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It's Week 7 of the 2022 NFL season, and present are our play crippled takeaways.
On Thursday night, the Arizona Cardinals' discourtesy came live astatine location against the New Orleans Saints. Sunday came with a fewer surprises: Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' discourtesy struggled against a Carolina Panthers squad potentially successful the midst of a rebuild, and the Green Bay Packers mislaid for the 3rd week successful row, this clip to the Washington Commanders -- who started Taylor Heinicke astatine QB.
Dak Prescott returned to pb the Dallas Cowboys implicit the Detroit Lions, the New York Giants survived a precocious propulsion from the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Tennessee Titans stayed atop the AFC South with different triumph implicit the Indianapolis Colts, and the Ravens' defence held disconnected the Cleveland Browns successful Baltimore. Four teams -- the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles -- had a bye and volition instrumentality successful Week 8.
Our NFL Nation reporters respond with the biggest takeaways and lingering questions coming retired of this week's matchups and look up to what's next. Let's get to it.
Jump to a matchup:
NO-ARI | ATL-CIN | DET-DAL | IND-TEN
GB-WSH | TB-CAR | NYG-JAX | CLE-BAL
Carolina 21, Tampa Bay 3
Panthers
What to know: The remainder of the NFL mightiness person declared the Panthers (2-5) successful vessel mode aft they traded prima moving backmost Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers connected Thursday, but interim manager Steve Wilks and his players aren't going determination arsenic they promised each week. They enactment unneurotic their astir implicit crippled of the season, yet getting capable discourtesy to backmost yet different coagulated antiaircraft performance. They showed they inactive person the combat to stay successful the contention for the NFC South, moving wrong a crippled of Tampa Bay (3-4) and Atlanta (3-4) with the Falcons adjacent connected the schedule. And backmost PJ Walker showed helium should stay the starter adjacent erstwhile Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold instrumentality from ankle injuries. And, oh, that McCaffrey fellow. The Panthers got astir 200 yards rushing retired of their caller two-headed monster successful D'Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard.
Should PJ Walker commencement adjacent week adjacent if Baker Mayfield is acceptable to return? Absolutely. Walker was allowed to bash what helium does champion connected Sunday successful presumption of getting the shot downfield, and helium responded with 2 touchdowns connected an businesslike 16 of 22 passing. He's present 3-1 arsenic an NFL starter, 1-1 this season. Mayfield won't similar it but this whitethorn awesome the extremity for him astatine Carolina. It felt similar it was the extremity adjacent earlier today, with the league-low numbers Mayfield was putting up. -- David Newton
Next game: astatine Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Buccaneers
What to know: For the 2nd week successful a row, Tom Brady and the Bucs were favored by 9.5 points, and erstwhile again, they stunk it up, this clip against a squad that fired its caput manager and precocious traded distant 2 violative stars. The Bucs' discourtesy looked perfectly dreadful with an abundance of dropped passes, miscues, questionable play-calling and of course, extortion issues, mustering 3 measly points. Perhaps the lone positive: the Falcons mislaid too, meaning that astatine 3-4, the Bucs are inactive tied for archetypal place. But what consolation is that erstwhile they've present mislaid 4 retired of their past five?
What went incorrect this time? More like, what didn't spell wrong? Mike Evans dropped what mightiness person been the astir wide-open touchdown walk of his vocation connected the opening drive. They were stonewalled erstwhile again successful abbreviated yardage with Leonard Fournette going obscurity connected third-and-1 and fourth-and-1. And Brady failed to link with Evans, Chris Godwin and Russell Gage successful the extremity portion connected 3 consecutive incomplete passes from the 8-yard line. Defensively, they couldn't halt the tally -- surrendering 173 yards, including a 60-yard tally from D'Onta Foreman. Hosting the Baltimore Ravens successful 4 days, they'll besides present apt beryllium without Antoine Winfield Jr., who near Sunday's crippled with a concussion. -- Jenna Laine
Next game: vs. Ravens (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
0:34
D'Onta Foreman breaks escaped for a 60-yard run, and Chuba Hubbard runs successful a 17-yard touchdown connected the adjacent play.
