Baker Mayfield returned from a three-game absence caused by a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand, and the Buccaneers made his workload easy in a 43-13 rout of Carolina. Tampa Bay’s ground attack and a relentless defensive performance highlighted a Week 7 Sunday that also brought Minnesota to 6-0, handed San Francisco and Kansas City their first losses, and gave Miami its first victory under Jeff Hafley.
What changed for the franchise
Steelers control the first NFL game in France
Pittsburgh beat New Orleans, 16-10, at Stade de France to reach 5-2 and secure at least a share of the AFC North lead entering Week 8. Aaron Rodgers connected with DK Metcalf for a 51-yard gain before finding Darnell Washington for Pittsburgh’s only touchdown, while Jaylen Warren topped 100 rushing yards for the third time this season and finished with more than 125 scrimmage yards for the fourth time.
The Steelers operated patiently, recording four possessions of at least 11 plays and using seven drives to drain the clock. Rico Dowdle added a season-best 86 total yards. Rodgers said afterward that Pittsburgh’s offense is still falling short of its standards because of penalties and protection issues, but his eight-yard scramble on the club’s final extended possession helped finish the job.
New Orleans fell to 2-5 before its bye. Tyler Shough completed 30 of 38 passes, with four Saints pass catchers between 54 and 57 receiving yards, but the ground game managed only 11 yards from Kendre Miller and Alvin Kamara on 14 combined carries. Shough’s interception to Payton Wilson inside the 10-yard line and Patrick Queen’s late sack helped prevent a comeback. Warren generated 71 of his 101 rushing yards after contact, forced five missed tackles and raised his NFL-leading yards-after-catch total to 360.
Falcons hand 49ers their first defeat
Atlanta overcame a 14-3 second-quarter deficit and beat San Francisco, 29-20, by forcing four takeaways. Maason Smith forced a Kaelon Black fumble, Jessie Bates made a sideline interception, and Kendal Daniels supplied a late interception before combining with Bates on a decisive fumble involving George Kittle.
The Falcons scored 23 unanswered points during the turnaround and used four consecutive drives of at least 10 plays to limit Brock Purdy’s opportunities. Michael Penix Jr. delivered three passing touchdowns without an interception and faced pressure on just six of 35 dropbacks. Atlanta had 16 offensive snaps in the third quarter, compared with six for San Francisco.
The 49ers still gained 400 yards and averaged 6.2 yards per snap, but Purdy threw two interceptions and the offense could not overcome its mistakes. Christian McCaffrey dominated the opening series before a thigh injury reduced his role for the rest of the first half and he never found a rhythm afterward.
Bengals erupt after halftime against Baltimore
Cincinnati was held scoreless and produced only 59 yards before halftime, then scored five straight touchdowns in a 35-13 dismantling of the Ravens. Joe Burrow completed 16 of his last 18 throws for 249 yards and four scores during the second half.
Tee Higgins had six receptions for 148 yards and a touchdown, Ja’Marr Chase added five catches for 62 yards and a score, and Drew Sample caught a touchdown on National Tight Ends Day. The Bengals’ defense added four sacks, contained Derrick Henry and sealed the result when Demetrius Knight Jr. intercepted Tyler Huntley.
Baltimore, now 4-3, produced only five first downs after intermission. Henry ended with 45 yards on 17 carries, including four carries for 13 yards after halftime, and logged only three successful rushing attempts all game. The Ravens’ need for Lamar Jackson’s return is increasingly clear, though the club’s issues stretched beyond quarterback play.
Buccaneers keep their season alive as Panthers unravel
Tampa Bay moved to 2-5 behind 258 rushing yards, the second-highest single-game total in the NFL this season. Bucky Irving carried 24 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns, Kenneth Gainwell ran 14 times for 88 yards, and Sean Tucker broke loose for a 46-yard fourth-quarter touchdown. Mayfield threw only 11 passes for 64 yards but improvised for a 14-yard touchdown throw to Tez Johnson just before halftime.
