NFL 2018-19 Week 7 Review

Another weekend,  and the picture for this 2018 season got simultaneously clearer and a bit more muddied.

While the Rams stayed unbeaten and are comfortably ahead in the NFC West,  and Washington won to solidly place themselves in front in the NFC East, the Texans took over first in the AFC South,  while Pittsburgh took over first in the AFC North without even playing a game.  Meanwhile,  the NFC North is bizarre,  with the Bears having played well,  yet still falling to last place,  while all of the other teams in the division,  including Green Bay,  who enjoyed their bye week,  moved up in the standings as a result of Chicago's loss.

Let's take a closer look:

L.A. Chargers 20, Tennessee 19 - The Chargers and Titans played a good game for those assembled at Wembley, and it was an exciting finish. However, it will always be remembered for coach Vrabel's decision to go for the two-point conversion to win it, rather than the extra point for the tie to force overtime.  My pick: Accurate

Minnesota 37, N.Y. Jets 17 - The Vikings take possession of first place in the NFC North again, after soundly defeating the Jets on the road. Sam Darnell had a difficult day, completing only 17 of 42 pass attempts for 206 yards. He threw one touchdown, but had three picks. Kirk Cousins was solid for Minnesota on the road, completing 25 of 40 for 241 yards and two touchdowns.  Vikings running back Lativius Murray also helped lift his team with 69 yards and two touchdowns picked up on 15 carries. The Vikings remain in front in the NFC North, benefiting from Chicago's loss t New England.  My pick: Accurate

New England 38, Chicago 31 - The Patriots won on a game when the Windy City lived up to it's name, but the Bears obviously made them work for it. In a losing cause, Mitch Trubisky nevertheless had a very good day, completing 26 of 50 for 333 yards and two touchdowns, and he also gained 81 yards on 6 carries, picking up another touchdown on the ground.  Trey Burton had an incredible day for the Bears as well, picking up 126 yards and a touchdown on nine catches for Chicago. Tom Brady completed 25 of 36 passes for 277, with three touchdowns and an interception. It was a back and forth affair, although the Pats managed to do enough to take a 14-point lead late, and then just hang on for the win. My pick: Accurate

Detroit 32, Miami 21 - Detroit running back Kerryon Johnson had a huge game, picking up 158 yards on 19 carries. Matt Stafford was solid at QB for the Lions, completing 18 of 22 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns. Brock Osweiler completed 22 of 31 for 239 yards and two touchdowns in a losing cause for Miami, who relinquish their share of the AFC East lead with New England. The loss drops Miami to 4-3 on the season, while the Lions improve to 3-3. My pick: Inaccurate

Indianapolis 37, Buffalo 5 - This was a strange score, but it was more or less the kind of results that most people likely would have expected in this one. Andrew Luck had a solid enough game for Indy, completing 17 of 23 passes for 156 yards and a whopping four touchdown passes.  Indianapolis running back Marion Mack added 126 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries. In a losing cause for Buffalo, Derek Carr completed 20 of 31 passes for 175 yards, with three interceptions. Buffalo was never really in this one, as the Colts raise their record to 2-5, while the Bills drop to 2-5. My pick: Accurate

Carolina 21, Philadelphia 17 - What the heck happened to the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth quarter? The defending champs had dominated the game, and this was reflected in the decisive 17-0 lead that they held entering the final quarter. But then Carolina put it all together right at the end. Suddenly, it was Philly as the team that could not score or hang onto the ball, while the Panthers suddenly scored three stunning touchdowns to turn what seemed like a sure loss into an improbable comeback win on the road. Cam Newton three two touchdown passes - his only two of the entire game - in the final five minutes, including a one-yard touchdown pass to Greg Olsen with 1:22 left, to win it. Newton had a very good day right at the end, although his total numbers were 25 of 39 passes completed for 269 yards, with those two touchdown passes late in the fourth quarter. He also led all rushers with 49 yards on the ground off seven carries. Philly's Carson Wentz had a good game statistically as well, completing 30 of 37 passes for 310 and two touchdowns, although he struggled to get anything done for his team when they needed it the most, in the final quarter. A huge, comeback win for Carolina that may have turned a season that was starting to spin out of control around, while this might have proven the opposite for the Eagles, who should have won, but instead were handed a stunning loss. My pick: Inaccurate

Tampa Bay 26, Cleveland 23 (OT) - This is part of the growing pains for the young and still up and coming Cleveland Browns. They battled back from a 23-9 deficit on the road at the end of the third quarter, and had a great fourth quarter, managing to tie it up and sending this game to overtime. Then, after all of that, the Bucs still manage to win it in improbable fashion. Baker Mayfield had a solid game for Cleveland, completing 23 of 34 passes for 215  yards and two touchdowns. The other young quarterback on the field, Tampa Bay's Jameis Winston, completed 32 of 52 for 365 yards, but had two interceptions. In the end, however, Chandler Catanzaro won it for Tampa Bay with a 59-yard field goal in overtime. My pick: Inaccurate