Dallas 24, Detroit 6
Cowboys
What to know: If determination was a uncertainty -- and by present determination shouldn't beryllium -- the Cowboys' defence volition transportation them to success. Not adjacent backmost Dak Prescott's instrumentality aft a five-game lack could get the Cowboys' discourtesy rolling. But the defence came through. Again. After allowing 2 touchdowns past week versus Philadelphia for the archetypal clip this season, the defence did not let a touchdown against a Lions discourtesy that came successful averaging 28 points a game. They besides changed the momentum of the crippled with 5 takeaways successful the 2nd fractional that the discourtesy turned into 21 points: a Trevon Diggs' interception, an Anthony Barr fumble betterment astatine the Dallas 1, a Jourdan Lewis interception successful the 4th quarter, a Sam Williams' sack/fumble and a DeMarcus Lawrence fumble betterment to extremity the game.
Will the Cowboys ever fig retired their third-down woes connected offense? If they don't, they volition not beryllium a superior threat. They entered the crippled converting conscionable 32% of their third-down tries and things were expected to beryllium amended upon Prescott's return. They were 3-of-9 connected 3rd down. Through 3 quarters, Prescott was 0-for-1 with 2 sacks connected 3rd down. In the opener against Tampa Bay, helium was 3-of-9 with an interception connected 3rd down. In the 4th quarter, they were stopped connected third-and-1 erstwhile the Lions snuffed retired a flip play to Tony Pollard. -- Todd Archer
Next game: vs. Bears (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Lions
What to know: Turnovers perfectly wounded the Lions successful captious moments. Quarterback Jared Goff threw 2 interceptions -- and added 2 fumbles successful the fourth. Also, moving backmost Jamaal Williams fumbled doubly -- including 1 astatine the extremity enactment to commencement the fourth. Detroit was already facing an uphill conflict aft losing wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to a concussion during the archetypal quarter. And they were playing without receiver DJ Chark (ankle) -- who was precocious placed connected injured reserve -- and moving backmost D'Andre Swift (shoulder/ankle) who has missed the past 3 games. So those mistakes proved to beryllium costly portion being undermanned.
Will the Lions' defence amended from this show moving forward? This play it's been pugnacious to get the discourtesy and defence connected the aforesaid page. Entering this game, Detroit's defence was allowing a league-high 34 points per game, but during the bye, antiaircraft coordinator Aaron Glenn made immoderate changes, notably having No. 2 wide prime Aidan Hutchinson enactment with some the linebackers and antiaircraft lineman to enactment him successful amended positioning for success. It worked successful Dallas, arsenic helium racked up 1.5 sacks. Plus, Texas autochthonal Jeff Okudah played inspired shot with a career-high 15 full tackles. So, yeah, they surely can't bash immoderate worse than the archetypal 4 games, erstwhile the defence was horrendous. On a agleam note, they allowed a season-low 24 points to the Cowboys -- but a nonaccomplishment is simply a loss. -- Eric Woodyard
Next game: vs. Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Tennessee 19, Indianapolis 10
Titans
What to know: The Titans completed a expanse of the Colts to instrumentality a commanding spot atop the AFC South. The Titans' antiaircraft beforehand dominated the trenches, harassing Colts backmost Matt Ryan for astir of the day. Denico Autry continued his revenge circuit against his erstwhile squad with a sack. Bud Dupree and Jeffery Simmons besides had sacks. Pressure from Dupree led to 2 interceptions for the Titans. One of the interceptions was returned 76 yards for a touchdown by information Andrew Adams. Tennessee has 4 much games wrong the part and present has a 4-2 record, acknowledgment to a four-game triumph streak.
Can the Titans proceed to triumph games successful specified an disfigured manner? Although it counts arsenic a win, the Titans' triumph wasn't pretty. Tennessee won chiefly connected the spot of its defence with 2 interceptions, including a 76-yard pick-six by information Andrew Adams. The Titans don't present galore explosive plays, alternatively relying connected agelong drives to get connected the scoreboard, arsenic evidenced by their 31-minute clip of possession connected Sunday. Derrick Henry has 3 100-yard rushing performances successful Tennessee's 4 wins. Simply put, this squad finds a mode to win. However, things volition get pugnacious for the Titans implicit the adjacent 5 weeks with matchups against the Chiefs, Packers and Bengals connected the docket. -- Turron Davenport
Next game: astatine Texans (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Colts
What to know: The Colts thought they recovered a viable way connected discourtesy with their champion showing successful Week 6, against Jacksonville. But the dense passing onslaught didn't enactment arsenic efficaciously against Tennessee arsenic the Titans harassed backmost Matt Ryan passim and dominated the Colts' violative line. Ryan threw 2 interceptions -- including 1 that was returned for a TD -- and present has 12 turnovers for the season. The instrumentality of moving backs Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines from injuries didn't alteration the result for the Colts, who are moving retired of clip to salvage their floundering offense.
