32 things we learned in NFL Week 7: Biggest stars put on a show
The 32 things we learned from Week 7 of the 2023 NFL season:
1. The fourth Sunday of October marked “National Tight Ends Day,” and the Baltimore Ravens’ Mark Andrews tried to steal the spotlight early on by hauling in a pair of touchdowns in a surprising 38-6 dismantling of the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions.
2. But Andrews was merely keeping the seat warm for National Tight End of the Year – for so many reasons – Travis Kelce, who was instrumental in the AFC West-leading Kansas City Chiefs’ 31-17 defeat of the Los Angeles Chargers. Kelce finished with 12 catches for 179 yards and a TD, doing the bulk of his damage in the first half.
2a. Speaking of Kelce (and his inner circle), the reigning Super Bowl champions are now 4-0 with Eagles fan Taylor Swift in attendance.
3. And speaking of an MVP race that has yet to really crystallize, Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes (424 yards, 4 TDs passing) and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson (357 yards, 3 TDs passing, 36 yards and a TD rushing) – both previous winners of the award – may have officially declared their candidacy Sunday, opportune timing given the unimpressive night Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa had.
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3a. Tagovailoa lost his first head-to-head matchup against his former Alabama Crimson Tide teammate, Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts.
4. The Chiefs became the first team to reach six wins in 2023.
4a. Sunday night, Philly became the second to a half-dozen Ws.
5. Back to the TEs, what a middle finger from the league’s schedule makers – or maybe it was a Kittle-esque T-shirt? – forcing the San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle, the patriarch of National Tight Ends Day, to play on Monday night. Worse, Kittle’s matchup with fellow former Iowa Hawkeye and fellow Pro Bowl TE T.J. Hockenson of the Minnesota Vikings just amplifies the blatant disrespect of one of our national treasures.
6. But it’s unlikely any tight end will celebrate on par with the New England Patriots’ Mike Gesicki, who snared the game-winning TD pass with 12 seconds left in a shocking 29-25 upset of the Buffalo Bills.
6a. Gesicki celebrated as only he can, with the worst Griddy you’re likely to ever see.
7. And let’s give it up for legendary Pats head coach Bill Belichick, who became the third man in league annals to win 300 regular-season games, joining titanic Hall of Famers George Halas and Don Shula. We’ve (fairly) spotlighted BB’s unfortunate missteps and generally poor team this year. But Sunday served a reminder of why he’s one of the best – arguably the greatest – to ever don an NFL headset, regardless of his post-Brady struggles.
7a. And with NFL Media reporting Belichick’s contract was extended in the offseason, more than likely a fait accompli he’ll eventually overtake Shula’s all-time record (347 wins, postseason included) for the six-time Super Bowl champions, BB now 17 victories from breaking the mark.
8. The Eagles looked resplendent in their Kelly Green uniforms Sunday night, the first time the NFC East leaders had worn their classic look since 2010.
8a. Beloved Iggles C Jason Kelce also threw it back, conducting a pre-game taped interview with NBC while wearing a sweater from “The Big Lebowski.” The Dude abides.
9. The Indianapolis Colts weren’t quite as spiffy in the debut of their alternate “Indiana Nights” look, which they wore for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff. The unique “heathered” element of the uniforms didn’t translate to television. And if you can’t wear your “Indiana Nights” in prime time, at least wait for a late-afternoon game after Daylight Savings, fellas?
9a. Colts QB2 Gardner Minshew II led a balanced offense amid Indy’s 39-38 loss to the Cleveland Browns, producing four touchdowns (2 pass, 2 rush) and four turnovers (3 fumbles, INT).
10. Cleveland DE Myles Garrett had quite a day, bolstering a building case for his first Defensive Player of the Year award. The All-Pro pass rusher became the first player this century with multiple sacks, multiple fumbles forced and a blocked kick in the same game – his pair of strip sacks and swat of a field-goal try after he hurdled the line directly leading to 17 Browns points in their one-point win.
10a. Garrett’s 82 career sacks are the most ever by a player yet to turn 28 years old.
10b. Ironically, his big day occurred as Cleveland surrendered more than 30 points or 300 yards – Indy churned out 456 – for the first time this season.
