NFC Hierarchy/Obituary: Week 8 edition

Week 7 of the NFL season is in the books, and we have a bunch of teams moving closer to the graveyard, but there are no new obituaries this week.

Graveyard

Hierarchy

15) Giants (2-5): The Giants' offensive stats on Sunday against the Eagles:

• 55 offensive plays
• 119 yards
• 2.2 yards per play
• 76 rushing yards
• 43 passing yards
• 8 sacks
• 3 points
• 11 punts!

Their punter played the same number of snaps as Jordan Davis.

As we saw on Hard Knocks, GM Joe Schoen's focus this offseason was on fixing the offensive line through free agency and finding a playmaking receiver through the draft to help the quarterback that he overpaid, at least if he couldn't climb high enough in the draft to replace that quarterback. It's kind of incredible that all it took for the offensive line to completely fall apart again was one injury to left tackle Andrew Thomas. The Giants were somehow wholly unprepared for that possibility, even though they saw what happened when Thomas was out for seven games in 2023.

And the funniest part is that they even recognized it themselves:

Schoen couldn't have possibly picked an easier GM to replace than Dave Gettleman, but as we documented in detail during our dumpster fire series this summer, he's probably been even worse.

Last week: 14

14) Saints (2-5): On Thursday night the Saints suffered yet another embarrassing blowout loss, their third in as many weeks, and I wrote their obituary. But then the Falcons and Buccaneers both lost (the NFC South went 0-4 Week 7, actually), so I'm saving their obit for another week.

13) Rams (2-4): For as badly as the Rams were hit by injuries early in the season, they're still only 1.5 games back in the NFC West, which is currently led by a Seahawks team that hardly looks like any sort of contender.

The Rams could be getting Cooper Kupp back this week, and a Puka Nacua return is also on the horizon.

Last week: 15

12) Cardinals (3-4): I learned on Monday night that Jalen Reagor now plays for the Chargers. Update: He's still losing games for teams that employ him:

The Cardinals were the beneficiaries this time.

Last week: 13

11) Cowboys (3-3): The Cowboys had a bad bye week, as they watched as the Eagles and Commanders both won. In Week 8, they'll play a Niners team that has absolutely owned Dak Prescott in recent years. Prescott's performances have gotten progressively worse against the Niners:

• 2021, Wildcard round: 23 of 43 for 254 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. 17-23 loss.

• 2022, Divisional round: 23 of 37 for 206 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT. 12-19 loss.

• 2023, Week 5: 14 of 24 for 153 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT. 10-42 loss.

That matchup could be the "Big Trouble Bowl." If Dallas loses, there's a good chance they'll be at least two games behind the Commanders or Eagles, and if the Niners lose they'll be 3-5.

Last week: 10

10) Seahawks (4-3): The Seahawks are this season's inconsistent, "never know which version you're going to get" team that can look dangerous one week, and like a bottom feeder the next.

Last week: 11

9) 49ers (3-4): Brock Purdy threw 0 TDs and 3 INTs on Sunday against the Chiefs, and they were all ugly.

INT No. 1:

Reid picks off Purdy! @Chiefs ball.
📺: #KCvsSF on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/oIKuLDerzp

— NFL (@NFL) October 20, 2024

INT No. 2:

Another INT!
The @Chiefs rookie Chris Roland-Wallace takes the ball back.
📺: #KCvsSF on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/Lo7KvCfOwA

— NFL (@NFL) October 20, 2024

And INT No. 3:

Jaden Hicks' first INT is a big one for the @Chiefs!
📺: #KCvsSF on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/V2XOeW1F5P

— NFL (@NFL) October 20, 2024

But beyond the INTs, Purdy also had a couple of long completions that should have been touchdowns, but weren't because he underthrew them:

Brock Purdy completed 2 throws downfield that he would love to have back. Both were underthrown and the 49ers were only able to score a total of 3 points on these 2 drives pic.twitter.com/xEuYHSfwz5

— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) October 21, 2024

Purdy has had some very good games, where the Niners look a little bit like they did a year ago, but he has also had three genuinely bad games — against the Vikings, Cardinals, and Chiefs — that all led to losses.

