NFL Picks Week 7: Game-by-Game Analysis

Welcome to my new weekly column. I am sorry for the late jump this week, but each week I will post analysis on each NFL game, as well as a winner for the game.

I will also review the picks from the week prior and keep a running tally on my record for the year. I am starting this column in Week 7, and even though I have been doing the picks since Week 1, I will start the record at 0-0 this week for full disclosure.

This week has 13 games on tap, with a majority of the lines under four. Scroll through to find my picks and analysis for each game on the schedule this weekend.

Though this is being posted Friday, look for my weekly column to be posted by Thursday from here on out.

Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will travel across the Atlantic to play in Wembley Stadium in London, England.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without second-year star running back LeGarrette Blount, who leads the team in rushing and will not be making the trip to London.

Earnest Graham will start at running back for the Bucs in a very important game for both teams.

The Chicago Bears will lean heavily on Matt Forte, who has been an absolute beast this season. He has 908 total yards after only six games. 

The weather in London is never a sure thing, and I see the Bears pulling this one out. They need this game badly, and I envision Tampa Bay riding a little too high off their upset of the Saints last week.

Chicago Bears 27

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24

Washington Redskins at Carolina Panthers

The Washington Redskins travel south this weekend to play the Cam Newton-led Carolina Panthers. Washington will be making a quarterback switch and starting John Beck instead of Rex Grossman.

Despite the fact the Carolina Panthers are 1-4, they are 4-1 against the spread this year, despite Cam Newton's numbers going down after his first two NFL games.

The Redskins struggled last week to stop Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles, and I think they will have trouble with the speed of the Carolina Panthers.

I think this game stays close, but the Carolina Panthers prevail.

Carolina Panthers 30

Washington Redskins 24

San Diego Chargers at New York Jets

The San Diego Chargers travel cross country to play the struggling New York Jets. The Jets have not looked like the team that we all expected them to be this season. 

This is the exact kind of game the New York Jets have won in recent years and the exact kind of game the San Diego Chargers have lost in recent years.

Antonio Gates is hoping to return after missing the past three weeks with his recurring foot problems. 

The San Diego Chargers will put up some points, but I see the New York Jets defense coming away with a touchdown and forcing a few turnovers.

I am looking for Santonio Holmes to have a monster game, while Darrelle Revis will be locked onto Vincent Jackson the entire time.

Traveling cross country to play a good football team is an extremely hard task, and the Chargers will suffer their second loss of the season this week.

New York Jets 31

San Diego Chargers 27

Seattle Seahawks at Cleveland Browns

The Seattle Seahawks travel to take on the Cleveland Browns this week. The Seahawks will likely be without starting quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, so Charlie Whitehurst will get the start. 

The Cleveland Browns will likely be without leading rusher Peyton Hillis and will lean on Montario Hardesty if Hillis cannot go. The Cleveland Browns could also be without star cornerback Joe Haden, whose status for Sunday's game is still up in the air.

The Seattle Seahawks have not won back-to-back road games since December 2007.

But this offense has turned around the past two weeks, since the Seahawks went to a hurry-up offense in the second half against the Atlanta Falcons. 

I'm taking the Seahawks to give a healthy dose of Marshawn Lynch and win this football game.

Seattle Seahawks  24

Cleveland Browns  20

Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans

The Houston Texans travel to take on the Tennessee Titans this week. The Titans have been a surprise this year, and their success has come on the arm of Matt Hasselbeck.

Chris Johnson has failed to live up to expectations after missing all of training camp, but he has started to show some life the past two weeks.

The Houston Texans were expected to thrive this year but have struggled the past few weeks.

Andre Johnson is doubtful for this game with a strained hamstring, and the Texans have already lost sack machine Mario Williams for the season.

This is a must-win game for the Texans if they want to finally emerge as a playoff football team. 

I think this game will be a shootout, and the Texans will come out on top

Houston Texans 31

Tennessee Titans 23

Denver Broncos at Miami Dolphins

Welcome to the Tim Tebow era in Denver, and welcome to Tim Tebow country.

The Denver Broncos travel to take on the Miami Dolphins this week. While on paper it is a road game, rest assured there will be more Tim Tebow fans in the stadium than Miami Dolphins fans.

While Tim Tebow is not a prototypical quarterback, he is a leader, and he will lead his team to victory at the Dolphins.

For Miami, Daniel Thomas and Brandon Marshall will have productive games, but the Dolphins will go down late in the game.

