Week 7 Takeaways for the 2025 NFL Season
This week is brought to you by the number “3”! Numerous players scored 3 touchdowns, including the Rams’ Davante Adams, Indy’s Jonathan Taylor, and Cleveland’s Quinshon Judkins. Maybe those last two knew it was about to be the dawn of National RB Day. Green Bay’s Micah Parsons had 3 sacks, a career high for one game, to put the feisty Cardinals away. Denver doubled down on 3s, scoring 33 points in the 4th quarter to stun the Giants. With that loveable prime number addressed, we also had a lot of things NOT related to 3 happen, and we cover all of it in our week 7 takeaways for the 2025 NFL season!
TNF: Flacco, Bengals Beat Rodgers, Steelers in “Icy Hot Bowl”
I don’t know if you heard, but the two QBs playing in this week’s Thursday Night Game are old. The media and the commentators haven’t shut up about Aaron Rodgers being 41 and Joe Flacco being 40. You may as well chop 10 years off their ages though, as both signal callers turned back the clock for vintage performances. Rodgers’ task felt easier. Cincinnati has a terrible defense, and their only elite player, DE Trey Hendrickson, missed the game with an injury. Without him, the Bengals had zero pass rush and failed to maintain lane integrity, giving Rodgers all day to throw and allowing the Steelers’ run game to gash them.
RB Jaylen Warren (16/127; 4/31 receiving) had a particularly good night, and his chunk gains on the ground helped the Steelers open an early 10-0 lead. Flacco did his best to counter, but his pass catchers dropped at least 5 balls on the day despite perfect placement. Surprisingly, a much-maligned unit stepped up to help him: the offensive line. Though Flacco helped by releasing the ball quickly, the front five got quality push for the first time all year. They only allowed 2 sacks to Pittsburgh’s vaunted edge rushers, and they helped the league’s worst rushing offense to a season-best day, more than doubling their average output.
With time to throw, Flacco kept firing, and his receivers got in rhythm. RB Chase Brown (11/108) kept the defense honest on the ground, but this was still an imbalanced attack. Flacco understood his assignment: pepper WR Ja’Marr Chase with targets. Chase set a franchise record with 16 catches, and he tallied 161 yards and a TD, burning every CB who tried to cover him. Tee Higgins (6/96/1) stepped up as well, and the game became a shootout. The defense helped a bit, with S Jordan Battle picking off an overthrow by Rodgers, and CB DJ Turner stole a pass from WR DK Metcalf (3/50) for another pick. Otherwise, the unit bombed.
Cincy scored 20 unanswered points, but the Steelers came roaring back, scoring TDs on 3 of their next 4 drives. The run defense was nonexistent, and they gave up TDs on 3rd and 18 and 2nd and 20, both to TE Pat Freiermuth (5/111/2) on coverage busts. Eventually, Pittsburgh surged back ahead 31-30. Flacco responded. He calmly led his team to a field goal with 7 seconds left, with an assist from Higgins, who wisely slid short of the goal line on a clear path to the end zone. Rodgers’ 69-yard Hail Mary bomb reached the end zone, but it got batted away, and the Bengals won 33-30, snapping their 4-game losing streak.
Rodgers (23/34, 249 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs) had only one truly bad throw, and he seemed resurgent, particularly in the second half. This game was obviously about Flacco (31/47, 342 yards, 3 TDs) though. The veteran was forced to throw an ungodly amount of passes again, but he was pristine. Most of his throws were flawless and gave his star receivers chances to run after the catch. He even ran 12 yards on a zone read! I see why Steelers HC Mike Tomlin was bitter about that trade. Cincy is now 2nd in the AFC North with winnable games coming up. They’re alive. As for Pittsburgh, ironically, it’s the Steel Curtain that looks rusted.
London: Rams Put on a Show While Home Jaguars Underwhelm
Notice I didn’t put “home” in quotes in the section title. That’s because Jags owner Shad Khan actually owns Wembley Stadium, where this game was played! He might want to sell it if this game was an indication of their true talent. Their previously takeaway-happy defense put up a 0, and the Rams raced out to an immediate 21-0 halftime lead. You could argue that they should’ve been up by more. The Jaguars went hurry-up just after the 2-minute warning, failing on 4th and 7 at the LA 11. Los Angeles proceeded to run out the clock despite possessing two timeouts. I guess they were feeling confident.
