NFL picks and score predictions for Week 7 as the 2021 season rolls along.
What the …? Six weeks of the 2021 NFL season are already in the book? My, how time flies. Luckily, we’ve got another round of gridiron greatness coming up this weekend that figures to deliver even more exhilaration, tears, and fantasy frustration (speaking from personal experience).
As usual, we’ve got you covered with the Week 7 edition of NFL picks and score predictions. Just as in years passed, I’ll never claim to know what the future holds. As it turns out, odds are high at least a few of my picks will be completely wrong. I will, however, make my selections based on research, experience, and careful consideration.
Overall, this past weekend turned out well. When Week 6 finally came to an end, my NFL picks had amounted to a 10-4 record, moving my overall record on the season to 63-31. It may not sound all that impressive, but correctly picking two out of every three games is easier said than done.
Just remember that making picks is not a science. Plenty of research goes into it, but there’s no crystal ball — craziness occurs every Sunday. Then again, isn’t that part of the fun of it all?
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.
2021 NFL Picks and score predictions, Week 7
Week 7 Byes: Buffalo Bills (4-2), Dallas Cowboys (5-1), Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5), Los Angeles Chargers (4-2), Minnesota Vikings (3-3), Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3) | All point spreads and odds are courtesy of WynnBet.
Denver Broncos (3-3) at Cleveland Browns (3-3)
Thursday, October 21, 8:20 PM ET
As a big Teddy Bridgewater, I want to root for the Denver Broncos in this one. They’ve been a solid team all year long, but I believe we’re beginning to watch them be outed as pretenders. They’re finally facing stiff competition, and are walking away with losses.
Admittedly, though, this one did take some serious consideration. While the Cleveland Browns are better on paper, they’re in dire straights heading into Week 7. Both of their top running backs are injured, Odell Beckham Jr. seems to limp off the field every few plays, and even Baker Mayfield was banged up in Week 6.
How are the Browns going to create points against Denver’s stiff defense? Despite the obstacles, I think they find a few to score at least a handful of points before the clock strikes zero. However, I’m not confident in saying the same thing about the Broncos offense.
Bridgewater will be under fire all night long, as the Cleveland defensive front pins its ears back and pressures the veteran gunslinger endlessly. It leads to too many turnovers for the Broncos to overcome, resulting in their fourth-straight loss.
Prediction: Browns win 17-13 | Spread: Browns (-4)
Carolina Panthers (3-3) at New York Giants (1-5)
Sunday, October 24, 1 PM ET
Something tells me this is going to be an ugly game. The Carolina Panthers are reeling after losing three straight games, while the New York Giants are 1-5 and coming off a shellacking at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams. This could be a turning point for one or both teams.
Unfortunately, I just don’t see it happening for the Giants. They just haven’t been able to put a quality outing together this season, with Daniel Jones serving as arguably their only bright spot. And even then, he’s coming off a miserable Week 6 performance and is missing most of his top playmakers.
The Giants’ defense hasn’t been any better despite lofty preseason expectations. How are they going to keep Sam Darnold, D.J. Moore, and Chuba Hubbard in check for 60 minutes? The Panthers haven’t won this Christian McCaffrey fell to injury, but that trend will change this week.
Carolina stops the bleeding with a big win here against the Giants, while the G-Men get one step closer to calling it a season and turning their attention to 2022. It’s not a pretty win for the Panthers, but at this point in the season, they’ll take a win however they can get one.
Prediction: Panthers win 18-16 | Spread: Panthers (-2.5)
New York Jets (1-4) at New England Patriots (2-4)
Sunday, October 24, 1 PM ET
One of these teams has an opportunity to turn the tide in Week 7. The other will more than likely begin to wonder if it’s not best to turn their attention to 2022. My money is on the New England Patriots to be the former team, and the New York Jets to be the latter team.
Despite their 2-4 record, the Patriots have been a respectable squad this season. They nearly toppled the 5-1 Cowboys this past Sunday, and have one of the better defenses in the NFL. As Mac Jones continues to become more comfortable under center, the Patriots figure to rise in relevance.
