Each Sunday, three of The Athletic’s NFL writers react to the biggest news, plays and performances from the day’s games.
How surreal was the Broncos’ 33-32 win over the Giants? Denver scored all 33 of its points in the fourth quarter, the most points an NFL team has ever scored in the final quarter after being shut out through three quarters. There were three lead changes after the two-minute warning, with Denver taking its first lead of the game, then almost immediately relinquishing it.
The Broncos ended it with a walk-off field goal, just moments after the Packers beat the Cardinals, with Green Bay taking its first lead of the game inside the two-minute warning. Sunday’s early games included several blowouts. As always on an NFL Sunday, if you feel underwhelmed, just wait.
NFL writers Tim Graham, Mike Jones and Ted Nguyen share their thoughts on a wild and wacky Week 7.
What did we learn from that absolutely absurd Broncos-Giants game?
Jones: I know Giants fans are both heartbroken and furious that Jude McAtamney missed a PAT at the end, which meant the Broncos could win it with a field goal. They’re equally miffed that he missed one earlier in the game, which later prompted New York to go for two (and fail). But once they step back, take a deep breath and let the sting wear off, they should draw a lot of encouragement from what they saw. Yeah, the Giants blew a huge lead, but with the game on the line, their rookie quarterback appeared unfazed, leading his team downfield to score the go-ahead touchdown with 37 seconds left. Jaxson Dart is a gamer. He’s way further along in his development than a lot of people expected. Yes, his interception with 4:56 left set up the Broncos to score and eventually take the lead. But I almost blame play calling for that pick. Why aren’t you handing the ball off to Cam Skattebo to run time off the clock? Why are you slinging the ball around and risking that disastrous scenario? So, yeah, the Giants’ takeaway is clear: The future is bright, and Dart just might save Brian Daboll’s job. These Giants might not win a lot of games, but they’ll make teams sweat. As far as Denver goes … meh. Well done pulling off the comeback. But the Broncos are too inconsistent for my liking. I don’t view them as true contenders.
Nguyen: The Giants have been impressive. They were left for dead after losing to the Chiefs in Week 3. Vultures were swirling around Daboll. Then Dart came in and changed everything. But it’s not just about wins and losses with this Giants team. Obviously, they lost in heartbreaking fashion, but Dart is making strides every week. He got lucky, with one of his touchdown passes getting tipped right to his tight end, but for him to come into Denver and put up 32 points on one of the best defenses in the league is amazing. They might still be playing in overtime as I’m writing this, if not for that second missed extra point. Dart obviously makes amazing plays with his legs, but he’s getting better as a passer, too. He took control of the game at the line of scrimmage last week against the Eagles, and this week, he connected on several downfield passes against a defense that doesn’t give up much real estate to receivers downfield. For the Broncos, Bo Nix badly needed this comeback. The Broncos have been winning in spite of their quarterback. Let’s see if he can build on this performance next week against the Cowboys.
Graham: With 37 seconds left, the worst lip reader could tell that Dart was screaming to whoever would listen on the Giants’ sideline, “What a f—— game! What a f—— game!” The rookie QB wouldn’t walk off the field feeling so enthralled. It was nearly impossible for Daboll’s team, which led 19-0, to lose once, and they managed to do it twice. With less than six minutes remaining, NFL Next Gen Stats gave the Giants a 99 percent chance of winning. But in a whipsaw fourth quarter, the Giants blew that lead. Dart’s interception opened the door. So colossal was the Giants’ implosion that they needed a touchdown on their final drive — but got it, thanks to a deep-heave pass interference call at the 2-yard line. Then McAtamney missed his second extra point to give the Broncos a chance to win it with a field goal, which they did. Because the Giants are that awful.
We already knew the Colts were for real. After they took apart the Chargers, should we consider them Super Bowl contenders?
