One third of the way through the NFL season and we have our first coaching casualty with Tennessee firing Brian Callahan.
It was interesting timing with the Titans set to host the coach they got rid of and replaced with Callahan less than two years ago with Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots coming to town.
That is just one of the plethora of storylines to follow this weekend starting with an AFC North battle in Cincinnati.
London gets a far more appealing contest as well with the 4-2 Jaguars taking on the 4-2 LA Rams to kick off Monday’s action.
However we have to wait until Tuesday morning for the best game of the weekend with Detroit taking on Tampa Bay in a true blockbuster.
Find our full NFL Week 7 preview below.
This game should have a much more anticipated build up but the pathetic efforts of the Bengals since Joe Burrow’s injury have robbed us of an intriguing match.
Joe Flacco will have a few more days to learn Zac Taylor’s offence, which shouldn’t be too hard since it is basically just “tell Chase and Higgins to get open and throw them the ball.”
Nobody is quite sure how the Steelers are 4-1 at the moment but they have capitalised on their opportunities and just found ways to avoid losing.
That defence should have some success getting after Flacco, and DK Metcalf is going to have a field day running through this Bengals secondary.
I’m projecting big days for both Metcalf and Chase and will back them to combine for a solid total in what should be an otherwise pretty low scoring affair.
Jacksonville could not back up from their big win over Kansas City last weekend, going down at home to Seattle.
Now they have another tough assignment in the form of the LA Rams for their annual sojourn over to the UK.
LA will need a bit of help with the likely absence of Puka Nacua who could not finish last week’s win in Baltimore with an ankle injury.
However neither team will feel too much scoreboard pressure with both teams only breaking 30 points once.
Turnovers have been a bit reason why both teams have struggled and it should also keep the score in this game down.
The Jags have six turnovers on the season and their defence has forced a remarkable 14, while the Rams have given the ball away in every game so far, while forcing 10.
I really don’t have a strong feeling either way, the Rams should win but the injuries do give me cause for concern and you just don’t know which version of either team is going to turn up in London.
The unders might be a boring choice but I can’t see both teams reaching 20 points.
Are the Chiefs back after their 0-2 start to the season?
It sure looked that way in Week 6 after their big win over the Lions and now they have a chance to get their record back in positive territory.
Rashee Rice returns from suspension for this game and it is bad news for the Raiders secondary, with Patrick Mahomes getting his best receiver back on the field.
There is nothing good to take from Vegas’s 20-10 win over a hapless Tennessee team that decided to fire their coach after that game.
This seems like a mismatch and if the Chiefs are ready to roll through the rest of their schedule, this is the perfect launch pad to do so.
Carolina might be a half defence team and they should be at least a little bit insulted by the line only being 1.5 points in their favour for this game.
The Jets are atrocious and if they are not the worst team in the league then they are bottom two, with their inept showing in London last week a sign they might be close to bottoming out.
Now they have to bounce back from that mess and a trans-Atlantic flight to face a Panthers team that has won three of its last four thanks in large part to the efforts of Rico Dowdle.
The former Cowboys back has rushed for 389 yards, added another 84 as a receiver and scored two touchdowns in the last two weeks.
Carolina should run over the Jets here and I’m not expecting a close game at all.
There are a few brutal games that we have to endure in the early window of Week 7 and this is one of them.
Both coaches find themselves on the hot seat with joint 1-5 records and pressure mounting over the underperformance of their respective teams.
Cleveland is battling through a talent deficient offence that cannot reach 20 points and a good defence that can only do so much.
Miami meanwhile is going to be a wonderful case study in team dysfunction with Tua Tagovailoa leading the criticism of his teammates, coaching staff and probably the guys who paint the lines in the stadium too.
Not exactly a happy or healthy environment to be in by the sounds of things.
This game will come down to whether or not Cleveland’s defence can keep Miami under 20 points and give their offence a chance.
Of course they could give up 10 points and it still wouldn’t be enough, give me Miami in an upset.
Will it be the fired coach bounce back or the revenge factor deciding this game in Tennessee?
The Titans moved on from Brian Callahan, the coach who they brought in to replace now-Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, who would love to get one over his former employers.
Adding into the drama, in Vrabel’s last season in Tennessee he came back to Foxboro where he played and seemingly took shots at the Titans by saying it wasn’t as good as it was in New England.
Vrabel has revitalised the Patriots along with a massive improvement from Drake Maye and they should win this one comfortably.
But this is the third straight game on the road and there is a concern they won’t be as sharp as they would be if this was a standalone road game.
Not to mention the Titans might get woken up by the firing of Callahan and they might be able to fight to keep this game close.
Make that three straight wins for the Bears after their last second victory in Washington and you have to like their chances of getting by the Saints this weekend.
It has been a pretty consistent storyline for New Orleans this season, with their defence getting gashed repeatedly and their only win coming when the Giants turned the ball over five times.
Unfortunately for them, even with that massive helping hand their offence still only managed 26 points and I just can’t see them matching the Bears point for point.
Both of the Saints’ away games ended in fairly lopsided defeats at the hands of the Bills and Seahawks, and another big loss could be incoming.
Carson Wentz or JJ McCarthy at quarterback for the Vikings this week?
It sounds like Wentz will be making his fourth consecutive start, with this one coming against the team that drafted him.
Common sense says the Eagles should win this game but they are another team that has a few warning signs attached to them.
A pair of mistake filled defeats has many wondering if we have another 2023-esque collapse on the way.
Even in victory the Eagles haven’t been that good and I’m happy to take them on as they head to Minnesota.
Travel is the only thing that is going to keep this game level with the Broncos coming back from London and the Giants have a massive rest advantage after their win over Philadelphia.
In the Broncos last three wins they have conceded a grand total of 31 points and they should be able to handle the Giants entertaining but limited offence.
Cam Skattebo might be the flavour of the month running back but the Broncos have shut down just about every ground game they have faced this season.
This is the same defence that just held the Jets to -10 passing yards in London last week and their pass rush is going to have another field day against Jaxson Dart who has already been sacked eight times in three starts.
Back the Broncos defence to lead the way and make life very easy on Bo Nix and the Broncos offence that is still yet to consistently click.
Indianapolis has a lot to gain from this game with a chance to show they are for real by navigating a west coast trip and upsetting the vulnerable Chargers.
LA has been decimated by injuries with the skeleton staff offensive line really struggling although they do deserve some credit for rallying late to knock off Miami last week.
But it is a different story against a team that might be a proper AFC contender in Indy.
The Chargers run defence has been gashed in the last three weeks Indianapolis has one of if not the best back in the league this season in Jonathan Taylor.
I think the Colts might be for real and love the value on offer for them here.
We have a potential trap game for the Packers coming up this week as they head to Arizona to take on the struggling Cardinals.
Back in Week 3, Green Bay were stunned by the lowly Cleveland Browns as a touchdown favourite perhaps getting caught out looking at their next game in Dallas.
This time around they will have to avoid being caught looking at their Week 8 trip to Pittsburgh to face what’s left of Aaron Rodgers.
Arizona’s offence actually looked half decent with Jacoby Brissett deputising at quarterback last week and there might yet be some signs of life in the 2-4 Cardinals.
Maybe not enough to knock off the Packers, but certainly enough to get to 20 points and help this game get over the total points number.
For the fourth time this season, we have a points total of over 50 points and far and away the highest number of the season, sitting at 55 at publish.
With good reason too, both of these offences can score for fun and with the way the Dallas defence has played this year, Washington is going to move the ball a lot.
The Cowboys best performance this year was holding the Jets to 22 points and allowing 244 more net passing yards to Justin Fields than the Broncos did a week later.
That points towards a big day through the air for Jayden Daniels who went for 275 yards in his one full start against Dallas last year.
Dak Prescott has struck up a great rapport with new acquisition George Pickens whose surge in productivity has coincided with the injury to CeeDee Lamb.
It sounds like Washington could be getting their main receiver back this week in Terry McLaurin so I’ll happily jump on that duo to find the end zone twice.
No question about it, San Francisco is a good team and whoever starts at quarterback for them is going to be able to get the job done week in and week out.
But Atlanta might be a good team as well, however you do wonder if they can back up that win over the Bills with a road victory in the Bay Area.
I think there is a real chance they can just because the 49ers are decimated with injuries, most recently losing their defensive heart and soul in Fred Warner.
That is going to make their job of containing Bijan Robinson even tougher but I give the Falcons a real chance here.
Especially as a slight underdog.
MVP benchmark Baker Mayfield is going to do everything in his power to keep Tampa Bay competitive in this game, knowing that earning the head to head tiebreaker over Detroit could be pivotal in January.
The main part of Mayfield’s case is the fact he is performing all sorts of heroics without his top three receivers, workhorse running back and a couple of offensive linemen.
The breaking point is getting ever closer and it may come this week against a very strong Lions team.
Granted, Mayfield is still going to manufacture some production and points, but I just can’t see him doing enough to win in Detroit.
We should see both teams get into the 20’s but I don’t love the Bucs chances.
Fresh off a bye, the Texans travel to the Pacific northwest trying to answer the big question, was their 44-10 pasting of the Ravens a sign they have it all figured out, or did they just beat up on an injury ravaged opponent?
We’ll get a pretty definitive answer based on how they handle this clash with the Seahawks.
While the Texans offence has stumbled through the opening month and a half, their defence has been stellar, holding every opponent to 20 points or less.
But they have lost both games against good opponents, first going down 14-9 in LA in Week 1 followed by a 20-19 defeat at home to Tampa in Week 2.
Seattle is really starting to look like a force and they are in the mix to take out the NFC West.
Not to mention the added motivation of this game leading into their bye week.
I’ll back the home team to feed off the raucous crowd and get them over the line.
2024
Week 7 of the 2024 NFL Season brings us into the middle third of the campaign and we can safely say we have a solid grasp of who these teams have been to date.
Unsurprisingly, Kansas City is good, Carolina is not and there are injuries aplenty that have brought about unexpected breakout players and tanked some seasons.
Few people would have expected the Minnesota Vikings to be the pacesetters in the NFC and even less would have foreseen the star turns that Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams have taken so early in the season.
The weekend is headlined by a pair of huge tests for our unbeaten duo with the Minnesota Vikings playing the Detroit Lions early Monday morning and right after that we have last year’s Super Bowl participants Kansas City and San Francisco facing off.
There are 15 games on the cards so let’s get into it starting with Friday morning’s cross-conference clash.
New Orleans welcomes back the only coach to win a Super Bowl for the Saints in the opening game of Week 7, and this is a game that really could go in a number of different directions depending on which version of both teams shows up.
Let’s start with Sean Payton’s new team Denver, who had their three game winning run come to an end last week.
Their big question is on offence with a below average effort so far as they bed in rookie quarterback Bo Nix.
However they might be able to have some success against a Saints defence that has given up over 400 yards in three of the last four games, including last week’s 594 yard, 51 point performance by Tampa last week.
Their offence did ok considering they were starting a late round rookie in Spencer Rattler, but there is reason to be apprehensive about both passing games.
However Nix has been a decent option scrambling (usually out of necessity) and there is some value to be had backing him to run one in.
Bo Nix Anytime Touchdown Scorer @ $3.60
The NFL’s London series wraps up with this game that was at least appealing in theory when it was announced, even if it is not a great advertisement for the sport in reality.
We were supposed to be getting a healthy and revitalised Trevor Lawrence taking on the dynamic rookie Drake Maye, and while both quarterbacks will start, we have a pair of 1-5 teams that have combined for 196 points so far.
However at least New England is trending in a positive direction, with their rookie signal caller showing some promise in his first start against Houston last week, throwing for three scores.
Unfortunately for him, there were also a number of turnovers which ruined any chance they had of competing with Houston, but Jacksonville is not as well equipped to take advantage of those mistakes.
On paper Jacksonville should demolish this version of the Patriots, but they seem like a team waiting for their coach to get fired and this is much closer than the market has them at.
New England to Win @ $3.00
This Battle of Ohio is not one for the ages, in fact there will without a doubt be questions asked on if Ohio State University could beat these teams (they couldn’t).
Cincinnati has been one of, if not the biggest disappointment so far and their offence hit the skids in New Jersey last week, ending a rather productive run but they have to be happy with the way their defence carried them to a 17-7 win.
On the plus side, their problems are miniscule compared to what Cleveland is going through with the well documented on and off field problems for Deshaun Watson.
Not to mention they traded away their best receiver Amari Cooper to Buffalo and they appear to have their sights set on getting a high pick in the Draft rather than making a run for the playoffs.
While Cincinnati still has a long way to improve if they are to reach their potential, they are a much better team than Cleveland and should win this one, even if it’s a bit ugly.
Cincinnati to Cover -5.5 @ $1.87
Detroit is going to have to find different ways to win after their defence lost its most impactful player in Aidan Hutchinson.
While they still have a number of players capable of making an impact on that side of the ball, none of them are at the level of Hutchinson and that loss is going to be felt.
The good news is that their offence is rolling and with the way Jared Goff is playing that offence should be able to pick up a bit of the slack.
Meanwhile, Minnesota’s record speaks for itself, coming off their bye at 5-0 and enjoying the fruits of Sam Darnold’s resurgence.
With the way they are scoring as well, this could turn into a shootout with both teams going up and down the field and the over looks like the best bet in this market.
Over 50.5 Points @ $1.90
If there is one encouraging thing you can say about the Houston Texans so far, it’s that you could watch their games without knowing their results and you’d be surprised they are 5-1.
Tipped by some as a Super Bowl contender, they have not played anywhere close to their best but are still two games clear in their division with a lot of room to improve.
On the other side of the equation, Green Bay is doing enough to get by and with Jordan Love now fully back after his injury.
Last week he threw for four touchdowns against Arizona and this Houston secondary can be thrown on, as evidenced by Drake Maye tossing three touchdowns despite not really having an NFL level receiver to target.
CJ Stroud is also coming off a three touchdown day against the Patriots and I’ll back these quarterbacks to light it up and throw for six total touchdowns.
CJ Stroud & Jordan Love to Have 6+ TD Passes Combined @ $4.10
Indianapolis will welcome back their starting quarterback this weekend with Anthony Richardson set to take over from Joe Flacco, who once again was an effective deputy.
As for Miami, their quarterback situation is still not great with Tua Tagovailoa still on injured reserve although it sounds like he’s coming back at some point this season.
He will not be able to help them this weekend though and the Dolphins offence is going to continue to struggle with Tyler Huntley at quarterback.
Maybe Mike McDaniel was be able to cook something up during the bye week but I’m happy to take on the Dolphins every week Tua is out.
Indianapolis to Cover -3 @ $1.87
Are the Giants actually the better team in this matchup?
