NFL Week 7 Picks: Jahvid Best Injury Not Enough for Atlanta to Upset Detroit

Despite having their starting running back sidelined, the Detroit Lions are still a good bet to beat the Atlanta Falcons in their Week 7 matchup.

For those of you who haven't heard, Lions running back Jahvid Best has been diagnosed with yet another concussion and is almost a certainty not to play.  To make matters worse, second-stringer Jerome Harrison was discovered to have a brain tumor and is now out for the season.

Needless to say, the Lions have suffered a series of devastating blows at the halfback position.  Fortunately, what makes Detroit such a formidable team is the ability to mask weaknesses with strengths in other areas.

Defensive Line Faces a Dream Matchup

When defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and his band of merry men take the field on Sunday, they will be going up against an Atlanta Falcons team that has struggled along its offensive line.

Coming into this game, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has been sacked 15 times, which is tied for 10th most in the league.  Making matters worse, left tackle Sam Baker is in jeopardy of missing the game due to a back injury.  

This could very likely be a dream come true for the defensive line of the Lions.  They have more than lived up to the hype that was heaped upon them before the start of the season, posting 14 sacks and countless more quarterback pressures.

If they can continue their dominant ways, Suh and the rest of the line will have Matt Ryan running for his life.

Matthew Stafford Will Have All Day

In comparison to the Atlanta Falcons, the Detroit Lions offensive line has played better than most anticipated.  They have only given up 11 sacks and, more importantly, kept quarterback Matthew Stafford healthy enough to lob passes down the field.

This week, the O-line goes up against a team that has struggled generating any sort of pass rush as of late.  This year, the Falcons have only registered 10 sacks—good for 22nd in the league.

Everyone knows that the Detroit offense runs through the arm of Stafford.  With their starting running back out, that statement carries even more weight.  

Giving Stafford the time he needs to find his receivers could be the biggest factor in whether or not Detroit is able to add another tally under the win column.

Ford Field Will Be Loud

The debate between which stadium poses the highest difficulty for opposing teams is a never-ending one.  This year, however, it seems that Ford Field is the most obvious candidate.

In the three games that the Lions have hosted, opposing teams have committed 15 false-start penalties.  For those who don't have a record book nearby, the record is 32 over an entire season.

The Lions are on pace to shatter that record.

Some people may just see those 15 false-starts as a fluky statistic.  But if they actually watched any of the Lions' home games this year—in particular the one against the Chicago Bears—they would realize that there is nothing fluky about those stats.

It is the deafening roar of the fans that are causing opposing teams to make all those mistakes.

Calvin Johnson Will Feast on the Secondary

Here is a fluky statistic: Wide receiver Calvin Johnson failed to score a touchdown last week.  Incidentally, the Lions also notched their first loss of the season last week.  Coincidence?  I think not.

Fortunately, Megatron failing to record a touchdown is very much the exception rather than the rule.  In the five games prior to last week's loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Johnson was able to haul in a record nine touchdown passes.  Expect for him to add to that in this week's game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Setting aside his freakish abilities, Johnson has one of the more favorable matchups of any receiver this week.  He has the good fortune of going up against a Falcons defense that ranks sixth-worst in passing yards allowed per game (283.3) and has given up nine touchdowns.

Unless the Falcons drape two or three defenders over Johnson at all times, it wouldn't be surprising if he racks up one or two more touchdowns.

Jim Schwartz is Out For Revenge

Head coach Jim Schwartz is pissed.  Not only did his Detroit Lions notch their first loss of the season last week, but he also ended the game in a verbal battle with San Francisco 49ers' head coach Jim Harbaugh.  

This week, Schwartz is out to prove that both he and his team can come bounce back from a loss and prove to the league that they are better than the team they lost to last week.

Don't be surprised if the Lions come after the Atlanta Falcons with aggressive play-calling.  Think of it as Schwartz venting some of his frustration.

In some cases, revenge is a dish best served on the gridiron.