NFL picks, predictions, odds for Week 7: Division races heat up

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NFL picks, predictions, odds for Week 7: Division races heat up

Tim Crean, ClutchPoints

Thu, Oct 16, 2025 ·

10 min read

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The post NFL picks, predictions, odds for Week 7: Division races heat up appeared first on ClutchPoints .

The 2025 NFL season is settling in, and as we approach the trade deadline between Weeks 9 and 10, teams need to figure out who they are and what they need to win. This week, two AFC North teams kick off their journey of self-discovery on Thursday night, when the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Cincinnati Bengals . Ahead of that, let's take a look at the ClutchPoints 2025 NFL Week 7 picks, predictions, and odds column.

With six weeks in the books, the division races are heating up. Only the Steelers have a comfortable lead right now. Outside of the AFC North, only the New York Jets , Tennessee Titans , Miami Dolphins , and New Orleans Saints are more than two games out of first.

That means nearly every game this week will have serious implications in the standings, as teams look to hold their leads or keep pace with their division leaders.

The bye weeks continue in Week 7, as we welcome back the Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings , and for now, we say goodbye to two teams that desperately need a break, the plummeting Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills .

Here in Week 7, we'll get a Thursday night game, another 9:30 a.m. ET matchup from London, England, six 1:00 p.m. ET games, four late-window tilts, a Sunday night affair, and two Monday night showdowns, kicking at 7:00 p.m. ET and a sleep-inducing 10:00 p.m. ET.

In Week 6, we got back to our winning ways straight up, going 9-6 just picking winners. We went 7-8 against the spread, which knocks us down a bit, but keeps us fully in view of the Mount .500 summit. On the season, we're now 55-38 straight up and 46-47 ATS.

So, let's get right into the NFL Week 7 picks, predictions, and odds.

Courtesy of DraftKings, here are the NFL odds .

Pittsburgh Steelers (-5.5) at Cincinnati Bengals

Speaking of divisional matchups, the Bengals are the only team within three games of the Steelers right now in the AFC North, so a win on Thursday night will get Pittsburgh close to shutting the door on the division by midseason. The Bengals looked slightly better last week with Joe Flacco , but were still not good by any means.

While Aaron Rodgers and company have been winning, the offense is still a work in progress, so picking them by too many points is a little scary. The Bengals' defense is still not good, though, so the Steelers should win this game by a touchdown.

Pick:Steelers 21-14

UPDATE: Well, the upsets on Thursday nights continue as the Bengals somehow beat a rough-looking Steelers squad. This is something to keep in mind for next week.

Los Angeles Rams (-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars

If this game were in the States, there would be a lot more to discuss, and the Rams would have a solid case for a win here, although any game without Puka Nakua is hard. This game is in London, though, and kicking at 6:30 am PT for the Rams is doubly tough.

The official position of the NFL Week 7 picks, predictions, and odds column is that we still don't believe in Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars long-term. But in their home away from home in England, we'll take them to pull off another win.

Pick: Jaguars 17-14

Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5) at Minnesota Vikings

This is an interesting game, because it seems like almost everyone—sharps and the public—are expecting the Eagles to get right here. The Vikings have question marks at quarterback, and the offense hasn't been great, no matter who is under center.

The Eagles haven't shown they've figured out how to turn things around, though, and the Vikings' defense has been a solid unit all season. Minnesota is also coming off its bye, so they've had two weeks to pick apart all the Eagles' flaws that have cost them so dearly the last two weeks. That's why we'll take the Vikes straight up.

Pick:Vikings 21-20

Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs (-11.5)

The Chiefs are rolling, Rashee Rice is back, and the Raiders are still, well, the Raiders, so it's no surprise that people love the home team in this matchup. This is a division game, though, which are often closer than predicted, and we know even the juggernaut Chiefs tend not to cover big spreads. So, while we'll take Kansas City to win, this game could be a lot closer than most think.

Pick:Chiefs 28-24

New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears (-5.5)

The Bears are looking better by the week as Ben Johnson is implementing his offense and seemingly finally getting to Caleb Williams . On the other side, though, the Saints have been frisky lately, beating the Giants and giving the Bills and Patriots all they could handle.

Can Spencer Rattler and company keep playing well even as the season continues to go South? The NFL Week 7 picks, predictions, and odds column has more confidence in that right now than Williams and the Bears being a full-blown good team that takes care of business when they should. That means another Bears win, but not a cover.

Pick:Bears 23-20

Miami Dolphins at Cleveland Browns (-2.5)

When you are not favored against the Browns, that's when you really know things are going poorly. That's where the Dolphins find themselves this week as they travel to Cleveland as a two-and-a-half-point underdog against a 1-5 team.