Fourth-down failures were a theme for Jacksonville; they missed on 4 of their 6 attempts, with several coming in LA territory. QB Trevor Lawrence (23/48, 296 yards, TD) misfired frequently, and his receivers dropped some catchable passes. Only Travis Hunter (8/101/1), who set career highs as a WR and earned his first TD, produced anything, and most of that came way too late. Curiously, Hunter played 0 first-half defensive snaps and just 12 in the final 2 quarters. Jacksonville also hurt themselves with penalties, committing 13 accepted infractions for 119 yards. When you do all that, 35-7 is as close of a score as you can expect.
Much credit belongs to the Rams. QB Matthew Stafford (21/33, 182 yards, 5 TDs) set an international game record with 5 touchdown passes. Three of those went to WR Davante Adams (5/35/3), who teamed with multiple tight ends to pick up the slack for injured WR Puka Nacua. LA had a second-half offensive lull like they did against Baltimore last week, but they figured things out again with two 4th-quarter TDs. The defense played lights-out, sacking Lawrence 7 times and breaking up 10 passes. This was a comprehensive demolition, validating the Rams’ contender status and producing questions about the Jaguars.
Mike Vrabel and Dennis Allen Get Revenge on Their 2024 Teams
Revenge games always make for a good story. See last week’s Panthers-Cowboys matchup. We’re usually talking about players though. This week, two coaches provided the dish best served cold. New England’s Mike Vrabel, who did an excellent job for Tennessee before being inexplicably fired at the end of the 2023 season because he didn’t make magic out of a talentless roster, returned to coach the team he played for this offseason. The work he has done in Foxborough, combined with the awful football coming out of the Volunteer State, laid bare just how poor the Titans’ choice was. Too bad Vrabel’s replacement didn’t see it.
New England completely drubbed Tennessee on the road. QB Drake Maye (21/23, 222 yards, 2 TDs; 8/62 rushing) set a franchise record for completion percentage and has taken a major step forward this year. Once Titans DT Jeffery Simmons left with an injury, the onslaught really commenced. The Pats scored 28 points in the middle quarters, and the defense pitched a second-half shutout. In essence, Vrabel made his old team look like a Division-II school. The Titans fell to 1-6, trending toward a top pick and already embarking on a coaching search. Vrabel has already won more games this year than NE did all of last season.
In a less-publicized return, Bears DC Dennis Allen saw his team host the Saints, the team he coached for 2.5 seasons. NO didn’t wait until the offseason, firing him midway through the 2024 campaign. On a day when the Chicago running game, led by RBs D’Andre Swift (19/124/1) and Kyle Monangai (13/81/1), excelled but the passing game was stuck in the mud, Allen’s defense had the chance to carry the day. They did that and more. Saints QB Spencer Rattler (20/32, 233 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs, FUM), who had just 1 INT this season, threw three of them against the Bears and turned the ball over a 4th time on a lost fumble.
I’m less inclined to blame Rattler than to credit Chicago. The Bears relentlessly pressured Rattler, sacking him 4 times. Chicago’s defensive front toyed with New Orleans’ line, holding the Saints to just 44 total rushing yards at 2.6 YPC. While the score was just 26-14, the outcome never seemed to be in doubt. Unlike with Vrabel, I’m not saying that Allen is a good head coach. He is a mediocre one and performs much better as a DC. This was nonetheless a good feeling for him. He got to watch his men fully shut down his former team’s attack while their defense let Chicago run all over it. Sometimes, these things are cathartic.
Returns of WRs Rashee Rice and CeeDee Lamb Power Chiefs, Cowboys
KC and Dallas fans had big reasons to be excited: the returns of their #1 wideouts. For the Chiefs, Rashee Rice has experienced a lot. Some of it, like his torn ACL last season, wasn’t his fault. Other parts, i.e., his 6-game suspension to start this season due to a street racing crash, fall on him. Regardless of how anyone wants to judge him, he was excited to make it back onto the field this week, and his team seemed energized by it as well. It’s either that or the Raiders barely being a professional squad.
Rice (7/42/2) made himself available right away, catching two of the Chiefs’ first 3 TDs in a game that became a rout by halftime. He just makes the offense better by providing one more option (a good one) that most defenses can’t handle. KC won this game 31-0, earning what was surprisingly the first regular-season shutout win for HC Andy Reid. Vegas was awful, and that’s before DE Maxx Crosby left with an injury. They earned just 3 first downs, and both QBs were pulled after 3 quarters, albeit for different reasons. These Raiders are spiraling, while the Chiefs are looking extremely dangerous. The dynasty refuses to finish.