11. Browns RB Jerome Ford bolted for a 69-yard TD run on Cleveland’s opening possession. He carried 10 more times Sunday … averaging a half-yard per rush.
12. Cleveland’s Dustin Hopkins is the only kicker in league history to drill a field goal from at least 50 yards in five consecutive games in one season.
13. The eight lead changes in the Browns-Colts contest were the most in an NFL game in four years.
14. The Ravens became the first team to score a touchdown on each of their first four drives in a game this season. Baltimore managed all that before the Lions even managed a first down.
14a. Ravens RB Gus Edwards had a career-best 144 yards from scrimmage, most of it on an 80-yard catch-and-run. Prior to Sunday, Edwards had never had more than 37 receiving yards in a game.
15. In his first game back with the Chiefs since being reacquired from the New York Jets, WR Mecole Hardman caught a 6-yard pass, returned a punt 50 yards and even made a tackle following Mahomes’ INT.
16. Believe it or not, Mahomes (300.4 passing yards per game) and the Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert (285.6 ypg) entered Sunday as the most prolific quarterbacks in NFL history on a passing-per-game basis. Drew Brees (280.0 ypg) is third.
16a. Mahomes and Herbert combined for nearly 700 Sunday.
17. On the opposite end of that spectrum was Sunday’s matchup of backup quarterbacks at Soldier Field, the Chicago Bears and rookie Tyson Bagent – he threw for 83 yards in his Week 6 debut – hosting the Las Vegas Raiders and journeyman QB2 Brian Hoyer (138.1 ypg during his lengthy career).
17a. Bagent and Hoyer combined for 291 yards in an ugly game.
18. But props to Bagent, the product of Division II Shepherd University, for shredding the Silver and Black for his inaugural professional victory.
19. In the days before the game, Bagent revealed his alternate career plan had he not reached the NFL. “I was basically just going to CrossFit my life away," he said. "Basically, just get as ripped and jacked as I possibly could and be a teacher at Martinsburg High School.”
20. That could be on hold for a while, especially if QB1 Justin Fields’ dislocated thumb continues to heal slowly.
21. Good bye week for the Jets, who drew closer to Buffalo and Miami while in the hangar.
22. The Dolphins' top-ranked offense didn't show up Sunday night in Philadelphia. The Fins' 17 points, 244 net yards, 199 passing yards and 45 rushing yards were easily season lows.
23. It’s OK to talk a big game, Davante Adams, especially given your career laurels. But you can’t follow up by dropping wide-open TD passes … against the Bears.
24. After outlasting the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers have won after each of their past seven bye weeks.
25. Sean Payton’s first home win as coach of the Broncos also snapped Denver’s streak of 10 consecutive losses when they were leading at halftime.
26. The New York Giants scored all of their points in Sunday’s 14-7 victory over the Washington Commanders in the second quarter, TE Darren Waller and RB Saquon Barkley finding the end zone.
27. Those were Big Blue’s first touchdowns this season before halftime, and they broke a three-game streak without any offensive TDs period.
28. Congrats to unsung Jacksonville Jaguars LB Foyesade Oluokun, who scored his first career touchdown Thursday with a 24-yard pick-six off New Orleans Saints QB Derek Carr.
29. Now in his sixth NFL season, Oluokun is on track to lead the league in tackles for the third straight year.
30. And shoutout to Jags RB Travis Etienne, the first player in team history to rush for multiple TDs in three consecutive games.
31. Jacksonville’s victory at New Orleans – QB Trevor Lawrence’s only losses at Clemson occurred at the Superdome – allowed the Atlanta Falcons to assume first place in the NFC South by beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16-13 on Sunday.
32. Remarkable win by the Dirty Birds considering Younghoe Koo had to kick a 51-yard field goal at the gun, rookie RB Bijan Robinson was limited to one touch (3 yards) while feeling under the weather, and QB Desmond Ridder turned the ball over three more times – one at the pylon for a Tampa Bay touchback, and the other two also occurring with Atlanta in the red zone.
32a. But Ridder is actually in good company. His 11 turnovers are the most in the NFL ... one more than Hurts has.
***Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.