They look more cohesive and while they are definitely at a major deficit from a talent perspective, Brian Daboll’s squad is playing hard.
Their defence is playing very well, holding their last four opponents to 20 points or less and in a couple of occasions, generating turnovers that sets up their struggling offence to do something.
Philadelphia had their hands full with Cleveland last week, not a great endorsement for the job Nick Sirianni is doing with this team and the struggles they are going through.
It sounds like New York will be getting Malik Nabers back for this week and that at least gives Philadelphia something to worry about on defence but the Giants might actually be the more cohesive side.
NY Giants to Win @ $2.35
This game profiles as a very favourable matchup for Falcons running back Bijan Robinson as he takes on a Seahawks run defence that was gashed by the backups to San Francisco’s backups last week.
He got back on track last week against a porous Carolina defence with 95 yards and two touchdowns and his totals in the market look quite low.
As for Seattle’s defence, they gave up 175 yards rushing to the Giants in Week 5 and 228 in Week 6.
If Atlanta wants to commit to the run the way they did against Carolina last week, Robinson could be in for a very big day.
Bijan Robinson 70+ Rushing Yards @ $2.15
This one is nice and easy, Buffalo is looking really good and just got a boost with the acquisition of Amari Cooper.
Even coming off a short week they should have no trouble against the wretched Titans here.
Buffalo to win and win by a lot.
Buffalo to Win by 14+ @ $2.15
We have a very similar storyline set to unfold in Washington with this game as the one above.
Washington is on a roll and is one of the most entertaining teams in the league with Jayden Daniels playing like a superstar.
However they are coming off their lowest scoring output since Week 2, putting up 23 on a very strong Baltimore defence.
This matchup with the Panthers should provide them with a perfect get right game, considering they have given up 34, 36 and 38 points in their last three outings.
In five losses so far, their smallest margin of defeat has been 10 points, so Washington should have a lot of fun in this game.
Washington to Win by 14+ @ $2.30
Will this week be a case of addition by subtraction with the Raiders moving on from the Davante Adams?
Given they have been without him because of a hamstring injury the last few weeks and looked pretty poor, losing by 16 in Denver and by 19 at home to Pittsburgh.
The Rams are not exactly world beaters but Sean McVay should have something up his sleeve to get them to 2-4 on the season.
LA Rams to Cover -6.5 @ $1.87
San Francisco is getting an awful lot of (justified) respect in this market having been installed as favourites over the 5-0, reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Especially given the uncertainty over a number of star players on both sides of the ball with a number of question marks over who is available.
Kansas City is not exactly at full strength either and Patrick Mahomes has been somewhere between average and flat out poor this season… and they are undefeated.
You won’t get many opportunities to back the Chiefs as outsiders and they seem to know how to get the better of Kyle Shanahan.
Kansas City to Win @ $2.00
One week after making headlines with their firing of the coach, the Jets once again won the week leading up to the games with the trade for Davante Adams.
Given he missed his last few games in Vegas with a hamstring injury, the receiver might need a bit of time to get up to speed with the Jets, but it’s also reasonable to wonder if that hamstring might heal up a bit quicker than it would have if Aidan O’Connell was still throwing him passes.
There is every chance they are going to find a way to mess this up, but the pressure is on Aaron Rodgers to deliver and in this winnable game, he should be able to.
NY Jets to Cover -2 @ $1.90
Every instinct is calling for punters to back Baltimore in this game and it’s easy to see why with the way Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry have been dominating defences.
Last week they teamed up for 172 yards rushing with Henry providing 132 of those plus two touchdowns to go with Jackson’s 323 yard day through the air.
In the last four weeks they have scored 134 points, winning all four games but they have not been without their challenges in that time.
Tampa is nothing if not challenging and they are coming off a ridiculous 51-27 win over New Orleans that was only as close as it was because of three first half turnovers by Baker Mayfield.
If they can avoid giving Baltimore short fields they are going to have every chance of winning this game.
Either way there should be plenty of points in this game and the total being below 50 is a bit of a surprise.
Over 49.5 Points @ $1.90
Let’s see just how successful the Harbaugh turnaround is in LA because under previous administrations, this is without a doubt the game they would have blown because of stupid coaching decisions.
They head into a primetime game on the road as favourites coming off a hard fought win in Denver last weekend.
Arizona will be eager to bounce back from last week’s miserable show in Green Bay where they were held to 14 or fewer points for the third time in four weeks.
Unsurprisingly they have lost every single one of those games and the Chargers defence has given up 20 points or less in every game this season.
The way LA plays this season does not lend itself to a series of blowout wins and the bounce back factor for Arizona should have this one close, but I’ll back the Harbaugh turnaround to play a role here.
LA Chargers to Win by 1-13 Points @ $2.25
2023
Six teams are on a bye in Week 7 of the 2023 NFL season which means there are only 13 games on the schedule.
That has not resulted in a drop in intrigue though with several fascinating games to entertain us over the coming days.
It kicks off on the Bayou with New Orleans hosting the Jaguars in a game that could be an interesting measuring stick for the Saints, while the Jags are out to continue their strong start.
With no London games we have the three kickoff windows on Monday and the headline game is without a doubt the cross-conference battle between Philadelphia and Miami.
As we move into the middle third of the season, each game takes on an added layer of importance and we’ve got our best bets below!
There is a lot that remains up in the air with this game, most notably the status of Jaguars starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence who tweaked his knee in Monday’s win over the Colts.
Having a short turnaround for this one won’t be of much assistance with the 24-year-old designated as questionable, which doesn’t exactly provide a lot of clarity.
If he is able to go and looks like something resembling his usual self, the $1.98 for the Jags looks like great value but if he is limited or ruled out entirely, then the Saints are the value play.
Even though the total is set at a rather low number of 40, backing the unders looks to be the way to go, New Orleans has a stout defence which means points are no sure thing regardless of who is playing for Jacksonville and their offence is rather limited as well.
It’s tempting to try and throw together a Same Game Multi involving both running backs but with both teams having relatively stout run defences and the uncertainty surrounding Lawrence, let’s just keep it simple with the unders for now.
Under 40 Points @ $1.87
It’s a real shame that the Bucs turned in their worst performance of the season in those classic creamsicle uniforms, but it was a fitting throwback to how the team played in those getups back in the 70’s.
As for the Falcons, turnovers continued to be a real problem as Desmond Ridder just could not get the job done.
A good passing game can beat this Tampa secondary that was torched by Detroit last week but I cannot see how Atlanta is able to make enough plays here.
Tampa isn’t good enough to blow the Falcons out of the water so I’ll back a close game, even if it’s not the most exciting.
Tampa Bay to Win by 1-13 Points @ $2.40
New England’s season continues to go down the drain after another dysfunctional effort in Vegas last week.
Now they have a frustrated Bills team coming to town that is looking for a get-right game and New England is the perfect candidate for that performance.
Outside of the 2021 game that was played in horrendous winds, Buffalo has dominated New England in the last few seasons winning six of the seven meetings and five of those have been by double digit margins.
Even if the Bills have another off day like they did against the Giants, they should be able to handle this version of the Patriots.
Buffalo to Win by 14+ @ $2.55
It turns out the Browns defence is in fact as good as advertised as they became the first team to really slow down the rampant 49ers last week.
Even more impressively they did it with only one turnover while their limited, Deshaun Watson-less offence ran their way to 19 points.
That’s not a great sign for the Colts who shut down rookie Anthony Richardson for the season which means it’s the Gardner Minshew show the rest of the way.
Minshew is good enough to move the ball and create some big plays, but he just throws too many interceptions and the Colts won’t be able to keep the Browns defensive line off Minshew.
Cleveland to Cover -2.5 @ $1.87
Baltimore might be a decent team, but this is a bad spot for them coming back from a draining game in London last week.
Not to mention, Detroit still isn’t getting the respect they deserve after their defence came to the party against Tampa last week.
With the Ravens still struggling to get things going on offence, this might be a lower scoring game than some might be hoping for, especially given the level of dynamism on both offences.
But the Lions as an underdog is too good to pass up, especially against a team they might be clearly better than.
Detroit to Win @ $2.30
It was a return to the norm for Chicago last week, dropping their record to 1-5 with rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent thrust into duties after Justin Fields left with an injury.
At the time of writing, it sounds like the dislocated thumb suffered by Fields is going to stop him playing in this game, setting up a first start for the undrafted rookie out of Shepherd University.
Las Vegas held off the Patriots at home despite Jimmy Garoppolo getting injured (again), which means we get to play another game of “Brian Hoyer or Aidan O’Connell”.
The former filled in off the bench last week but when Garoppolo was out against the Chargers in Week 4, Josh McDaniels went with the rookie… who proceeded to take seven sacks, fumble three times and throw an interception.
Chicago is a much softer opponent and McDaniels can coach around a less than ideal quarterback situation better than Matt Eberflus.
Las Vegas to Cover -3 @ $1.90
You have to give the Giants a lot of credit, despite literally pulling linemen off the couch to field a team in Buffalo last week they came close to pulling off a miraculous upset.
Of course there’s also the argument that they probably should have won that game with Buffalo well below par and the Giants finding creative ways to stuff up scoring opportunities.
However this remains a severely undermanned team with a number of key players including quarterback Daniel Jones set to miss this game with Washington.
Washington’s defence is good enough to capitalise on bad offences and they should be able to generate enough stops to give their offence an easy task.
Washington to Cover -2.5 @ $1.87
If you just look at the stat lines from last week, you’ll be wondering how the Seahawks lost to the Bengals after the defence gave up 214 yards.
It boils down to the struggles of their offence to convert on a good start, with just two field goals after their opening drive touchdown.
Arizona was kept at bay by the Rams and their defence could not contain the Rams running back Kyren Williams.
That points to a big day on the ground for Kenneth Walker and company and he should be able to run the Seahawks to victory.
Seattle to Win by 1-13 Points @ $2.30
We are probably not going to see a whole lot of points in LA here, both offences are massively overmatched by the respective defences they will be going against.
The Rams’ ground game had their most successful outing of the season, but it came at a cost with dynamic rookie Kyren Williams injuring his ankle.
Pittsburgh’s defensive front can be dominant at times and it will put the pressure on the Rams passing game to cover for their shorthanded backfield.
Conversely the Steelers running game was supposed to be their strength, but they have found themselves on ice skates more often than not and that has really limited their offensive production.
First one to 20 should win this game.
Under 44 Points @ $1.90
We are a long way removed from these two teams facing off in the Super Bowl 25 years ago with both in line for a high draft pick.
Denver just looks highly dysfunctional on both sides of the ball and that effort against Kansas City last Friday (AEDT) did not inspire a whole lot of confidence with just 82 team passing yards.
On the plus side they did hold an opponent under 100 rushing yards for the first time since Week 1 but that was more down to the Chiefs’ gameplan than anything Denver did.
The Packers ground game should be in for their best day of the year with Aaron Jones set to return to the lineup and provide a real spark.
Green Bay has not been that great outside of their opening day win over the Bears, but they have a lot more room to grow and that should give them enough to win here.
Green Bay to Win @ $1.83
The Chargers just cannot seem to get out of their own way, the game against the Cowboys last week was there for the taking and they still botched it.
If they were showing any sort of competence and cohesion I’d back them to win in a second because they have the talent to compete with the Chiefs.
Kansas City has won five straight and are probably going to make it six here just because the Chargers cannot avoid the critical mistake.
But they have not hit their stride on offence so far, with Patrick Mahomes really struggling to play at the level we are used to (though he’s still pretty damn good).
I’m expecting the Chiefs to barely get out of second gear but still be able to get by.
Kansas City to Win by 1-13 Points @ $2.40
A pair of 5-1 teams face off in Monday’s marquee matchup and this should be a beauty to finish off the day.
Miami has reached the point where as long as they are putting out most of their stars with Tua Tagovailoa, they are going to find a way to 30 points and it will be up to the opponent to match them.
Philadelphia’s defence is starting to go through the ringer with Darius Slay, Jalen Carter and others battling injuries which will hurt their depth but the battle to get pressure on Tua will be one of the highlights of the game.
As for the Eagles offence, they are primed for a bounce back performance after a horror show against the Jets last week where four turnovers cruelled them.
They are more than capable of putting 30 points on the board as well but everything looks like a grind at the moment.
The logic says that they are too good to lose two games in a row but Miami is going to give them all they can handle.
I’ll back the overs since this has all the makings of a shootout.
Over 51.5 Points @ $1.90
Let’s finish this one off on a simple note, San Francisco is a much better team and they should be able to head to Minnesota and easily handle the Vikings on Monday Night Football.
While there are some injury concerns over the status of Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and others, at the time of writing most will be good to go.
Truth be told they don’t need those guys at full go based on how the Vikings have been playing, with their offence struggling to do much of anything.
This one probably won’t be that close.
San Francisco to Cover -7 @ $1.98
2022
Six weeks into the NFL season and the gap between the contenders and chasing pack is starting to emerge.
A pair of those contenders, Buffalo and Philadelphia are on byes this weekend but there’s still plenty of fascinating clashes on the cards.
It all starts with Arizona taking on New Orleans on Friday morning (AEDT) before Monday’s headline contest sees the 49ers hosting the Chiefs.
Read on for our previews and best bets for every game below.
After a couple of horrendous Thursday Night Football games, this one at least offers a few intriguing storylines to follow, not to mention the potential for more than one touchdown.
New Orleans has got off to a slow start with a miserly 2-4 record but their postseason ambitions are far from done thanks to a largely underwhelming NFC South division so far.
As for Arizona the clouds of discontent are building around the Kyler Murray-Kliff Kingsbury relationship and you have to wonder how much longer it will be before that comes to a head.
While the Cardinals will welcome back DeAndre Hopkins who, on his day is arguably the best receiver in the league which should help solve some of the issues.
However the Saints, even missing a few key players for this one still have the impact guys on offence to not only stick with the Cards but also find a way to win and as underdogs they are one of the value plays of the week.
Back New Orleans to Win @ $2.15
Cincinnati’s offence came alive in last week’s 30-26 win over New Orleans with their most productive outing of the season.
It was the first time one of their games has hit the over and up next is a Falcons side that is seemingly obliged to play in entertaining games.
They have found their way to a 3-3 record but have managed to cover in every single game making them a favourite of NFL bettors.
Both teams have the ability to score points and should be able to find a way into the 20’s which makes the total of 47.5 look a bit low.
It depends on which bet you feel more confident in but I’ll shelve the Falcons for the time being and back this as one of the few games to go over this weekend.
Back Over 47.5 Points @ $1.90
There is plenty to be concerned about with both of these AFC North teams as they just don’t seem to be playing anywhere near their potential.
