Sunday Coffee: NFL News & Notes Week 7
The NFL Power Rankings are not easily sortable as insider Bo Marchionte explains
By Bo Marchionte | @BoMarchionte
The last of the unbeatens fell in Week 6 with both the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles losing their first games of the season. While some have come close, there’s still just one perfect team in NFL history. Watching Hall of Fame inductee Larry Csonka pop the cork off the ‘ol champagne bottle, along with his other teammates from that 1972 Dolphins team that won Super Bowl VII is one of the best traditions each year.
With San Francisco and Philadelphia each having one blemish on their record, it could be viewed as a good thing moving forward with the weekly pressure that mounts when chasing perfection. The losses also tighten the race in the NFC and the pursuit of having the No. 1 seed, which comes with a critical first round bye in the playoffs.
The Carolina Panthers remain the lone winless (0-6) frannchise in the league. It’s their worst start to a season since beginning 0-7 in 1998 under then head coach Dom Capers.
The most important thing to take away from Week 6 is the fact that every team in the league is vulnerable to losing. The mighty 49ers looked unstoppable prior to facing Cleveland and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Let’s see what else is brewing this week as we near the halfway point of the regular season!
AFC EAST
Miami Dolphins (5-1)
The biggest offseason acquisition for the Dolphins was three-time All Pro Jalen Ramsey but his Miami debut was put on ice when he suffered a meniscus injury during training camp. Ramsey is reportedly ahead of schedule in his rehab and returned to practice this week. The vocal defensive back is expected to bring an added element of toughness to the defense when he does return. Looking down the road, Miami hosts Buffalo and their ill-tempered wideout Stefon Diggs during their final game of the regular season. The Bills got the best of the ‘Fins in Week 4 with a 48-20 win but Ramsey was absent. Barring any setbacks, I’m already anxious to watch one of the games’ most talented players with an incredible knack for getting under the skin of opponents, try to fluster and implode Diggs.
Buffalo Bills (4-2)
There should have been two consecutive pass interference calls on the Bills at the end of the game against the New York Giants. Buffalo would prevail in a hard-fought contest winning 14-9. The Bills 14 points all came in the fourth quarter via the arm of Josh Allen’s two touchdown passes. Allen didn’t have the greatest game but made the plays necessary to give Buffalo the win. However, Allen will need running back James Cook to continue heating up the offensive led by master chef Ken Dorsey. Buffalo is 7-0 when Cook rushes for more than 50 yards and 4-0 when he has 14 or more carries.
New York Jets (3-3)
It was interesting to hear Kirk Herbstreit reveal details about his conversation with head coach Robert Saleh who stated prior to the start of the season that the Jets would be ‘lucky’ to be 3-3 after their first six games, which included a tough start to the schedule—that was prior to the Aaron Rodgers injury! Well, here we are, as the Jets sit at 3-3 and face a much more favorable schedule when they emerge from their Week 8 bye. Saleh deserves a lot of credit; the Jets could have packed it in after losing a heartbreaker to the Chiefs, falling to 1-3 on the year. New York didn’t flinch and won their last two games, including the undefeated Eagles in Week 6.
New England Patriots (1-5)
It looks like a misprint to see New England sitting at 1-5 but that is the current situation in Foxborough. The Patriots have arguably the worst offense in the league. On defense, the team is a shell of itself. In fact, this marks the worst start since Belichick took over his inaugural season in New England back in 2000, when the team went 0-4 and finished 5-11. Belichick currently owns 299 career wins, 29 shy of the all-time record held by Don Shula (328). However, at this rate, ‘Billy Ball’ could achieve the more dubious distinction of becoming the NFL’s all-time loss leader (178 held by Tom Landry), as he has 170 career defeats. It could take Belichick several more seasons to break Shula’s record. If he chooses to pursue it, it likely won’t occur in ‘Beantown’.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens (4-2)
Close your eyes and imagine one team that would be the perfect fit for Derrick Henry. If the Tennessee Titans elect to move on from the the Pro Bowl running back, Baltimore would appear to the the ultimate landing spot. The Ravens current leading rusher is quarterback Lamar Jackson with 327 rushing yards on 60 carries—that is twelve fewer than Gus Edwards’ team high 72 carries. Jackson has played in 12 games over the last two seasons and the odds of him surviving the next 11 games seems a little far-fetched. Henry could be the offensive weapon to enhance the safety and well being of Jackson.
Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)
Matt Canada has been the epicenter of abuse over the offensive woes that have plagued Pittsburgh since Ben Roethlisberger retired at the end of the 2021 season. Roethlisberger set the standard high as a rookie—his first 17 starts of his career resulted in Pittsburgh going 16-1, as Big Ben passed for 2,245 yards, along with 15 touchdowns, nine interceptions and quarterback rating of 111.1 percent. In Pickett’s first 17 starts with the Steelers, the team has posted a 10-7 record—Pickett has passed for 3,431 yards with 12 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. His quarterback rating of 77.3 percent is 33.8 percent worse than what Roethlisberger was able to put together. Plenty of factors go into this scenario, as we all know Pittsburgh was a Super Bowl contender during that span and the current roster is far from such an elite level.
Cleveland Browns (3-2)
The five-year, $230 million contract signed by Deshaun Watson was supposed to revitalize a franchise and give one of the most dedicated fan bases in all of sport an opportunity to compete. Watson has been lukewarm at best since his arrival and is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury. The real MVP of the Browns has been defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz who is over a decade removed from his head coaching title he held with the Detroit Lions (2009-13). However, this isn’t his first stint in Cleveland. Schwartz was hired between 1993-95 as a personnel scout when Bill Belichick coached the team. After five games, there’s little debate that Schwartz’s defense is the best in the National Football League. If his defense continues to thrive, he’ll be a hot coaching candidate heading into next season.
Cincinnati Bengals (3-3)
Zac Taylor kept it cool in Cincinnati despite the team’s early struggles. He’s basing last year’s performance as the medicine to cure those who worry the Bengals might not be firing on all cylinders. Last year, the Bengals started out 0-2 and were 4-4 before ripping off eight straight wins and possibly nine, if the game against the Bills wasn’t canceled due to the horrific moments that followed Damar Hamlin collapsing on the field. Cincinnati is currently 3-3 but it’s hard to imagine the team going 9-1 down the stretch again like last season. Under the six-week microscope this season, they do not appear to be a playoff contending team.
AFC South
Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2)
The Saints made a late comeback on the Jaguars in New Orleans to tie the game 24-24 this past Thursday night before Trevor Lawrence threw a touchdown strike to Christian Kirk on their final drive to put them ahead 31-24. The Saints drove the ball down to the goal line in the final moments but were unable to get the touchdown needed to tie the game and send it into overtime. Jacksonville gave up 15 points in the fourth quarter and a late game drop by Foster Moreau could have made it 21. The Jaguars have given up 20-plus points in each of their last three games. That needs to be corrected a if Jacksonville wants to avoid nail-biting finishes down the stretch.
Indianapolis Colts (3-3)
The year 1953 marked the inaugural season of the Colts and they have had some memorable runners during their franchise history. Most recently, Edgerrin James (1999-2005) led the team in rushing a franchise high six times. Alan Amache (1955-59), Lydell Mitchell (1972-77), Eric Dickerson (1987-91) and Marshall Faulk (1994-1998) each have been the single season rushing leader five times. That leads us to Jonathan Taylor the Colts' current star running back who recently came to terms on a three-year, $42 million extension that includes $26.5 million guaranteed. Taylor has led the team in rushing three times and currently sits 330 yards behind Zach Moss. I’m curious to see if he catches Moss and will be able to match or exceed James team high six single season rushing titles with the Colts.
Houston Texans (3-3)
Houston enters their Week 7 bye already matching last year’s total for wins, despite the lack of production by Will Anderson Jr. The the third overall pick in this year’s draft has just one sack on the season. By comparison, Nick Bosa had seven sacks in his rookie year in the span of six games. Others sack specialists who enjoyed spectacular rookie campaigns include Von Miller (six sacks), Myles Garrett (five sacks), T.J. Watt (five sacks) and Joey Bosa (four sacks). The Texans had to defeat the Indianapolis Colts in the final week of the regular season to get their third victory of the season last year. Houston’s second overall pick C.J. Stroud has played phenomenal and all the excitement could lead us to forgetting Anderson Jr. is below the benchmark when it comes to rookie pass-rush debuts.
