Picking the NFL's Week 7 Action
Yet another week of NFL action is in the books as we move onto Week 7 of the 2013 campaign. As expected, it’s been an up and down season full of unexpected outcomes and difficult games to call. Still, it hasn’t been too hard through six weeks of action.
Not bad but not great, I walked away from Monday night’s game with a 9-6 record in hand. Adding that to 7-9 (Week 1), 13-3 (Week 2), 7-9 (Week 3), 11-4 (Week 4) and 9-5 (Week 5), my season record takes another step in the right direction to a respectable 57-36. The NFL continues to throw one curveball after another, but my “keen” insight into the world of football has led me to pick 62 percent of the season’s games correctly.
Heading into Week 7, there are plenty of uncertain matchups looming just around the corner. From a showdown between two of the league’s worst teams to a battle between two 3-3 clubs hoping to gain some ground in the race for a division title, this weekend is sure to provide football fans with plenty of exciting action.
There’s even a game that will pit a future Hall of Fame quarterback against his former team that is sure to have fans on the edge of their couches.
Here’s a look at the 15 games that will go down in Week 7 and what you can expect when all is said and done. Don’t quote me, though – anything can happen on any given Sunday.
Week 7 Byes: New Orleans Saints (5-1), Oakland Raiders (2-4)
Seattle Seahawks (5-1) at Arizona Cardinals (3-3)
As much as you’d like to think the Cardinals have a chance in this one, they don’t. For starters, the Seattle defense will stifle anything that Carson Palmer and Co. can throw at them. After the defense forces a couple of turnovers, the Seahawks offense and Russell Wilson will get to work and eventually tire out a tough Arizona defense.
Winner: Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-5) at Atlanta Falcons (1-4)
Mike Glennon looked confident last week in his second career start, but the defense was an utter letdown. You should expect more of the same this week, as the Buccaneers head to Atlanta to take on a Falcons team desperate for a win. With a bye week under their belt, the Falcons and Tony Gonzalez will make a mess of the Tampa Bay defense.
Winner: Falcons
Chicago Bears (4-2) at Washington Redskins (1-4)
Even if Robert Griffin III is slowly getting back to his old self, the Redskins are no match for the Bears. Coming off a hard-fought win against the Giants, Chicago has been firing on all cylinders offensively and should have a field day against the Redskins defense – one of the worst in football. Look for Brandon Marshall to shred the D.C. secondary for big yards.
Winner: Bears
Dallas Cowboys (3-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (3-3)
As good as Tony Romo and the Cowboys have looked over the last few weeks, it’s hard to ignore the life that Nick Foles injected into the Eagles last week. Even though it was against a poor Buccaneers team, they walked away with a resounding victory and are looking to pull ahead in the NFC East race. If Foles can stay on track, Philadelphia will get a big win at home.
Winner: Eagles
New England Patriots (5-1) at New York Jets (3-3)
Last week, the Jets looked completely inept – they did nearly nothing against a previously unbeaten Steelers team. Now facing a dangerous Patriots team on the verge of pulling away in the AFC East, New York doesn’t have the momentum or talent to stick with them – even at home. Tom Brady and his group of youngsters will get on the plane home with another notch in the win column.
Winner: Patriots
Buffalo Bills (2-4) at Miami Dolphins (3-2)
The Bills’ quarterback situation is a mess right now. Thad Lewis is coming off an impressive Week 6 showing, but might miss the game with a foot injury. If that’s the case, Matt Flynn will get the start – that’s a receipt for disaster. Even if Lewis does start, the Dolphins have a much better secondary than the Bills saw last week. Plus, Miami is fresh off a bye and Ryan Tannehill is ready to get back to winning.
Winner: Dolphins
San Diego Chargers (3-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (0-6)
With an impressive Week 6 win under their belts, the Chargers are looking like a team poised to make a midseason push for relevance. Meanwhile, the Jaguars are just floundering around like they have been all year. Unless Jacksonville can find a way to slow down Philip Rivers and breakout receiver Keenan Allen, it’s not going to be a fun Sunday for the Jaguars.
Winner: Chargers
St. Louis Rams (3-3) at Carolina Panthers (2-3)
As good as the Rams have looked over the last two games, the Panthers have looked better. Carolina smashed the Vikings last week as their offense was rolling. With Cam Newton at the helm and his group of receivers exceeding expectations, the St. Louis defense isn’t going to have enough to keep them in check and the offense isn’t explosive enough to last in a shootout.
Winner: Panthers
Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) at Detroit Lions (4-2)
The Lions continue to stand their ground as contenders in the NFC North, and that won’t change in Week 7. As long as Calvin Johnson stays healthy, Detroit has too much firepower for the Bengals to keep up with. Cincinnati barely pulled a win out against the Bills, but their secondary certainly can’t keep Johnson contained. Tally another loss for the Bengals.
Winner: Lions
San Francisco 49ers (4-2) at Tennessee Titans (3-3)
Despite their promising start to the season, the Titans keep falling just short – the loss of Jake Locker didn’t help. On the other hand, the 49ers are starting to heat up and appear ready to take their push for a playoff spot to the next level. If Vernon Davis can be anywhere near as dominant of a performance as he had in Week 6, Tennessee doesn’t stand a chance.
Winner: 49ers
Houston Texans (2-4) at Kansas City Chiefs (6-0)
Even if the Texans somehow manage to turn around what has turned out to be a disastrous 2013 campaign, they don’t stand a chance against the surging Chiefs. Alex Smith and the Kansas City offense are cruising at this point, and it shows in their 6-0 record. If the Texans gave up that much room on the ground to Zac Stacy last week, they have no chance of slowing down Jamaal Charles.
Winner: Chiefs
Baltimore Ravens (3-3) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1-4)
While 3-3 isn’t terrible, the Ravens haven’t exactly played like they’re a game out of first place in the AFC North. The offense has sputtered, which has forced the defense to shoulder the majority of the load. They haven’t broken yet, but they’re close. The Steelers finally got their first win of the season last week and should look to pound Baltimore into submission with rookie runner Le’Veon Bell.
Winner: Steelers
Cleveland Browns (3-3) at Green Bay Packers (3-2)
The Browns have gotten off to a promising start so far, but injuries are slowly beginning to cripple the talent that had them winning games early. In the other corner, the Packers are picking up steam and appear ready to make a serious push up the standings. As long as Aaron Rodgers can overcome the loss of two of his primary targets, Green Bay shouldn’t have too much trouble earning a W in Week 7.
Winner: Packers
Denver Broncos (6-0) at Indianapolis Colts (4-2)
The storyline of Peyton Manning’s return to Indy is certainly an intriguing one, but the Colts simply aren’t in position to knock the Broncos from the ranks of the unbeaten. They suffered a heart-breaking defeat in Week 6 and lost all of their momentum. Denver, however, is still hot and will let Manning loose against the team that helped make him a future Hall of Famer.
Winner: Broncos
Minnesota Vikings (1-4) at New York Giants (0-6)
Talk about a Monday night snoozer… The Giants continue to lose week after week while the Vikings have been one of the most underwhelming clubs on the season. Minnesota is in the midst of a major roster shakeup, which leaves them vulnerable from a mental standpoint. If Brandon Jacobs can get going on the ground like he did in Week 6, New York should finally find their first victory of 2013.
Winner: Giants
Gil Alcaraz IV is the Content Planner for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @GilAlcarazIV, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