The Buccaneers also overwhelmed Bryce Young, producing five sacks and a 51.5% pressure rate. YaYa Diaby registered three sacks after entering the game without one this season, while Al-Quadin Muhammad strip-sacked Young and Calijah Kancey returned the fumble for a touchdown. Tykee Smith intercepted Young and blocked an extra point, which Zyon McCollum returned for a defensive two-point conversion.
Carolina had entered the week among the NFL’s highest-scoring teams, but Young threw two interceptions and passed for 163 yards after posting more than 280 in five consecutive games. Chuba Hubbard had 33 yards on seven attempts, and the Panthers pulled their starters with 10:21 remaining.
Giants win in overtime behind a new quarterback and punishing run game
J.J. McCarthy made a strong first start for New York in a 27-21 overtime win over Houston, throwing five completions of at least 20 yards and avoiding a turnover. He completed eight of 13 attempts outside the numbers for 169 yards, including throws of 47 and 42 yards in the first quarter.
Cam Skattebo powered the Giants late, finishing with 124 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. His 42-yard overtime run set up Devin Singletary’s 30-yard game-winning touchdown against his former team. Malik Nabers posted seven catches for 111 yards, extending his streak to four straight 100-yard games.
Houston’s defense continued to struggle, allowing points on seven of New York’s 11 possessions and forcing no turnovers. The Giants held C.J. Stroud and the Texans to 237 yards, 15 first downs and a 3-for-12 third-down conversion rate. Deonte Banks allowed Nico Collins only one catch for four yards across 14 coverage matchups.
Vikings remain unbeaten as Indianapolis slides deeper
Minnesota improved to 6-0 with a 16-10 win over Indianapolis, extending the NFL’s longest active winning streak to 11 games dating to Week 14 of last season. Harrison Smith intercepted Daniel Jones with 1:34 left after Minnesota’s defense blanked the Colts in the second half.
Brian Flores’ unit generated four sacks and blitzed on 85.2% of Jones’ dropbacks, the highest blitz rate recorded in the Next Gen Stats era. The Vikings have allowed an NFL-low 12.3 points per game, although their 125 points through a 6-0 start are tied for the second-fewest by an unbeaten team at that stage since 1950.
Indianapolis fell to 2-5 following its third consecutive defeat, increasing the likelihood that trade discussion will intensify before the Nov. 10 deadline. Jonathan Taylor, DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart and Quenton Nelson are among the veteran names likely to draw attention after the club dismissed general manager Chris Ballard last week.
Dolphins earn first Hafley victory; Jets face new pressure
Miami beat the Jets, 28-25, for its first win of 2026 and Jeff Hafley’s first victory as head coach. Malik Willis used his mobility effectively and developed connections with Greg Dulcich, Chris Bell and rookie Caleb Douglas, who scored twice, including a 63-yard catch-and-run in the fourth quarter.
Ollie Gordon II carried 25 times for 103 yards and a touchdown while filling in for De’Von Achane. With the game on the line, Miami converted a fourth-and-1 at midfield with a quarterback sneak at the two-minute warning. Chop Robinson posted five pressures on 23 rushes and owns the league’s best pressure rate among qualified pass rushers at 23.4%.
New York wasted a chance to beat a previously winless opponent at home. Geno Smith threw an interception, Garrett Wilson had two catches for 26 yards and showed frustration after a failed red-zone series, and a sequence near the goal line produced two losses followed by a 12-yard sack. Rookie Omar Cooper Jr. continued to shine, recording his second straight 100-yard performance and becoming the first Jets rookie with consecutive games featuring at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Browns survive another late test
Cleveland edged Tennessee, 27-24, on Andre Szmyt’s final-play field goal. Deshaun Watson led the decisive drive after Harold Fannin Jr. broke tackles on a catch-and-run to put the Browns in scoring range. Watson has now directed game-winning drives in each of Cleveland’s five wins this season, a feat matched only by Troy Aikman in 1990 and Matthew Stafford in 2016 since the 1970 merger.
