Bleacher Report's Expert Consensus Week 7 NFL Picks

As Week 7 arrives in the NFL, our experts just hope things get back to normal.

Week 6 was about as crazy as an NFL week could get, as upsets galore and insane endings kept things interesting right up until the last Philip Rivers interception on Monday night.

Old rivalries abound this week as the Seattle Seahawks visit the San Francisco 49ers, the Washington Redskins take on the New York Giants, the New York Jets face off with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers square off against the Cincinnati Bengals and the Detroit Lions head to Chicago to play the Bears on Monday night.

In all of those games (really, any NFL game this season), anything can truly happen.

See our picks ahead and make yours in the comments section below!

Our B/R Panel of Experts

Matt Miller: NFL Draft Senior Lead Writer (@NFLDraftScout)

Aaron Nagler: NFL Lead Writer (@Aaron_Nagler)

Erik Frenz: AFC East Divisional Lead Writer (@ErikFrenz)

Andrea Hangst: AFC North Divisional Lead Writer (@FBALL_Andrea)

Chris Hansen: AFC West Divisional Lead Writer (@ChrisHansenNFL)

Nate Dunlevy: AFC South Divisional Lead Writer (@NateDunlevy)

Brad Gagnon: NFC East Divisional Lead Writer (@Brad_Gagnon)

Andrew Garda: NFC North Divisional Lead Writer (@Andrew_Garda)

Tyson Langland: NFC West Divisional Lead Writer (@TysonNFL)

Knox Bardeen: NFC South Divisional Lead Writer (@KnoxBardeen)

Note: All betting odds are for informational purposes only and courtesy of Statfox.com. Although spreads are provided, all picks are straight-up.

Standings

Expert	Last Week	Total
Hangst	8-6	55-36
Frenz	4-10	54-37
Dunlevy	5-9	54-37
Garda	4-10	52-39
Langland	6-8	52-39
Bardeen	6-8	52-39
Nagler	6-8	51-40
Schottey	6-8	50-41
Gagnon	6-8	48-43
Miller	3-11	45-46
Hansen	5-9	43-48

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers

B/R Consensus: 49ers (10-1)

Vegas: 49ers (-7)

Schottey: 49ers

Honestly, it's difficult to pick against the Seahawks. If this game were in Seattle, I probably would've gone the other way. The 'Hawks won't find scoring as easy as the Giants made it seem. I like the Niners in a close one.

Miller: 49ers

The Seahawks are hot right now, but not when on the road. The 49ers won't lose two in a row. If anything, they'll come out firing. We saw what happened the last time they lost a game—just ask the Jets and Bills how that feels.

Nagler: 49ers

Russell Wilson may have kept some of the doubters at bay with his performance against the Patriots, but Jim Harbaugh’s 49ers are going to be a tad bit upset after their embarrassing showing against the Giants and will take it out on the rookie quarterback.

Langland: Seahawks

The 'Hawks are coming off their most impressive victory under head coach Pete Carroll, and their secondary is playing at an all-time high. San Francisco will struggle to run the ball effectively again, just as it did in Week 6. Look for Russell Wilson and the Seahawks to edge the 49ers late.

Tennessee Titans at Buffalo Bills

B/R Consensus: Bills (7-4)

Vegas: Bills (-3)

Schottey: Titans

Matt Hasselbeck has been steady for the Titans and was able to take down the banged-up Steelers. At Buffalo, things might not be easy, but he and the Titans can still pull it off.

Miller: Bills

The Bills proved in Week 6 that they can win, and sure it helped that they faced the worst offensive line in the NFL. But the Titans also have their problems in the middle of the line. The Bills' defensive tackles can get the pressure needed to stuff the run and sack the passer.

Nagler: Bills

The Bills gutted out a win in Arizona and now face a Titans team that is coming off a surprising victory of their own. Matt Hasselbeck gets his third start for the Titans, but the Bills are a better team at home and a better overall team than the Titans—period.

Dunlevy: Titans

The Titans may not be a good team, but I think they are better than the Bills.

Frenz: Bills

The Bills beat the Cardinals in spite of some bad coaching decisions, and the Tennessee Titans look like another team that they could beat under a similar set of circumstances. If the Titans' offensive line can't handle the Bills' front four, which finally found its wheels against the Cardinals, it could be a long day for Tennessee's offense.

Also Picking the Titans: Hangst, Gagnon.

Cleveland Browns at Indianapolis Colts

B/R Consensus: Colts (6-5)

Vegas: Colts (-3)

Schottey: Colts

The Browns defense will give Andrew Luck fits, but those Colts pass-rushers should absolutely harass Brandon Weeden. This isn't going to be the highest-scoring game, and the Colts should eke out a victory.

