Vikings and Chargers share rare NFL stat as league splits

Minnesota and Los Angeles are averaging 1.5 offensive touchdowns per game, a mark that ties for the lowest in the league. These two teams stand at opposite ends of the standings yet share this specific statistical profile after the conclusion of Week 7.

The Vikings defeated the Indianapolis Colts 16-10 on Sunday to remain the only undefeated team in the NFL. They dropped to 6-0 after San Francisco and Kansas City suffered losses. On the other side of the spectrum, the Los Angeles Chargers fell to 0-6 after the Miami Dolphins defeated the New York Jets. According to Sportradar, this is the first season in the Super Bowl era where the last undefeated team missed the playoffs the year before and the last winless team made the postseason the year before.

Minnesota has scored 125 points through six games. This total ties the second fewest for any team starting 6-0 in the last 90 seasons. The Rams scored 116 points in their first six games in 1978, a season that ended with a 12-4 record and an NFC title game appearance. The Vikings also posted a 125-point total in their first six games in 1973, finishing that year with a Super Bowl loss to Miami.

The final undefeated team has made the playoffs every season since 2017. The last exception was the Vikings in 2016, who were the only undefeated squad at 5-0 after six weeks but finished 8-8 to miss the postseason.

In other action, the Cincinnati Bengals overcame a 13-0 halftime deficit to beat the Baltimore Ravens 35-13. Cincinnati became the third team in NFL history to win by at least 20 points after trailing by 13 or more at the half. The last occurrence was on November 19, 1950, when the Giants beat the original Baltimore Colts 55-20. The only other instance in league history was a Bears victory over the Eagles in 1941.

The Seattle Seahawks held Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs to 213 yards on 11 first downs in a 20-3 win. This marked the first time in 153 starts that Mahomes failed to reach the red zone. The Chiefs went scoreless in the first half for the fifth time with Mahomes at quarterback.

Kicking has been a struggle across the league this season. There have been 98 missed field goals and extra points in the first seven weeks, the most since 2021. Green Bay kicker Trey Smack missed a 26-yard attempt and had a 35-yard kick blocked in a loss to Detroit. Harrison Butker of Kansas City has now missed 15 kicks since the start of last season, an NFL-worst total.