Week seven of the National Football League produced a dramatic reshuffling of the season's narrative, with the Minnesota Vikings emerging as the sole remaining undefeated team after two of the pre-season favourites suffered significant setbacks. The Kansas City Chiefs fell to the defending champion Seattle Seahawks, while the San Francisco 49ers experienced their first loss, leaving Minnesota as the league's only team still perfect through seven games. According to BBC Sport, the Philadelphia Eagles continued their alarming collapse with a fifth consecutive defeat, while the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos delivered impressive performances to strengthen their divisional positions.
The weekend's results underscored how unpredictable this season has proven, with Minnesota—a team that received little preseason backing—now standing as the league's last undefeated outfit at 6-0. BBC Sport noted that several established contenders have stumbled, reshaping the playoff picture heading into the second half of the season.
Eagles' season unravels with fifth straight loss
The Philadelphia Eagles' campaign has deteriorated sharply since their opening two victories, with the team now mired in a five-game losing streak following a 38-21 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles, who captured the Super Bowl in 2025, have been crippled by the loss of star quarterback Jalen Hurts, who suffered a blood clot that threatens to sideline him for the remainder of the season. Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott orchestrated the dominant performance, throwing three touchdown passes as the Cowboys snapped a two-game losing run and secured their first victory at Philadelphia since 2021.
The Eagles' record has plummeted to 2-5 in the NFC East, while Dallas improved to 3-4 in the division. The injury to Hurts represents a catastrophic blow to a team that had won the Super Bowl just months earlier, forcing the franchise to navigate the season without its franchise quarterback.
Seahawks' defence stifles Kansas City's high-powered offence
The Seattle Seahawks demonstrated why they earned the championship last season by dismantling the Kansas City Chiefs 20-3 in a primetime matchup that showcased the contrasting strengths of two Super Bowl-winning franchises. Kansas City and Seattle had entered week seven boasting the league's best offence and best defence respectively in terms of total yards, setting up a compelling clash between two of the NFL's elite teams. The Seahawks' defensive unit, which earned the nickname 'the Dark Side' during their championship run, proved their credentials by neutralising Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs' high-octane attack.
Kenneth Walker, the Most Valuable Player in last season's Super Bowl who joined Kansas City during the off-season, had been leading the NFL in rushing yards per game at 133 through six weeks. However, Seattle's defence held him to just 36 yards on 14 carries, demonstrating the Seahawks' ability to shut down elite talent. The Chiefs' 3-point output tied their fewest points scored in any game with Mahomes as their starting quarterback, a stark contrast to their usual offensive firepower.
Seattle's offence proved equally effective, with quarterback Sam Darnold leaning heavily on Jaxon Smith-Njigba, last season's offensive player of the year, who accumulated 150 receiving yards and a touchdown. New running back Emanuel Wilson contributed 100 rushing yards and a score, showcasing the Seahawks' balanced attack. The victory improved Seattle to 4-3, while Kansas City fell to 5-1 despite their strong record.
49ers' unbeaten run ends against Atlanta
The San Francisco 49ers' perfect season came to an abrupt halt when they fell to the Atlanta Falcons 29-20, ending their undefeated start and leaving Minnesota as the league's only team without a loss. Yahoo Sports reported that the Falcons forced four turnovers, including two interceptions thrown by 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who had reached the top of the all-time career passer rating list the previous week but failed to maintain his usual high standards against Atlanta's aggressive defence.
The 49ers' record dropped to 6-1 following the defeat, while their NFC West rivals the Los Angeles Rams—the pre-season favourites—returned to winning form with a 35-21 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Rams quarterback Matt Stafford made history by becoming the first player to lead two different teams to touchdown passes in the same season, having previously set the franchise record for the Detroit Lions before joining Los Angeles in 2021. The Rams improved to 3-4 and face the Los Angeles Chargers next, who remain the league's only winless team after the Miami Dolphins defeated the New York Jets 28-25.
Vikings maintain perfect record with grinding victory
The Minnesota Vikings extended their unbeaten run to 6-0 by defeating the Indianapolis Colts 16-10 at home, showcasing the resilience and defensive excellence that has defined their surprising season. Before the campaign began, half the NFL was considered to have a superior chance of winning the Super Bowl compared to Minnesota, yet the Vikings have defied expectations by remaining the league's only perfect team. Their defence has emerged as one of the league's most formidable units, while kicker Will Reichard has yet to miss a field goal attempt, and despite an offence that has not yet fully ignited, the Vikings continue to grind out victories through disciplined play.
