Craig's NFL Week 7 storylines: Patriots-Falcons rematch headlines the lineup
A look around the league entering Week 7.
October 22, 2017 at 4:08AM
People hoping for a Drew Brees-Aaron Rodgers classic will have to settle for Brees vs. Brett Hundley. The Packers' young backup-turned-starter gets a week of first-team practice, a better-fitting game plan and home-field advantage. Unfortunately for him, he's not getting a pushover Saints defense. New Orleans has turned a corner on that side of the ball. In last week's 52-38 win over Detroit, the Saints scored three defensive TDs and had five takeaways.
Super Bowl rematch in New England
Poor Atlanta. The Falcons won their first three games, including two on the road, and people want to call their 3-2 start a "Super Bowl hangover." Whatever it is, they're back to blowing leads. They've lost first-half leads in back-to-back home losses to AFC East teams Buffalo and Miami. And now they meet the AFC East-leading Patriots. The same Patriots that erased a 28-3 deficit to beat the Falcons 34-28 in overtime in Super Bowl LI.
Can Eagles stay hot, beat Washington?
Philadelphia's NFL-leading four-game winning streak would seem safe at home Monday night against a Washington team that lost 30-17 at home to the Eagles in Week 1. But, hey, this is the NFL. Washington has won its past two games at Philly. It also has won five of the past six meetings. There should be a lot of points. The Eagles have the No. 3 offense, while the Redskins are No. 6.
Can Adrian keep carrying Cards?
There's renewed hope in Arizona now that Adrian Peterson (above) has arrived. Arizona (3-3) meets the Rams (4-2) in London. It will be Peterson's second trip there in three weeks. In Week 4, he had 4 yards on four carries as the Saints beat the Dolphins 20-0. In his Cardinals debut, Peterson raised the league's worst rushing attack with 134 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. The Rams rank 29th in run defense.
Will red-faced Broncos rebound?
In a season filled with big upsets, no favorite was embarrassed more than the Broncos last week at home in prime time against a decimated, winless Giants team in complete disarray. Can Denver (3-2) move past that loss and try to keep pace with Kansas City in the AFC West? Oddsmakers are leery. The Broncos are two-point underdogs at the Chargers, who are 2-1 on the road but 0-3 in Los Angeles.
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
