Kirk Cousins is still being asked to throw the Raiders to victory and might be running out of gas. Las Vegas was ineffective for a half in Week 7 and turned it on too late, wasting some second-half heroics from Cousins. He continues to play competitive football but is in danger of losing his starting job with Las Vegas in freefall and 2026 first overall pick Fernando Mendoza waiting on the bench.
Bryce Young had a nightmarish Week 7, dealing a significant blow to an otherwise strong season. He was overwhelmed by the Buccaneers’ defense, missed open targets, threw a very ugly interception and accounted for three turnovers in the Panthers’ lopsided loss.
Aaron Rodgers didn’t rack up huge passing numbers in Week 7, but he’s finally finding his fit in Mike McCarthy’s offense. He has settled in with quicker decision-making and even scrambled for a key first down late in the Steelers’ win over the Saints in Paris.
Deshaun Watson broke 300 passing yards in Cleveland’s comeback win over the Titans. Can you believe you’re reading that sentence in 2026? It’s true! Rookie receiver KC Concepcion became the latest beneficiary of Watson’s passing, catching eight balls for 129 yards. Watson authored another game-winning drive, too, adding a tally to his ledger in a season that still appears untrustworthy but continues to produce wins.
J.J. McCarthy played much better than expected in his first start for the Giants, going toe to toe with C.J. Stroud by firing a collection of precise passes to the likes of Malik Nabers and Malachi Fields. It helped that the Giants ran for 188 yards, but we shouldn’t discount McCarthy’s performance. Now he’ll have to do it consistently in order to truly repair his reputation.
Sam Darnold looked better in Week 7 than he did in Week 6. He made a living off throwing fades to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and still managed to throw one brutal interception, erasing a chance to land a haymaker on the Chiefs just before halftime. Fortunately, it didn’t matter, but the Seahawks’ trade for guard Quenton Nelson wasn’t just a coincidence; Darnold needs to be settled in order to fully return to top form.
Geno Smith delivers enough positive plays to position the Jets with a chance to win on a weekly basis, but he’s developed a habit of throwing crushing interceptions at the worst time. His latest pick didn’t result in points for the opposition, but it did erase a chance to keep pace with a surprisingly productive Dolphins offense, ending a first-half drive in a game that saw Miami take a 21-7 lead into halftime.
Next Gen Stats insights (via NFL Pro): J.J. McCarthy generated a 19.4% explosive pass rate in Week 7 against the Texans, the fourth-highest of his career (minimum 10 attempts), but he posted a 32.3% success rate (second-lowest). McCarthy was efficient on throws outside the numbers, completing 8 of 13 passes for 169 yards (13.0 yards per attempt). On all other throws, he completed 12-of-14 passes for 83 yards (5.9 yards per attempt).