After a long week, the NFL is back—and Week 7 takes us from a historic afternoon in France to a huge night in Seattle.
The New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers meet at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, just north of Paris, for the first regular-season NFL game played in France. Meanwhile, San Francisco and Kansas City are looking to protect their unbeaten records.
There’s plenty to get stuck into. First, though, we head to Chicago for Thursday Night Football.
Thursday Night Football: Patriots at Bears
New England PatriotsAT
Chicago BearsNew England and Chicago arrive with matching 4–2 records, giving this week’s opener a clear prize: a fifth win and another step towards a strong first half of the season.
The Patriots are averaging 22.7 points per game, compared with Chicago’s 25.0. Those numbers suggest the potential for an entertaining contest, although scoring averages alone never tell the whole story.
I’m expecting a competitive game, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see both sides pass the 20-point mark. It looks like a good way to begin the weekend.
History in France: Steelers at Saints
Pittsburgh SteelersAT
New Orleans SaintsThe Saints are the designated home team as the NFL arrives in France. The Stade de France, familiar to football and rugby fans, provides the stage for a landmark fixture.
Pittsburgh come into the game at 4–2, while New Orleans sit at 2–4. Yet the Saints have the higher scoring average: 25.3 points per game against the Steelers’ 22.8.
That is a reminder that putting points on the board and consistently winning games are different challenges. Can New Orleans turn their scoring into another victory, or will Pittsburgh make their stronger start count?
Whatever the result, the occasion matters. Fans in France will finally have a regular-season NFL fixture on home soil—and UK viewers get an early Sunday kickoff to enjoy.
Can the 49ers keep their perfect start?
San Francisco 49ersAT
Atlanta FalconsSan Francisco have won all six of their opening games. Next comes a trip to Atlanta, where the 2–4 Falcons have the chance to spoil that perfect record.
The 49ers rank third in scoring at 29.5 points per game. Atlanta are 16th at 23.7. San Francisco look stronger on paper, but a good start does not win the next game for you.
This is one I’ll be keeping an eye on. Will the 49ers make it seven from seven, or can Atlanta give their own season a lift?
Sunday Night Football: Chiefs at Seahawks
Kansas City ChiefsAT
Seattle SeahawksNow for the fixture I’m most excited about: the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs visiting the mighty Seattle Seahawks.
Kansas City arrive at 5–0. Seattle are 3–3 after a frustrating 17–14 overtime defeat in Denver last week. We fought our way back into that game, but turnovers and missed opportunities left us with a result that was difficult to take.
Our defence kept us competitive. Against Patrick Mahomes and an unbeaten Chiefs side, we need to turn that effort into a more complete performance.
Kenneth Walker III returns to Seattle
The biggest personal storyline belongs to Kenneth Walker III. After earning Super Bowl LX MVP honours in Seattle’s championship win, he left for Kansas City during the offseason. Now he returns to Lumen Field in Chiefs colours.
Walker enters Week 7 leading the NFL with 665 rushing yards. His former teammate Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the receiving charts with 717 yards. They won’t be facing each other directly on the field, but their performances could shape the night.
According to NBC Sports, Walker is set to become the first reigning Super Bowl MVP to face his former team the following season. For Seahawks fans, seeing him on the other sideline will feel strange after what he helped us achieve.
A chance for Seattle to make a statement
Beating Kansas City would be a huge response to the Denver defeat. It will take more than the atmosphere at Lumen Field: Seattle need to protect the ball, finish opportunities and make the Chiefs work for their points.
The fan in me can picture these teams meeting again in the Super Bowl—the only stage on which an AFC side and an NFC side can meet in the postseason. That is a long way off, but Sunday offers a useful test of where Seattle stand.
I’d love to be at Lumen Field for this one. I’ve never attended an NFL game in person, and it’s an experience firmly on my list. For now, I’ll be watching from this side of the Atlantic and hoping we deliver.
Week 7 fixtures: all UK kickoff times
Away team first. The Saints are the designated home side for the Paris fixture.
New England PatriotsATChicago BearsPittsburgh SteelersATNew Orleans SaintsSan Francisco 49ersATAtlanta Falcons
Cincinnati BengalsAT
Baltimore Ravens
Tampa Bay BuccaneersAT
Carolina Panthers
New York GiantsAT
Houston Texans
Indianapolis ColtsAT
Minnesota Vikings
Miami DolphinsAT
New York Jets
Cleveland BrownsAT
Tennessee Titans
Denver BroncosAT
Arizona Cardinals
Green Bay PackersAT
Detroit Lions
Los Angeles RamsAT
Las Vegas RaidersKansas City ChiefsATSeattle Seahawks
Dallas CowboysAT
Philadelphia EaglesElsewhere, Miami are searching for their first win against the Jets. Green Bay’s visit to Detroit brings an NFC North rivalry to the late Sunday window, while Dallas at Philadelphia closes the week with an NFC East clash.
Four teams on a bye
The Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers and Washington Commanders are not in action this week.
Buffalo Bills
Jacksonville Jaguars
Los Angeles Chargers
Washington CommandersIf you’re new to the NFL, a bye is a scheduled week without a fixture, giving a team time to rest, recover and prepare for its next opponent.
My Week 7 watchlist
Paris provides the historic occasion, San Francisco have a perfect record to defend, and Seattle get a chance to respond against one of the league’s strongest teams.
Naturally, my main focus will be the Seahawks. But I’ll also be watching to see whether Atlanta can trouble the 49ers and who makes the bigger statement in France.
Welcome to Week 7. Stay on TASC.
Sources & image credits
Records, statistics and fixtures checked on 22 October 2026, before Week 7. Kickoff times are converted to Europe/London time.
- NFL: Week 7 fixture list
- Patriots: Week 7 game preview and team statistics
- Saints: Paris game preview
- NFL: Steelers–Saints statistics
- NFL: 49ers–Falcons statistics
- NBC Sports: Walker’s return and Sunday Night Football preview
- Seahawks: reaction to the overtime defeat in Denver
Team-logo assets: ESPN team directory and image CDN. Logos identify the teams discussed and remain the property of their respective owners. TASC is an independent fan publication.