Week 7 delivered plenty of drama across the NFL, with Jonathan Taylor making perhaps the strongest case yet for his MVP candidacy. From stunning comeback attempts to concerning injuries, this week reshaped several storylines heading into the season’s second half.
Jonathan Taylor’s MVP Momentum Builds
The MVP award wasn’t always a quarterback’s trophy. Back in the early days, running backs claimed four of the first five honors. While those days seem distant now, the path remains open for a rushing champion—provided they check three boxes: post a record-breaking season, anchor a playoff-contending team, and capitalize on a year where no signal-caller runs away with the hardware.
Taylor’s 2025 season aligns perfectly with this formula. His most recent outing—a 132-yard, three-touchdown masterpiece—powered Indianapolis to a commanding 38-24 win over Los Angeles. What makes his campaign so compelling? Three key elements stand out:
1. Team Success
Indianapolis sits pretty at 6-1 atop the AFC, riding Taylor’s coattails to early-season dominance. The Colts offense revolves around his presence—over half their yardage comes from his rushes or plays setting up off his action. They’re pacing the league in both rushing EPA and play-action yardage, statistics that tell the story of Taylor’s impact beyond the box score.
2. Elite Production Numbers
Taylor’s tracking alongside some legendary MVP seasons. Adrian Peterson bulldozed his way to 2,097 yards in 2012. Shaun Alexander racked up 1,958 scrimmage yards and 28 scores in 2005. LaDainian Tomlinson set the touchdown bar at 31 back in 2006. Taylor’s current pace? Roughly 2,142 scrimmage yards and 27 touchdowns. He’s already outpacing the rushing totals that Faulk, Tomlinson, and Peterson posted through seven games during their award-winning campaigns.
3. Wide-Open Quarterback Field
While Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield headline various MVP boards, their teams haven’t exactly dominated. Kansas City sits at 4-3, and Mayfield’s turnover issues continue surfacing at inopportune moments. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson? Both are steering underachieving squads relative to preseason expectations. This quarterback uncertainty creates the perfect window for Taylor to separate himself from the pack.
Week 7’s Other Standout Moments
Mahomes Stays in MVP Hunt
Despite sitting out the fourth quarter of Kansas City’s 31-0 steamrolling of Las Vegas, Mahomes still managed 286 yards and three touchdowns. His fourth-and-1 conversion—complete with some questionable theatrics—plus a signature no-look strike to Rashee Rice reminded everyone why he remains in the MVP conversation despite his team’s early struggles.
Giants’ Historic Meltdown
New York held what seemed like a comfortable 26-8 advantage with six minutes remaining. Then Denver unleashed a 33-point fourth-quarter explosion that ended one of the NFL’s most impressive streaks—1,602 straight victories by teams leading by 18+ points at that stage. The collapse raises serious questions about New York’s defensive adjustments and kicker Jude McAtamney’s reliability after he botched two crucial extra points in the heartbreaking defeat.
Daniels Dealing with Injury Scare
Washington’s promising rookie Jayden Daniels picked up a hamstring injury during their 44-22 beating at Dallas. Coach Dan Quinn mentioned that Daniels pushed to return but was held out pending MRI results. Dr. Evan Kirkelos, a sports chiropractor, offered some optimism—no obvious meniscus issues and possibly just a minor sprain that proper management could minimize. Still, with this being Daniels’ second injury this season and a tough three-game stretch ahead that could define Washington’s playoff hopes, caution seems wise.
Miami’s Tua Dilemma
Tua Tagovailoa’s rain-soaked nightmare continued in Cleveland—three picks, three fumbles, and a 31-6 beating that highlighted Miami’s quarterback concerns. Cutting Tua now would cost $137.6 million in dead money—a financial impossibility. Releasing him after 2026 makes more fiscal sense, but the realistic solution might involve trading Tua plus draft capital to offload salary, with the Jets and Raiders reportedly monitoring the situation.
League Insider: Baker Mayfield’s Authentic Appeal
Buccaneers GM Jason Licht, the architect behind Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl run, remembers taking a chance on Mayfield when others had written him off. Signing Baker shortly after Tom Brady’s departure happened in a relaxed environment that perfectly captured Mayfield’s down-to-earth personality. His Monday night showdown against Detroit offers another platform to strengthen his MVP case. Word around Tampa Bay suggests contract extension discussions will wait until season’s end, allowing Mayfield to focus entirely on his third campaign in pewter and red.
Tonight’s Must-Watch Matchups
Buccaneers vs. Lions (7 p.m. ET)
Jared Goff faces serious pressure against Tampa Bay’s relentless pass rush, made worse by Detroit’s patchwork offensive line missing starting left tackle Taylor Decker. The Buccaneers rank near the top in pressure rate thanks to Todd Bowles’ blitz-happy scheme.
Baker Mayfield should find opportunities against Detroit’s injury-depleted secondary that’s missing several key contributors. Mike Evans’ potential return gives Mayfield his full arsenal of weapons at the perfect time.
Texans vs. Seahawks (10 p.m. ET)
C.J. Stroud meets a Seattle defense built around a talented, scheme-smart defensive front that generates pressure without excessive blitzing. Houston’s historically weak offensive line faces a severe test against this unit.
Sam Darnold brings an interesting wrinkle—Houston’s defense pressures quarterbacks frequently, but Darnold has shown strong accuracy under duress and rarely takes sacks when pressured, potentially neutralizing Seattle’s pass rush advantage.
Additional Week 7 Notes
Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues his breakout campaign for Seattle, quietly chasing several NFL receiving records with his confident play.
Micah Parsons posted a career-best three sacks, reinforcing his reputation as a consistently double-teamed game-wrecker on Dallas’ defense.
The Athletic’s Zak Keefer highlighted key Week 7 takeaways, emphasizing Taylor’s MVP-caliber performance and the surprising contributions from San Francisco’s Mac Jones in relief duty.
Stay connected with The Athletic’s NFL newsletter for continued coverage of these evolving storylines throughout the season.
