NFL Week 7 predictions, picks: Our experts face off on top games

Getty Images

We are approaching the halfway point of the 2025 NFL regular season. Can you believe it? It felt like we learned plenty in Week 6. The New York Giants have a fun dynamic duo in Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo, while the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills have some major question marks. The Kansas City Chiefs again look like the favorite in the AFC following their statement victory over the Detroit Lions, and the Carolina Panthers are apparently unbeatable at home.

This week, Mike Vrabel makes his return to Nashville to face his former team, which just fired his replacement. The Los Angeles Rams take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in Trevor Lawrence's home away from home -- London. Plus, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Lions face off in a potential NFC Championship preview.

Bet this week's top games at Bet365 Sportsbook, where new users get $200 in bonus bets using the bonus code CBSBET365:

Which teams should you pick in Week 7, and which should you fade? CBS Sports writers Jordan Dajani and Steven Taranto are here to break down the biggest games of the weekend. For clarity, lines for these selections were taken on Oct. 15, via FanDuel Sportsbook, where new users can get $300 in bonus bets:

Pittsburgh Steelers (-5.5) at Cincinnati Bengals (TNF)

Dajani (Bengals +5.5): It's 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers vs. 40-year-old Joe Flacco in prime time on a short week. Take the Under. This is actually the first NFL matchup featuring 40-year-old quarterbacks that does not include Tom Brady and Drew Brees. While the Bengals have now lost four straight games, I think Flacco showed on a short week vs. the Green Bay Packers that he's going to be an upgrade over Jake Browning. I would be absolutely shocked to see Mike Tomlin lose this game, but I do think the Bengals can keep it close â¦ Prediction: Steelers 21, Bengals 17

Taranto (Steelers -5.5): The Unction is about where the intrigue in this matchup ends for me. Even if Joe Flacco can still sling it a bit and take advantage of having the Bengals' receiving corps to throw to, the Steelers are well on their way to running roughshod over the entire AFC North. The Standard has shown up throughout their three-game winning streak, which includes last week's manhandling of the Cleveland Browns in their first division game. That being said, I do expect at least a one-score game here as I don't expect Cincinnati to just roll over despite their (many) issues. â¦ Prediction: Steelers 24, Bengals 17

Los Angeles Rams (-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (London)

Dajani (Rams -3): The Jaguars have proven to be a feisty team, but NFL MVP candidate (not kidding, in my opinion) Devin Lloyd won't be available for this game, which really hurts. In a weird season defined by parity, I do believe the Rams are still one of the best teams in the NFL. They are the only team to rank top three in yards per play in both offense and defense, so give me Matthew Stafford â¦ Prediction: Rams 24, Jaguars 18

Taranto (Rams -3): As the Brits would say, the Jaguars got caught feeling rough as a badger's arse against Seattle after the emotional high of beating the Chiefs in primetime -- Or, more simply put on this side of the pond, they were hung over from a huge win. The Jags will be on a national stage yet again with their annual game in London, but playing regularly in the UK doesn't give them an advantage against this specific opponent: Since Sean McVay took over as their coach, the Rams are 2-0 in games they've played in London, outscoring their opponents by a combined 57-10. â¦ Prediction: Rams 27, Jaguars 17

New England Patriots (-7) at Tennessee Titans

Dajani (Patriots -7): Don't assume this is going to be the easiest pick of the week. Yes, the Titans stink and just fired their head coach, but since 2015, teams that fire their coach midseason are 12-12 in their next game. Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk is clearly hoping for that "interim bump," but I can't bring myself to bet on this Titans squad. Mike Vrabel wants to embarrass Tennessee, but will do so respectfully â¦ Prediction: Patriots 27, Titans 17

Taranto (Titans +7): Do not discount the vibes boost that comes after a team fires its head coach. Since 2015, teams that have fired their coach midseason have gone 12-12 in the next game, though it should be noted that not all coach firings are created equally and exactly how the players rally and respond depends on how they felt about their coach to begin with. I still don't expect the Titans to be much of a match for the Patriots, but I do think that they'll show a little pride in the face of adversity -- especially with Mike Vrabel coming back to town â¦ Prediction: Patriots 24, Titans 20

New York Giants at Denver Broncos (-7)

Dajani (Giants +7): It's tough not to love this new-look Giants team. Did you know Jaxson Dart is just the third quarterback in the modern era to rush for at least 50 yards in his first three starts? He joins a short list that includes Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts. I'm not sure what the disconnect is with Sean Payton and Bo Nix, but this offense has been hard to watch this year. Nix completed just 19 of 30 passes for 174 yards and one touchdown vs. the lowly New York Jets in London. For that reason, I'll take the Giants to cover a big number, which I don't quite understand â¦ Prediction: Broncos 24, Giants 20

Taranto (Giants +7): Remember a couple of days ago when everyone was on Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen for running a vanilla scheme and not catering to his players' strengths? Credit where credit is due, because Bowen has apparently listened to his players and started to get more aggressive, and that aggression played a big role in taking down the Eagles -- particularly on Cor'Dale Flott's interception that put the game away. Denver's defense presents a great challenge for the upstart Giants offense, but NFL sack leader Nik Bonitto hasn't reckoned yet with anyone like Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas, who is playing at an All-Pro level again and has allowed Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo to rejuvenate this team and make them feel like anything is possible. Including this week. â¦ Prediction: Giants 20, Broncos 13

