NFL Picks Week 7: Which Underdogs Have Best Shot at Victory?

Nothing is a given in the NFL except that anything can happen; that's why upsets are so common and so each week is so unpredictable. But in Week 7, a host of teams considered underdogs in the league are facing each other, making for a very interesting definition of what a weaker team really is.

Two teams, the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks, are long shots in their respective contests, but they're going to benefit from playing two of the more troubled teams in the NFL.

The Panthers host the Washington Redskins, who are coming off of a gut-check loss against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6. They rushed for only 42 total yards, converted one third down and have a quarterback controversy on their hands after Rex Grossman was benched in favor of John Beck after he threw four interceptions.

This is a great chance for the 1-5 Panthers to come away with their second victory of the season. They've lost most of their games by a small margin, hearkening well for their chances to turn around their season and end the year with a more respectable record than the 2-14 of 2010.

But I don't think the Redskins will be able to keep this game close if they repeat their Week 6 performance, even without the picks. The Eagles, the worst run defense in the league heading into the game, found a formula to stop Washington's three-headed running attack. It would serve the struggling Panthers defense well to study that tape heading into this Sunday's game.

If they can hold those backs at bay, then it's up to quarterback Cam Newton, his legs and his ferocious arm to lead Carolina to victory. And I think he can.

The Seattle Seahawks take on the Cleveland Browns, and while neither team is all that impressive, it's clearly the Seahawks who are the underdogs, simply because they're the away squad for the contest.

Their last win was impressive, defeating the New York Giants 36-25, and they had the benefit of the bye as a follow-up. The team likely used that time examining what worked so well against New York and what's been holding the Browns back, adjusting their game plan accordingly.

The Browns spent Week 6 being outrushed and outpassed by the Oakland Raiders, proving that the way to beat Cleveland is simply to cover their receivers like crazy and hone in on the running back, and in this game that won't be Peyton Hillis.

Hillis injured his hamstring in the Raiders loss, and while it's too early to say if he won't play, he will certainly be limited, with his starting responsibilities transferring to Montario Hardesty.

While it's far easier said than done for the Seahawks, I think they've got the speed, the desire and the momentum on their side to defeat the Browns on Sunday.