The Vikings' winning streak now extends to 11 consecutive games when including the end of last season under head coach Kevin O'Connell, a remarkable run of consistency. However, they face a significant test next week when they visit divisional rivals Detroit, a team that has also emerged as a legitimate contender. Minnesota's success has been particularly noteworthy given that the team was unbeaten at 4-0 after week four, and they have maintained that trajectory through disciplined execution.
In a related development, the Vikings traded quarterback JJ McCarthy four weeks ago, and he made an immediate impact in his first start for the New York Giants on Sunday, leading them to a 27-21 overtime victory against the Houston Texans. Yahoo Sports confirmed that McCarthy's performance demonstrated the depth of quarterback talent in the league and provided the Giants with a spark after Minnesota named new signing Kyler Murray as their starting quarterback.
Elsewhere in the NFC North, the Detroit Lions secured a 20-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers when kicker Jessie Bates made a field goal as time expired. The play highlighted the importance of accuracy in close games, as only three field-goal attempts from inside 35 yards have been missed all season league-wide, yet Green Bay rookie Trey Smack missed two of them on Sunday, proving costly in the defeat.
Watson leads Browns' comeback against Titans
Deshaun Watson has undergone a remarkable transformation in Cleveland, leading the Browns to a 27-24 comeback victory over the Tennessee Titans that restored them to the top of the AFC North. Watson entered the season with a 9-10 record across four years with the franchise and faced considerable scepticism from Cleveland fans, who booed him during pre-season. However, he has now orchestrated five game-winning drives this season and is beginning to resemble the elite quarterback who convinced the Browns to sign him on a fully-guaranteed deal in 2022 worth $230 million (£172 million).
Kicker Andre Szmyt delivered the decisive blow, making his third game-winning kick in four weeks to secure the victory. The Browns improved to 5-2 and reclaimed the divisional lead, demonstrating Watson's growing command of the offence and the team's ability to execute in high-pressure situations.
The AFC North has emerged as one of the league's most competitive divisions, with all four teams holding at least four victories. The Pittsburgh Steelers opened Sunday's action by defeating the New Orleans Saints 16-10 in the NFL's first regular-season game in France, marking a historic moment for the league's international expansion efforts.
The Baltimore Ravens suffered a second consecutive loss despite managing without quarterback Lamar Jackson for a third straight game, falling to the Cincinnati Bengals 35-13 in a stunning second-half collapse. The Ravens had led 13-0 at half-time but were overwhelmed by a Bengals team that stormed back with Joe Burrow throwing four touchdown passes and accumulating 292 passing yards. Sporting Tribune reported that the Bengals rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit to secure the dominant victory. Baltimore has not set a return date for two-time MVP Jackson, who is recovering from an ankle injury, and faces a challenging trip to the Buffalo Bills next week.
Broncos' Nix shows renewed rushing prowess
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix delivered an impressive performance against the Arizona Cardinals, rushing for a 62-yard touchdown that represented the longest quarterback run since 2022 and capped the longest run of his career, which nearly trebled his rushing yards for the season. The Broncos earned the top seed in the AFC Conference last season but saw their Super Bowl hopes derailed when Nix suffered a broken ankle in the divisional round, forcing him to miss the following week as the New England Patriots denied them a spot in the championship game.
Over their first six games of this season, some observers questioned whether two off-season surgeries had diminished Nix's ability to run the ball, a weapon that had proven valuable for Denver's offence. Nix had also struggled with his passing game early in the campaign, raising concerns about his overall effectiveness. However, his dominant display against Arizona silenced those doubts, as he finished with 222 passing yards and a touchdown pass in the Broncos' 30-16 victory.
Denver improved to 5-2 in the AFC West, positioning themselves behind Kansas City heading into the second half of the season. The Broncos will host the Chiefs on November 1, setting up a crucial divisional matchup that could have significant playoff implications.
What happens next
The Vikings are scheduled to visit the Detroit Lions on November 1, a matchup that will test Minnesota's undefeated record against another emerging contender in the NFC North. Kansas City is also scheduled to visit Denver on November 1, providing the Broncos with an opportunity to challenge the Chiefs' AFC West dominance.
