Week 7 of the NFL season kicked off with major intrigue on Thursday. Sean Payton returned to New Orleans, the city where he coached for fifteen seasons and led the Saints to their only Super Bowl victory in February 2010.

Payton’s new team, the Denver Broncos, defeated the injury-plagued Saints 33-10 for the fourth win in five games and improved to 4-3. New Orleans fell to 2-5 with its fifth straight loss.

The action continues with another kickoff on Sunday morning in London, eleven more games throughout the day and then a doubleheader on Monday evening. Here are five of the five biggest storylines in the NFL. (Find the week 7 schedule here.)

1. Doug Pederson’s Last Stand?

The Jacksonville Jaguars conclude their two-week stay in London with a game against the New England Patriots and need a win in the worst way. Last week’s embarrassing 35-16 loss to Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears dropped the Jaguars to 1-5, meaning Pederson’s team has now lost 10 of its last 12 games. A loss to the 1-5 Patriots on the international stage could seemingly further threaten his job security.

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So far, Pederson has failed to turn quarterback Trevor Lawrence into the star the Jaguars (and many rival talent evaluators) thought he would become when they drafted him first overall in 2021. Instead, Lawrence has averaged 222.3 yards per game (19th). while throwing eight touchdown passes (tied for 12th) and three interceptions with an 89.2 passer rating (18th). He directs an offense that has converted just 30.4 percent of its third downs (28th). Meanwhile, the firing of defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and the offseason hiring of Ryan Nielsen haven’t paid off: the Jaguars rank 31st in yards (390) and points allowed (29.7). If Drake Maye turns in an impressive performance in just his second career start, the Jaguars could be in for significant changes when they return to Jacksonville. (Patriots vs. Jaguars in London, 9:30 a.m. ET Sunday.)

Looking for extra firepower, the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets traded for Pro Bowl wide receivers after Monday night’s game. The Bills acquired five-time Pro Bowler Amari Cooper from the Cleveland Browns. The Jets received six-time Pro Bowl selection Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders. Both are expected to make their debuts with their new teams on Sunday. The 4-2 Bills, who needed a potential game-changing weapon for Josh Allen, face the 1-4 Tennessee Titans. The 2-4 Jets, who continue to swing big in hopes that Aaron Rodgers can lead them to a Super Bowl, will take on the 4-2 Steelers.

That the Bills remain one of the top teams in the AFC despite spearheading the trade of wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans in the offseason is a testament to Allen’s leadership and playmaking ability and the creativity of offensive coordinator Joe Brady. Buffalo ranks sixth in the NFL in scoring (27.5 points per game) and sixth in red zone efficiency (68.2 percent). But the Bills are struggling on third downs, converting just 34.3 percent on first downs (23rd). In consecutive losses to expected playoff teams Baltimore and Houston, Buffalo managed just 10 and 20 points, respectively. The Bills’ brass are hoping Cooper can fill the void in the game, although the chemistry and timing between a quarterback and a wide receiver are usually not immediate.

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Meanwhile, the Jets continue to go broke, a week after firing Robert Saleh and despite losing their third straight game. The switch from Nathaniel Hackett to Todd Downing as the offensive play caller seemed to provide the initial spark against Buffalo, but the unit ultimately fell short as Rodgers threw a late interception to seal the loss. After the game, Rodgers blamed wide receiver Mike Williams for running the wrong route. The next afternoon, the Jets went to get the quarterback, a receiver he takes great comfort in after eight seasons together in Green Bay. Will Adams’ presence help Rodgers improve? The quarterback has posted his lowest completion percentage (61.8) in eight seasons and worst passer rating (84.4) in his 16 seasons as a starter. The Jets’ offense also hasn’t scored 25 points in a game this season. (Titans at Bills, 1:00 PM ET Sunday; Jets at Steelers, 8:20 PM ET Sunday.)

Russell Wilson is expected to make his first start for the Steelers on Sunday. (Stephen R. Sylvanie / Imagn images)

3. The Steelers quarterback change

All signs point to Justin Fields’ run as Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback coming to an end after six games. He shared first-team reps with Russell Wilson this week, but said on Thursday: ‘I don’t think I’ve played well enough if I’m honest with you. If I’m honest with myself, if I play well enough, I don’t think there would be any question about who should play and who shouldn’t.”

Coach Mike Tomlin said he would keep his decision for Sunday’s game against the Jets private, but shortly after, wide receiver George Pickens told reporters that he has been given extra work after practice with Wilson as the quarterback gets his first start .

Fields opened the season as the Steelers’ starter after a calf injury in training camp sidelined Wilson. The 35-year-old Wilson, who Tomlin says has been in pole position to start since the Steelers signed him this offseason, practiced without restrictions last week. But the Steelers stuck with Fields, who went 4-2 while posting career-best completion percentage (66.3) and passer rating (93.9). He has also kept errors to a minimum, with just one interception.

Fields, who spent his first three NFL seasons with the Bears, has added a new dimension to the Steelers’ offense by rushing for five touchdowns. However, he remains limited as a passer, with just five passing touchdowns and 184.3 passing yards per game. The Steelers, meanwhile, have allowed just 20.7 points (20th) and 298.3 yards per game (26th).

Can Wilson, who fell out of favor with Seattle and then Denver over the past three seasons, provide the spark needed to give the Steelers a chance against the AFC’s elite teams? Tomlin has acknowledged that Wilson lacks Fields’ mobility at this point in his career. However, the Steelers are hoping the nine-time Pro Bowler and former Super Bowl champion can compensate with superior passing skills. The only question is whether two weeks of practice and splitting reps will be enough to knock off the rust enough for Wilson to boost the Steelers and not disrupt their chemistry and rhythm. (Jets at Steelers, 8:20 p.m. ET Sunday.)

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs won a second straight Lombardi Trophy in February. (Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn images)

4. Chiefs-49ers Super Bowl rematch

Eight months after the Kansas City Chiefs staged a 10-point comeback to beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime to win Super Bowl 58, the rivals meet again.

The 49ers will host the game at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday in hopes of getting revenge and ending a four-game losing streak against Kansas City. The Super Bowl showdown in February obviously wasn’t the first between these teams. Four years earlier, Kansas City rallied to beat San Francisco 31-20 in Super Bowl 54.

Sunday marks the first regular-season meeting between these teams since Oct. 23, 2022, when the Chiefs cruised to a 44-23 victory. Kansas City also defeated San Francisco 38-27 on September 23, 2018. The 49ers’ last win over the Chiefs came in October 2014 (22-17).

None of these gold standard franchises are in the same high-octane form as their last meeting. Injuries have hit both teams hard early in the season. San Francisco remains without leading running back and offensive playmaker Christian McCaffrey, among other things. The Chiefs, meanwhile, have lost top running back Isiah Pacheco and their best wide receiver Rashee Rice to injury.

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Still, both teams continue. The 49ers earn a divisional victory over the Seahawks, improving their record to 3-3. The Chiefs are 5-0 and have a chance to become just the seventh team in NFL history to open a season 6-0 after winning the previous Super Bowl.

But as always, this game should be a real chess match between Chiefs coach Andy Reid (who has an NFL-best .840 winning percentage when he retires), Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan. Spagnuolo has had Shanahan’s number during their meetings. Despite being one of the most creative offensive minds in the game, Shanahan has struggled to account for the sheer volume of blitzes Spagnuolo has sent. In the Super Bowl, the Chiefs blew on a season-high 52 percent of their defensive plays and had nine unblocked pressures. And it’s not just the pass rush that Shanahan has to worry about. This Chiefs defense is even better after improving from 17th last year to fifth this season. (Chiefs at 49ers, 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday.)

5. Confrontation between Lions and Vikings NFC North

One of the biggest games of the week takes place in the NFC North. The defending division champion Lions (4-1) travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings, who at 5-0 are the last undefeated team in the NFC and one of the biggest surprises of the season.

Quarterbacks Jared Goff and Sam Darnold are the poster children for career resets and resurrections. Written off by the Los Angeles Rams and traded to Detroit for Matthew Stafford, Goff (the No. 1 pick in 2016) has seen his career blossom and helped lead the Lions’ rise from laughing stock to one of the favorites to reach the top reaches. Super Bowl this season. Darnold (third overall in 2018) has revived his career after a disastrous start with the Jets. He seems like much more than the bridge quarterback/insurance policy the Vikings envisioned when they signed him in the spring before drafting JJ McCarthy, who is out for the season with a torn meniscus.

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Key matchups in the Lions-Vikings showdown between two powerful teams

Goff’s Lions lead the NFL in scoring (30.2 points per game) and Darnold’s Vikings rank fifth (27.8). Both quarterbacks also lead two of the most balanced offenses in the league.

Goff and his teammates should brace themselves for Minnesota’s aggressive defensive attack. The Vikings provide a steady stream of pressure and are among the stingiest units in third downs and points allowed. Detroit’s defense, meanwhile, must compensate for the loss of NFL sack leader Aidan Hutchinson, who suffered a broken fibula and tibia in last week’s win over Dallas.

Sunday is the teams’ first meeting this season, with the second coming in Week 18. But a win here could give the winner a valuable lead in a competitive NFC North. (Lions at Vikings, 1 p.m. ET Sunday.)

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(Top photo of Brock Purdy and Patrick Mahomes: Chris Unger / Getty Images)