NFL Picks Week 7: 10 Underdogs Who Can Win Outright

It's Week 7 of the NFL season, and it's time to make some picks for Sunday's slate of games.

This isn't going to be your traditional set of picks where I predict every game of the week. I've already done that.

Rather, I'm going to rank the 10 teams that have the best chance of pulling an upset this week.

Sure, I might be contradicting myself a little bit, but I'm fine with that as long as you are.

So here's where I attempt to persuade you to believe that these teams that are supposed to lose will actually win.

Here they are: the top 10 underdogs who can win straight up in Week 7.

10. Cleveland Browns

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PITTSBURGH - OCTOBER 17: Colt McCoy #12 of the Cleveland Browns gets ready to snap the ball while playing the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 17, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh won the game 28-10. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Gett

The Cleveland Browns may be just 1-5 on the season, but they've hung tough all season, even with rookie quarterback Colt McCoy behind center.

McCoy played very well in his NFL debut last week, completing 23 of 33 passes for 281 yards and a touchdown against the Steelers, who have one of the league's top defenses.

And this week, Cleveland plays a banged up Saints team that will be without cornerbacks Randall Gay--who was recently put on injured reserve--and Tracy Porter, who is still recovering from a knee injury.

Fellow cornerback Jabari Greer and linebacker Scott Shanle also missed practice on Thursday, though they are expected to play.

But perhaps the biggest reason why Cleveland can hang tough with New Orleans is that the Saints will be missing the team's top two running backs--Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas--who are still out nursing leg injuries.

And there's always the possibility that the Saints overlook Cleveland with next week's huge game against the Steelers looming.

9. Carolina Panthers

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NEW ORLEANS - OCTOBER 03: Steve Smith #89 of the Carolina Panthers in action during the game against the New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome on October 3, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Let's just come right out with it: this has the potential to be one of the worst games of the season.

The 49ers and Panthers are a combined 1-10, and they have the No. 32 and No. 30 scoring offenses respectively.

It's probably not going to take much more than 14 or 17 points to win this game, but I think the Panthers can pull the "upset" this week.

Carolina's dismal passing attack will have a returning Steve Smith , which is a good way to give Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams some running room.

Plus, the Panthers play at home in this one, so they could come out fired up to get their first win of the season.

8. Minnesota Vikings

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MINNEAPOLIS - OCTOBER 17: Running back Adrian Peterson #29 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during the third quarter at Mall of America Field on October 17, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings defeated C

With all the injuries to the Green Bay defense and the way the team has struggled lately, I'm not even sure you can call the Vikings the underdog in this week's NFC North division showdown.

Anyway, I think this game will come down to how well Vikings running back Adrian Peterson plays.

Peterson had huge games in Weeks 2 and 3--he ran for more than 300 yards combined and three touchdowns--but Peterson faced two top-10 run defenses the past two weeks and was bottled up (by his standards).

But the Packers rush defense gives up 112 yards per game--which ranks 21st in the league--and they can't stack the box with Randy Moss on the outside.

I look for Peterson to have a big day running the ball, which will open up the field for Brett Favre to hook up with Moss and Percy Harvin on a couple of long touchdown passes.

7. Arizona Cardinals

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GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Quarterback Max Hall #6 of the Arizona Cardinals flips the ball during the NFL game against the New Orleans Saints at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 10, 2010 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Saints

Arizona rookie quarterback Max Hall will be making his first start in Seattle, which is a very difficult place to play.

But Seattle's defense has been terrible against the pass this season, giving up 290.8 yards per game through the air.

The Cardinals have struggled on both sides of the ball--ranking 25th or lower in every major statistical category--but Seattle hasn't been all that great either.

The only thing the Seahawks do particularly well is stop the run, but that's probably more because teams just sit back and throw on them all day.

If Hall can forget about the butterflies in his stomach and get the ball to Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona could pull of a big win on the road.

6. Oakland Raiders

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OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 02: Kyle Boller #7 of the Oakland Raiders passes against the Seattle Seahawks during an NFL preseason game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 2, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

Oakland's quarterback situation is in shambles right now, and it looks like third-stringer Kyle Boller will be behind center for Sunday's game against Denver.

But throwing the ball isn't the way the Raiders are going to beat Denver anyway. The only way Oakland will pull off the upset on the road is if they run the ball effectively.

