NFL 2017 Week 7 Preview

NFL 2017 Week 7 Preview

There's more thrilling action ahead as the NFL enters Week 7 including a rematch of Super Bowl LI between the Patriots and Falcons. Here's a preview of key games in Week 7 and what to look for.

The NFL heads into Week 7 after another exciting weekend. In Week 6, eight games were decided by seven points or fewer. Over the past two weeks, 18 of the NFL's 28 games (64.3 percent) have been decided by seven points or fewer.

Among the thrilling action in Week 6 were numerous comeback attempts and victories.

Both the Miami Dolphins (17 points) and New England Patriots (14) rallied from 14+ point deficits to win. The Detroit Lions (35 points) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31) each trailed by more than 30 points yet pulled within one score in the fourth quarter before falling just short.

In the NFL, the unpredictable is the predictable.

As the season approaches the halfway point, there are currently 22 teams with a .500 or better record. The Kansas City Chiefs (5-1) top the AFC while the Philadelphia Eagles (5-1) own the NFC's best mark. Since 1990, when the current 12-team playoff format was adopted, 77 of the previous 94 teams (81.9 percent) to start 5-1 made the playoffs.

Through the first six weeks, there are 21 teams either in or within one game of first place in the division. And while the standings remain close, there is plenty of football left to be played. Since 1990, 87 clubs have made the playoffs after starting 3-3 or worse. Last year, three teams with a 3-3 record or worse through six games advanced to the postseason -- Miami (2-4), Detroit (3-3) and the New York Giants (3-3).

Week 7 begins on Thursday night with a matchup between AFC West rivals as the Chiefs visit the Oakland Raiders (8:25 PM ET, CBS/NFL Network/Amazon Prime). On Sunday, the NFL returns to Twickenham Stadium -- the UK's famed rugby venue -- when the Los Angeles Rams face the Arizona Cardinals (1:00 PM ET, FOX) for the league's third of four games in London this season. The week concludes with a pair of primetime contests as the New England Patriots host the Atlanta Falcons in a rematch of Super Bowl LI on Sunday night (8:30 PM ET, NBC) and the Washington Redskins travel to Philadelphia to meet the Eagles in a key NFC East showdown on Monday night (8:30 PM ET, ESPN).

Some of the notable games in Week 7

Kansas City Chiefs (5-1) at Oakland Raiders (2-4)

(Thursday, CBS/NFLN/Amazon Prime, 8:25 PM ET)

The Chiefs have the AFC's best record at 5-1 and are averaging 29.5 points per game, tied for the most in the conference. Kansas City ranks second in the conference in total offense (387.0 yards per game) and is third in both passing (252.2) and rushing (134.8) offense.

Kansas City quarterback ALEX SMITH leads the NFL with a 119.2 passer rating and has thrown 12 touchdowns without an interception. Chiefs rookie running back KAREEM HUNT tops the league in rushing yards (630) and scrimmage yards (885). He is the first rookie in NFL history to gain at least 100 scrimmage yards in each of his team's first six games.

Oakland quarterback DEREK CARR has won six of his past seven home starts and has 14 touchdowns, four interceptions and a 103 passer rating in those contests. Wide receiver MICHAEL CRABTREE has five touchdown catches this season, tied for second in the AFC.

Raiders defensive end KHALIL MACK has recorded 13 sacks in his past 12 division games, including four sacks in the past four meetings against the Chiefs.

Arizona Cardinals (3-3) at Los Angeles Rams (4-2)

London (Sunday, FOX, 1:00 PM ET)

The NFL returns to Twickenham Stadium -- the home of England Rugby -- for the third of four games in the London Series this season. Twickenham will host consecutive NFL games -- in Weeks 7 and 8 -- for the first time ever.

The Cardinals defeated Tampa Bay 38-33 last week to even the team's record at 3-3. Running back ADRIAN PETERSON rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns in his Arizona debut, becoming the oldest player (32 years old) in NFL history to rush for at least 100 yards and a touchdown in his first game with a new team.

Arizona wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD, who had 10 catches for 138 yards and a touchdown last week, leads the NFC with 42 receptions. Fitzgerald has 14,854 career receiving yards and surpassed STEVE SMITH, SR. (14,731) for the seventh-most receiving yards in NFL history. Fitzgerald, who has played his entire career with the Cardinals, trails only Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (19,247 with San Francisco) for the most receiving yards with a single team.

Los Angeles leads the NFL in scoring (29.8 points per game). Running back TODD GURLEY is tied for first in the league with seven touchdowns while kicker GREG ZUERLEIN tops the NFL with 69 points.

The Rams scored twice on special teams in last week's 27-17 win at Jacksonville. PHAROH COOPER returned the opening kickoff 103 yards -- the longest touchdown return on a game's opening kickoff in franchise history -- and CORY LITTLETON blocked a punt which was returned eight yards for a touchdown by MALCOLM BROWN.

Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)

(Sunday, CBS, 4:25 PM ET)

The Bengals have won two consecutive games and enter Week 7 coming off a bye. In Week 5, Cincinnati defeated Buffalo 20-16 as quarterback ANDY DALTON passed for 328 yards and wide receiver A.J. GREEN had 189 receiving yards. Dalton connected on a 77-yard touchdown pass to Green, the fifth 75+ yard TD pass from Dalton to Green in their careers.

Since entering the NFL in 2011, Green has five games with at least 180 receiving yards. Only Pittsburgh's ANTONIO BROWN (six) has more such performances during that span. This season, Green is averaging 100.8 receiving yards per game, second in the NFL behind Brown (116.7).

The Steelers lead the AFC North with a 4-2 record. Last week, Pittsburgh knocked off the previously unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs 19-13 at Arrowhead Stadium.

In Pittsburgh's Week 6 win over the Chiefs, running back LE'VEON BELL rushed for 179 yards with a touchdown and wide receiver ANTONIO BROWN had eight catches for 155 yards with a touchdown. It marked the third time in franchise history in which the Steelers had a 150+ yard rusher and a 150+ yard receiver in the same game. Brown leads the NFL this season in receptions (48) and receiving yards (700) while Bell ranks third in rushing yards (550).

Atlanta Falcons (3-2) at New England Patriots (4-2)

(Sunday, NBC, 8:30 PM ET)

Rematch of Super Bowl LI which the Patriots won 34-28 in the first Super Bowl that went to overtime.

Falcons quarterback MATT RYAN has a 109.9 passer rating since the start of the 2016 season. Only New England's TOM BRADY (110.3) has a higher mark during that span.

Atlanta wide receiver MARVIN HALL had a 40-yard touchdown catch in his first career game last week against Miami. Hall joins DOUG BALDWIN (2011) as the only undrafted players to record a 40+ yard touchdown reception in an NFL debut since 2000.

New England quarterback TOM BRADY won his 187th career regular-season start in last week's 24-17 win over the New York Jets, passing Pro Football Hall of Famer BRETT FAVRE and PEYTON MANNING for the most in NFL history. His 212 career wins (including the postseason) are the most by a quarterback in NFL history. Entering Week 7, Brady leads the NFL with 1,959 passing yards and ranks second with a 106.9 passer rating. He threw for 466 yards and two touchdowns in Super Bowl LI against Atlanta and was named the game's Most Valuable Player.

Brady threw two touchdown passes to tight end ROB GRONKOWSKI in the Patriots' Week 6 victory. Brady and Gronkowski have combined for 71 career touchdown passes, the second-most in NFL history by a QB-TE combination (Chargers QB PHILIP RIVERS and TE ANTONIO GATES, 85).

Washington Redskins (3-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (5-1)

(Monday, ESPN, 8:30 PM ET)

Washington quarterback KIRK COUSINS passed for 330 yards and accounted for three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in the Redskins' 26-24 win over San Francisco last week. Cousins leads the NFC with a 106.4 passer rating and 8.44 yards-per-pass average.

Redskins running back CHRIS THOMPSON had four catches for 105 yards in Week 6 and has recorded at least 100 receiving yards in two of the past three games. He is the only player in the NFL this season with at least 150 rushing yards (175) and 300 receiving yards (340).

The Eagles have won four games in a row -- the longest active streak in the NFL -- and are tied for the best record in the league (5-1). Philadelphia defeated Carolina 28-23 on Thursday night in Week 6 as quarterback CARSON WENTZ threw three touchdown passes, including two to tight end ZACH ERTZ.

Wentz, who has seven touchdown passes and a 121.9 passer rating in his past two games, is tied for the NFC lead with 13 passing touchdowns and ranks second in the conference with 1,584 passing yards. Ertz and wide receiver NELSON AGHOLOR are tied for third in the NFC this season with four touchdown receptions.

What to Look For

Cardinals Climbing Charts

Running back ADRIAN PETERSON rushed for 134 yards with two touchdowns in his Arizona debut in the Cardinals' 38-33 win over Tampa Bay in Week 6.

Peterson has 11,962 career rushing yards in 128 games. With 38 rushing yards on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, he would reach 12,000 career rushing yards in the fourth-fewest games in NFL history.

 

Players To Reach 12,000 Career Rushing Yards In The Fewest Games

 

​With a rushing touchdown on Sunday, Peterson, who has 99 career rushing touchdowns, will become the ninth player in NFL history with 100 career rushing touchdowns and would reach the mark in the fifth-fewest games.

