Matt’s NFL Week 7 Preview

Published: Wednesday, October 16, 2024

by Matthew Nazario

Sleepless in Seattle?

If the always entertaining, wild-wild NFC West has shown us anything over the last decade or so, it is that starting strong and winning as many games as possible to open the year, is incredibly important to season-long survival in such a competitive division.

This is clear in the case of the 2024 Seattle Seahawks, who are venturing into the unknown under head coach Mike McDonald as the legendary Pete Carroll era came to a close at the end of last year’s 9-8 season. Despite skepticism surrounding the quality of their opponents, Seattle was able to have their first 3-0 start since the 2020 season. The new coaching regime brought what seemed to be new life into both an offense and defense that could never seem to have everything clicking at once in the final years of Pete Carroll’s time in Seattle, led by Geno Smith being the league’s leader in passing yards through 5 weeks. 

However, a perfect storm of injuries to key players on the defensive end of the football (especially the absence of Boye Mafe), an offense that seems to be losing its luster week by week, and issues carrying over from previous seasons (such as subpar offensive line play) have caused the Seahawks to be winless in October up to this point.

What is more unfortunate about their current three-game skid is not only the fact that their schedule will only continue to grow in difficulty, but that these three games seemed to be bounce-back games for all their opponents. The Lions, Giants, and Niners all respectively had their fair share of questions heading into their bouts with Seattle, and yet they looked marginally better afterward.

The impressively dominant defensive unit we saw the first three weeks, albeit hammered with injuries, has taken a complete nosedive. Beginning in their week three contest against the Lions, a game in which Seattle needed minutes to trudge down the field and for the Lions in some cases, seconds. Geno Smith laid yet another egg in prime-time last Thursday. On paper, an impressive 312 passing yards, but not accounting for two costly interceptions and miscues, which combined would make the game out of reach for the Hawks. 

The team is in somewhat of a state of chaos. Their feel-good story to begin the year has devolved into one with much uncertainty. Both DK Metcalf and Geno Smith voiced their displeasure with the team's offensive play, using words that I’m afraid are not safe for usage in this article. With the gauntlet of their schedule commencing next week in Atlanta, Seattle has a lot of questions to address if they hope to avoid making this season a “rebuild” year.

The Niners are not the only threat to Seattle in the division this year. Despite what their records may suggest, the Cardinals, minus their brutal outing last week against the Packers, have proven to be a tough outing for any team. Additionally, the Rams are a few plays away from avoiding their disastrous 1-4 start to the season. For the time being, however, Seahawks faithful can only hope that the past few weeks will be a blip on what will be a great season, or else it can get very ugly, very fast. 

Next Up: @ Atlanta Falcons, Sunday 10/20 1pm EST 

Not ready for Takeoff?

“Once they have a competent quarterback, they will be all set” is a sentiment many have had about the New York Jets over the last few years. Despite the major setback that was Aaron Rodgers’ injury last year, there was still plentiful amounts of optimism heading into the 2024 season that this would be the year of the Jets. While not a complete train wreck, the first few weeks have shown that the addition of Rodgers is not all that this team needs to compete with the NFL’s elite.

In fairness to the Jets, we are only six weeks into what will be a long season full of twists and turns. But the issues the team has had so far are very much like their struggles of years prior, just not as extreme. Offensive line issues and the resulting broken offensive chemistry from this, penalty trouble, and dare I say straight-up unluckiness have hovered over the Jets so far this season.

Off the field, they have caused a great deal of commotion with the sudden firing of head coach Robert Saleh, the first coach under the Johnson ownership to be fired midway through the season. Perhaps the change and promotion of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich to head coach can be what the team needs moving forward, but it is certainly not a great look to have this much turmoil at the onset of the season. 

In a game that could have possibly turned their season around, the Jets fell to the Bills on Monday Night Football in a 23-20 heartbreaker, which saw the Jets miss two important field goals and fail to take full advantage of the red zone. 110 yards given up from penalties, being one of four in the red zone, and a game costing interception for the second week straight certainly does not help.

