Week 7 of the NFL kicked off on Thursday night with a relatively uneventful 17-14 win for the Cleveland Browns over the Denver Broncos. Both teams were ravaged by injuries. Cleveland was without its top two running backs, Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Luckily for them, D’Ernest Johnson had a breakout performance, rushing for 146 yards and a touchdown.
Fortunately, if you followed along with the play from this game (Broncos +3.5 and under 42 points), you made some extra coin and are ready to go for a full slate of action on Sunday afternoon. Let’s take a dive into a few key matchups for Week 7 betting in the NFL. As always, our betting lines are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
NFL Week 7 Betting Plays and Predictions
New York Jets (1-4) at New England Patriots (2-4) -7, O/U 42.5, 1 pm ET
The New England Patriots (ML-350) come into this matchup with a record of 2-4. While things haven’t been easy since Tom Brady took his talents to Tampa Bay last season, New England certainly has played better than their record shows. Besides a Week 3 loss to the New Orleans Saints, Mac Jones and company are a fumble, late field goal, and overtime loss away from being 5-1. As a rookie, Jones has shown flashes of what the future will be like in New England.
On the other hand, the New York Jets (ML+270) have been nothing short of a dumpster fire. Despite their Week 4 upset win over the Tennessee Titans, a Titans team mind you that was missing its top two wide receivers, the Jets have been borderline unwatchable. Unlike his rookie counterpart, Zach Wilson has been unable to show any sort of consistency. When these two teams met in Week 2, coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots forced Wilson into throwing four interceptions. Even after a bye week. going up to New England will be no easy task for Wilson and the Jets.
Key Metrics (per DraftKings Sportsbook):
- Eight of New England’s last 10 games at home have gone under the points total
- The Patriots have won 11 straight games against the Jets
- The Jets have failed to cover the spread in five of their last six games
How to Play this
This game should play out very similar to the Week 2 matchup. Patriots are home, angry, and coming off a tough overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys. No matter who is on the field, Belichick and company always seem to rebound off standout losses. Look for New England to pressure Wilson all afternoon, forcing him to make quick, ill-timed decisions once again.
Final Score: Patriots 24 – Jets 10
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Take the Patriots -7, under 42.5
Washington Football Team (2-4) at Green Bay Packers (5-1) -8, O/U 47.5, 1 pm ET.
After an unexpected and embarrassing Week 1 loss to the Saints, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers (ML -425) have certainly righted the ship. Green Bay has won five in a row and are clicking on all cylinders. Besides the undefeated Arizona Cardinals, the Packers may just be the hottest team in the NFC, although fans of the Dallas Cowboys would probably disagree. The Packers offense is scoring, and the defense is making the plays at the right time. After cruising past the Chicago Bears on the road last week, being home against the Washington Football Team is a wonderful place to be in Week 7.
The Washington Football Team (ML +320) has so many off-the-field issues, that the product on the field hasn’t got much attention. But the team is not playing well at all. The defense which was supposed to be its strength has allowed 186 points, good for worst in the NFL. Ryan Fitzpatrick was hurt in Week 1, and despite flashes, the play of Taylor Heinicke has been average. Running back Antonio Gibson has fumbled three times and has been unable to take that next step forward.
Key Metrics (per DraftKings Sportsbook):
- The Packers have won 16 of their last 18 games at Lambeau Field
- The Packers have covered the spread in each of their last five games
- Four of Washington Football Team’s last five games have gone over the points total
How to Play This
This is a very tough spot for Washington. Green Bay is really rolling right now and Rodgers has so many weapons at his disposal. It is very hard to draw up a scenario where the league’s worst defense is able to keep the likes of Aaron Jones, Davante Adams, and Allen Lazard in check. If you fancy Washington, the only hope here is for a two-score lead for the Packers late, and a back-door cover on a garbage-time touchdown for The Football Team.
Final Score: Packers 34 – Washington Football Team 20
Take the Packers -8, over 47.5
Detroit Lions (0-6) at Los Angeles Rams (5-1) -16, O/U 50.5, 4:05pm ET.
Last week the Los Angeles Rams (ML -1125) traveled across the country to MetLife Stadium to face the New York Giants in what turned out to be an absolute laugher. The Giants were never in the game and Matthew Stafford and the Rams flexed their muscles from start to finish. The Rams are really good. They are a different team with Stafford at quarterback, Cooper Kupp is possibly the most reliable wide receiver in the game, and the offense can do things other teams just cannot. Also, do not forget about the defense led by Aaron Donald, who along with T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the best defensive player in the game.
The Detroit Lions (ML +700) are winless. They have found a myriad of ways to lose games, including fumbles and record-setting field goals. This week Jared Goff returns to L.A. to face the team that drafted him and subsequently gave up on him. Fans and bettors like matchups similar to this, calling them “revenge games.” Some may believe that Goff will have the Lions in a position to upset the Rams and get a little payback for being traded away in the off-season. But there is really no way that will happen.
Key Metrics (per DraftKings Sportsbook):
- The Lions have lost 10 straight games
- Each of the Lions last four games have gone under the points total
- The Rams have covered the spread in five of their last six games as favorites against NFC opponents
How to Play This
Do not overthink this one. On paper, 16 points is a lot for any NFL matchup. But keep in mind this is not the largest spread of the weekend. That honor belongs to the Arizona Cardinals who are playing the Houston Texans this week. But the spread is big because the Rams are just a much better football team than the Lions. Detroit plays hard, but the results are just not there. Traveling across the country to face a legitimate Super Bowl contender is a tall task for any team. This game will not be close. The only question is, can Detroit score at least 14 points to put the over in play.
Final Score: Rams 38 – Lions 16
Take the Rams -16, over 50.5
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