Final NFL 2024 Week 7 Observations...With Dolphins Angles

What to know about upcoming Miami Dolphins opponents and former players based on their most recent performances.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew (15) points to throw the ball downfield with Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse (8) in pursuit in the second half at SoFi Stadium. / Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images

It was a rough Week 7 for quarterbacks on the Miami Dolphins schedule.

It was a very painful outing for San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy, who had the worst start of his young career against the Kansas City Chiefs, though it didn't help that he didn't have Christian McCaffrey or Deebo Samuel and then lost Brandon Aiyuk to a season-ending knee injury in the second quarter.

It literally was painful for the Cleveland Browns' Deshaun Watson and the Las Vegas Raiders' Aidan O'Connell, who left their games against Cincinnati and the Los Angeles Rams with a torn Achilles tendon and broken thumb, respectively.

The offshoot for the Dolphins is that when they face the Raiders at Hard Rock Stadium on Nov. 17, it will be Gardner Minshew at quarterback for Las Vegas. And when they face the Browns in Cleveland in Week 17, who knows who'll be the opposing quarterback. Jameis Winston figures to get the first shot at replacing Watson, but regardless of who it is, it should be an upgrade for the Browns because Watson was simply that bad this season, and what it made it worse is that he looked disinterested with his fully guaranteed contract already secured.

While the game at Cleveland is still more than two months away, it's not too early to suggest — if not predict — it will be flexed out of its current Sunday night slot given the teams' combined 3-10 record.

A week earlier, on Dec. 22, the Dolphins will play host to the 49ers, who are struggling at 3-4 amid their injury issues.

And for those wondering about the Monday night game against the Los Angeles Rams in light of the new rules allowing for MNF flexes, those don't start until Week 12, so the Week 10 game at SoFi Stadium will stay for Monday, Nov. 11.

WILL THE JETS STAY GROUNDED?

We just keep waiting for that New York Jets turnaround, don't we?

Maybe it never will happen, which certainly seems possible after what we saw Sunday night when the Jets were handled by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 37-15.

And maybe the problem here indeed is Aaron Rodgers, who still sounds like an MVP the way he talks in his press conferences but sure isn't playing like one.

We certainly appreciated his postgame comment saying he felt his teammates were flat in pregame warmups Sunday night, something he couldn't understand with the game being in prime time and after the addition of star wide receiver Davante Adams.

And then we can't help but wonder about his comment when we consider the Jets had a 15-6 lead and the ball inside two minutes remaining in the first half until the game turned around on an interception over the middle that Rodgers couldn't blame this time on Mike Williams running the wrong route.

Were the Jets flat when they were up 15-6 and it was simply a matter of time before the Steelers — who, by the way, are never flat — overtook them? Or the Jets simply fail to respond to adversity, as has been their pattern for so many years now?

Maybe the craziest part of all when we look at the Jets is to realize they were 4-3 at this time last year with Zach Wilson as their starting quarterback; now they're 2-5 with Rodgers and don't look any closer to being a threat in the AFC.

Who knows how much things will change for them before the Dolphins face those Jets at Hard Rock Stadium on Dec. 8 and at MetLife Stadium on Jan. 4-5.

PACKERS LOADED WITH POTENTIAL

Two other future Dolphins opponents faced off in one of the marquee matchups of the weekend when the Houston Texans faced the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

The Packers pulled out a last-second 24-22 victory thanks to a field goal by Brandon McManus field goal after Jordan Love engineered a 44-yard drive.

But while Love is the marquee player as the quarterback, this is a very well-rounded Green Bay team the Dolphins will face on the night of Thanksgiving and they showed it against the Texans.

In addition to having maybe the deepest wide receiver corps in the NFL, the Packers also have a pretty good defense, which held C.J. Stroud to 86 passing yards and sacked him four times (though it should be noted the Texans were without star wide receiver Nico Collins). Safety Xavier McKinney leads the NFL in interceptions with five, and he had one of the sacks against Houston.

FORMER DOLPHINS NEWS

-- In that Houston-Green Bay game, former Dolphins linebacker Neville Hewitt had an interception for the Texans that he returned 45 yards. Hewitt made his first start Sunday since the 2021 season. He's now in his 10th NFL season after beginning his career in Miami as a rookie free agent in 2015.

-- Wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. had his first touchdown reception for the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night, though he did come in a 33-10 loss against the Denver Broncos. Wilson, who had one catch in the first five games of the season, had a season-high six receptions for 57 yards in Week 7.

-- Tight end Mike Gesicki had another very quiet game for the Cincinnati Bengals, though he did recover a late onside kick to clinch their 21-14 victory against Cleveland. Gesicki has four catches in the past four games after having 14 in the first three, including seven receptions for 91 yards in Week 2 when he started against the Kansas City Chiefs.

THE MIAMI DOLPHINS ON SI POWER RANKINGS

How we ranked the 32 NFL teams (because everybody is doing it) based on record, quality of wins, and talent.

1. Kansas City Chiefs (6-0)

2. Detroit Lions (5-1)

3. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)

4. Minnesota Vikings (5-1)

5. Buffalo Bills (5-2)

6. Green Bay Packers (5-2)

7. Houston Texans (5-2)

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

9. Washington Commanders (5-2)

10. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)

11. Cincinnati Bengals (3-4)

12. San Francisco 49ers (3-4)

13. Chicago Bears (4-2)

14. Seattle Seahawks (4-3)

15. Atlanta Falcons (4-3)

16. Denver Broncos (4-3)

17. Dallas Cowboys (3-3)

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3)

19. Indianapolis Colts (4-3)

20. Los Angeles Chargers (3-3)

21. Arizona Cardinals (3-4)

22. New York Jets (2-5)

23. Miami Dolphins (2-4)

24. Los Angeles Rams (2-4)

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5)

26. New Orleans Saints (2-5)

27. New York Giants (2-5)

28. Las Vegas Raiders (2-5)

29. Cleveland Browns (1-6)

30. Tennessee Titans (1-5)

31. New England Patriots (1-6)

32. Carolina Panthers (1-6)