The Seattle Seahawks stomped the Kansas City Chiefs 20-3 tonight, an absolute statement win for the Emerald City! But even as Lumen Field was rocking, the rest of the league is already in a full-blown frenzy. We’re two weeks from the trade deadline, phone lines are buzzing, and Week 7 just put some serious concerns on full display for teams looking to buy.
The Undefeated Vikings Have a Problem
Can you believe it? The Minnesota Vikings are the only undefeated team in the NFL, sitting pretty at 6-0 after a 16-10 win over the Colts. Seriously, 6-0! But hold up, 16-10? That score has become their standard. They’ve only got 10 touchdowns this entire season. That’s the fewest by any 6-0 team since 1934! You read that right: 1934!
The Kyler Murray experience? It’s been a rough one. Sure, he flashes with a big play or two using his legs or his arm, but that down-to-down consistency just isn’t there. He is 27th in sack rate, 29th in passing success rate, and 31st in touchdown rate. They do score on 41.5% of their drives, which is 12th in the NFL, but a lot of that is Will Reichard kicking field goals. The Vikings can’t afford to waste their Super Bowl-caliber defense. They need an offensive spark, and the solution looks like RB Jonathan Taylor. He’s a scoring machine and brings explosiveness to the run game. The Vikings actually saw it firsthand Sunday when Taylor racked up 110 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown against them. With Aaron Jones playing through, and then re-aggravating, a knee injury, Taylor is the answer they need.
Bengals Need a Spark in the Backfield
Over in Cincinnati, the Bengals are up to 4-2 on the young season after laying a beatdown on the Ravens. Joe Burrow and the crew aren’t exactly known for loving the run game, and maybe it’s because their offense only averages a measly 3.6 yards per carry. It’s been a disappointing year for Chase Brown, whose -0.6 yards per attempt over expected is among the absolute worst in the NFL. It just isn’t clicking for him.
This is where Saquon Barkley could step in. He’s producing 1.15 yards per rush over expected despite pretty much everything around him falling apart with his current team. Only a small number of players, including Jaylen Warren, Bijan Robinson and Kyle Monangai, have a higher rate. The Bengals made a blockbuster move for Dexter Lawrence earlier this year despite some whispers about his age and productivity, and that’s been hugely successful so far. Barkley could be the next game-changer for their ground game.
The trade deadline is looming, and while Seattle showed up big tonight against the Chiefs, teams across the league are gearing up to make moves. Get ready, because things are about to get wild as contenders chase that missing piece for the stretch run!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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