NFL Picks Week 7: 6 Teams That Can Pull off Big Upsets

The NFL's Week 7 throws up an interesting group of fixtures.  There are two Super Bowl rematches and a difficult-looking road trip for the NFC's only winless team.

While the annual Wembley game may naturally garner a lot of attention, there are a number of other contests which could yield highly surprising outcomes.

Here is a list of six teams capable of pulling of an upset in Week 7.  There are no guarantees of victory, but they're reasons why these underdogs could defy conventional wisdom and gain victory.

6. Cleveland Browns Beating Seattle Seahawks

Suggesting the Cleveland browns can defeat the Seattle Seahawks at home is hardly the biggest reach.  However, given the Seahawks recent big road win over the Giants and their 11-5 all-time edge in the series—including a 4-2 record in Cleveland—it's not totally unreasonable to have Seattle as the favorite.

Having run Atlanta close and defeated the Giants in consecutive weeks, the Seahawks appear better battle tested than the Browns.

However, Cleveland's defense could lead the rebuilding AFC North outfit to a big home win.  The Browns' front four, led by impressive rookies Jabaal Sheard and Phil Taylor, will put plenty of pressure on the pocket.

That's not good news for a Seahawks team that has given up 18 sacks already this season.  Tarvaris Jackson has endured such heavy punishment that he could miss this game.

Charlie Whitehurst is in line for a start, and he will find it very difficult to get set against a marauding Cleveland pass rush.

If Whitehurst does get enough time to put the ball in the air, he will likely look in the direction of talented wideout Sidney Rice.

But accomplished cover man Joe Haden should be able to keep Seattle's chief receiving threat under wraps most of the game.

The Browns will also need a big game from D'Qwell Jackson and Ahtyba Rubin in order to corral bruising Seahawks rusher Marshawn Lynch.

5. Carolina Panthers Beating Washington Redskins

As a Washington Redskins fan, it is painful to admit that the Carolina Panthers have a great chance this week to match their entire win total from last season.

The Redskins could still be suffering a hangover from last week's disappointing home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.  They also go into this game with a quickly developing controversy at quarterback.

The Panthers defense has been surprisingly poor this season, but the idea of star defensive end Charles Johnson going up against the Redskins feeble offensive line, is a truly frightening prospect.

Defensively the Redskins take too many chances, something opposing teams cannot readily afford to do with veteran burner Steve Smith on the field.

This could be the week that Washington's blitzing pays dividends, given how much the Panthers struggled to handle the pressure the Atlanta Falcons defense put on them.

However, it could also be the week that Panthers rushing duo DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart put up the numbers to match their talents.

The Redskins runs defense has been suspect at times this season and Carolina have the personnel to exploit any weakness in this area.

Washington will need a big game from its own rushing attack, which was held to just 42 yards last Sunday.

If Carolina linebackers James Anderson and Dan Connor can shut down the run, the Redskins could be in trouble.

4. Atlanta Falcons Beating Detroit Lions

As recently as last season, an Atlanta Falcons victory over the Detroit Lions would almost be taken for granted.

But the Falcons have struggled for consistency this season, while the resurgent Lions have exploded out of the blocks.

Detroit will be looking to bounce back, having suffered their first loss of the season of the last week.  However, the Falcons hold the attributes to condemn the Lions to their second-straight home defeat.

The Falcons defense put Panthers rookie Cam Newton under a lot of pressure last week, with some well designed blitzes.  They should be able to do the same to Lions passer Matthew Stafford.

Atlanta's premier wideout Roddy White could enjoy considerable success against a Lions secondary still vulnerable to the big play.

The Falcons' cumbersome offensive line struggles to contain speed rushers, but it has the size and power to match strength with the aggressive Lions' front four.

3. Kansas City Chiefs Beating Oakland Raiders

It's always difficult to pick a clear favorite in a rivalry this heated, but a Kansas City Chiefs victory on the road this week would qualify as an upset.

The defending AFC West Champions have struggled on both sides of the ball this season, while the Raiders have made an impressive start to life under the stewardship of Hue Jackson.

The Chiefs, however, can go into the home of their fiercest rivals this Sunday and come away with a huge victory.  Kansas City's opportunistic defense can spoil the debut of newly acquired Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer.

Palmer is the kind of static pocket passer that makes an appealing target for brilliant Chiefs pressure specialist Tamba Hali.

The Raiders will likely let their terrific running game lead the way.  This may not be good news for a Chiefs defense, which ranks 21st against the rush.

That stat is a little misleading, though.  The chiefs have had to defend against the fourth largest number of rushes per game in the league.

Despite this, their defense is allowing 3.8 yards per attempt and the Chiefs 3-4 front might be able to hold up against the Oakland ground attack.

The Raiders, on the other hand, are surrendering a whopping 4.9 yards per carry.  Veteran runner Thomas Jones could have a big day, if the Chiefs can create enough space for him between the tackles.

2. Arizona Cardinals Beating Pittsburgh Steelers

In a rematch of one of the most exciting Super Bowls in history, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be heavy favorites to continue their winning ways over an Arizona Cardinals team which consistently flatters to deceive.

However, the Cardinals could pull off one of the week's biggest shocks by upsetting the defending AFC Champions. 

They will have plenty of motivation for revenge after their heartbreaking Super Bowl loss, and they also posses valuable inside knowledge.

The desire for payback could provide rare motivation for the Cardinals' talented—but despicably underachieving—defense.

Darnell Dockett had a field day against the Steelers in that Super Bowl, and he certainly has the talent to produce a similar performance.

Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton is a former secondary coach of the Steelers and will be able to provide plenty of information about how to expose the weak spot on the fearsome Pittsburgh defense.

Combine this with the fact that the NFL's finest receiver, Larry Fitzgerald, will be on the field, and the Steelers secondary is in for a tough day.

1. St. Louis Rams Beating Dallas Cowboys

This author expects to be vilified for making this suggestion, but the list simply wouldn't be complete without one out-and-out reach pick.

The winless St. Louis Rams can pull off the shock off the week by traveling to Texas and stunning a talented, but fragile Cowboys squad.

There is just something about this particular Dallas Cowboys team.  As talented as they are, something always seems missing at crucial times, on both sides of the ball.

They can move the ball down the field at ease until they get to the 20-yard line.   A strange play call or a turnover always seem to surface to derail what should be one of the league's highest-scoring units.

Defensively, they can look great for the majority of the game, but they rarely produce a big play or stand when it is needed most.  These problems were most evident in the shocking collapse against the Detroit Lions and late on against the New England Patriots.

The Cowboys are not the only defense to suffer at the expense of last-minute heroics from Tom Brady.  There is certainly no shame in a narrow defeat on the road against the New England Patriots.

But it was the inevitability of the Patriots winning score that was most disappointing against a Dallas defense that had been typically stout up to that point.

The Rams will put plenty of pressure on Tony Romo and should force him into yet more costly mistakes.  Steve Spagnuolo has experience of derailing the Cowboys, from his time with the Giants.

On offense promising rookie Greg Salas and Danario Alexander with his 20.5 yards per catch average, will be joined by Brandon Lloyd.

The Rams could now have the necessary weapons to make some big plays against the gambling Cowboys defensive fronts.

The Cowboys have the troubling knack of surrendering big plays on both sides of the ball and the Rams have the schemes to help them benefit.

It's way out on a limb, but don't be too shocked if the Rams finally get off the mark thanks to a last second field goal.