Admittedly, there was a fair share of... let’s just say, questionable officiating, but with the game in reach, the Jets failed to get the job done. To their credit, this may have been the best the offense has looked all season, which is certainly something to build off as they progress through the season.

A signature Aaron Rodgers Hail Mary before halftime as well as a 169-yard performance for Breece Hall were the highlights of the Jets' offensive night. But moral victories do not amount to much in a league such as the NFL, however, especially in the case of the Jets who seem to have borrowed time in terms of their contending window and the uncertainty of Aaron Rodgers' future in the NFL. 

Despite the missed field goals, red zone ineptitude, and a costly turnover with two and a half minutes to play, the Jets' defense did all it could to keep them within reach of winning the game... a scene far too familiar for the fans. This situation of the defense having to overcompensate for an offense that is not producing efficiently is one that many had thought would be taken care of with the new king in town in Rodgers. However, many Jets fans find themselves having deja vu.  

Even then, the defense still gave up rushing yards in bunches to the run offense of the Bills, being gashed by Buffalo’s backup running back Ray Davis, and of course the always mobile Josh Allen, including a game-sealing six-yard rush on a 3rd and 4 in the fourth quarter. An embarrassing 10-9 loss to the Broncos, a down-to-the-wire finish with an awful Titans team, and the inability to close out games against elite teams such as the Vikings and Bills, are incredibly concerning for a team that is looking to forge its way into the upper echelon of the league’s teams.  

The Davante Adams trade certainly makes the upcoming weeks more interesting, but time will tell just how much it helps the team. This leads me to my main thesis surrounding the Jets: if the offense continues to improve and the defensive production stays between great and excellent, I have no doubt that eventually, the Jets will be able to find their rhythm.

But so far, at 2-4 and dropping three straight, their campaign has been incredibly underwhelming and marred with the same offensive line struggles that have plagued them for years, and the same old bad Jets luck. However, if the desperate move of trading for Adams is anything to go by, the Jets will not go down without a fight. They now face a must-win vs the Steelers on next week's edition of Sunday Night Football. 

Next up: @ Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday Night Football 10/20 

The wild-wild, North?

There were certainly not many doubts about the Lions and Packers being amongst the elite within the NFC North coming into the season. What was a surprise, however, was the rise of both the Vikings and Bears. With a combined division record of 17-5, it appears as though the NFC North will be a warzone as the season continues to unfold. The defensive units of the division have looked stellar, with the Packers, Bears, and Vikings being top five in the NFL in turnovers forced. 

Bears’ GM Ryan Poles made it a point of emphasis to surround his number one draft pick, Caleb Williams, with as much talent as possible to help him succeed immediately and settle into the NFL play style. And to his credit, it seems to all be coming together heading into week seven. Williams had his first signature game in the NFL last weekend, with a 226 passing-yard performance against the Jaguars, with a rating of 124 and four touchdowns to go along with it.

The defense has been as good as advertised throughout the first six weeks, only allowing 20 or more points in one game this season so far and being third in the league in turnovers forced. Had the offense begun to click just a few games earlier, they could very well be a four or five-win team right now heading into week seven. 

In an interesting turn of events, the season-ending injury suffered by JJ McCarthy in the preseason was not the kiss of death many had expected it to be. On the contrary, journeyman Sam Darnold has risen to the occasion and is currently having his best season as a pro in his seventh year.

The Vikings have been able to use just about everybody in their offense to tear apart defenses, with not only superstar Justin Jefferson, but also Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor, and former Packer Aaron Jones. The Brian Flores-coached defense has continued to stifle opponents week in and week out, including an impressive 34-7 beat down of the Texans in week three.

While the Bears have their BYE week, and the Packers prepare to host the Texans in a battle of the league’s elite, the Lions will travel to Minnesota for a clash of the titans versus the Vikings. Will the Vikings improve to 6-0, or will the Lions reclaim their throne on top of the division? While the Vikings have certainly been able to handle quite a resume of opponents (Niners, Texans, Packers, and so on) this will be their most grand test to date.