Tennessee Titans (2-4)
Among the many famous quotes in the movie Pulp Fiction, there is one phrase in particular that reminds me of the ugly situation in Tennessee. Actor Ving Rhames character Marsellus Wallace says to boxer Butch Coolidge played by Bruce Willis, “That’s pride f*cking with you. F*ck pride. Pride only hurts, it never helps,” when trying to convince the boxer to take a dive in his upcoming fight. Titans head coach Mike Vrabel appears to conduct himself in an old-school fashion that resonates in the toughness and physicality of Tennessee. I’d imagine Vrable would be much like Willis’s character in the movie. With the October 31st trade deadline approaching, the Titans could move both veterans Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry, in an attempt to rebuild the franchise. However, Vrabel might highly disagree with that statement. Instead, he may act in complete contrast to the advice of Mr. Wallace and try to knock out the competition during the final remaining 11 games.
AFC West
Los Angeles Chargers (2-3)
The Chargers are 2-5 over their last seven games, that includes their playoff loss to the Jaguars last year. This season, Los Angeles has scored 127 points (25.4 per game) and allowed 124 (24.8 per game). Head coach Brandon Staley has already made a few extremely bold and well scrutinized play calls late in games this year that helped contribute to wins for Los Angeles. The question is, will the odd-defying attitude continue for Staley, especially with the Chargers playing such closely contested games?
Denver Broncos (1-5)
Hard to imagine the Broncos won the Super Bowl in 2015 with quarterback Peyton Manning and head coach Gary Kubiak. What followed the franchise’s third Super Bowl triumph is nothing short of a disaster. Kubiak coached the team the following season and then began a turnstile of head coaches: Vance Joseph (2017-18), Vic Fangio (2019-21), Nathaniel Hackett (2022 – 15 games), Jerry Rosburg (2022 – two games) and current head coach Sean Payton. Denver has finished last in the AFC West for the past three years and are currently last once again. The kicker is this little tidbit I discovered. This former AFL team entered the NFL in 1970 and over that span had eight seasons with ten or more losses. Five of those years have come since winning their last Super Bowl in 2015 and along with it, an overall record of 45-75 since hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
Kansas City Chiefs (5-1)
If you read about the Broncos above, then you will get a kick out of knowing Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid have stolen the Broncos mojo. They won the AFC West in 2016, the year after Denver won the Super Bowl and have rattled off seven consecutive division crowns. Kansas City has also dominated Denver by winning their last 16 games against one another. The Chiefs stole their mojo in Denver on November 11, 2015 and haven’t looked back since. That game was Peyton Manning’s last regular season start, as he went inactive the next six weeks and Brock Osweiler started in the season finale. Manning would return for the playoffs, starting all three games and riding off into the sunset, while the Chiefs rode off with Denver’s magic.
Las Vegas Raiders (3-3)
The topic of superstar Davante Adams and the emergence of teammate Jakobi Myers in Las Vegas led me down a rabbit hole of sorts. From 1992-to-2001, Hall of Fame wide receiver Tim Brown led the franchise in receiving ten straight years. A decade of dominance by Brown has left the Raiders with a wild list of names that have followed as the single season leader in receiving yards. I’d bet my last breath that no one would be able to ramble off the names needed to fulfill this list as follows: Jerry Rice (two times), Jerry Porter, Randy Moss, Ronald Curry (two times), Zach Miller (three times), Darrius Heyward-Bey, Brandon Myers, Rod Streater, Andre Holmes, Amari Copper (two times), Jared Cook (two times), Darren Waller (two times), Hunter Renfrow and Adams. This season, Adams leads the team in yardage once again and barring injury should continue to thrive in that position. However, the long-term history of the Raiders has shown very little consistency since Brown’s departure from the team in 2004.
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles (5-1)
Just last week in this space, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was being bandied about as an MVP candidate. So, it was naturally fitting that he went out and tossed three interceptions against the Jets. The Eagles were shut down in the second half, which is not the norm for Philadelphia. For example, against the Vikings in Week 2, they scored 21-points in the second half to fend off Minnesota for a 34-28. Then in Week 4, the Eagles scored 24 points in the second half and needed overtime to get past the Commanders in a 34-31 win. What does it all mean? It means Hurts had a bad game. In his previous 50 starts, he only had one other game with three interceptions prior to the turnover-filled game he had versus the Jets.