Washington Commanders (-1.5) at Dallas Cowboys

Dajani (Cowboys +1.5): What do we make of the Cowboys? They are 1-1-1 with 104 points scored and zero turnovers in their last three games. Dak Prescott has thrown 10 touchdowns with zero interceptions over the last three weeks, and he's 34-9 SU and 30-12-1 ATS in his career vs. NFC East opponents. The Commanders are certainly feisty, but they gave away that game against the Chicago Bears with three turnovers. I expect plenty of points in this matchup, but give me the home dog â¦ Prediction: Cowboys 31, Commanders 30

Taranto (Commanders -1.5): Even if their offense is hard to stop, the Cowboys' comically bad defense renders them a paper tiger when it matters most. A week ago, the Panthers were the far tougher team when it mattered in the fourth quarter, as they were able to bully their way down the field to set up a chip-shot field goal to win the game. It's going to take a lot more than Dak Prescott throwing it all over the yard for this Dallas team to win consistently, especially against a Commanders team that's going to come into this matchup angry after giving the game away against the Bears on Monday night. â¦ Prediction: Commanders 37, Cowboys 34

Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers (-2.5) (SNF)

Dajani (Falcons +2.5): It's hard to gauge what this 49ers team is since their roster has to leave games in ambulances half the time, but what I do know is that the Falcons are coming off a momentous victory over the Bills, and Fred Warner and Nick Bosa will not be on the field Sunday night. I'm tempted to take the Falcons straight up here. Brock Purdy could make his return to the lineup, but is he just going to hit the ground running? With Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings and George Kittle banged up? Maybe Atlanta isn't a Super Bowl contender, but the Falcons are 2-0 SU as an underdog this season. And both of those games came in prime time! â¦ Prediction: Falcons 21, 49ers 20

Taranto (Falcons +2.5): It should not be undersold just how devastating Fred Warner's season-ending injury is. Since he entered the league in 2018, Warner has played in 121 of a possible 122 games, meaning there's only been one game that he hasn't manned the middle of the 49ers defense and done so at an extremely high level. His absence, combined with mounting attrition in general, bodes poorly for San Francisco. They face a Falcons team coming off a huge win over the Buffalo Bills, featuring a virtuoso performance by running back Bijan Robinson and exceptional play by wide receiver Drake London. Their offensive system will at least give them a chance, but the more banged up they get, the more I doubt they can sustain winning the way they have. â¦ Prediction: Falcons 27, 49ers 17

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions (-5.5) (MNF)

Dajani (Lions -5.5): Baker Mayfield is a legend, but can he win vs. a top five team despite all of the Bucs' injuries? I love the Buccaneers, but I think the Lions are arguably the best team in the NFC despite the most recent loss to the Chiefs. Detroit has won four straight meetings in prime time and has committed just three turnovers this season. I'm looking for a bounce-back, as Detroit is 11-0 SU and ATS following its past 11 SU losses, and has covered in six straight games as a favorite â¦ Prediction: Lions 31, Buccaneers 24

Taranto (Buccaneers +5.5): This matchup presents a good case study in what attitude can do for a team one way or the other. The Buccaneers' toughness and resilience have been a central element in their 5-1 start, as Tampa Bay has followed the lead of quarterback Baker Mayfield in his emergence as a potential MVP candidate. The Lions' attitude got the better of them against Kansas City. They are now without one of their best players on defense, safety Brian Branch, after he started a fight following Detroit's 30-17 loss. Consider the impact of not having Branch and pick accordingly. â¦ Prediction: Buccaneers 31, Lions 20

Houston Texans at Seattle Seahawks (-3.5) (MNF)

Dajani (Texans +3.5): Many believe the Seahawks are one of the more underrated teams in the NFL. I am one of them. BUT... this team HATES playing in front of their home fans. Seattle is just 2-8 in its last 10 home games, and the Texans are not only coming off their bye, but also a 44-10 win over the injured Baltimore Ravens. If you're giving me the hook in this spot, I'll take it. This game could come down to the Texans defense vs. Sam Darnold. Houston is allowing 12.2 points per game this season, which ranks No. 1 in the NFL â¦ Prediction: Seahawks 20, Texans 17

Taranto (Seahawks -3.5): Part of what's impressive about the Seahawks' 4-2 record is that they are a perfect 3-0 on the road to just 1-2 at home, which has given them a runway to figure out how to reclaim the home-field advantage they once enjoyed at Lumen Field. While the Seahawks have had issues winning in their own stadium going back to last year, it isn't as though they aren't scoring, as they blew out the New Orleans Saints 44-13 before losing a 38-35 shootout to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This is a good opportunity for the Seahawks to get right and get a win at home in primetime, particularly against a Houston Texans team that is coming off their Bye and has gotten to 2-3 by beating up on the lowly Tennessee Titans and (shockingly) Baltimore Ravens. â¦ Prediction: Seahawks 34, Texans 21