Quinshon Judkins ran 17 times for 96 yards and two touchdowns, while Dylan Sampson returned to contribute 45 yards on six carries. Watson passed for 308 yards and KC Concepcion helped drive an improved rushing attack that produced a 53.6% success rate.
Tennessee squandered a 14-0 lead despite a major day from Tony Pollard, who ran for 129 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries. The Titans tied the game late, but their defense could not stop Cleveland’s final possession.
Broncos find offensive lift as defense overwhelms Arizona
Denver defeated Arizona, 30-16, as Bo Nix broke loose for a 62-yard touchdown scramble, the longest quarterback scramble score in the Next Gen Stats era. Nix reached 19.9 mph on the run and became the fifth quarterback in the past century to record both a passing and rushing touchdown of 50 yards or more in one game.
Nix finished with 222 passing yards and a touchdown, while a screen to RJ Harvey produced a 52-yard score. Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton combined for seven catches and 93 yards as Denver’s offense showed more aggression after a slow first six weeks.
The Broncos defense battered Jacoby Brissett, pressuring him on 50.9% of his dropbacks. Nik Bonitto accumulated 13 pressures, Alex Singleton made 19 tackles, and Denver’s front consistently disrupted a Cardinals offense that could not recover from its defensive breakdowns.
Lions survive mistakes and Packers kicking failures
Detroit beat Green Bay, 20-17, on a field goal as time expired despite two costly offensive fumbles and a failed fourth-down attempt deep in Packers territory. Jared Goff threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns as the Lions accumulated 415 yards and 26 first downs.
Green Bay rookie kicker Trey Smack missed from 26 yards on the opening series and saw a 35-yard attempt tipped on the final possession. Jordan Love threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns but also delivered an interception, while dropped passes hurt the Packers, including a Josh Jacobs miss that could have gone for a touchdown.
Detroit safety Brian Branch returned from injury and played 43 snaps, making a fourth-quarter interception. Aidan Hutchinson led a more effective Lions pass rush with seven pressures at an average of 2.49 seconds.
Rams ride ground game and Stafford takes the passing-touchdown record
Los Angeles snapped a two-game losing streak by beating Las Vegas, 35-21, behind a season-high 199 rushing yards. Kyren Williams had 99 yards and a touchdown on 16 attempts, while Blake Corum produced 93 yards and a score on 17 carries. The Rams achieved a 60% rushing success rate and repeatedly succeeded on man-blocking runs.
Matthew Stafford threw three touchdowns and moved past Roman Gabriel for the Rams’ franchise passing-touchdown record. His scoring pass to Puka Nacua gave him 155 touchdowns with Los Angeles; Stafford also holds Detroit’s career franchise mark with 282.
Las Vegas trailed 28-6 at halftime before Kirk Cousins threw touchdown passes to Tre Tucker and Ashton Jeanty. Tucker’s 41-yard reception gave him four catches of 40 yards or more this season, tying him for the NFL lead. The Raiders converted only three of 14 third downs, went 1-for-5 in the red zone and lost for the fourth straight game.
Seahawks smother Chiefs in prime time
Seattle’s 20-3 Sunday night win over Kansas City delivered the Chiefs their first loss and put the Seahawks back in the NFC West race at 4-3. Jaxon Smith-Njigba dominated with nine receptions for 150 yards, including a spectacular 28-yard touchdown. He has six 100-yard games this season and leads all wide receivers in catches, receiving yards and touchdown catches.
Emanuel Wilson ran 24 times for 100 yards, while Seattle’s defense limited Kansas City to 213 total yards. Patrick Mahomes was pressured 14 times, completed six of 13 passes for 44 yards under pressure and threw an interception to Ty Okada. Derick Hall recorded Seattle’s lone sack.
Kenneth Walker III, making his return to Seattle after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Seahawks, was held to 36 yards on 14 carries. Harrison Butker missed two of three field-goal tries, including attempts from 58 and 45 yards, leaving him with five misses this season after he had five all of last year. Travis Kelce’s four catches moved him to 1,104 career receptions, fifth on the all-time list ahead of Cris Carter and Marvin Harrison Sr.