Baltimore is continuing to display a remarkable ability to blow games in the fourth quarter and the lack of a killer instinct is out of character for that franchise given their history.
Meanwhile over in Cleveland, the refrain of a frustrated Browns fan goes along the lines of “what is Kevin Stefanski doing?”
While the Browns coach was a hero getting them to the playoffs in 2020, his game management continues to baffle even the most analytical minds, as does his use of star players.
The Ravens run defence has been good enough lately to give you confidence in their ability to slow down, if not completely stop Nick Chubb and put the game on the arm of Jacoby Brissett.
However it’s tough to back them to win by a lot considering the sputtering nature of their overall performance and it would not be a surprise to see this one going down to the wire on RedZone.
Back Baltimore to Win by 1-13 @ $2.45
It’s the return that’s coming not a moment too soon as Dak Prescott has received medical clearance to return as the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.
As entertaining as the Cooper Rush era was, it came to a screeching halt last week and his performance in Philadelphia reminded everyone why he was a backup for most of his career.
SGM: Dallas to Cover -7 & Over 49 Points @ $3.18
For most of the last 20 years, the Packers beating Washington by a lot would have been one of the best bets of the week but given the state of things at Lambeau Field, they have to be treated with a bit of trepidation.
While there should still be plenty of confidence in their ability to defeat arguably the most dysfunctional franchise in the NFL with Washington turning to Taylor Heinicke in place of the injured Carson Wentz.
Green Bay will need to lean on their defence to get the job done but that should not be much of an issue considering the Commanders have scored a combined 47 points in their last four games.
Take the Packers to win with a defensive approach.
SGM: Green Bay to Win and Under 41.5 Points @ $3.00
There is a chance that this could turn into the game of the weekend as these AFC South teams battle for the top spot in the division.
Thanks to the Colts Week 1 tie with Houston, the tiebreaker angle to this game doesn’t really come into play, however the Titans did win in Week 4 in Indianapolis.
Both have worked to overcome slow starts to the season with the Colts winning three of their last four and the Titans winning three on the trot before their bye in Week 6.
What is most concerning however is the fact the Colts run defence let up 243 yards to the Jaguars last week and now they have to deal with Derrick Henry.
Prior to the bye, Henry really started to get going, topping 100 yards and scoring a touchdown in his previous two outings including a 114 yards and a pair of scores against the Colts three weeks ago.
SGM: Tennessee to Win and Over 42.5 Points @ $3.45
It makes absolutely no sense that the 5-1 Giants are underdogs against the 2-4 Jaguars, even with this game in Jacksonville.
The Jaguars are having trouble holding on to the ball and Saquon Barkley is tearing up defences week in week out.
It was not that long ago the Eagles absolutely shredded the Jaguars defence on the ground and with the home team on a three game losing streak, there is only one outcome to back.
New York is far and away my best of the weekend and I’ll happily jump on the value here.
Back NY Giants to Win @ $2.35
It might be time to push the panic button on Tampa Bay after an ugly showing in last week’s loss to Pittsburgh sunk the team to a miserly 3-3 record.
Tom Brady does not look like a guy who is enjoying his time as an NFL quarterback, screaming at teammates and struggling to connect with his receivers.
Such are their struggles, they have been held to 21 points or less in five of their six games and when they lose to a mediocre team like Pittsburgh, you have to wonder when they will right the ship.
However as bad as Tampa has looked relative to expectations, the Panthers were tipped by many to be one of the worst teams in the league and thus far have lived up to expectations.
Tampa will win but I’m not backing them at the double digit line, however there is value to be found adding the under into a SGM for some extra value.
SGM: Tampa Bay to Win and Under 40.5 Points @ $2.41
Thanks to their Week 6 bye, the Raiders will have spent the last two weeks stewing over an ugly loss to Kansas City in their last outing.
It dropped their record to 1-4 on the season and turned up further pressure on Josh McDaniels as many expected the Raiders to be a lot more competitive than they actually have been.
With a string of winnable games coming up over the next month, Vegas has to win games like this to ease the pressure on their embattled coach as well as quarterback Derek Carr.
Their offence has started to show signs of life but their defence is getting rolled over with just three takeaways and giving up at least 23 points in every game so far.
Houston could provide the perfect remedy for that this weekend and punters should be looking at Vegas having a get-right game here.
Back Las Vegas to Cover -7 @ $1.90
Just like their co-tenants in East Rutherford, it makes no sense as to why the 4-2 Jets are underdogs against the 2-4 Broncos.
This market has already started to tighten up however with the Jets dropping below $2.00 and punters should be flocking to back New York while they can get them at a price.
Some may still have questions (including “we all know this is still the Jets right?”) and rightly so, but Denver has been nothing short of atrocious this season and punters should be happy to take them on.
Back NY Jets to Win @ $1.98
It’s not a rematch of Super Bowl LIV but it will feel a bit like a reunion with may key figures from that game set to take to the field again.
Thanks to a litany of injuries, it’s tough to have a whole lot of faith in the 49ers here thanks to a beaten up defence that has been acting as a tone setter all season.
Some of the names to pop up on the injury report include safeties Jimmie Ward and Talanoa Hufanga, cornerbacks Jason Verrett and Charvarius Ward, plus defensive linemen Samson Ebukam and Drake Jackson.
Perhaps the lone bright spot is pass rusher Nick Bosa returning to practice as he is a difference maker and would help keep Patrick Mahomes in check.
After a disappointing defeat against Buffalo last week, Mahomes will be desperate to take advantage of a beaten up 49ers defensive unit and I’ll be backing Kansas City to roll here.
Back Kansas City to Cover -2.5 @ $1.90
You have to give the Chargers credit, they have struggled and stumbled their way through the opening six weeks but have found a way to amass a 4-2 record.
Losing Keenan Allen and half their team to injury has not helped, but they are finding a way to get by.
They will need to do more than that against a Seattle side that is a lot more competitive than many expected them to be and Geno Smith has that offence rolling.
Even so, the Chargers are the better team and should be able to take care of business against the Seahawks side.
Back LA Chargers to Cover -6 @ $1.94
This is not going to be a pretty game with the Dolphins and Steelers very limited offensively.
Even if Miami is able to roll out something resembling its full offence with Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylon Waddle, Raheem Mostert and Terron Armstead among the players battling injuries, it’s tough to see them having a whole lot of luck against this Steelers defence.
The good news for the Dolphins however is Pittsburgh may be forced to go back to Mitch Trubisky with Kenny Pickett suffering a concussion last week, leaving his status for this game in major doubt.
All of this is pointing towards another low scoring game and with both teams having four of their six games going under, it looks like a good way to go for punters.
Back Under 45 Points @ $1.87
New England is doing enough with third string quarterback Bailey Zappe guiding the ship in place of the injured Mac Jones and Patriots fans can feel pretty confident that the team can handle their business against a hapless Chicago team.
Plenty of Patriots fans were clamouring for Bears quarterback Justin Fields during the draft process 18 months ago, but the second year signal caller has struggled in Chicago, throwing less than 20 passes per game.
The Bears offence has struggled and the Patriots defence has the playmakers to set them up for a very long night at Gillette Stadium.
Most weeks backing the Patriots with this big of a line is a massive ask, but not against this Bears team.
Back New England to Cover -8 @ $1.90
2021
Just 13 games make up the Week 7 schedule of the 2021 NFL season with six teams on a bye as we enter the crucial middle third of the campaign.
Arizona should be the headline story as they remain unbeaten, however a glorified training run against Houston does not suggest we will be in for the most competitive of games as they try to move to 7-0.
The biggest game of the weekend comes to us from Baltimore as the red hot Ravens will take on the upstart Bengals.
Three teams are currently installed as double digit favourites as the market suggests we could be in for a week of blowouts.
Read on for our previews and best bets for every Week 7 NFL game.
Three weeks ago Denver was on top of the world, unbeaten and flying high, right before injuries and their schedule made life a lot tougher, losing their next three.
There is a chance of a bounce back as they are catching a real break with a shell of a Cleveland team on short rest up next.
Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are confirmed outs, Baker Mayfield is out a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder and a number of other players on both sides of the ball are on the injury report.
At full health this would be a half decent contest however the depleted Browns are a real stay away in their current state.
Denver is not exactly heading into the game at full health either with Teddy Bridgewater listed as questionable with foot and quad injuries.
While the overall talent is less than what it could have been, the total still looks too low.
Case Keenum is still a capable backup who can move a team up and down the field while the Broncos have hit 19 points in five of their six.
Back Over 41 Points @ $1.90
The Dolphins have confirmed the very ugly truth, they are not a good team.
Since their lucky escape from New England in Week 1, they have dropped their last five and looked more and more disjointed every week.
Atlanta is very much still a team in transition but it looks like they are really starting to put things together winning two of their last three prior to their bye.
Even though they are going on the road, they are in a much better spot heading into this game, having had a bye after their London trip while the Dolphins will be coming off a trans-Atlantic flight with no rest.
It would not be at all surprising if Atlanta won this game by two scores.
Back Atlanta to Cover -2.5 @ $1.90
You can add Carolina to the list of teams whose first three weeks might have been a bit of a mirage.
Working in their favour though is the fact that the Giants have gone from “sneaky bad” to just outright horrendous.
They barely fired a shot in their loss to the Rams last week and their lack of fight is incredibly concerning.
If Carolina can get off to a fast start, even with no Christian McCaffrey, then this one could be out of hand by halftime.
With the way the Giants offence has struggled, the Panthers might only need 20 points to get the win and their defence is more than capable of stifling an opponent of this quality.
Back Carolina/Carolina Halftime/Fulltime at @ $2.30
For the first time in a long time, Cincinnati is a force to be reckoned with, sitting at 4-2 and hot on the heels of the division leading Baltimore Ravens.
We will learn a lot about them as they head to Maryland for their biggest test thus far.
Lamar Jackson was not as statistically dominant as in previous games, but still was able to get the job done against the Chargers in his side’s 34-6 win last weekend.
The pressure will be on him to get the Ravens to that critical 30 point number that will be enough to get them the win.
So far this season, four of the Bengals six games have been decided by three points and they are 3-1 in those games.
While I’m not sold enough on them to take them to go to Baltimore and win outright, that six point line seems a bit high and I’ll take the visitors to keep it close.
Back Cincinnati to Cover +6 @ $1.90
It takes something very special to relegate Patrick Mahomes to a secondary figure in any game, but that is the form that Derrick Henry is in.
The Titans running back has not been stopped and he is making a real case to be the NFL MVP, putting up 143 rushing yards and three touchdowns against the Bills last week.
For most running backs that is a season and possibly career defining performance however by his standards it is just another day at the office.
The Chiefs defence is mediocre on a good day and even if they do opt to sell out and try to stop Henry, it just doesn’t seem likely that they will be able to stop him.
While Kansas City is a deserved favourite and will probably come away with a win, I have to back the bulldozing Titans running back to put up another big statistical day.
Back Derrick Henry to Score 2+ Touchdowns
It’s pretty clear that the Patriots are not a good team this season, but they are scrappy and competitive which at least makes them watchable.
Unfortunately for them, they tend to play to the level of their competition which suggests they are going to have their worst performance of the year with the Jets coming to town.
When they faced off in Week 2, Jets rookie Zach Wilson threw four interceptions which doomed his side’s chances in what turned out to be a 25-6 loss.
Since then, Wilson has cut back on the picks, only throwing one in each of his last two starts, while the Patriots defence has been exposed by much more talented teams.
Even so, this is still the Jets and it’s tough to mount a case for them to do a whole lot of anything as they sit at 1-4.
Take New England to get the job done for their first win at home all season.
Back New England to Cover -7 @ $1.90
At the time of writing, the line for this game is not in the double digit territory, and that should be taken as a gift to the punters.
Washington’s defence continues to struggle and will be in for a very long afternoon unless the Packers treat this one like a de facto bye week.
Aaron Rodgers is out to prove a point, and his $13 NFL MVP odds might even be a touch generous there too.
Washington faces a mammoth task to try and keep up with Green Bay, and it’s one I just don’t think they are up to.
No need for any Rodgers late game heroics here.
Back Green Bay to Cover -9.5 @ $1.90
Whatever this line is, as long as it stays below 20, back the Rams to cover it.
The NFL’s last winless team, Detroit, might be a bunch of scrappy underdogs, but that really does not help them much when they have to head to Los Angeles and take on one of the Super Bowl favourites.
Since their 41-33 loss in Week 1, the Lions have lost two heartbreaking games (one of which made their coach cry) and have failed to break 20 points in any game.
Up next is a vicious Rams defence that could send Jared Goff to the bench, or injured reserve.
On the other side, Matthew Stafford continues to roll and Detroit will be little more than a speed bump for the Rams as they march on to 6-1 after this.
Back the LA Rams to Cover -15 @ $1.94
Vegas was able to put a week of drama behind it for a huge win over the Denver Broncos to move to 4-2 on the season.
That ended a two game slide and their defence had their best performance of the season, forcing four turnovers from Teddy Bridgewater.
On the other side the Eagles made a late rally but still fell to Tampa as mistakes continue to plague their playoff hopes.
Consistency has eluded both of these teams however the Raiders have been the better side and should be able to outscore the Eagles.
I’ll take the Raiders to get after the Eagles early and build a big lead, similar to last week before a Philadelphia rally gets the game to the over.
Back Las Vegas -3.5 & Over 49.5 @ $3.80
This game simply boils down to a massive mismatch between the two quarterbacks.
Tom Brady is operating at such a high level, you can almost guarantee Tampa Bay will score at least 30 points.
Compare that with the stage Justin Fields is at in his development, he won’t be able to guide the Bears to enough points to make this a close game.
Tampa Bay has won all three of its home games and is averaging over 41 points per game at Raymond James Stadium while the Bears have a top score of 24 points this season.
This double digit line does not scare me one bit, there is not going to be a repeat of Brady’s fourth down mishap from last season.
Back Tampa Bay to Cover -12.5 @ $1.90
Arizona will move to 7-0 when they take on the hapless Texans this weekend, the question is whether or not this line is too big.
Houston has the second worst scoring offence in the league averaging just over 15 points per game and being held under 10 points in three of their last four games.
For that reason you can just about cross out the over because Arizona may get to 20 and ease up considering they have a short turnaround before playing Green Bay.
Even if they do take their foot off the accelerator, they should still be able to handle Houston with minimal trouble and come away with a convincing victory.
Back Arizona to Cover -17.5 @ $1.90
Indianapolis got off to a nightmare start but appears to have course corrected as their running game has taken off.
Jonathan Taylor had his most productive game of the season in Houston and has averaged almost 100 yards per game over the last three weeks as well as adding five touchdowns to his tally.
