NFL Predictions, Picks, Quick Previews For Every Game for Week 7 of the 2022 season highlighted by Kansas City at San Francisco, Atlanta at Cincinnati
Results So Far
SU: 44-27-1, ATS: 35-34-3, Point Total: 43-28-1
– Week 7 NFL Expert Picks
New Orleans Saints at Arizona Cardinals
Thursday, October 20
1:00 FOX – New Orleans QB Andy Dalton is awful in primetime games, Arizona is awful at home. The Cardinal offense will get a spark with the return of WR DeAndre Hopkins, but there won’t be any running game to balance things out.
That’s okay, Kyler Murray will go off, the Saint defense and the defensive will buckle late, but it’s Thursday Night Football – it’s not going to be as pretty as the finish.
Prediction: Arizona 23, New Orleans 20
Line: Arizona -2.5, o/u: 43.5
Atlanta Falcons at Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday, October 23
1:00 FOX – The Falcons were able to take advantage of a depleted San Francisco defense last weekend, but the running game won’t be enough to set the tone. It’ll grind a bit, and it’ll rumble for over 150 yards, but …
Joe Burrow and company will go off on the horrible Atlanta pass defense. It’s been an inconsistent run for the Bengal O, but Burrow will hit 300 yards for just the second time all year. Atlanta will keep it close, but it won’t get the big scoring drive it needs in the final six minutes.
Prediction: Cincinnati 27, Atlanta 23
Line: Cincinnati -6.5, o/u: 47.5
Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys
1:00 FOX – The main man is back. Dak Prescott makes his big return, but don’t assume the Cowboy offense will all of a sudden go off. The running game is effective enough to keep everything balanced against the worst run defense in the NFL.
The 1-2 punch of Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard will grind away, Dak will hit a few deep throws, and it’ll all work as a rejuvenated Cowboy team holds up as Detroit keeps firing away to keep up.
Prediction: Dallas 27, Detroit 17
Line: Dallas -7, o/u: 49
Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans
1:00 FOX – All things considered, Tennessee is about as healthy as a team can be – the bye week helped.
Indianapolis is getting it done with smoke and mirrors – beating a dead Denver team in OT and getting a late touchdown pass to get by Jacksonville – but they lost the first time around to Tennessee 24-17 after not being able to run.
The Titans will look and play fresh, Derrick Henry will get rolling early, and the defense that’s been so good against the run will dominate from the start.
Prediction: Tennessee 23, Indianapolis 17
Line: Tennessee -2.5, o/u: 42
Green Bay Packers at Washington Commanders
1:00 FOX – This isn’t your older brother’s Green Bay team. The passing game isn’t clicking, there’s nothing downfield, and the running game hasn’t been able to take over lately. Washington should be the cure for that.
Taylor Heinicke gets to try jumpstarting an offense that can’t score, and isn’t getting a lick of help from a defense that’s come up with a league-low three turnovers.
Green Bay doesn’t do anything easy now, but it’ll show a sign of life with the ground game taking over after a really, really bad last five quarters.
Prediction: Green Bay 23, Washington 17
Line: Green Bay -5, o/u: 41
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
1:00 FOX – This is going greeaaaaaat.
Tom Brady is yelling at teammates – like EVERY OTHER GREAT STARTING QUARTERBACK DOES, by the way – the Tampa Bay offense is painfully inconsistent, and there isn’t enough from the NFL’s worst running game to make up for it.
As bad as things are with the Bucs, things are worse with a Panther organization that appears to be on the Suck for (CJ) Stroud track. The D is bad, the O is awful, and now it’s all about to deal with a fired up and galvanized Tampa Bay team coming into town.
Brady will have a good day and all the drama will be put in the rearview mirror.
Prediction: Tampa Bay 26, Carolina 13
Line: Tampa Bay -11, o/u: 40
New York Giants at Jacksonville Jaguars
1:00 FOX – How are the Giants getting it done? They’re dong just about everything right. They don’t have a big turnover problem, the defense is fantastic on third downs, and the offense scores when it gets its chances.
No one is playing with more energy or confidence.
Jacksonville has managed to play up or down to the competition just enough to lose a slew of close games. The ground game has been fine, but the defense is struggling with the lack of takeaways becoming the bigger problem.
The Giants will find a way to lose another close one, Jacksonville will find a way to lose another close one.
Prediction: New York Giants 23, Jacksonville 20
Line: Jacksonville -3, o/u: 42.5
Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens
1:00 FOX – Both teams have big annoying injury issues. The Browns have problems on the lines, the Ravens are dinged up at the skill spots, and both are coming off tough losses.