Graham: I love these Colts. Perhaps their late owner is doing more than smiling and pulling some strings, because something cosmic might be happening here. You can envision Shane Steichen winning Coach of the Year, Jonathan Taylor contending for MVP (he’s the first Colt to score three touchdowns in three different games in the same season) and Daniel Jones claiming Comeback Player of the Year. Rookie tight end Tyler Warren has been a machine. Indy has scored at least 29 points in six of its seven games. Then there’s defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, whose crew registered 15 QB hits and six pass breakups on Justin Herbert. Crowning any AFC South team a true Super Bowl contender always feels dubious, but they are playing fabulous complementary football with gobs of confidence.
Nguyen: With the way that they’ve consistently scored every week, you have to consider them Super Bowl contenders. Steichen routinely gets players open with play design, and Jones is operating the offense like a machine. The biggest question with the Colts is their defense. Their pass rush is inconsistent and their lack of corner talent is concerning. Charvarius Ward was playing at a high level but he was just put on IR due to a concussion, his second of the season. Even when he’s in, they still need to find another corner to start opposite of him or for depth. GM Chris Ballard should be scouring the trade market. They can win shootouts for sure, but right now, the Chiefs look like the most complete team in the AFC.
Jones: The 6-1 record is impressive. The Daniel Jones revival is great theatre. The Taylor next-level surge is fantastic. Somewhere, Jim Irsay is smiling. But I’ve gotta pump the brakes on the Colts a little. They’re well-rounded, play hard and are taking care of business. But look at their schedule. They’ve beaten … who exactly? Dolphins: Trash. Broncos: Solid, but inconsistent. Titans: Trash. Raiders: Trash. Cardinals: Up and down. Chargers: Battered and flawed. They lost to the Rams, although you can argue that they should have won that one. Until we see the Colts beat another leading AFC team like the Steelers (Week 9) or Chiefs (Week 12), I’m going to consider them a playoff team, but will refrain from putting them in the Super Bowl contender category.
The Chiefs got their top trio of receivers — Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown — on the field together for the first time, and they exploded for a 31-0 win over the Raiders. Are they back to being the AFC’s scariest team?
Jones: Stomping a mudhole in the Raiders isn’t exactly a statement, but the way that the Chiefs performed certainly reflects the return to potency that Andy Reid and Co. had been waiting for. We saw last week against the Detroit Lions (one of the best teams in football) how much more effective Kansas City’s offense was with a healthy Worthy on the field along with Brown, Travis Kelce and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Then today, the Chiefs welcomed Rice back to the tune of seven receptions for 42 yards and two touchdowns. Patrick Mahomes now has so many weapons. He spread the ball around to nine different receivers on Sunday (Brown also had a touchdown catch) while passing for 286 yards, and he didn’t even play the fourth quarter. Being able to spread out opposing defenses with a healthy cast of receivers also opened things up on the ground. Kansas City’s defense is fresher now that the offense has the ability to extend drives, making that unit even more impactful. The Chiefs still have work to do, but there’s no reason they can’t challenge in the AFC once again.
Patrick Mahomes’ services weren’t needed in the fourth quarter of the Chiefs’ win over the Raiders. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Nguyen: Absolutely. Though I agree that I’m not sure a win against the struggling Raiders is quite a statement win. The offense was already in the midst of a breakout before this game. In the last four games, the Chiefs have averaged more than 31 points and could have potentially scored 50 on the Raiders. They’ve found ways to create explosive plays even with teams keeping a two-deep shell over them. We got a glimpse of how Rice can help this offense with his two touchdowns and his elite ability after the catch. With the deep threats that the Chiefs have, Rice will have plenty of room to work underneath. Also, the Chiefs’ offensive line is massively improved from last season. Standout rookie left tackle Josh Simmons missed a second game due to personal reasons but Jaylon Moore has been exceptional filling in. They can protect Mahomes at a high level now, which has been a struggle in recent years. We’ll find out a lot more about this team with games against the Commanders and Bills coming up, but the Chiefs’ offense is back.
