The Kansas City Chiefs start off NFL Week 7 with a Thursday night game versus the Oakland Raiders. KC lost their first game of the season in NFL Week 6. Can the Chiefs regroup versus their biggest AFC West rival? Dallas plays after their bye week with Ezekiel Elliott on the bench while the Jets and Dolphins throw down in a meaningful game for once.
Check out my 2017 NFL Week 7 Preview!
2017 NFL Week 7 Preview
Kansas City Chiefs -3 at Oakland Raiders +3
72% of the handicapping public are all over the Kansas City Chiefs to cover the 3 points versus Oakland. The Chiefs didn’t look great in their 13 to 19 loss in Week 6 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. That was Pittsburgh, a veteran squad with proud players on both sides of the football.
This past Sunday, Oakland lost it’s fourth in a row. The loss in Week 6 was the most stunning because the Raiders dropped a game to the rival L.A. Chargers with QB Derek Carr under center. The Raiders are reeling. There’s no reason to believe they suddenly turn it around versus one of the best teams in the NFL.
Best Pick: Chiefs -3
New York Jets +3 at Miami Dolphins -3
The Jets travel to Miami to battle the Dolphins in a shockingly important game. New England is a half a game ahead of Buffalo and Miami atop the NFC East Division. The Jets are a half a game behind the Dolphins and Bills. NYJ is a full game behind the Patriots.
Did anybody really believe that in NFL Week 7, the AFC East would be up for grabs? I didn’t. Miami strikes me as a team that benefited from Atlanta’s strange lack of cohesion on offense when they beat the Falcons 20 to 17. The Jets might have gotten robbed on the Seferian-Jenkins’ touchdown catch in their loss to the Pats.
I like the Jets.
Pick: Jets +3
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3 at Buffalo Bills -3
The Buccaneers have a tough task ahead. With the way Carolina and New Orleans are playing, it’s going to be almost impossible for the Buccaneers to win the NFC South. Any hopes of doing so starts by upsetting the Buffalo Bills on the road in NFL Week 7.
First, Bucs’ QB Jamies Winston should play in this game. Winston left the 33 to 38 loss to Arizona in Week 6 after suffering a shoulder injury. Second, the Buccaneers’ defense got worked by Adrian Peterson and Arizona’s rushing attack.
Buffalo’s offense isn’t as dynamic as the Cardinals’ with AP. Still, it’s hard to see the Bucs’ D bouncing back versus another top RB in LeSean McCoy. Winston playing will help Tampa Bay. It won’t help enough.
Pick: Bills -3
Jacksonville Jaguars -3 at Indianapolis Colts +3
The Colts don’t have much of a rushing attack while their defense is a mess. If Leonard Fournette plays, he’s listed as day-to-day with an ankle problem, the Jags should handily beat the Colts. Indy QB Jacoby Brissett will have an impossible time beating the Jags’ secondary with his arm. Fournette’s the key. I think he plays.
Best Pick: Jaguars -3
Baltimore Ravens +5 at Minnesota Vikings -5
The Vikings’ offense has been just dandy with Case Keenum at quarterback. Keenum is proving that he knows how to play the position. He’s only thrown a single pick this season while tossing 5 TD passes. What’s really impressive is that Minnesota’s best WR, Stefon Diggs, has been out.
I don’t believe Baltimore has a shot versus Minnesota’s defense. This should be a blowout because the Ravens only average 160 passing yards per game. Minnesota’s D is built to stop the rush. Ravens can’t lean on their rushing attack in this matchup.
Pick: Vikings -5
Arizona Cardinals +3.5 at L.A. Rams -3.5
Tough game to handicap now that the Cardinals have a true running back in Adrian Peterson. Peterson’s style didn’t work in the Saints’ offense. That was obvious. It definitely works in Arizona’s offense. The Rams have trouble stopping the rush.
Sean McVay, though, is already one of the best coaches in the NFL. He finds the adjustment, isn’t afraid to make the adjustments, and gets buy-in from every single one of his players.
I must go with LAR because by the time Arizona adjusts to McVay’s offense, the Cards could be down by 3 touchdowns.
