Week 7 NFL Picks: Panthers Unlikely to Find Consistency, Peyton Manning to Enjoy ‘Homecoming’
Some weeks are better than others. Unless you’re picking NFL games against the spread, in which case they all totally suck.
That was the case in Week 6 for the NESN.com picks column, as we’re just really starting to embarrass ourselves. With a pair of 3-11 showings, we’re now about a million games under .500 for the season, and the halfway point isn’t even upon us.
But you keep pushing and you hope to get better. Multiple ideas were bounced around this week in an attempt to change the luck, but in the end, it’s just another week of trying to pick football winners. NESN.com editors John Beattie and Mike Cole are back at it this week, and here are their picks.
All lines are from Bovada as of Thursday. If lines are off on Bovada Thursday, Yahoo! lines will be used for those games.
Seahawks at CARDINALS (+7)
John Beattie: Seattle
Mike Cole: Seattle
Why: Arizona is 6-1 in its last seven games when playing at home against Seattle. They’re 2-0 at home this year and have won two of their last three. This tempts me to take the home underdogs but temptation has really screwed up a lot of my picks this season. Let’s go with the Seahawks winning this one on the ground.-JB
Patriots at JETS (Unavailable on Bovada; +4 on Yahoo!)
JB: New England
MC: New England
Why: I was close to taking the Jets, but that’s how you go 3-11 in a week, by making stupid decisions that go against logic. -MC
Chargers at JAGUARS (+9)
JB: Jaguars
MC: Chargers
Why: The Chargers looked great last week but the Jags looked even better (in a loss… and considering they’re the Jags). Let’s take Jax at home here.-JB
Bengals at LIONS (-3)
JB: Cincinnati
MC: Detroit
Why: I don’t know if the Lions can sustain success because they really don’t have a track record of doing so. You know, because they’re the Lions. But then again, the Bengals are the Bengals, and they have some issues with covering the spread on the road. They had to go to overtime last week in Buffalo against a guy named Thad. Give me the Lions. -MC
Bills at DOLPHINS (Unavailable on Bovada; -8 1/2 on Yahoo!)
JB: Buffalo
MC: Buffalo
Why: This game screams “Miami” — but, the thing is, I’m married so I know how to ignore someone screaming at me. Buffalo here.-JB
Bears at REDSKINS (+1)
JB: Chicago
MC: Chicago
Why: The Bears screwed me last week when they were gift-wrapped what should have been a 20-point win over Eli Manning and the Giants, but they let them back into the game allowing New York to cover the spread. Jay Cutler is playing well right now, and I think he’s good for a few points and a win even going into D.C. -MC
Cowboys at EAGLES (-3)
JB: Philadelphia
MC: Philadelphia
Why: DeMarco and DeMarcus are likely out for this one. That’s too many De-people on the sidelines if you ask me.-JB
Rams at PANTHERS (-6)
JB: St. Louis
MC: St. Louis
Why: No one does the whole up-and-down thing better than Cam Newton and the Panthers. They rolled the Vikings last week, so unless they magically figured out how to be consistent this week, I’ll expect them to come back to earth and not cover. -MC
Buccaneers at FALCONS (-7)
JB: Atlanta
MC: Atlanta
Why: Despite how bad Atlanta is and how banged-up they are, coming off the Bye Week and playing a team that can’t score points seems too irresistible to pass up.-JB
49ers at TITANS (+4 1/2)
JB: San Francisco
MC: San Francisco
Why: This feels like another spread in which I’m missing something. But I’m not going to question anything. I’m just going to take the 49ers and move on. -MC
Texans at CHIEFS (-7)
JB: Kansas City
MC: Kansas City
Why: Houston is coming off two terrible losses and could limp into the Bye Week before figuring things out.-JB
Browns at PACKERS (-10)
JB: Cleveland
MC: Cleveland
Why: I think Green Bay wins this game, but I don’t think it will be easy. They’re without arguably their two top wideouts, and the Bengals have a top 10 rush defense. That sounds like a pretty frustrating day for the Pack, probably enough to keep this game close enough. -MC
Ravens at STEELERS (-1)
JB: Baltimore
MC: Baltimore
Why: This one will be gross. Let’s pretend Ray Rice remembered how to run with a football and take Balty.-JB
Broncos at COLTS (+7)
JB: Denver
MC: Denver
Why: You get the feeling the Broncos are kind of big fans of their quarterback Peyton Manning. With the way Jim Irsay opened his big mouth this week, that might serve as added motivation for a team that needs none right now. -MC
Vikings at GIANTS (- 3 1/2)
JB: Minnesota
MC: New York
Why: The Giants signed Peyton Hillis this week.-JB
Last week:
JB: 3-11
MC: 3-11
Overall:
JB: 35-52-4
MC: 34-53-4
