🏈 NFL 2020 Week 7 Preview 🏈

 

  

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Okay, so another big week in NFL action is coming up. We have a battle of unbeatens, when the 5-0 Steelers visit the also 5-0 Titans in Tennessee. We have the only other undefeated team remaining in the NFL, the Seahawks, traveling to Arizona to take on the hot Cardinals. The 5-1 Bears go out to the West Coast to take on the Rams. The Panthers will battle the Saints in New Orleans for what could have huge ramifications for the NFC South. And two teams that have seen their paths get a bit rocky will try and get back on track when the 49ers head up to New England to face Cam Newton, Bill Belichick, and the Patriots.              

So, let’s take a look at the games coming up this week in the NFL:              

Cleveland at Cincinnati – The battle between the two Ohio teams. The Browns got absolutely smoked in Pittsburgh, and they surely want a win to erase those memories. The Bengals, meanwhile, are showing improvements, but need more consistency. It could go either way, as they are fairly evenly matched, but I suspect that the Browns offense gets back on track and helps the team pull off the win. My pick: Cleveland              

Carolina at New Orleans – Another big divisional showdown. The Panthers fell short last week and lost their hot hand. But they have a chance to upset a Saints team that has not shown themselves as solid a contender as many expected them to be at this point. But the Saints are still explosive, and managed a huge comeback victory that could salvage their season. I expect them to feed off of that momentum and earn this win. My pick: New Orleans              

Dallas at Washington – This game between a 2-4 team and a 1-5 team actually is quite important, as the Cowboys are tied for first place with the Eagles, but can either pull ahead or fall behind, hinging on the results of this game. As for Washington, a dismal year can take a decisive turn should they win, and they will pull into a second place tie with the Cowboys, and are only half a game behind the first place Eagles. Intriguing. My pick: Washington              

Buffalo at NY Jets – Okay, it would be nice to actually pick the Jets to win a game one of these Sundays. The law of averages would suggest that they will, sooner or later. The worst start that I can remember them ever having was 0-8, back in 1996. But I think that this year, they have a real chance of eclipsing that. They just are not very good, and it seems that everything is falling apart all at once. The Bills, meanwhile, are tough, and see their chance at a division title this season, something that they have not won since back in the nineties. So yeah, they have every motivation to make sure to take this game, which I suspect they will, and fairly handily. My pick: Buffalo              

Pittsburgh at Tennessee – The battle of the perfect teams. The Steelers and Titans are both hot, and this is a huge game for both. Home field advantage should definitely help the Titans, but it might not be the deciding factor. They have a tough, physical style, while the Steelers have a more explosive offense. A good contrast in styles. Still have to go with the home team. My pick: Tennessee              

Green Bay at Houston – The Packers lost their first game at Tampa last week, and were really humbled. However, they are still quite good and dangerous. The Texans are not the best team, and the defense will really have their hands full against that Packers offense, which will probably be a bit too much for Houston. My pick: Green Bay              

Detroit at Atlanta – It feels like these two teams have met before earlier this season, just a few weeks ago. But I am probably wrong. The Falcons finally got their first win in Minnesota last weekend, and now host the Lions. But Detroit is probably a better team right now, and I suspect that they manage a good, solid road win here. My pick: Detroi              

Tampa Bay at Las Vegas – Tom Brady now has another major offensive weapon with Antonio Brown, and the Bucs are looking more and more serious seemingly with each passing week. The Raiders, meanwhile, are looking tough as well, and have home field advantage. It should be a tough, close game, but I will give a narrow nod to the Bucs, who seem just a little bit hotter to this point. My pick: Tampa Bay              

San Francisco at New England – This is actually a big game with a lot of ramifications for both teams involved, even though they actually rarely play one another. The defending NFC champions are not having the kind of season they enjoyed last year, while the Patriots are looking surprisingly vulnerable, something that they are clearly not used to. Both teams have shown vulnerabilities, but my suspicion is that the home team ekes out a tight win in a close ball game here in the end. My pick: New England              

Kansas City at Denver – The Defending champions bounced back nicely last week from their only hiccup so far, when they lost at home to the Raiders. Divisional opponents can be dangerous, because of their familiarity. That said, I think the loss to the Raiders was a wake up call for the champs, and they should be ready, primed for another big divisional road win, as they blaze their path to another division title. My pick: Kansas City              

Jacksonville at LA Chargers – Not exactly two heavyweights squaring off in this one. The Jags have lost five straight after winning the opening game, but the Chargers are not much better this season. Yet, they are better, plus they are at home, which is why they will be my pick to win this one. My pick: LA Chargers              

Sunday Night Football – Seattle at Arizona – The Seahawks take their unbeaten 5-0 record to the Arizona desert. The Cardinals are red hot right now, but they also have shown considerable inconsistency this season, which is why I cannot fully trust them either way. Seattle has been much more steady to this point, but this is a tough road game, and it’s against a divisional opponent with a lot of familiarity. In the end, the Seahawks have the better team, and that is why I am picking them to come out on top at the end of this one. My pick: Seattle              

Monday Night Football – Chicago at LA Rams – This is a big game with potentially some playoff implications for both teams. The Bears are trying to win and keep up/stay ahead of the Packers, while the Rams are trying not to lose any more ground to either the Seahawks or the Cardinals, or to have the 49ers catch up to them. The Bears have been squeaking out narrow wins all season, but this will be a tough game for them. The Rams, however, were smoked recently by the 49ers, but whether that will dispirit them, or serve as a wake up call, we shall likely see this Monday. My pick: LA Rams