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NFL Week 7 Picks: Predicting the Winner and Score for All Upcoming Matchups
October 20, 2020
The list of unbeaten teams in the NFL will be cut by at least one after Week 7.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans face off Sunday in a matchup of the AFC's two unbeaten teams.
While the sides carry a list of strong offensive options, their defenses could steal the show inside Nissan Stadium.
The Seattle Seahawks may be forced to put up points to remain perfect out of their bye week since the Arizona Cardinals are coming off a 38-point performance Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys.
Arizona and Seattle split their regular-season series in 2019, and the winner of both games produced 27 points.
With Kyler Murray playing at a high level and Russell Wilson scoring at will, Sunday's victorious total could be much higher.
Week 7 Score Predictions
Pittsburgh 26, Tennessee 17
Pittsburgh has allowed a single 100-yard outing on the ground to the Denver Broncos in Week 2, and Tennessee held Buffalo and Houston below triple digits in the last two weeks.
Mike Tomlin's team has the tougher task on its hands since it needs to contain Derrick Henry, who is coming off a 200-yard performance against Houston.
In Henry's lone game against the Steelers in 2017, he was limited to 32 rushing yards on seven carries in a 40-17 defeat.
If Henry does not get going, the Titans will have to rely on Ryan Tannehill to win the contest. That may not be ideal if Pittsburgh's pass rush is as effective as it was in Week 6 against Cleveland.
Pittsburgh sacked Baker Mayfield on four occasions, and its defensive unit has 24 sacks on the season. Bud Dupree, T.J. Watt and Stephon Tuitt are responsible for 13.5 of those takedowns.
If the Steelers' front seven shuts down Tannehill and Henry for stretches of the game, Ben Roethlisberger can pull away with his weapons in the aerial attack.
The Titans conceded 525 passing yards in the last two weeks and could be gashed by Chase Claypool, JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Washington.
Each member of the receiving trio has at least 24 targets and eight yards per attempt. If they break free, they could be the difference-makers in the battle of undefeated squads.
If the offense opens up an advantage, the Steelers' top-rated defense could close the door on the Titans and earn the crown of last undefeated AFC franchise in 2020.
Seattle 38, Arizona 31
The Seahawks were gashed for over 400 total yards in each of their five victories this season, but they have found a way to win those contests thanks to Wilson's play.
Wilson has a 72.8 completion percentage, 1,502 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He is 9-6-1 with 24 touchdowns and five interceptions in his career versus Arizona.
Arizona has limited the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys to 10 points each in the last two weeks.
But the Seattle offense is on a whole different level than the units trotting out Joe Flacco and Andy Dalton under center.
If Wilson works the ball down the field with relative ease, the Seahawks could be in front for a majority of the contest.
Due to their inefficient defense, the Seahawks may not be able to pull away. Their last four game have been decided by one possession.
The Kyler Murray-led Cardinals offense has put up at least 21 points in each game so far, but its downfall could be turnovers.
Arizona have given the ball away in five of its six contests, and Seattle's defense has produced multiple takeaways in all but one game.
If the Seahawks pressure Murray into a bad decision or two, that could make the difference in setting up Wilson with a short field to win another one-score game.
Other Score Predictions
Philadelphia 17, New York Giants 10
Atlanta 45, Detroit 41
Cleveland 19, Cincinnati 10
New Orleans 35, Carolina 17
Buffalo 38, New York Jets 7
Dallas 21, Washington 9
Green Bay 37, Houston 28
Kansas City 31, Denver 24
New England 20, San Francisco 17
Los Angeles Chargers 28, Jacksonville 14
Las Vegas 28, Tampa Bay 24
Chicago 17, Los Angeles Rams 16
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference.