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The seventh week of the 2026 NFL season will test just how well teams handle adversity. The 49ers and Rams must deal with depleted wide receiver rooms, the Eagles lost Jalen Hurts for the season, the Colts moved on from Chris Ballard, the Giants are turning to J.J. McCarthy and the Ravens are still unsure if Lamar Jackson will be returning.
Amid another hectic week in the NFL, here’s one question for every game in Week 7.
Arguably the top two quarterbacks from the 2024 quarterback class will meet in prime time when Drake Maye and Caleb Williams face off on Thursday night. Both quarterbacks enter the game on a high note.
After a rough start to the season which saw him leading the league in interceptions early on, Maye has rebounded superbly over the Patriots’ past three games, going 3–0 while throwing 10 touchdowns to just one pick. On the Bears’ side, Williams is coming off perhaps his best game as a pro, a win which saw him complete 83.3% of his passes for 305 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons. This prime-time matchup could come down simply to whichever quarterback has the better performance.
The Saints’ run defense had a good day against a Giants squad that decided not to give Cam Skattebo the ball, but can they repeat that performance against a better rushing attack led by Jaylen Warren? Warren ranks seventh in the NFL in rushing yards (460). The Buccaneers held him to just 50 yards on a season-low 3.6 yards per carry, which made life much tougher on Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers’ offense. The Saints’ run defense, however, is not as stout as Tampa’s. They rank 32nd in EPA per run allowed (.04) and 30th in rushing yards allowed per game (138).
After failing to record a sack against the Packers and Cowboys, the Buccaneers’ pass rush came alive against the Steelers in Week 6, recording a season-high five sacks in the 26–19 loss, including the first for rookie Rueben Bain Jr. Can they build off this performance? Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is much more mobile than Aaron Rodgers at this point in their careers, and has taken 12 sacks on the year. He is also good at extending plays, which will only make it more difficult for Tampa to get him down consistently.
Even with Breece Hall out due to injury, the Jets have run the ball well over the past couple weeks with Braelon Allen. In Week 5, he rushed for a career-high 116 yards and a touchdown to help the Jets beat the Browns. Last week, he rushed for 78 yards while averaging 4.6 yards per carry in a loss to the Patriots. Can he keep this up against the Dolphins? Miami boasts one of the NFL’s better run defenses, ranking fourth in EPA per rush allowed (-0.18).
Two months after losing the Vikings’ starting quarterback job to Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy is getting a second chance with the Giants. They acquired McCarthy last month, and with Jameis Winston continuing to struggle, John Harbaugh has decided to start McCarthy. While McCarthy made some nice throws in a comeback attempt in the Giants’ loss to the Saints, he has struggled with consistency throughout his young career. This week, he’ll be tapped with trying to find greater consistency against one of the league’s better defenses.
It would be an understatement to say the Ravens have had a hard time defending Ja’Marr Chase since former defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald left for Seattle after the 2023 season. In four games against the Ravens since, Chase has averaged 9.5 receptions for 175 yards and a touchdown in each contest. While Chase has caught some outstanding touchdowns this year, he’s also had a slower start to the season for his unreal standards—his season high in receiving yards is 98. Will he have his breakout game of the season against the Ravens, or will new head coach and defensive play-caller Jesse Minter be able to slow him down?
Unbelievable touchdown catch by Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals have a 7-0 lead after this.
— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) September 20, 2026
Chase somehow kept both feet in bounds. Unreal. pic.twitter.com/hMKwrkAfEZ
The Titans’ pass rush dominated the Colts’ offensive line in Week 6, racking up six sacks en route to their first win of the year. Jeffery Simmons was his typical All-Pro self, tallying two sacks as they doubled their previous season high of three sacks in a game. Can they do it again against the Browns? The Browns are 4–2, and this is a game they should win, but the Titans could pull off a second consecutive victory if their pass rush is able to stunt the Browns’ offense. The Browns have allowed the most sacks this season, 24, including 13 in their past two games. This is a good opportunity for the Titans to build momentum.
