2022 NFL power rankings, Week 7: Giants and Falcons on the rise
Matt Eberflus’ team looked to end a brief skid as they hosted the Commanders in prime time. The Chicago Bears won a lot of the battles but ultimately only scored seven points.
Chicago outgained Washington, 392-214, in total yards but also committed two costly turnovers, including a muffed punt in the fourth quarter by Velus Jones Jr. that set up the Commanders’ go-ahead score. Justin Fields was sacked five times and the Bears wasted 238 yards rushing.
The Cardinals headed to the Pacific Northwest and it wound up being a rough afternoon for the Arizona offensive unit, which gained 315 total yards but didn’t score a touchdown.
And while quarterback Kyler Murray ran for 100 yards on 10 attempts and threw for 222 yards as well, he was also sacked six times, lost one of his two fumbles and served up one interception. The team did acquire wide receiver Robbie Anderson from Carolina on Monday.
The New Orleans Saints’ defense had been a bit of a disappointment this year and those issues continued against the Cincinnati Bengals at the Superdome late in the game. Dennis Allen’s club ran for 228 yards by the game’s end and built a 10-point second-quarter lead.
New Orleans managed only a pair of field goals in the second half. Bengals’ quarterback Joe Burrow would throw for 300 yards and rallied his team as the Saints allowed 28-plus points for the third straight game.
Doug Pederson’s team got off to a good start at Indianapolis as the Jaguars looked to sweep the rival Colts. The club owned a 14-3 lead in the second quarter and the Jacksonville offense was rolling for most of the afternoon. It finished with 377 total yards, 234 on the ground.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence hit on 20-of-23 passes, threw for one touchdown and ran for two others. But the Jaguars’ defense had no answers for Colts’ quarterback Matt Ryan.