Notes

Week 7 Review: Tony Pollard's Three-TD Day, JSN on SNF, and the Snap Counts That Mattered

Tyler Redshaw

Week 7 gave us a Tony Pollard three-TD game in Tennessee, a Jaxon Smith-Njigba showcase on Sunday Night Football, and a Tight Ends Day where the tight ends actually showed up. Below is every Sunday game, with the standouts, the snap-count shifts that explain them, and the best highlight from each. Snap shares are this week's share of offensive snaps, compared with each player's share in his previous game.

Browns 27, Titans 24: Tony Pollard does it all

Pollard ran 25 times for 129 yards and three touchdowns and added three catches for 26 yards. He went into the week as a $5,300 back with a modest proj, and he finished in the perfect lineup.

His role didn't change: he played 75% of snaps, about the same as Week 6, and Michael Carter took the other 25%. Tennessee's offense ran through him. Calvin Ridley was out, so Elic Ayomanor played 89% of snaps, up from 61%. On the Cleveland side, KC Concepcion played 79% and finished with 8 catches for 129 yards, and Quinshon Judkins (53%) split work with Dylan Sampson (46%).

Steelers 16, Saints 10: Jaylen Warren in Paris

Warren ran 18 times for 101 yards and caught three passes for 36 in Paris, and he was the Showdown perfect lineup's captain. His snap share dropped to 62% from 75%, though, while Rico Dowdle's rose to 44% from 27%. For New Orleans, Alvin Kamara's share jumped to 56% from 26%.

Falcons 29, 49ers 20: Penix and 23 straight

Michael Penix Jr. went 25 of 34 for 213 yards and three touchdowns as Atlanta scored 23 unanswered points. Christian McCaffrey played only 52% of snaps after 85% last game, with Kaelon Black at 47%. McCaffrey still caught six passes for 61 yards and scored. Charlie Woerner's share rose to 72% from 29%.

Bengals 35, Ravens 13: Burrow to Higgins

Joe Burrow threw four touchdowns. Tee Higgins caught six of seven targets for 148 yards and a score on 87% of snaps, up from 69% last game. With Lamar Jackson out, Tyler Huntley started for Baltimore. Rashod Bateman's share jumped to 73% from 30%, and Zay Flowers still put up a big receiving day in the loss.

Buccaneers 43, Panthers 13: Bucky Irving and the defense

Bucky Irving ran 24 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns, and the Tampa Bay defense added a big day of its own. With Mike Evans and Emeka Egbuka inactive, Tez Johnson's snap share climbed to 65% from 34%. Irving played 59% of snaps in a game that got out of hand.

On the other side, it was a massive failure for Bryce Young and Carolina's popular receivers. Young went 14 of 27 for 163 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, and he played 77% of snaps, with Kenny Pickett playing the other 23%. Tetairoa McMillan caught four of six targets for 40 yards, and Jalen Coker caught one of four for 9 yards. Darren Waller's 50-yard touchdown was Carolina's only passing score.

Giants 27, Texans 21 (OT): Skattebo breaks free

Cam Skattebo ran 17 times for 124 yards and a touchdown. He broke off a 42-yard run in overtime, and Devin Singletary scored the walk-off touchdown. Skattebo's snap share jumped to 56% from 8% last game. Malik Nabers caught seven passes for 111 yards. Per the NFL, it was J.J. McCarthy's first start for the Giants, and he played 92% of snaps. On the Houston side, Woody Marks played 89%.

Vikings 16, Colts 10: Hockenson on Tight Ends Day

T.J. Hockenson caught four of five targets for 35 yards and a touchdown on National Tight Ends Day. He played 76% of snaps after 3% last game. In the Minnesota backfield, Jordan Mason played 64% and Aaron Jones 25%. Jonathan Taylor led the Colts in the loss. Mo Alie-Cox played 64% of snaps at tight end for Indianapolis, up from 37%.

Dolphins 28, Jets 25: Mason Taylor and Omar Cooper Jr.

For the Jets, Mason Taylor caught two touchdowns on 63% of snaps, and Omar Cooper Jr. caught all five of his targets for 115 yards and a score, including a 60-yarder. That's two big games in a row for Cooper: in Week 6 against New England, he caught six of seven targets for 103 yards and a touchdown on 82% of snaps. This week his snap share was 64%. With Breece Hall out, Braelon Allen played 78% of snaps. Miami got the win behind Malik Willis and Ollie Gordon II, who carried 25 times for 103 yards and a touchdown on 83% of snaps.

Broncos 30, Cardinals 16: Bo Nix takes off

Bo Nix ran for 73 yards, including a 62-yard touchdown run. Trey McBride caught 10 of 13 targets for 111 yards and a touchdown on 93% of snaps. Jonah Coleman led Denver's backfield in snaps at 49%, with RJ Harvey at 26% and J.K. Dobbins at 23%. Coleman ran nine times for 54 yards and caught two passes.

Lions 20, Packers 17: St. Brown and Jameson Williams

Amon-Ra St. Brown caught nine passes for 153 yards, and Jameson Williams scored twice. With David Montgomery out, Jahmyr Gibbs played 90% of snaps (70% last game) and handled 34 touches, 29 carries and five catches. For Green Bay, Josh Jacobs played 52% of snaps and scored on a 25-yard catch.

Rams 35, Raiders 21: Davis Allen on Tight Ends Day

Per the NFL, Matthew Stafford went 17 of 19 for 148 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. Davis Allen caught two touchdowns on the day. He played 69% of snaps, up from 31% last game. Kyren Williams (51%) and Blake Corum (44%) split the backfield, and both were productive. For the Raiders, Tre Tucker had five catches for 103 yards and a touchdown, and Ashton Jeanty played 72% of snaps.

Seahawks 20, Chiefs 3: JSN on Sunday Night

Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught nine of 12 targets for 150 yards and a touchdown and was the Showdown captain in the perfect lineup. With Zach Charbonnet out, Emanuel Wilson's snap share rose to 48% from 32%, and he ran 24 times for 100 yards and a score. With Rashee Rice out, Travis Kelce played 83% of snaps, up from 66%.

Week 7 takeaways

  • Snap shifts showed up in the box score: Skattebo (8% to 56%), Hockenson (3% to 76%), Davis Allen (31% to 69%), Higgins (69% to 87%) and Gibbs (70% to 90%) all turned bigger roles into big days.
  • Inactives opened up opportunities: Tez Johnson with Evans and Egbuka out, Emanuel Wilson with Charbonnet out, Braelon Allen with Hall out, and Ayomanor with Ridley out.
  • Tight Ends Day was real: Hockenson, Mason Taylor, Davis Allen and McBride all scored.
  • Some lead backs lost snaps: McCaffrey (85% to 52%) and Warren (75% to 62%) both still produced, but they shared more work.

Week 8 projections are next. See where the new roles land.

Week 8 projections

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