Can the Colts hole their offense? Against teams that don't person ascendant antiaircraft fronts, the Colts apt person capable firepower to marque things pugnacious connected opponents. But erstwhile they neglect to triumph up front, arsenic they did connected Sunday, it's easier for a defence to neutralize receivers Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce and Parris Campbell. Their problems are fundamental: An violative enactment that is playing astatine an unacceptable level and a backmost who is shrinking successful the look of the resulting walk rush. How bash you hole that? -- Stephen Holder
Next game: vs. Commanders (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Cincinnati 35, Atlanta 17
Bengals
What to know: Earlier successful the week, Bengals backmost Joe Burrow said a three-game agelong against the Falcons, Browns and Panthers was going to specify Cincinnati's season. It represented 3 opportunities to slope victories successful a choky AFC North contention heading into the team's bye successful Week 10. Behind a record-breaking time from Burrow, who became the archetypal subordinate successful NFL past to person 5 games of 400 oregon much passing yards successful his archetypal 3 seasons, Cincinnati started retired with a win.
Buy oregon merchantability WR Tyler Boyd's performance? Buy. Boyd had a career-high 155 receiving yards, with the bulk of that coming successful the archetypal quarter. Even with an discourtesy that features Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Boyd showed wherefore manager Zac Taylor considers Boyd 1 of the champion slot receivers successful the league. -- Ben Baby
Next game: astatine Browns (Monday, Oct. 31, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Falcons
What to know: On an disfigured time each around, particularly for a defence near shorthanded by A.J. Terrell's hamstring injury, determination whitethorn yet beryllium bully quality for the Falcons: Not galore offenses are arsenic explosive arsenic the Bengals. And with a agelong that includes games against the Bears, Commanders, Steelers and 2 against the Panthers coming up, the Falcons person to anticipation this was a atrocious matchup alternatively of a motion of problems to come.
Can Atlanta's discourtesy prolong erstwhile it gets into a hole? Based disconnected what we've seen this season, it's inactive a spot unclear. But Sunday did not supply overmuch confidence. Trailing by 18 points successful the 4th quarter, the Falcons appeared to enactment successful their aforesaid run-based offense. It worked successful comebacks-just-short against the Buccaneers and Rams, but against a much explosive discourtesy successful Cincinnati, and with the team's secondary decimated by injury, it didn't work. This is going to beryllium thing to wage attraction to going guardant but isn't a immense concern. Yet. -- Michael Rothstein
Next game: vs. Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
0:19
Ja'Marr Chase goes 41 yards into the extremity portion for different Bengals' touchdown.
Baltimore 23, Cleveland 20
Ravens
What to know: The Ravens inactive person fourth-quarter issues but yet got immoderate bully luck astatine the end. It looked similar Baltimore was astir to springiness distant different double-digit pb aft moving backmost Justice Hill fumbled with 3:12 near successful the game. But Malik Harrison blocked a imaginable game-tying 61-yard tract goal. Then Ravens information Geno Stone forced a fumble connected the Browns' last possession arsenic the crippled ended. The Ravens avoided becoming conscionable the 3rd squad successful the past decennary to suffer 4 times successful the archetypal 7 weeks successful games successful which they held double-digit leads.
What's going connected with Lamar Jackson throwing the ball? Defenses person turned up the vigor with blitzes, and Jackson has not been crisp oregon decisive with the ball. On Sunday, helium finished with 120 yards passing, the sixth fewest of his five-year career. Two completions -- a 31-yard walk to Devin Duvernay and a 19-yard dump-off to fullback Patrick Ricard -- accounted for 50 of those yards. Jackson said this week that the Ravens request to halt overthinking and conscionable play. But Baltimore's issues spell deeper than that. Over the past 4 games, Jackson has thrown 3 TDs and 4 INTs. -- Jamison Hensley
Next game: astatine Buccaneers (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Browns
What to know: Cleveland played arguably its champion crippled of the play successful Baltimore. But excessively galore errors connected a imaginable game-winning thrust sank the Browns, giving them their 4th consecutive loss. An violative walk interference telephone connected Amari Cooper negated his go-ahead TD reception. Then a mendacious commencement connected a game-tying FG forced Cade York to effort a 60-yard try. The tract extremity was blocked, sealing the triumph for Baltimore.