Taking into account the Lions and their 47-9 beat down of the Cowboys in Dallas last week, a Vikings win here would be especially incredible momentum for a team that many had counted out heading into the year. I, for one, am very excited to find out. 

Can the Niners finally Exercise their Ghosts of Super Bowl’s Past?

The Niners will host their arch-nemesis, the Kansas City Chiefs, in Levi’s Stadium this weekend. It has been an interesting beginning to the season for San Francisco so far, to say the least. The injury bug has made its rounds through the squad; most notably, the injury to dynamic superstar Christian McCaffrey, who has yet to play a game for the Niners this season. Thankfully, Georgia Tech draftee Jordan Mason has done more than enough to help fill the void left by CMC, being second in the league in carries (114) and yards (609), respectively.

After two mind-boggling lead-blown losses to divisional rivals Rams and Cardinals over the last few weeks, the Niners come into this heavyweight clash having gotten some of their swagger back after a win over another NFC West rival in the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night. Sitting on top of the mess that is the current NFC West, San Francisco still has much work to do.

A major concern in the offensive side of the football for the Niners has been Brandon Aiyuk. Excluding a monster 147-yard performance against the Cardinals, the freshly paid wideout has not surpassed 50 yards in any other game so far this season, and is still without a touchdown score (which has caused rumblings amongst the Niner faithful). The consequences of his four-year $120 million extension have loomed over his mostly underwhelming play this season.

All things considered, however, looking past the blown leads and injuries, the Niners still find themselves in a favorable 3-3 spot considering the rest of their division at the moment. However, what better place to fully swing momentum back in your favor than against their metaphorical brick wall known as the Kansas City Chiefs? 

While critics may point out the fact that the Chiefs' 5-0 start to their 2024 season should have a few asterisks next to it, especially the end to their game against the Bengals a few weeks ago, the fact of the matter is they stand here at 5-0 and are the last of the unbeaten within the AFC. It is equally as relieving for the Chiefs as it is unsettling for the rest of the NFL that they have managed to be at 5-0, despite a few heart-racing games and not necessarily dominating in any facets throughout their first five.

The Mahomes-Kelce tandem we are so accustomed to seeing frustrate various defenses has not quite taken off to the heights we usually expect. Isaiah Pacheco will be out a few more weeks and Rashee Rice will miss the rest of the season. However, as they normally do, KC has been able to make it work. They brought back running back Kareem Hunt, who in a blast-from-the-past had a 117-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Saints last weekend. 

More than just a Super Bowl rematch, this game represents an important landmark in the seasons of both squads. Frustration has been steadily growing regarding this Niners squad over the past few years, with countless playoffs and Super Bowl meltdowns that would have even the most loyal of Niners faithful to be infuriated.

As for the Chiefs, this game is an incredible opportunity to not only connect at full potential, but to continue and build the vice grip they have on what currently is an underwhelming AFC West division. 
This game is yet another crown jewel on a weekend full of intriguing matchups, let us just hope there are not a million camera cuts of Taylor Swift and crew in the suites. 

Gametime: Sunday 10/20 @ 4:25pm EST

What’s going on with the Jaguars?

While it’s only week seven, Jacksonville’s season is on the line vs the Patriots in London. After the disaster that was their 2023 campaign which saw their 8-3 record evaporate into a 9-8 no playoff season, the Jags desperately wanted to wipe off the grime and bad taste heading into 2024. The return of their awesome 90’s throwback uniforms, and additions such as wide receiver Gabe Davis, however, were mere distractions from what would be an eventual ugly start to their 2024 season.

