Sooners in the NFL: Week 7

Former Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon found the endzone on Sunday to help the Cincinnati Bengals move back above .500.

Another NFL Sunday has come and gone with Week 7 now in the books just short of Monday night’s collision between the Chicago Bears and the New England Patriots.

Throughout the history of the league, teams that participate in the Super Bowl are known to have a bit of a slow start the following year - otherwise known as the “Super Bowl hangover.”

This is typically especially true for the team that lost the big game, with many franchises going off the tracks after suffering the difficult loss after being so close to a championship.

This looked to be plaguing former Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon’s Cincinnati Bengals in 2022 after they got off to an ugly 0-2 start.

But, they have since emphatically squashed that notion - rattling off four wins in the past five weeks with the latest coming behind another big offensive output on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

Mixon, who is the top running back option on one of the most explosive offenses in the sport, had another productive day in front of the home crowd racking up 91 total yards including a rushing touchdown.

Joe Mixon / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

On the year, the former Sooner has picked up 405 yards on the ground with another 182 in the passing game with three total scores.

On an offense quarterbacked by Joe Burrow with wide receiver threats as good as Ja’Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins, Mixon isn’t asked to be a work horse the level of other top running backs in the league - but that doesn’t stop him from being productive.

Alongside fellow former Oklahoma running back Samaje Perine in the backfield, Mixon has established himself as a top end back in the league and a key piece of the Bengals’ attack.

Now back above .500 at 4-3, it appears Cincinnati has found their stride once again in hopes of returning to the playoffs and making another run to the Super Bowl.

Next week, Mixon and the Bengals will travel in-state for a date with the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football.

As for the rest of the Sooners in the NFL, here is a recap of how they did in Week 7:

Arizona Cardinals

(W 42-34 vs New Orleans on Thursday Night)

• WR Marquise Brown: DNP (IR List)
• OL Cody Ford: Saw playing time in a reserve role
• OL Marquis Hayes: DNP (Practice Squad)
• QB Kyler Murray: Completed 20 of 29 passes for 204 yards, 1 touchdown, 7 rushes for 30 yards

Atlanta Falcons

(L 35-17 at Cincinnati)

• RB Damien Williams: DNP (IR List)

Baltimore Ravens

(W 23-20 vs Cleveland)

• TE Mark Andrews: 0 receptions on 2 targets, 1 rush for 4 yards
• OL Ben Powers: Started at left guard

Buffalo Bills

(Bye Week)

• DL Jordan Phillips: 

Carolina Panthers

(W 21-3 vs Tampa Bay)

• QB Baker Mayfield: DNP (Inactive)

Cincinnati Bengals

(W 35-17 vs Atlanta)

• RB Joe Mixon: 17 rushes for 58 yards, 1 touchdown, 3 receptions on 3 targets for 33 yards
• RB Samaje Perine: 1 rush for 0 yards, 2 receptions on 2 targets for 8 yards

Joe Mixon goal line score!

📺: #ATLvsCIN on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/CArnZv4iDN pic.twitter.com/XSI0iMLqnz

— NFL (@NFL) October 23, 2022

Cleveland Browns

(L 23-20 at Baltimore)

• DE Isaiah Thomas: 2 solo tackles, 2 assisted tackles, 1 pass deflection, 1 fumble recovery
• DL Perrion Winfrey: 1 assisted tackle
• WR Mike Woods: Received playing time in a reserve role, no targets

Dallas Cowboys

(W 24-6 vs Detroit)

• LB Devante Bond: DNP (Practice Squad)
• DT Neville Gallimore: DNP (Inactive)
• WR CeeDee Lamb: 4 receptions on 6 targets for 70 yards, 1 rush for -4 yards

Denver Broncos

(L 16-9 vs NY Jets)

• OLB Nik Bonitto: 1 assisted tackle, 0.5 sacks, 1 quarterback hurry
• S Delarrin Turner-Yell: Saw playing time in a reserve role, no tackles

Houston Texans

(L 38-20 at Las Vegas)

• DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo: 1 quarterback hurry

Kansas City Chiefs

(W 44-23 at San Francisco)

• TE Blake Bell: DNP (IR List)
• OT Orlando Brown: Started at left tackle
• C Creed Humphrey: Started at center
• LS James Winchester: Served as long snapper for 8 snaps

Las Vegas Raiders

(W 38-20 vs Houston)

• LB Curtis Bolton: DNP (Practice Squad)

Los Angeles Chargers

(L 37-23 vs Seattle)

• LB Kenneth Murray: 5 solo tackles, 1 interception, 1 pass deflection

Intercepted by @KennethMurray!

📺: #SEAvsLAC on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/HyjkGpXIek pic.twitter.com/d7Q4V892Y1

— NFL (@NFL) October 23, 2022

Los Angeles Rams

(Bye Week)

• OL Bobby Evans: 

Minnesota Vikings

(Bye Week)

• LB Brian Asamoah: 

New England Patriots

(vs Chicago on Monday Night)

• OLB Ronnie Perkins: 
• RB Rhamondre Stevenson: 

New York Giants

(W 23-17 at Jacksonville)

• DB Tony Jefferson: DNP (IR List)
• WR Sterling Shepard: DNP (IR List)

New York Jets

(W 16-9 at Denver)

• OL Dru Samia: DNP (Practice Squad)

Philadelphia Eagles

(Bye Week)

• RB Kennedy Brooks: 
• QB Jalen Hurts: 
• OL Lane Johnson: 

Pittsburgh Steelers

(L 16-10 at Miami)

• S Tre Norwood: 2 solo tackles

San Francisco 49ers

(L 44-23 vs Kansas City)

• OL Trent Williams: Started at left tackle

Seattle Seahawks

(W 37-23 at LA Chargers)

• CB Tre Brown: DNP (PUP List)

Washington Commanders

(W 23-21 vs Green Bay)

• P Tress Way: 4 punts for 192 yards, 48 yards per punt, 3 punts inside the 20, longest punt 68 yards