NFL Week 7 Predictions

We got another weekend of Football! We got some good games here, so let's dive right into it.

Seattle @ Arizona

- Seattle is far and away the best team in this division, but they have looked vulnerable over the last few weeks. Losing to the Colts and The Titans defense stepping up and making Russell Wilson and Co. struggle and grind their way to a win. The problem with the Cardinals isn't that they struggle on defense, because their defense is pretty solid. Dansby leads the team in tackles and Dockett is their sacks leader. Their offense just struggles and is inconsistent. Palmer looks like a shell of his former self, and his only good games have come at Home. The Seahawks have consistently been pegged as a bad road team and against this defense, they'll have to be ready. Seattle's offensive line hasn't been strong the last few games and they'll have to contend with the aforementioned Dansby and Dockett.

- On Seattle's side of things, Russell Wilson has more rushing yards than Arizona's leading rusher. Their offense runs through the power of their running game and Wilson's ability to extend the play and successfully throw the ball down field. Their defense is still physical and aggressive and will cause problems for Palmer. Seattle's defensive line is consistent with pressure and getting to the quarterback. I don't think Seattle will blow them out, but I see them winning this game. I think Seattle's defense can stop Palmer, but Seattle is simply a better balanced team with some consistency.

Prediction: Seahawks defeat Cardinals

Tampa Bay @ Atlanta

- Atlanta hasn't looked like the juggernaut they were last season. Their offense looks like it lost a step or two, almost like they aren't flowing very well. And now, they lost Julio Jones. I have no doubt White will pick up the slack. Before Julio came along, it was Roddy White that was main threat down the field. But with Revis covering him this week, Ryan will have to look to Tony and get other receivers involved, maybe Harry Douglas. Snelling and Rodgers will have to make it work on the ground to carry the load as well. 

- The Bucs are still searching for a win. Josh Freeman isn't exactly an amazing QB, but he was decent enough to lead that team to a win. He was just having a rough season. Glennon isn't any better. He has the tools to be decent in this league, but I need to see more. He'll have his troubles against Atlanta and the Bucs as a whole just haven't looked good offensively, or defensively. They're a mess all around the board. Atlanta may be struggling, but I'll take The Falcons to win this game.

Prediction: Falcons defeat Buccaneers

St. Louis @ Carolina

- Cam Newton and the Panthers are sitting at 2-3 and playing some solid Football. Newton is using his legs more to make plays instead of solely relying on his powerful arm. His defense is ranked #3 overall and #4 against the run and they could very well be a team to keep an eye to maybe nab a Wild Card spot. But down to this game, The Rams defensive line will have a tough task trying to keep with Carolina's offensive line and containing Cam Newton in the process. Playing against Carolina on the road will be tough enough, but Panthers are flying under the radar because they're inconsistent with winning games. 

- St. Louis dominated Houston, with pressure and their defense generating turnovers. The Rams will need to get more receivers involved with guys like Pettis and Austin in slot roles to shore up the offense. Their defensive line will have to get pressure. Newton will have success on the ground and through the air. It'll be up to St. Louis to slow down Carolina. Bradford's been playing well, but can he be consistent with this playmaking abilities? He only had 117 yards passing against Houston. I see Carolina getting the win and moving to 3-3.

Prediction: Panthers defeat Rams

Cincinnati @ Detroit

- This is gonna be a good one. Both teams are 4-2 and in command of their divisions. Tough choice here. The Lions have never lost with Megatron and Bush on the field. The Lions' running game has come alive this season with Bush being the premiere playmaker busting huge runs, eating up chunks of yardage, and then you have Megatron. He looked inconsistent last week, but he didn't practice all week. If he's anywhere near 100% this week, Cincy will struggle. The Lion's 26th ranked defense will need to step up and stop Dalton. He's got an array of weapons to throw to, especially AJ Green.

- Cincy's defense is great at getting to the QB, so Stafford will have to beware of Dunlap and Atkins. They will get some pressure on him, but The Lions are still ranked #9 in total offense. Cincy doesn't play well at home, as shown last week having to go to OT in Buffalo, and Detroit has been dominant at Home so far this season. It will come down to whether or not Cincy's strong defense can contain Megatron and Reggie Bush. Dalton will have to make some plays against the Lions' secondary. 

- The Bengals are my pick to win the AFC North this season and they've playing well defensively, but their offense needs to click if they want to win on the road. Detroit loves to generate turnovers on their hometurf. The Bengals need to play aggressively and get the jump on them early because once Detroit gets it going, they're hard to stop. This is a tough choice, but I've gotta take Detroit in this one. If it was in Cincy, it'd be different, but The Bengals are not a good team on the road and Detroit is too good at Home right now. It could really go either way. It's gonna be a good one.

Prediction: Lions defeat Bengals

San Diego @ Jacksonville

- The Jaguars probably played their best game last week against Denver. They played them tough until the second half and now they come home and host San Diego. The Jaguars are better with Henne at QB and Blackmon back in the lineup to really make this offense more consistent. They're gonna be hungry to get that win and they feel like they can get it here in front of their home crowd. They have some players coming back this week that'll help on the defensive end.

- The Chargers came off a big win against a strong team at home on MNF. Some people are calling this a trap game. I'm sure San Diego even knows it too. Although they didn't do a lot on Monday, they still have a good offense averaging almost 400 yards per game. Matthews is running the ball well, their defense plays well and the young receivers are making plays as well. 

- Jacksonville is hungry and they want that win, but San Diego is a pretty good team. Their defense will have to contain Blackmon if they want to win because this game is gonna be close. Henne won't make the mistakes Gabbert made when he was in. I believe he's gonna produce through the air and make plays to keep his team in the game. I fully believe San Diego is falling into a trap game, and the Jags will play them tough, but I still think The Chargers pull the win out. Wouldn't be shocked if The Jags pulled the upset. 

Prediction: Chargers defeat Jaguars

Buffalo @ Miami

- These two teams are struggling to make some leeway in the AFC East. Thad Lewis has played wel for Buffalo, but I believe E.J. Manuel was their answer. Lewis has the legs to make plays and he's a decent pocket passer as well. Ever since losing to New Orleans on Monday Night, Miami is looking to get back into the cream of the crop. They dropped two straight since that Monday Night game and their offense still struggles. Tannehill makes some mistakes, Wallace still drops some passes, and Hartline still vanishes in the offense. I believe Miami has to be aggressive on both sides of the ball. Their offensive line needs to be better to give Tannehill some time in the pocket. Their defensive line has been shaky, but with Wake and Ellerbee on that line, they need to come up big against a Buffalo offense averaging 300 yards of offense per game. The Bills offense is good, but their 28th ranked defense won't do them any favors against a Dolphin team averaging almost 350 yards a game. Miami, playing at home, is simply the better team and tough match for them. 

Prediction: Dolphins defeat Bills

New England @ New York

UPSET ALERT!

- A very interesting game here. Look back at their Week 2 confrontation. The Patriots struggled to score points or even move the ball. They scored on their opening drive, but that was about it. Dropped passes here and there, and Brady being inaccurate. The Jets struggled even more. They lost by, but were one big play away from winning the game, or at least sending it to OT. Now, the Jets defense is back to being the physical defense they were like in '09. Stuffing the running game, and not allowing any space for receivers, jamming at the line. Their secondary can get beat, but they have flashes of brilliance at times. And Geno has played some good Football as well. His arm strength is good and he's getting better at extending the play and even making some plays with his feet. 

- And in come the Patriots against the #4 ranked Jets defense. Brady's team is lucky to be 5-1. They could very well be 2-4. The Patriots seem to have gotten things going offensively, and the running game has been more consistent. Their defense is still beatable, but they make some plays. The Jets need to come out and be aggressive on offense. They need to let Geno let loose and open the playbook anymore. Brady's receivers have been inconsistent and he will struggle to move the ball down the field much like in Week 2. Much like Cincy, I think the Jets can contain New England defensively and create sacks and turnovers. Brady's receivers will be jammed and tested off the line and the defensive line will try to disrupt Brady's rhythm. 

- All in all, I don't think The Jets have the offensive firepower to match up with New England, but I think the Jets defense can stop Brady and limit his progression offensively. It should be interesting to watch. MetLife will be on fire. I smell an upset in the works. 

Prediction: Jets defeat Patriots

Dallas @ Philadelphia

- Both teams at 3-3, both teams playing good Football, both teams looking to take control of the division. The Cowboys and Eagles rivalry is definitely well documented and this game means so much to both of them. With New York and Washington out of the picture, these two teams can make some noise. Foles looked good against the Giants and against Tampa Bay. This system seems to really be working for him. But will he match up against a defense like Dallas? A defense that has an inconsistent secondary, and a decent pass rush. Can the Eagles defense stop Romo? Doubt it. They are dead last in pass defense. Romo's been playing really well. Demarco's been running that ball consistently, and of course you have the playmakers on offense like Dez and Witten. 

- The Eagles haven't played at Home in 3 weeks, so their crowd will be rowdy and ready for this one. The Eagles offensive line needs to step up and contend with the Dallas defensive line. If Foles gets some protection, I think he can have some success in the passing game. Philly leads the league in rushing yards, so McCoy will need to get some touches too. Romo will have success in the passing game. Philly's defense has not been spectacular this season. The way Romo has looked extending plays, throwing on the run, efficiently throwing the ball down field, and pocket awareness, he's going to be tough to contend with.

- Even at Home, I don't think Philly can contend with Dallas. It'll be a close one, but The Cowboys are looking good this season.

Prediction: Cowboys defeat Eagles

Chicago @ Washington

- It's obvious that The Redskins are struggling offensively and defensively. RG3, although he's scared, needs to go back to his bread & butter and run a little more to add another element to the offense. Their running game hasn't taken off they way they wanted to and they're just struggling offensively. And in come the Chicago Bears, a team known for its defensive play. They're gonna rattle and pressure RG3, and Cutler will have success throwing on this 27th ranked defense. Even though the Redskins will be in front of their home crowd, I'm not sure they will have consistency on the offensive end and the Bears will look to generate turnovers. I also don't see their defense being aggressive enough to stop Jay Cutler and his offense. The Redskins are just having a bad season and it'll get worse. Give me the Bears.

Prediction: Bears defeat Redskins

San Francisco @ Tennessee 

-  The Titans are also a team flying under the radar. They've been a good defensive unit averaging 3 sacks a game with 18 sacks in total on the season. Fitzpatrick has played well in relief of Jake Locker, but playing against Kansas City and Seattle in back to back weeks is tough for anybody QB. Their offense generates with Washington and Wright. Kenny Britt has vanished off the radar and has become so irrelevant. But I do agree that they'd be a little better if Locker was healthy.

- The Niners come in with their offense beginning to gel again more and more every week. Kaepernick is using his arm more and his receivers are showing up making plays. Their defense has been a little inconsistent averaging 1.5 turnovers per game with only 14 sacks on the season. But they do make plays when it counts. 

- The Titans are difficult to beat at Home, but The Niners have won 3 games in a row and are looking to get back in the Super Bowl conversation, if they weren't already there, and get back in the division race. As for Fitzpatrick, first it was KC, then Seattle and now San Francisco. Rough 3 games for Fitz.

Prediction: 49ers defeat Titans

Cleveland @ Green Bay

- Well, I was right about the Browns. They were going places with Hoyer, but now with Wheeden, I just see them going downhill. Their defense is good, but that's just about it. Green Bay, on the other end of the spectrum is being plagued by injuries. Starks is out, Jones is questionable and Cobb is out. That leaves Jordy Nelson and a bunch of question marks. Rodgers is definitely one of the top QB's in the league right now and he's good enough to efficiently implicate these receivers in the offense, but it'll be up to them make plays, and hold onto the ball. The Packers defense will have their hands full containing Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron, but I think they'll have it under control. The Browns are still 3-3, but with Wheeden at the helm and his inconsistencies, I think they're only going downhill from here. Beginning of the end for the Browns.

Prediction: Packers defeat Browns

Houston @ Kansas City

- The Texans are taking such a step back and have really looked bad this season. Last week, The Rams blew their doors off and won 38-13. Schaub got injured, Yates stepped in and he didn't do very well either. And now they travel to Kansas City. This Chiefs defense is so physical and aggressive up front, and they lead so many defensive categories; opposing points per game, opposing TD's per game, opposing red zone scores per game, they lead the league in sacks and I could go on. In short, their defense is nasty. Combine this nasty defense with a QB like Alex Smith who plays so efficiently, doesn't make mistakes, doesn't turn the ball over a lot, and is mobile, you've got a dangerous team.

- Houston may be the #1 ranked defense, but they're playing a much more aggressive defense that is undefeated at home and thrives on pressuring the QB, and generating turnovers. Yates is gonna have some trouble moving the ball and putting up points. Houston is going down, and Kansas City is going up. The Chiefs are just too good on both sides of the ball. All they can do is contain Alex Smith and make turnovers of their own. Their offense isn't like Denver's. 