Graham: The road to the Super Bowl once again goes through Kansas City, but for me the Chiefs deserve that familiar alpha status not because of how badly they dismantled the Raiders — big whoop — but instead because of how much flimsier the struggling and banged-up Bills’ victories look now. Despite dropping back-to-back games in prime time, Buffalo entered this week as the betting favorite to win the Lombardi Trophy. The teams it beat in its 4-0 start, however, were a combined 3-21 and somehow looked more pitiful Sunday than even that. The one-win Ravens, whom the Bills required a miracle fourth-quarter sequence to shock on opening night, were on a bye and avoided another kick in the teeth. The winless Jets scored six points at home against the Panthers. The Dolphins played like they were trying to get Mike McDaniel launched into Lake Erie with a laughable effort against the tanking Browns. The Saints got waylaid by the Bears, save for some gorgeous Chris Olave highlights — the type of plays that are making Bills fans drool over the idea of adding him at the trade deadline, because Buffalo might need some roster help as the Chiefs surge back into their position as an undeniable force.
Tua Tagovailoa threw three second-half interceptions, including a pick six. He was eventually replaced by Quinn Ewers as Miami got blown out by the Browns. What are the Dolphins doing?
Nguyen: The Dolphins are ready for this season to end. There was just no chance that Tagovailoa was going to do much with the high winds and the Browns pass rush barreling down on him, but the interceptions were awful. This was after publicly calling out his teammates, too. How do you look to your team after making that statement and then playing like that? Defensively, they can’t tackle a soul and continue to give up huge plays on the ground. Mike McDaniel’s time is running out in Miami, but I’m not sure if Tua can operate any other type of offense. They could potentially get out of his contract after 2026, though. Miami is one of the biggest messes in the league.
Tua Tagovailoa had another afternoon to forget during the Dolphins’ loss in Cleveland. (Jason Miller / Getty Images)
Jones: The wheels have officially come off in Miami. I mean, they’ve been off, as Tagovailoa’s finger-pointing press conference reflected. But things went from bad to worse this week as the Browns, who hadn’t scored more than 17 points in a single game this season, thumped Miami 31-6. I don’t like calling for anyone to lose their jobs, and I like McDaniel. But it’s clear the end is near. He has lost his touch in Miami, and his players seem very uninspired. It feels like it’s a matter of when, not if, the Dolphins pull the plug. And the other question involves whether owner Stephen Ross would also fire general manager Chris Grier, who assembled this inept roster.
Graham: Miami has to fire McDaniel. We’ve been talking for weeks about how the Browns’ wacky decisions prove they’ve given up on the 2025 campaign; they traded their opening day quarterback within the division, for cryin’ out loud. And the Dolphins looked like a junior varsity program by comparison. One play into the second half, when Tagovailoa threw his pick-six, Cleveland held only a 140-116 advantage in total yards yet was up by 18 because Miami had committed seven penalties and fumbled four times already. After that headline-making news conference last week, McDaniel — and maybe others in the organization — scolded Tagovailoa for telling tales out of school, but the opposite should’ve happened. McDaniel should’ve lauded the blunt leadership and backed up his quarterback. Imagine how Tagovailoa numbly traversed the Dolphins’ facility this week. The culture must change somehow, and it might as well be now. If McDaniel is going to remain passive about his role, then he can watch the world go by from his sofa just as easily.
A week after bristling at a question about benching Justin Fields, Jets coach Aaron Glenn benched Justin Fields, which didn’t much help in a 13-6 loss to the Panthers. What are the Jets doing?
