It takes numerous issues to go proper to steer an NFL division close to the season’s halfway level. Yet for half of the league’s first-place groups, issues went incorrect in Week 7.
Of the eight division leaders coming into the weekend, 4 — the Atlanta Falcons, the Houston Texans, the San Francisco 49ers and the Minnesota Vikings — left it as losers. The Vikings’ loss additionally broke their undefeated begin.
Most stunning was Atlanta’s 34-14 loss at house as a betting favourite to a Seattle workforce that had misplaced three straight video games. The Seahawks intercepted the NFC South-leading Falcons (4-3) twice and sacked quarterback Kirk Cousins 4 instances. One of these sacks led to a fumble that was recovered for a 64-yard fourth-quarter landing return by Seattle that primarily put the sport out of attain and allowed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to slip into first place forward of Atlanta. Of notice: All three of Atlanta’s losses this season have come at house.
Houston (5-2) and Minnesota (5-1) have been tripped up by area objectives within the last seconds in shut video games towards seemingly playoff-bound opponents.
Green Bay kicker Brandon McManus, who had signed with the Packers solely days earlier shortly after the NFL closed an investigation into whether or not he violated the league’s personnel conduct coverage, nailed a 45-yard area objective as time expired for the 24-22 win. The loss, which broke AFC South-leading Houston’s three-game profitable streak, got here after quarterback C.J. Stroud handed for a career-low 86 yards and was sacked 4 instances, but it surely didn’t price the Texans within the standings, the place they continue to be a sport forward of Indianapolis.
In Minnesota, the Vikings had moved to the highest of the NFC North, the league’s most tough division so far, behind unexpectedly environment friendly manufacturing from quarterback Sam Darnold and a pressure-heavy protection. The Vikings overcame 11-point deficits twice to steer Detroit in a gathering of the highest two groups within the division however couldn’t rally a last comeback when Jake Bates kicked a 44-yard area objective with 15 seconds left for a 31-29 Lions lead.
Minnesota couldn’t even get off a last-gasp Hail Mary due to a sack. As with Stroud’s stunning efficiency towards Green Bay, Minnesota additionally couldn’t discover a option to make considered one of its normal strengths work in its favor. The Vikings’ protection had allowed a league-low 3.6 yards per rush, just for Detroit to common greater than 5 yards per carry.
With its win and San Francisco’s loss, Seattle jumped into first within the NFC West.
And in a gathering of two first-place groups, San Francisco (3-4) misplaced 28-18 to Kansas City. The Chiefs (6-0) are the NFL’s final undefeated workforce and stay atop the AFC West after the NFC West-leading 49ers misplaced the ball — quarterback Brock Purdy threw three interceptions — together with their composure, as star offensive lineman Trent Williams was ejected for throwing a punt.