NFL Game Week 7 - Schedule, Picks & Where to Watch
The season is motoring along, and offense does appear to be back. Heading into Week 7, we have two unbeaten teams remaining, in the Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs, and both have very tough matchups on the docket this week. In the case of the Chiefs, it will be deja vu as they try and win their Super Bowl rematch clash against the San Francisco 49ers, but more on that later.
Week 6 wrapped up with a tense New York Jets loss to their division rival Buffalo Bills, which leaves them at 2-4 and with lots of questions to answer. New Orleans also had a bad week, seeing their slide continue into a fourth consecutive loss, which is a milestone that Seattle will try to avoid this week against Atlanta. There are some great games coming up this week, so, without further ado, let’s take a look at our favorites.
Houston Texans @ Green Bay Packers
- Date & Time: Sunday, October 20, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
- Broadcast Details: CBS
Game Preview:
This Sunday, two of the NFL’s most exciting young quarterbacks will go head-to-head when CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans take on Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers. Both teams are coming off solid wins, but it’s the Texans who seem to have the upper hand, boasting a 5-1 record that comfortably leads the AFC South.
CJ Stroud has been in great form this season, throwing for 1,577 yards, 10 touchdowns, and four interceptions through six games. His completion rate has jumped to an impressive 68.3%, and he continues to develop as one of the league’s best young stars. The Texans had an easy time against the struggling New England Patriots last week, despite missing wide receiver Nico Collins. They were helped by Stefon Diggs delivering another solid performance with six catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, and Tank Dell also getting on the scoresheet.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect for Houston was the resurgence of their ground game, led by Joe Mixon, who rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown on just 13 carries. The Texans have struggled to establish the run recently, but Mixon’s return from injury is a game-changer. He’s now surpassed 100 rushing yards in two of his last three outings, and with him back, Houston’s ground attack should improve on its current average of 118 rushing yards per game.
The Packers’ defense, meanwhile, has been strong against the run, allowing just 110 rushing yards per game, placing them in the top 10 in the league. Their secondary has given up more passing yards than they’d like, but they have at least been excellent at generating turnovers. Safety Xavier McKinney has already recorded five interceptions, helping Green Bay rank third in the league with nine picks overall.
On offense, Jordan Love has been a bit of a wildcard. While he’s thrown 12 touchdowns, he’s also tied for the second-most interceptions with six, despite missing two games. Love’s high-risk, high-reward style has resulted in him averaging 282.8 passing yards per game, which ranks second in the league, though his completion rate sits at just 58.9%.
This matchup promises to be a thrilling one. The Texans’ defense is one of the best, allowing only 163.2 passing yards per game, ranking fourth in the NFL. With Green Bay’s multiple offensive threats, including Jayden Reed (442 yards), tight end Tucker Kraft (231 yards), and several other exciting names, they are in a great spot to challenge this stingy unit. This one should be fun!
Prediction/Analysis:
If Nico Collins were playing, I think this would be a straight-forward win for Houston. His absence makes things tighter, for sure, but they should still get the job done. Mixon adds an invaluable element to this already-loaded offense, and Diggs and Dell are more than capable of dominating through the air. Add in the fact that Love isn’t the best at protecting the ball, and Houston’s D should be able to make an impact as well.
Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings
- Date & Time: Sunday, October 20, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
- Broadcast Details: FOX
Game Preview:
The NFC North has quickly become the toughest division in football, with the Minnesota Vikings leading the way as one of only two unbeaten teams, along with the Kansas City Chiefs. Coming off their bye, the Vikings will face the 4-1 Detroit Lions, who just dominated the Cowboys in Dallas. With the Bears and Packers also at four wins, things have never been tighter.
Minnesota’s success is especially impressive given their lower expectations with Sam Darnold at the helm in a post-Kirk Cousins world. Stepping in, Darnold has been brilliant, throwing for 1,111 yards, 11 touchdowns, and four interceptions while completing 63.5% of his passes. His strong performances have come against tough defenses, and with T.J. Hockenson still to be added to this loaded offense, they’re surely only going to get better moving forward.
Detroit’s defense will be tested, especially after losing star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson to a season-ending injury. The Lions, who have given up 246.2 passing yards per game, have seen some improvement in the secondary, but Hutchinson’s absence leaves their pass rush lacking, which could make it harder to stop Darnold and the Vikings’ high-powered offense.
On offense, Detroit’s strength is in the run game. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have combined for over 680 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. The Lions will likely rely heavily on them again, especially with Minnesota's confusing pass defense schemes already having got the better of several top quarterbacks this year. The Vikings do, however, only allow 67.2 rushing yards per game, which will make this an intriguing strength-on-strength clash.
Prediction/Analysis:
This is finally the week where the cracks begin to show for Minnesota. Yes, they are well-rested coming off their bye, but this Detroit team is looking like one of the best in the NFL. Aidan Hutchinson’s injury does not help, of course, but they have more than enough on offense to rack up points, and just enough on defense to hand Minnesota their first loss.
Kansas City Chiefs @ San Francisco 49ers
- Date & Time: Sunday, October 20, 2024, at 4:25 p.m. ET
- Venue: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
- Broadcast Details: FOX
Game Preview:
This weekend brings a highly anticipated Super Bowl rematch at Levi's Stadium, as the San Francisco 49ers host the Kansas City Chiefs. Chiefs coach Andy Reid has an outstanding post-bye record of 21-4, but they’ll face a 49ers team riding high after an impressive win over the Seattle Seahawks. Both teams come into this matchup well-rested, with the Niners having had extra time after their Thursday night game.
Brock Purdy was excellent against Seattle, passing for 255 yards and three touchdowns, while also showing off his mobility. He’s taken a clear step forward this season, which is crucial against a tough Chiefs defense that allows just 17 points per game—the best in the league—and ranks ninth in total yards allowed at 305.4 per game.
This game is a true strength-on-strength clash, with San Francisco’s offense averaging 420 yards per game, second-best in the NFL, and 27 points per game, ranking eighth. However, they’ll be missing Christian McCaffrey, and there are injury concerns for running back Jordan Mason, who left last week's game with a shoulder issue. If Mason can’t go, the 49ers may turn to Isaac Guerendo, who had a strong finish last week, but Kyle Shanahan will hope Mason can return given his solid 5.3 yards per carry this season.
The Chiefs’ offense has had its ups and downs, but they showed improvement against the Saints, even without Rashee Rice, who’s now out for the season. Patrick Mahomes has been inconsistent, throwing six touchdowns and six interceptions, but still managed his first 300-yard game of the year last week. With a run-heavy approach led by Kareem Hunt, and Travis Kelce finding his rhythm, the Chiefs remain dangerous.
Reid’s mastery after a bye, combined with past success against San Francisco, makes Kansas City a formidable task here for San Fran.
Prediction/Analysis:
I predict that the Chiefs will be the second unbeaten team to fall this weekend, with the 49ers managing to exact revenge on their Super Bowl loss. Purdy has looked sharp, and any one of his playmakers can break a big play at any moment. With the benefit of a home crowd on their side, San Fran should get the job done this week.
Honorable Mentions:
Baltimore Ravens @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Monday, Oct 21st, 8:15 p.m. | ESPN
Two of the best teams, led by two of the best quarterbacks this season face off on Monday Night Football. Can Baker outlast the reigning MVP, and fuel his own bid for the prestigious award?