San Francisco has improved its run defence as the season went along but I have to back the hot hand and take Taylor to find his way into the end zone in primetime, even if it comes as a receiver like it did in Baltimore.
Having had the bye week to get healthy, the 49ers should be able to welcome back Jimmy Garoppolo which will help their case but it’s tough to side with either team, so here it’s better to dip into the player markets.
SGM: Jonathan Taylor Over Total Rushing Yards & Anytime Touchdown Scorer
Even with a healthy Russell Wilson, there were legitimate questions over how good the Seahawks really were.
As we saw in Pittsburgh last week, without him they are really limited and you just can’t feel good about backing them, given their tendency to make a mistake at a crucial moment.
New Orleans is hardly the epitome of consistency themselves, capable of running riot or tripping over their own shoelaces, but they have proven difference makers on both sides of the ball.
One of which is Alvin Kamara and he leads the Saints with four touchdowns through five games so I’ll back him to score in a Same Game Multi.
For the second leg, there really is only one option and that is backing the Saints to cover the five point line, they are the better team and going on the road has not been an issue on the whole this year.
SGM: New Orleans to Cover -5 and Alvin Kamara Anytime Touchdown Scorer @ $2.54
2020
We’ve almost reached the midway point of the NFL season as we turn our attention towards another jam-packed slate of games.
Only three teams remain undefeated heading into Week 7 and two of them are set to face off against one another when the Titans and Steelers meet on Monday from Tennessee.
The 5-0 Seattle Seahawks also face a tough divisional game against the rival Cardinals, followed by what should be a telling contest between the Raiders and Bucs on Sunday Night Football.
We’re really starting to get a feel for the contenders and pretenders, so with 14 games to look forward to, be sure to read our complete 2020 NFL Week 7 Preview below!
The NFC East has been an eyesore on the rest of the league so far, but the significance of this game can’t be overstated with both the Eagles and the Giants looking to pick up their second wins of the season.
Carson Wentz was tough to watch during last week’s loss to the Ravens, but the Eagles still have to feel good about themselves after fighting back from a 17-0 deficit to lose by only two points.
The Giants picked up their first win of the season over Washington thanks to another encouraging performance from Devonta Freeman and a two turnover day from the defence.
A win for the Eagles would see them leapfrog the Cowboys momentarily for first, while the Giants can nudge out Washington for third.
It’s obviously difficult to ignore the fact the Eagles have won seven straight over the Giants dating back to 2017, but you do have to factor in Philly’s long list of injuries heading into this game.
The Eagles will go without running back Miles Sanders, while Alshon Jeffery remains questionable to play.
New York has been a profitable underdog play at the line over the last calendar year covering in all six of their games to go along with a profitable 9-1-4 record in this scenario against the Eagles.
This game won’t be pretty, but don’t be surprised if the Giants keep it tight.
Tip: Back the Giants to Cover the Line (+4.5 Points) @ $1.90
Another NFC East nightmare is on the cards as Washington and Dallas get together from FedEx Field on Monday.
The Cowboys were awful in last Tuesday’s loss to the Cardinals, a result that makes this game fairly important with the rest of the division starting to catch up.
Washington has now lost five straight after defeating the Eagles in Week 1, although they did show some signs of life last week in a narrow 20-19 loss to the Giants last week.
As far as betting goes, much of this game comes down to which quarterback you trust more.
Andy Dalton threw two picks last week against the Cardinals, and things aren’t about to get any easier against a Washington secondary that has surprisingly allowed the seventh-fewest passing yards in the league.
Getting excited about Kyle Allen is equally as tough, but it was clear last week that he is starting to build somewhat of a rapport with his receivers after completing 31 of his 42 pass attempts for 280 yards.
This Cowboys defence is easily one of the worst in the league, so if Washington’s offensive line can provide some time in the pocket for Allen, they should be right in this.
Tip: Back Washington to Win @ $1.91
The division rivalries continue in the early time slot when the Bengals and Browns meet from Cincinnati.
Cleveland are looking to bounce-back from last week’s forgettable loss against the Steelers, while the Bengals are hoping to improve on a very spirited display against the Colts in a game they really should have won.
It’s fair to say the Browns have enjoyed the better part of this matchup in recent years winning four of their last five games, but there is a bit to like about Cincinnati in this spot based on the way their offence is moving the ball.
Joe Burrow has more than lived up to the hype through six games and it’s fair to say his numbers would be even better if he was playing behind a competent offensive line.
Cincinnati gashed what many believed to be an elite Colts defence last week for 27 points and just under 400 yards, a worrying sign for a Browns team that struggled to keep up with Pittsburgh’s deep core of receivers.
The Bengals possess similar weapons out wide and it wouldn’t be the least bit surprising if Zac Taylor spent most of this game challenging Cleveland vertically.
Cleveland has allowed the fifth-most yards through the air this year, so there’s a bit to like about Cincinnati with the head start.
Tip: Back the Bengals to Cover the Line (+3 Points) @ $1.98
The Detroit Lions find themselves back in the NFC Wild Card picture after picking up a much-needed win last week against the Jaguars.
Matt Patricia’s side now has a huge opportunity to improve to .500, but things won’t come easy against a Falcons team riding the highs of their first win of the season last week against the Vikings.
The firing of Dan Quinn clearly motivated Atlanta and their high-scoring offence, making this an intriguing game from a betting perspective.
Detroit have opened as the underdogs in the market, largely due to the fact they’ve lost four of their last five games against Atlanta dating back to 2008.
To make matters even more complicated, this is basically a matchup of one of the league’s worst defensive team (Atlanta) against one of the NFL’s worst offences (Detroit).
The Falcons lead the league in yards allowed, while the Lions rank 28th in yards gained offensively.
There’s a good chance these two factors cancel each other out, so go ahead and play it safe with the Over.
Tip: Over 55 Total Points @ $1.90
The Packers have been installed as -3.5 favourites this week in Houston to bounce-back from last week’s drubbing at the hands of Tom Brady and the Bucs.
Green Bay’s performance was disappointing to say the least, but it appears the bookies are willing to give Aaron Rodgers and Matt LaFleur a mulligan against one of the worst defences in the league.
To their credit, the Texans actually liked much-improved last week against the Titans in a game they really deserved to win.
Romeo Crennel’s decision to go for two in the dying stages of the fourth quarter ultimately cost the Texans the game, but there was still a lot to like about DeShaun Watson’s 300-yard, four touchdown performance.
The Texans will need more of that this week when they take on a questionable looking Packers secondary that struggled to contain Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski.
Green Bay’s defence has been suspect all season, but the Packers can at least rest a little easier knowing cornerback Kevin King is set to return from injury.
On Houston’s side, the Texans defence – a unit that has allowed the ninth-most passing yards this year – could be in for a long day against an angry Aaron Rodgers that arguably had one of the worst games of his career last week.
The Packers struggled to find success on the play action last week, while LaFleur drifted away from the use of motion at the line.
Losing to a top tier Bucs defence is one thing, but the Packers should bounce back this week against a Texans defence that seemingly can’t stop anybody.
Tip: Back the Packers to Cover the Line (-3.5 Points) @ $1.90
The game of the week comes to you from Tennessee this week when the undefeated Titans and Steelers square off in a potential AFC Championship Game Preview.
Tennessee pulled off a miraculous overtime victory over the Texans last week that reminded everybody just how dangerous Derrick Henry is, while the Steelers steamrolled the rival Browns in another scary performance from Ben Roethlisberger and company.
These two sides don’t together very often, so it’s a little difficult to know what to expect.
The Steelers and Titans last met back in 2017 in a comfortable 40-17 Pittsburgh victory, but it’s safe to say things might turn out a little closer this time around.
Pittsburgh is perhaps the most well equipped team to deal with Tennessee’s elite ground game and they do look a great bet at the $2.00 quote.
The Steelers have allowed the fewest rushing yards in the league and only three touchdowns through five games, placing enormous pressure on Ryan Tannehill against an equally fierce secondary.
Some might say the Steelers have enjoyed an easy schedule so far, but based on everything we’ve seen, they are more than up to this test.
Tip: Back the Steelers to Win @ $2.02
The Saints will be hoping to return from the bye week refreshed and refocused as they now set their sights on a key divisional matchup against the Panthers.
At 3-2, the Saints still have plenty of work left to do if they wish to catch the 4-2 Bucs, while the Panthers also pose an equal threat sitting third at 3-3.
Carolina received a bit of a reality check last week in a 23-16 loss to the Bears in a game Teddy Bridgewater would like to have back.
The Panthers quarterback threw two picks against one of the league’s top defences, but he shouldn’t be short on motivation this week going up against his former team.
New Orleans are the odds-on favourites in the market after winning both games over the Panthers last year, but this does set up as a potential trap game for the Saints.
Sean Payton’s defence has struggled through the air this year and also given up over 25 points in four of their five games, making the Over on the Panthers a pretty enticing bet.
Tip: Panthers Over 22 Points @ $1.85
After a perfect 4-0 start, the Buffalo Bills have come crashing back down to earth with back-to-back losses to the Titans and Chiefs.
Sean McDermott’s side will be afforded a perfect opportunity to turn their luck around though when they face the hapless New York Jets this week at Metlife, a team that has well and truly hit rock bottom.
The end of the season can’t come quick enough if you’re a Jets fan, especially with Le’Veon Bell now in Kansas City.
Last week’s shutout loss to the Dolphins has only added to the criticism surrounding this team, and it’s almost become almost impossible to find any positives going forward.
The Bills defeated the Jets 27-17 back in Week 1, but this one might turn out to be even uglier.
Until we see some signs of life, backing against the Jets at the line will remain the play.
Tip: Back the Bills to Cover the Line (-13 Points) @ $1.88
NFC West bragging rights are on the line when the Cardinals host the Seahawks in what should be a high-scoring battle from Arizona.
The Cardinals had things all their own way last week against the Cowboys as the defence forced two interceptions in their 38-10 blowout.
Seattle, meanwhile, come into this game fresh and rested off the bye hoping to open the season 6-0 for the first time in franchise history.
The Cardinals actually beat the Seahawks quite convincingly when these two teams met last December, but based on the way Seattle’s offence has moved the ball in their first five games, it’s a little difficult to back against the favourites.
Russell Wilson has played out of skin so far and is easily the leading contender for the MVP award, while star receiver D.K. Metcalf continues to make the impossible look easy week in and week out.
Arizona certainly has the offensive weapons to compete with the Seahawks on the scoreboard, but their defence is likely to let them down here.
The Cardinals have allowed the 10th most first downs to opponents so far, while you also have to factor in Seattle’s outstanding 4-1 record since 2015 following the bye week.
Tip: Back the Seahawks to Win & Over 56.5 Total Points @ $2.90
Two Conference cellar dwellers meet in Los Angeles this week hoping to earn their second wins of the season.
The Chargers return from the bye week well-rested and healthy heading into the second half of their season, while the Jaguars are still looking for answers after being torn apart by the Lions last week in a 34-16 loss.
LA defeated the Jaguars 45-10 last season and there is a decent chance this one gets out of hand for the second time running.
Jacksonville’s defence ranks third in yards allowed and seventh in points – a worrying sign against rookie Justin Herbert and a Chargers offence that is vastly underrated.
Don’t let LA’s record fool you, they know how to dial up creative plays and run the ball on the ground.
After falling dramatically close to the Saints in Week 5 – a game they really should have won – you have to like the Chargers in what might be one of their best chances at another win.
Tip: Back the Chargers 1-13 @ $2.10
We turn our attention to the AFC West on Monday morning for an intriguing battle between the Broncos and Chiefs.
Denver earned a surprise win last week over the Patriots in a game that caught just about everyone off guard as the Broncos’ defence reminded us just how dangerous they can be by picking off Cam Newton twice.
The Chiefs also got down to business handing the Bills a 26-17 loss in Buffalo.
Rookie Clyde Edwards-Hilaire was simply sensational rushing for over 150 yards, while the defence did extremely well to hold the Bills to just over 200 yards of total offence.
The Broncos’ defence was great last week, but it’s hard to read too much into a win over a disrupted Patriots side.
Denver also failed to score on all four of their trips to the red zone, instead settling for nothing but field goals across the entire game.
Failure to score touchdowns is a recipe for disaster against the Chiefs, especially with Le’Veon Bell now in the side.
With a chance to extend their unbeaten record over the Broncos to 10 games, go ahead and back the Chiefs comfortably.
Tip: Back the Chiefs to Cover the Line (-9.5 Points) @ $1.91
The 49ers are one of the most intriguing teams heading into Week 7 after dismantling the Rams 24-16 last week.
Now at 3-3, San Francisco look back on track to make a run at the playoffs as they hope for more of the same on the defensive side of the ball.
The Niners held Jared Goff to under 200 yards last week and forced a crucial turnover at one point in the game, a slightly worrying sign for Cam Newton and the Patriots following last week’s ugly loss to the Broncos.
Newton threw two picks against the Denver defence, but it’s hard to know whether the mistakes were entirely on Cam, or just a result of some rust after not having played in close to two weeks.
Either way, the Patriots will need more from Julian Edelman and their offensive line against San Francisco’s pass rush, as well as some creativity on the play calling front following last week’s questionable screen calls.
The Patriots rarely lose back-to-back games, so it’s no surprise to find them as the slight favourites.
With more time to practice this week and some regularity returning to their schedule, we’re happy to give the Patriots a mulligan.
Tip: Back the Patriots to Win @ $1.80
Sunday Night Football should be a real treat this week as Jon Gruden prepares to take on his former side, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Raiders roll into this game high on momentum fresh from the bye after beating the rival Chiefs the week earlier at Arrowhead, but they still find themselves as the underdog in the market.
Tampa Bay are also full of confidence after Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski rewound the clock last week in a massive win over the undefeated Packers.
Defensively the Bucs have been outstanding allowing the ninth-fewest points and the second-fewest rushing yards on the ground, which should make life difficult for Gruden when it comes to play calling.
The Raiders have enough weapons to challenge Tampa Bay vertically, but as the Packers found out last week, the Bucs very rarely give up large chunks of plays.
Tampa Bay are playing with a real sense of confidence on both sides of the ball now, and it really feels as though Brady is beginning to click with the rest of the offence.
The Raiders have also been notoriously awful after the bye winning just two of their last five games, so this might just be a bit of a reality check for Gruden and company.
Tip: Back the Bucs 14+ @ $3.70
The Rams will be hoping to atone for last week’s loss against the 49ers when they host the Chicago Bears on Tuesday.
Jared Goff endured a game to forget against San Francisco’s rejuvenated defence, but that still hasn’t stopped the bookies from favouring the Rams by a surprising -6 spread in the market.
