A rare Thursday night gem. Three straight primetime duds. A London game that, of course, sucked. Week 7 had everything the NFL does best: chaos, drama, and just enough logic to make you think you understand it again.
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The AFC North is Wide Open
"Doesn't make sense." That's how Mike Tomlin described the Browns trading Joe Flacco to the Bengals in the middle of the season. He had a point; Flacco was the best quarterback in Cleveland and was the only thing keeping an average offense together.
But the Bengals saw an opportunity. If they could just stay alive until Joe Burrow returns, a wild card spot was there for the taking. That logic paid off fast. Flacco, who'd been in the building for less than a week, led Cincinnati to a 33-31 win over the division-leading Steelers. Suddenly, the AFC North looks wide open. Don't look now, but the Steelers loss opens the door in the division and a 1-5 team from Baltimore could turn their season around.
To the Browns credit, the Flacco trade does make sense, just not if you're trying to win right now. The Browns know they're not going anywhere this year. Flacco isn't the future, so why not see if one of your 2 draft picks can actually play?
Big Dogs Eat
In a season defined by upsets and chaos, Week 7 was the rare one where the contenders actually handled business.
Kansas City looked like Kansas City again, despite some early mistakes. It's starting to feel like we're entering the Mahomes version of the Tom Brady cycle: every September people panic, then October hits and he reminds everyone who runs the league.
The Rams embarrassed a frisky Jaguars team 35-7 in London. It's honestly incredible how every London game turns into a snoozefest. The Eagles got back on track against the Vikings, and for the first time all season, Jalen Hurts actually looked comfortable throwing the ball.
And then there's the Colts, the story of the year. Indy has the most efficient offense in the modern era through 7 weeks. That's not a typo. The supposed rebuild is looking more like a superbowl run.
Monday Night Misery
Another Monday doubleheader, another night that made fans question why the league insists on doing this.
The early game saw the Bucs limp into Detroit, where the Lions handled business like a legit top-five team. Dan Campbell deserves serious Coach of the Year buzz for keeping his team at the level they are at after losing both coordinators in the offseason.
Then came the 10 PM disaster: Texans vs. Seahawks. There's not much to say except this: CJ Stroud might not be him. He looked rattled, struggled past his first read, and couldn't do anything once Seattle forced him off script. Life's not so sweet when you're not beating up on the AFC South every week.
Panthers fans are feeling vindicated.