Miller: Browns

I had already picked the Colts to win this one, and then Week 6 happened. It's hard to believe that Bruce Arians can consistently lead this team to winning football. The Browns still have a great defense, and that will be enough to get a win against Indianapolis.

Nagler: Browns

Brandon Weeden got a fantastic 29th birthday present with a win over the Bengals, and it says here the Browns win two in a row after their underrated defense makes life miserable for Andrew Luck. The Colts rode a perfect storm in their win over the Packers, but the Jets game exposed some serious flaws.

Hangst: Browns

That the Browns finally won a game is just one reason why I like them over the Colts this week, even if they aren't the home team. Andrew Luck, like the Browns' Brandon Weeden, is still a rookie, and pressure still bothers him.

Plus, the Colts defense is allowing a lot of running yards. The Browns have been in winnable game after winnable game this season, and now that they have a check mark in the "W" column, it will be easier to get the better of beatable teams.

Dunlevy: Colts

The Colts have one of the worst defenses in football, but the home crowd should be into it. Luck edges Weeden.

Also Picking the Browns: Hansen, Garda. 

Washington Redskins at New York Giants

B/R Consensus: Giants (8-3)

Vegas: Giants (-6.5)

Schottey: Giants

The Redskins have a lot going for them, but the Giants are years ahead on offense and infinitely scarier on defense. Slide RGIII, slide.

Miller: Redskins

Call this a Giants letdown from their win against the San Francisco 49ers. The Redskins offense is too potent for the Giants. If anything, the pass rush of the G-Men will open up rushing lanes for Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris.

Nagler: Redskins

Tom Coughlin said he didn't know how the Redskins beat the Giants twice last year. Easy, Tom: They won the turnover battle. While I don’t necessarily see a repeat there, I do see the Redskins surprising the champs—again.

Gagnon: Redskins

Maybe this is that annual home letdown from the Giants, who would appear to have all the momentum in the world after that victory in San Francisco. But the Redskins beat New York twice last year, and they're a lot better now than they were then. Plus, they've been a sneaky good road team dating back to late last season. I like the upset.

New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

B/R Consensus: Saints (7-4)

Vegas: Saints (-3)

Schottey: Buccaneers

The Saints may have gotten their groove back against the Chargers, but the intensity of the Bucs defense (especially their pass rush) could change that in a hurry. Look for the Bucs to control the clock and eventually the outcome.

Miller: Saints

No one in their right mind should trust Josh Freeman to win a game right now. The Buccaneers beat the lowly Chiefs thanks to their defense, but they won't have a prayer in trying to stop the Saints' offensive attack.

Nagler: Saints

The Saints must have hated having a bye week after finally getting their first victory. For the Bucs, Josh Freeman looks like he will never be anything more than an inconsistent tease. This will be a shootout in which Brees makes one more play than Freeman.

Bardeen: Saints

Neither team will be able to stop the other. Tampa Bay’s run defense is great, but its pass defense is not. New Orleans doesn’t run the ball anyway, and boy, can the Saints move the ball through the air. The Saints are bad on defense all around.

This game figures to be an offensive onslaught. In that situation, I’ll take Drew Brees and the Saints over Josh Freeman and the Bucs any day.

Also Picking the Bucs: Frenz, Hangst, Langland.

Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers

B/R Consensus: Cowboys (7-4)

Vegas: Cowboys (-2)

Schottey: Panthers

The Cowboys are in disarray, which should be a perfect situation for Cam Newton to figure things out with his offense. Yes, on paper the Cowboys are the better team, but at home the Panthers should eke  out the (minor) upset.

Miller: Cowboys

A guarantee: There will be plenty of interceptions in this one. The Cowboys are banged up on defense, but they are still good enough to force Cam Newton into making mistakes. Whichever team can manage to hold onto the football most wins this one.

Nagler: Cowboys

These two teams are what makes the NFL so fascinating and so maddening at the same time. Both are loaded with game-breaking talent, but neither can seemingly put it all together with any consistency. Tony Romo and the Cowboys finally get a win.

Gagnon: Cowboys

I know these Cowboys too well. Just when I think they couldn't possibly be any dumber, they go and do something big against a team like Carolina and totally redeem themselves.

Bardeen: Cowboys

Good defenses handle the Dallas Cowboys easily—Seattle and Chicago—while not-so-good defenses don’t—the New York Giants and Tampa Bay. Carolina has issues on both sides of the ball, but its defense is riddled with question marks and recovering from multiple injuries.