Houston 20, Jacksonville 7 - Blake Bortles looked like he might be flirting with relative elite status last season and very early on this season. But he has not played well for several games, and after losing two fumbles yesterday, he was ultimately benched. His replacement, Cody Kessler, was a bit better, completing 21 of 30 passes for 156 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Prior to his benching, Bortles had completed 6 of 12 pass attempts for 61 yards, and also picked up 30 yards on six carries for Jax. But Houston took an early lead and steadily built it up, until it was an insurmountable 20-0 lead late in the fourth, with the Jaguars managing to score a garbage time touchdown. Deshaun Watson completed 12 of 24 passes for Houston, which was good for 139 and a touchdown. Most importantly for the Texans, it was good enough to give his team a fourth straight win, and now, sole possession of first place in the AFC South, as both Jacksonville and Tennessee continue to see their strong starts to the season unravel.  My pick: Accurate 

Washington 20, Dallas 17 - Brett Maher's field goal kick bounced off the goal posts, and assured that Washington would preserve the narrow 20-17 lead for the win. Adrian Petersen was stellar for Washington, picking up 99 yards on 24 carries, while quarterback Alex Smith completed 14 of 25 passes for 178 yards and one touchdown, while his counterpart for Dallas, Dak Prescott, completed 22 of 35 for 273 and one TD. He also was the leading rusher for the 'Boys, picking up 33 yards on six carries, although his lost fumble to Washington linebacker Ryan Kerrigan that resulted in a touchdown proved very costly.  But obviously not as costly as Maher's missed kick at the end, as Dallas still had a chance, but lost it there. Washington now has a solid game and a half lead over Dallas and Philly for first place in the NFC East. My pick: Accurate

New Orleans 24, Baltimore 23 - The Like Bret Favre years before him,  Saints quarterback Drew Brees seems to be breaking records with every game. He threw his 500th career touchdown yesterday, which is just yet one more milestone on what has been an incredible career. But surely, he is happier for having led his team to another incredible win, as he completed 22 of 30 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns. Alvin Kamara picked up 64 yards and a touchdown on the ground on 17 carries, which also helped New Orleans pull off the win. Joe Flacco had a decent day in a losing cause for Baltimore, completing 23 of 39 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns. In the end, however, Baltimore's seeming tying touchdown at the end proved to be a bit less than that once Justin Tucker missed the only PAT of his entire career, including both his professional and college days. It proved very costly, icing the game for New Orleans. The Saints stay ahead of Carolina in the NFC South, while the Ravens, like the Bengals, lose their share of the AFC North lead. My prediction: Accurate, but barely

L.A. Rams 39, San Francisco 10 - The undefeated Rams remained perfect by pummeling the overmatched 49ers. Like a heavyweight fighter, the Rams simply seemed to lean on the Niners with all of their weight once they took a sizable lead, and just wore down their weaker opponents, ultimately securing an important divisional win that almost seems to lock up the NFC West for LA. Jared Goff was steady, completing 18 of 24 passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns. San Francisco's C.J. Beathard looked good last week in a loss to Green Bay, but he did not look quite as good this weekend, completing 15 of 27 passes for 170 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions, as the 49ers drop to 1-6. My pick:  Accurate

Sunday Night Football

Kansas City 45, Cincinnati 10 - The Chiefs are right back to being the elite team that they were prior to the loss to New England last weekend, which is definitely a good sign. They took an early lead, and never looked back, pounding away on their weaker and clearly outmatched opponents, the Bengals. Patrick Mahomes had another incredible game, completing 28 of 39 passes for 358 yards, with four touchdowns and one interception. Cincy's Andy Dalton, meanwhile, was ineffective enough that he got benched, completing 15 of 29 passes for 148 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.  Jeff Driskel, his replacement, completed 4 of 4 passes for 39 yards, although the game was already well out of reach for Cincinnati by the point that he came into the game. Frankly, the game was decided by halftime, and the Bengals were never really in this one, as their season continues to deteriorate. This loss means that they lost their share of first place in the AFC North. My pick: Accurate

Monday Night Football

N.Y. Giants at Atlanta - Well, like with the Jets, I would love to honestly be able to say that I expect that the Giants could win this one. But the Falcons are desperate, and have a better chance - a much better chance, admittedly - than the G-Men do of recovering from a truly awful start to the season. Atlanta's offense has not looked off the charts good like they have at times in recent seasons, but they are still explosive, and that is not good news for a Giants defense that has looked sloppy and weak at times. Plus, the Giants have their own issues on offense. That is not a good combination, and so that is why my gut tells me that the home team is going to win, possibly in quite a big way. Hope I'm wrong, but just being realistic. My pick: Atlanta