Windy City Gridiron's Week 8 NFL Power Rankings spotlight quarterback play after Week 7. Josh Allen (Buffalo) leads an unbeaten 5-1 Bills, while Brock Purdy (San Francisco) remains an MVP contender despite recent wobbliness. Minnesota’s Kyler Murray earns a C‑ rating despite the Vikings’ perfect record, and Patrick Mahmares (Kansas City) impresses on his ACL comeback. Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville) and Jared Goff (Detroit) receive A‑grade marks, with Goff’s 14‑0 TD‑to‑INT ratio highlighted as MVP‑worthy. Caleb Williams (Chicago) also earns an A as the Bears sit 5‑2. The rankings set the stage for the upcoming trade deadline and shifting playoff picture.
The Vikings improve to 6-0 after a 16-10 win over the Colts, thanks to a league‑best defense that allows just 12.3 points per game. Offense remains a concern, averaging only 20.8 points and needing to hit the mid‑20s or higher against a tough upcoming stretch: road games vs. high‑scoring Lions (30.7 ppg) and Bills (32.8 ppg), then the Packers, and a 49ers showdown in Mexico City. Key defensive highlights include a record 85% blitz rate on Colts QB Daniel Jones, four sacks, and Harrison Smith’s 40th career interception. Linebacker Blake Cashman shines with 12 tackles, two sacks, and All‑Pro vibes, while quarterback Kyler Murray shows flashes but must sharpen accuracy to keep the unbeaten run alive.
Entering their Week 8 bye at 6‑1, the San Francisco 49ers sit second in the NFC but still have a key roster gap. While injuries have thinned their receiver corps, the article argues the priority isn’t another wideout but a defensive upgrade. With Nick Bosa still nursing a calf strain and the line struggling to generate pressure, the piece recommends trading for former Niner defensive tackle DeForest Buckner from the Indianapolis Colts. Buckner’s interior presence could unlock the 49ers’ defense ahead of tough matchups against the Vikings, Chiefs, Cowboys and Raiders, and help sustain their Lombardi‑trophy push.
Atlanta forced four turnovers to end San Francisco’s unbeaten run.
Week 7 spotlights Indiana alumni across the NFL, highlighted by Kaelon Black’s first career touchdown for the San Francisco 49ers (12 carries for 63 yards, 1 TD). Other standouts include Raiders’ backup QB Fernando Mendoza (6‑of‑8, 48 yards), Giants LB Micah McFadden (10 tackles, 2 TFL), Jets rookie WR Omar Cooper Jr. (5 receptions, 115 yards, 1 TD) and Chiefs tackle Kahlil Benson (53 offensive snaps, starter at left tackle). Several former Hoosiers were inactive or on IR, while practice‑squad players saw limited special‑teams action. The roundup provides snap counts and season totals for each IU alumnus.
Week 7 churned out seven key NFL storylines: Deshaun Watson led the Browns to a 27-24 win over Tennessee with 308 passing yards and a rushing TD; Giants rookie Cam Skattebo broke out with 124 rushing yards in an overtime victory; Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy shone with 252 yards against the Texans, igniting trade‑talk; the 49ers’ loss to Atlanta highlighted the impact of missing Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel; Joe Burrow’s second‑half surge gave Cincinnati a win but exposed a weak run game; Caleb Williams posted 308 yards and two TDs as the Bears finally found offensive rhythm despite Cole Kmet’s season‑ending injury; and the Titans’ defensive woes forced Daniel Jones into early trouble. These takeaways frame the league’s emerging contenders and looming questions heading into the second half of the season.
Former Seahawks and Browns quarterback Seneca Wallace sits down with Dawgs By Nature to recount his winding NFL journey. Drafted by Mike Holmgren in the 2003 fourth round, Wallace filled multiple roles in Seattle, highlighted by a key 34‑yard catch in the 2005 NFC Championship. After a brief, injury‑marred stint with the Browns—including a high‑ankle sprain that limited him to seven starts—he bounced around the Saints, 49ers, and Packers before transitioning to coaching, most recently as the QB coach for the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks. Wallace also reflects on his standout high‑school and Iowa State career, Hall‑of‑Fame honors, and the challenges of playing quarterback at 5‑11″.