Colts quarterback Daniel Jones was sacked six times in last Sunday’s loss to the Titans. Now, they have a date against the Vikings and the league’s most ferocious blitzer, DC Brian Flores. Despite having their bye in Week 6, the Vikings are still tied for fifth in sacks on the season. When blitzed this season, Jones has completed 57.1% of his passes for 724 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions and taken 15 sacks. He ranks 18th in EPA per dropback when blitzed (-0.06). If the Colts can’t protect Jones from the Vikings’ blitzes, it could be a long afternoon in Indianapolis.
The 49ers’ offense became a shell of itself in the second half of their win over the Commanders after Mike Evans exited with an Achilles injury. Part of this was because the Commanders were finally able to pressure Brock Purdy and get the 49ers behind the sticks, but overall, their offense slowed when Evans left. Evans hasn’t been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Falcons, and the 49ers still have Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle, but they are also missing Deebo Samuel, Demarcus Robinson, Christian Kirk and De’Zhaun Stribling. Kyle Shanahan will have a week to prepare without his top playmaker this time, which could help. The Falcons rank second in rushing yards allowed (83 per game) and 1st in EPA per rush (-.20) compared to 28th in passing yards allowed (252 per game), so the 49ers’ best opportunity will be to beat them through the air.
After throwing for only 107 yards while averaging 4.0 yards per attempt in a Week 6 win, Bo Nix is continuing to face criticism for his lackluster play so far this season. The Broncos are winning at 4–2, but it feels unsustainable unless Nix and the passing game open up more soon. Nix said after their win over the Seahawks, “I don’t understand why we can’t really push the ball vertically right now.” Now’s a good time for the Broncos to try to get the vertical passing game going as they take on the Cardinals. While Arizona did a good job limiting the Rams’ deep passing game, the Cardinals still rank just 22nd in passing yards allowed per game (229.7) and 20th in EPA per pass allowed (0.24).
The Lions’ secondary has become a regular subject in this weekly questionnaire, and it rears its head again as Detroit prepares to take on one of the hottest quarterbacks in the NFL: Jordan Love. Love heads into Ford Field fresh off dicing up the Bears’ and Cowboys’ defenses. Now, he’ll face another weaker secondary in the Lions, which allows the most passing yards per game (297.4). In contrast, Love is third in the NFL in passing yards and second in passing yards on throws of 20 or more yards downfield (402). So long as Christian Watson and Matthew Golden don’t drop too many passes again, Love could have a field day against the Lions.
The Rams’ offense has looked lackluster for a significant part of the 2026 season—and that was with Davante Adams available. Now, Adams is out for at least six weeks with a ruptured hamstring, and the Rams will have to adapt without him. Maybe the Rams will add another receiver before the trade deadline, but for now, they must face the Raiders while undermanned. Can they rely on anyone outside of Puka Nacua? Perhaps this is a good time for them to focus on playing through the run game.
The perfect revenge game could be looming as Kenneth Walker III returns to Lumen Field for the first time since leaving the Seahawks. Walker began his career with the Seahawks, helping them win Super Bowl LX before signing with the Chiefs on a three-year, $45 million deal in free agency. Since leaving, Walker has emerged as the best back in the league in 2026 with the Chiefs, leading the league with 665 rushing yards despite playing only five games due to his bye. The Seahawks are still one of the better run defenses, allowing only 96 yards per game, but this is the best back they’ve faced all season.
The Eagles have been decimated by injuries, losing Saquon Barkley, Landon Dickerson, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert and Jalen Hurts for parts of the season. They’ll be undermanned again on Monday night, with Tanner McKee starting for the second time this season. The Cowboys have lost their last two games in part because they have been lackluster on offense, averaging just 14.5 points and committing a combined five turnovers in losses to the Buccaneers and Packers. This is an opportune time for the Cowboys to earn their third win of the season, but their offense must be better against an Eagles’ defense that has held their last two opponents to under 20 points.
Byes: Bills, Jaguars, Commanders, Chargers
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