The NFL's Week 7 slate opened with a first for the league: a game in France. In Paris, the Steelers held off the Saints behind a strong ground attack, with Jaylen Warren running 18 times for 101 yards. Later, Tampa Bay beat Carolina comfortably in Baker Mayfield's return, Minnesota stayed undefeated and Cincinnati won in Baltimore.
The night game delivered the week's biggest result. Seattle beat Kansas City and handed the Chiefs their first loss of the season. Sam Darnold finished 20 of 28 for 257 yards and was not sacked, a change after taking five sacks in each of the previous two games. He did throw an interception late in the first half, his eighth over the last five games. Jaxon Smith-Njigba now leads the league with 867 receiving yards and eight touchdown catches. According to ESPN Research, he is the first player since 1966 to reach at least 850 yards and eight touchdowns in his team's first seven games.
Kansas City's offense struggled without receivers Rashee Rice, who sat out with a strained right hamstring, and Tyquan Thornton, who is on injured reserve. The wideouts who played combined for six catches and 39 yards. Running back Kenneth Walker III, who led the league in rushing entering the night, managed 36 yards on 14 carries against a Seattle defense that mostly used two deep safeties. Patrick Mahomes threw for 165 yards and scored a season-low six fantasy points. With the Nov. 10 trade deadline approaching, the lack of receiver production is likely to keep general manager Brett Veach's attention.
In Las Vegas, the Rams scored their most points of the season even without the injured Davante Adams, who is expected to miss another five to nine weeks. Puka Nacua was the only receiver with significant production, and Los Angeles leaned on its tight ends and running backs. The Raiders lost their fourth straight game and fell below .500 for the first time this year. They have now allowed 30 or more points in four consecutive games, and quarterback Kirk Cousins threw two fourth-quarter touchdowns in defeat.
Detroit's defense, one of the league's weakest entering the week, limited Green Bay to 17 points and held the Packers to 5 of 15 on third down. Jameson Williams caught two touchdowns, and the win left the Packers 1-2 against NFC North opponents. Running back Josh Jacobs played his first game of the season and had 20.1 fantasy points, though he dropped what would have been the go-ahead touchdown with 3:25 remaining.
Denver won in Arizona, getting touchdowns on a 60-yard run by Bo Nix and a 52-yard catch and run by RJ Harvey. The offense still went 3 of 11 on third down and committed 114 yards in penalties. Arizona scored only one touchdown, a Trey McBride catch, and quarterback Jacoby Brissett was hit 10 times. The Broncos host the Chiefs next Sunday.
In an overtime thriller, the Giants beat the Texans in J.J. McCarthy's first start for New York. Coach John Harbaugh had said it was the "right time" to switch from Jameis Winston, and McCarthy went 20 of 28 for 252 yards. Cam Skattebo ran for 124 yards, and Devin Singletary's 30-yard touchdown run won it in overtime. Cornerback Deonte Banks helped hold Houston's Nico Collins to two catches for 6 yards. The loss cut the Texans' playoff chances to 31 percent, according to ESPN Research, and Houston has now allowed at least 27 points in four games this season.