The Bears are quite used to his underdog spot where they continue to prove everybody wrong.
Now at 5-1, it seems as though Chicago’s winning start to the season isn’t just a fluke as the defence carried the way to an impressive win over the Panthers last week.
The Rams have been a difficult team to get a read on this year and it remains to be seen if last week was just a simple hiccup against a familiar division opponent, or something else entirely.
Overall, there really isn’t as much separating these two sides as the market suggests and there is really nothing stopping the Bears from enjoying another big day defensively if they can make life uncomfortable for Goff in the pocket.
Tip: Back the Bears to Cover the Line (+6 Points) @ $1.91
2019
A pair of primetime rivalry games bookend Week 7 in the NFL as we continue to push towards the midway point of the season.
This week’s highlights include the Vikings at the Lions in the early hours of Monday morning, alongside a classic AFC South showdown between the Texans and the Colts from Indianapolis.
There’s also plenty on the line in the mid-morning timeslot as the Ravens travel to Seattle in what should be a fascinating battle of the birds. Throw in a crucial must-win game for the Cowboys against the Eagles, and it’s safe to say, there are plenty of playoff implications on the line.
With the Panthers, Browns, Steelers and Bucs also on a bye, there’s plenty of opportunity to make some coin, so be sure to view all our NFL Week 7 tips in our Preview below.
Roles have reversed over the last fortnight in the AFC West.
The hapless Broncos, who many picked to finish dead last in the division, have surprisingly won two games on the trot. The Chiefs, meanwhile, have now lost two straight games at home to the Colts and the Texans.
There’s certainly no love lost between these two rivals. Not surprisingly, Kansas City’s recent success has helped them win seven of their last 10-games over the Broncos, but nothing is a guarantee on Friday with a defence that can’t stop the run.
The Chiefs have allowed the second-most rushing yards in the league behind the Bengals as well as the second-most rushing touchdowns. If you aren’t already aware, Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay has been outstanding over the last three weeks, combining for 282 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns.
Denver’s last three home games against the Chiefs have been decided by less than a touchdown, so if Lindsay can establish dominance on the ground early, the Broncos look a great bet to at least keep this close.
Tip: Back the Broncos to Cover the Line (+3 Points) @ $1.92
The 4-1 Bills have opened as whopping two touchdown favourites this week at home to the winless Dolphins.
Last week’s bye couldn’t have come at a better time for Buffalo following Josh Allen’s concussion, and with Leslie Frazier’s defence playing out of its mind, it’s difficult to fade the Bills this week.
Buffalo has allowed the fourth-fewest points in the league so far as they now prepare to face a Dolphins side that ranks dead last in points scored.
To make matters worse, Miami has also benched Josh Rosen following last week’s horror performance in favour of Ryan Fitzpatrick. None of this bodes well for a Dolphins offensive line that can’t protect the quarterback, setting up what should be a statement win for the playoff likely Bills.
Tip: Back the Bills to Cover the Line (-17 Points) @ $1.92
Three straight losses leave the Rams in serious danger of losing touch with the rest of the NFC West.
Los Angeles now travels to Atlanta this week to face an equally desperate Falcons side looking to snap a run of four-straight losses.
These two sides haven’t met since the 2018 NFC Wild Card Game in which the Rams lost 11-6. It’s doubtful either side will be factoring that game into this week’s preparations though as both sides continue to struggle on the offensive side of the ball.
Jared Goff put up career-low numbers last week throwing for only 78-yards and zero touchdowns. The good news is the Falcons are the perfect team to bounce-back against having allowed the fifth-most passing yards and the second-most touchdowns.
Things are looking bleak in Atlanta for head coach Dan Quinn, and this might be the final straw that breaks the camel’s back.
Tip: Back the Rams to Cover the Line (-3 Points) @ $1.92
Now at 2-2-1, the Lions have every right to feel hard done by following last week’s loss in Green Bay.
Detroit still has plenty of time to make up lost ground in the competitive NFC North though, and at their current price, it’s safe to say the Lions are well over the odds.
The Lions have been surprisingly good defensively, even if they failed to create a turnover last week in Green Bay. Detroit ranks eighth in defensive takeaways this season, which means we could see Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins revert back to his old ways this week.
Minnesota won big over the Eagles at home last week in a big performance from Cousins, but can we really get too carried away considering the state of Philadelphia’s secondary?
The Lions are 5-1 against the spread in their last five games and are also looking to erase a pair of blowout losses to the Vikings last season. Since there’s no real difference in the head-to-head price and the line, back Detroit to Cover.
Tip: Back the Lions to Cover the Line (+1.5 Points) @ $1.96
The Packers improved to 5-1 last week albeit thanks to some controversial officiating.
Green Bay’s injury list continues to grow though as Geronimo Allison now joins wide receiver Davante Adams on the sidelines. It’s welcome news for a Raiders defence that has performed exceptionally well so far, and as the line suggests, the bookies are expecting this week’s game to be close.
Oakland returns from the bye week with a winning record. If results go their way, the Raiders could find themselves on top of the division – an unfathomable result after losing Antonio Brown before the season began.
The Packers were far from their best last week on offence, which has become a common theme through the first six weeks. Defensively however, Green Bay managed to force three turnovers against the Lions, which could spell bad news for a Raiders side making their first trip to Lambeau since 2011.
This is a big test of Oakland’s maturity on the road. On the plus side, the Raiders have allowed the fifth-fewest sacks so far this season, so don’t expect Green Bay’s pass rush to have everything their own way.
Tip: Back the Packers 1-12
There’s nothing fake about this Niners side following last week’s win over the Rams.
Still undefeated, San Francisco can breathe a little easier this week as they head to Washington to face a Redskins side fresh from a nail-biter against the Dolphins.
Getting their first win on the board was something worth celebrating, but the stats don’t lie – the Redskins are still awful on offence. Not only does Washington rank 28th in points scored, they also rank seventh in turnovers and 29th in first downs.
San Francisco’s defence has been sneaky good this year to the point where they’ve forced the fifth-most turnovers and allowed only one rushing touchdown.
The last time these two sides met at FedEx Field was back in 2017, a game the Skins won 26-24. A lot has changed since then though, and as the odds suggest, the Niners look extremely tough to beat.
Tip: Redskins Under 15.5 Total Points @ $1.92
Things continue to spiral out of control in Cincinnati as first-year head coach Zac Taylor faces the hot seat.
The Bengals remain winless through six games after losing to the Ravens 23-17 last week. Problems continue to persist in the secondary and on the offensive line, all being made worse by AJ Green being listed as doubtful to make his season debut.
Jacksonville are far from perfect themselves. Last week’s 13-6 loss to the Saints was a far cry from the Gardner Minshew we’ve come to know in recent weeks, and as for the rest of the offence, everything looks overly reliant on Leonard Fournette running the ball.
Speaking of running, that’s exactly what we should expect from both sides this week. Jacksonville and Cincinnati both rank Top 10 in rushing yards allowed, which should provide plenty of opportunities for Joe Mixon to get his season back on track.
These two sides have split their last 10-games five wins apiece, but with a 7-3 record against the spread in their last 10-games, the Bengals might just earn their first win of the season.
Tip: Back the Bengals to Cover the Line & Over 44.5 Total Points @ $3.50
With only a game separating the two, the winner of this game could go on to win the AFC South.
The Texans’ victory over the Chiefs at Arrowhead last week was nothing short of remarkable. Down 17-3 at the end of the first quarter, Houston fought back in the second to pile on 20 unanswered points.
Putting up a high score on Kansas City is easy though, just ask the Colts.
Indianapolis also pulled off a victory over the Chiefs a fortnight ago at Arrowhead and have since had a week off to reflect on where the rest of the season is headed.
Running the ball came easy to the Texans last week as Carlos Hyde exploded for 116-yards and a touchdown, but that won’t be the case this week in Indy.
The Colts have allowed only three rushing touchdowns all year, while they also have a pretty potent running back themselves in Marlon Mack.
Despite Deshaun Watson’s classy season, there’s also no denying just how poor the Texans’ offensive line has looked at times. The Colts’ pass rush is among the best in the league, so with a 7-1 record in their last eight home games, back Indianapolis to win this one.
Tip: Back the Colts to Win @ $1.88
The Giants and Cardinals will meet for the first time since 2017 on Monday in what should be a fascinating battle between two rookie quarterbacks.
Arizona survived a big scare last week to earn their first win of the season with a one-point victory over the Falcons. Kyler Murray was outstanding throwing for 340-yards and three touchdowns, but the defence still looks a major concern as the Cardinals gave up 117-yards to Falcons tight end Austin Hooper.
The Giants have come back down to earth a little since Daniel Jones’ impressive Week 2 start. New York lost 35-14 on the road against the Patriots last week, but with that said, there was still lots to like about the Giants defensively.
Bookmakers have favoured the Giants in this one with home-field advantage and an extra two days’ rest. Unfortunately, it’s tough to trust either side straight-up right now, and with the Total going Over in four of Arizona’s last six games, it’s safe to play the points.
Tip: Over 50.5 Total Points @ $1.92
The Titans and the Chargers find themselves in a similar position this week at 2-4.
Tennessee’s season has taken a wild swing in the wrong direction as the team announced Ryan Tannehill as this week’s starter over Marcus Mariota. A change at quarterback was certainly needed, but for those who know Tannehill well, the move is hardly an upgrade.
Nothing drastic has happened (so far) on the Chargers’ roster, but time is running out to turn this season into something meaningful.
Los Angeles can rest a little easier knowing Hunter Henry is back fighting fit, which is an encouraging sign against a Titans team that has allowed the second-most touchdowns to tight ends.
The Chargers have also won nine of their last 10-games over Tennessee, so with a chance to move one step closer to .500, back Los Angeles to take full advantage of a much weaker opponent.
Tip: Back the Chargers 1-12
The Seahawks have opened as 3.5-point favourites this week at home against a Ravens side looking to extend their winning streak to three.
Russell Wilson is now the firm favourite in MVP betting after putting up three touchdowns on the Browns last week. For a team lacking receivers, the Seahawks surprisingly rank sixth in points scored this year, while running back Chris Carson continues to show signs of life on the ground.
Baltimore’s defence received a real shot in the arm mid-week in the form of Marcus Peters. The hard-hitting Rams safety should fit in well with the Ravens on defence, as well as bring plenty of experience against a Seahawks team he’s faced on three different occasions.
These two teams haven’t faced eachother since 2015, making this one of the most fascinating games on the schedule.
Really, it’s a bit of a coin flip, but considering the Ravens have allowed the sixth-most passing yards on defence, siding with Seattle at home is the safest play.
Tip: Back the Seahawks to Cover the Line (-3.5 Points) @ $2.00
Are we looking at a potential NFC playoff preview here?
The Bears have plenty of work to do if they wish to reclaim the NFC North from the Packers, but well-rested and fresh from a bye, Chicago has to like its chances at home against the Saints.
New Orleans has now won four straight games since Drew Brees went down injured in Week 2. Even with Teddy Bridgewater under center, the Saints look to be one of the teams to beat in the NFC, although the bookies seem to disagree this week in Chicago.
The last time these two sides met in Chicago was way back in 2014, a game the Saints won 31-15. The weather this time of year plays a factor for any opposing team, and while New Orleans’ offence is firing on all cylinders, it’s hard to argue with the Bears defence right now.
Chicago ranks bottom five in rushing and passing yards allowed. So far Saints running back Alvin Kamara is yet to hit his usual stride, so back the Bears to keep New Orleans’ top playmakers in check.
Tip: Bears to Win & Under 38 Points @ $3.96
There’s nothing convincing about either of these teams right now.
For Dallas, the season – and Jason Garrett’s job – looks in serious danger following a loss to the Jets last week.
Once again, playcalling was the problem as the Cowboys made some puzzling decisions on their potential game-winning drive with under two minutes remaining. Running the ball was one thing, but a complete lack of urgency made life pretty easy for the Jets defence to secure the win.
Speaking of defence, that’s also been the main culprit in Philly this season. Just when you thought the Eagles were primed for a deep playoff run, they goo and give up 333-yards and four touchdowns to Kirk Cousins in a blowout 38-20 loss to the Vikings.
This is a must-win game moreso for the Cowboys than the Eagles, but you could argue a win is equally important for Philadelphia if they wish to stamp themselves as a serious contender in the NFC.
Typically speaking, games between the Eagles and Cowboys are always a little weird. Dallas has won the last six, while the Total has gone Under in five of the last 10.
The Total does seem a little low this week though considering how poorly both sides have played defensively. The head-to-head market looks risky, so back this one to go Over.
Tip: Over 49 Points @ $1.96
Jets fans had this game circled long before the season even started.
Things haven’t gone according to plan since then, but after looking a lot steadier with Sam Darnold under center last week, we could be in for a competitive game between these two AFC East foes.
The Patriots remain undefeated (and well-rested) having just disposed of the other New York team, the Giants, last Friday. Defensively, New England is the best team in the league, but after turning the ball over twice, Tom Brady suddenly looks human.
New York’s defence continues to cop a bad rap from the media – or at least that was the case prior to last week’s win over the Cowboys.
The Jets haven’t beaten the Patriots since 2015, which also happens to be their last home victory over New England. There’s no way you can take on New England at their current price, but with the Jets boasting a 5-1 record against the spread in their last six home games against the Patriots, there’s nothing to say this won’t be close.
Tip: Back the Jets to Cover the Line (+9.5 Points) @ $1.92
2018
The Packers, Raiders, Steelers and Seahawks all take a seat this week, leaving us with 14 must-watch match ups that could go a long way to deciding the playoff picture.
As far as blockbusters go, keep an eye on the Patriots trip to Chicago to face the Bears, while Monday morning’s crucial NFC bout between the Eagles and Panthers should be the highlight game of the week.
Whether you’re looking to build a bank, or a strong multi, be sure to check out our entire 2018 NFL Week 7 Preview below!
Arizona Cardinals (1-5): Tough to win games when you can’t convert on third down. Also tough to win games when you punt six times and turn it over on downs twice.
Don’t get it twisted, the Cardinals had their fair share of opportunities last week against the Vikings, they just couldn’t seem to find a groove when it mattered most.
In their defence, if Arizona were any chance of beating Minnesota on the road they’d have to be prepared for a full on shootout against one of the best passing attacks in the league. And in case you haven’t been watching, that was always a tall order considering Josh Rosen has struggled to turn conversions into points this year.
Perhaps the only saving grace for Arizona ahead of Week 7 is Denver’s miserable record on the road. Their running game has been stifled away from home, leading the Broncos to a look-away 1-11 record in the head-to-head market.
Denver Broncos (2-4): Mediocre Quarterback vs. Elite Offense: Take 2.0.
