It’s Week 7 of the NFL and there are a bunch of exciting games on the docket.
After tough losses, can the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles rebound this weekend?
Seattle was the better team against the Cincinnati Bengals. It just imploded in the red zone, getting inside the 10-yard line twice without generating points, while a third red-zone trip resulted in an interception.
Meanwhile, the Eagles simply ran into a buzzsaw known as the New York Jets.
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How will each team fare this weekend?
Also, don’t sleep on the Pittsburgh Steelers– Los Angeles Rams game, which has the potential to be sneakily good.
So without further ado, let’s dive into my best bets for Week 7.
(All times ET)
Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals (4:05 p.m., FOX and FOX Sports App)
After three straight covers to start the season, reality has set in and the Cardinals have started to fade.
As the competition increased over their last three contests, injuries mounted and they’ve been outscored in the second half 51-12. The offense sagged without running back James Conner last week, and their best option is quarterback Josh Dobbs running for his life.
On the other side, Seattle’s offense has been fantastic, especially on early downs, registering a 52% success rate, third in the NFL behind Miami and San Francisco. Yes, it faced the Panthers and Giants (combined 1-11), but it’s not like Arizona has the secondary to defend DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
The only concern here is Metcalf may not be 100 percent after missing two days of practice this week, and divisional underdogs have bitten me hard this season.
PICK: Seattle (-7.5) to win by more than 7.5 points
Will Tua, Dolphins pull off an upset vs. Jalen Hurts, Eagles in Philly?
Miami Dolphins @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:20 p.m., NBC)
There’s risk anytime you back the Eagles when they’re missing Lane Johnson (13-22 without him), and issues with his ankle leave his status unclear. But this is a great spot for Philadelphia, coming off a loss.
The Eagles will be playing at home (outdoors) and prime-time temperatures are expected to be in the 40s. The Eagles have faced several above average defenses — Tampa (10th in DVOA), the Jets (12th), Patriots (14th), Vikings (15th), and the Rams(18). Washington (22nd) was the worst defense the Eagles faced, and they went for 34 points, 415 yards, and 6.2 yards per play in that matchup.
Miami (27th) will not provide much resistance. The winds are expected to be in the 15 mph range, which could hinder its deep passing game.
PICK: Eagles (-2.5) to win by more than 2.5 points
Can Matt Canada, Kenny Pickett improve the offense for the Steelers?
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Los Angeles Rams (4:05 p.m., FOX and FOX Sports App)
Yes, I’m going with an Over a week after the largest Under week the league has seen in decades (12-2-1 ATS).
The Steelers getting Diontae Johnson back is massive, as it’ll open up George Pickens on the outside, and possibly even more running lanes for Jaylen Warren (who should get more carries than Najee Harris).
Both secondaries here leave a lot to be desired, especially the Steelers, with aging Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace, who is the most targeted cornerback in the NFL.
With the Rams scoring early through the air, it’ll force Pittsburgh to keep up, and Mike Tomlin’s underdog mentality will feed off the pro-Steelers crowd at SoFi.
PICK: Over 43.5 points scored by both teams combined
Will the Broncos cut Russell Wilson and rebuild after the season?
7-point teaser: NYG +10, Denver +8.5
Washington can be blown out (see Buffalo, Chicago), but it can’t blow people out for two reasons: an inability to protect Sam Howell (sacked a league-high 34 times) and a very bad secondary that has been torched by Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.
I do like Washington to win, as the Giants are playing musical chairs on the offensive line due to injuries, and the Montez Sweat–Chase Young–Daron Payne–Jonathan Allen quartet wins the line of scrimmage.
Pair that with the Broncos who … are underdogs at home to Jordan Love? Denver has not shown well at home, losing to the Raiders, Commanders and Jets, and the season is on the brink with the trading deadline coming up.
Jason McIntyre is a FOX Sports betting analyst who also writes about the NFL and NBA Draft. Before arriving at FOX Sports, he created the website The Big Lead. Follow him on Twitter @JasonRMcIntyre.
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