Los Angeles Rams OLB Byron Young / Credit: Rams media site
Here are my Week 7 NFL Game Predictions, both straight-up and against the spread and my results from last week and the season.
You’ll also find an array of fantastic notes down below for Week 7 and the 2025 season courtesy of NFL Communications press releases.
Vince’s Picks Results
Week 6: 10-5 straight-up & 7-8 spread
Season: 61-32 (66%) straight-up & 48-45 (52%) spread
There are 27 VFLs on 53-player rosters in the NFL. There are 3 more on practice squads and 1 on injured reserve bringing the league total to 31 with NFL teams. See how each did in Week 7 here. Look for a VFL in the NFL, ex-Vol and local player update blog soon on this feed and website, 991TheSportsAnimal.com.
Winners are in bold. Pick against the spread selection is listed to the side.
Week 7
Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025
8:20pm
Pittsburgh (-5.5) at Cincinnati – Pittsburgh -5.5
Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025
9:30am
LA Rams (-3) at Jacksonville – LA Rams (-3)
1pm
New Orleans at Chicago (-4) – Chicago -4
Miami at Cleveland (-2.5) – Cleveland -2.5
Las Vegas at Kansas City (-12) – Kansas City -12
Philadelphia (-2) at Minnesota – Philadelphia -2
Carolina (-1.5) at NY Jets – Carolina -1.5
New England (-7) at Tennessee – New England -7
4:05/4:25pm
NY Giants at Denver (-7.5) – NY Giants +7.5
Indianapolis at LA Chargers (-1.5) – Indianapolis +1.5
Green Bay (-7) at Arizona – Green Bay -7
Washington at Dallas (-1.5) – Dallas -1.5
8:20pm
Atlanta at San Francisco (-1.5) – San Francisco -1.5
Monday, Oct. 20, 2025
7pm
Tampa Bay at Detroit (-6) – Tampa Bay +6
10pm
Houston at Seattle (-3) – Seattle -3
Off This Week: Baltimore at Buffalo
NEW YORK — Oct. 14, 2025 — Entering Week 7, six of the eight divisions have a team in first place or tied for first place that did not win its division last season: AFC East (New England), AFC North (Pittsburgh), AFC South (Indianapolis), AFC West (Denver and L.A. Chargers), NFC North (Green Bay) and NFC West (San Francisco and Seattle).
Close games and fantastic finishes continue to be a trend as there have been 27 games with a game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime, the most through Week 6 in NFL history.
For Week 7 capsules, click here.
Here’s a look at a few interesting storylines entering Week 7:
- Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (2-4) (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video): Should Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgersand Cincinnati quarterback Joe Flacco both start on Thursday night, it will mark the third matchup all-time between starting quarterback both over the age of 40 (Tom Brady and Drew Brees met twice during the 2020 season).
- Rodgers enters Week 7 with 63,973 career regular-season passing yards and on Thursday, can surpass Ben Roethlisberger(64,088 passing yards) for the fifth-most regular-season passing yards in NFL history.
- Cincinnati wide receiver Ja’Marr Chaseregistered 10 catches for 94 yards and his 50th career touchdown reception last week and became the third player in NFL history with at least 50 touchdown receptions prior to his 26th birthday, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss (60 touchdown receptions) and Rob Gronkowski (54). Chase has 13 career games with at least 10 receptions, trailing only Michael Thomas (18 games) for the most such games by a player in his first five seasons in NFL history.
- Los Angeles Rams (4-2) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2) (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network): The Rams and Jaguars meet at Wembley Stadium in London in Week 7 in the third and final London game of the 2025 season. Los Angeles has a 2-2 record in international games while Jacksonville is 7-6 all-time in London, with wins in their last two Wembley appearances.
- The Rams lead the NFC in scoring defense (18.3 points per game) and are tied for second in the NFC in sacks (19). Linebacker Byron Youngranks second in the NFL with 7.5 sacks in 2025 and is the only player with at least a half sack in each of the first six weeks.