Denver Broncos 27

Miami Dolphins 20

Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions

Hands down, this is the game of the week in the NFL

The Detroit Lions suffered their first loss of the season last week at the hands of the surprising 5-1 San Francisco 49ers. They lost the game on a last minute touchdown on a fourth down play. 

The Atlanta Falcons, however, are a different team away from home. Matt Ryan's career stats away from the Georgia Dome are not outstanding. 

I will expect to see Matthew Stafford throwing the ball to Charles Johnson a lot Sunday. I see no one in the Falcons' secondary that will be able to slow down Johnson.

The Lions' defense will also be able to get to Matt Ryan and cause at least two turnovers at his hands. 

The Detroit Lions make a statement this week with a win.

Detroit Lions 28

Atlanta Falcons 20

Kansis City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders made a drastic move to shore up their quarterback position and solidify themselves as contenders when they traded two draft picks for the rights to Carson Palmer this week.

Palmer is expected to start Sunday.

Without knowledge of the full playbook, expect Palmer to hand the ball off to Darren McFadden 20-plus times and run play-action later in the game.

The Kansas City Chiefs have come alive after a miserable start, and Dwayne Bowe will have success against the Raiders' secondary.

It wont be enough, though, and the Oakland Raiders will win this football game.

Oakland Raiders 27

Kansas City Chiefs 21

Pittsburgh Steelers at Arizona Cardinals

The Pittsburgh Steelers travel west and take on the under-performing Arizona Cardinals Sunday.

When the Cardinals traded for Kevin Kolb, this was not the start they envisioned. Kolb has struggled this season, and Arizona has suffered some close losses.

While the Falcons-Lions is my NFL game of the week, this is the easiest game to make money from.

The Steelers -4 is a mortal lock. I see no way the Cardinals can pull out this game, and I see the Steelers winning by a wide margin.

Expect Mike Wallace to go for 100-plus yards and a TD, while the Steelers coast to a win.

Pittsburgh Steelers 34

Arizona Cardinals 21

St. Louis Rams at Dallas Cowboys

The St. Louis Rams come to Dallas to take on a Dallas Cowboys team that has lost three games this season by a combined 11 points.

Stephen Jackson should be able to find success on the ground against the Cowboys, but with the passing game of the Rams struggling, it won't be enough.

The Cowboys' Felix Jones will miss this game with an ankle injury, but rookie DeMarco Murray will find success on the ground in his place.  

Miles Austin and Dez Bryant will be too much for the Rams' secondary to handle. Expect Tony Romo to have 300 yards passing and three TDs, and the Cowboys to run away with this football game. 

Dallas Cowboys 35

St. Louis Rams 24

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings

The Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers roll into Minnesota in Week 7.

These are two teams headed in completely opposite directions. Vikings first round draft pick Christian Ponder will make his first NFL start. For the Vikings to keep this game close, Adrian Peterson will have to have a monster day. 

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers should be able to throw at will against the Vikings' pass defense, which is ranked 25th in the NFL.

This game could still wind up being closer then expected, because these teams always play each other extremely tough.

Green Bay Packers 31

Minnesota Vikings 21

Indianapolis Colts at New Orleans Saints

The Indianapolis Colts travel to take on the New Orleans Saints for this week's Sunday Night Football game. The winless Colts have struggled mightily this season, and expect that trend to continue this week.

Sean Payton will be coaching the Saints from a box, after breaking his leg and tearing his MCL in a collision on the sideline last week. The Saints are coming off their second loss of the season and will be ready for this matchup.

Colts QB Curtis Painter should put up some stats throwing to Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon, but the Saints will run away with this football game.

I'm expecting Saints TE Jeremy Graham to have his fifth consecutive game with over 100 receiving yards, and he will find the end zone at least once.

New Orleans Saints 41

Indianapolis Colts 24

Baltimore Ravens at Jacksonville Jaguars

The Baltimore Ravens head to Florida to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday Night Football this week.

The Ravens are on a three-game win streak and come into this game with a 4-1 record.

Jacksonville is currently sitting at 1-5 and scoring an anemic 12 points a game. 

With the Jacksonville Jaguars' defense giving up an average of 115 yards a game on the ground, expect Ravens RB Ray Rice to have a big day both on the ground and catching passes out of the backfield.

Maurice Jones-Drew will need to have a big game to help Jacksonville rest its defense. Otherwise, this game could get out of hand early.

Anquan Boldin could be in for a big day, and the Ravens should win this game convincingly.

Baltimore Ravens 27

Jacksonville Jaguars 13