Vikings stay unbeaten as 49ers and Chiefs falter in Week 7

The Minnesota Vikings remain the only undefeated team in the National Football League after a 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. It is a fragile title, however, given that the offense managed just 275 total yards. Kyler Murray threw for 150 yards in the victory, but the defense did the heavy lifting by limiting Indianapolis to 218 yards.

Coach Kevin O’Connell acknowledged the offensive struggles while pointing to the team’s current momentum. "You can’t get down on it right now, just because it’s still relatively early enough that we’re catching our stride," O’Connell said. The Vikings face a demanding schedule ahead, including a trip to the Detroit Lions and a home game against the Buffalo Bills. They will also travel to play the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers in back-to-back weeks.

The 49ers’ perfect season ended in Atlanta, where they dropped a 29-20 decision. San Francisco held a 14-3 lead but squandered it with four turnovers. The Falcons capitalized on those mistakes to score 13 points. The 49ers played without their top five receivers, including Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel Sr., and lost Christian McCaffrey for part of the contest. Brock Purdy threw his second interception with under three minutes remaining, ending a drive that could have tied the game.

Purdy admitted the team needs to protect the ball better. "Obviously, the most important thing is protecting the football. That’s really the number one thing in our organization as an offense," Purdy said. The 49ers will take a week off before hosting the Las Vegas Raiders on November 8. Las Vegas currently holds a 3-4 record.

The Kansas City Chiefs also lost their first game of the season, falling 20-3 to the Seattle Seahawks. Patrick Mahomes completed 57.6% of his passes and failed to reach the red zone, a first in his career. Kenneth Walker III rushed for 36 yards on 14 carries against his former team. Walker had been the league’s leading rusher entering Week 7, with four 100-yard games in the first five weeks.

"You don’t want to perform like this in prime time in a big moment like this," Mahomes said. The Chiefs have already used their bye week and must fix their issues quickly. They travel to Denver next Sunday to play for the lead in the AFC West against the Broncos, who are 5-2.

In other results, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the New Orleans Saints 16-10 in the league’s first regular-season game played in France. Aaron Rodgers led the Steelers’ offense in the victory. The game marked the opening of the 2026 regular season schedule for the NFL.

The Detroit Lions nearly blew a lead in their game against the Green Bay Packers but survived a controversial fourth-down call. Coach Dan Campbell went for a first down on fourth-and-1 at his own 24-yard line with the score tied and under five minutes left. Jahmyr Gibbs lost two yards on the carry. The Packers took over at Detroit’s 22-yard line but were stalled when Trey Smack’s 35-yard field goal attempt was blocked. The Lions subsequently drove for a winning field goal.

Campbell’s decision echoed a famous 1995 play by Barry Switzer, who also gambled on a fourth-and-1 in a tied game. Campbell said he believed his team would gain the necessary yards. "Well, I thought we would get it, No. 1. I really believed we would get that," Campbell said. "No. 2, I knew we would get the ball back if it didn’t work out. And those were the key thoughts."