- Jacksonville cornerback Greg Newsome, who appeared in Week 5 for Cleveland at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, can become the fifth player to appear in multiple international games with different teams in the same season, joining Gareon Conley(2019 with Houston and Oakland), Patrick Johnson (2024 with the New York Giants and Philadelphia), Latavius Murray (2022 with Denver and New Orleans) and Adrian Peterson (2017 with Arizona and New Orleans).
- New York Giants (2-4) at Denver Broncos (4-2) (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS): Denver leads the NFL with 30 sacks this season, tied with the 2013 Kansas City Chiefs(30 sacks) for the most sacks by a team in its first six games of a season since 1990. The Broncos are the third team since 1990 with at least five sacks in four of their first six games of the season, joining the 2019 New England Patriots and 2000 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- Denver linebacker Nik Bonittoleads the NFL with eight sacks this season and since Week 12 of the 2023 season, has recorded at least one tackle for loss in 12 consecutive home games, tied with Jason Pierre-Paul (2010-12 with the New York Giants) and J. Watt (2019-20 with Pittsburgh) for the most consecutive home games with a tackle for loss since 2000.
- New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Darthas led the team to wins in two of his first three career starts and became the third quarterback since 1950 to record at least 50 rushing yards in each of his first three career starts, joining Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson.
- Giants linebacker Brian Burnsranks third in the NFL with seven sacks in 2025 and can become the sixth player since 2000 with at least 7.5 sacks in each of his first seven career seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Jared Allen and DeMarcus Ware as well as Aaron Donald, Ryan Kerrigan and Yannick Ngakoue.
- Indianapolis Colts (5-1) at Los Angeles Chargers (4-2) (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS): The Colts enter Week 7 with the best record in the AFC and have won at least five of their first six games for the first time since 2009. Indianapolis leads the NFL in scoring offense this season (32.3 points per game).
- Indianapolis quarterback Daniel Joneshas five games with a passer rating of 100-or-higher this season, tied with New England’s Drake Maye for the most in the NFL. Last week, Jones became the third quarterback all-time with a touchdown pass, rushing touchdown and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in three of his team’s first six games of a season, joining Josh Allen (2020 with Buffalo) and Dak Prescott (2017 with Dallas).
- Colts running back Jonathan Taylorleads the league with 603 rushing yards and eight scrimmage touchdowns this season. He is the only AFC player with at least 85 scrimmage yards in each of the first six weeks.
- Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herberthad two touchdown passes and a 112.2 passer rating last week and joined Patrick Mahomes (44 games) and Russell Wilson (36) as the only players with at least two touchdown passes and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in 35 games in their first six seasons in NFL history.
- Atlanta Falcons (3-2) at San Francisco 49ers (4-2) (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson, with 822 scrimmage yards, and San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey, with 780, lead the NFL in scrimmage yards entering Week 7. It marks the first matchup between the top two leaders in scrimmage yards in Week 7 or later of a season since Week 13 last year (Saquon Barkleyand Derrick Henry).
- Robinson’s 822 scrimmage yards are the fourth-most by a player in his team’s first five games of a season, trailing McCaffrey (866 scrimmage yards in 2019 with Carolina) and Pro Football Hall of Famer J. Simpson(861 in 1973 and 842 in 1975, both with Buffalo). He can become the first player since 2021 (Jonathan Taylor) with at least 110 scrimmage yards in seven consecutive games.
- McCaffrey became the first running back in NFL history with at least 50 receiving yards in each of his team’s first six games of a season and the fifth running back ever with at least five receptions in each of his team’s first six games of a season.
- With 100 scrimmage yards in Week 7, McCaffrey can become the third running back in the past 10 seasons (2016-25) with at least 100 scrimmage yards in each of his team’s first seven games of a season, joining Kareem Hunt(2017 with Kansas City) and David Johnson (2016 with Arizona).
- Entering Week 7, Atlanta leads the NFL in passing defense (139.4 yards per game allowed) while San Francisco leads the NFL in passing offense (291.5 yards per game). It marks the first game since Week 15 last season between the league’s top passing defense (Tennessee) and top passing offense (Cincinnati).