Dallas Cowboys (4-2)
Watching the Cowboys this season the main emphasis is always on quarterback Dak Prescott and deservingly so, he plays the most important position on the field. However, there is another player who I feel isn’t showing the same pop and sizzle—that’s running back Tony Pollard. As Pollard emerged in the Dallas offense, all I heard was the demise of Zeke Elliott and how his yards per carry was dwindling, as Pollard showed explosive big-play ability. Elliott was the battering ram, while Pollard got to play the role as ‘Mr. Unknown,’ coming in on third down with the element of surprise; a run or a pass? Now, Pollard is the man and his average per carry has dipped to 3.9, the identical yards per carry Elliott has in New England. Pollard’s average over his first four seasons in the NFL prior to this year was an amazing 5.0 yards per carry. Simply put, Pollard is not himself.
Washington Commanders (3-3)
The last time Washington won nine games was in 2015. Since then, they’ve been the model of mediocrity, going 59-75-2 during. Take away their 3-13 season in 2019 and their record is still not good (56-62-2 ). It’s the same song and dance we’ve seen time and time again in Washington. From Jay Gruden-to-Ron Rivera, it’s just another team on the verge of going 9-8 or 8-9. Currently, at 3-3 in the standings, odds are they’ll once again finish in the seven-win range in yet another lackluster year for the Commanders.
New York Giants (1-5)
It’s ironic that the NFL spends so much time reviewing plays only to have games end by the ignorance of the zebras (refs). It was clear that two pass interference calls should have been thrown consecutively at the conclusion of the Buffalo Bills game. Why bother with a trillion camera angles, if the referee is going to cost a team the chance for victory. The Giants were the better team in New York last Sunday and it was a real shame they didn’t get another opportunity for victory.
NFC North
Detroit Lions (5-1)
Love seeing the Lions at 5-1 so much, I’ll say it again. I love seeing the Lions at 5-1 but I need to see some more before I put them in the same realm as San Francisco, Philadelphia and Dallas. They are the new kids on the block and when you are those kids you must beat the big boys up repeatedly to convince us you belong. They opened the season with a big win in Kansas City, holding the Chiefs to just 20-points in the 21-20 victory. The following week, Detroit lost to Seattle, giving up 37-points to Geno Smith and company. Their next four wins came against teams with a combined 8-14 record. It’s plausible that their last four opponents; Falcons, Packers, Panthers and Buccaneers could finish with six wins or less on the season. Not exactly powerhouses of the NFL.
Green Bay Packers (2-3)
It’s mind-boggling to think the Packers have scored just 33 points during their two-game losing streak. The forecast in Green Bay is foggy at best. Jordan Love has shown flashes of brilliance but it seems to eventually manifest into a colossal collapses. Green Bay is coming off their bye week and traveling to Denver. Personally, I feel Denver will win this game but it’s the way Love and company perform that I’m most concerned about. Heck, they could win. It's not like the 1-5 Broncos are stopping anyone from scoring and when Love is dialed in, he can move the football effectively. I think this is a high scoring affair with lots of points on both sides.
Minnesota Vikings (2-4)
Kirk Cousins has a no trade clause in his contract and it appears very unlikely he'll be with another team after the trade deadline on October 31 at 4pm eastern time. It’s rumored that he’s content on playing out what is expected to be his final year in Minnesota. If no one calls the Vikings then so be it but if a playoff contender comes calling and Cousins refuses to waive the clause, it would be irritating to football fans. After six years in Washington and now in his sixth season with Minnesota, the 35-year old Cousins could be the supreme one-year rental. If his preference is to be safe and sound around family, rather than a chance to win a Lombardi Trophy, that sort of irks me. I would hope the competitor in Cousins shows up if a playoff-caliber club comes calling.
Chicago Bears (1-5)
Matt Nagy was fired as the Bears head coach at the end of the 2021 season after getting Chicago to the playoffs in two of the four seasons with the team. Nagy, along with the other scapegoat in quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, compiled a 28-20 record together. The last playoff appearance by the team was in 2010 with head coach Lovie Smith at the helm and yet somehow the ownership in Chicago could not cope with the results. Gone was general manager Ryan Pace, who was replaced with Ryan Poles, who then hired Matt Eberflus (4-19 record) and drafted Justin Fields who is 6-25 as the starting quarterback. So, let’s do the math again. Matt Nagy 34-31 as head coach of Bears with two playoff appearances. Mitchell Trubisky was 29-21 as the starter in Chicago and made the Pro Bowl in 2020. Eberflus lost 14 games in a row—that ties former Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson in 2016 for the fifth longest losing streak by a head coach in NFL history.
