In a season that has so far been mostly talked about as a let down, we’re very close to the midway point. There are no massive matchups in week 7, but the New England Patriots coming to play on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Seattle Seahawks travelling to face division rivals the Arizona Cardinals both have the potential of some quality football and maybe some surprising results.
Two teams will rest this week: The Dallas Cowboys, following five consecutive wins while people continue to debate whether Dak Prescott should continue starting over Tony Romo or not, and the Carolina Panthers, maybe the team in the biggest need of a bye week at this point, going 1-5 to start the season.
Here are our thoughts on the 15 games that will be played in Week 7:
- The Chicago Bears visiting the Green Bay Packers is always a one-sided affair. If Aaron Rodgers plays poorly in this one, we’ll know something is definitely wrong
- The Los Angeles Rams do well when no one expects anything from them. The key to this game will be how the New York Giants manage to slow down the Rams pass rush towards Eli Manning
- Like every game for the Kansas City Chiefs, scoring early is crucial for them. Even at home, if the New Orleans Saints can score some early points on them, Alex Smith will struggle erasing that gap
- Another AFC South clash, this time with the Tennessee Titans hosting the Indianapolis Colts. A loss here could really hasten the end for Chuck Pagano as the head coach of this team
- With momentum suddenly not so favorable, Carson Wentz and the Philadelphia Eagles are getting to play a very well rested Minnesota Vikings team at the wrong time, which also marks the return of Sam Bradford to his team from last season
- While the Cincinnati Bengals have been struggling, this isn’t going to be the game the Cleveland Browns get their first win of the season, even if they were pretty close last time
- Matthew Stafford has been playing terrific football lately, but is it good enough to stop the red hot Washington Redskins? Kirk Cousins being consistent enough is probably the deciding factor here
- The game between the Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars is an excellent opportunity for Blake Bortles to go head to head with Derek Carr. This game probably has more to do with which team actually establishes a running game
- The Buffalo Bills ran all over the Miami Dolphins on a rainy Sunday last season, and this could happen again, although an injured LeSean McCoy could mean a very different outcome this time
- The Ravens can’t afford another loss. The Jets can’t afford another loss. Geno Smith starting is something of a betrayal by Todd Bowles against Ryan Fitzpatrick, but he’s trying to save his season
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers playing the San Francisco 49ers is a great opportunity for both quarterbacks to help themselves out a little bit. Colin Kaepernick is in bigger need of a big game, but Jameis Winston is more likely to have one
- The Atlanta Falcons came one bad referee call away from winning in Seattle. This team is for real, but it’s impossible to know which San Diego Chargers team will show up, and how lady luck will decide to screw with them, giving the Falcons the edge heading into this one
- Tom Brady and the New England Patriots have done incredibly well against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger over the years. Without Big Ben, it will be even easier
- There’s something weird about the Seattle Seahawks this season, but the results suggest they’re just as good as in previous year. Their visit to the desert is a huge test for the Arizona Cardinals, who need to get the ball out of Carson Palmer’s hand a lot quicker than before
- The Houston Texans found the right time to visit the Denver Broncos, but while Brock Osweiler has himself a redeeming moment against the Colts, it’s going to be very difficult for him in a hostile stadium and a very hostile defense