NFL Week 7 Picks: Game-by-Game Over/Under Predictions

Don't feel comfortable playing the spreads in Week 7? No need to worry—there are always enticing over/under bets worth making, and this weekend is proving no different.

It can be so hard to predict which teams are going to win in a NFL landscape that is filled with parity from top to bottom, but the over/under lines are often a much safer bet. From matchups featuring teams with struggling offenses to affairs that have little defense on either side, betting on either the under or the over can be wise when the right choice is made.

With the season nearing its midway point, teams are starting to show their identities like we didn't see early on in 2014, and that has made some of these bets easier to gauge. 

Here's a look at over/under picks for each of the weekend's games, along with a breakdown of the toughest games to choose.

Matchup (Spread)	Over/Under	My Pick
New York Jets at New England Patriots (-10.5)	45	Over
Atlanta Falcons at Baltimore Ravens (-7.5)	49.5	Under
Tennessee Titans at Washington Redskins (-6)	46	Under
Seattle Seahawks (-7.5) at St. Louis Rams	43	Over
Cleveland Browns (-5.5) at Jacksonville Jaguars	45	Under
Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts (-3)	49	Under
Minnesota Vikings at Buffalo Bills (-5)	43	Over
Miami Dolphins at Chicago Bears (-3)	49	Under
New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions (-2.5)	48.5	Under
Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers (-7.5)	49	Over
Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers (-4)	44.5	Over
Arizona Cardinals (-3) at Oakland Raiders	44	Over
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys (-7)	48	Over
San Francisco 49ers at Denver Broncos (-7)	50	Under
Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers (-3)	45	Under

Note: Spreads and over/under lines courtesy of Odds Shark, last updated Oct. 14 at 9 p.m. ET

San Francisco 49ers at Denver Broncos

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Add two explosive offenses to two defenses with signs of both elite play and struggles, and you have the toughest Week 7 over/under bet to make.

There's no doubt that said offenses were taken into account first and foremost—more singularly Denver's—when oddsmakers doled out a 50-point line for Sunday's game. But a closer look at both defenses indicates it won't necessarily be an offensive shootout.

The 49ers rank 11th in total defense and are even better against the pass. Only six teams have given up less passing yards this season than San Francisco, but one of them is Denver.

Meanwhile, the Broncos rank fourth in total defense and have given up just 384 rushing yards all year, good for second best in the league. That should bode well against a 49ers offense that doesn't reach its full potential without Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde pounding the rock.

Of course, Peyton Manning could put up close to 50 points just by himself, but he is going up against a Niners defense giving up just 207 passing yards per contest.

A 50-point line is awfully massive, making the under a safer bet with two defenses that aren't getting enough credit. But to say either would be a safe bet would be a straight-up lie.

Prediction: Take the under

Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams

The Seahawks were effectively shut down—well, as much as anyone can shut them down—by the Cowboys in Week 6. The Rams found nothing offensively in the second half of Monday Night Football against the 49ers. 

That has allowed Sunday's game between the Seahawks and Rams to feature the lowest over/under lines (43) of the weekend (tied with the Vikings-Bills matchup).

It's not hard to see why the oddsmakers aren't keen on the Rams putting up points. Austin Davis and the Rams offense generated just three points in the last three quarters Sunday against San Francisco, and the Seahawks' Legion of Boom secondary should have a field day despite the Rams throwing for 270 yards per game.

But take a look at the matchup on the other side of the ball, and taking the under becomes awfully tough. The Seahawks' run game ranks second in the NFL even after being held to 80 on the ground against Dallas, while the Rams are currently 26th in stopping the run.

The Seahawks alone might put up more than 30 points in this one, meaning the Rams would only need to crack double digits to cover the over. 

Prediction: Take the over

Atlanta Falcons at Baltimore Ravens

Sunday's game between the Falcons and Ravens features another noticeably high over/under line at 49, but this one looks more likely to reach the half-century mark than the 49ers and Broncos.

For starters, Joe Flacco is coming off one of his best-ever performances. Last week, Flacco posted a 306-yard, five-touchdown performance in which he only threw eight incompletions and didn't throw a pick. Baltimore's run game has been potent as well, with the duo of Justin Forsett and Lorenzo Taliaferro helping the Ravens to rank ninth running the ball.

Going up against the Falcons' 29th-ranked pass defense and 28th-ranked run defense, both of those should continue.

As for the Falcons offense, it hasn't been strong in recent weeks, but Matt Ryan's passing success still has Atlanta ranking third in the league with 306 yards per game through the air. If there's one area the Ravens aren't strong at defensively, it's in the secondary, which gives up 271 yards per game—27th in the league.

Not surprisingly, the Ravens have their biggest spread of the season entering Sunday, per Ravens.com's Garrett Downing:

Baltimore will win, but this one should be a shootout as both teams could threaten reaching the 30-point plateau. That should have bettors taking the over.

Prediction: Take the over