NFL Game Picks: Week 7
Week six was just as exciting as any week we’ve had in the NFL so far. There are no more undefeated teams and injuries are beginning to be problematic for some teams.
Here’s what’s on the table for week six:
Kansas City Chiefs (5-1) @ Oakland Raiders (2-4)
The return of Derek Carr was not as triumphant as Oakland was hoping, as the Raiders fell to last place in the division after losing to the Chargers. Kansas City couldn’t do a thing in the first half in Pittsburgh. It wasn’t until the final quarter that the Chiefs offense finally got going. Still, Kansas City is the better team going into this game. Oakland’s losing streak is likely to continue.
The pick: Kansas City, 21-16.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-3) @ Buffalo Bills (3-2)
After being down 31-6 against Arizona, Tampa Bay came almost all the way back, losing 38-33. If anything, this shows that these guys won’t give up. However, the Bucs need to play well all game, not just the second half, to be a serious contender this year. Meanwhile, a rested Buffalo wants to keep up with New England in the AFC East. Keep an eye on this one.
The pick: Buffalo, 19-17.
Carolina Panthers (4-2) @ Chicago Bears (2-4)
The Panthers kept pace with Philadelphia all Thursday night, but a late interception by Cam Newton sealed the loss. They’ll have a chance to rebound on Sunday against the Bears, who are coming off a hard-fought overtime win against Baltimore. If Carolina’s defense can contain Jordan Howard, the Panthers should be victorious.
The pick: Carolina, 29-10.
Tennessee Titans (3-3) @ Cleveland Browns (0-6)
He may not have been 100 percent, but Marcus Mariota’s presence on Monday night made all the difference, as Tennessee finally snapped its 11-game losing streak to the Colts. DeShone Kizer will return as starting quarterback for Cleveland, but it shouldn’t matter. Unless Kizer has a breakout performance, the Browns are headed for 0-7.
The pick: Tennessee, 32-14.
New Orleans Saints (3-2) @ Green Bay Packers (4-2)
The loss to the Vikings was bad. The loss of Aaron Rodgers was worse. After being plagued by injuries all year long, the worst one of them all hit Green Bay. Brett Hundley is going to start, but if he doesn’t work out, Green Bay may be looking for an outside option at quarterback. Right now, it’s hard to see them winning against the high-flying Saints.
The pick: New Orleans, 31-17.
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) @ Indianapolis Colts (2-4)
The Jaguars defense is usually hard to beat, but they just couldn’t stop Todd Gurley and the Rams last Sunday. Indianapolis is also coming off a loss to current division leader Tennessee. Both of these teams want to remain in the division race, but only one can come away with a win here. Jacksonville is more likely to do that.
The pick: Jacksonville, 26-14.
Arizona Cardinals (3-3) @ Los Angeles Rams (4-2)
Perhaps the pickup of Adrian Peterson will be worthwhile after all. Peterson ran wild in his first game as a Cardinal with 134 yards and two touchdowns. Even then, Arizona almost allowed Tampa Bay to come back from 25 down to win the game. Meanwhile, Los Angeles is riding high at the top of the NFC West after a victory in Jacksonville. A 5-2 start would be hard to beat.
The pick: Los Angeles, 33-19.
New York Jets (3-3) @ Miami Dolphins (3-2)
It’s a tale of two cities here: heartbreak for New York after a controversial loss to New England and ecstasy for Miami after coming back from a 17-0 deficit to top the Falcons. At this point, neither team has really proven to be a contender, but that could change after this one. All things said, it seems unlikely that Miami will be the victim of a head-to-head sweep this season.
The pick: Miami, 17-13.
Baltimore Ravens (3-3) @ Minnesota Vikings (4-2)
The Ravens have been about as inconsistent this year as a team can possibly be. Joe Flacco needs to improve to give this team a chance and the defense needs to play like they did in week one. The Vikings grabbed a quality division win against Green Bay last week, reaching 4-2. In a tight NFC race, Minnesota needs another to stay near the top.
The pick: Minnesota, 25-18.
Dallas Cowboys (2-3) @ San Francisco 49ers (0-6)
The 49ers may be 0-6, but at least they set a record: five games in a row with a loss by three points or less. This streak is going to end eventually, so why not here? C.J. Beathard played fine in his NFL debut, the Cowboys defense has been shaky recently and Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension controversy still persists. The Niners have a decent shot to win here.
The pick: San Francisco, 27-26.
Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)
This game should be an exciting one. Ben Roethlisberger turned around his awful performance against Jacksonville with a big win in Kansas City, partially thanks to an excellent day by the Steelers defense. Cincinnati seems to have shaken off those early-season scoring blues and are going to be fresh coming off a bye. This AFC North showdown could be close.
The pick: Pittsburgh, 24-21.
Denver Broncos (3-2) @ Los Angeles Chargers (2-4)
The Broncos are probably just as shocked at their loss to the Giants as any football fan is. Trevor Siemian threw the ball a lot, but not very effectively, and the offensive line was certainly no help either. Denver will get a chance to rebound against the division rival Chargers, who are riding a two-game win streak. This one’s a toss-up.
The pick: Denver, 18-16.
Seattle Seahawks (3-2) @ New York Giants (1-5)
New York finally picked up its first win of the season thanks to excellent defense and an improved offense. However, the celebrations will likely end after this week. It will be tough for a team without most of its starting receiving corps to beat a rested Seahawks defense, with or without Cliff Avril. Seattle is the favorite here.
The pick: Seattle, 34-14.
Atlanta Falcons (3-2) @ New England Patriots (4-2)
The Sunday night game is also the obvious choice for this week’s highlight game. New England got lucky with a win in New York last week and Atlanta is coming off a hard loss to the Dolphins. Despite these obvious struggles, both teams can play good football. Here’s hoping for a thriller on Sunday night.
The pick: Atlanta, 37-34.
Washington Redskins (3-2) @ Philadelphia Eagles (5-1)
Are the Eagles the team to beat? They very well could be. Carson Wentz has shown insane improvement from last season and other key players like Nelson Agholor and LeGarrette Blount have taken the next step. Despite all the hype, however, Washington is not a team to sleep on. Don’t be surprised if the Redskins gain some ground with a win in Philly.
The pick: Washington, 23-19.
DJ Bauer is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email metakoopa99@gmail.com.
