NFL Week 7 Predictions

Thursday, 8:25 p.m. ET (NFL Network)

The Chiefs 5-0 start to the season took a serious body blow from Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown last Sunday. Bell battered Kansas City's defense repeatedly, and Brown made a spectacular play late to win the game for the Steelers. The Chiefs can take some solace that they hung in on the scoreboard, but make no mistake, Pittsburgh walked into Arrowhead Stadium and dominated Andy Reid's charges. To get back on track, they'll have to top a desperate Oakland team playing for nothing less than its season in front of a rabid home crowd. Not exactly the ideal blueprint for a bounce back game, but the Raiders are not the Steelers, and Derek Carr is clearly not 100 percent. That last tidbit is all that really matters.

Pick: Chiefs

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)

Jameis Winston's ability to play in this one is in question, as he is dealing with an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder. Ryan Fitzpatrick did plenty of damage to Arizona, but that was when the Cardinals already had a 25-point lead. If Winston is healthy enough to go, he will. Problem is, the Buccaneers will be facing a rested Bills defense that has forced two or more turnovers in four out of their five games this season. Fitzpatrick threw two interceptions in his time against Arizona. Winston has thrown three picks this year, and has been somewhat fumble-prone, even if the Bucs have recovered them. Buffalo is unspectacular, but they take care of the football and get this game at home. That's enough of an advantage over an uneven Tampa Bay team.

Pick: Bills

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Cam Newton was sloppy in a loss to the Eagles, throwing three interceptions, with a fourth overturned on review. The Bears, meanwhile, stunned the Ravens behind a heavy dose of Jordan Howard and some well-timed trickery with Tarik Cohen. Running lanes should be tougher to find against a much stingier Carolina run defense, but Chicago will be committed to finding a ground game because it is their only chance. The Bears gave up both a kick and a punt return touchdown to Baltimore, which may mean that Christian McCaffrey could jump start a sluggish rookie season on special teams. The game being at Soldier Field makes it tempting to take the Bears, but Mitch Trubisky is still too raw to make that feel like a good idea.

Pick: Panthers

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Cleveland is a mess, with Kevin Hogan doing nothing whatsoever with his opportunity as a starter, and Myles Garrett the only major bright spot in what is otherwise shaping up as a possible 0-16 campaign. Cleveland's defense is actually stout against the run, and in terms of yards given up overall, but their offense puts them in so many bad spots that they give up plenty of points. Derrick Henry and DeMarco Murray may find the sledding tougher than otherwise expected, but so long as Tennessee forces some turnovers, a near certainty against a Cleveland offense dead last in the league in that department, they'll likely run away from the Browns with little difficulty. 

Pick: Titans

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)

No Aaron Rodgers, possibly for the rest of the year, means that the Packers' season is very much in jeopardy, and a visit from the resurgent Saints and their suddenly dangerous offense, and turnover-happy defense, is not what the doctor ordered. Brett Hundley threw three interceptions in relief of Rodgers, and envisioning a scenario where he carves up New Orleans is next to impossible. Green Bay's best chance is to hope that their offensive playmakers help Hundley out, win big on special teams, and hope that a very middling defense finds a way to deliver a big performance against Drew Brees, who is still playing at a very high level at age 38. Add it all up and this game could signal the start of a very long autumn in Titletown.

Pick: Saints

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Anyone surprised that the Jaguars managed to follow up an impressive victory with a deflating loss? Anyone? Didn't think so, especially since the Jags have alternated wins and losses since the start of the season. What makes Jacksonville's defeat to Los Angeles even worse is that they managed to lose despite only surrendering 13 points to the Rams' offense. The Jags' special teams were a failure in every sense, giving up a kick return touchdown, and allowing the Rams to score off of a blocked punt. They should be able to get healthy against a nondescript Indianapolis squad, especially since Leonard Fournette avoided what looked like a potentially serious injury last week, and should suit up against the Colts. 

Pick: Jaguars

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)

(Game at Twickenham Stadium, London)

Was Adrian Peterson's big outing against Tampa Bay a one-game renaissance, or the beginning of a long-term uptick for the future Hall of Famer? Arizona's fortunes may well be tied to the answer to that question. Peterson immediately breathed life into a previously anemic Cardinals running game, and as a result Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald had huge games through the air. Los Angeles, for all its talent up front, has been porous against the run, so Peterson may again have a big day. That said, the Rams are a better overall team than the Bucs, and Aaron Donald should be able to disrupt Arizona's passing game. Patrick Peterson may not play for the Cards, and if he doesn't, the Rams have a chance to make hay in the passing game. This one is tough to forecast, but the guess here is that the team on the rise makes a statement.

Pick: Rams

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)

Was there a more surprising individual performance than what Jay Cutler turned in against the Falcons in the second half? Cutler was already under fire coming into the game, and a 17-0 deficit after two quarters further intensified calls for Matt Moore. Amazingly, Cutler came out and led the Dolphins to 20 unanswered points in the final two quarters, and Miami earned a shocking road win. Cutler wasn't spectacular by any stretch, and got plenty of help from Jay Ajayi and the Dolphins' defense, but the fact that he got off the mat at all was surprising. The Jets, meanwhile, had a potential winning effort against New England derailed by a very suspect replay review, but otherwise looked pretty impressive against a team most assume is still the class of the AFC East. Miami's defense is very good, particularly against the run. Will Cutler do enough to win at home? Tough game to call.

