Week seven in the NFL had some great games with incredibly exciting finishes. There were also some games that weren’t as competitive due to poor performances and sloppy play. Here is the NFL report card grades for every team in week five based on how they played, combined with what their expectations were and who their opponents were.
Eagles: B+
The defense played well for most of the game and scored a defensive touchdown, but the running game continues to be inconsistent. Saquon Barkley is still struggling on the ground; however, the pass offense had its best game of the season. A.J. Brown scored two touchdowns, Devonta Smith set a career high in receiving yards, and Jalen Hurts threw for three touchdowns and over 300 yards. It was a much-needed win after losing two in a row to Denver and the Giants.
Panthers: B
The defense played very well, but that’s not a surprise because every defense plays well against the New York Jets. The offense wasn’t great, but they did put together some nice drives and got solid production out of both their running backs. It was their first road win of the year. Bryce Young left the game with an ankle injury, and Andy Dalton didn’t look good in replacing him.
Chiefs: A+
The defense shut down the Raiders completely in a dominant performance, and the offense looked as good as it has all season long. Pacheco scored his first rushing touchdown, Rashee Rice scored twice in his first game back from suspension, and Patrick Mahomes played at an MVP level. A+ effort all around.
Bears: B
The run game was great, Caleb played solid all around, and the Bears have now won four games in a row. Their defense stepped up in this game, forcing three interceptions from Spencer Rattler and the run defense was much improved after being their achillies heel through the first 5 games.
Giants: C+
The defense shut the Broncos out in the first three quarters, and the offense, with rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo, made enough plays to give the team a chance to win. The tight ends played a big role in the passing game, Tyrone Tracy scored a touchdown, and it was all needed with no wide receiver able to step up. Going on the road to Denver is always tough, and the defense broke down in the final quarter. It was shocking that the game even became close at all. If they didn’t allow 33 points in the 4th quarter, they would have won their grade would certainly be much higher.
Jets: C-
Whether it was Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor at QB, the Jets offense was completely absent. The defense held their own for one of the only times all season, but it still wasn’t enough because the offense only mustered 6 points. Those struggles helped the Panthers win their first game on the road this season, and the Jets remain winless on the season.
Dolphins: F
The Dolphins have to be close to firing their head coach and trading away Achane and Waddle. The team is a complete mess, and losing to the Browns, who were 1-5 coming into the game, just puts the nail in the coffin for them as a team. The Browns defense completely dominated the Miami offense, forcing Tua into bad throw after bad throw.
Vikings: B-
They fell behind early after a pick-six by the Eagles, but the offense got things going with Jefferson, Addison, and Mason. They struggled inside the red zone, though, having to settle for field goals, which was the difference in the game and something they will have to improve. The defense kept them in the game until late, but it just wasn’t enough to come away with a win.
Commanders: C-
They were missing their top three wide receivers, and it made a huge impact on QB Jayden Daniels, who struggled to find open receivers. Zach Ertz was key, as were the running backs, and of course, Jayden’s rushing ability. Daniels got hurt in the third quarter, which didn’t help matters. The defense allowed too many chunk plays to the Cowboys offense, and it forced their offense to play from behind all game.
Colts: A+
Fantastic defense early, great QB play from Daniel Jones, and Jonathan Taylor continues to be one of the top running backs in the NFL this season. Going on the road and beating a good Chargers team was impressive, but dominating them was even more impressive and made a huge statement that the Colts are one of the best teams in football.
Packers: B-
The defense continues to play good football, but the offense continues to be very inconsistent. Josh Jacobs was active for the game after being considered a game-time decision, but he was ineffective in the first half, as was Jordan Love, who didn’t look comfortable. They only scored 6 first-half points. The second half was a different story, though. The offense came alive thanks to two touchdowns from Jacobs and one from Kraft.
Saints: C+
The Saints fell down 20-0 early in this game, and it would have been easy for them to roll over and die in a blowout loss, but they battled back to at least make the game interesting. Chris Olave had a great game, finding the end zone twice.
Browns: A-
The Browns scored more points in week 7 than they had all season, and their defense continued to play excellent football. RB Quinshon Judkins made some huge plays on the ground and as a receiver, and QB Dillon Gabriel did a great job of game management.
Patriots: A
The offense continues to roll with Drake Maye playing elite football, and the running game finally got going with Rhamondre Stevenson. The defense limited the Titans offense most of the day, getting tons of pressure on the QB and scoring a defensive touchdown.
Titans: D
The offense couldn’t protect Cam Ward, they couldn’t run the football, and other than one long passing play. The defense was torched by Drake Maye through the air and on the ground by Stevenson. Clock management at the end of the first half was questionable, too.
Cardinals: B
The offense was good with Jacoby Brissett starting at quarterback again. He converted big third downs against a stout Packers defense. Trey McBride stepped up and found the end zone twice, and it was too much for the Packers to handle. The defense was the main story, though, holding the Packers to just two first-half field goals. The problem is, you can only hold the Packers offense down so long before they break through. The Cardinals continue to have issues closing out games this year.
Rams: A+
They were criticized for arriving in London just 24 hours before the game, but they showed that it was the right decision. The defense played exceptionally well, and the offense scored 35 points, even without Puka Nacua.
Raiders: F
The defense lost their star Maxx Crosby early on which didn’t help, but they had already been torched my Mahomes and the Chiefs prior to the injury. The offense was pathetic from the first snap. Geno Smith might be the worst starting QB in the league, and the rookie RB Ashton Jeanty continues to find no running room.
Jaguars: D-
The offense couldn’t get anything going until late in the game, and the defense allowed five passing touchdowns. It was a pitiful performance from moment one. The only positive is that Travis Hunter had his best game.
Chargers: C-
They had a chance to prove that they are one of the elite teams in the AFC, and instead, they were embarrassed at home against a Colts team that proved that they’re one of the elite teams in the league. The defense was atrocious, and Justin Herbert had multiple turnovers that cost them. Although they ended up scoring a bunch of points late, it was far too late.
Cowboys: A
The Cowboys offense showed why they are the top unit in the NFL. They ran the ball well, and Dak Prescott continued to play at an MVP level. Pickens, Lamb, and Ferguson all had massive games, and the defense did an excellent job of stopping the run. They also scored on a pick-six, which put this game out of reach late in the third quarter.
Broncos: B
The offense was atrocious through the first three quarters, scoring no points. They played sloppy, inconsistent football, and although Bo Nix has shown flashes of brilliance at times, this game was not one of those times. Then in the 4th quarter, brilliant Nix showed up and they scored four touchdowns, and even took a lead with under 2 minutes to go. After a Giants score, Nix drove them down again for a game-winning field goal. The defense that struggled early in the game got a late interception that allowed for an improbable comeback to even be possible.
Falcons: B-
The Falcons defense played a great game overall, but they had no answer for Christian McCaffrey which was the difference in this game. The Falcons offense was quiet as well. Kyle Pitts had a good game, but Bijan couldn’t find much running room and Drake London was a non-factor. The offense plays so well at home, but on the road they can’t seem to find their rhythm.
49ers: B+
The 49ers got George Kittle back from the IR and although he didn’t do anything in the passing game, his presence in the run game as a block was essential. The 49ers nearly doubled their per game rushing average in their week 7 win and McCaffrey had his most rushing yards since the 2023 season. The defense played a great game too, exceeding all expectations considering all the backups they started.
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