Pick: Rams -3.5
New Orleans Saints -5.5 at Green Bay Packers +5.5
The Saints travel to Lambeau as a close to -6 favorite due to Packers’ QB Aaron Rodgers busting his collar bone. Rodgers is out for the season. New Orleans should easily cover this spread. The Saints are playing like a well-oiled machine while Green Bay’s defense allowed the Vikings to score 23 points against it. New Orleans’ current domination continues.
Best Pick: Saints -5.5
Carolina Panthers -3 at Chicago Bears +3
Carolina is the better football team. I believe the Bears are the better coached football team. There’s something about Chicago that’s appealing. Maybe, it’s the fact that although they’re only 2 and 4, they sport the third best rushing attack in the NFL based on yards per game. Maybe, it’s their overall sixth ranked defense. Or, maybe, it’s the trend that says the Bears are 6 and 1 against the spread in their last 7 home games.
Pick: Bears +3
Tennessee Titans -6.5 at Cleveland Browns +6.5
It took the Titans a half to figure out how to blast Indianapolis off the gridiron. No worries if you’re a Titans’ fan. The fact that Tennessee wins any game after the 14 to 57 thrashing they suffered at the hands of the Texans a few weeks ago is close to amazing.
The Browns’ moneyball experiment has been a waste of time. This isn’t college football. You can’t recruit freshman and JUCO players and expect them to have success at the NFL level. That’s what it feels like the Browns have tried to do.
Best Pick: Titans -6.5
Dallas Cowboys -6 at San Francisco 49’ers +6
These two almost play every season. There’s plenty of data to suggest that the Cowboys win straight up. There’s not a whole lot of data to suggest they cover the spread at -6. SF is 1-8-1 against the spread in their last 10 games in NFL Week 7. The Boys are 1 and 4 ATS in their last 5 road games. When in doubt, take the points.
Pick: 49’ers +6
Cincinnati Bengals +5.5 at Pittsburgh Steelers -5.5
Pittsburgh played a marvelous game when beating the Kansas City Chiefs 19 to 13 in NFL Week 6. So far this season, Pittsburgh has had trouble putting together back-to-back top efforts. I’m not sure that trend disappears just because the Steelers beat the Chiefs.
In fact, I love the Bengals in this game. I think Cincinnati wins it straight up. Taking the points is a no-brainer pick.
Best Pick: Bengals +5.5
Denver Broncos +1.5 at L.A. Chargers -1.5
Denver is a better overall team than the Chargers. But, the Bolts are on a roll. LAC has won 2 straight after starting out the season 0 and 4. If QB Trevor Siemian plays, Denver should win easily. There’s no given that Siemian plays, though. My gut tells me Denver pulls out a close victory with, or without Siemian. All Chargers’ home games have turned into road games because most of the 25,000 that do show up root for the opposing franchise.
Pick: Broncos +1.5
Seattle Seahawks -6 at New York Giants +6
Sure, the New York Giants beat the Denver Broncos 23 to 10. Does that mean the Giants have any shot versus the Seattle Seahawks? I believe it does.
The Giants’ offense finally built on the rushing attack last week. More importantly, the Giants’ defense sacked Denver quarterbacks 4 times. Seattle’s offensive line still isn’t where it needs to be. I must take the 6 points.
Pick: Giants +6
Atlanta Falcons +3.5 at New England Patriots -3.5
This is one of the easiest picks of NFL Week 7. It’s difficult to see Atlanta suddenly fixing whatever’s wrong with their offense. Tom Brady should have no trouble smashing the Falcons’ defense. There’s not much more to write than to just call this a Best Pick.
Best Pick: Patriots -3.5
Washington Redskins +4.5 at Philadelphia Eagles -4.5
Philadelphia is due for a letdown game after their impressive 28 to 23 win over Carolina in Week 6. The Eagles have a good team. In fact, I rank the Eagles first on my NFL Week 7 Power Rankings. But this is a rivalry game where one team’s defense appears slightly better than the other team’s defense.
Washington has a chance to beat Philadelphia straight up in this game. I’ll take the points.
Pick: Washington +4.5