NFL Week 7 Picks

NFL Week 7 Picks
M.D. Wright
10.17.08

The season is breezing by, which is a good thing, because that means the fall 2008 semester is doing the same. May 15, 2009 can't get here soon enough.

I digress.

We are learning more and more about these teams as we approach the halfway point in the season. That does not save me from a streak of awful calls the past few weeks. Let's hope I get back on track this week with my picks.

Week 7

San Diego (Super) Chargers vs. Buffalo Bills
Ralph Wilson Stadium
Orchard Park, New York

The Chargers are coming off a strong performance where they finally showed signs of what everyone expected from them this season. I am still concerned about Tomlinson's health. If that toe does not heal, they cannot beat the absolute best teams in the AFC nor NFC. I really mean it.

The Bills are solid, with a decent running game from RB Marshawn Lynch and their passing game should not miss a beat with the transition from Edwards to Losman and back to Edwards. Buffalo's defense looks a bit porous of late, and I'm not certain the bye will fix that. The Chargers look very strong offensively, and when they're playing like this, no one can beat them.

Call:
San Diego 31
Buffalo 21
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Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
Soldier Field
Chicago, Illinois

Minnesota fans are turning into Eagles fans. Unappreciative of a guy who was learning (Jackson) and overvaluing a has-been's mediocre play (Frerotte) while deceiving themselves that they are a legitimate contender solely because they have Adrian Peterson and a little above-average defense. Yeah, right.

The Bears let one slip away from them last week, and I really believe they will rebound and manhandle the Vikes with their defense.

Minnesota 13
Chicago 24
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Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Paul Brown Stadium
Cincinnati, Ohio

The Steelers are coming off a bye and fighting mad due to a bevy of ridiculous fines from the league raning from CLEAN football plays (Hines Ward), criticisms of the referees (James Harrison accusing the refs of "cheating" which I have been known to do a few thousand times myself in 25 years of watching the NFL) and now Troy Polamalu is going to get one for stating the league's policy of fining guys for benign offenses is making the NFL into a "pansy" league. Way to use a word that had been dormant for years. It has been in my vernacular for years, but I'm really going to start back using it now that I heard Polamalu's comments.

The Bengals are not as bad as their 0-6 record indicates, but with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick in for injured QB Carson Palmer, they don't stand a chance against the Steeler defense. PERIOD.

Call:
Pittsburgh 30
Cincinnati 17
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Tennessee Titans vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Arrowhead Stadium
Kansas City, Missouri

The Titans are coming off a bye themselves and boast the league's best overall defense. They are stingy. The Chiefs are looking awful, but feeling good because they won a game -- finally. This is going to be ugly. Another shutout?

Call:
Tennessee 20
Kansas City 0
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Dallas Cowboys vs. St. Louis Rams
Edward Jones Dome
St. Louis, Missouri

The Cowboys catch somewhat of a break by playing the second worst team in the NFL. They better figure out what they are going to do to shore up their shaky defense and their offense situation after QB Tony Romo injured his thumb vs. Arizona last week and WR Roy E. Williams being acquired mid-week. They should win this game, but their next two could, and very well SHOULD BE losses. They should have a sense of urgency in this one.

The Rams aren't any good. They only "beat" the Redskins due to fluky turnovers and field position afforded to them due to those turnovers. But hey, you can't take anything from them. They took advantage. Bad teams usually do not. they still have the worst defense in the NFL.

Call:
Dallas 31
St. Louis 7
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Baltimore Ravens vs. Miami Dolphins
Dolphin Stadium
Miami, Florida

The Ravens are coming off three straight tough-to-swallow losses. They saw their offense come to life a bit when RB Ray Rice got a few touches and now that QB Troy Smith is healthy, they should place him in the starting lineup, because Joe Flacco, while a good player thus far as a rookie, does not know the system as well as Smith. The defense is as stout as ever and will not be fooled by that "Wildcat" offense (notice how only bad teams resort to using this set-up). The Ravens got backhanded by Peyton Manning last week, but they should rebound well in this one.