Can Cleveland retrieve from 4 consecutive losses? The Browns desperately needed this triumph to bent astir successful the AFC North race. Now, astatine 2-5 with arguably the league's toughest remaining schedule, Cleveland's play is officially connected beingness support. A nonaccomplishment to Cincinnati adjacent week connected "Monday Night Football" would efficaciously beryllium the decease knell -- earlier the Browns adjacent scope their midseason bye. -- Jake Trotter
Next game: vs. Bengals (Monday, Oct. 31, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Washington 23, Green Bay 21
Commanders
What to know: Quarterback Taylor Heinicke's crippled won't triumph immoderate quality pageants but helium excels astatine ignoring the aesthetics and competes. It's wherefore helium tin person a brutal commencement -- with a first-half pick-six and galore disfigured incompletions aboriginal -- pb a win. It helped that Washington ran the shot for 167 yards. And receiver Terry McLaurin came done with a large 2nd fractional with a touchdown drawback and cardinal completions connected the last drive. But Heinicke's grit allows him to disregard plays that could ruin different quarterbacks coming disconnected the bench. It's wherefore Washington has won 2 successful a row.
Has the defence turned it around? The Commanders person benefitted from playing struggling offenses the past 2 games successful Chicago and Green Bay. But they person played amended mostly due to the fact that of their quality to halt the run; they've allowed lone 3.67 yards per transportation successful the past 5 games -- 4th champion successful the NFL. Also, with country William Jackson III sidelined they've been much accordant successful coverage, particularly successful zone. With Chase Young perchance backmost wrong 2 weeks, the defence could beryllium the crushed for immoderate resurgence. -- John Keim
Next game: astatine Colts (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Packers
What to know: If the Packers can't bushed the New York Giants, New York Jets and Washington Commanders, ideate what the Buffalo Bills are going to bash to them adjacent Sunday successful Orchard Park, New York. The Bills person the astir explosive discourtesy successful the NFL. They pb the league successful yards per crippled and fertile 2nd successful points. Their defence leads the league successful fewest points allowed and ranks 2nd successful yards. Oh yeah, and the Bills were connected their bye this play and play the Packers astatine location successful a prime-time game. This was expected to beryllium a get-back-on-track crippled aft 2 consecutive losses. Instead, they person their archetypal three-game losing streak since 2018.
Now volition the Packers get different receiver? Yes, it's the aforesaid question arsenic past week aft the nonaccomplishment to the Jets. The commercialized deadline is simply a small much than a week distant and without a important addition, it's hard to spot however their passing crippled volition improve. The instrumentality of Sammy Watkins, who missed 4 weeks with a hamstring injury, didn't instantly help. Aaron Rodgers had not attempted a walk that traveled much than 10 yards successful the aerial until the last 2 minutes of the archetypal fractional connected Sunday and erstwhile helium yet did, Watkins wasn't accelerated capable to tally nether it. It was truthful acold disconnected that flags for walk interference were picked up due to the fact that the shot was deemed uncatchable. Their fastest receiver, rookie Christian Watson, missed a 2nd consecutive crippled with a hamstring injury. -- Rob Demovsky
Next game: astatine Bills (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
N.Y. Giants 23, Jacksonville 17
Giants
What to know: The Giants support uncovering ways to win, adjacent if it's conscionable by 1 yard. Trevor Lawrence and the Jags' discourtesy were connected the doorstep precocious successful the game, but Lawrence's walk to Christian Kirk was stuffed astatine the 1-yard enactment arsenic clip expired. The Giants leaned for astir of 3 quarters connected the limb -- and legs -- of backmost Daniel Jones, with Jacksonville concentrating connected limiting Saquon Barkley (72 of his 110 rushing yards came successful the 4th quarter). Jones threw for 202 yards and a touchdown and ran for 107 yards and different score. It's what they needed against a Jaguars defence that has been beardown successful stopping the run. This was the benignant of crippled that showed Jones (despite 5 dropped passes) has the quality to not lone negociate games, but triumph them. He led his 4th fourth-quarter comeback this season.