Gridiron Experts highlights the top Week 8 waiver‑wire pickups as the season’s injury bounce‑backs reshape lineups. Quarterback Geno Smith (Jets) returns as a solid Superflex/2QB streaming option after a 3‑TD, 287‑yard effort versus Miami, while Miami’s Malik Willis offers upside with his rushing floor despite a tough New England matchup. Running backs Bam Knight (Cardinals) and Jonah Coleman (Broncos) earn flex and RB3 value respectively, with Knight poised for a favorable Dallas clash and Coleman emerging as Denver’s primary back. San Francisco’s Kaelon Black is a cheap handcuff stash behind McCaffrey, and rookie WR Omar Cooper Jr. (Jets) is the must‑add WR3 after two 100‑yard, touchdown weeks. These picks provide low‑risk upgrades as bye weeks mount.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz says the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers are targeting the same defensive talent as the Oct. 10 deadline approaches. Both NFC contenders have expressed interest in Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat (who wants out and carries a $17 M non‑guaranteed salary), Chargers veteran Khalil Mack (35, three sacks, final year), and Colts DT DeForest Buckner (also in his contract’s last year). Sources note the Bears have called about Mack, while the 49ers have historic ties to Buckner. With the Bears at 5‑2 and the 49ers 6‑1, a flurry of 12‑20 trades is expected before the Nov. 10 deadline.
Former Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly navigates his expanding broadcasting duties without slipping into bias. While still serving as the team's radio analyst, he now leads Netflix's NFL game coverage and calls regional CBS games, carefully avoiding saying “we” on national platforms. Kuechly cites a fortunate schedule—no Panthers matchups on Netflix or CBS—contrasting his experience with Jason Kelce’s on‑air slip. The ex‑defensive star, a seven‑time Pro Bowler and 2013 Defensive Player of the Year, debuted on Netflix with Noah Eagle for a 49ers‑Rams game in Melbourne and will appear on upcoming Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Week 18 games.
The 49ers have plenty of reasons to part ways with these five underwhelming players at some point over the bye week.
The Falcons edged the 49ers in Week 7, highlighted by a tight‑end‑centric offense that produced two touchdowns for Nick Muse and Kyle Pitts, plus catches from Charlie Woerner and Austin Hooper. Michael Penix Jr. and the offensive line each logged 67 snaps, while Bijan Robinson and Khalil Herbert split the backfield, with Herbert seeing 11 snaps and contributing on kick returns. Defensively, ILB Kendal Daniels led the unit with 66 snaps despite a recent injury, and rookie OLB Charles Snowden recorded two pressures in his debut. Special‑teams snaps were spread across the roster, with Muse logging 20. The article notes potential roster moves for Herbert and James Pearce Jr., and discusses evolving nickel‑package roles for Sydney Brown and A.J. Terrell.
The 49ers have five key issues to address during their bye week, from injuries and turnovers to kicking woes, pass rush concerns, and potential trade targets.
Bye weeks are back, with the 49ers, Giants, Saints, and Texans off in Week 8. If you are looking for […]
Week 7 of the NFL sees the Cowboys rout the Eagles 38-21, while former Purdue Boilermakers shine. Tyrone Tracy Jr. scores a rushing TD for the Giants in a 27-21 win over the Texans, adding a reception and 53 kickoff return yards. Derrick Barnes records six tackles in Detroit’s 20-17 victory over Green Bay, and George Karlaftis notches a tackle‑for‑loss and two QB hits as the Chiefs fall 20-3 to Seattle. Baker Mayfield returns for Tampa Bay, which dominates Carolina 43-13, though Payne Durham remains unused. The 49ers lose 29-20 to Atlanta despite Jalen Graham’s solo tackle, and the Raiders are beaten 35-21 by the Rams.
The Texans, Saints, Giants, and 49ers have a bye this week, giving fantasy managers plenty of hurdles to clear to […]
Kyle Shanahan outlines the 49ers’ pre‑bye routine, noting the team will reconvene on Monday after a day of workouts and meetings. PFF grades reveal left tackle Colby struggled with five pressures and a 45.4 pass‑blocking score, the lowest among the O‑line. Star RB Christian McCaffrey admits a mild hamstring strain left his leg “dead” in the loss to Atlanta, casting doubt on his return post‑bye. Defensively, the line fell flat — no tackles for loss from the edge, missed assignments from Gracen Halton and Sebastian Valdez, and only minimal pressure from Romello Height, Keion White, and Mykel Williams, despite containing Bijan Robinson to a single 10‑yard run.
Thursday Night Football hit a new Prime Video peak in Week 7 as the Patriots defeated the Bears, drawing an average 19.86 million viewers and a 21.72 million peak during the 9 PM ET slot. The game ranks as the most-watched TNF episode since the Broncos‑Chiefs Christmas clash (21.06 M) and beats the prior Week 7 record of 17.12 M set by the Seahawks‑49ers in 2015. All six TNF broadcasts on Prime this season have set multi‑year highs, lifting the series average to 17.71 M—up 12% from last year and the best average through Week 7 on record.
EssentialSports releases its Week 8 NFL power rankings, highlighting the surprise drop of the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers after each suffers its first loss. With only four teams holding one or fewer defeats after seven weeks, parity tops the league. The list shuffles the Chargers to the bottom (0‑6) and moves the Dolphins up after a 28‑25 win over the Jets, while the Titans slip after squandering a 14‑point lead to Cleveland. The rankings capture the turbulence of an unexpectedly competitive season.
The 49ers could return Nick Bosa, Deebo Samuel, Mike Evans and more after the bye week. The full list of injured players poised to return for Week 9 against the Raiders.
The 49ers dissect their first loss to the Falcons, with LB Fred Warner, coach Kyle Shanahan and TE George Kittle blaming turnovers, penalties and sloppy play, while noting the team stays healthy heading into the bye. Meanwhile, the Rams bounce back from a 2‑4 start, blasting the Raiders 35‑21 after a dominant 28‑6 first half and emphasizing a revived ground game led by Blake Corum and Kyren Williams. Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald reports positive early signs on WR Rashid Shaheed’s knee injury, awaits imaging on OT Charles Cross, and holds off on status updates for RB Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet. The piece offers a snapshot of NFC teams’ recent challenges and adjustments.
The Seattle Seahawks break their losing streak with a dominant 20-3 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs at Lumen Field, keeping their NFC West hopes alive. Sam Darnold connects with Jaxon Smith‑Njigba for a 33‑yard TD and later a 10‑yard strike to Emanuel Wilson, who caps the scoring. Kansas City struggles as Patrick Mahomes is pressured, forced into a fumble and two missed field goals by Harrison Butker. The loss drops the Chiefs to 4-3 after a 5‑0 start, exposing defensive gaps and a muted Kenneth Walker III. Meanwhile, the 49ers flounder in an upset loss to the Atlanta Falcons, fueling a bonus “enemy reaction” segment.
Seven weeks into the 2026 NFL season the North dominates, with every team in both the NFC and AFC North holding winning records. The unbeaten Minnesota Vikings sit atop the pack at 6-0, the only perfect team after the Chiefs, 49ers and others fall. AFC North leader Cleveland (5-2) under new coach Todd Monken adds heat, while the NFC North’s Lions, Bears, Packers and Vikings all remain competitive. Minnesota now faces a tough stretch – a road game at Detroit, then home versus Buffalo and away trips to Green Bay and San Francisco – and will likely emerge around 8-2. Their surge hinges on Brian Flores’ defense compensating for an inconsistent offense.
The 49ers didn't get much from Brandin Cooks in their loss to the Falcons, and with reinforcements coming back, he may soon be gone.
The 49ers are weighing potential trades ahead of the NFL deadline. Kyle Shanahan discusses the team's plans and how returning players could shape its approach.