Dallas, already sporting an excellent offense, welcomed WR CeeDee Lamb back from an ankle sprain. In the first quarter, he proved his health with a 74-yard catch-and-run TD. Lamb (5/110/1) did most of his damage in the first half, but we got a good look at his pairing with George Pickens (4/82), and they were great. The offense kept flowing, and Dallas routed the Commanders 44-22. Both the running and passing games performed well, and I can officially say that when healthy, the Cowboys’ offense is elite. QB Dak Prescott (21/30, 286 yards, 3 TDs)is a legitimate MVP candidate. Having Lamb back just makes things even better.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t address Washington’s side of things. Though they were well on their way to losing anyway, QB Jayden Daniels (12/22, 156 yards, TD; 8/35/1 rushing) injured his hamstring on a sack and did not return. He still led his team in rushing, which poses a problem, but more concerning is that this is already his 3rd injury to make him miss time. He’s only in his second year. Daniels’ hamstring isn’t too bad thankfully, but even with offseason line upgrades, he’s taking far too many hits. His dynamic style is what makes him dangerous, but it’s also fraught with risk. I hope he doesn’t go down the RGIII path.
More Misery for NY Teams; Elation for Carolina and Denver
I’m truly sorry if you’re a New York football fan that isn’t from Buffalo. Most of the past decade has treated you poorly, and this weekend just inflicted more pain. When you’re 0-6, all you want is something to hang your hat on. For the Jets on Sunday against Carolina, that would be the defense. HC Aaron Glenn, a defensive coach, is doing a good job with that side of the ball. NYJ held the Panthers to just 13 points, but alas, that was far too many considering what the Jets offered on offense. QB Justin Fields (6/12, 46 yards; 4/22 rushing) had another ineffective day, and he missed a few plays for a concussion check in the second quarter.
He returned shortly thereafter and did nothing, leading Glenn to bench him for veteran Tyrod Taylor at halftime. The results were no better. Taylor (10/22, 126 yards, 2 INTs) moved the ball decently, but he threw 2 INTs to CB Jaycee Horn, one of which came in the end zone. His deep ball failed miserably, and he could muster only two FGs. The defense provided chances, but the offense extinguished all hope. Carolina is very excited because they’re 4-3. That’s their first time over .500 in a while. The only downer is that QB Bryce Young left with an ankle injury. Hopefully he’s ok, as Carolina has a daunting upcoming schedule.
While Jets fans felt lifeless, Giants fans experienced heartbreak. On the road in Denver, New York did almost everything right for 3 quarters. Their rookies, QB Jaxson Dart (15/33, 283 yards, 3 TDs, INT, rush TD) and RB Cam Skattebo (16/60; 3/34/1 receiving), played well, while the defense shut the Broncos out until the final frame. The only error was a missed PAT by substitute K Jude McAtamney, which led to a failed 2-point try when the Giants tried to make it up. Still, a 19-0 lead with 15 minutes to play seemed safe, especially with how Denver’s offense looked. Then, as they did against the Eagles two weeks ago, the Broncos awoke.
Denver scored two TDs to start the period, though they still trailed 26-16 because they allowed a Giants TD in between their scores. That’s when Dart blew it. With 4:56 to go, he threw an ugly 3rd-down INT while trying to burn clock, and Denver took the short field for another score. The Broncos forced a 3-and-out, and QB Bo Nix (27/50, 279 yards, 2 TDs; 5/48/2 rushing) ran for a go-ahead score. Leading 30-26 with 1:51 to go, it was up to the defense. A few Dart misfires and a penalty led to 4th and 19, but Denver bailed them out with a questionable roughing the passer foul. That’s the point when everything devolved into chaos.
The officials did their best to help New York. They wrongly called a PI on a deep shot to the 2, and the ball got put at the 1 after Broncos HC Sean Payton drew a flag for (correctly) complaining about it. Dart ran the ball in from there, and NYG had a 32-30 lead. However, it wasn’t 33-30 because McAtamney missed another PAT. Given 37 seconds and no timeouts, Nix became a man possessed, firing lasers to move Denver 56 yards in 4 plays. K Will Lutz hit a game-winning 39-yard FG, stunning the G-Men. Denver scored an implausible 33 fourth-quarter points, but their slow starts have to stop. For NYG, this is one that got away.