Week 7 NFL against-the-spread picks, predictions for every game: Eagles try to rebound vs. Vikings

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You’d think the sky is falling for the Philadelphia Eagles, but that’s nothing new. Even when they’re winning, there’s usually some reason for angst.

Except this time, they’re losing. A team that lost once from the start of October in 2024 to the end of September in 2025 lost twice in five days to start this month. They blew a game in the fourth quarter against the Broncos and then were surprisingly uncompetitive against the Giants on a Thursday night. That happened on a national stage, leading to an examination of what’s wrong with the Eagles.

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This might be the time to take a breath and think rationally about the Eagles.

Yes, there are issues. It’s still the deepest roster in the NFL. They were capable of winning 20 of 21 games over a calendar year. This season’s Eagles don’t look like last season’s Eagles yet and might never reach that level, but they should still be good enough to win many games and be a Super Bowl contender. As they prepare to face the Minnesota Vikings, ask yourself: Do we really think the Eagles, who lost three games all last season, are losing three in a row?

The Vikings are a good team but they do have quarterback questions. Will J.J. McCarthy return this week, and will he play better than he did the first two weeks of the season? It seems like McCarthy might need another week and while Carson Wentz has been OK he’s still an inconsistent option. The Eagles defense should be able to play well against him.

The Eagles are -2 at BetMGM vs. the Vikings. The Vikings have extra rest coming off the bye and are at home. Yet, again, are the Eagles really losing three in a row? Despite all the negativity surrounding them, Philadelphia is the pick. And they’ll hear all about if if they lose. Maybe even if they win.

Here are the picks for Week 7 of the NFL season, with all odds from BetMGM:

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Bengals (+5.5) over Steelers

The Bengals haven’t lost by fewer than nine points since Joe Burrow went on injured reserve. They’re being outscored by 21.3 points per game over the last four. So why is this spread just 5.5 points? As we found out each of the last two Thursdays, a divisional matchup in prime time can bring the best out of a team that isn’t very good or facing some adversity. If the Bengals have any decent performances left in them this season, we’ll see it Thursday night.

Jaguars (+3) over Rams

The Jaguars’ familiarity with London matters for these de facto home games. The Rams flying into London on Saturday morning seems like a disadvantage, though Sean McVay has obviously thought it through. There’s a much bigger factor: Puka Nacua’s ankle injury. If he doesn’t play, the Rams aren’t the same. And the Jaguars are a good team.

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Chiefs (-12) over Raiders

Double-digit favorites in the NFL aren’t usually a good investment, but the Chiefs are playing well lately. And the Raiders … are not. Even in the win over the Titans last week, Las Vegas still looked like a bottom tier team. And there’s enough bad blood between the sides that Kansas City won’t let up if it has the chance to blow out the Raiders.

Bears (-5) over Saints

The Saints have been on the road only twice this season. They lost by 31 and 12 in those two games and were out-gained in both too. There’s some worry for a Bears letdown after a nice road win over the Commanders, but they have won three in a row and it feels like there’s some momentum building. We’ll see.

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Browns (-2.5) over Dolphins

The one thing the Browns should be able to do is run the ball. And the Dolphins can’t stop the run. They’re giving up 5.6 yards per carry, which seems like a misprint. As long as the Browns don’t fall too far behind — and the defense is good enough that it shouldn’t — then this is the exact type of matchup Cleveland can exploit.

Patriots (-7) over Titans

Typically, backing a team that fired its coach is a smart move. There’s a short-term bump. But here’s another factor: Mike Vrabel. Vrabel was fired by the Titans in January of 2024 after ownership sided with since-fired GM Ran Carthon in a power struggle. Vrabel has downplayed his return but if New England gets a lead, he might want to blow out the team that fired him.

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Panthers (-1.5) over Jets

When winless teams start to get deep into the season, the urgency to get that first victory increases. Nobody remembers the one-loss teams in NFL history, while the 1976 Buccaneers, the 2008 Lions and 2017 Browns live forever. But the Jets are not only coming back from London and not taking the bye, it’s likely they’ll be without Garrett Wilson, the one player who could possibly save the passing game. The Jets will eventually win a game but it might take a while.

Giants (+7) over Broncos

Last week, teams with rest advantage did well. The teams with more rest than their opponent went 6-2 with three underdogs (Seahawks, Falcons, Bears) winning straight up. The Giants not only have three extra days of rest, but the Broncos are playing right after a London trip in Week 6. In addition, where is the Broncos’ offense? It hasn’t been very good yet. Oddsmakers giving the Giants a full touchdown is a bit surprising.

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Colts (+1.5) over Chargers

If you are skeptical of the Colts’ 5-1 start, you’re not alone. Oddsmakers agree. How else to explain this line? The Chargers’ injuries haven’t all gone away. They barely beat a terrible Dolphins team last week. It’s not like the Chargers have a great home-field advantage. This seems like a trap game. But the Colts deserve more respect than this.

Commanders (-2) over Cowboys

The Cowboys will seemingly get CeeDee Lamb back this week. But the offense hasn’t been a problem. Can Dallas’ defense stop anyone? It hasn’t yet this season. The Commanders are seeing regression hit after a magical 2024 season, but they’ll still be able to move the ball against the Cowboys. It’s just a question of whether Dak Prescott can carry Dallas to a win, as he’s being asked to do every week.

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Cardinals (+6.5) over Packers

Let’s just acknowledge it: The Cardinals looked better with Jacoby Brissett replacing Kyler Murray. Last week was by far their best offensive game of the season (a season high 400 yards; Arizona had just one game above 293 before last week), and it came in a tough test at the Colts. The Packers are a good team but they haven’t looked great since Week 2. And Arizona has to feel confident with Brissett getting another start.

Falcons (+2) over 49ers

The 49ers are in trouble. The defense might be really bad without Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. It was already slipping without Bosa, and losing Warner seems like a point of no return. And this week they get a game against a Falcons team that just put up 335 yards in the first half against the Bills. We might look back on this line in a few weeks and wonder how the Falcons were underdogs.

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Buccaneers (+5.5) over Lions

Last season, the Lions lost two regular-season games. One was against the Buccaneers at home. Detroit outplayed Tampa Bay in that game, but the Bucs have shown many times over the past few seasons that they are not overwhelmed when they face elite teams. The Lions’ injuries, with Brian Branch’s suspension, leave them a little vulnerable on defense against Baker Mayfield too.

Seahawks (-3) over Texans

The Seahawks are the NFL’s secret elite team. This spread indicates that nobody, including the betting market, has caught up to how good Seattle is. The Texans are coming off a bye and that’s a factor, and they did look better in their last two games. But how much of that was due to a soft spot in the schedule, facing the Titans and then a depleted Ravens team? Houston’s defense is fantastic, but I trust Seattle to get a solid home win.

Last week: 12-3

Season to date: 51-40-2

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