Denver's rush defense ranks 25th in the league, allowing 127.7 yards per game on the ground. On the other hand, Oakland's rush offense ranks 10th in the league at more than 130 yards per game.

With Kyle Orton and the potent passing attack of Denver lighting up their opponents every week, Oakland has to run the ball to keep the clock going and Orton off the field.

If the Raiders can do that, they can get their third win off the season.

5. Washington Redskins

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LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 17: Ryan Torain #46 of the Washington Redskins heads up field for a long gain against the Indianapolis Colts at FedExField on October 17, 2010 in Landover, Maryland. The Colts won the game 27-24. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

Washington's pass defense has struggled all season, getting torched week in and week out no matter what quarterback they're playing against.

But much like Oakland against Denver, the Redskins have a simple formula they can use to win the game: run the ball, and run it well.

Washington's 25-ranked rushing offense hasn't performed well for much of the season, but Ryan Torain finally got the running game going last week with a 20-carry, 100-yard performance against the Colts.

Torain and the Redskins absolutely need a big day on the ground to keep their defense--which gives up 420 total yards a game--off the field.

It won't be easy though. The Bears rush defense is ranked third in the NFL.

4. Cincinnati Bengals

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CINCINNATI, OH - OCTOBER 10: Quarterback Carson Palmer #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals sets up to throw against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Paul Brown Stadium on October 10, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Cincinnati is coming off a bye week, and the Bengals have a tough matchup on the road against Atlanta.

Carson Palmer struggled in his last game, throwing three interceptions that ultimately cost the team a win against the Buccaneers.

Buf if Palmer watched the Falcons-Eagles game last week, he knows that the Falcons' biggest weakness was exposed by Philadelphia.

Kevin Kolb torched Atlanta's secondary for 326 yards and three touchdowns, and that was without DeSean Jackson for the entire second half.

If the Bengals can toss the ball around like the Eagles, they should have no problem handing Atlanta another loss.

3. Dallas Cowboys

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ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 10: Running back Felix Jones #28 of the Dallas Cowboys is tackled by linebacker Stephen Tulloch #55 of the Tennessee Titans at Cowboys Stadium on October 10, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. The Titans won 34-27. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/

If you look just at statistics, the Cowboys should be above .500 at the very least and could probably even be a 4-1 team.

Dallas is a top-10 defense in all major categories, except for the one that means the most: points allowed. But the Cowboys defense does hold its opponents to just 280 total yards a game, which is good for fourth in the league.

The major problem with Dallas is that they haven't found an effective offensive balance. That's where Felix Jones enters the picture.

Jones struggled against a good Minnesota run defense last week, but you have to stick with him. You can't expect Tony Romo to go out there and throw for 350 yards every week.

Give Jones the rock, and it'll open up the pass game against a tough Giants defense this week.

2. San Diego Chargers

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ST. LOUIS - OCTOBER 17: Philip Rivers #17 of the San Diego Chargers looks to avoid getting sacked by James Laurinaitis #55 of the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome on October 17, 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Rams beat the Chargers 20-17. (Phot

The Chargers are the AFC version of the Cowboys.

They have the No. 1 defense in terms of passing and total yards and the No. 6 rush defense. They also have the the league's top passing and total offense and the No. 5 scoring offense.

All four of San Diego's losses have been by eight points or less.

So here's how San Diego can upset the Patriots this week: just win a close game!

1. Miami Dolphins

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GREEN BAY, WI - OCTOBER 17: Chad Henne #7 of the Miami Dolphins passes against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on October 17, 2010 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Scott Boehm/Getty Images)

The Miami Dolphins have a golden opportunity to shock the football world this week when they face the Pittsburgh Steelers at home.

I think most people are already writing the Dolphins off because the Steelers have been stout on defense all season. But as much as people love to praise Pittsburgh's defense, they also like to neglect its biggest weakness: stopping the pass.

Yes, Pittsburgh boasts the No. 1 scoring and rushing defense, but they also have the league's 24th-ranked passing defense.

Chad Henne might not be Joe Montana, but he will be able to pass the ball against that Steelers defense.

If he can limit his mistakes and get the ball to Brandon Marshall, I think Miami could pull the upset.