Week 7 overreactions for 2024 NFL season: Deshaun Watson final sport with Browns? Josh Allen finest QB this 12 months?

This week within the NFL offered some thrillers because the early slate in Week 7 lived as much as the hype. The Detroit Lions handed the Minnesota Vikings their first lack of the season with a area aim within the last minute whereas the Inexperienced Bay Packers additionally gained with a walk-off area aim over the Houston Texans. 

Whereas the NFC North flexed its muscle, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs grew to become the ultimate unbeaten crew with their win over the San Francisco 49ers. The Washington Commanders additionally maintained management of the NFC East with their blowout win over the Carolina Panthers. 

That is the primary week this season during which 4 or extra groups got here again to win after trailing by no less than 10 factors. 

With all of the comeback victories and assertion wins, this can be a nice week for overreactions. That are overreactions and that are actuality? 

Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction

Watson’s season seems to be over after getting carted off the sector within the second quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Bengals. The Browns concern Watson tore his Achilles, which might take practically a 12 months to completely get well. Does this imply Watson has performed his last sport in a Browns uniform?

Watson has two years and a assured $92 million remaining on his contract, which the Browns nonetheless should pay out. Cleveland would not even bench Watson when he was performing as one of many worst quarterbacks within the league, so the Browns will attempt to get a return on their funding (except damage provisions permit the Browns to get out of the deal).

For now, Watson is probably going going to play one other sport in a Browns uniform. This might not be the top of one of many worst contracts in sports activities historical past. 

Josh Allen is the perfect QB within the NFL this season

Overreaction or actuality: Actuality

Allen hasn’t thrown an interception by seven video games this season, whereas having 12 landing passes. He is the primary participant since Alex Smith in 2017 to throw 12 landing passes with zero interceptions after the primary seven video games. Allen has simply two giveaways all season, each of that are fumbles misplaced. 

Bear in mind Allen does not have Stefon Diggs at huge receiver anymore. Amari Cooper simply arrived in Buffalo (did have a landing on his first goal Sunday), however Allen has been this environment friendly with out a No. 1 huge receiver all year long. Allen is seventh within the NFL in yards per try (7.8), tied for fourth in landing passes (12) and tied for fourth in passer score (108.4). He additionally has 179 speeding yards and three touchdowns on the bottom as effectively. 

Allen might not be the MVP front-runner, however he isn’t turning the soccer over and hurting his crew whereas enjoying at a excessive stage. He is been the perfect quarterback by seven weeks (Lamar Jackson does play Monday). 

Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction

The Chiefs are 6-0 this season, with Mahomes throwing extra interceptions (8) than touchdowns (6) by six video games. Mahomes has a profession worst in go yards per sport (231.5), go touchdowns (6), interceptions (8), and passer score (82.5) by seven video games — but his crew remains to be the final remaining unbeaten within the league. 

The Chiefs are good, whereas shedding Rashee Rice for the season and Travis Kelce lastly beginning to present his age. The left deal with place is a weak point and the highest go catcher on the skin is a rookie speedster in Xavier Worthy. Sure Kansas Metropolis is unbeaten — because of the Chiefs protection being probably the greatest in soccer. Mahomes has finished sufficient offensively (twelfth in NFL in offensive factors per sport with 22.3), but the turnovers proceed to rear their ugly head. 

Kansas Metropolis is successful video games despite Mahomes turning the ball over. What is going on to occur when Mahomes fixes the turnover woes? The Chiefs will preserve successful, and the margin of victory will probably be higher. 

Overreaction or actuality: Actuality

Love was an enormous motive the Packers beat the Texans on Sunday, showcasing he is — on the very least — forward of Stroud on the quarterback totem pole. The Packers quarterback had his ninth straight sport with 2+ passing touchdowns, notching a season excessive in completion charge (72.7%), whereas recording 3+ touchdowns for the third time this season.

Love has a low completion charge (61.5%) and has thrown eight interceptions, however is an aggressive thrower and his huge performs have benefitted the Packers offense. 

Stroud, alternatively, struggled on Sunday. He accomplished simply 10 of 21 passes for 86 yards, ending with a season low in completion charge (47.6%) and yards per try (4.1). The Texans have been solely within the sport due to Love’s two interceptions. 

Love was additionally 5 of 5 within the pink zone with two touchdowns and a 136.3 passer score whereas Stroud was 0 of three and a 39.6 score. Neither of those quarterbacks are within the prime 5 but, however Love will get the sting over Stroud if one have been to rank them after Sunday. 

Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction

Jones was taken out of the sport within the fourth quarter when the Giants have been trailing 28-3 to the Eagles, a efficiency which he completed 14 of 21 for 99 yards with no touchdowns, no interceptions and a 77.3 score. By way of seven video games this season, Jones has accomplished 62.5% of his passes for 1,442 yards with six touchdowns to 4 interceptions and an 80.6 score (6.0 yards per try). 

The struggles at dwelling for Jones and the Giants offense are actual. Jones is the primary beginning quarterback with zero passing touchdowns in six straight dwelling video games since Trent Dilfer (1995-1996). Jones hasn’t really thrown a passing landing at MetLife Stadium since signing his $160 million contract. 

The Giants are averaging simply 7.8 factors per sport in 4 dwelling video games, not scoring an offensive landing in three of them. Jones is not really serving to this Giants offense proper now, however it might be too early to surrender on him at this level within the season (even with the crew at 2-5). Count on the Giants to stay with Jones in the interim, however he is on borrowed time. 

The NFC North will get three playoff groups 

Overreaction or actuality: Actuality

After watching the Lions and Vikings duke it out for 4 quarters, adopted by a press release win by the Packers over the Texans — the NFC North seems destined to get three groups into the playoffs. The Lions and Vikings are each 5-1 and on prime of the division, whereas the Packers sit at 5-2 — a half-game out of first place. 

Let’s not neglect the Bears, who have been on the bye, however sit at 4-2 and are at the moment the No. 7 seed within the NFC playoff race. That is 4 NFC North groups within the playoffs, because the season nears its halfway level. 

Even with the division video games beginning to take form, the NFC North clearly has three groups ok to play in January. With how the NFC West and NFC South are shaping up, there is a good likelihood the NFC North will get three groups in primarily based on how the early portion of the season has performed out. 

Patriots are the worst crew within the NFL

Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction

The Panthers do exist, which can take the Patriots out of the working. New England does belong within the dialog, due to its sixth straight loss after successful the season opener — its longest shedding streak within the Robert Kraft period (Kraft purchased the crew in 1994). 

New England’s protection has taken a southern flip, permitting 36.5 factors per sport during the last two video games and permitting 5.4 yards per carry. The Patriots have points tackling and may’t cease the run, a poor formulation to win with an offense that averages simply 14.1 factors per sport (backside 5 in NFL). 

Drake Maye is the intense spot on this crew, which takes New England out of the working. Maye is the second rookie quarterback for the reason that merger with 500+ passing yards and 5+ passing touchdowns in his first two profession begins (Dan Marino is the opposite). The offensive factors per sport has improved to 18.5 in Maye’s two begins. If it wasn’t for Maye’s early success, the Patriots could be the worst crew within the league. 

The Patriots could have a franchise quarterback. The Panthers — because it stands — don’t.