Cleveland has the biggest problem trying to hold up against the run, and it’s going against the wrong team and the wrong time. Even with all of the bumps and bruises, Baltimore will bang away for 200 yards on the ground and won’t have the turnover problems of the last few weeks.
Prediction: Baltimore 27, Cleveland 20
Line: Baltimore -6.5, o/u: 45.5
New York Jets at Denver Broncos
4:05 CBS – For all of the doom and gloom around the Broncos, they dropped two overtime games in a row. They were this close – including the brutal 17-16 loss to Seattle – from being 5-1 with all being right with the world.
But Russell Wilson is injured and apparently can’t unlock off his primary receiver now, the offense is the worst in the NFL, and in comes a hot Jet team that’s cranking up the ground attack. However, the struggling New York passing game won’t work in yet another low scoring Bronco game – especially if Wilson is unable to go.
The Jets can play a little D, too.
Prediction: New York Jets 17, Denver 16
Line: Denver -0.5, o/u: 38
Houston Texans at Las Vegas Raiders
4:05 CBS – Both teams were able to get right after a week off, and it should show. The Raiders are coming off an emotional loss to the Chiefs, the Texans are coming off their first win of the season. Now it’s time to bash.
The Raider passing attack is way overdue to go off – and it’ll have its moments against the leaky Houston secondary – but this will mostly be about the two ground attacks.
The Texans can’t stop the run, but they’ll make up for it with a nice day from Davis Mills to keep this close. One big Davante Adams touchdown catch, though, will open this up for the home side.
Prediction: Las Vegas 26, Houston 20
Line: Las Vegas -7, o/u: 45.5
Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Chargers
4:25 FOX – All of a sudden the Seattle defense showed up in a shockingly low-scoring 19-9 win over Arizona.
The defense is taking it away – multiple turnovers forced in five of the last six games – and the running game is rolling with Kenneth Walker looking like a new star with Rashaad Penny out. The team is scraping, but a third road game in four weeks will be a problem.
The Chargers are throwing it more than anyone in the NFL, they’ve been able to crank up the ground game enough to balance things out. It’ll all work at home against a Seattle D that will go back to previous form.
Los Angeles will be in control, but head coach Brandon Staley will do something weird to screw it up late to make this more interesting than it should be.
Prediction: Los Angeles Chargers 30, Seattle 24
Line: Los Angeles Chargers -6.5, o/u: 52.5
Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers
4:25 FOX – Seriously, does the 49er defense have anyone left?
The amazing D is getting a bit healthier, but was destroyed up front by injuries – it showed in a rough 28-14 loss to Atlanta.
The 168 Falcon rushing yards were bad, the three 49er turnovers were worse, and now the team needs to try surviving before going into a desperately needed off week.
San Francisco will play better at home, and Jimmy Garoppolo will throw for close to 300 yards, but the defensive front won’t generate enough pressure on Patrick Mahomes.
Kansas City is 4-0 when running for 90 yards or more and 0-2 when it doesn’t. San Francisco is 3-0 when allowing fewer than 90 rushing yards and 0-3 when it doesn’t.
Kansas City will run for more than 90 yards.
Prediction: Kansas 23, San Francisco 20
Line: Kansas City -2.5, o/u: 48.5
Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins
8:20 NBC – This is going to be weird.
Is anyone going to be able to watch Tua Tagovailoa get hit without freaking out a little bit? He’s back, but the Pittsburgh quarterback situation is questionable with Kenny Pickett likely to give it a go after suffering a concussion.
The quarterback carousel and a slew of injuries have hammered the Dolphins, but now the passing game should crank it up against a Steeler pass defense that’s giving yards in bunches – everyone has hit for at least 200 yards against this bunch.
The Steelers might be coming off a shocking win over Tampa Bay, but the ground game won’t work well enough on the road to overcome an energized Dolphin offensive show.
Prediction: Miami 24, Pittsburgh 20
Line: Miami -7.5, o/u: 44.5
Chicago Bears at New England Patriots
Monday, October 24
8:15 ESPN – Oh, yay, the Bears offense. Super fun.
Chicago isn’t dead last in the NFL in total offense anymore after running all over the Commanders in a scintillating 12-7 loss, but now its going against a Patriot defense that’s been a wall over the last two weeks. It’s also among the best in the NFL at taking the ball away – just assume two Bear turnovers getting off the bus.
Mac Jones is supposed to be back for the New England offense, but that won’t matter too much. Like all Bear games, the offense will look brutal, the defense will get run over, and somehow it’ll come down to the final possession.
Prediction: New England 20, Chicago 16
Line: New England -8.5, o/u: 39.5
NFL Teams on Bye
Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles
