Skip to main content
Advertising

Neil Reynolds Week 7 Eye on the NFL

I don't know if I can pin down just three storylines to focus on in Week 7. This is a season – and a league – where it looks as if you cannot take your eyes off anything.

It is wild, unpredictable and wide open. And that is just how the NFL wants it to be.

Here are three games I will be watching closely, starting with the 60th regular season contest to be played internationally. And it is fitting that the game is played in London, which will host a regular season contest for a stunning 42nd time.

Jags return 'home'

The Jacksonville Jaguars will play in London for the 14th time when they take on the Los Angeles Rams and they will play a regular season game in the UK with a winning record for the first time at 4-2.

But they need to make sure they can protect Trevor Lawrence against the 4-2 Rams, who boast one of the best pass rushes in the league. The Rams are young, deep and talented along the defensive line. Jacksonville gave up seven sacks to the Seahawks last weekend and their best bet might be to take the air out of the football and feature Travis Etienne Jr.

As for the Rams, they are playing in London for the fifth time, having won and lost at Wembley and won and lost at Twickenham. Puka Nacua could still be missing so how will Matthew Stafford fare now he has to lean primarily on Davante Adams? I fancy Stafford to get the job done against a Jacksonville team boasting a 7-6 record in their home away from home.

This matchup also pits former colleagues and friends against each other in Jaguars head coach Liam Coen and Sean McVay, of the Rams, who said: "I love Liam, I'm really happy for him – but I'm gonna try to kick his ass when we play him in London!"

Super Bowl champs on the ropes

In the city of Rocky Balboa, let's use a boxing analogy here for a second when it comes to the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. They've taken a couple of heavy blows at the end of a round and are on wobbly legs heading back to the corner. As they sit on their stool, the fighter and all of his support staff begin arguing with each other.

That's kind of where the Eagles are at right now after consecutive losses to Denver and the New York Giants. Can they get back out there and make a fight of things or will they end up throwing in the proverbial towel like they did in the 2023 season?

The offense is stuttering, Jalen Hurts cannot get on the same page as his receivers and Saquon Barkley has been a surprising non-factor. One unit we considered to be the best in the league – Philadelphia's offensive line – has really struggled. They could get exploited by Brian Flores' pass rush.

The Vikings have not named their starting quarterback for this huge NFC clash. I would not be surprised if Carson Wentz is rolled back out there and a soft benching of JJ McCarthy officially gets underway. If it turns out McCarthy is not the long term answer, the Vikings might regret letting Sam Darnold out of the building.

Colts to keep it going?

This is one of three live games you can watch in the 9pm window on Sky Sports on Sunday night and it's another chance to see an Indianapolis Colts' attack in action as they go up against the Los Angeles Chargers out west.

There is a long way to go, but Daniel Jones and that Indianapolis attack – which has been forced to punt just 10 times on the year - has stood the test of time through six weeks. The quarterback looks like an MVP candidate, Jonathan Taylor leads the league in rushing and Tyler Warren is already looking like a star at tight end.

This will be a stern test, but some of the shine has come off the early-season performances from the Chargers. They have been hit hard by the injury bug but they still have Justin Herbert at quarterback and a mental toughness that comes from the very top in head coach Jim Harbaugh.

This is a close game to call, but if the Colts can go out to California and take down an AFC playoff rival; I think that will deliver a message to the rest of the conference and the entire NFL.