Just however atrocious are the injuries? Rookie close tackle Evan Neal (knee), choky extremity Daniel Bellinger (eye) and near defender Ben Bredeson (knee) each near the crippled successful the archetypal half. Those are 3 starters. Early indications are Neal and Bredeson avoided superior injury, according to sources. That's a positive. Bellinger was taken to a section infirmary for further evaluation. The Giants' discourtesy was already constricted entering Sunday. It can't spend for immoderate of these injuries to beryllium agelong term. The injured trio from Sunday has started each crippled this play -- Jordan Raanan
Next game: astatine Seahawks (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Jaguars
What to know: Travis Etienne Jr. has taken implicit arsenic the Jaguars' apical back. He started for the 2nd consecutive week and had the breakout crippled that galore person been expecting (114 yards rushing). Etienne averaged 8.1 yards per transportation and scored his archetypal NFL touchdown connected a 7-yard run. James Robinson, who had started the archetypal 5 games this play and 32 overall, didn't person a transportation oregon a reception successful a crippled successful which helium has played for the archetypal clip successful his career. He was targeted conscionable once, connected a walk that Trevor Lawrence overthrew successful the extremity zone.
Where is the walk rush? The Jaguars' walk unreserved looked formidable aft putting up 7 sacks successful the archetypal 2 games, but it has managed conscionable six since -- and lone 2 successful the past 2 games (just 1 against Daniel Jones). Head manager Doug Pederson said teams are devising crippled plans to halt No. 1 wide prime Travon Walker by chipping him oregon double-teaming him. But that means Josh Allen should beryllium getting to the QB more. He did participate the week with 25 QB pressures, per NFL Next Gen Stats, but helium hasn't had a sack since Week 4 and has conscionable 3 this season. Those 2 person to beryllium much productive. -- Mike DiRocco
Next game: vs. Broncos (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET)
0:22
Daniel Jones pushes his mode done the extremity portion to enactment the Giants up precocious successful the 4th quarter.
Thursday
Arizona 42, New Orleans 34
Cardinals
What to know: The Cardinals' discourtesy isn't retired of the woods yet. Yes, it played arsenic good arsenic it has played each play during Thursday's triumph implicit the Saints, but Kyler Murray said there's things that the discourtesy inactive needs to enactment on. And he's not wrong. The Cardinals were saved by the defense, which returned 2 interceptions for touchdowns. Take those away, and the Cardinals would've lost. Next week successful Minnesota volition beryllium the existent gauge for this discourtesy to spot if it's making strides oregon inactive stuck successful the mud. Having 9 days betwixt games volition springiness guys similar DeAndre Hopkins and Robbie Anderson a accidental to get acclimated more, and players similar James Conner and Rodney Hudson a accidental to get healthy.
Was Thursday nighttime the spark the Cardinals' needed to crook astir the season? It'll help, nary doubt, but the triumph was somewhat built connected mendacious pretenses due to the fact that the Saints were down to their apical 2 corners and apical 2 receivers. If Arizona plays good and tin bushed the Vikings convincingly adjacent week, past yes, the Cardinals volition beryllium connected their mode to turning astir the season. -- Josh Weinfuss
Next game: astatine Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Saints
What to know: The Saints are a messiness connected some sides of the ball, but nary of these problems are new. Turnovers, missed tackles and penalties person defined the Saints' individuality this season, and adjacent wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith said self-inflicted wounds are sidesplitting the team. Smith said that Alvin Kamara told the squad aft the game: "We've got to truly constabulary ourselves, clasp our ain selves accountable, clasp our teammates accountable."
How does the coaching unit hole the team's problems with aggregate injuries? Saints manager Dennis Allen said the occupation starts with him, and erstwhile asked however the coaches marque changes going forward, helium said it's astir "getting the close radical successful the close spots." Allen admitted that is simply a pugnacious happening to do, particularly considering the wellness of the squad is his biggest concern. With the Saints down 3 cornerbacks and respective players connected offense, determination mightiness not beryllium galore options for the Saints to crook to. -- Katherine Terrell
Next game: vs. Raiders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
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