The San Francisco 49ers’ accidents lastly caught as much as them.
The 49ers battled the Atlanta Falcons, which was commendable given their lengthy damage report. However trailing 26-20 late, Brock Purdy threw an interception to linebacker Kendal Daniels. That was it for the 49ers and their undefeated streak to start out the season. They’re 6-1 after the Falcons received 29-20.
Shedding a highway recreation that was an early begin within the Jap Time Zone is not a giant deal for a workforce that was 6-0 and up a number of video games within the division. No person anticipated the 49ers to go 17-0. The issue is not a single loss. It is the accidents.
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Most different groups coping with the 49ers’ checklist of accidents can be nearer to winless than undefeated. They overcame quite a few accidents final season to make the playoffs after which had been dealt the identical hand this season. Final season and thru six video games this season, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan discovered a technique to get his workforce to rise above it.
Sunday introduced a brand new problem, and that was enjoying with out vast receivers. San Francisco had six receivers both inactive or on injured reserve. Mike Evans is coping with an Achilles damage and left the workforce’s Week 6 recreation early on account of it. In Week 7 Evans was inactive so he can begin to get wholesome. That imply Brandin Cooks, who’s 33 and hasn’t posted a 1,000-yard season since 2021, and Jordan Watkins, who had 5 profession catches earlier than Sunday, began at receiver towards the Falcons. It wasn’t simply receiver accidents. Defensive finish Nick Bosa missed one other recreation. Christian McCaffrey needed to handle a thigh damage through the recreation.
If it was a traditional workforce, even accidents would not be a giant deal. Gamers like Evans and Bosa must be again quickly. Each workforce dealls with it. However the 49ers have been essentially the most injured workforce within the NFL over the previous few seasons, and whereas that looks like horrible luck, it isn’t turning round. It is also an older workforce, particularly among the many elite stars, so extra accidents and sporting down over a protracted season are considerations.
And there is a dropoff to their second workforce. With out Evans, Deebo Samuel Sr. and different receivers the 49ers received little or no out of their receivers. With McCaffrey banged up, rookie Kaelon Black fumbled on back-to-back performs, shedding the second. That misplaced fumble modified the momentum of the sport.
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The 49ers are off to an ideal begin and one loss would not change that. They’re nonetheless in fine condition within the NFC West even with a loss. Nevertheless it was the primary time the 49ers could not overcome their accidents. And now they only must hope that, one way or the other, the unhealthy damage luck would not proceed.
Listed below are the remainder of the winners and losers from Week 7 of the NFL season:
WINNERS
Harrison Smith and the Vikings protection: Smith is without doubt one of the extra standard Minnesota Vikings gamers lately, and he was celebrated as he appeared to retire on the finish of final season.
However Harrison’s retirement did not final lengthy, as he got here again earlier than the season. Then on Sunday he sealed a win along with his fortieth profession interception. The 16-10 win for the Vikings wasn’t fairly, and the Indianapolis Colts had a shot to win it on the finish on the ultimate drive. However Daniel Jones was pressured and threw downfield, the place Smith stepped in entrance of the receiver for an interception to win the sport.
The Vikings are enjoying nice protection this season. They allowed solely 218 yards on Sunday. After falling behind early they shut out the Colts within the second half. The Vikings are 6-0 and whereas there are issues to appropriate after Sunday, notably on offense, it was a superb day to cheer for a franchise legend.
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Todd Monken: Monken is getting his first probability to be an NFL head coach at age 60. He is displaying that perhaps he ought to have gotten that shot earlier.
The Cleveland Browns are 5-2 and among the finest tales within the NFL. That they had one other dramatic win Sunday, driving down for a area aim after the Tennessee Titans tied it with 58 seconds left. Andre Szmyt hit the game-winning area aim as time expired and the Browns received 27-24.
Monken took over a state of affairs that appeared horrible on account of questions at quarterback. However Deshaun Watson has performed properly sufficient, particularly with a number of game-winning drives, and the Browns hold successful. That must be a satisfying begin for the rookie head coach.
