NFL 2017-18 Week 7

This is my 4,000 published post! Just wanted to make a small announcement regarding that, before getting into the subject at hand.

Okay, so, another week of NFL football took place, and this one featured some lopsided games, as well as a surprising number of shutouts. 

As far as my predictions are concerned, I was only wrong about one of the games on Sunday, and notwithstanding what the results will be for Monday Night Football tonight, this was easily the most successful week of predictions that I have enjoyed this season thus far.

So, let's take a bit of a closer look at the games yesterday:

L.A. Rams 33, Arizona 0 - The Rams tore up the Cardinals in this game. Not only was Arizona unable to make it a game, they failed to even score any points! Yes, they got shutout, while allowing the Rams offense to more or less catch fire. That means that the trend thus far, with the Rams being hot and the Cardinals clearly being not continues, and most likely, this puts the Cardinals in a position of being dangerously close to out of relevance in the NFC West race, being increasingly far behind the two teams that are setting the tone so far - the Seahawks and these suddenly hot and explosive Rams. The Rams appear to be for real, and this just might have been their most impressive win this season yet! My pick: Accurate

Minnesota 24, Baltimore 16 - A game that pretty much went the way most would have expected. The Vikings used their solid home field advantage and wore down the Ravens, a team that has been nothing if not inconsistent so far this season. The Vikings kept their momentum from last week, now officially claiming sole possession of first place in the NFC North, at least for the time being. For Baltimore, this was a fairly predictable defeat, but it pulls them still farther behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North, and teetering on the brink of a lost season. My pick: Accurate

Chicago 17, Carolina 3 - The Panthers are in trouble again. This was a missed opportunity to take control of the NFC South, and it revealed some weaknesses that could seriously come back to haunt them. It also exposed the fact that they are not an elite team, like they were two seasons ago, and that the issues that plagued them last year are continuing to plague them this season. As for the Bears, a solid win that must feel good for their fans, and keeps everyone excited about their bright young quarterback prospect, and the future that he may have with this team. My pick: Inaccurate

Jacksonville 27, Indianapolis 0 - This game was more or less what most people expected, although Jax shutting Indy out might have been a bit of a surprise. The Colts now officially look awful, every bit as bad - if not worse - than their lowly record of 2-5 suggests. They fall even farther behind everyone else in the AFC South, while the Jaguars continue to surprise many with their solid play. They continue to look like solid contenders, and possibly even contender to win this division outright. A great effort by them both on offense and on defense, as they continue to enjoy a very solid 2017 season thus far.  My pick: Accurate

New Orleans 26, Green Bay 17 - The Packers had to figure out if they could contend without Rodgers, but so far, the signs are just not encouraging. Their offense stagnated against Minnesota last week without him, and now this week, they dropped an important game at home against the red hot Saints, who have now won four straight, and are looking not only like a playoff contender, but like the best team in the NFC South. For a second straight week, the defense looked great for New Orleans, and the Packers just could not keep up. A huge and important win for the Saints, and a bad loss for the Packers that edges them closer to irrelevance.  My pick: Accurate

Miami 31, N.Y. Jets 28  - A game that went more or less as expected, although it was a bit higher scoring than perhaps most people would have believed. These are two of the most inept teams in the league offensively, yet they both looked good in this one, with the Dolphins getting 30 points for the first time this season. And they needed it, as they stay in place in the AFC East, which they need if they hope to have any chance to win the division title, or even, most likely, to qualify for the playoffs. The Jets continue to exceed expectations, although once again, they are facing irrelevance.  My pick: Accurate

Buffalo 30, Tampa Bay 27 - The Bills needed to win this one, and they did. It was as tough a game as expected, because the Bucs are rapidly improving. Still, Buffalo is a tough place to play, even when the weather is still relatively mild. Tamp Bay played well, and looked capable of winning, but in the end, the Bills came up with the goods to keep up with New England and Miami in the AFC East race.  My pick: Accurate

Tennessee 12, Cleveland 9 (F/OT) - My pick here was accurate, although the Titans really struggled far more than expected. The Browns defense played surprisingly tough, although the offense still could not get anything going. Still, to force overtime and come close to winning against a decent team is not a bad Sunday afternoon's work, but Cleveland remains one of two winless teams in the league with this loss. In the meantime, the Titans may or may not have overlooked a weak opponent, although they nevertheless escape with a win that keeps them on track to contend for the division title and the playoffs.  My pick: Accurate

Dallas 40, San Francisco 10 - The Dallas Cowboys had not played especially well so far this season, and were in danger of falling too far behind the Eagles to remain in contention in the NFC East, if they kept losing. They absolutely needed to win this game, which is perhaps why they left no doubt. The Cowboys completely dominated the hapless 49ers, who once again looked inept and vulnerable on both offense and defense, after several weeks in a row where they looked more competitive. A solid win for Dallas that should help to get their season back on track. My pick: Accurate

Pittsburgh 29, Cincinnati 14 - This is another game that pretty much went the way most people figured it would. The Bengals stayed in it for a while, but the Steelers always seemed to hold the advantage, and in the end, they kept their mastery over the Bengals intact. Cincy was not able to win, and now find themselves almost hopelessly behind the Steelers in the AFC North race, and will have to try and get back into contention for a wildcard spot. For Pittsburgh, this was the necessary kind of win to go where they seem to be heading, which is to the playoffs in January as division champs, with at least one playoff home game to play.  My pick: Acciurate

Denver at L.A. Chargers 21, Denver 0 - I expected the Chargers to win, but shutting and blowing out the Broncos came as a bit of a surprise. Suddenly, Denver is in trouble, having dropped their second straight game, and now being just ahead of the surging Chargers and Raiders for second place. Los Angeles, in the meantime, is playing some hot football, and are on a roll. If they can keep on winning like this, they might start to look capable of replicating the feat of the 1992 San Diego Chargers, overcoming an 0-4 start on the season to qualify for the postseason. As for the Broncos, they just need a win again before this losing streak starts to grow out of control.  My pick: Accurate

Seattle 24, N.Y. Giants 7 - This game went pretty much as everyone expected it to. No offensive fireworks from either team, mostly a defensive struggle, with the end result being a decisive win by Seattle. The Giants might have earned their first win of the season last week, but they remain winless at home. But the Seahawks are a very tough team to try and earn your first win at home against. Unfortunately, the Giants did not come close, as they drop to 1-6. Seattle, in the meantime, is in a serious race with the Rams for supremacy in the NFC West.  My pick: Accurate

Sunday Night Football - New England 23, Atlanta 7 - No huge, epic collapse this time for the Falcons. Just a more typical game where they are worn down by a better, stronger opponent right from the start. New England dictated the tempo of this game early, and the end result was never really in doubt after that. The Pats got a trademark, convincing victory at home before a nationally televised audience, while right now, there are only question marks in Atlanta, as the Falcons drop a second straight game and are now at .500 more or less at midseason. They appear to be in trouble now, while the Patriots, once again, look like the toast of the AFC East.  My pick: Accurate