Despite the identical record, there are two teams in different spots. The Browns have a good defense and young quarterbacks, which provides some level of hope. The Dolphins are an absolute tire fire where the starting QB had to apologize for airing out teammates after last week's game. Give me the team with at least some rays of light shining though.

Pick:Browns 14-10

Carolina Panthers (-1.5) at New York Jets

The Panthers have been good lately, winning three of their last four, albeit all at home. They've also lost all three away games thus far. Now they go back on the road, and the question is, can they keep that North Carolina energy up in New Jersey?

Just like the Browns-Dolphins tilt, this is a game featuring a team with some positive signs against a team that's already looking forward to the 2026 NFL Draft. The NFL Week 7 picks, predictions, and odds column will go with the Panthers, despite their road-home splits thus far.

Pick:Panthers 23-9

New England Patriots (-7) at Tennessee Titans

This is such a tough game to call, not because of the teams on the field, but because of the narratives off it. What wins out in Week 7, the good coach revenge game or the interim coach bump?

Over the last 14 seasons, interim head coaches are 20-12 against the spread , according to The Sports Hub's research team. And for interim head coaches who took over before Week 13, they are 11-4 straight up. Those numbers have dipped a bit it recent seasons, but they are more concrete than the "revenge factor," so we'll go all in on the bump and the upset.

Pick:Titans 17-16

Indianapolis Colts at Los Angeles Chargers (-1.5)

We can keep this one simple. The Colts keep finding ways to win, and they are (mostly) at full strength. The Chargers are ridiculously banged up, especially on offense, but they also keep finding ways to lose. The Week 7 picks, predictions, and odds column favors winners more than losers. Full stop.

Pick:Colts 28-23

New York Giants at Denver Broncos (-7)

This game is interesting from a betting perspective with how the money is shaking out. The majority of the public thinks the Broncos are going to win, while the sharp money is coming in on the Giants' +300 moneyline. However, the public and the sharps agree that the Giants getting a touchdown seems like way too much.

Denver is on a nice roll now with three consecutive wins, although they've beaten the Bengals, Eagles, and Jets in these last few weeks. The Giants may have something good going with their wild Gen Z QB and RB tandem. So, let's go with Jaxon Dart and Cam Skattebo to pull the upset. WOOOOOOOOOH!!!!

Pick:Giants 26-24

Washington Commanders (-1.5) at Dallas Cowboys

The Commanders lost to the Bears in a close one last week, as we predicted here, although we whiffed on the Cowboys losing to the Panthers big time. This is a division game, though, so it will be close, and Dallas has played better at home this season, although the results are mixed, going 1-0-1 in their two home games.

Under the partial roof at the Jerry Dome, we like a high scoring affair that Dak Prescott wins in the end over a clearly not 100 percent Jayden Daniels . Give us the home dog here in Big D.

Pick:Cowboys 31-30

Green Bay Packers (-6.5) at Arizona Cardinals

There is a fascinating NFL betting trend that has been going on in recent years, where home dogs heading into a bye week are covering at a 66% rate since 2015 . That's a pretty good clip, and the data stretches back long enough that it seems like a real thing.

The Cardinals fought hard last week despite all their issues, so making this close isn't preposterous by any means. Most of all, though, we just want to try to cash in on this trend here at the NFL Week 7 picks, predictions, and odds column, so let's do it!

Pick:Packers 27-24

Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers (-2.5)

The 49ers are 2-2 in their last four games, but that includes an overtime win over the Rams and a one-point victory over the Cardinals. In fact, the 4-2 team has a -3 point differential on the season. After their embarrassing 30-0 no-show against the Panthers, the Falcons are 2-0, beating two Conference Championship Game participants from last season, the Commanders and Bills.

It seems as though the Falcons truly learned something from their defeat and are firing on all cylinders with a legit defense, serious run game, and excellent playmaker in Drake London . The 49ers, on the other hand, are still dealing with too many injuries, and their luck is bound to run out soon.

Pick:Falcons 27-26

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions (-5.5)

In the first of what should be two good Monday night games, the Buccaneers travel to Detroit to take on the Lions. The home team is coming off a poor showing against the Chiefs last week, while the away side took care of business.

This should be a close game because, despite all the injuries, Baker Mayfield is willing his team to win. They may not win this one, but it will be closer than the spread suggests.

Pick:Lions 30-28

Houston Texans at Seattle Seahawks (-3)

The Texans are coming off a win and a bye, so they should be ready to go in this game. When the Seahawks are at home, though, they are tough to beat. It wouldn't be a shock if this game went either way, but late-night, at home, on a Monday, with a bye on the horizon, the Seahawks should take this one and, let's say, cover, too.

Pick:Seahawks 23-17

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