Meanwhile, the Jets are just short of a laughingstock. They possess one of the worst offenses in the NFL, as Zach Wilson hasn’t been able to make a smooth transition to the league. The run game hasn’t been much better, and the Gang Green defense has been serviceable but unspectacular.
This likely won’t be a high-scoring affair, but the Patriots should still win without too much discomfort. Jones has another solid outing, and Damien Harris has a big day on the ground. New England gets the W and inches their way back towards the playoff discussion.
Prediction: Patriots win 26-14 | Spread: Patriots (-7)
Kansas City Chiefs (3-3) at Tennessee Titans (4-2)
Sunday, October 24, 1 PM ET
I was going to call this an upset pick, but I’m not even sure if that’s applicable at this point. Something is horribly wrong with the Kansas City Chiefs, and the two-time defending AFC champs are looking like they could be a Wild Card team at best in 2021.
Meanwhile, the Tennessee Titans continue to win despite some suspect play. It’s never pretty, but they continue to come out on the winning end against quality clubs. After toppling the red-hot Bills in Week 6, they might as well add another notch to their belt by taking down the Chiefs.
Patrick Mahomes has been a turnover machine this season, which is odd for one of the best quarterbacks of this generation. It doesn’t help that the Kansas City defense has been a sieve, struggling to keep even average offenses out of the end zone on a regular basis. That worries me with Derrick Henry currently rampaging for the Tennessee offense.
Henry gets the best of the Chiefs, putting together another huge game — including nearly 200 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Mahomes makes some of his signature plays, but a couple of untimely turnovers spells defeat for Kansas City as they again fall below .500.
Prediction: Titans win 34-27 | Spread: N/A
Washington Football Team (2-4) at Green Bay Packers (5-1)
Sunday, October 24, 1 PM ET
All year long, the Washington Football Team has been competitive, keeping things interesting despite their ugly 2-4 record. Unfortunately, against the streaking Green Bay Packers, they aren’t going to be able to convert that competitiveness into a quality win.
Washington just doesn’t have enough pieces at this point. Taylor Heinicke is doing his best to keep the offense running, but Antonio Gibson has been injured and inconsistent while the rest of the offense can’t seem to muster enough big plays. As for the D.C. defense, it’s failed miserably to live up to the expectations it carried into the regular season.
As for the Packers, they’re currently enjoying a phenomenal five-game winning streak. After stumbling out of the gates, Green Bay has gotten back on track as Aaron Rodgers is playing like the reigning MVP. He’s getting help from guys like Davante Adams and Aaron Jones, and the Packers defense is doing its best to corral opponents as well.
Washington will again stay within striking distance for much of this game, but their defense won’t make enough stops against Rodgers and Co. to get the win.
Prediction: Packers win 31-23 | Spread: Packers (-9.5)
Atlanta Falcons (2-3) at Miami Dolphins (1-5)
Sunday, October 24, 1 PM ET
At this point, I’m having a tough time buying into the Miami Dolphins. I was hesitant to pick them to defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars last week, and it turns out I was right to feel that way. Now coming off a disappointing trip to London, are they going to be playing their best football?
Probably not. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons are fresh coming off of a London win and bye week. They’re starting to gel better as a team, as the offense has slowly come to life in their last couple of games. Matt Ryan is still capable of putting on a show, and I think they’ll do just that against the Dolphins in Week 7.
Look for the Falcons to put together an offensive onslaught featuring Ryan, Calvin Ridley, and Cordarrelle Patterson. Although the Dolphins have a solid defense, it’ll be bested by Atlanta as they move the ball through the air early and often.
And while the Falcons defense isn’t anything to write home about, they make just enough plays against Tua Tagovailoa to keep the Dolphins at arm’s length. Atlanta gets an impressive road win while Miami moves that much closer to irrelevance in 2021.
