The Tennessee Titans, rolling into Week 7 with a rough 1-5 record, absolutely exploded out of the gate, jumping to a stunning 14-0 lead against the Cleveland Browns with less than seven minutes gone in the first quarter. Tony Pollard was an absolute beast, making up 60 yards of a 65-yard drive on one play alone, and then another 10-yard rush for a touchdown. It’s an emphatic start that proves these guys are playing way better than their record shows, putting some serious pressure on Cleveland, especially with Pittsburgh already moving to the top of the AFC North.
Explosive Starts and Early Game Dominance
The Titans weren’t the only ones bringing the heat early. Baltimore drew first blood against the Bengals, with T Huntley connecting with Z Flowers for a massive 48-yard touchdown. Flowers caught a short throw and then just sprinted straight through Cincy’s defense. That came after rookie tight end Josh Cuevas got Baltimore across midfield with a 16-yard catch. Meanwhile, the Colts are up 7-0 on the Vikings thanks to an always impressive Jonathan Taylor, who took it to the house from deep with a 38-yard rush. Minnesota even tried a gutsy 4th and 1 attempt and got stuffed!
Across the league, it’s been a day of quick strikes. The Giants grabbed a 7-3 lead against the Texans after T Tracy rushed for a two-yard score, set up by a huge 42-yard pass from JJ McCarthy to Malik Nabers. Down in Miami, the Dolphins took an early 7-0 lead with M Willis hitting C Douglas for seven yards, but the Jets fired right back instantly. Geno Smith finished off a quick four-play drive with a perfect 13-yard throw to M Taylor, who went up high to beat his man with ease and tie it up 7-7. Buckie Irving also snagged his third rushing touchdown of the season, putting the Buccaneers up 7-0 on the Panthers, with Christian McCaffrey later diving over the big men on a critical 4th down for a one-yard rush.
49ers Eye Perfection, Steelers Win in Paris
The San Francisco 49ers are looking to extend their perfect record to 7-0, and they came out hard, establishing the run early. That’s understandable given their five injured receivers. But when they had to throw it on 3rd down, George Kittle shook a defender for an easy catch across midfield. Oh, and get this: it’s National Tight Ends Day! Atlanta did get on the board with a 39-yard field goal from N Folk after Zachariah Branch pulled off a 61-yard kick return, but Bijan Robinson got stuffed in the red zone.
Away from all the early game chaos, the Steelers managed to hold off the New Orleans Saints with a 16-10 win in Paris. Aaron Rodgers threw one touchdown pass and Chris Boswell nailed three field goals. Jaylen Warren had a big day on the ground, rushing for 101 yards, and Rodgers completed 19 of 30 passes for 212 yards, even scrambling for a key first down late in the fourth quarter. What a start to Week 7 across the NFL! From surprising blowouts to teams fighting for early leads, it’s been a wild opening act. With the 49ers pushing to stay perfect at 7-0 and the Steelers already making moves in the AFC North, this Sunday promises even more.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Guardian.
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