The Dolphins should feature more of the aforementioned "Wildcat". How effective will it be? That remains to be seen. Without the gimmicks, they don't stand much of a chance, unless the Ravens continue to be inept at moving the ball in the red zone.

Call:
Baltimore 14
Miami 9
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San Francisco 49ers vs. New York Football Giants
Giants Stadium at The New Jersey Meadowlands
East Rutherford, New Jersey

The Giants laid an egg on Monday. The whole nation saw it (of course this would be when they do it, so people who hate or are oblivious to the Giants will have more fuel to do so when they argue with Jints fans), but I'm glad they lost now rather than in January or that game in February like another CERTAIN team did. The 49ers don't stand a chance after this week of practice out in Fairfield.

Call:
San Francisco 10
NY Giants 41
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New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers
Bank of America Stadium
Charlotte, North Carolina

The Saints are the new Greatest Show on Turf. But unlike those Rams teams of 1999-2002, they don't have the defense to match. The Panthers are bubbling under the radar and playing very well at home thus far. They are just as complete of a team as the Giants and Redskins are. And it will show.

Call:
New Orleans 26
Carolina 37
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Detroit Lions vs. Houston Texans
Reliant Stadium
Houston, Texas

The Lions are the worst team in the NFL and playing on the road.

Call:
Detroit 6
Houston 34
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New York Titans-Jets vs. Oakland-Los Angeles-Oakland Raiders
McAfee Coliseum
Oakland, California

The Jets are coming off solid wins and appear to be in good shape to beat the Raiders who look anemic offensively -- with the Raiders having to scale back their offense so that QB JaMarcus Russell can grasp on. That would be enough of a statement, but the Jets aren't guaranteed to win here. They always have a tough time playing Oakland in Oakland. It will be close.

Call:
NY Jets 20
Oakland 17
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Indianapolis Colts vs. Green Bay Packers
Lambeau Field
Green Bay, Wisconsin

Lambeau used to be a very intimidating place to play beginning this time of the year. It is not anymore. Brett Favre (and his overrated-ness) are not there anymore. The Colts looked great in dismantling the Ravens last week. I expect more of the same, as Manning is healthy and the Packers aren't 100% in their secondary.

The Pack better get their running game figured out VERY SOON if they expect to make the playoffs.

Call:
Indianapolis 35
Green Bay 24
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Cleveland Browns vs. Washington Redskins
FedEx Field
Landover, Maryland

Both teams are coming off fluky games which should be looked at as aberrations to the norm and not a trend. The Browns "beat" a team that had overlooked them and come out flat, and the Redskins thoroughly dominated the Rams in every facet, but gave the game away in fluky turnovers. I expect the Redskins to restore order. Besides, the Redskins run the ball just as well as the Giants and one of the things the Browns DID NOT do Monday (nor do well at all) is stop the run.

Call:
Cleveland 14
Washington 24
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Seattle Seahawks vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Raymond James Stadium
Tampa, Florida
*** SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL -- But Without John Madden ***

This could be viewed as two ways for the Bucs. 1) A potential "Trap Game" or 2) a should-be beatdown of a very bad(ly injured) team. With QB Jeff Garcia, there is no quit, so I am leaning toward the latter.

Call:
Seattle 9
Tampa Bay 21
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Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium
Foxborough, Massachusetts
*** MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ***

The Broncos have yet to tie together two games where they dominate defensively. They manhandled the Buccaneers one week, then laid an egg the next. The Patriots are walking wounded. History says never count them out, but reality (which is what I live in) says that Matt Cassel is not very good and the Pats' defense is leaky. Recipe for disaster with Jay Cutler & Co. coming to town. Could be back to back blowouts for the Cheatriots.

Call:
Denver 41
New England 20
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