Surprise trades, surprise quarterbacks and a profusion of special teams plays made the seventh week in the NFL heavenly. But not everyone’s week was a day-in-the-life of 5 Seconds of Summer. That is why we’re breaking down Week 7 in easily-digestible listicle format for you.
The Best
Saint Louis Rams Special Teams
Some advance special teams scouting on part of the Rams coaches saw that Seahawks punter Jon Ryan’s kicks bend to the right before returning to the left. The Rams had two returners, one pretended to catch and fall (while arms were in the air that looked like he was calling a fair catch) while the other returner caught the ball and ran it back 90 yards for a touchdown.
Fast-forward to the fourth quarter and the Seahawks have stormed back to within two points. After the Rams are unable to covert a potential game-ending first down deep in their own territory, they called one of the most ballsy plays you’ll see all year when punter Johnny Hekker connected on an 18-yard, fourth-down pass from inside their own 20 to keep the wolves at bay.
Colt McCoy
He started the season as the third-string QB for the Washington Football Club, but after Robert Griffin III went down with injury and Kirk Cousins went down with reality, McCoy got to start the second half for the game against the Tennessee Titans. On his first throw, he hit Pierre Garcon for a short out pass and Garcon took it 70 yards for a touchdown. McCoy stopped the bleeding that has been Washington’s offensive nightmare and they were able to hold off the Titans for a 19-17 victory.
DeMarco Murray
The Cowboys running back went six-straight games with over 100 yards rushing breaking Jim Brown’s record. Yes, Jim Brown. So now we can bless DeMarco Murray with the ability to quash gang beefs and star in great blaxpotation films. And if he can continue his offensive run, maybe Tony Romo won’t have his typical late-season implosion? The Cowboys are now 6-1.
The Worst
Buffalo Bills running backs
First the aging/eternal Fred Jackson went down with a groin injury that will be later clarified with an MRI and then CJ Spiller finished a great run by breaking his collarbone when he was tackled to end the run. That left the Bills with only one running back left, Anthony Dixon, who hadn’t played in the last three games. All of Lake Erie held their collective breath for the end of that game, won on a last second touchdown pass by Kyle Orton to one of the best alternatives to a running game, Sammy Watkins.
Seattle Seahawks
First there was the out-of-nowhere Percy Harvin trade, then the public slagging of Harvin to the media including giving a teammate a black eye during Super Bowl week. A black eye that was visible in pictures, yet never asked by the biggest media collection in one place in the country. Seriously NFL reporters, what are you doing all day? Oh, and see the aforementioned Best Week for the Rams for game analysis.
Chicago Bears
The Bears have lost three games at home and made the Dolphins’ Ryan Tannehill look like Joe Montana. Tannehill completed his first 14 passes and messed around at the end a bit to finish 25 for 32 with two touchdowns. The Bears have not won a home game this season and have dropped five of the last seven games. They’re also now 0-4 when Cutler throws an interception. The frustration boiled over into the locker room. Media was barred from being present, but it was so loud they could hear what was being spoken. It appears most of the calling out was done by Brandon Marshall, even going in on the kicker Robbie Gould.
When the dust settled and the media was allowed access, the Bears looked all Bad News. Should the Bears go Full Washington and start off the Jimmy Clausen era? Or is Marc Trestman going to make Cutler cut back on the smokes? Maybe they can catch a break next week as they face… the New England Patriots. Welp.
Fighting Impositions
Riding high after knocking off the number one seed last week, I made some big changes to my lineup. Waiving Chris Ivory, Alex Smith and Matt Asiata, while adding Antone Smith, Mohamed Sanu and Trent Richardson, netted me a combined 18.10 points. Cam Newton slightly underperformed only 15.30, and Jordy Nelson never improved on his 14.00 points in the first half.
Meanwhile, the opposition had Golden Tate who lit it up for 21.40 points on 154 receiving yards and one touchdown. There was still hope for back-to-back victories heading into the Sunday night game, but Demaryius Thomas put the nail in the coffin with a 29.10-point performance.
Week 8 Preview
The Thursday night game actually looks like a good one as Peyton Manning and the Broncos look to put more damage into the touchdown record against the San Diego Chargers. Green Bay at New Orleans wraps up the Sunday games in what should be a shootout. Cincinnati hosts Baltimore in a divisional match of two teams that are up and down week to week. The Eagles fly into Arizona for a showdown of high-flying birds. Monday night is a classic 1992 NFC rivalry as the Cowboys host the Dan Snyders of Washington.
