Week 7 NFL Picks: Predictions for Sunday's Games, Odds Guide and Over/Under Tips

With any luck, bettors got off to a hot start in Week 7.

It wasn't too difficult, really, with the Green Bay Packers hosting the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football and favored at times by as many as eight points. Questions about the offense and injuries to running backs aside, Green Bay cruised, 26-10.

The trick now is to keep the ball rolling into a slate littered with potholes. Bettors who can swerve around the biggest ones will find exploitable matchups with good lines still not moving much.

Here's a look at the rest of the Week 7 slate and outright predictions for outcomes, over/under lines and more.

NFL Week 7 Odds

Matchup	Spread	O/U	Predicted Winner
N.Y. Giants at L.A. Rams	NYG -3	44	NYG 23-20
Washington at Detroit	DET -1	48.5	WAS 27-23
Minnesota at Philadelphia	MIN -3	40	MIN 23-14
Cleveland at Cincinnati	CIN -10.5	46	CIN 30-20
Indianapolis at Tennessee	TEN -3	48	TEN 24-20
Baltimore at N.Y. Jets	NYJ -2	42.5	BAL 27-20
Oakland at Jacksonville	E	49	OAK 28-24
New Orleans at Kansas City	KC -6	50.5	KC 30-21
Buffalo at Miami	BUF -3	44.5	MIA 27-24
San Diego at Atlanta	ATL -6	53	ATL 28-23
Tampa Bay at San Francisco	TB -1	47.5	SF 23-20
New England at Pittsburgh	NE -8	46	NE 34-24
Seattle at Arizona	ARI -1.5	43.5	SEA 24-20
Houston at Denver (MNF)	DEN -9	41.5	DEN 24-17

Odds courtesy of Odds Shark.

Baltimore at N.Y. Jets (-2)

The line between the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets has actually moved over the course of the week, going from a mere tossup to favoring the home team by two points.

Time for bettors to strike.

Bettors being down on the Ravens wouldn't make a ton of sense. Yes, the team just dropped a 27-23 decision to the New York Giants while allowing Odell Beckham Jr. to run wild with 222 receiving yards and a pair of scores.

But compare that to the Jets—a team that has lost in 24-3, 27-17, 31-13 and 28-3 fashion since Week 3. The team is struggling so much the coaching staff has decided to bench Ryan Fitzpatrick despite re-signing him this offseason in favor of Geno Smith.

What more needs to be said? Baltimore announced quarterback Joe Flacco returned to practice Friday, making the questionable tag a formality. This means he gets to exploit a Jets defense that's coughed up an average of 290 passing yards and 27.3 points per game. Opposing quarterbacks have hit up the Jets for 13 touchdowns to two interceptions so far.

Maybe a few years ago, bettors would have avoided this line like the plague because of a defensive-minded affair capable of going either way. In 2016? The one-win Jets look like the worst team in the league, have a new quarterback controversy and can't even do the one thing they have prided themselves on for years in even average fashion.

Prediction: Ravens 27-20

New Orleans at Kansas City (-6)

Unlike the Jets, a team changing compared to its prior reputation, the New Orleans Saints haven't budged a bit—the defense remains a major issue.

It is understandable if bettors look for an upset in this particular matchup. The Kansas City Chiefs haven't inspired the most confidence this year, and the idea of a Drew Brees-led offense marching into Kansas City and getting a win isn't so unfathomable.

The New Orleans defense pokes too many holes in the idea.

The Saints don't just allow 301.6 passing yards per game. No, the unit also allows 117.8 rushing yards per game. Oh, and an average of 33.6 points. As if these averages weren't bad enough for those who side with the Saints, the struggling defense will miss several key names on the road, according to BJ Kissel of the Chiefs' official website:

At home, the Chiefs could have one of their top offensive performances of the year. Alex Smith continues to look efficient under center, completing 67.4 percent of his passes.

More importantly, the ground game has fired on all cylinders as of late. In a 26-10 dismissal of the Oakland Raiders during Week 6, Spencer Ware rushed 24 times for 131 yards and a score while Jamaal Charles took a heavier workload and hit on 33 yards and a score on nine totes.

A budding ground game with many names capable of producing big numbers will carry the Chiefs all day against a defense that shows up and...well that's about it. This line might only grow, so bettors need to hurry if they like the six.

Prediction: Chiefs 30-21

New England (-8) at Pittsburgh

The question about a showdown between the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers centers on if the visitors can secure a win by more than a touchdown while the hosts miss starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. 

Bettors might as well vote with their wallets or purses in the affirmative.

Even if Big Ben suited up, it would be almost tough to vote with the Steelers in Week 7, in large part thanks to an odd 30-15 hiccup against the Miami Dolphins the week prior. Those faithful to the organization can beat their chest about the Steelers sitting undefeated at home this year all they want—that makes two odd, unpredictable blowout losses on the year now, the other a 34-3 shellacking at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3.

Winslow Townson/Associated Press

Pittsburgh's entire game plan for the weekend centers on helping backup quarterback Landry Jones build confidence, as running back Le'Veon Bell explained, according to ESPN.com.

"He's obviously a good quarterback. I think he has a lot of good things that he can bring to the table. We've just got to, as a whole entire offense, help him out and get him comfortable and get him confident in himself, and that's when he really will start striking," Bell said.

Were this any other opponent that might work. But Jones is a guy who has attempted 56 career passes going against a New England defense that only allows an average of 15.2 points per game.

There's also the whole Tom Brady thing on the other side of the ball. He's back in a big way, with his 782 yards and six touchdowns coming in 33-13 and 35-17 wins.

Odds seem strong these two will meet again at a later date this year. But right now, with one missing a starting quarterback and the other on a revenge tour while showing no signs of slowing, there is only one way for bettors to lean.

Prediction: Patriots 34-24

Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus. 

Follow Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) on Twitter.