NFL picks and predictions for Week 7 of the 2019 season are made easier by a few freebies on the schedule. Our favorite teams to pick against, the Dolphins and Redskins, are double-digit underdogs against the Bills and 49ers, respectively. The Jets are in the same boat against the Patriots, but after last week's Cowboys game, we can't be as quick to write off New York.
According to the opening spreads at Sportsbook Review, per usual, a handful of Week 7 games are essentially toss-ups. Cowboys vs. Eagles, Seahawks vs. Ravens, Saints vs. Bears, Texans vs. Colts, Vikings vs. Lions, Cardinals vs. Giants and Chargers vs. Titans fall into that category when it comes to predictions.
MORE: Get the latest NFL odds & betting advice at Sportsbook Review
In an NFL season that has been uncommonly friendly to away teams, based on the odds, Week 7 figures to be tough on those who are on the road. Only four away teams (Jaguars, Rams, 49ers and Patriots) opened as favorites. With that said, the home teams in those aforementioned toss-up games are anything but locks when it comes to picks.
Here are our Week 7 NFL picks and predictions, all the way through the Monday night game in New York.
NFL picks, predictions for Week 7
- Kansas City Chiefs (-3, -115) at Denver Broncos
Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET, Fox, NFL Network, Amazon Prime Video
If Kansas City comes through as a road favorite in Denver, it will reverse the current trends of both teams. The Chiefs have lost two straight after winning their first four games of the season; the Broncos have won two straight after losing their first four games of the season. The short week is inconvenient for two teams dealing with injuries, including Patrick Mahomes' bum ankle, and this is a tough matchup for Kansas City against Denver's fourth-ranked pass defense in terms of yards allowed. However, with Tyreek Hill back in the mix, Mahomes will find him for a few big plays, and the Chiefs' rushing attack will do just enough in a close game.
Pick: Chiefs 24, Broncos 20
- Arizona Cardinals at New York Giants (-3, -105)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
The Cardinals are on a winning streak. How about that? Arizona ripped Atlanta's terrible defense last week, and it'll see another struggling defensive team in New York. However, on the other side of the ball, the Cardinals' defense will be the worst rookie Giants quarterback Daniel Jones has seen since their game against the Redskins a few weeks ago. If Saquon Barkley returns from his ankle injury, New York will have enough offensive firepower to outscore Kyler Murray and Co.
Pick: Giants 34, Cardinals 30
- Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts (-1, -105)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
This game is a toss-up in so many ways. The Colts' fourth-ranked rushing offense led by Marlon Mack is up against the Texans' eighth-ranked run defense. Boosted by Deshaun Watson's legs, Houston has the NFL's fifth-ranked rushing offense, but Indianapolis is welcoming back tackling machine Darius Leonard in the middle of its defense. This one should come down to three factors: health, home-field advantage and coaching. The Colts, coming off their bye week at Lucas Oil Stadium with Frank Reich, have edges in all three areas.
Pick: Colts 23, Texans 21
- Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills (-17, -103)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
The historically bad Dolphins are averaging a grand total of 8.4 points per game this season, including their offensive explosion that resulted in 16 points last week. So what we already recognize as one of the NFL's top defenses in Buffalo will look extra stingy this week. For at least one more game, any struggles for the Bills' offense (if there are any against the Dolphins) won't matter.
Pick: Bills 27, Dolphins 10
- Minnesota Vikings (-1, -103) at Detroit Lions
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
Whether Kirk Cousins is or is not the "weakest" part of the Vikings' offense is irrelevant when the entire unit clicks the way it did last week against the Eagles. On the other side of the ball, Minnesota's defense is quietly rising, now sixth in the NFL with just 15.5 points allowed per game. That combination will be too much for a Lions team still trying to establish itself as a contender in the division.
Pick: Vikings 24, Lions 17
- Oakland Raiders at Green Bay Packers (-6, -102)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Rest will be a factor in this game, as the Raiders are coming off their bye week and the Packers are on a short week following a Monday night game. Oakland entered that off week after knocking off Chicago, but at this point, Green Bay's offense is much better than that of its division rival simply due to the presence of Aaron Rodgers. With a heavy dose of Josh Jacobs, the Raiders will keep it close against a Packers defense that's vulnerable against the run, but the better overall team will win.
Pick: Packers 27, Raiders 20
- Jacksonville Jaguars (-3, -119) at Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
What would have been intrigue around the marquee matchup between Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Green in this game is instead trade chatter. Regardless of what happens with both players before the deadline later this month, Green won't play in this game, and it's impossible to predict whether Ramsey will be active in a given week. So only three types of people should be interested in watching this game: Jaguars fans, Bengals fans and Leonard Fournette fantasy football owners. He should have himself a day against Cincinnati's awful run defense.
Pick: Jaguars 26, Bengals 17
- Los Angeles Rams (-3, +105) at Atlanta Falcons
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
At this point it should be easy to pick against the Falcons, losers of four straight games thanks mostly to defensive performances that are likely to get coach Dan Quinn fired at some point. Then again, we felt relatively safe picking the Rams over the last three weeks, yet they've dropped all three games. Even with Todd Gurley banged up, though, Los Angeles still has plenty of individual playmakers — think Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp, etc. — and Atlanta has only Matt Ryan.
Pick: Rams 34, Falcons 26
- San Francisco 49ers (-10, -102) at Washington Redskins
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox
With good reason, this game is the lock of the week for SN's Vinnie Iyer. Washington proved last week in Miami it has a strong case to be made as the worst team in the NFL. San Francisco proved last week in Los Angeles it has a strong case to be made as the best team in the NFL — certainly in the NFC, at least. Kyle Shanahan will enjoy his return to Washington, where he served as offensive coordinator from 2010-13.
Pick: 49ers 27, Redskins 9
- Los Angeles Chargers at Tennessee Titans (-2, -105)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS
At this point we have no idea what to make of the Chargers or the Titans, both of whom continue to either win games we think they'll lose or lose games we think they'll win. The Chargers' rush defense, allowing 120.5 yards per game on the ground, is trending in the wrong direction with Derrick Henry on deck, so Tennessee has the edge there (we think). Of course, Philip Rivers is better than whoever the Titans trot out at QB, so the Chargers have the edge there (we think). Forget it — let's flip a coin.
Pick: Chargers 23, Titans 20
- Baltimore Ravens at Seattle Seahawks (-3 1/2, +105)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
If not for the marquee associated with Cowboys vs. Eagles, this, a matchup of true contenders with exciting, MVP-caliber quarterbacks, would be the game of the week. Neither Baltimore nor Seattle is as great defensively as its brand suggests, especially against the pass, so the team that does a better job hiding its weakness will have the edge. The Ravens, spearheaded by Lamar Jackson and Mark Ingram, are better equipped to keep the ball moving with a balanced attack to offset the brilliance of Russell Wilson.
Pick: Ravens 35, Seahawks 30
- New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears (-3, -115)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
Kudos to the Saints for figuring out ways to remain undefeated in the wake of Drew Brees' thumb injury; they already have done enough to weather the storm and confirm their status as NFC South favorites upon Brees' return. But New Orleans has not yet seen a defense like the one it will face in Chicago, where the Bears are hungry for a chance to rebound after having a full bye week to think about their clunker in London. With or without Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback, Matt Nagy's offense will manufacture enough points to get back into the NFC North hunt.
Pick: Bears 21, Saints 17
- Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys (-3, +105)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
As SN's Vinnie Iyer writes, neither of these 3-3 teams is in trouble — yet. That will change for the loser of Sunday night's game. Both teams have been derailed by injuries, so the availability of their banged-up players will have an unfortunately big impact on such an important game. Against a stingy Eagles run defense, and with or without Amari Cooper and/or Randall Cobb, the Cowboys can't hesitate to let Dak Prescott loose as a passer in the event Ezekiel Elliott get stuffed early and often. Given the crescendo around his job security, Jason Garrett should oblige.
Pick: Cowboys 28, Eagles 24
- New England Patriots (-9 1/2, -105) at New York Jets
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN
Sam Darnold is back, but the good feelings he and the Jets have from their upset win over the Cowboys are the only sources of optimism they can take into this game against the NFL's best defense. New York will have to hope for a little Monday night magic, which isn't impossible for the home team since New England is known to drop random divisional games like this every once in a while. Still, the Jets are big underdogs for a reason.
Pick: Patriots 26, Jets 17