NFC South
New Orleans Saints (3-3)
Tight end Foster Moreau sat on the Saints bench, hands on helmet, after dropping what appeared to be an easy touchdown catch to tie the game against the Jaguars Thursday night. The dropped pass preserved the 31-24 win for Jacksonville and the dejected Moreau felt the weight of the world on his shoulders collapse as time expired. However, the Saints defense gave up a 44-yard touchdown pass from Trevor Lawrence-to-Christian Kirk. This wasn’t a go route with Kirk sprinting down the seam of the field. The ball was snapped on the New Orleans 44-yard line, Kirk caught the ball at the 42 and began his assault on the Saints defense, as he blew past Marcus Lattimore and Pete Warner, only to watch Jordan Howden make himself look foolish. If anyone should have their head buried in shame, it’s Howden and his non-tackle of Kirk near the Saints 10-yard line.
Atlanta Falcons (3-3)
The Falcons are one of eight NFL teams who own a 3-3 record. Others include the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, New York Jets and Washington Commanders. The Bengals, Rams and possibly the Texans are those among the 3-3 teams I feel have a shot at finishing with a winning record. Currently, those three have competent quarterbacks. We’ve come to learn that is the difference in winning and losing in the NFL.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
The Buccaneers defense and head coach Todd Bowles let Tampa Bay fans down in their 20-6 loss to Detroit. The Lions had receiver Craig Reynolds running the football (10 carries for 15 yards) after starter David Montgomery left the game and rookie Jahmyr Gibbs was inactive due to injury. Detroit became one dimensional, as Jared Goff attempted 44 passes for 353 passing yards and two touchdowns. Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson got the best of Bowles and company last Sunday and that perhaps might be enough to really start the hype for Johnson to get his own gig as a head coach in the NFL.
Carolina Panthers (0-6)
This was how last week’s Carolina post began; ‘Frank Reich is 3-10-1 over his last 14 games as a head coach between Carolina and Indianapolis where he was fired after nine games into the 2022 season.’ Reich is now 3-11-1 over his last 14 games as a head coach and has given the play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown. It also appears that owner David Tepper is making life uneasy for Reich in Carolina. “He wants to bring a winner to the Carolinas,” Reich said, via the Charlotte Observer “He wants it now. He pushes me and pushes us, to that end. He wants to do whatever it takes, turn over every stone, churn it as much as he has to to produce a winning football. So, I appreciate those conversations. They’re always very challenging. He’s a super-competitive person. He’s not going to sit idly by.” Tepper is ruling with an iron fist and if Reich continues to lose games, expect more changes in Carolina.
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers (5-1)
In Week 1 of last year, San Francisco lost to the Bears in Chicago during a sloppy rain-fest at Soldier Field. It was Déjà vu for the 49ers last weekend, as the weather turned extremely ugly off Lake Erie. Journeyman quarterback PJ Walker led the Browns to an upset over the previously undefeated 49ers, 19-17. Chalk it up to the weather and if you see a monsoon in San Francisco’s future, bet the other team.
Seattle Seahawks (3-2)
Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the Seahawks 20th overall pick in round one of the 2023 NFL Draft. After five games, he still awaits his first chance to celebrate after scoring a touchdown. Former Ohio State receivers like Garrett Wilson, Devonte Smith and Chris Olave have come into the league and instantly made a big impact. Hopefully for Smith-Njigba his big day is right around the corner.
Los Angeles Rams (3-3)
Sean McVay was hired as head coach of the Rams in 2017 and since then, Los Angeles has been to two Super Bowls and made the playoffs in four of the last six seasons, with this year to be determined. The Rams missed the playoffs last year but McVay has never gone two seasons in a row missing the playoffs. Something to think about as he keeps the Rams in contention. If the season ended today, the Rams would be the third team from the NFC West to make it in the playoffs.
Arizona Cardinals (1-5)
Kyler Murray tore his ACL in Week 14 last season and finally returned to the team this week, as the Cardinals opened up his 21-day practice window. Joshua Dobbs is the current starting quarterback until Murray returns. As it presently stands, Dobbs is second on the team with 34 carries and that could become concerning, if Murray assumes a similar type of role. Arizona placed running back James Conner on the four-week IR, which should signal red flags for the Cardinals that they must keep Murray safe and eliminate the quarterback from running so much in their offensive scheme.