NFL picks and score predictions for Week 7 as the 2020 season rolls along.
Believe it or not, we’re nearly at the midway point of the 2020 NFL season. The twists and turns just keep coming as contenders start to separate themselves from the pack. With the playoff picture just beginning to materialize, we’re ready to deliver our weekly NFL picks!
As always, we’ve got you covered with the Week 7 edition of NFL picks and score predictions. Now I’ll never claim that these are going to be 100 percent on point. In fact, there’s a very good chance at least a few of my picks will go completely awry. I will, however, make my selections based on research, experience, and careful consideration.
Ok, I’ll admit it. Things went terribly in Week 6. I’m not sure what the problem was, but none of my picks seem to go the way I was expecting. By the time Monday night had mercifully come to an end, my Week 6 NFL picks had netted me a 6-8 record. That moved my overall record on the year to 55-33-1.
Just remember that making picks is not a science. As much research goes into it, anything can happen on any given Sunday. Isn’t that part of why we watch football in the first place?
Now that we’ve gotten all of that out of the way, here are my NFL picks and score predictions for Week 7. Just keep in mind that I assume no responsibility if you choose to place wagers based on my picks — that’s your decision, not mine.
Week 7 Byes: Baltimore Ravens (5-1), Indianapolis Colts (4-2), Miami Dolphins (3-3), Minnesota Vikings (1-5)
New York Giants (1-5) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-4-1)
Thursday, October 22, 8:20PM ET
Ugh. It has been an ugly season for the NFC East. It seems the only wins they’re getting are against themselves as they continue to prove that they’re the most uninspiring division in the NFL. Unfortunately, we’ve got another divisional showdown in Week 7 that may very well bore viewers.
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In this one, the New York Giants travel to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in a matchup of two teams that have only one win apiece through six weeks. It’s not one that’s going to produce many exciting momentums, unless you enjoy watching rough quarterback play, ridiculous turnovers, missed tackles and poor blocking.
Seeing as I need to pick a winner, though, I’m going with the Eagles. As pitiful as Carson Wentz has been at times this season, the Philadelphia offense and defense are playing better this season than their counterparts. The Giants have been awful and only got their first win last week against a similarly sad Washington Football Team.
The Giants will keep this one close, as the Eagles are sure to make their own fair share of mistakes throughout this one. However, when the final whistle blows, Philadelphia will lean on their young receivers to get the win.
Prediction: Eagles win 24-21
Pittsburgh Steelers (5-0) at Tennessee Titans (5-0)
Sunday, October 25, 1PM ET
Last week, I made the mistake of picking against the Pittsburgh Steelers. They thanked me by shellacking the Cleveland Browns and moving to 5-0. Now they face off against one of the only other undefeated teams in the league, the Tennessee Titans.
Both of these clubs have had close calls this season, but continue to make plays when it matters most to keep the loss column clean. The Steelers’ offense has been sensational since the breakout of Chase Claypool, and the Pittsburgh defense is making life miserable for opposing quarterbacks. Can they maintain that trend in Week 7?
I think so. The Titans have been great as well this season, but they haven’t done it in as convincing of fashion. They’ve relied heavily on their defense to keep them alive, with Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry occasionally doing their part. Mike Vrabel has his defense prepared on a weekly basis, but can they slow down Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers’ passing attack?
Probably not. This should be one of the best games of the season so far, with both teams putting up a good amount of points. In the end, though, the Steelers pull away in the final minutes to stay undefeated while the Titans suffer their first loss of 2020.
Prediction: Steelers win 38-30
Dallas Cowboys (2-4) at Washington Football Team (1-5)
Sunday, October 25, 1PM ET
Wow. Just wow. The Dallas Cowboys are nearly incompetent with Andy Dalton under center, as we saw on Monday night against the Arizona Cardinals. A poor offensive line doesn’t help, but it’s clear he’s not going to be able to keep the ball moving as Dak Prescott did.
With that said, life should be a bit easier against the Washington Football Team. While they have a solid pass rush, their secondary is certainly susceptible to a quality passing game. With three outstanding receivers to throw to, Dalton should be able to coax some sort of life out of this Dallas offense.
It also helps the Cowboys’ chances that the Washington offense has been nearly nonexistent. Kyle Allen clearly isn’t the answer, but it’s unclear if even a healthy Alex Smith can get this offense revving behind D.C’s awful front five. The defense is doing what it can, but it doesn’t matter when you’ve got the league’s worst offense.
The Cowboys stay atop the NFC East for now, but who knows how long that’ll last. Eventually, they’ll have to play teams outside of their division, which will only lead to more losses. This is one of those years where not all division winners should be eligible for the postseason…
Prediction: Cowboys win 20-16
Buffalo Bills (4-2) at New York Jets (0-6)
Sunday, October 25, 1PM ET
After a red-hot start, the Buffalo Bills have certainly cooled off in recent weeks. They’ve now dropped two games in a row, and are reeling. However, as luck would have it, they pulled about the best Week 7 matchup they could have asked for.
Right now, the New York Jets are arguably the worst team in the NFL right now. They’re the only team that has yet to win a game, and the odds are stacked against them that they finally put a mark in the win column this week. The Buffalo Bills coming to town simply isn’t a good scenario for them.
Josh Allen figures to have a bounce-back game for the record books, shredding the New York Jets secondary with ease. The Buffalo defense should also have their way with whoever is under center for the Jets — it really doesn’t matter, they’ll be terrible no matter what.
The Bills are still one of the better teams in the AFC, but they need to right the ship immediately. A Week 7 showdown with the Jets is the perfect way to do that, as I don’t see any scenario in which the Jets find a way to take down their AFC East rivals. It’s going to be a long day for Gang Green and their unenviable fans.
Prediction: Bills win 37-9
Carolina Panthers (3-3) at New Orleans Saints (3-2)
Sunday, October 25, 1PM ET
Apparently the Carolina Panthers aren’t as ready to contend as I thought. They choked against the Chicago Bears in Week 6, failing to get the offense off the ground as Nick Foles was about to outscore a suddenly impotent Carolina attack.
Meanwhile, the New Orleans Saints are starting to look like the team so many assumed they would be in 2020. They’ve won two in a row, and come into this one with plenty of momentum behind them. That doesn’t sound like an ideal situation for the Panthers.
Drew Brees is looking like his old self, and Alvin Kamara is quickly emerging as one of the most dynamic weapons in the NFL. Even without Michael Thomas, the Saints haven’t had any difficulties racking up yards and striking paydirt. I’d expect more of the same from New Orleans in Week 7, going up against a Panthers defense that is incapable of getting to the quarterback.
Teddy Bridgewater does his best to keep it close, but the Saints use their high-powered offense to pull away in the second half. New Orleans keeps the ball rolling, while the Panthers begin to ponder the potential of hitting the panic button.
Prediction: Saints win 29-13
Green Bay Packers (4-1) at Houston Texans (1-5)
Sunday, October 25, 1PM ET
The Green Bay Packers are coming off a disappointing upset at the hands of Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Now they head into a friendly matchup against a Houston Texans team that’s better than their record indicates, even if they continue to fall short on Sundays.
It’s clear the Texans are capable of competing against other top teams across the league. Just this past weekend, they took the undefeated Titans all the way to overtime before Derrick Henry capped off his tremendous day with the winning touchdown. If only their defense could make stops to give Deshaun Watson and the offense some room to breathe.
Meanwhile, the Packers have been outstanding all year long until Week 6. Prior to that, Aaron Rodgers was having an MVP-caliber season, Aaron Jones was emerging as a legitimate top running back, and the Green Bay defense was proving itself to be a group of big-time playmakers and excellent pass rushers.
Not sure what happened against the Buccaneers, but expect to see more of what we saw early this season from the Packers. They’ll keep Watson on his heels all day, giving Rodgers all of the freedom he needs to get the win and avoid the losing streak.
Prediction: Packers win 31-20
Cleveland Browns (4-2) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-4-1)
Sunday, October 25, 1PM ET
I can’t believe I picked the Cleveland Browns to beat the Steelers this past weekend. Boy did that pick go completely haywire. I’ll probably end up regretting this, but I’m actually going to stick with the Browns to win again in Week 7 despite the embarrassing beating they just took.