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Aaron Rodgers: Rodgers used to sometimes make just a few performs a recreation along with his scrambling means. That was a very long time in the past.
Quarterbacks who’re creeping up on their forty third birthday aren’t alleged to be efficient anymore, until you are Tom Brady, they usually absolutely should not be scrambling for first downs to clinch wins. However Rodgers’ 8-yard scramble on third-and-6 gave the Pittsburgh Steelers a key first down in a 16-10 win over the New Orleans Saints within the first-ever NFL recreation in Paris.
Greater than the play itself, that scramble epitomized how a lot juice Rodgers nonetheless has left in what he has stated is his ultimate season. The Steelers are 5-2, placing them in nice place to make the playoffs. Rodgers had 212 yards and a landing on Sunday. Whereas his numbers are a bit down from his implausible profession degree, he is nonetheless much better than anybody apart from Brady has been at his age. If that is it for Rodgers, he is having a reasonably good sendoff.
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LOSERS
Aaron Glenn: It was questionable that Glenn received a second season teaching the New York Jets, as a result of his first season was horrible. After Sunday, his time with that job appears to be very near working out.
The Jets misplaced 28-25 at house to the Miami Dolphins, who had been 0-5 coming in. It was a superb win for the Dolphins, and the primary for Jeff Hafley as an NFL head coach. Miami will not get any 0-17 questions. The Dolphins performed like a workforce that knew it had a shot to beat a poor opponent. And that performed out. The Jets did not play properly in any part. The Jets received their opener towards the Titans however have received simply as soon as since. The Jets trailed by 11 late, received a landing and a two-point conversion, however could not cease a fourth-and-1 quarterback sneak simply within the two-minute warning and the Dolphins ran out the remainder of the clock for his or her first win.
The Jets did not wish to hearth Glenn after only one season, although they went 3-14 and there have been some alarming indicators from Glenn. Glenn changed most of his workers over the offseason. The outcomes are the identical. An embarrassing loss on Sunday is a horrible growth for Glenn, who may not make it to the tip of the season as Jets head coach. It is attainable he will not make it to Week 8.
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The second half Ravens: The Baltimore Ravens want to determine how you can play higher after halftime. As a result of it has price them three wins already this season.
The Ravens, whose first two losses got here after main 14-6 and 10-0 at halftime, led the Cincinnati Bengals 13-0 after the primary half Sunday in a giant AFC North showdown. Then the offense, with out Lamar Jackson, stopped shifting the ball. And the protection, which had pressured Joe Burrow usually within the first half, received run off the sphere within the second half. Burrow had 249 yards and 4 touchdowns within the second half alone and the Ravens received 35-13 with 5 unanswered touchdowns within the second half. You may’t blame Jackson’s absence for that. The Bengals trailed by 13 at halftime however blew the Ravens out so unhealthy within the second half that they pulled Burrow for the ultimate couple of minutes.
The Ravens can be division contenders once more after Jackson returns. However there’s frustration rising with why he was out once more with an ankle damage, and there is loads of different points that at the moment are nagging on the Ravens.
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The bizarre NFC South: The one workforce that appeared prefer it might be an honest workforce out of the NFC South trailed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who had only one win, 33-6 at halftime. At house.
The Carolina Panthers’ momentum hit a wall on Sunday. The Buccaneers, 1-5 coming into Sunday’s recreation, blew out Carolina 43-13. It received ugly early. A strip-sack on Bryce Younger, who had been enjoying very properly earlier than Sunday, was returned by the Bucs for a landing (with a flip into the tip zone from 280-pound Calijah Kancey) and a 17-0 lead. Bryce Younger had simply 163 yards, two interceptions and a misplaced fumble. When the Panthers lastly scored, their additional level was blocked and returned by Tampa Bay for 2 factors. The Panthers performed a sloppy recreation on offense, protection and particular groups. Baker Mayfield was again however the Buccaneers hardly wanted him. Mayfield had simply 64 yards passing however the Panthers had been imploding on the opposite aspect of the sphere.
It is exhausting to say a 2-5 workforce is again in a division race, however it’s not just like the NFC South has any good groups, it seems. That is nothing new.
