A pair of regulars make the cut at wide receiver. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had nine catches for 150 and a touchdown as the Seattle Seahawks handed the Kansas City Chiefs their first loss, and Tee Higgins was central in Burrow’s huge second half, finishing with six catches for 148 yards and a score.

The Detroit Lions’ 1-2 punch split the vote and missed out, with Jameson Williams getting 92 yards and two touchdowns and Amon-Ra St. Brown getting 153 yards and no scores in the win over the Green Bay Packers. Harder to get the nod in a loss, but Baltimore’s Zay Flowers had 137 and a score from a backup quarterback in Snoop Huntley.

It was a bit of a quiet day for National Tight Ends Day — the card is in the mail — but we chose Colston Loveland, who had seven for 69 and a touchdown in their win on Thursday. Yes, Cardinals fans, we saw Trey McBride get 10 catches for 111 yards and a score, but he had 20 yards on six targets in the first half and got his yards late as they trailed big against the Denver Broncos. We could have chosen the young New York Jets standout Mason Taylor, who had 62 yards and two scores, but it’s hard to reward someone who lost to the Miami Dolphins.

OL: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers needed a win badly and leaned heavy on their offensive line, with 49 rushes for 258 yards in a rout of the Panthers, who have now given up the biggest rushing days in the NFL this season. Props to the line of (l-r) Tristan Wirfs, Ben Bredeson, Graham Barton, Cody Mauch and backup Ben Chukwuma, who hadn’t taken an offensive snap all season and played every snap Sunday, filling in for an injured Luke Goedeke. Baker Mayfield, nursing an injured thumb, threw only 11 times, so zero sacks doesn’t mean quite as much.

Yaya Diaby had been quiet this year, but broke loose for three sacks while playing only 22 snaps in the Buccaneers’ rout of the Panthers, including sacks of Bryce Young on back-to-back plays. 

Very few multi-sack games this weekend, so we go with Adetomiwa Adebawore, who had two sacks as the Indianapolis Colts nearly handed the Minnesota Vikings their first loss. Could go with Bengals star Dexter Lawrence as he had a sack and four tackles, but we’ll go with Tomi, a fourth-year pro who’s still only 25 and has eight sacks since the start of the 2025 season.

Blake Cashman was all over the place in Brian Flores’ blitz-happy defense, piling up 12 tackles, two sacks, three quarterback hits and four passes defensed. That little-of-everything game, at the center of a defense-driven win, gets the nod over Denver’s Alex Singleton, who had 19 (!) tackles and a sack in its win over Arizona. Props also to Atlanta’s Kendal Daniels, who sealed the Falcons’ win with a pick of Brock Purdy and had 11 tackles and a fumble recovery.

Jessie Bates’ diving, toe-tap sideline interception of Purdy trying to throw the ball away might be the single most impressive play of the weekend. Purdy had just two picks in six games coming into Sunday’s game, and Bates also forced a fumble late to stop the 49ers’ last hopes of any comeback.

Tampa Bay is all over this team this week. Tykee Smith and Zyron McCollum combined on a rare kick-two — Smith blocked a Carolina extra point and McCollum took it all the way for a defensive two-point conversion. Both of them also had interceptions off Bryce Young, who had two picks in his first five games combined. 

Watch the blocked extra point, and the Bucs have 10 defensive starters on the field on the block unit, a big investment that paid off. Tampa Bay’s special teams also recovered a muffed punt to set up a short field and an early score.

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