Why? Because, at least on paper, the Browns are a better team than the Cincinnati Bengals. Sure, I’m rooting for Joe Burrow to beast it the rest of this season and lead this franchise to some much-needed wins. With that said, the offense isn’t as explosive as Cleveland’s and the defense certainly isn’t capable of keeping that type of firepower in check for 60 minutes.
The Browns can throw Kareem Hunt, Odell Beckham Jr. and Austin Hooper at the Cincinnati defense all game long. As long as Baker Mayfield doesn’t have another on-field meltdown like Week 6, that should be more than enough to come away with the win.
Burrow will do his best to keep things close, and he may actually succeed. And yet, as has been the case for nearly every game this season, the Bengals won’t be able to get it done at crunch time. Cleveland gets the win and keeps their dreams of an AFC playoff berth alive.
Prediction: Browns win 31-26
Detroit Lions (2-3) at Atlanta Falcons (1-5)
Sunday, October 25, 1PM ET
I’m sorry, but I’m not buying the Atlanta Falcons’ destruction of the Vikings in Week 6 as a sign of their imminent comeback. They still have one of the worst secondaries in the NFL, and their offense is far too bipolar to rely on.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions haven’t played up to their potential this season — but they’re getting there. They showed up against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 6, putting on an offensive clinic as Matthew Stafford let it spin and the Detroit ground game did work. I’m predicting we see even more of that efficiency in Week 7.
The Lions come out firing, putting up big yards early and often. The Falcons attempt to counter, but are stifled by Detroit’s capable pass rush. Even though Atlanta manages to score a solid amount of points, it’s not enough to keep up Stafford and Co. on the scoreboard.
The Lions may not be a legitimate contender, but they’re better than we’ve seen so far in 2020. A strong win against the Falcons and the start of a winning streak should earn them some respect as we inch closer to the midway point of the season.
Prediction: Lions win 34-23
Seattle Seahawks (5-0) at Arizona Cardinals (4-2)
Sunday, October 25, 1PM ET
I like the potential of this Arizona Cardinals team. Kyler Murray could be great some day and there’s plenty of exciting young talent on both sides of the ball. With that said, there’s no way I’m going to pick them to hand the Seattle Seahawks their first loss of the 2020 campaign.
The Seahawks have been nearly unstoppable this season. Sure, their defense likes to bend a bit too often. Does that really matter though? No matter how many points the Seattle D gives up, Russell Wilson finds a way to make up for it. That’s why the Seahawks are currently 5-0 and are looking like one of the top teams to beat in the NFC.
And it’s not just Wilson. He’s got a stable of quality running backs to lean on, an offensive line that’s improved tenfold since last year and one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL. D.K. Metcalf is not-so-quietly developing into one of the league’s most dominant pass-catchers, and Wilson is reaping the rewards of his presence.
The Seahawks are going to show out in Arizona, scoring plenty of points and making enough big plays against Murray and Co. to keep the Cardinals from finding the end zone too often. Seattle stays undefeated and solidifies its status among the league’s top contenders in 2020.
Prediction: Seahawks win 36-30
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) at Los Angeles Chargers (1-4)
Sunday, October 25, 4:05PM ET
Despite the similar records, these are two very different teams right now. The Los Angeles Chargers have looked like hands-down the best one-win club in the league, while the Jacksonville Jaguars have lost five straight and continue to look like a cohesive unit on Sundays.
While the losses have certainly been a bummer, the Chargers have been pleasantly surprised by the play of rookie quarterback Justin Herbert. The youngster has shined after being thrust into action in Week 2, quietly emerging as one of the top Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates with his smart, confident play.
Gardner Minshew hasn’t been bad for the Jaguars, but he doesn’t have enough help. Even when his offensive weapons step up, the Jacksonville defense lies down and gives up far too many points for the Jaguars to keep up with. After they pulled off the surprise win in Week 1, it’s been all downhill for this sad AFC South squad.
The Chargers are clearly the better team at this point, and prove it with a commanding victory at home. The Jaguars find a way to keep it from developing into a complete blowout, but they fall too far behind by the fourth to make any real run at it.
Prediction: Chargers win 36-17
San Francisco 49ers (3-3) at New England Patriots (2-4)
Sunday, October 25, 4:25PM ET
Ugh. Things are not looking good for the New England Patriots right now. They’ve dropped three games in a row, and are catching the San Francisco 49ers on an upswing after they upset the Rams on Sunday night. Timing is everything, and it is not on the Patriots’ side right now.