Pick: Jets

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

Baltimore became the second AFC North team to be humiliated by the Bears this year, losing in overtime to a Chicago team that ran at will despite possessing very little threat of a passing game. Bad news for the Ravens; Case Keenum is better right now than any quarterback on Chicago's roster, and Jerick McKinnon is a versatile multipurpose threat in the backfield. The Vikings are balanced, and their defense is stout, especially against the run. Baltimore has turned the ball over regularly, is beset by injuries, can't pass the ball, and has been trending downward since being thrashed by Jacksonville. Oh, and Minnesota doubtless senses an opportunity to seize control of the NFC North in the wake of Aaron Rodgers' broken collarbone. That all spells trouble for the Ravens.

Pick: Vikings

Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET (FOX)

Ezekiel Elliott will play again for Dallas, and the Cowboys desperately need both his presence and a few wins, or they risk falling out of the NFC East race altogether. While the hard-luck 49ers would seem to be the perfect opponent, what with the fact that they are 0-6 and just benched their quarterback, a cursory scan of their schedule reveals a team that has lost five of its six games by three points or less. San Francisco isn't good, per se, but they're definitely better than their record indicates. With Elliott active, Dallas would seem the easy pick, but the 49ers are at home, and they're due to eventually win one of these close contests. Is Dallas ripe for an upset? The guess here is that they are. 

Pick: 49ers

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)

Has there been a more shocking result this season than the Giants' win over Denver? New York certainly didn't look dominant, but an opportunistic defense and a self-destructive Broncos' offense were all it took to get the Giants into the win column. That said, they'll be hard-pressed to build off of the win, even playing at home. Seattle shouldn't be as sloppy offensively as Denver, and they are well-rested. The Seahawks forced five turnovers in their win over the Rams, and with the Giants so short on offensive weaponry, it could be a long, painful day for Eli Manning. Big Blue got a win no one expected, but viewing it as anything but a brief respite would be foolish. Seattle should roll. 

Pick: Seahawks

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)

Denver has yet to allow 300 yards of total offense in a game this season. They already beat the Chargers once, albeit narrowly. It is fair to wonder, though, whether or not the Broncos will suffer any kind of hangover after they handed the Giants a win last week. Conversely, it would be very much in keeping with Chargers tradition for Los Angeles to follow up an 0-4 start by ripping off several wins in a row to get back into the AFC West race. It is unlikely that the Chargers will move the ball consistently on Denver, so they'll have to rely on making the most of whatever sustained drives they can muster, and hope that the Broncos shoot themselves in the foot yet again. One would suggest that home field might make the difference here, but suffice to say, no such thing exists for the Bolts.

Pick: Broncos

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)

Running back is back in vogue in the NFL, and while there is a plethora of young, talented runners, Le'Veon Bell is alone atop the heap. He buried the Chiefs in their own building for the second time in nine months, piling up 176 yards on the ground, and doing so in his vintage, patient style. Bell's workload is a concern for some, and the Bengals, specifically Vontaze Burfict, are always looking to rough up the Steelers, so this may be a week where the passing game gets more of a focus. If Mike Tomlin and Todd Haley are concerned about Bell's touches, James Conner has proven himself a good backup option thus far. Cincinnati doesn't have the horses to stay with the Steelers, especially if Pittsburgh can figure out its red zone woes. The Bengals appear to be the only challenger to Pittsburgh in the AFC North, but a loss here would give Mike Tomlin's team a commanding lead through seven weeks. 

Pick: Steelers

Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET (NBC)

This Super Bowl rematch isn't a tilt between two powerhouses dominating the league, as New England is perhaps one favorable call and one bad decision by an opposing coach from being 2-4. Atlanta, meantime, is reeling after an inexplicable collapse against Jay Cutler and the Dolphins. Matt Ryan has been middling, at best, notching an 87.2 passer rating through five games, with as many interceptions as touchdowns. Tom Brady has been much sharper, but the Pats' defense has been atrocious all year long, especially against the pass. Is this finally the game where Ryan gets it on track? Is this the game where the Patriots make a long-awaited statement? Or does it end up being a close game between two teams struggling to find themselves that ultimately leaves the same questions lingering in the air? My guess is option three.

Pick: Falcons

Monday, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

There's a case for Philadelphia as not only the best team in the NFC, but also the NFL. And while Carson Wentz is grabbing all the headlines, LeGarrette Blount deserves much of the credit. Blount is averaging 5.6 yards per carry, and has given the Eagles a legitimate running dimension to ease the pressure on Wentz. Philly's pass defense is porous, so Washington may be able to move the ball through the air successfully, but the real question here is whether or not Kirk Cousins can cash in enough drives with touchdowns to keep pace with Wentz. An Eagles win would put them in firm control of the NFC East, and give them a functional three-game lead over Washington. Can Philadelphia handle success? Why yes, yes they can.

Pick: Eagles