Also Picking the Panthers: Frenz, Dunlevy, Langland.

Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans

B/R Consensus: Texans (Unanimous)

Vegas: Texans (-5)

Schottey: Texans

Overall, I think the Ravens will be fine moving forward without Lardarius Webb and Ray Lewis, but it may take a few weeks before that is the case. Worse yet, they're catching the Texans when they're going to be awfully ticked off after losing their first game against the Packers in Week 6.

Miller: Texans

A healthy Baltimore team would have a great shot at taking down the Texans, but the Ravens are far from healthy. What was supposed to be an AFC championship preview will instead be an expose on how important Lardarius Webb was to the Ravens.

Nagler: Texans

The Texans were caught thinking they could come out throwing against the Packers. Bad move. This week they get back to pounding the football against a reeling Ravens defense. That will help keep the ball away from Joe Flacco, Ray Rice and the Ravens offense, which is Baltimore’s only hope the rest of the way.

Hangst: Texans

The Houston Texans were blown out at home on national television Sunday night, and the Baltimore Ravens defense is in tatters, meaning they'll need to rely even more heavily on quarterback Joe Flacco and the rest of their offense.

This isn't going to work— at least not this week against the AFC's best and angriest team. It's also going to take more than one week for the Ravens to reform their identity.

Dunlevy: Texans

The Texans wake up in a big way and take control of the top spot in the AFC.

Green Bay Packers at St. Louis Rams

B/R Consensus: Packers (Unanimous)

Vegas: Packers (-4.5)

Schottey: Packers

The Packers seem to have worked out a lot of their chemistry issues against the Houston Texans. As good as the Rams' pass rush can be, Aaron Rodgers should be able to overcome it.

Miller: Packers

No one is stopping Aaron Rodgers right now. The Packers quarterback is on fire, and even the aggressive Rams defense will be unable to slow down Rodgers and company enough to win.

Nagler: Packers

The Rams are tough on defense and tough at home, where they are 3-0. But Mike McCarthy and company finally hit their stride in Houston and are getting Greg Jennings back. Look for James Jones to have a big game.

Garda: Packers

The Rams could attack the sometimes-suspect Dom Capers scheme if they had a better group of receivers. It's going to be hard to trick this secondary with the likes of Brandon Gibson, Austin Pettis and Chris Givens as your ''vertical threats.'' As solid a group as the Rams defenders are, Rodgers rediscovered his mojo in the win over the Texans and started playing smart football again.

The Rams could make a game of it, but the Packers will prevail.

Langland: Packers

The Rams are undefeated at home, but that's about to change. Unfortunately for St. Louis, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense have hit their midseason stride. Jeff Fisher's club won't have enough firepower to keep pace, so expect a Packers victory in blowout fashion.

Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings

B/R Consensus: Vikings (Unanimous)

Vegas: Vikings (-5.5)

Schottey: Vikings

No matter who lines up under center for the Cardinals, the Vikings' pass rush is going to make life very difficult for them. The Cardinals defense could keep it close, but the Vikings are in a whole other league.

Miller: Vikings

Let's say it altogether: The Cardinals are not for real. I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. The Vikings won't have an easy day against the Arizona defense, but the Minnesota defense should tee off on the Cardinals offensive line.

Nagler: Vikings

John Skelton, Kevin Kolb…does it matter? Neither quarterback is any good, and the Vikings have a tough, sound defense that will be feeding off the noise in the Metrodome. Adrian Peterson will open things up for Christian Ponder against a a tough Cardinals secondary.

Langland: Vikings

After two consecutive losses, Arizona has started to slide down that slippery slope, and things don't get any easier this week. With the Cardinals defense playing so well, their lack of offensive production holds this team back.

If John Skelton ends up starting at quarterback, Minnesota shouldn't have any problems handing the Cards their third straight loss.

Garda: Vikings

This smells like a trap game for the Vikings, but one assumes they will pour all frustration from getting decimated by Robert Griffin III last Sunday onto the Cardinals. Arizona's front line is awful. It has no running game and one wide receiver. Oh, and no quarterback.

The Vikings will get back to blitzing and flatten Kevin Kolb, John Skelton or a replacement quarterback to be named. If the Vikings learned one thing this past weekend, it should be ''run Adrian Peterson.'' If they do that, this game should end up as a solid win.

New York Jets at New England Patriots

B/R Consensus: Patriots (Unanimous)

Vegas: Patriots (-10.5)

Schottey: Patriots

Kudos to the Jets for pulling out of their tailspin last week, but the Patriots offense is a whole new ballgame, one that the Jets' battered defense doesn't have a chance against.