Jimmy Garoppolo actually looked like a quality quarterback last week, and he’s got an outstanding running game to lean on when the going gets tough. The San Francisco defense isn’t anything special at this moment, but it’s not like they’re going up against a juggernaut of an offense.
The Patriots have one of the NFL’s top ground games, but the 49ers have been stingy when it comes to opposing runners. As long as they can generate some pressure on Cam Newton and keep the big plays to a minimum, they shouldn’t have too much trouble limiting the number of times New England finds the end zone.
Neither of these teams is looking like a contender right now, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get it together in the coming weeks. Unfortunately for the Patriots, the stars seem to be aligning for the 49ers in that regard. New England better brace itself for its fourth straight loss.
Prediction: 49ers win 29-23
Kansas City Chiefs (5-1) at Denver Broncos (2-4)
Sunday, October 25, 4:25PM ET
The Denver Broncos are coming off a surprise win against the Patriots in which they relied on their defense to get the job done. That won’t be nearly as easy against a Kansas City Chiefs team that has been absolutely explosive throughout the 2020 campaign.
Then again, it should be easy with players like Patrick Mahomes, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce on the roster. They spent Monday night running up the score on the Bills, and seem likely to do that again against an unbalanced Broncos team that struggles to muster much on offense.
As it so happens, the Chiefs have a rather impressive defense of their own. While I wouldn’t put them in the league’s elite at this moment, they’re more than capable of making big plays and creating turnovers in bunches. Especially as Drew Lock continues to shake off the rust, the Chiefs should be able to rattle his cage all game long.
This one isn’t going to be pretty. Denver may have some momentum after their Week 6 win, but Kansas City doesn’t care about that. They’ll bring the hurt on Sunday afternoon, sending the Broncos to 2-5 along the way.
Prediction: Chiefs win 35-17
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) at Las Vegas Raiders (3-2)
Sunday, October 25, 8:20PM ET
It’s odd that this pick feels a bit “bold.” The Las Vegas Raiders have looked great this season and are coming off an impressive win over the previously undefeated Chiefs. Can they keep the momentum rolling and take down the Buccaneers at home?
It’s possible, especially with the way things have gone for the Raiders this season. However, they’re going to have to rely on the arm of Derek Carr and his bevy of receivers to get the job done. The Buccaneers have one of the very best run defenses in the NFL, meaning there won’t be much room to run for Josh Jacobs.
If what we’ve seen this season is any indicator, though, Carr will be up to the task. He’s having a career year, as an abundance of playmakers out wide, a stout offensive line and improved coordination with Jon Gruden and the coaching staff have seemed to take his game to the next level. He should be able to do what Rodgers couldn’t last Sunday.
Believe it or not, the Raiders are for real in 2020. As long as they can stay relatively healthy and the defense continues to improve, we should see them emerge from the pack as one of the teams to beat in the AFC.
Prediction: Raiders win 27-25
Chicago Bears (5-1) at Los Angeles Rams (4-2)
Monday, October 26, 8:15PM ET
Picking against the Chicago Bears keeps biting me in the butt. Maybe it’s time I finally jumped on the hype train and stop predicting they pick up their second loss of the season. It’s even more reasonable with a matchup with the bipolar Los Angeles Rams on the docket.
Foles seems to have given this Chicago offense the edge it simply lacked with Mitchell Trubisky under center. He’s got the offense moving consistently, and the ground game is doing its part. Tie that in with the effectiveness of the Bears defense, and it makes perfect sense why this team currently sits at 5-1.
Meanwhile, we can’t get a clear idea of what to expect from the Rams. They come back from a huge deficit against the Bills, only to blow it at the last second. Then, they struggle against the injury-riddled 49ers and suffer their second loss. Oh and then there’s the fact that their four wins have come against the entire NFC East, arguably the worst division in the NFL.
The Bears are clearly a team worth taking seriously in 2020. I’m not so sure we can say that about the Rams despite their 4-2 record. The new leader in the NFC North gets another win as they legitimize themselves as contenders.
Prediction: Bears win 27-20