NFL Week 7 Grades: Browns and Giants Lead Divisions

The NFL standings feature several surprising developments as October concludes, highlighted by the Cleveland Browns claiming first place in their division. Cleveland’s strong run continued during a 27-24 victory against Tennessee, where Deshaun Watson orchestrated a fourth-quarter game-winning drive.

Surprising Standings and Quarterback Success

Watson’s performance marked his fifth game-winning drive of the season, making him only the third quarterback since 1970 to record one in each of his team’s first five wins of a year. Meanwhile, the New York Giants secured the top spot in the NFC East after winning a game with J.J. McCarthy starting at quarterback. The Giants have now won games with three different starting quarterbacks this season—McCarthy, Jameis Winston, and Jaxson Dart—becoming the first team since the 2016 Patriots to achieve at least three wins with three different starters before November.

Baltimore’s Historic Collapse and Week 7 Results

Conversely, the Baltimore Ravens dropped to last place following a historic collapse against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Ravens held a 13-0 halftime lead before losing 35-13, marking the third-largest defeat in NFL history by a team leading by at least 13 points at intermission. This performance continued a troubling trend for Baltimore, which has lost 17 games since 2020 after holding double-digit leads, the highest total in the league during that timeframe. Adding to the irony, the surprising Browns and Giants are led by coaches John Harbaugh and Todd Monken, both of whom departed from Baltimore at the conclusion of last season.

Week 7 Matchup Outcomes

Other results from CBS Sports Headlines for Week 7 saw the Bengals defeat the Ravens 35-13, the Seahawks top the Chiefs 20-3, the Lions edge the Packers 20-17, the Rams beat the Raiders 35-21, and the Broncos top the Cardinals 30-16. Additionally, the Falcons defeated the 49ers 29-20, the Vikings edged the Colts 16-10, the Giants beat the Texans 27-21, the Buccaneers routed the Panthers 43-13, the Browns defeated the Titans 27-24, the Dolphins topped the Jets 28-25, the Steelers defeated the Saints 16-10 in Paris, and the Bears overcame the Patriots 30-24.