An impressive first-half performance in week one against a then-great Dolphins team devolved to a complete collapse after Travis Etienne’s costly fumble in the end zone. Excluding a good home win versus the Colts in week five, there have been little-to-no positives for the Jaguars nation to hold on to from that point forward. Sitting at 1-5, the Jags appear to have regressed in so many areas since the beginning half of last season, and their bad habits that led to them falling out of playoff contention last year are still present. 

Their loss to the Bears in London last week was as symbolic as it was painful for the Jaguars in terms of the team’s current state. I say symbolic because the way the Bears dominated them last week was exactly the way the Jaguars aspire to connect offensively and defensively. Being able to light up the field with multiple receivers and deep threats, with the Jaguars' attempts of this being almost completely shut down by the Chicago defense.

Chicago had a field day with a Jaguar defense which had much promise heading into the season. The Bears, Caleb Williams leading the charge on offense throwing two touchdowns to two different receivers, and an overall dominant defensive performance were able to completely embarrass the Jaguars 35-16, a score that is not indicative of just how one-sided this game was in favor of the Bears. 

Frustrations with Doug Pederson have especially mounted to a fever pitch, with questionable calls in important situations, not just limited to his obsession with going for it on 4th down.

It is to the point where many are unable to determine whether Trevor Lawrence’s inconsistent weekly performances are a result of Pederson’s system or Lawrence himself. The lack of usage of star running back Travis Etienne Jr has particularly enraged Jaguar fans and fantasy owners alike, with the rock-bottom of his season so far being a three-carry-one-yard performance against the Bears. An offense with no spark, mixed with a defense that gives up 29.6 points a game and ranks second to last in overall team defense, is a recipe for disaster. As someone who had faith in the Jaguars being able to turn a new leaf this season, so far it has been incredibly disappointing. 

Next Up: versus New England Patriots in London, with the Jaguars serving as the home team. 9:30 AM EST Sunday 10/20. 
 
Matt’s Must Watch: Lions vs Vikings, Texans vs Packers and Buccaneers vs Ravens (MNF) 
All three of these games are my most anticipated heading into the week, which is indicative of just how blessed NFL fans are this week with so many quality matchups that I was unable to choose only one. The Lions and Vikings look to battle for the early season crown of the already-impressive NFC North, as we discussed earlier in this article.

The Texans and Packers will be an epic display of high-power offenses led by their young quarterbacks CJ Stroud and Jordan Love, respectively. The climb of the Texans from irrelevancy to contention has been a very nice sight to see, as well as the Packers seemingly finding their core pieces for the future, after the departure of Aaron Rodgers a few years ago. The future of the NFL is as bright as day, and this game will certainly be a shining reminder of this fact.

Lamar Jackson leads his Baltimore Ravens down south to Tampa Bay where they face a dangerous Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers. After a rocky start to the season, Baltimore has gotten its mojo back. They have four straight impressive wins with at least 28 points scored in each, as well as the resurgence of Derrick Henry, who has been steamrolling defenses all season; the full-powered Ravens are officially here.

The career revival of Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay has helped the Bucs reach new heights, and they look to continue their path of offensive destruction against a very stout Baltimore group. If it was not the case already, the Buccaneers solidified themselves amongst the NFL’s upper echelon in last week’s 51-27 win against the Saints.

Gametimes: Texans @ Packers, Lions @ Vikings: 1pm EST on Sunday 10/20, Ravens @ Buccaneers: 8:15pm on Monday 10/21            

Matt’s Takecare Take - Panthers @ Commanders, Sunday 10/20, 4:05 EST 

Player to watch this week: Commanders QB Jayden Daniels. The Commanders showed the league their run so far was no fluke last week against the Ravens. Despite the loss, the young bucks were able to go toe-to-toe with the juggernaut that is the Baltimore Ravens, and the future continues to be increasingly bright in D.C. The Panthers are in town this weekend, so expect to see a show from Jayden Daniels and the Commander offense, who will be going against a Panther defense that has given up the most points per game so far in 2024 (33.8). 

Matthew Nazario can be reached at matthew.nazario@student.shu.edu. 

Posted in: sports,