 

Fewest Games To Reach 100 Career Rushing Touchdowns

 

With two rushing touchdowns on Sunday, Peterson will pass Pro Football Hall of Famer MARSHALL FAULK (100) and SHAUN ALEXANDER (100) for the seventh-most rushing touchdowns in NFL history.

 

PLayers With The Most Career Rushing Touchdowns

 

Arizona wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD had 138 receiving yards and a touchdown catch against Tampa Bay in Week 6. Peterson (99 career rushing touchdowns) and Fitzgerald (107 career receiving touchdowns) can become the first pair of teammates in NFL history with 100 rushing touchdowns and 100 receiving touchdowns, respectively.

Fitzgerald has 14,854 career receiving yards. With 81 receiving yards on Sunday, he will pass Pro Football Hall of Famer TIM BROWN (14,934) for sixth all-time in career receiving yards.

 

Most Career Receiving Yards

 

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Smooth Alex Smith

Kansas City quarterback ALEX SMITH passed for 246 yards with a touchdown and zero interceptions in the Chiefs' Week 6 loss to Pittsburgh.

Smith has thrown at least one touchdown pass with zero interceptions in each of his team's first six games to start the season, leading the Chiefs to a 5-1 record.

Smith, who faces Oakland on Thursday night, can become the second player in NFL history to throw at least one touchdown pass with no interceptions in each of his team's first seven games of a season, joining MILT PLUM, who accomplished the feat for the 1960 Browns.

Every Game Everson

Minnesota Vikings defensive end EVERSON GRIFFEN recorded a sack in the Vikings' 23-10 win over Green Bay in Week 6.

Griffen, who has seven sacks this season, has recorded a sack in all six of Minnesota's games. With a sack on Sunday against Baltimore, Griffen would become the sixth player to record a sack in each of his team's first seven games to start a season since the sack became an official statistic in 1982.

 

Players to Record a Sack in Each of 1st Seven Games in a Season

 

Amazin' Antonio Brown

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver ANTONIO BROWN had eight catches for 155 yards, including a 51-yard touchdown catch with 3:24 remaining, in the Steelers' 19-13 win at Kansas City last week.

Brown leads the NFL with 48 receptions for 700 receiving yards this season. With two receptions and 100 receiving yards on Sunday against Cincinnati, he would join WES WELKER (2011) as the only players in NFL history to record at least 50 receptions and 800 receiving yards through their team's first seven games of a season.

Rookie Rushers

Kansas City running back KAREEM HUNT had 110 yards from scrimmage (89 receiving, 21 rushing) in the Chiefs' Week 6 game.

With 115 scrimmage yards this week, Hunt, who leads the NFL with 885 scrimmage yards, will become the second rookie in NFL history with at least 1,000 scrimmage yards in his team's first seven games of a season. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer ERIC DICKERSON (1,045 in 1983) has accomplished the feat.

 

Rookies with most scrimmage yards in first seven games of a season

 

Jacksonville running back LEONARD FOURNETTE rushed for 130 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown, in the Jaguars' loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6. Fournette is the only rookie in NFL history with a touchdown run of at least 75 yards in consecutive games.

With two touchdowns at Indianapolis on Sunday, Fournette, who leads the NFL with six rushing touchdowns, will tie JOHN HENRY JOHNSON (eight in 1954) and BILLY KILMER (eight, 1961) for the third-most rushing touchdowns by a rookie through a team's first seven games of a season.

 

Rookies with most Rushing TDs in first seven games of a season

 

50K Club

New York Giants quarterback ELI MANNING has 49,680 passing yards and 329 touchdown passes in 14 career seasons.

With 320 passing yards on Sunday against Seattle, Manning would become the seventh player in NFL history with 50,000 career passing yards.

 

Quarterbacks with 50,000+ Career Passing Yards

 

NFL 2017 Week 7 Schedule

(All times local)

Byes: Detroit, Houston

Thursday, October 19

Kansas City at Oakland, 8:25 PM (CBS/NFLN/Amazon)

Sunday, October 22

Baltimore at Minnesota, 12:00 PM

New York Jets at Miami, 1:00 PM

Tampa Bay at Buffalo, 1:00 PM

Carolina at Chicago, 12:00 PM

Tennessee at Cleveland, 1:00 PM

New Orleans at Green Bay, 12:00 PM

Jacksonville at Indianapolis, 1:00 PM

Arizona at Los Angeles Rams (London), 6:00 PM

Dallas at San Francisco, 1:05 PM

Denver at Los Angeles Chargers, 1:25 PM

Seattle at New York Giants, 4:25 PM

Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, 4:25 PM

Atlanta at New England, 8:30 PM (NBC)

Monday, October 23

Washington at Philadelphia, 8:30 PM (ESPN)

 

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