NFL – 2024 WEEK 7 – STATS THAT STICK OUT

PASSING – BAKER MAYFIELD (QB – BUCCANEERS) BAL 41 at TB 31

For the second week in a row, Baker Mayfield was the league’s passing leader when he went 31-45 with 370 passing yards and threw 3 TDs in Week 7.  But it could be a long time before we see the 29-year-old back at the top of this list again.  During the Buccaneers Week 7 loss at home against the Ravens, two of Mayfield’s favorite targets went down with injuries.  One was Pro Bowl WR Chris Godwin who sustained an ankle injury which required surgery.  He was placed on season-ending IR.  Another was multiple Pro Bowl WR Mike Evans who aggravated a hamstring injury and is not expected to return to the field until after Tampa Bay’s Week 11 bye.  That outstanding WR duo had combined to catch almost half of the team’s receiving yards this season and scored 11 of the team’s 18 TDs.  Without their services for the near future, Mayfield will rely upon other WRs with much less experience, an undrafted FA elevated from practice squads, plus a veteran (Sterling Shepard) targeted only 12 times through 5 games.  Always one to stay positive and look forward, Mayfield said this week that he was “extremely confident” with his reshuffled WR corps ahead of Week 8’s divisional matchup with the Falcons. “I expect those guys to have success and play really well. Throughout the week, [we will be] getting on the same page within the game plan as we continue to nail this thing down. We expect everybody to step up in a big way, [while] still leaning on our offensive line. I thought they played great, obviously the past few weeks they’ve played really well, and the backs have continued to play well. It’s going to be a full group effort. It’s going to look different, but that’s okay. You know what? It will be a little bit more creative and we’ll have some fun with it.”

RUSHING – SAQUON BARKLEY (RB, EAGLES) PHL 28 at NYG 3

Before Eagles RB Saquon Barkley returned to MetLife Stadium in Week 7 for the first time since signing with Philadelphia in the offseason, he seemed confident that Giants fans wouldn’t hold his leaving NY for a division rival against him.  “I don’t expect a great reaction. I don’t expect to be booed,” Barkley said. “I look at it like this: The Philadelphia Eagles and New York Football Giants probably played in over 200 games. This rivalry was there before me, and it’s going to be there after me…”  Well, things didn’t go according to the seven-year Pro Bowler’s expectations.  Not only were NY fans burning Barkley’s #26 jersey in the parking lot even before the game began, but every time he touched the ball during the game boos rained down upon him.  His response?  Become the league’s rushing leader of Week 17 with 17 carries for 176 yards (10.4 AVG), score a TD, have 2 receptions for 11 yards, win the NFC Player of the Week award and come within a dozen yards of setting his personal best career rushing day.  On top of that, Barkley still had the humility and grace to set aside his career-high rushing yards record when asked by HC Nick Sirianni if he would let other Philly backs (Kenny Gainwell and rookie Will Shipley) get some carries. Barkley, just 13 yards shy of his career high didn’t hesitate and said, “Let the other guys eat”.  Fact is, Barkley is a good guy and phenomenal player who wanted to be a “Giant for life”, in his heart.  But the business side of things changed that aspiration.  Now fans are holding it against him because he “chose the enemy [Eagles]”.  This past week, long-time Eagles center Jason Kelce summed up the situation nicely: “I don’t understand why Giants fans hate Saquon for what happened, and not the Giants organization for the fact he is an Eagle. They have absolutely no one to blame other than the Giants ownership and management decisions for why he is no longer a Giant. Obviously understand their hate of the Eagles, and desire for him not to succeed, just very odd this energy is directed at him more so than the organization…”

RECEIVING – KEON COLEMAN (WR, BILLS) TEN 10 at BUF 34

On Oct 15, with just weeks to go until the NFL trade deadline (Nov 5), Buffalo made a splashy trade for WR Amari Cooper from the Browns for a third-round pick in 2025 and seventh rounder in 2026.  The 10-year veteran made his debut in Week 7 for the Bills when Buffalo defeated the Titans at home.  His presence made an immediate impact as he caught 4 passes for 66 yards and scored a TD on his first reception.  The Bills intend to expand Cooper’s role in the offense moving forward just as their rookie WR Keon Coleman is starting to blossom.  Prior to Cooper’s arrival, the Florida State alum had been the team’s leading receiver, being targeted on 66% of the offensive snaps.  But, on the day Cooper debuted for the Bills, Coleman had the best day of his young career so far, becoming the Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Week by catching 4 passes for 125 yards which led the NFL for Week 7.  Since 2020, only 3 other rookie receivers have led the league in receiving yards (Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle and Justin Jefferson).  Not bad company to keep… It’s clear to see that now with Cooper on the roster as another target for defenses to account for, Coleman is benefitting.  (And so are the Buffalo Bills) who are 5-2 and lead the AFC East by a wide margin. 