The Broncos found themselves in a similar situation to Arizona last week, tasked with taking down the Rams at home. Despite Denver’s four-game skid, their defence hasn’t been altogether bad, especially in the air – they’ve allowed the 10th fewest points per game via the pass this season.
Still, defending the run has been a challenge, as seen in Todd Gurley’s career high 200+ rushing extravaganza last week.
Stopping Gurley is a league-wide battle, so we can’t fault the Broncos too much for that, but after such a strong start to the season, it looks as though we’ve been deceived by Case Keenum once again.
The Broncos running game holds the key to the kingdom if Denver are to make the playoffs this year, and in the last two weeks, it’s been awful. Royce Freeman and Peyton Lindsay were held to 40 combined yards last week, which forced Keenum to throw the ball 41-times.
Recipe for disaster? You betcha. Fortunately, the Cardinals have allowed the second-most rushing yards-per-game this season, second to only… you guessed it, the Broncos.
This is a chance for each team to hand it to their backs, stay conservative, and hopefully earn a rare win this season. Play it safe though and and stick with the points market this week, and maybe David Johnson/Peyton Lindsay as Anytime Touchdown Scorers if you’re feeling adventurous.
Tip: Back Under 43 Total Points @ $1.91
Los Angeles Chargers (4-2): Figures, it’s the middle of October, and right on cue, the Chargers are the second-last team in the league anyone wants to face.
The Bolts are clicking on all cylinders right now, and in case you missed last week’s 38-14 crucifixion of the Browns, take a good look at Melvin Gordon’s stats: 132-rushing yards, three touchdowns.
This team can burn you in more ways than one, and it doesn’t help when quarterback Philip Rivers continues to find new wide receivers from the woodwork to throw to.
Last week it was Tyrell Williams’ turn to join in on the action, catching for 118-yards and a pair of touchdowns himself. This week, who knows, Keenan Allen, you’re up.
Don’t look now, but LA’s only two losses this season have come against the previously undefeated Chiefs and the 6-0 Rams.
Their defence also enjoyed a bit of a breakthrough against the Browns, piling on four sacks against Baker Mayfield, which spells nothing but bad news for Marcus Mariota following an 11 sack day in last week’s 21-0 shutout at the hands of the Ravens.
Tennessee Titans (3-3): The rollercoaster continues for the Titans, failing to register as much as a single point last week against Baltimore.
Fans in London didn’t get much bang for their buck last week during the Seahawks/Raiders blowout, but unfortunately, there might be more bad news -Tennessee are coming to town.
On his day, Mariota is one of the most complete quarterbacks in the league. On his worst day, or should we say the offensive line’s worst day, Mariota can melt into a pool of goo.
There wasn’t a single positive to take away from last week’s loss. The Titans failed to register a single sack on Joe Flacco, neither running back rushed for over 25-yards, and their top receiver, Corey Davis, caught just one pass.
Tennessee’s only hope this week is for the Chargers to show up tired from the long travel, and with a 1-10 record head-to-head against LA, even that won’t be enough to save them.
Tip: Back the Chargers 7-12 @ $4.75
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-3): You’d put the house on DeSean Jackson catching a pass, right? What about a lateral?
The Bucs came within inches of pulling off a last-ditch miracle against the Falcons last week, and if Jackson caught a backwards toss along the sidelines, he probably would have scored the walk-off touchdown.
While Tampa fans dwell on what could have been, this week’s game against the Browns figures as must-win for the Bucs. Despite last week’s narrow loss, there wasn’t a whole lot to like about Dirk Koetter’s team, particularly in the passing game.
The trouble with Jameis Winston making his first start after missing the first few weeks of the season is this: a lack of sync. It was on full display last week in Atlanta, as Winston overthrew Mike Evans on several different occasions.
To add further woes to Tampa’s slippery slope, the Bucs probably would have won last week if they managed to score in the red zone. If there is one positive to be made though, it would have to be the encouraging 82-yard performance from running back Peyton Barber.
Returning back home now, the Bucs are 4-2 at the line against the Browns at Raymond Jones Stadium. Given how inconsistent both teams have been however, this shapes up as a market to steer clear of.
Cleveland Browns (2-3-1): Last week was a bit of a reality check for Cleveland coming off second best against a very explosive Chargers side.
The highs and lows of Baker Mayfield’s rookie season continued with a two-interception performance, and just when we thought we had Cleveland’s run game figured out, they lay a goose egg against one of the better run-stopping teams in the league.
Everything that could go wrong did go wrong last for the Browns – Mayfield was sacked five times, Jarvis Landry caught only two passes, and behind a shoddy offensive line with a handful of beat up receivers, Cleveland were forced to punt six different times.
There’s no question Cleveland have been competitive on the road this year, but hey, the stats don’t lie – the Browns are 0-5 in the head-to-head market in their last five away games .
Tip: No Bet
Philadelphia Eagles (3-3): The Eagles enjoyed a nice 10-day break in the lead up to this crucial NFC match up, one that could easily shape the playoff picture down the track.
Philly were hardly challenged against the Giants last week, and really, was that a surprise? The Eagles were completely dominant when it mattered most, holding New York to just four third-down conversions while quarterback Eli Manning endured a day to forget under centre.
Making short work of the Giants’ miserable pass protection is easy, but containing Cam Newton and Co. is not.
Fortunately, history suggests the Eagles are favourites in this for a reason – they are 4-2 straight up vs. Carolina at home. But wouldn’t you know it, the stat sheet suggests something completely different – the Panthers have allowed the ninth fewest points-per-game this season.
For Philadelphia to win this, they’ll need their offensive line to be up for the challenge. The Eagles allowed just one sack on Carson Wentz this week, and we need not remind you of just how lethal Carolina’s pass-rush can be with Luke Kuechly across the line of scrimmage.
Carolina Panthers (3-2): Not a lot to like from the Panthers last week, which should make punters a little nervy with Carolina heading to Lincoln Financial Field.
Let’s start from the top – time of possession. You don’t win football games when your defence can’t get off the field, and you certainly don’t score points when the opposing team holds the ball for nearly an entire quarter.
Secondly, Carolina’s run-game needs to find itself immediately, and not in a spiritual sense. Christian McCaffrey has rushed for over 100-yards only once this season, and so far has scored just one receiving touchdown through five games.
And last but not least, the defence. For a team that has recorded seven interceptions this year, the Panthers sure don’t play like a team capable of defending the pass. They allowed Alex Smith to throw two touchdowns this week, but most importantly spread the ball around between six different receivers.
To paint an even drearier pitcher, the Panthers are also 0-2 on the road so far this season. Better yet, they’ve won only four of their last 10 games against the Eagles, and haven’t travelled to Philly since 2014.
Sounds like E-A-G-L-E-S is the only way to go this week.
Tip: Back the Eagles 7-12 @ $5.25
New York Jets (3-3): So playing the Jets at home this year looks pretty tough.
As we saw last week, New York are a tricky opponent at Metlife, and a week removed from one of his better rookie performances, quarterback Sam Darnold has plenty to be proud of as we head toward’s the midway point of the season.
Darnold had himself a day last week against the Colts, throwing for 280-yards and a pair of scores. He led an impressive two-minute drill prior to the half, hitting Jermaine Kearse over the middle to set up a crucial last second field goal before the break.
It was a fairly disciplined game from the Jets’ starter, although he does have a few kinks to iron out. For Darnold to take the next step, he needs to improve with his eyes – he failed to look off the safety last week against Indy, throwing the ball straight into the arms of Malik Hooker.
Those small improvements will come with time, but Darnold can’t afford to make those mistakes against an elite defence like Minnesota this week. The Jets will hold their breath on the health of running back Isaiah Crowell and Quincy Enunwa, but it looks as though New York may be without two of their playmakers.
Even so, things are clicking along nicely for New York. Kicker Jason Myers was a perfect 10/10 in front of the sticks last week, setting a new franchise record.
A good mix of run/pass might just catch the Vikings flat footed if Darnold can limit the mistakes.
Minnesota Vikings (3-2): The Viking defence did their job last week. The offense? Not so much.
For a team with such talented receivers, you’d certainly expect quarterback Kirk Cousins to throw for more than 233-yards, one touchdown (and one interception) against a team like the Cardinals.
Despite allowing 155-yard rushing yards to Latavius Murray, turns out Arizona’s defence enjoyed a nice day themselves, sacking Cousins four-times to keep the game tied at 10-points apiece heading into the half.
Minnesota’s defence, however, was outstanding. Sure, the Cardinals’ are hardly a powerhouse on offense, but after finishing 0/10 on third down conversions, it’s safe to say George Edwards’ defence did their job.
Surprisingly enough though, the Vikings haven’t enjoyed playing the Jets. Minnesota are 1-6 in their last seven games against New York, and are a less than impressive 2-3-1 on the road.
We’ve already seen Minnesota stall against the Bills this year, which makes an upset in New York, a ground they haven’t visited since 2010, a very likely possibility.
Tip: Back the Jets To Win @ $2.50
Miami Dolphins (4-2): Brock Osweiler will start for the second straight week against the Lions on Monday, which could be really great or really grim.
If last week’s narrow 31-28 win over the Bears was anything to go by, we should expect more of the same from the Dolphins this week.
It’s fair to say if Miami lost that game, we wouldn’t be sipping the Osweiler kool aid right now after throwing a pair of picks, but to his credit, he did lead the game-winning drive to set up perfect field goal position.
Lost among the Osweiler optimism was the Dolphins’ strong day on the ground. Running back Frank Gore fought father time to run for 101-yards, while Kenyan Drake chipped in with 57 of his own.
It just so happens Detroit are also one of the worst teams when it comes to stopping the run, allowing the third most rushing yards-per-game this year.
Miami are 5-1 in their last six games at home, and even after a week off, Detroit will have a fight on their hands if they are to stop the Dolphins on the ground.
Detroit Lions (2-3): Don’t let the Lions’ 2-3 record fool you, this is a Detroit team riding pretty high on confidence after defeating the Packers two weeks ago.
In that game, Detroit executed their passing plays to perfection against a mismatched Green Bay secondary, a strategy they’ll hope to employ again this week against Miami.
If Detroit really are to win this game, they’d also be wise to hand it off to Kerryon Johnson as early and as often as possible.
Whilst at the same time hoping to plug up their own holes on defence, the Dolphins have also been one of the worst teams when it comes to stopping the run.
Johnson, who ran for 70-yards against Green Bay, looks like a potential Rookie of the Year candidate, and after a week off to nurse a bruised ankle, he’s poised to play a major role on the road this week.
Likewise, feeding the ball to Kenny Golladay one-on-one should work wonders for Detroit. The Dolphins’ secondary has allowed the ninth most yards-per-game this season, and are often susceptible to the deep ball.
Given the fact that Miami are now banking on a repeat performance from Osweiler – something we never thought we’d be saying – the Lions are a nice play at the line this week.
Tip: Back the Lions at the Line
Chicago Bears (3-2): The Bears can claim bragging rights in the NFC North for now, but if they show up against the Patriots like they did last week against the Dolphins, they’re in for a rude shock.
The swing in betting was fascinating last week from a punting perspective. After Brock Osweiler was announced as the starter for the Dolphins, the Bears firmed into almost un-backable favouritism at a very short price, but boy did they disappoint.
To be fair, it did take a last minute 47-year field goal from Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders to put the game out of reach. Defensively though, the Bears looked gassed in the fourth quarter, which doesn’t bode well against the Patriots this week.
Home-field advantage is one thing, but out-smarting Tom Brady is another. The Bears defence failed to register a single sack against a Dolphins o-line that allowed 11 on starter Ryan Tannehill through five weeks, a rare feat considering how well-rested the pass-rush was following the bye.
With a pretty ugly 1-7 record in their last eight games against the Patriots, it might seem like this one is a little beyond the Bears. If quarterback Mitchell Trubisky can have another lights out performance though after throwing three-touchdowns last week, this could be your upset of the week.
New England Patriots (4-2): Last week really was a story of two halves.
The Patriots, who recorded perhaps one of the great wins of their young season over the Kansas City Chiefs, were a defensive powerhouse in the first half.
In case you missed it, veteran linebacker Don’t’a Hightower rewound the clock in the first half, playing his best game since Super Bowl 51 intercepting Patrick Mahomes for a crucial early turnover.
Then, everything fell apart, as the Patriots allowed the Chiefs to score 31-points in 10-minutes behind some pretty nasty blown coverage from New England’s secondary.
On the first occasion, Kareem Hunt slipped right past two deep safeties on a vertical route to score a 67-yard touchdown. On the second, Tyreek Hill caught a badly overthrown ball from Mahomes that should easily have been picked off to race down the sidelines.
Of course, on both of those plays, Mahomes was forced to make a move with his feet, which should suit Trubisky nicely this week.
The Bears’ receivers are nowhere near the calibre of Kansas City’s, but if Chicago challenges New England with plenty of motion at the line and deep passes, they can win this.
Tip: Back the Bears To Win @ $2.75
Indianapolis Colts (1-5): The Colts were their own worst enemy last week. Dropped passes and penalties were the theme of the day, while the bulk of Indy’s chances once again fell into the hands of Andrew Luck.
It’s clear this is a lost year for the Colts, although this week does present the chance to gain a rare win at home over an equally poor Bills side.
Aside from last week’s self-inflicted punishment though, the Colts were also missing wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, who is still listed as questionable ahead of Monday’s game with a hamstring issue.
Depending on Hilton’s status, this could be a game to steer clear of, but if there was one thing to hang your hat on after last week, it was Indy’s improved pass protection.
The Colts didn’t allow a single sack on Luck against the Jets, and it was encouraging to see the running game step up behind Marlon Mack, who had missed a month due to injury.
If you’ve avoided watching the Colts, don’t forget there are some real playmakers on this team. Mack, pass-catching running back Nyheim Hines and newfound Luck favourite, Chester Rogers, are all capable of making plays, and that’s exactly what they should do this week.
Buffalo Bills (2-4): The ebbs and flows of the Bills’ 2018 season continues to reach dizzying heights following last week’s disaster against the Texans.
Quarterback Josh Allen started the game, but was eventually pulled after suffering an arm injury right before the half. In stepped replacement Nathan Peterman midway through the third quarter, a nervous sight for all Bills fans involved.
Buffalo fans held their breath remembering Week 1’s disaster against the Ravens, and in repeat fashion, Peterman threw another pair of interceptions in the 17-10 loss, one of which was a game-ending pick six to cornerback Johnathan Joseph.
To his credit, Peterman made some decent reads prior to the fourth quarter, but it’s now painfully obvious the second-year back up has a serious case of the yips.
So now, the Bills have a quarterback quandary on their hands, one they hope Derek Anderson can solve.
Buffalo signed the 35-year old veteran during the week to start against the Colts, but keep in mind, he hasn’t thrown a pass in a live game since Week 15 last season.
With that in mind, you can’t trust the Bills, and turn out, the bookies don’t either.
Tip: Back the Colts 7-12 @ $4.50
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3): The AFC South is up for grabs this week, but this might be the most tepid division decider we’ve seen in quite a while.
Jacksonville’s defence is the talk of the town after allowing 40-points to Dak Prescott and the Cowboys last week. Cornerback Jalen Ramsay was speechless post-game, and for all of the preseason Super Bowl hype surrounding this team, it’s pretty clear that the Jags are well away from a championship.
Speaking of the Super Bowl, we often talk about championship hangovers, but this is more like a regular hangover.
The Jaguars are yet to rebound from their AFC Championship Game disappointment last year, and there’s no reprieve on the horizon with Blake Bortles showing his true colours for the second straight week.
In their last ten meetings with the Texans, the Jaguars have won just four. Even worse, they are 2-5 against Houston at home, but given the Texans’ horrible offensive line, this figures as a perfect rebound scenario for the defence to reclaim its reputation.
Houston Texans (3-3): Again, how?
The Texans have clawed their way back to .500 against some pretty awful opponents, but one look at the stat sheet shows you just how lucky Houston are to have a winning record.
Last week Bill O’Brien’s side took full advantage of Buffalo’s mistakes, although it’s safe to say, if it wasn’t for DeAndre Hopkins and Nathan Peterman, Houston wouldn’t even be in this position.
The weight of Houston’s season literally rests in the hands of the offensive line, and so far, it’s failed the test. Deshaun Watson was sacked seven times last week, which in turn forced him into throws he didn’t want to make, and ultimately, two interceptions for the Bills defence.
And what does that spell this week?
On the road, against Jalen Ramsay and a challenged Jaguars defence that has felt plenty of criticism all week, Houston’s mild offense won’t be enough to carry them this week.
Tip: Back the Jaguars 1-6 @ $4.20
Baltimore Ravens (4-2): Big week for the Ravens, especially on defence.
Baltimore ravaged the Titans’ offensive line, sacking quarterback Marcus Mariota 11-times last week – just one shy of an NFL record.
After a fortnight of questions, the win has cemented Baltimore as a serious threat in the AFC, and with Joe Flacco having another so-so day in the air, it’s handy when you can offload the ball to running back Alex Collins and watch him rush for 54-yards and a couple of scores.
The Ravens also held the Titans 1/10 on third down conversions last Monday. That won’t be the case this week against Drew Brees and the Saints, but with a strong 5-1 record in their last six games against New Orleans, this sets up as a potentially low-scoring affair.
New Orleans Saints (4-1): A fortnight removed from claiming the All-Time Passing record, Drew Brees enjoyed an extra week off to prepare for the Ravens.
The veteran quarterback reportedly played a pretend game against himself last week to keep himself in tune, which might prove wise considering he is the only quarterback without an interception this season.
Offensively the Saints will be up for a shootout with the Ravens this week, but it’s their defence that may let them down.
New Orleans have allowed the seventh most points-per-game this season, making it doubtful they can limit Flacco and Collins for a full four quarters.
Teams fresh from a bye are 1-3 this season, which makes it hard to find confidence in the Saints after a week off. It’s best to watch this one and stick with the points market.
Tip: Back Over 42 Total Points @ $1.91
Washington Redskins (3-2): By Week 6 we can normally get a feel for the contenders and pretenders, so where do the Redskins figure in?
At home, Washington are tough as nails. The defence knuckled down last week against the Panthers, limiting Carolina’s time of possession and third down conversions.
On the road though, the Skins are a very different story. They were obliterated by the Saints in New Orleans a fortnight ago, and with a range of average receivers and aging running backs, it’s hard to see Washington winning something like a Wild Card game on the road this year.
Still, as far as this week is concerned, the Redskins remain at home, although that mightn’t mean much against this rejuvenated Cowboys side.
Washington are 0-5 in their last five home games against Dallas, and in case you didn’t catch a glimpse last week, the Cowboys passing game is red hot.
But again, the Skins should have an answer. They’ve allowed the seventh fewest points-per-game through the air this season, and have allowed only seven touchdowns at home.
Skins in a close one, just expect it to come down to the wire.
Dallas Cowboys (3-3): It’s only taken two years, but the Cowboys finally clicked last week – Dak Prescott likes to run the football!
Head coach Jason Garrett did a great job of challenging Jacksonville’s defence, using plenty of motion and run/pass options to keep the Jags guessing.
Prescott rushed for 82-yards and a score last week, but that was only the tip of the iceberg. Cole Beasley broke through with 101-yard, two touchdown performance, forcing opposing defences to consider double-teaming a receiver who realistically, should be a complete non-factor.
To make life even harder, Ezekiel Elliott continues to carve up running lanes each and every week. We’ve already touched on how strong Washington’s defence can be, but if you’ve been paying close attention, the Cowboys have allowed the second-fewest points-per-game this year.
Can we really trust Dallas though?
It might take more convincing than one game against a beaten up, Blake Bortles-led offense. Stick with the Redskins at home, it’s the safe play.
Tip: Back the Redskins To Win @ $1.80
San Francisco 49ers (1-5): Gallant effort against Green Bay last week in a game they probably deserved to win.
Not for the first time, or the last, Aaron Rodgers got the better of an unexpecting defence, as the 49ers allowed the Pack to march down the field and kick the game winning field goal behind two clutch throws from the future Hall of Famer.
Look, it’s already a lost season for San Francisco, so it’s important to focus on the positives. Injuries have ravaged this team, but the 49ers have to feel pretty good about Marquise Goodwin’s 126-yard game, and of course, the breakthrough season from Matt Breida.
And of course, the negatives are just as important. San Francisco’s defence lives by the sword, dialling up pressure, crowding the line, and hoping they don’t get beat over the top.
That game plan worked wonders against Rodgers last week, didn’t it? Certainly not, and against the most energetic and high-scoring offense in the league on Monday, expect similar results.
Los Angeles Rams (6-0): A career high game from Todd Gurley saw the Rams win a tight one over the Broncos last week.
The MVP favourite rushed for 208-yards and two touchdowns against a pretty stout run defence, but just when things were cruising along nicely, the Rams look to be without star wide receiver Cooper Kupp for the immediate future.
It’s a minor blow to an offense that features plenty of depth, and fortunately, LA has two very winnable games up next against San Francisco and Green Bay.
For what it’s worth, the Rams are 2-7-1 in their last 10-games on the road in San Francisco, however the NFL’s lone undefeated team are actually looking to bounce back from what was a below-average passing display against Denver last week.
The possibility of Jared Goff having back-to-back weeks without throwing a touchdown seems extremely low, and against a secondary that remains patchy, this should be a comfortable Rams win.
Tip: Back the Rams To Beat The Line (-9.5 Points) @ $1.91
Kansas City Chiefs (5-1): Talk about a lesson for a young rookie quarterback.
Patrick Mahomes went down swinging last week in New England, and despite throwing a pair of interceptions, there was plenty to take away from Kansas City’s 43-40 loss.
Firstly, you don’t see this very often from a gunslinger, let alone one in his first NFL season. Mahomes looked a little off in the first half after over-throwing a wide open Kareem Hunt in the end zone, but like any good franchise quarterback, he bounced back in the second half with a gutsy performance.
Scoring 31-points in the span of 10-minutes is difficult against any team in the league, let alone on the road in New England. Mahomes made some brilliant plays with his feet to escape pressure and dart out of the pocket, but his ability to look down field, spot an open receiver and hit him in full stride remains impressive.
We’ve said this before, but full credit to Andy Reid, this is just a match made in heaven. The play calls are spot on, and Mahomes has the talent around him to make it all work.
There’s really not much more that needs to be said ahead of this week’s trip back home, and in case the Mahomes hype wasn’t enough, make sure you take into account the fact the Bengals are 3-6 when travelling to Arrowhead in their last nine games.
Cincinnati Bengals (4-2): Hey, the Bengals are right in the hunt for the AFC North title, even if they continue to come up with new ways to lose.
Last week was a game they should have won against Pittsburgh, but it seems as soon as this franchise takes one step forward, they take two steps back.
On a positive note, quarterback Andy Dalton continues to shine, and so do his receivers. It’s been all about A.J. Green so far this year, and third-year starter Tyler Boyd already well on pace for career highs in every category, the two are forming quite the duo.
It’s the defence that lets Cincy down, though. The pass rush failed to lay a hand on Ben Roethlisberger last week, and the run defence progressively grows worse each year as it continues to cough up large chunks of yards.
Sticking to the script, this is probably the kind of game that will involve further heartbreak for the Bengals. Neither team copes particularly well defensively, so the Overs are a great play. If you’re feeling bold however, you can’t look past the Chiefs in what should be a high-scoring shootout.
Tip: Back Over 58.5 Total Points @ $1.91
Atlanta Falcons (2-4): Bonus points to the Falcons for creativity, they just keep reinventing ways to throw games away this season.
Last week they didn’t quite get the job done against the Bucs, holding on for a 34-29 win at home. A last ditch miracle nearly cost Atlanta though, and if DeSean Jackson caught a backwards lateral along the sidelines, the Falcons are probably 1-5 right now.
Let’s start with the positives. Matt Ryan shared the ball around nicely last week between Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Mohamed Sanu, while the offensive line did a great job of picking up Tampa Bay’s pressure as they continued to dial up the blitz.
Kicker Matt Bryant enjoyed another brilliant day at the office, having now missed only one extra point all season. Better yet, the Falcons were also killer defending on third down, holding the Bucs to just five conversions.
So has Atlanta finally turned this thing around?
Short answer, no.
This still feels like a trap, one that punters need to be wary of this week. The Falcons are at home, however their 1-7 record against the Giants shouldn’t fill you with confidence.
New York Giants (1-5): Speaking of confidence, at least it can’t get any worse, right?
The Giants hope to turn a long 10-day break into a win on the road this week, although it hardly looks likely given their performance against the Eagles last Friday.
The offensive line is a dumpster fire, and eventually, the ticking time bomb that is Odell Beckham Jr. is going to explode in the wrong sense of the word.
Quarterback Eli Manning looks lost in the pocket, and with minimal time to make his reads and throw the ball, who can blame him?
The one positive of this already lost season is Saquon Barkley, who already has two 100+ yard seasons in his rookie year.
Other than that, there’s not much to like, and until we see some signs of life on offense, you can’t back the Giants.
Tip: Back the Falcons 7-12 @ $5.00
2017
It is a massive weekend of action in the NFL!
It is almost must win for the Oakland Raiders against their AFC West rivals the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday and are a number of other teams are in similar situations.
There are few teams under more pressure than the Atlanta Falcons – they will have the chance to atone for their heart-breaking Super Bowl defeat when they take on the New England Patriots on Monday morning.
Our excellent NFL tipping continued with a stack of winners last weekend and our complete NFL Week 7 tips can be found below.
The Oakland Raiders have been one of the biggest flops in the NFL this season and they go into this clash with the Kansas City Chiefs under plenty of pressure.
Oakland suffered their fourth win on the trot when they went down to the Los Angeles Chargers last weekend and they will go into this clash as clear underdogs.
The Raiders have won their only game as home underdogs over the past 12 months and they are 5-3 against the line at home in general.
Kansas City suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers last weekend, but their record away from home suggests that they will have no issue returning to winning form.
The Chiefs have won their past eight games on the road and even more impressive is the fact that they have covered the line in each of these wins.
This is a game that the market looks to have got just about right, but there is value in the Total Points betting market.
The Over has saluted in seven of the past eight games played by the Raiders at home and has also been a profitable betting play in Chiefs games on the road.
Back Over 46.5 Points
The Minnesota Vikings recorded an upset win over the Green Bay Packers last weekend and they will start this clash as clear favourites.
Minnesota have proven to be a tough side to trust from a betting perspective and they have won only three of their past six games as home favourites for a loss.
Baltimore suffered a surprise overtime loss at the hands of the Chicago Bears last weekend and they have struggled somewhat on the road.
They have won only two of their past six games as away underdogs and they are 3-3 against the line in this scenario.
It is tough to back either of these teams with any confidence and this is a game that I will be staying out of.
No Bet
This is a big test for the Green Bay Packers as they go into this clash without star quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Winning without Rodgers has proven to be a big issue for Green Bay in the past and it is tough to have any faith in this side without Rodgers on the field.
The New Orleans Saints have got themselves in the NFL Playoffs mix with three straight wins and they will start this clash as clear favourites.
New Orleans have won their past two games as away favourites and they have covered the line in both these wins.
This is an excellent opportunity for New Orleans to continue their winning streak and they should win comfortably.
Back New Orleans To Beat The Line (-5 Points)
This is a big game for these two sides that remain in the mix in the AFC East.
The Miami Dolphins recorded an upset win over the Atlanta Falcons last weekend and they will start this clash as clear favourites.
Miami have won their past three games as home favourites and they are 2-1 against the line in this scenario.
The New York Jets have their winning streak ended by the New England Patriots, but they were far from disgraced and arguably a touch unlucky.
New York have won only one of their past five games as away underdogs and their record against the line is no better.
Miami can continue their winning ways and cover the line in the process.
Back Miami To Beat The Line (-3.5 Points)
The Chicago Bears recorded an upset win last week, but it still the Carolina Panthers that will start this clash as clear favourites.
Chicago continue to be an better betting team than they are a football team – they have won three of their past eight games as home underdogs and they are 7-1 against the line in this scenario.
Carolina had their winning run ended at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles and this is the type of game they need to be winning in order to return to the NFL Playoffs.
The Panthers have won their past two games as away favourites, but they are only 1-1 against the line in this scenario.
This is a game that the markets looks to have got just about right and I am happy to stay out from a betting perspective.
No Bet
The Los Angeles Rams have taken their home game to Twickenham in London.
Los Angeles continued their strong start to the season with a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars and they will start this clash as clear favourites.
The Rams have won only three of their past seven games as favourites for a clear loss and they are a poor 2-5 against the line in this scenario.
Arizona returned to winning form with a victory over the New Orleans Saints last weekend and Adrian Peterson was a revelation in his Cardinals debut.
The Cardinals have won only one of their past five games as away underdogs and their record against the line is no better.
This is another game that I am more than happy to stay out of.
No Bet
Consistency has been an issue for both these sides this season, but it is the Jacksonville Jaguars that will start this clash as clear favourites.
Jacksonville just can’t string together solid performances in back-to-back weeks and they are a very tough side to trust from a betting perspective.