Last week: 7

8) Falcons (4-3): The Falcons are dead last in the NFL in sacks, with 6. They haven't finished in the top 20 in sacks since the 2017 season. Since then…

It's really hard to win consistently in the NFL if you can't affect the opposing quarterback.

Last week: 6

7) Buccaneers (4-3): Chris Godwin was having a great season (50-576-5) before he suffered a gruesome leg injury in garbage time against the Ravens Monday night. His season is clearly over. A hamstring injury might also cost Mike Evans (26-335-5) some time, and put his 1000-yard receiving streak in jeopardy. The Bucs went from having one of the best WR duos in the NFL to basically nothing. Their leading wide receiver after Godwin and Evans is Sterling Shepard (8-93-1).

Last week: 5

6) Bears (4-2): As we noted last week, the Bears' four wins have come against teams with a combined record of 6-20 (0.231). And just when you think they're going to have a tough opponent in the Commanders Week 8, they might get to face Marcus Mariota.

Last week: 9

5) Eagles (4-2): Plays of 40+ yards:

Last week: 8

4) Commanders (5-2): After their 40-7 pummeling of the Panthers on Sunday, the Commanders now lead the NFL in point differential:

1. Commanders: +66
2. Bills: +63
3. Lions: +62
4. Vikings: +61
5. Steelers: +60
6. Bears: +47

The Commanders, Vikings, Steelers, and Bears are all in the top six, just as we all thought they'd be when the season begin.

On the downside, Jayden Daniels reminds me a little of Michael Vick, in that when he's healthy it's a fun ride, but you always just have to brace for the likelihood that he's going to get hurt on a big hit:

Commanders fans: "Dang! Our sweet prince Jayden Daniels is hurt already?"
Literally Jayden Daniels in college:
pic.twitter.com/taLNa5NJzt

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) October 21, 2024

He's "week-to-week" with a rib injury, per Dan Quinn.

Old friend Marcus Mariota filled in for Daniels and played well against the Panthers. He may have to start in a sneaky-important matchup against the Bears Week 8.

Last week: 4

3) Packers (5-2): What I love about this Packers team is that they have a new receiver who steps up every week.

The point that Tony Romo didn't quite get to finish before the following clip cuts off is that it's hard to play man coverage against the Packers because they have so many weapons who can beat you.

Did anyone check on D'Angelo Ross today? Romeo Doubs did cuz dirty#GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/CjgtOINRet

— Packerfan Total Access- Clayton (@packers_access) October 21, 2024

I mean, unless you have like four really good corners.Last week: 3

2) Vikings (5-1): In their first six games, the Vikings have had to play the 49ers, Texans, Packers, and Lions. It is extremely impressive that they are 5-1 after that stretch, even if it probably doesn't feel great to only be the 5 seed at the moment, if the season were to end today (it won't).

• MORE EAGLES
• The numbers behind Saquon Barkley's revenge game against the Giants
• Eagles-Jaguars flexed out of Sunday Night Football in Week 9
• Eagles film review: The secondary and defensive line worked together for 8 sacks vs. the Giants

Their reward for getting those hard games out of the way is that their schedule now becomes quite easy. Their next four opponents — the Rams, Colts, Jaguars, and Titans — have a combined record of 9-17 (0.321).

Last week: 1

1) Lions (5-1): In his last three games, Jared Goff is 58 of 68 (85.3%) for 887 yards (13.0 YPA!), 7 TDs, 0 INTs, and a QB rating of 153.1. Those were all big conference wins, by the way, over the Seahawks, Cowboys, and Vikings. In those games, the Lions have scored 120 points, or 40 per game.Last week: 2

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