🐺 Wolf Sports Weekly

From Sean Payton to Saquon Barkley to Davante Adams to a Super Bowl rematch, Week 7 of the NFL season featured many reunions of sorts.

🏈 Reunions and more in Week 7

Let’s start with the MNF doubleheader—a convincing win by the Ravens at Tampa Bay with Lamar Jackson throwing five touchdowns, and the Cardinals beating the Chargers while holding LA to five field goals. However, the biggest news of the night is that the Bucs lost WR Chris Godwin to a dislocated ankle with under a minute remaining in the 41-31 loss. Godwin was enjoying a phenomenal season (currently the league’s leader in receptions and second in the NFL in receiving yards), and it’s heartbreaking to see him suffer another season-ending leg injury—but the star weapon seems to have the right mindset, appearing to say “back to work” while getting carted off the field. Tampa also lost Mike Evans to a hamstring injury, with its severity TBD.

The Jets acquired All-Pro WR Davante Adams from the Raiders last Tuesday morning to bring him together with Aaron Rodgers again, but New York’s first game with Adams in the mix looked like more of the same—a 37-15 victory for the Steelers in Russell Wilson’s first start with the team. Pittsburgh started relatively slow and was down at halftime, but they dominated with a 24-0 margin in the second half. Wilson eventually got cooking, particularly with deep balls to WR George Pickens (five receptions, 111 yards, one touchdown). The move by head coach Mike Tomlin (“that’s why I’m well compensated”) to make a quarterback switch at 4-2 was criticized by many, but the passing game is undoubtedly more dangerous with Wilson. The Steelers are now at 5-2, while the Jets dropped to 2-5.

The Chiefs defense was again dominant in the Super Bowl LVIII rematch, with Kansas City defeating the 49ers, 28-18, to improve to 6-0. Aside from a couple of key runs, Patrick Mahomes did not play particularly well for the Chiefs—but the back-to-back defending champions have been winning behind their defense and timely plays on offense for a while now. The Niners lost WRs Brandon Aiyuk (to a torn ACL) and Deebo Samuel (pneumonia, just three snaps played), and Jauan Jennings (hip) was inactive as Kansas City intercepted Brock Purdy three times. Mahomes has just six touchdown passes compared to eight interceptions despite the 6-0 start.

Sean Payton’s return to New Orleans went well for Denver, with the Broncos defense overwhelming an injured Saints offense in a 33-10 Thursday night win. Vance Joseph’s defense racked up up six sacks, and LB Cody Barton starred with six tackles, a sack, and a fumble return for a touchdown. Broncos owner Greg Penner presented Payton with a game ball after the win got the squad to 4-3.

Saquon Barkley exploded for 176 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries as the Eagles dismantled the Giants in Barkley’s return to MetLife Stadium. The highlight for Barkley was a 55-yard run, and his 176 yards were the second most in NFL history for a player facing his former team (Cedric Benson, 189 yards vs. Bears). Remember, Giants owner John Mara said on offseason Hard Knocks that he’ll “have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia,” but GM Joe Schoen didn’t take the hint and is undoubtedly on a scorching hot seat right now at 2-5.

Other Week 7 results:

• Jaguars 32, Patriots 16: In the final London game of 2024, Jacksonville avoided disaster and erased a 10-0 hole to eventually run all over New England, leading HC Jerod Mayo to say his team is “soft”—which Bill Belichick took exception with.

• Lions 31, Vikings 29: Jared Goff and the Detroit offense remain on fire, helping end Minnesota’s unbeaten run at 5-0 and claim first place early in the NFC North race. Goff is just the fourth player in league history with a 140+ passer rating in three consecutive games.

• Packers 24, Texans 22: Pre-game was chippy, with Texans WR Stefon Diggs and Packers CB Jaire Alexander in middle of it in an extension of their longtime rivalry—but Green Bay ultimately won on a game-winning Brandon McManus field goal behind stellar pass defense, holding C.J. Stroud to 86 passing yards. In the win, Packers RB Josh Jacobs ended his all-time record streak of receptions without a touchdown (211).

• Bills 34, Titans 10: After the Bills traded for five-time Pro Bowl WR Amari Cooper from the Browns, Cooper caught a touchdown in his team debut with a little help from rookie WR Keon Coleman (who had over 100 yards himself) as Buffalo put up 34 consecutive points.

• Colts 16, Dolphins 10: Two critical fumble recoveries helped Indy win an offensive struggle in Anthony Richardson’s return to the lineup—with the returns of RB Jonathan Taylor and DT DeForest Buckner from ankle injuries right around the corner.

• Seahawks 34, Falcons 14: Battling illness, RB Kenneth Walker III scored twice on his birthday with the Seahawks separating in the second half and ending a three-game skid to improve to 4-3.

• Bengals 21, Browns 14: The Bengals again played well defensively (though it was great to see RB Nick Chubb score in his first game in over a year), while the Browns lost QB Deshaun Watson for the year due to a torn Achilles.

