October is the greatest month on the sports calendar! It is the only month when fans get to watch their favorite football, basketball, and hockey team in regular season action. If you are fortunate, you may even get to see your baseball team pursuing a championship. The first six weeks of football have been exhilarating and mesmerizing at times. However, the slate for week 7 looks a bit weak due to the Eagles, Bills, and Vikings going on their bye weeks. The trio of teams are combined 16-2 this season. I think the theme for this week in their absence is bouncing back. Although I will not go into details about these games, I predict the Buccaneers, Packers, and Cowboys will all bounce back from a disappointing week six because they face the Panthers, Commanders, and Lions. Below are the predictions for the five hottest games in week 7.
1. Atlanta Falcons (3-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-3)-Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox)
The Bengals’ offense looked back to their best last week, with former LSU Tiger JaMarr Chase returning to Louisiana and torching the Saints for seven catches, 132 yards, and two touchdowns. The Falcons could have felt disheartened by the blown call against Grady Jarrett against the Bucs to prevent the comeback. Instead, the Dirty Birds responded with an impressive wire-to-wire win against the 49ers at home. The key to the Falcons is playing ahead, but the Bengals’ offense will put them behind in this game. Also, the injuries in the secondary for Atlanta will make this a tough matchup. I have the Bengals beating the plucky Falcons.
Bengals 30-Falcons 20
2. Indianapolis Colts (3-2-1) at Tennessee Titans (3-2-1)- Sunday, 1 p.m ET (CBS)
These two teams had a terrible start to the season. The Titans lost to the Giants and Bills while the Colts tied with the Texans and lost to the Jaguars. Matt Ryan will be confident after his best performance in the horseshoe helmet last week against the Jaguars. However, I favor the Titans in this matchup at home because they are coming off a bye week, and defeated this Sunday’s opponent in their backyard a few weeks ago in week 4. I like the Titans winning this game.
Titans 24-20
3. Kansas City Chiefs (4-2) at San Francisco 49ers (3-3)-Sunday, 4:25 pm (Fox)
This will be a rematch of Superbowl 54 when the Chiefs pulled off the comeback to beat the 49ers for the chip. I think this matchup will be the best game for this week. Patrick Mahomes faced a ferocious defense last week. This week, he will face another difficult test in playing against arguably the best defense in the league. The key for Mahomes in this game is restricting the turnovers and not allowing the 49ers to snatch the ball away. For the Chiefs, the key is to contain Deebo Samuels and force Jimmy Garoppolo to beat them. This scenario favors the Chiefs, and I expect Mahomes to bounce back.
Chiefs 23-49ers 21
4. Seattle Seahawks (3-3) at Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)- Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (Fox)
The Seattle Seahawks are one of the big surprises in this NFL season. No one could have predicted that Russell Wilson’s departure could have made the team slightly better, but that is how things have turned out. Last week they were able to beat the Cardinals in a low-scoring contest. The Chargers, on the other hand, have won three straight games but they have not been impressive. There are problems on the offensive line, but the combination of Justin Herbert, Austin Ekeler, and Mike Williams will be too much for the Seahawks.
Chargers 31-Seahawks 23
5. New York Jets (4-2) at Denver Broncos (2-4)-Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)
This matchup will feature the most disappointing team versus the most surprising team of the year. The Broncos are the most disappointing team because the offense is putrid despite the talent available. The defense has given them a chance in every game by allowing more than 19 points only once. However, the offense has only scored more than 20 points only once this season, which is a recipe for disaster. The Jets, on the other hand, has shown the opposite in showing grit and toughness with a group of hungry young players. I have the Jets winning a low-scoring game.
Jets 17-Broncos 14
Last week’s record: 3-2
Overall record: 17-13