Prediction: Chiefs defeat Texans

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh

- Pittsburgh finally got that elusive win against The Jets last week and they're feeling good about themselves. Now, here come the defending Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens. They have just not looked right offensively. But with Jacoby Jones returning and Dallas Clark getting more involved and making plays, they should be more consistent now rather than depending on Flacco to Smith. The Steelers and Ravens have that rivalry going on and their games are always fun to watch. Both offenses are averaging almost identical overall offensive numbers, but The Ravens have a 17th ranked defensive while Pittsburgh ranks at #6. Big Ben always gives this team fits, but without consistent playmakers, he'll have some problems early on making some plays.

- Flacco has struggled all season, but like I said before, with these pieces back on offense, they should move the ball more consistently. Pittsburgh's defensive line doesn't have a lot of sacks, but they do bring the heat and cause some pressure on the QB, forcing them into poor throws. Also, you've got Polamalu lurking in the secondary. The Ravens will have to feed Rice and get him some carries and Flacco will have to make some smart throws.

- Pittsburgh is feeling good about themselves and their defense will be ready to play and cause havoc for Flacco. They have contain Smith and Jones and close the gap, preventing any running lanes for Rice. I think Big Ben will have success throwing the ball down field and making plays on the Ravens secondary, but his offensive line needs to step up. Suggs is back and has 7 sacks on the season and the Ravens, as a whole, have 22. Should be a good one, but I like Pittsburgh's chances at home.

Prediction: Steelers defeat Ravens

DEN @ IND

- This is a HUGE game. Peyton Manning coming back to his house in Indianapolis to play his former team, The Colts and Andrew Luck. Ever since the Cowboys game, you see Denver's defense is very vulnerable through the air. They also still are inconsistent with a pass rush. But they've got Peyton Manning. Peyton knows The Colts inside and outside, backwards and forwards. It was reminiscent of when Favre returned to Lambeau in 2009. The Vikings were leading 17-3 at the half and Rodgers had to mount a comeback and still lost that game. Favre had 4 TD passes in that game. 

- Without a doubt, I see Peyton having success in the passing game. The Colts defensive energy at home is remarkable and their fans are gonna be hot, but Manning knows this team too well. The Broncos running game is so consistent and we know The Colts can't stop the run. The Broncos offensive line is decent, but against the Colts offensive line, they'll have success. Luck is good at throwing on the run, but he needs time in the pocket to make plays. The Colts running game is on and off at times, but the Broncos have the #2 ranked rush defense. Manning and the Broncos lead the league in every single offensive category; scoring, yards per game, red zone TD%, TD's per game, etc. The Jags gave them a little scare there last week.

- This is much like the Seattle game. I said Seattle was better than Indy in every category, but beating The Colts at home is a tough task and they didn't get the job done. But The Broncos are a different team. Seattle scored FG's, Denver will score TD's. Seattle struggled to force turnovers and maintain the lead. If Denver goes up by 15-20 points, no way they relinquish that lead. Luck will struggle against this Denver defense at first, I believe he will adjust and make some plays to keep The Colts in this game. But I feel like this is personal for Peyton Manning. The Colts pretty much ran him out the door, Irsay's been bashing him on Twitter, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if Peyton has an enormous game. The Colts are a different beast playing in front of their crowd, but I think Peyton and The Broncos want this a little more.

Prediction: Broncos defeat Colts

Minnesota @ New York

- After the tragic news of Adrian Peterson's son dying last week, AP missed practice today. If he played last week, no way he'll miss Monday Night Football. The Vikings have gone with Josh Freeman to start. Freeman is an efficient QB, he was just having a rough start. I think Tampa Bay gave up on him too quickly. I'm sure he'll have fun throwing to Greg Jennings and especially handing off to AP.

- The Giants STILL have not won a game. Eli leads the league in picks, he's played poorly and that defense can't seem to stop anybody, get any pressure, or force turnovers. But here's the thing, the Vikings lack a pass rush. Look at what Cam Newton did to them. Their pass defense is ranked #31 in front of Philly and even Eli Manning can have some success in the passing with guys like Cruz and Nicks out there.

- The Vikings are looking to bounce back and get a win. The Giants are looking to get a win, period. As bad as Eli has been playing, I believe the Giants will get the job done at home on Monday Night Football. Both teams have been playing poorly, but it's gonna come down to QB play and which defense steps up.

Prediction: Giants defeat Vikings


Enjoy the games!


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