Miller: Patriots

There is something not quite right with the Patriots this year, but you can bet they'll be ready for a rivalry game with the New York Jets. Brady and Belichick will get their act together for a strong punch in the mouth to Rex Ryan's Jets.

Nagler: Patriots

Rex Ryan wants Bill Belichick to know that Ryan thinks the Jets are going to win. That’s adorable. I want Ryan to know that I think the Jets are going to lose by three touchdowns.

Frenz: Patriots

A 10.5-point spread is significant. But luckily for me, we're not picking against the spread. The Patriots always seem to get up for divisional games, especially at home. And though the Jets have played tough the past two weeks, they are still a team with far too many weaknesses, especially against the run. If the Patriots can stay balanced, they should hold serve at home.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Oakland Raiders

B/R Consensus: Raiders (10-1)

Vegas: Raiders (-4)

Schottey: Raiders

Neither of these teams has a lot of redeeming qualities. Oakland is in Year 1 of what should be a long rebuild. The Jaguars will be forced to rebuild soon. Going across the country, the Jags don't stand a chance.

Miller: Jaguars

Do we have to pick the games if no one will watch them? This will be dreadful, but I'm going out on a limb and taking Jacksonville. Maybe Blaine Gabbert gets lucky here; maybe Justin Blackmon actually shows up. I'm taking Jacksonville purely on a hunch.

Nagler: Raiders

The Raiders were minutes away from pulling off a major upset in Atlanta until Carson Palmer threw a horrible interception. This week, Palmer won’t be asked to lead a last-minute drive to win, mostly because the Raiders will have the game well in hand by the fourth quarter.

Dunlevy: Raiders

Cross-country trip + Blaine Gabbert = Loss for Jacksonville.

Hansen: Raiders

The Raiders made some adjustments over the bye week and gave the Atlanta Falcons all they could handle on the road. It would be typical of the Raiders to fall on their face at home to the lowly Jaguars, but Dennis Allen will not let that happen.

It's taken time for the Raiders to adjust to their new schemes on offense and defense, but they look poised for a big day against one of the NFL's worst teams.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals

B/R Consensus: Bengals (8-3)

Vegas: Steelers (-2.5)

Schottey: Bengals

Ike Taylor has been terrible this season, and the Steelers haven't been able to generate much of a pass rush. Andy Dalton and A.J. Green should have a field day.

Miller: Bengals

The old and slow defense of the Steelers will have no chance to stop Andy Dalton and A.J. Green this week. None. The Bengals can't run the ball, but they won't need a 100-yard outing in order to take down the Steelers on Sunday night.

Nagler: Bengals

The Bengals have the best young receiver in the game in A.J. Green and a promising young quarterback in Andy Dalton. The Steelers have Big Ben and a sieve for an offensive line. Geno Atkins and company keep Roethlisberger in check, and Dalton and company take advantage of a past-its-prime Steelers defense.

Hangst: Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers were surprisingly overtaken by the Tennessee Titans last week, but that doesn't automatically mean they'll drop to the suddenly slumping Cincinnati Bengals. Historically, the Steelers have had a much better time defeating Cincinnati on their home turf rather than in Pittsburgh, and the Steelers certainly need a road win.

Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton is turning the ball over at least once per game, and if the Steelers can get their passing game going, Cincinnati shouldn't be able to catch up to their points.

Also Picking the Steelers: Langland, Bardeen.

Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears

B/R Consensus: Bears (10-1)

Vegas: Bears (-4.5)

Schottey: Lions

Picked against the field and took the Lions last week. Looking for a similar result here. The Lions defensive line is starting to play ticked off, and that bodes well against the Bears offensive line.

Miller: Bears

The Bears match up incredibly well against the Lions, especially considering Detroit has sorely underperformed this season. With Tim Jennings and Charles Tillman capable of covering (or at least slowing down) Calvin Johnson, Matthew Stafford will be forced into mistakes. That's a recipe for a Chicago win.

Nagler: Bears

The Lions escaped with a win against the Eagles, but this team has some major issues, not the least of which is an offense that isn’t nearly as explosive as the unit that burned up scoreboards in 2011. The Bears are rested and ready after their bye week. Expect a big night from Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall.

Garda: Bears

The Lions could prove me wrong with a great game by what has been an nonexistent front seven, but ultimately the Bears defense is going to be far too aggressive and effective for Matt Stafford to overcome—especially with the snail's pace of the Lions offense early in games.

It might be closer in Detroit, but being in Chicago makes this more of a lock. Sorry, Lions fans.

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Michael Schottey is the NFL national lead writer for Bleacher Report and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America. Find more of his stuff at "The Go Route."