Prediction: Falcons win 26-20 | Spread: Falcons (-2)
Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) at Baltimore Ravens (5-1)
Sunday, October 24, 1PM ET
The Baltimore Ravens finally played a full 60 minutes, and it resulted in a blowout win against the red-hot Los Angeles Chargers. Now they’ve won five games in a row, and are looking like one of the teams to beat in the AFC. No more doubting Lamar Jackson.
It wasn’t just Jackson that won the game this past Sunday though. Much of the credit also goes to the Baltimore defense, which bottled up Justin Herbert and a potent Chargers offense. That was honestly the biggest surprise of that Week 6 matchup, and it gave my confidence in the Ravens defense a huge boost moving forward.
Obviously, we can’t ignore the fact that the Cincinnati Bengals have been a huge surprise this season. Their success can be largely attributed to the play of Joe Burrow and his connection with rookie receiver JaMarr Chase. The Cincinnati defense has also held its own, with an impressive pass rush and playmaking secondary.
Ultimately, though, I believe Jackson gets the best of the Bengals in this one. While anything is possible in these AFC North matchups, the Ravens stay hot and improve to 6-1.
Prediction: Ravens win 33-27 | Spread: Ravens (-6.5)
Detroit Lions (0-6) at Los Angeles Rams (5-1)
Sunday, October 24, 4:05 PM ET
It would be quite the Cinderella story if the Detroit Lions were able to come into Los Angeles and earn their first victory against the Rams. Jared Goff would have something to brag about, beating his former team and out-dueling the quarterback he was replaced with.
Sounds like a great story, but it’s pure fiction. That won’t come true on Sunday. The Rams are going to run over Goff and the Lions, while Matthew Stafford sticks it to his former team to the tune of a downright beatdown.
Stafford connects with Cooper Kupp early and often, shredding the Detroit secondary and putting huge chunks of points on the scoreboard. By halftime, the Rams have a comfortable lead and spend the final 30 minutes running it down the Lions’ throat. By the time the final whistle has mercifully blown, Los Angeles is riding at least a 30-point lead.
Goff turns it over at least twice, and the Detroit defense looks like the group that’s helped this club start off at 0-6. It’s an embarrassing game for Dan Campbell’s squad as they remain the only team without a notch in the win column.
Prediction: Rams win 40-9 | Spread: Rams (-15.5)
Philadelphia Eagles (2-4) at Las Vegas Raiders (4-2)
Sunday, October 24, 4:05 PM ET
I’m sorry but I’m not buying the Las Vegas Raiders as a legitimate contender — something about this team wreaks of an oncoming letdown. Sure, they step up amid the off-field drama and delivered a win in Week 6, but when does that emotional high wear off?
Maybe it does in Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles, a team that has shown glimpses of greatness at times in 2021. The front five has hindered the offense, but Lane Johnson is set to return and Jalen Hurts is just waiting for an opportunity to go off. Maybe he can do it against a Raiders defense that is among the worst against the pass this season.
As long as the Eagles can contain Derek Carr and keep him from carving up their secondary, they should have just enough juice to pull out the win in Week 7. They haven’t done a great job of getting after the quarterback this year, so they’ll need to rely on the back end to make it happen.
It’s a longshot, but I’m predicting the Eagles step up to the challenge and put the clamps on the Raiders. Carr struggles and the rest of the roster comes back down to the Earth, realizing that their franchise is on a wobbly foundation at the moment. Philadelphia wins and works its way back in the Wild Card hunt.
Prediction: Eagles win 30-26 | Spread: Raiders (-3)
Houston Texans (1-5) at Arizona Cardinals (6-0)
Sunday, October 24, 4:25 PM ET
There’s zero chance the Houston Texans win this one, right? They’re easily one of the worst teams in the NFL, being matched up against the only undefeated team remaining. Anything can happen on Sundays, but it seems pretty easy to predict the Arizona Cardinals as the winners here.
We all knew the Texans were going to be bad this season, and they haven’t disappointed. Despite showing flashes early in the season, they’ve followed up their surprising Week 1 win with five straight losses. Now going head-to-head with the 6-0 Cardinals, the odds of that losing streak extending to six games are extremely high.
I’ll give some credit to Davis Mills, who’s held his own despite being thrown to the wolves as a rookie quarterback. But with the Cardinals’ pass rush and opportunistic secondary, chances are high that he has a tough day down in Glendale.
Kyler Murray puts on another dazzling performance, spreading the ball all over the field to his many dangerous weapons. By the start of the fourth quarter, the Cardinals have it in cruise control as they easily earn their seventh win of the 2021 campaign.
Prediction: Cardinals win 37-13 | Spread: Cardinals (-17)
Chicago Bears (3-3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1)
Sunday, October 24, 4:25 PM ET
I’m not sure what’s going on with the spread here, but I don’t think this is going to be as lopsided of a game as they’d suggest. As good as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are and as erratic as the Chicago Bears can be, they aren’t that unevenly matched.
Yes, the Tampa Bay offense will score points because, well, Tom Brady. And still, the Bears have an extremely stingy pass defense that excels at pressuring quarterbacks and forcing them into mistakes. While Brady is arguably the best to ever sling a pigskin, he’s not perfect. Chicago will keep this from turning into a boat race.
My bigger concern for the Bears is their offense, which looks electric at times and awful at others. Much of it will depend on whether or not the offensive line can protect Justin Fields, and if his playmakers are up to the task of keeping up with Tampa Bay in the scoring department.
I’m confident Tampa Bay gets the win, but it won’t be a blowout. The Bears manage some offensive success and maybe even a defensive touchdown, resulting in a solid (but far from easy) win for Brady and his Bucs.
Prediction: Buccaneers win 26-16 | Spread: Buccaneers (-13.5)
Indianapolis Colts (2-4) at San Francisco 49ers (2-3)
Sunday, October 24, 8:20 PM ET
I guess you can call this my upset of the week? Not exactly a thrilling prediction when you’re talking about two teams with only four combined wins through six weeks, but it is what it is. The San Francisco 49ers are favored at home, but I’m rolling with the Indianapolis Colts.
Despite their disappointing performance so far, the Colts slowly seem to be getting better. Carson Wentz is finally playing like the former MVP candidate, Jonathan Taylor is emerging as one of the most explosive backs in the NFL, and the Indy defense is dangerous.
That doesn’t bode well for a 49ers team that can’t seem to stay healthy. Both of their quarterbacks are coming off an injury, their down to their third-string running back, and George Kittle is sitting on IR. The San Francisco defense is solid, but it’s going to quite the task of slowing down a surging Colts offense.
Indianapolis storms the castle and the 49ers crumble under the pressure. The Colts create at least three turnovers, and it’s simply too much for San Francisco to bear. Even coming off the bye, the 49ers are looking like their on the fast track to irrelevance.
Prediction: Colts win 26-17 | Spread: 49ers (-4)
New Orleans Saints (3-2) at Seattle Seahawks (2-4)
Monday, October 25, 8:15 PM ET
The Seattle Seahawks came into this season with so much promise. They looked like the cream of the crop in the NFC, ready to take on some of the other top dogs in the conference. Well, the 2021 campaign got underway and all of their plans crashed and burned.
Russell Wilson is on IR and will be for at least a couple of weeks. That means Geno Smith is starting, which isn’t a good thing. The running game has also been riddled by injuries. The same goes for a defense that wasn’t very good even before the injuries began piling up. This just isn’t the Seahawks’ year.
What’s worse is they now head into a Week 7 matchup with a well-rested New Orleans Saints team that is playing some exceptional football in 2021. It hasn’t been all great, but Jameis Winston hasn’t completely undercut the offense and the New Orleans defense is quietly looking like one of the better units in the league.
Bet $1, Win $100 if any NFL or college football team scores. Claim your offer now.
My prediction is the Saints get the best Smith, and Winston avoids making too many costly mistakes. The Seahawks get one step closer to throwing in the towel on this season.
Prediction: Saints win 26-14 | Spread: Saints (-4.5)