The Morning After, NFL Week 7: Vikings Stay Unbeaten, Aaron Rodgers Unloads, Major Top-10 Shakeup

Miss some games Sunday? Not to worry, we’ve got you covered. Think of this column like Scott Hanson’s NFL Red Zone postgame report.

Let’s have a hell of a week. Hopefully your Monday started smoother than mine…

SCENE: Me, on four hours of sleep after writing this column, trying to get three young children dressed and out the door for school on Monday morning:

the kick to the midsection ????????????

and then the flag launch from the ground ???? https://t.co/ko70zDmhxo

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 25, 2026

1. And then there was one 

It looks like the 1972 Dolphins might want to get their champagne on ice.

The Minnesota Vikings are officially the NFL’s last undefeated team, and with four upcoming games against teams with a combined 19-7 record (Lions, Bills, Packers, 49ers), that last domino could fall at any moment.

Minnesota improved to 6-0 with an ugly 16-10 win over Indianapolis, while the 49ers finally cracked under the weight of their injury report, losing 29-20 to Atlanta. On Sunday Night Football, Seattle had its way with Kansas City, knocking the Chiefs’ perfect season into the shadow realm with a 20-3 beatdown.

Brian Flores‘ Vikings defense leads the NFL in EPA per play allowed, blitzes on an absurd 75% of snaps, and generally turns opposing quarterbacks into human punching bags. But as good as Minnesota’s defense is, its offense might be worse. Kyler Murray looks like a backup game manager, Justin Jefferson is wasting away, and Minnesota kicker Will Reichard has more points (63) than everyone else combined (62)…!

What the @Vikings have done this year is incredible

MIN is 6-0 for the 1st time since 2009 all while doing the following…

* fewest TD (10) in a 6-0 start since 1934
* 29th in total EPA (ahead of TEN, PHI, LAC)
* fewest TD (21) in an 11-game win streak in NFL history * K Will Reichard has accounted for more points (63) than the rest of the team combined (62)
* their 85.2% blitz rate vs the Colts today was the highest in a game since 2013
* 1st in total defensive EPA

via @CBSSportsHQ

— Todd Fuhrman (@ToddFuhrman) October 26, 2026

One thing that looks pretty clear: the NFC North and NFC West are the best divisions in football.

2. Brilliant or bonehead? Packers let Dan Campbell off the hook.

For a 20-17 game, Green Bay-Detroit was a back-and-forth slugfest, especially in the final five minutes. That’s when Lions coach Dan Campbell decided to go full aggro analytics with the most controversial fourth-down decision we’ve had so far this season.

INSANE DECISION: #Lions HC Dan Campbell went for it on fourth-and-1 in his own territory with the game tied 17-17 and under five minutes left.

Detroit got stopped, handing the #Packers the ball in field goal range.

What was Campbell thinking….

Crazy. https://t.co/UNdpnA3lwN

— MLFootball (@MLFootball) October 25, 2026

Fortunately for Campbell, the Pack went 3-and-out before missing the go-ahead field goal. (We now know Lions defensive end D.J. Wonnum got a finger on the ball.)

The internet was quick to crush Campbell’s decision, but on Sunday Night Football, Mike Tomlin offered a contrarian view, saying that Campbell’s gamble guaranteed him a chance to have the last possession of the game — no matter what happened.

“If he punts that ball right there, Goff might never get a chance to respond.”

– Super Bowl winning coach Mike Tomlin

“I would’ve punted the ball there”

– Jason Garrett

Tells you all you need to about the decision. https://t.co/amvPEmp3V1

— Isaac Meyers (@meyersmedia_) October 26, 2026

In the end, Detroit took the ball back and drained the clock before kicking the winner through the uprights.

What do you think? Was that a clown move by Campbell, or does Tomlin’s explanation make sense? Let me know on X. 

3. Aaron Rodgers, truth-teller

Last week, ahead of the Steelers-Saints game in Paris, Aaron Rodgers largely played the role of an obedient company man unwilling to question why the NFL was going ahead with its French connection despite political unrest throughout the country.

But after Pittsburgh’s 16-10 win on Sunday, Rodgers unloaded the clip. He claimed that the latest NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement (negotiated in 2020) could have included a full-blown international week, with 16 games in 16 foreign locations. Then, he floated some potential future destinations while also taking a few shots at the owners.

“I think it’d have been phenomenal for the game,” Rodgers told reporters. “Now, the owners wanted to push for 17 games for the extra revenue because they care so much about player safety, but it would have been nice.”

Incredible: Aaron Rodgers peels back curtain on NFL. Said a decade ago plan was for a full week of international games. Mentions Dubai as destination. But greedy owners wanted 17th game instead. Would have added extra bye for player health. He also rips owners for being cheap ???? https://t.co/nI6dkTmWlM

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) October 25, 2026

Rodgers seems on board with further international expansion, but something tells me most players won’t be as excited as the famously free-thinking QB. No matter. Seventeen international NFL games are coming — it’s just a matter of when.

4. The dumbest thing I saw on Sunday: Arizona’s defense…!

Don’t hold your breath if you’re waiting for a defender to enter the camera frame.

BO NIX 62-YARD TOUCHDOWN RUN

DENvsAZ on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/sxC4uWF33r

— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2026

5. Quick Hits

The Chicago Bears are for real… and it’s not just because Caleb Williams has officially reached another level of quarterbacking. Chicago DC Dennis Allen has an undermanned defense punching way above its weight. The Bears rank 11th in yards allowed per game and 8th in points allowed per game.