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1) at Detroit Lions (4-2) (Monday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC): Tampa Bay holds the best record in the NFC and has won five of its first six games for the fourth time since 2000 (2002, 2005 and 2021).
- Since 2023, the top two players in passing yards and touchdown passes in the NFL are Detroit’s Jared Goff(10,594 passing yards and 81 touchdown passes) and Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield (10,083 passing yards and 81 touchdown passes).
- Goff leads the NFL with 14 touchdown passes and ranks second among qualified passers with a 120.6 rating this season while Mayfield ranks tied for third in touchdown passes (12) and sixth in passer rating (108.5).
- In his past 19 home starts with Detroit over the past three seasons, Goff has 50 touchdowns (47 passing, two rushing, one receiving) and a 111.3 passer rating. In 20 regular-season road starts with Tampa Bay since 2023, Mayfield has 45 touchdowns (42 passing, three rushing) and a 104.6 passer rating.
- Detroit edge rusher Aidan Hutchinsoncan become the third player since 2000 with a forced fumble in five consecutive games, joining Robert Mathis (2005 with Indianapolis) and Will Smith (2004-05 with New Orleans).
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DENVER BRONCOS
The Denver Broncos lead the NFL with 30 sacks this season, tied with the 2013 Kansas City Chiefs for the most sacks by a team in its first six games since 1990.
In Week 7 against the New York Giants (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS), Denver can become the third team since 1990 with at least 35 sacks in their first seven games of a season, joining the 2013 Kansas City Chiefs (35 sacks) and 2000 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (35).
Additionally with five sacks on Sunday, the Broncos can become the third team ever with at least five sacks in five of its first seven games of a season, joining the 2000 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 1986 Denver Broncos.
Denver has a +24-sack differential in their first six games (30 sacks, six sacks allowed) this season and can surpass the 1969 Los Angeles Rams (+26) for the best sack differential by a team in its first seven games of a season in NFL history.
The teams with the largest sack differential in its first seven games of a season in NFL history:
| TEAM | SEASON | SACKS | SACKS ALLOWED | SACK DIFFERENTIAL |
| L.A. Rams | 1969 | 36 | 10 | +26 |
| Miami | 1989 | 25 | 0 | +25 |
| L.A. Rams | 1988 | 38 | 13 | +25 |
| Tampa Bay | 2000 | 35 | 11 | +24 |
| San Francisco | 1971 | 29 | 6 | +23 |
| Washington | 1987 | 30 | 7 | +23 |
| Denver | 2025 | 30 | 6 | +24* |
| *in team’s first six games | ||||
PATRICK MAHOMES
Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes totaled four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) with a 132.2 rating in the Chiefs’ Week 6 win, his 92nd regular season win as a starting quarterback since 2017.
With a win against Las Vegas on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), Mahomes – who turned 30 years old last month – can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (92 wins) for the most regular-season wins ever by a player under the age of 31.
On Sunday, Mahomes can become the fourth player all-time with a passer rating of 100-or-higher in 60 games in his first nine career seasons, joining Russell Wilson (74 games), Dak Prescott (63) and Matt Ryan (61).
The players with the most games with a passer rating of 100-or-higher in their first nine seasons in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | GAMES |
| Russell Wilson | Seattle | 74 |
| Dak Prescott | Dallas | 63 |
| Matt Ryan | Atlanta | 61 |
| Jared Goff | L.A. Rams, Detroit | 59 |
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City | 59* |
| *in ninth season | ||
AARON RODGERS
Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers has 1,021 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and a 105.4 rating in his first five starts this season. He enters Week 7 with 63,973 career regular season passing yards, the sixth-most in NFL history.
On Thursday Night Football at Cincinnati (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video), Rodgers needs 116 passing yards to surpass Ben Roethlisberger (64,088 passing yards) for the fifth-most regular season passing yards all-time. .