Graham: There are times when a coach will take his young quarterback off the field but still have his back. Maybe he’s trying to save the kid from a beating. Maybe the game’s too far out of hand, and it’s time for a breather. Hey, backup Tyrod Taylor is a wily vet. But the Jets didn’t trail by two scores until the third quarter and were within 7 points with 6:26 to go. On the surface, it looked like an obvious sign Glenn is done with Fields, but based on Taylor’s response, I’m not yet convinced this switch will stick. Heck, I doubt Glenn even knows what he wants to do at this very moment. Or what he should do. Or what he can do. Or if any of it will matter one lick.
Nguyen: Fields has been playing awful, but I understand why the head coach wouldn’t want to publicly say that he’s in danger of being benched. The issue is they gave Fields a two-year $40 million dollar contract. It’s not the most difficult contract to get out of, but it’s just embarrassing to admit you were wrong so early in the experiment. But honestly, I’m not sure if anyone can function in the Jets’ offense right now, especially with Garrett Wilson hurt. Fields and Taylor were sacked a combined six times against the Panthers, a week after Fields was sacked nine times against the Broncos. Fields holds onto the ball too long, but this offensive line has been awful, and New York invested a lot into it.
Jones: I think Glenn was hoping that last week’s showing against the Broncos was a slump that Fields would quickly work his way out of and regain the form that he exhibited in that season opener against Pittsburgh. But a week after completing just 53 percent of his passes for 45 yards and no touchdowns while taking those nine sacks (many because he hates throwing the ball away), Fields continued his downward trend, completing 6 of 12 passes for 46 yards while getting sacked three times. Taylor wasn’t much better, though, as he threw two interceptions in 22 pass attempts and also got sacked three times. The Jets’ problems run deep. They have a defense that can keep them in some games, but offensively … It’s bad. I don’t see a turnaround on the horizon. They will likely battle it out with the Dolphins for the rights to the No. 1 pick.
Jalen Hurts had nearly as many touchdown passes as incompletions in the Eagles’ 28-22 win over the Vikings, while Philly receivers A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith combined for 13 catches, 304 yards and three touchdowns. Is it time to stop worrying about the Eagles’ offense?
Jones: For me, the Eagles’ struggles were perplexing, but not entirely worrisome. It’s hard to remain on top, and it’s hard to do so when breaking in a new offensive coordinator. So, their offensive anemia had a lot to do with that. Being able to deliver a prolific passing outing against a Brian Flores defense bodes well for Philadelphia’s offense. I’d still like to see them get their rushing attack back on track, but we know that the ability is there. They have everything they need to compete with any team in the NFC, and even though the sky was falling, they held onto first place in the NFC East. We’re going to see them continue to tweak things over the course of the next 10 weeks, and they’ll position themselves for a deep playoff run.
Graham: The Eagles, much like the Chiefs and the dynastic Patriots, are one of those teams that always seem to pull through the turbulence simply because they’ve done it before. There’s a comfort level unattainable until you do it, and the triumvirate of GM Howie Roseman, coach Nick Sirianni and Hurts know what it takes to reset. Granted, an opponent quarterbacked by Carson Wentz is no world-beater, but Philly comprehensively outclassed a competitive foe in a difficult stadium. Minnesota kept the game tight until halftime, but Roseman’s roster is too deep. Saquon Barkley still hasn’t found momentum, but Hurts and his receivers were dastardly.
Nguyen: Hurts was great today, but I also want to highlight the Eagles’ offensive line. They were amazing against a very good Vikings pass rush. It was jarring to see how many perfect pockets Hurts had. Several of his best passes were thrown after four seconds. That just doesn’t happen to the Vikings. On Hurts’ first touchdown pass to A.J. Brown, he waited and waited, pointing for Brown to turn his route upfield after initially running an underneath route — no one can cover for that long! The Eagles’ line has struggled to run block, but they are still the top pass-blocking unit in the league. To Hurts’ credit, he found open receivers and threw very accurately on Sunday, but let’s show some love to the big guys. That provides peace of mind for locating a run-game fix eventually. Next week, the Eagles can exact revenge against the Giants and then enjoy their bye week with an outlook now rotated 180 degrees.