The Indianapolis Colts looked in control of their clash against the Tennessee Titans last weekend, but they threw the game away in the second half.
Indianapolis can be trusted as favourites – they have won four of their past five games as the punter’s elect – but they have lost their past three games as away underdogs.
The betting play that does appeal in this clash in the Under in the Total Points market.
The Under has saluted in six of the past eight games played by the Colts at home as well as eight of the past 11 games played between these two sides.
Back Under 44 Points
The Cleveland Browns are still chasing their first win of the NFL season and it is the Tennessee Titans that will start this clash as clear favourites.
Tennessee returned to winning form with a fighting win over the Indianapolis Colts, but they continue to be a tough side to trust from a betting perspective.
The Titans have won only two of their past four games as away favourites and they are 1-3 against the line in this scenario.
It will be another long season for fans of the Cleveland Browns and they have made another quarterback change – with DeShone Kizer back under centre following a poor effort from Kevin Hogan.
The Browns have won only one of their past nine games as home underdogs and their record against the line isn’t much better.
The market has got this clash right – Tennessee should be able to get the job done, but there is no value at their current price.
No Bet
The Dallas Cowboys are the shortest-priced favourites in the NFL this weekend.
Dallas went into the bye on the back of a disappointing loss at the hands of the Green Bay Packers, but they received some good news this week when star running back Ezekiel Elliot had his six-game suspension put on hold once again.
The Cowboys have let punters down a number of times this season and their record as away favourites doesn’t build confidence – they have won three of their five games as favourites in this scenario and they are 2-3 against the line in this situation.
San Francisco have now lost five games in a row by three points or less and their first win of the season is surely just around the corner.
In saying that it is very tough to back the 49ers with any real confidence.
They have lost their past seven games at home and their record against the line is no better.
This is another game that the favourite should win, but there is no value at their current price.
No Bet
The Pittsburgh Steelers returned to a semblance of their best form with an excellent performance against the Kansas City Chiefs and they are clear favourites to account for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Pittsburgh have won their past five games against Cincinnati as well as five of their past seven games as home favourites, but they are a losing 3-4 against the line in this scenario.
Cincinnati went into their bye on the back of a win over the Buffalo Bills, but this is obviously a much tougher challenge.
The Bengals have lost their past three games as away underdogs, but they are 2-1 against the line in this scenario and their recent losses to the Steelers have been very tight affairs.
This will be a tighter game than the current betting market suggests and the Bengals can cover the line with the start.
Back Cincinnati To Beat The Line (+5.5 Points)
The New York Giants recorded their first win of the NFL season last weekend, but they will still go into this clash as clear underdogs.
Seattle are now right back in the hunt in the NFC West following their win over the Los Angeles Rams, but they continue to be a tough team to trust from a betting perspective.
The Seahawks have won only one of their past three games as away favourites and they have failed to cover the line in their past three games in this scenario.
New York are nowhere near as bad as their current record suggests and they showed that against the Denver Broncos.
The Giants have won their past two games as home underdogs for a big profit and they are more than capable of giving Seattle a scare in this clash.
Back New York To Beat The Line (+5 Points)
There is very little between these two teams in betting and it is the Los Angeles Chargers that will start this clash as narrow favourites.
Los Angles have recorded two wins in a row following their poor start to the season, but they have still been a losing betting play across just about every metric.
The Chargers have won only one of their past five games as home favourites for a clear loss as well as seven of their past eight games against Denver.
The Denver Broncos were very poor against the New York Giants last weekend, but there is little chance that they can possibly play that badly again.
Denver should be favourites and they are outstanding value at their current price.
Back Denver To Win @ $2
The Super Bowl 51 rematch is easily the highlight of the weekend and is a big occasion for both sides.
Nobody forgot what happened the last time that these teams did battle and it is the New England Patriots that will once again start this game as clear favourites.
New England have not been particularly convincing in recent weeks, but they keep on finding ways to come away with the victory.
The Patriots have won only six of their past nine games as home favourites for a loss, but they are 5-4 against the line in this scenario.
Atlanta don’t look like the same team that went to the Super Bowl last season and they head into this clash on the back of losses at the hands of both the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins.
Winning away from home has not been an issue for the Falcons and they have won their past five games as away favourites, but their overall record as underdogs is poor.
New England will find a way to win once again and the line of three points will not be enough.
Back New England To Beat The Line (-3.5 Points)
The Philadelphia Eagles can extend their lead at the top of the NFC East with a win over the Washington Redskins.
Philadelphia have won four games on the trot and they have been excellent on both sides of the football in recent weeks.
The Eagles have won five of their past six games as home favourites and they are 4-2 against the line in this scenario.
Washington did not play particularly well against the San Francisco 49ers, but they were still able to come away with the victory.
This is obviously a much tougher challenge and the Redskins have won only one of their pas five games as away underdogs, but they are 3-2 against the line in this scenario.
There is no doubt that this game has the potential to develop into a shootout and the fact the Over has saluted in the past seven away games played by the Redskins makes the Over an excellent betting play.
Back Over 49.5 Points
2016/2017
The rivalry between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears is one of the most historic in the NFL and NFL week 7 gets underway with a genuine Friday morning blockbuster between the two rivals.
The Cincinatti Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks will also do battle in intra-divisional clashes on Monday morning before the Pittsburgh Steelers host the New England Patriots in the match of the weekend.
The action concludes when the Denver Broncos take on the Houston Texans on Tuesday morning and you can find our NFL Week 7 tips below!
The Green Bay Packers were no match for the Dallas Cowboys last weekend, but they are clear favourites to return to winning form against the Chicago Bears.
Green Bay are still yet to really make it click this season – they are capable of brilliance on their day, but the problem is that is few and far between.
The Packers have won just three of their seven games as home favorites over the past 12 months for a clear loss, while they are 2-1-4 against the line.
Chicago have still just recorded the one win this season and they suffered another heart-breaking loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars last weekend.
While the Bears have struggled to win, they are still 4-4 as away underdogs for a clear profit and they do generally perform better than market expectations.
Chicago won last time that these two teams did battle and I am willing to take the gamble on them once again at the big price.
Back Chicago To Win @ $3.75
This is a crucial game for both sides that are attempting to keep in touch with the leaders in their respective divisions.
New York returned to winning form with a fighting victory over the Baltimore Ravens and they will go into this clash as clear favourites.
The Giants have performed strongly as home favourites over the past 12 months and they have a 6-3 record in head-to-head betting, while they are 4-1-4 against the line.
Los Angeles have now suffered back-to-back defeats and desperately need to return to winning form this weekend.
The Rams have actually won five of their past 11 games as underdogs, but their record against the in this situation is an average 5-1-5.
This is a match that the market looks to have got just about right and I am happy to stay out from a betting perspective.
No Bet
The Kansas City Chiefs have struggled for consistency this season, but they are still clear favourites to get the job done against the New Orleans Saints.
Kansas City have turned Arrowhead Stadium into a genuine fortress and they have won their past eight games in this scenario, but they are only 4-4 against the line.
New Orleans made it two wins on the trot with another outstanding offensive performance against Carolina and they will need a repeat of that to be any chance against Kansas City,
The Saints have actually won four of their past six games as away underdogs for a clear profit and they are 5-1 against the line in this scenario.
New Orleans can turn this clash into a genuine contest and I am keen to back them with a start of 6.5 points.
Back New Orleans To Beat The Line (+6.5 Points)
This is a crucial game in the highly competitive AFC South.
The Tennessee Titans have flown under the radar somewhat, but they have definitely improved this season and they come into this clash with back-to-back wins.
Favourtism is not a position in which Tennessee have a great deal of experience, but they have won their past two games in this scenario.
Indianapolis have been one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL this season and they threw away the chance to record back-to-back wins against Houston last weekend.
The Colts have won just two of their past eight games as away underdogs for a clear loss and they are 3-1-4 against the line in this situation.
Tennessee have found some form and there is no reason that they can’t win again this weekend.
Back Tennessee To Win @ $1.67
Minnesota are the only unbeaten team left in the NFL and they face a tricky assignment against the Philadelphia Eagles.
This is a big game for Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford – who was traded from the Eagles to the Vikings in the off-season – and it is his side that will go into this game as favourites.
Winning on the road has not proven to be an issue for the Vikings and they have won seven of their past eight games away from home, while they are remarkably 8-0 against the line.
Philadelphia have regressed somewhat following their outstanding start to the season and they go into this clash with back-to-back losses against Detroit and Washington.
The Eagles are 1-1 as home underdogs over the past 12 months and the Vikings really do look like the value in this clash.
Back Minnesota To Beat The Line (-2.5 Points)
The Cleveland Browns are yet to win a game this season and it should come as no surprise that Cincinnati will start this game as clear favourites.
Cincinnati themselves go into this clash under pressure after winning just two games this season and another loss would make their task of returning to the playoffs extremely difficult.
The Bengals have won just four of their past seven games as home favourites for a loss and their record against the line is a poor 3-4.
Things just keep going from bad to worse for Cleveland and they missed out on a golden opportunity to win against Tennessee last weekend.
Cleveland have lost their past nine games on the road and their record against the line is 3-6 as away underdogs.
These two teams are both very tough to trust from a betting perspective and I am happy to stay out of this game.
No Bet
Early betting markets suggest that this will be one of the most open games of the weekend.
Detroit will start this clash as favourites after recording two upset wins over the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams.
The Lions have won three of their past five games as home favourites for a narrow loss, but they have an identical record against the line for a narrow profit.
Washington have been able to bounce back from their slow start to the season and they have now won four games on the trot to sit just behind the Cowboys in the NFC East.
The Redskins have won five of their past seven games as away underdogs for a clear profit and they are one of the best value bets of the weekend.
Back Washington To Win @ $2
This is another game where there is very little between the two sides.
Jacksonville have got themselves back into the hunt in the AFC South with back-to-back wins over Indianapolis and Chicago and they will go into this clash as narrow favourites.
The Jaguars have won three of their past five games as home favourites for a narrow profit, while they have an identical record against the line.
Oakland had their winning run ended by Kansas City, but there were still some positives to take from the performance and they remain on top of the AFC West.
The Raiders have won four of their past six games as away underdogs for a clear profit and they are 6-0 against the line in this scenario.
Oakland remain my dark horse pick to win the Super Bowl and they should prove far too good for the Jaguars this weekend.
Back Oakland To Win @ $2
The Buffalo Bills are one of the form teams in the NFL and they have recorded four impressive wins on the trot.
The Bills will go into this clash as clear favourites and if recent form is any guide they should prove far too good for their rivals.
Buffalo’s problem is that they have won just one of their past three games as away favourites and they have an identical record against the line.
Miami produced their best performance of the season to beat Pittsburgh last weekend and they will actually fancy their chances in this clash.
Their record against Buffalo is only average in recent seasons, but they have won two of their past four games as home underdogs for a clear profit.
This is a game that the market looks to have got just about right and I am happy to stay out from a betting perspective.
No Bet
The New York Jets have won just the one game this season, but they will still go into this clash as narrow favourites.
New York produced another pitiful performance against Arizona and they have now lost four games on the trot.
The Jets have won three of their five games as home favourites for a narrow loss, while they are 2-3 against the line in this scenario.
Baltimore are on a losing streak of their own and they missed out on a golden opportunity against the Giants last weekend.
Baltimore have won just one of their past five games as away underdogs, but that record is flipped against the line.
New York have been woefully bad in recent weeks and Baltimore look a safe bet to return to winning form.
Back Baltimore To Win @ $1.91
Tampa Bay scored a big victory over the Carolina Panthers before they went on the bye and they will be keen to build on that momentum against San Francisco.
The Buccaneers will go into this clash with the 49ers as clear favourites, but their record as the punter’s elect over the past 12 months is poor and they are 1-3 in this scenario.
San Francisco have not looked like winning a game since they bet Los Angeles in their season opener and they were extremely average against the Buffalo Bills last weekend.
The 49ers have actually won three of their past seven games as home underdogs for a profit and they are 4-3 against the line in this situation.
I expect this to be a fairly tight game between two average teams and I am keen to back the 49ers with a start of two points.
Back San Francisco To Beat The Line (+2 Points)
Atlanta had their winning run ended by Seattle last weekend, but they are clear favourites to bet back on track against San Diego.
The Falcons have been one of the biggest surprise packages of the 2016 NFL season and they have played some football, but they have lost their past five games as home favourites and are obviously very tough to trust in this scenario.
San Diego recorded an upset victory over San Diego in Thursday Night Football to end their shocking losing run and they are a very interesting team from a betting perspective.
The Chargers have won just one of their past eight games as away underdogs, but they are 7-1 against the line in this scenario for a huge profit.
I am keen to oppose the Falcons in this clash and San Diego are a great bet to beat the line with a start of 6.5 points.
Back San Diego To Beat The Line (+6.5 Points)
This was set to be the game of the weekend, but the knee injury suffered by Ben Roethlisberger has definitely taken some of the luster out of this clash.
The Steelers were extremely poor without Big Ben in the side last weekend and it is tough to see how they can match it with the New England Patriots.
New England have been excellent so far this season and they have only improved with Tom Brady back under centre.
The Patriots have actually struggled somewhat as home favourites and they have won just three of their past seven games as away favourites, while they are 2-5 against the line in this scenario.
There are two many unknowns heading into this clash and I can’t find any value at the current price of either side.
No Bet
This is a crucial game in the NFC West and close to a must-win for the Arizona Cardinals.
Arizona have bounced back from their slow start to the season to record comfortable victories over both the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Jets and they will start this clash as favourites.
The Cardinals have won seven of their past ten games as home favourites for a narrow loss, while they are an average 3-7 against the line in this scenario.
Seattle head into this clash on the back of three straight victories and they can kick clear at the top of the NFC West with a win over Arizona.
The Seahawks have only started two games as underdogs in the past 12 months and they are a middling 1-1 in this situation.
I really have not been impressed with what I have seen from Arizona this season and I think that Seattle are a good bet to record an upset victory.
Back Seattle To Win @ $2.10
The pressure is on the Denver Broncos in a big way following their dismal performance against the San Diego Chargers last weekend.
Denver have now lost two games on the trot and it has become increasingly clear that neither Trevor Siemian or Paxton Lynch are the answer at quarterback.
The Broncos will still start this game as clear favourites, but they have won just four of their past seven games as home favourites for a clear loss and they are a horrid 1-1-5 against the line in this scenario.
Houston pulled something out of the hat to beat Indianapolis in overtime last weekend and they have handled the loss of J.J. Watt fairly well.
The Texans have won two of their past six games as away underdogs for a narrow loss and there is a definite edge at their current price on offer for an upset win.
Back Houston To Win @ $3.50