The players with the most regular-season passing yards in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | PASSING YARDS |
| Tom Brady | New England, Tampa Bay | 89,214 |
| Drew Brees | San Diego Chargers, New Orleans | 80,358 |
| Peyton Manning HOF | Indianapolis, Denver | 71,940 |
| Brett Favre HOF | Green Bay, N.Y. Jets, Minnesota | 71,838 |
| Ben Roethlisberger | Pittsburgh | 64,088 |
| Aaron Rodgers | Green Bay, N.Y. Jets, Pittsburgh | 63,973* |
| *active | ||
DRAKE MAYE
New England quarterback Drake Maye has recorded at least 200 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in five consecutive games, including each of the Patriots’ three road games this season.
On Sunday at Tennessee (1 p.m. ET, CBS), Maye can become the third quarterback under the age of 24 with a passer rating of 100-or-higher in each of his first four road starts of a season in NFL history, joining Dak Prescott (first six road starts in 2016 with Dallas) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino (first five road starts in 1984 with Miami).
With at least 200 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in Week 7, Maye can become the third player under the age of 24 to record at least 200 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in six consecutive games in NFL history, joining Patrick Mahomes (seven consecutive games in 2018) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino (six games in 1984).
The players under the age of 24 with at least 200 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in the most consecutive games in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | SEASON(S) | CONSECUTIVE GAMES |
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City | 2018 | 7 |
| Dan Marino HOF | Miami | 1984 | 6 |
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City | 2018-19 | 5 |
| Drake Maye | New England | 2025 | 5* |
| Dak Prescott | Dallas | 2016 | 5 |
| *active streak | |||
SAM DARNOLD
In his first three home starts with Seattle, quarterback Sam Darnold has 709 passing yards and six touchdown passes for a 127.0 passer rating.
On Monday night against Houston (10 p.m. ET, ESPN), Darnold can record the highest passer rating by a player in his first four home games with a team in NFL history, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner (129.1 rating with St. Louis Rams).
The players with the highest passer rating in their first four home starts with a team in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | PASSER RATING |
| Kurt Warner HOF | St. Louis Rams | 129.1 |
| Ryan Tannehill | Tennessee | 127.7 |
| Dave Krieg | Detroit | 125.5 |
| Matt Ryan | Atlanta | 125.2 |
| Brock Purdy | San Francisco | 124.9 |
| Sam Darnold | Seattle | 127.0* |
| *in first three home starts | ||
DAK PRESCOTT & GEORGE PICKENS
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott, since Week 4, has at least three touchdown passes and a passer rating of 120-or-higher in three consecutive games.
On Sunday against Washington (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX), Prescott can become the third player in NFL history with at least three touchdown passes and a passer rating of 120-or-higher in four consecutive games, joining Russell Wilson (five consecutive games in 2015 with Seattle) and Andrew Luck (four consecutive games in 2018 with Indianapolis).
Additionally, with three touchdown passes, Prescott can become the sixth player all-time with at least three touchdown passes in 40 games in his first 10 career seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Peyton Manning (48 games) and Dan Marino (48) as well as Patrick Mahomes (44, in ninth season), Aaron Rodgers (43) and Russell Wilson (41).
Dallas wide receiver George Pickens is tied for first in the NFL with six touchdown receptions , including a touchdown catch in each of his past five games.
In Week 7, Pickens can become the fifth player in the Super Bowl era with a touchdown reception in six of his first seven games with a team, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Randy Moss (with New England) and Terrell Owens (with Philadelphia) as well as Donte’ Stallworth (with New Orleans) and Wes Welker (with Denver).
CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY
San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey leads all running backs with 46 receptions and 444 receiving yards this season and became the first running back in NFL history with at least 50 receiving yards in each of his team’s first six games of a season
On Sunday night against Atlanta (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), McCaffrey can become the fifth running back all-time with at least 50 receptions and 500 receiving yards in six career seasons, joining Larry Centers (eight seasons), Tiki Barber (six), Keith Byars (six) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk (six).
Since entering the NFL in 2017, McCaffrey has recorded at least 50 receiving yards in 46 games. With 50 receiving yards on Sunday night, he can tie Ronnie Harmon (47 games) for the third-most games with at least 50 receiving yards by a running back in the Super Bowl era. Only Larry Centers (55 games) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk (50) have more.
