By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Are the Eagles for real? Fresh off an emphatic win over the Carolina Panthers on Thursday Night Football, Philadelphia returns home to host the Washington Redskins. Midseason NFC East supremacy is on the line when the two teams meet at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Here’s what we’re watching for in the divisional battle:

1. Who is the better surgeon under center? Carson Wentz has had quite the start to the 2017 season, leading the Eagles to a 5-1 record in their first six games with plenty of touchdown passes (13) and very little mistakes (three interceptions). Will the second-year passer continue his hot start against a Redskins secondary that could be missing some of its best members, or will the pressure of the bright lights and big stage be too much?

We know what to expect from Kirk Cousins — or at least we think we do. Last season, Cousins tended to shine in big games, picking apart defenses through the air. This year, things have been a little different for the Redskins‘ offense. Instead of relying on 2016 breakout target Jamison Crowder, Cousins has spread the ball around the group, relying heavily on running back Chris Thompson out of the backfield. Thompson is tied for the team lead in receptions with tight end Jordan Reed (18), though the running back has more than doubled Reed’s yardage, taking his grabs 340 yards and scoring twice in the process. With Rob Kelley expected to start at running back, will Cousins instead turn to his traditional receivers more often? Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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The New England Patriots jumped out to a 17-0 lead and cruised from there, easily handling a mistake-prone Atlanta Falcons team in a 23-7 win on Sunday night. Here’s what we learned:

1. The Super Bowl rehashing drove the pregame and the early content, but by halftime, it was pretty clear these two teams were not the same ones who met in Houston last February. New England dominated the Falcons in the first half on offense and defense, and rode that lead to the end of regulation for an emphatic win on a national stage.

2. More of what we expect from the Patriots‘ offense. Dion Lewis led all running backs in snaps with 23, and right behind him were Rex Burkhead (22) and James White (21), with the latter also accounting for a receiving touchdown by shaking linebaker Deion Jones on a deftly run angled route out of the backfield and into the end zone. Brandin Cooks caught four of his five targets for 65 yards and a touchdown, and Rob Gronkowski caught three passes for 51 yards. Tom Brady capped another efficient night that didn’t quite produce fireworks (it’s a good thing, because with the fog that rolled in, visibility was already low), but did more than enough to cruise past Atlanta. His line was clean — 21-of-29 passing, 249 yards, two touchdowns — as was his play as New England improved to 5-2. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Things are taking a turn for the worst in Indianapolis, and one of the Colts‘ stars hasn’t done much to change that.

Well, he hasn’t done much on the field. But off the field, T.Y. Hilton decided to use his words to assign blame on a group of his teammates after the Colts‘ latest loss Sunday — a 27-0 defeat at the hands of the Jaguars. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Malik Hooker‘s promising rookie season is over.

The Colts safety suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in his knee in Indianapolis’ loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.

Hooker tweeted about his injury and recovery process that lies ahead: Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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The Los Angeles Chargers struck quickly for two first-half touchdowns and rode their ferocious defense to a 21-0 shutout win over the punchless Denver Broncos. Here’s what we learned:

1. When his career is over and he’s no longer making the two-hour trip up I-5 in his decked out Sprinter van, we’re going to miss Philip Rivers. Yes, his throwing motion is awkward and it sometimes produces some wounded ducks, but the quarterback consistently places the ball accurately, and he was as sharp as ever on Sunday. Rivers engineered an incredibly efficient drive in the second quarter, going 65 yards in nine plays and capping it with a touchdown pass to Austin Ekeler in the flats.

Rivers spread the ball among seven receivers, completing 15 of 26 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns. The Chargers iced the game with a methodical, 10-play, 92-yard drive that ended with a 42-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to Travis Benjamin, securing redemption for their heartbreaking opening-weekend loss. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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To read the full takeaways from Sunday’s Week 7 games from the Around The NFL crew, click here.

Seahawks 24, Giants 7

1. The Giants were primed to score another upset victory after a first half in which they were dominated in time of possession yet somehow hit the intermission with a 7-3 lead. Seattle stopped inflicting damage on itself in the second half, and the wheels fell off for New York. The Seahawks scored a quick touchdown in the third quarter to take a 10-7 lead, where the game stood for quite some time as New York’s offense struggled per usual as its defense stymied the opposition. That changed with Russell Wilson‘s heave to Paul Richardson, which resulted in an acrobatic touchdown catch. An indeterminable tie-up between he and Giants safety Landon Collins resulted in a replay review that couldn’t overturn what was definitely not a sure thing. The score flipped momentum permanently in favor of the Seahawks, who won their third straight after a 1-2 start to the season. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Miami was forced to turn to its backup quarterback during Sunday’s 31-28 victory over the New York Jets.

Jay Cutler suffered a chest injury during the third quarter of the Dolphins‘ win and didn’t return to the game. Matt Moore replaced Cutler at quarterback.

Cutler is feared to have suffered a cracked rib and is headed for X-rays, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per sources informed of his condition. Pending test results, Cutler will likely miss Miami’s Thursday night tilt against the Baltimore Ravens, with a chance of a return the following week, Rapoport added. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Kenny Britt‘s first season hasn’t gone as well as expected. Corey Coleman is again on the mend after suffering another broken hand. Neither helped their cases last weekend in Houston.

Both Britt and Coleman were sent home Sunday after missing curfew the night before Cleveland’s eventual loss to Houston, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported Saturday on Good Morning Football Weekend. Neither Coleman or Britt were going to play in the game due to injuries. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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He’s been featured in plenty of promotional programming and material, but we still haven’t gotten the full-blown Myles Garrett Experience in the NFL.

That changes Sunday, according to Gregg Williams.

“He played well (versus Houston) and he played dominant in a lot of phases, and you’re going to see him play more this week,” the Browns defensive coordinator said Friday. “It was the next step and I was holding my breath it wasn’t going to set him back, and it hasn’t set him back. He’s had a very good week of practice, so we’re turning him loose.” Continue reading →