TACKLES – CODY BARTON (LB, BRONCOS) DEN 33 at NO 10

Another NFL week in the books, another Denver Bronco defensive player earns league-wide honors…  This time it was LB Cody Barton’s turn in Week 7 when he was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his 8 tackles (6 solo), 1 sack,  a defended pass, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for a 52-yard TD in the 4Q during the Broncos’ road win over the Saints.  It was also Barton’s first ever NFL TD.  After the game, the six-year pro predictably turned attention to the team effort instead of his own.   He said, “It was a great team win. It was just one of those games… I am happy for everyone.”  Indeed, the Denver defense had 2 takeaways and 6 sacks in the game, adding to an already great statistical season.  They now lead the league in QB pressures, rank first in the league in points/drive (1.29), yards/play (4.4), and red-zone efficiency (35.7%).  They also have the second-best sack rate this season and come in third with total defensive points allowed.  This phenomenal ability to pressure opposing QBs on a consistent basis will come in handy as Denver will soon take on the Ravens in Week 9 and Chiefs in Week 10.  In the meantime, Denver will host the Panthers in Week 8, and they have one of the worst passing offenses in the league.  Should be another field day for Barton and that Broncos defense.  

KICKER – CAMERON DICKER (K, CHARGERS) LAC 15 at ARI 17

This portion of the weekly blog could have technically been put into a “dubious distinction” paragraph because the only points the Chargers scored in Week 7 derived from the foot of Cameron Dicker.  But, I will focus on the third-year kicker’s accomplishments in Los Angeles’ loss to Arizona instead.  Dicker not only made all 5 field goals in the game including a career-long 59-yarder but, it also was tied for a Chargers record as the longest field goal in team history.  If not for the loss, Dicker would have likely been named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.  Dicker has been good all season long, too.  He’s missed only 1 field goal (Week 4 vs the Chiefs) and he’s been almost perfect on PATS, making 7-8 through Week 7.  If the Chargers continue to move the ball well but struggle in Red Zone Scoring (currently third worst in the league at 38.46%), Dicker will be kept busy…  Well, in Week 8, I do think Dicker will be called upon a lot, especially if the Saints defense continues to be stingy in holding opponents Red Zone Scoring down.  Interestingly, New Orleans is terrific on the road in this area, allowing opponents only 18.18% red zone scoring success.  Dicker, get yourself ready…

PLAYER EFFICIENCY – JOSH ALLEN (QB, BILLS)

The QB is arguably the most important player on any NFL field.  Outside of the Center, these signal callers touch the ball the most during games & guide offenses down the field.  As a result, we constantly evaluate these people.  And for fans who live outside Kansas City, we often wonder what it would be like to have the perfect guy standing at the helm of our team.

Not taking anything from my guy Brock Purdy (or Patrick Mahomes), but I think God has built the perfect specimen to play QB in the NFL, and that is the Bills QB Josh Allen.  He’s got it all:

• Size (6’5, 237 lbs.)
• Running Ability
• Arm Strength
• Durability
• Confidence
• Fearlessness
• Calmness
• Initiative
• Aggressiveness
• Accuracy

Truth be told, Allen has not owned every one of those attributes during the length of his 7-year career.  They’ve all come together slowly, as he has matured and gained more experience.  

And if Allen wasn’t special enough, he’s added one more quality to his arsenal of extraordinary talents in 2024:  Efficiency.  Through the first 7 weeks of the season, Allen has thrown 12 TDs and had 0 interceptions in 189 pass attempts.  This is the longest such streak in his career.  No other QB with 40+ pass attempts has 0 interceptions in the league.  This is a big change from last season when Allen threw a career-high 18 interceptions in 2023, the second-most in the league.  

Limiting careless turnovers is also a reason the Bills have the best turnover differential in the league (+10) this year.  With only 2 giveaways, that is the least amount any team has so far too.  

Bills HC Sean McDermott attributed Allen’s newfound efficiency to him becoming a “great decision maker”.  “He’s been very intentional about it and it’s important to him. He knows the value of playing clean football that way and protecting the house… The job that Josh has done on being smart with the ball, throwing the ball away when he needs to, sliding when he needs to as well. His level of decision making has increased this season and been very important to our team, and the wins that we’ve had.” 

Allen’s efficiency will be tested in Week 8 when the Bills visit Seattle.  The Seahawks new HC Mike MacDonald was the Ravens’ former defensive coordinator, and his schemes focus heavily on how to put pressure on opposing QBs.  The Seahawks defense is also hot right now, having secured a season high 3 takeaways in Week 7 against Atlanta.

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