The running backs with the most games with at least 50 receiving yards in the Super Bowl era:
| PLAYER | TEAMS | GAMES |
| Larry Centers | Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo, Washington | 55 |
| Marshall Faulk HOF | Indianapolis, St. Louis Rams | 50 |
| Ronnie Harmon | Buffalo, San Diego Chargers, Houston/Tennessee Oilers | 47 |
| Keith Byars | Philadelphia, Miami, New England, N.Y. Jets | 46 |
| Christian McCaffrey | Carolina, San Francisco | 46 |
BIJAN ROBINSON
Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson leads the NFL with 822 scrimmage yards this season, the fourth-most by a player in his team’s first five games of a season in the Super Bowl era.
On Sunday Night Football at San Francisco (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), Robinson can move into the top five for the most scrimmage yards by a player in his team’s first six games of a season in the Super Bowl era.
The players with the most scrimmage yards in their team’s first six games of a season in the Super Bowl era:
| PLAYER | TEAM | SEASON | SCRIMMAGE YARDS |
| Marshall Faulk HOF | St. Louis Rams | 2000 | 1,083 |
| Tiki Barber | N.Y. Giants | 2004 | 989 |
| Priest Holmes | Kansas City | 2002 | 962 |
| O.J. Simpson HOF | Buffalo | 1975 | 942 |
| DeMarco Murray | Dallas | 2014 | 940 |
| Bijan Robinson | Atlanta | 2025 | 822* |
| *in team’s first five games | |||
JOSH JACOBS
Green Bay running back Josh Jacobs totaled 157 scrimmage yards and two rushing touchdowns in Week 4 and 150 scrimmage yards and two rushing touchdowns in Week 6.
On Sunday at Arizona (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX), Jacobs can become the fourth player ever with at least 150 scrimmage yards and two rushing touchdowns in three consecutive games within a single season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson (four consecutive games in 2006 with the San Diego Chargers), Chris Johnson (three in 2009 with Tennessee) and Ricky Williams (three in 2002 with Miami).
JUSTIN JEFFERSON
Since entering the NFL in 2020, Minnesota wide receiver Justin Jefferson leads all players with 7,881 receiving yards and ranks tied for fourth with 524 receptions.
With 119 receiving yards against Philadelphia on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX), Jefferson can join Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss (8,375 receiving yards) and Torry Holt (8,156) as the only players with at least 8,000 receiving yards in their first six seasons in NFL history.
With five receptions in Week 7, Jefferson can surpass DeAndre Hopkins (528 receptions) for the second-most receptions by a player in his first six seasons in NFL history. Only Jarvis Landry (564 receptions) has more.
The players with the most receptions in their first six seasons in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | RECEPTIONS |
| Jarvis Landry | Miami, Cleveland | 564 |
| DeAndre Hopkins | Houston | 528 |
| Antonio Brown | Pittsburgh | 526 |
| Michael Thomas | New Orleans | 526 |
| Randy Moss | Minnesota | 525 |
| Justin Jefferson | Minnesota | 524* |
| *in sixth season | ||
TREY MCBRIDE
Arizona tight end Trey McBride ranks second among tight ends with 37 receptions this season.
Since entering the NFL in 2022, McBride ranks second among tight ends with 258 receptions and with eight receptions against Green Bay on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX), can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer Antonio Gates (265 receptions) for the second-most receptions by a tight end in his first four seasons in NFL history. Only Jimmy Graham (301 receptions) has more.
The tight ends with the most receptions in their first four seasons in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | RECEPTIONS |
| Jimmy Graham | New Orleans | 301 |
| Antonio Gates HOF | San Diego Chargers | 265 |
| George Kittle | San Francisco | 264 |
| Mark Andrews | Baltimore | 263 |
| Tony Gonzalez HOF | Kansas City | 261 |
| Trey McBride | Arizona | 258* |
| *in fourth season | ||
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