• Commanders 40, Panthers 7: No doubt the Panthers are playing horrible football, but Marcus Mariota lit it up with 205 yards and two touchdowns after rookie QB Jalen Daniels (week-to-week) left with a rib injury, keeping things rolling for the 5-2 Commanders.

• Rams 20, Raiders 15: RB Kyren Williams scored twice, and the Rams defense picked off Gardner Minshew three times in a win off the bye—with WR Cooper Kupp (ankle) now set to return for TNF against the Vikings.

🔥 Top fantasy performers in Week 7

• Ravens QB Lamar Jackson: 34.44 points

• Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs: 30.0 points

• Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield: 27.0 points

• Buccaneers RB Rachaad White: 26.1 points

• Eagles RB Saquon Barkley: 25.7 points

(point totals are for half PPR scoring)

👀 Player news

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa is scheduled to return from his concussion this Sunday, and he told reporters that he appreciates the concern but, “I love this game, and I love it to the death of me. That’s it.”

Lions WR Jameson Williams is facing a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s PES policy.

The trades of Davante Adams (which was for a conditional third-round pick that can become a second-rounder if Adams is an All-Pro or active for the AFC title game or Super Bowl) and Amari Cooper (Cleveland gets a third-round pick in the deal) were mentioned above, but they weren’t the only moves made last week:

• The Vikings added depth to the running back room by acquiring for Cam Akers, who was with the team last year, from the Texans.

• Following the trade for Cooper, the Bills released WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who signed with the Saints.

• The Raiders signed QB Desmond Ridder off the Cardinals practice squad.

And the Haason Reddick saga is now over, with the pass rusher finally reporting to the Jets after a lengthy holdout after the team traded for him from the Eagles this offseason.

• Reddick had been given a “short window to seek a trade”, so apparently there were no suitors.

• On Sunday morning, it was announced that he is ending his holdout with an adjusted contract that eliminates the fines he racked up over the past few months.

• As part of the CBA, Reddick was fined over $12 million for his holdout, but the team will reportedly waive all of those fines.

The Lions signed DL Alim McNeill to a four-year, $97 million extension with $55 million guaranteed, continuing a trend of GM Brad Holmes locking up his very talented core group of players.

We also again have a bunch of injuries to note in addition to those mentioned above:

• Giants star OT Andrew Thomas is out for the season with a foot injury.

• Saints WR Rashid Shaheed is done for the year due to a meniscus tear, and CB Paulson Adebo suffered a season-ending broken femur on Thursday night.

• Chiefs CB Jaylen Watson suffered a fractured ankle and his season is in jeopardy.

• Dolphins WR Braxton Berrios tore his ACL and is out for the year.

• Seahawks WR DK Metcalf (knee) is week-to-week.

• Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell is out for at least a month with a broken thumb on his throwing hand.

• The Titans placed WR Treylon Burks (knee) on injured reserve.

Veterans available: The Titans released S Jamal Adams while the Panthers released CB Troy Hill.

📰 More NFL notes and funny stuff

NFL legends Tom Brady and Richard Seymour were officially approved as part-owners of the Las Vegas Raiders.

“I don’t think I played good enough if I’m being real with you.” Steelers QB Justin Fields handled his benching with total class.

Super Bowl LXII has been awarded to Atlanta and Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Stadium news: The Jaguars had their new “Stadium of the Future” approved by NFL owners. The Browns are narrowing their stadium efforts to a dome in Brook Park.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had a heated radio interview on 105.3 The Fan.

Former NJ governor Chris Christie oddly called Lions HC Dan Campbell “classless” for blowing out the Cowboys a couple of weeks ago. Campbell responded: “The last time somebody called me classless I was drinking wine out of a bottle… I’m not worried about it.”

New nickname alert: The Lions running back duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery wants to be called “Sonic and Knuckles.” RBs coach Scottie Montgomery: “I’ve been warned that this is what they want to be called.”

Other Sports Updates

⚾️ New York vs. Los Angeles: The World Series is set between the Yankees and the Dodgers, which begins with Game 1 this Friday at 8:08 PM ET.

🏈 College football highlights, including a Catch of the Year candidate from USC WR Ja’Kobe Lane:

• No. 11 Tennessee won a thriller over No. 7 Alabama, 24-17.

• Playing in cool throwback helmets, No. 22 Illinois handed No. 24 Michigan its third loss of the season.

• No. 5 Georgia came out on fire and upset No. 1 Texas on the road, 30-15.

🤔 The NCAA closed the loophole that helped Oregon run time off the clock while securing their win over Ohio State a couple of weeks ago.

🏀 In another college athletics stunner, Virginia national champion coach Tony Bennett retired just ahead of the season, telling reporters “college athletics is not in a healthy spot… I was equipped to do the job here the old way.”

🏒 Penguins star Evgeni Malkin became the 48th player in NHL history to hit 500 career goals.

🤣 Former NFL receiver Greg Jennings thought this play looked familiar.

🐺 Found on wolfsports.com

• Week 7 fantasy awards

• Fantasy ROS rankings (🔒)

• Week 7 waiver wire rankings (🔒)

• Latest college football power rankings