The Complete Bettor's Guide to NFL Week 7

Ratings tell us that professional football is one of the most watched sports in America. It’s because the NFL is so entertaining.

However, the opportunity to win some money is also a factor in the game’s popularity. Each week, people wager money on different outcomes of football games.

The rest of this article lays out several things to keep in mind as you consider placing a bet.

All odds provided by www.bovada.lv and www.sportsbook.ag.

Safest Bets of the Week

Green Bay Packers (-5.5) at St. Louis Rams

The St. Louis Rams just don't have the offensive firepower to keep up with the Green Bay Packers. Aaron Rodgers and Co. shouldn't have a hard time topping the 25-point mark, a total the Rams only reached twice this season.

St. Louis actually has a good secondary, but the Rams offense will put the team in poor situations all game.

Cleveland Browns (-2.5) at Indianapolis Colts

Despite a poor record, the Cleveland Browns have found a way to remain competitive in each of their games. Because of all the young talent, this team gets better each and every week.

Quarterback Brandon Weeden continues to grow and show promise. It's because of Weeden's development and the poor Indianapolis Colts defense that Cleveland should cover the spread and even pull off a victory.

Joe Haden's return to the lineup is also an important factor. Andrew Luck will have a tougher time finding open targets with Haden on the field.

New Orleans Saints (-3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The New Orleans Saints got their first win of the season before the bye and are primed to go on a winning streak. That bye week is exactly what they needed to get the defense back on track.

It's also important to note that Joe Vitt's return will help with the overall team organization.

Tampa Bay just doesn't have the offensive firepower to keep up with Drew Brees and the Saints offense.

Toss-Up Games of the Week

Tennessee Titans at Buffalo Bills (-3)

The Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans have both disappointed this season. However, the bigger concern for those making wagers is that they've both been unpredictable. It's hard to predict what type of performance to expect.

Each team's horrible defense is the real wild card in this situation. The outcome of this game could very well come down to which defense finds a way to create turnovers.

At this point, there's no telling which unit will answer the call.

Washington Redskins at New York Giants (-5.5)

Robert Griffin III possesses the game-breaking ability to lead the Washington Redskins to a victory over any team in the NFL. This is why it's a good idea to stay away from any games involving the Redskins.

Because of the Giants' big win against the San Francisco 49ers, many will want to ride the hot hand. However, teams have a tendency to suffer a letdown after an important win.

The combination of Griffin and the possible letdown should be enough to keep this game off your radar.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Oakland Raiders (-4)

Stay away from any game involving two terrible teams.

The fact is, nobody knows the potential of either team because they're constantly outmatched each week.

So, when two terrible teams face each other, there's no telling how they'll respond.

Potential Prop Bets of the Week

Over/under 950 combined offensive yards for the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills

Both the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills play terrible defense. On the season, each defense is allowing over 400 yards of offense per game.

There's a realistic chance that this game approaches the 1,000-yard mark.

Over/under 5 sacks on Jay Cutler by the Detroit Lions defense

The Chicago Bears offensive line has allowed 14 sacks this season. That number could be a lot higher, but Jay Cutler does a good job avoiding pressure.

This week's matchup against the Detroit Lions will be a real test.

Detroit features top-notch pass-rushers like Cliff Avril, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Willie Young, Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley. However, offensive coordinator Mike Tice has done a decent job designing a game plan to help keep Cutler upright.

Over/under 2 pass attempts by Tim Tebow against the New England Patriots

Tim Tebow has had a pass attempt in each of the past three games. This weekend, he could see even more attempts.

The New York Jets are taking on the New England Patriots and their high-powered offense. New York will need to find a way to keep pace with Brady and Co.

Because of the Patriots offense and the struggles of Mark Sanchez, this game could get out of control early. If New York gets down early, there's a better chance Tebow gets more work at quarterback.

Top Elimination Pool Pick

New York Jets at New England Patriots

Despite boasting the exact same record, the New York Jets and New England Patriots are two very different teams.

For the most part, New England has played well but has failed to finish games. Each of its losses came by two points or less.

On the other hand, the Jets are an inconsistent football team that registered wins because of surprise breakout performances. The best example is last week's surge by running back Shonn Greene.

Prior to his 161-yard performance against the Indianapolis Colts, Greene was only averaging 43.3 yards per game. Basically, this shows that most of the Jets' playmakers can't be counted on each week.

The Patriots still have Tom Brady in the lineup, and he'll be extra motivated after last week's disappointing loss to the Seattle Seahawks. New York's offense just won't be able to keep up with Brady looking to rebound from a disappointing game.

Injuries That Could Have a Major Impact

Terrell Suggs vs. the Houston Texans

According to ESPN, there's a chance Terrell Suggs plays this weekend for the Baltimore Ravens. His return coupled with the injury to Ray Lewis means the entire Ravens defense will be playing with a lot of emotion.

A defense that plays with a ton of energy is always very dangerous. This Ravens defense has more than enough talent to overcome the loss of Lewis, especially if Suggs returns to the lineup. 

Kevin Kolb vs. Minnesota Vikings

The injuries keep piling up for the Arizona Cardinals offense. They already lost Beanie Wells, Ryan Williams, Levi Brown and now Kevin Kolb.

Due to a serious rib injury, Kolb is expected to miss the next few weeks.

Because of the problems along the Cardinals offensive line, John Skelton could struggle to move the offense. Skelton is nowhere near as mobile as Kolb, so it'll be even easier for opposing defenses to disrupt the timing of the offense.

DeMarco Murray vs. Carolina Panthers

The Dallas Cowboys offense has struggled to play consistent football. This will only get tougher with the injury to DeMarco Murray. His injured foot could force him to miss a handful of games.

A solid running game is one of the ways to overcome inconsistent play from the quarterback.

This injury is more notable because the Cowboys are facing the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers are allowing nearly 130 rushing yards per game. Murray would've had an opportunity to put up big numbers against this defense.

Lock of the Week

Green Bay Packers (-5.5) at St. Louis Rams

The Green Bay Packers showed last week that their offense can still put up a ton of points.

They were able to score 42 points against a very tough Houston Texans defense. This, combined with an improving defense, is the reason why the Packers will cover the 5.5-point spread against the St. Louis Rams.

Despite boasting a strong secondary, the Rams just don't have enough talent to keep up with the high-powered Packers offense. This task will be more difficult because St. Louis' offense struggles to sustain drives.

Aaron Rodgers and his offense will have plenty of opportunities to put points on the board. They'll have no problem beating the Rams by more than six points.

Stay-Away Game of the Week

Pittsburgh Steelers (-1.5) at Cincinnati Bengals

Both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals are coming off embarrassing losses against the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns, respectively. Those are two teams that any team hoping to make a playoff run should easily defeat.

This is very much a must-win game for both the Steelers and Bengals. The loser of this game falls even further behind the Baltimore Ravens for the division lead.

Risking some money on this game is an issue because both teams are looking to erase the taste of a disappointing loss, have a sense of urgency to get a win and have just been very inconsistent all season.

Avoid this game.