NFL TV Schedule Week 7: When and Where to Catch Every Pivotal Battle

It's never too early to start looking ahead in the NFL.

While Week 6 isn't yet complete, we are now over a third of the way through the regular season. The playoff picture is beginning to come into focus and there are several key matchups on the docket for next week. 

Let's take an early look at where you can catch all of the Week 7 contests, along with a gander at some of the week's most integral tilts.

Important Matchups

Cincinnati at Detroit (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS)

Division leader vs. division leader. 

The Cincinnati Bengals, a popular Super Bowl pick before the season started, are 4-2. It hasn't really been the epitome of pretty. Just one Bengals' win has been by more than a touchdown while they've struggled on the road and Andy Dalton has been inconsistent under center. Still, the Bengals are alone atop of the AFC North. 

Jim Schwartz' squad, meanwhile, boasts an elite defensive line and a slew of explosive weapons on the offensive side of the ball. The 4-2 Lions are tied with the Chicago Bears atop the NFC North but own the head-to-head matchup. The Lions have looked especially dangerous at Ford Field where this one will be played on Sunday. 

Both teams have shown glimpses of being legitimate playoff contenders along with bouts of head-scratching play. This one will give us a better grasp of where they really stand. 

Dallas at Philadelphia (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX)

I mean, someone has to win the NFC East. 

This polarizing division has been the worst in football so far, but the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, both at 3-3, are slowly separating themselves from the pack and this showdown will give us an early front runner.

What makes it even more compelling—and possibly a little funnier—is that Dallas is 0-2 on the road while Philly is 0-2 at home. In a battle to determine first place, someone's going to have to break that trend of mediocrity.

That's somewhat appropriate for the division this year.

Still, don't overlook this as a potentially scintillating matchup. 

Nick Foles proved during Philadelphia's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday that he can lead Chip Kelly's high-tempo offense just fine, but the Eagles' defense is still shaky. The 0-5 Bucs, led by rookie Mike Glennon, gashed Philly for a season-high 351 yards. 

Consequently, even if Dallas is without DeMarco Murray, who sprained his knee on Sunday, Tony Romo and Dez Bryant should have very little trouble moving the ball against the Eagles.

This one is going to be an exciting shootout. 

Denver at Indianapolis (Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC)

Sunday Night Football will get a good one in Week 7, as this is a potential preview of the AFC Championship. 

The Broncos, led by Peyton Manning and his 143 different weapons on offense, have looked quite unstoppable, and even with a shaky defense, they have gone 6-0. 

Oh, and now they get Von Miller, one of the most dangerous pass rushers in the game, back from a suspension. 

On the other side of the ball will be Peyton Manning's successor in Indy, Andrew Luck, who seems to get more impressive by the week. Luck has led the Colts to two spectacular victories over the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks in the past three weeks. 

The storylines surrounding Manning and Luck will go on and on for this prime-time game, but when it comes down to it, the importance of this tilt in the conference picture (not to overlook the New England Patriots or Kansas City Chiefs) trumps all.