Then there’s Ben Johnson, who week after week proves to be an absolute menace for opposing defenses. Johnson constantly puts his players in the best positions to succeed, hunting the kind of explosive plays that can change a game.

2026 NFL Leaders in Explosive Receptions:

1. Rome Odunze (CHI): 11
1. Luther Burden III (CHI): 11
3. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (SEA): 10
3. Christian Watson (GB): 10
5. Drake London (ATL): 9
5. Tetairoa McMillan (CAR): 9
5. Matthew Golden (GB): 9
8. Mike Evans (TB): 8
8. Chris Olave (NO): 8
10. Keon Coleman (BUF): 7

Ben Johnson has the TWO most explosive WRs in football.

— Bears Facts (@DaBearsTakeOver) October 25, 2026

J.J. McCarthy has the Giants in position to win the NFC East. Maybe all he needed was a change of scenery…

New York’s new QB went 20-for-28 for 252 yards and a 99.1 passer rating while leading four scoring drives in the Giants’ 27-21 win over the Texans. He didn’t throw any touchdowns, but he did make some throws that explain exactly why GMs should always trade a 5th-round pick for a 23-year-old athlete with this kind of arm talent:

….man what https://t.co/otVSyuEIta

— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) October 25, 2026

Falcons rookie LB Kendal Daniels is an incredible story. One week after being stretchered off the field after a scary hit, Daniels had 11 tackles, an interception, and made the game-sealing fumble recovery as Atlanta upset the San Francisco 49ers.

This might be the best moment of the NFL season https://t.co/h8pH6qDAHr

— MD (@mike_daddino) October 25, 2026

The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders are suing the alt-rock emo band My Chemical Romance for using backup dancers in their likeness…

It looks like Fernando Mendoza Time might be starting soon. The Rams had Raiders veteran QB Kirk Cousins in a blender all day on Sunday — blitzing heavily on passing downs, just like the Bills and Patriots did to Vegas in previous weeks. Cousins’ lack of mobility showed: he was 1-for-10 for 5 yards and 0 first downs on third- and fourth-down attempts today.

After the game, Cousins was asked how it feels to know Mendoza’s chance is probably coming soon. Much respect for the classy answer.

Raiders QB Kirk Cousins on eventually ceding his position as starter to Fernando Mendoza, following the team’s 4th straight loss.

????: By @Sean_Zittel https://t.co/SS0xYItSIg

— Vegas Sports Today (@VegasSportsTD) October 26, 2026

5.  Stat Break

• 7-11 for 64 yards and 1 TD. That’s the actual four-quarter stat line from Bucs QB Baker Mayfield in his team’s 43-13 rout of Carolina. Tampa ran for a combined 258 yards and 3 TDs.

• There are seven NFC teams with winning records. Four are in the NFC North.

• It was a tale of two halves in Baltimore. For the second game in a row, the Ravens held their opponent scoreless in the first half before going scoreless themselves in the second half and losing the game. Cincinnati mustered just 59 yards on four first-half drives against Baltimore. In the second half? Four drives, 280 yards, four TDs for Joe Burrow’s Bengals.

• Browns rookie WR KC Concepcion had a breakout game in Cleveland’s win over Tennessee: 8 catches for 129 yards, plus another 23 yards on 3 carries.

• Aaron Rodgers moved to third all-time in regular-season passing touchdowns (540). He trails only Tom Brady (649) and Drew Brees (571).

• Travis Kelce passed Marvin Harrison to become fifth all-time in NFL regular-season receptions (1,103).

• The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t allowed a second-half touchdown in 4 straight games. The last time that happened was in 2024.

6. The Morning After Top-10 Power Rankings

I’ve tried to fight it, but there’s nowhere to put the undefeated Vikings other than the top of the list this week. I doubt it will last, but for now, Minnesota deserves the top spot.

Elsewhere, the Bears, Seahawks, Lions, and Browns all moved higher up the board.

1. Minnesota Vikings (6-0) 
2. Buffalo Bills (5-1) 
3. San Francisco 49ers (5-1) 
4. Kansas City Chiefs (5-1) 
5. Chicago Bears (5-2) 
6. Denver Broncos (5-2)
7. Seattle Seahawks (4-3)
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)  
9. Detroit Lions (4-2)
10. Cleveland Browns (5-2)

7. The Murphy’s Law crown goes to… 

If something can go wrong, it will. And while it’d be easy for the Philadelphia Eagles to take this award every week, I suppose it’s time to give the Birds a break.

???? In that case, this week’s Murphy’s Law crown goes to a club all-too-familiar with the concept: the New York Jets.

Leave it to the Jets to give the previously winless Miami Dolphins their first victory. New York outgained Miami 377-360, but Geno Smith threw a costly interception, former Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders missed a field goal, and the Jets somehow turned first-and-goal at the 1 into three points. Then, they surrendered a 63-yard touchdown to seal the 28-25 loss.

Aaron Glenn is now 0-8 against AFC East opponents.

In three plays, the Jets will be kicking a field goal https://t.co/7OJHkxT6Kk

— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) October 25, 2026

8. Turkey Bowl training starts now 

Your uncle 7 Miller Lites deep against your 9 year old cousin in the Turkey Bowl https://t.co/h0YOicGUDJ

— Mike Kash (@FFMikeKash) October 25, 2026

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