2012 NFL Picks, Every Game: Week 7

NFL Week 7 previews and predictions for every game on the schedule:

Seahawks (4-2) at 49ers (4-2)
Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh are old Pac-12 rivals from their days at USC and Stanford, respectively. Carroll famously asked Harbaugh, “What’s your deal?” in a postgame handshake that could be viewed as foreshadowing to the Harbaugh and Jim Schwartz debacle. Now NFC West rivals, Harbaugh owns a 2–0 edge over Carroll, with the 49ers defeating the Seahawks twice last season — a 33–17 win in Week 1 and a 19–17 nailbiter in Week 16.
49ers by 5

Cardinals (4-2) at Vikings (4-2)
The Arizona quarterback conundrum continues. Kevin Kolb is expected to miss several weeks after suffering a serious rib and chest injury.
Vikings by 4

Cowboys (2-3) at Panthers (1-4)
Both the Boys and the Cats enter this contest in full blown panic mode. Tony Romo and Cam Newton are under the gun following slow starts to seasons with high expectations. The loser will have a press conference to remember.
Cowboys by 3

Saints (1-4) at Buccaneers (2-3)
Flip a coin with this NFC South matchup. The Saints and Bucs have split the season series since 2008, with each team going 4–4.
Saints by 1

Packers (3-3) at Rams (3-3)
These teams share a .500 record, but that’s where the similarities end. Green Bay still has Super Bowl aspirations, while St. Louis wants its first winning season since 2003.
Packers by 6

Redskins (3-3) at Giants (4-2)
One week after suffering a concussion, RG3 had the fifth-highest rushing total for a quarterback in history. His 138 yards on the ground were more than any signal-caller not named Mike Vick or Tobin Rote. RG3’s 76-yard TD sprint was the longest since Kordell “Slash” Stewart scored from 80 yards out in 1996. This week, however, the hotshot rookie runs into the defending Super Bowl champion Giants, who are fresh off dismantling the 49ers by the Bay. There will be no awe inspired by RG3, whom Osi Umenyiora has given the nickname “Bob.”
Giants by 7

Ravens (5-1) at Texans (5-1)
The tone of this contest changed considerably following the season-ending injuries suffered by middle linebacker Ray Lewis (right triceps) and cornerback Lardarius Webb (left knee ACL). But this is still a rematch of the Divisional Round of last year’s playoffs, when the Ravens beat the Texans, 20–13, in Baltimore. In that game, however, Houston third-string rookie quarterback T.J. Yates threw three INTs in defeat. Starter Matt Schaub has only thrown four INTs through six games this season.
Texans by 4

Titans (2-4) at Bills (3-3)
There is still plenty of bad blood between Tennessee and Buffalo, which is understandable considering the way the Bills lost to the Titans on the “Music City Miracle” in the playoffs after the 1999 season. The fact that Tennessee fell one yard short to St. Louis in Super Bowl XXXIV was no consolation to the bitter Buffalo fans.
Titans by 1

Browns (1-5) at Colts (2-3)
This is a Fiesta Bowl rematch between former Oklahoma State signal-caller Brandon Weeden and Stanford alum Andrew Luck. Although the No. 1 overall pick of the Colts was beaten by the recently turned 29-year-old Browns QB when the two played back in January, Luck has a better kicker on his side this time around. Freshman kicker Jordan Williamson missed three clutch FGs in a 41–38 Cardinal loss. Now, four-time Super Bowl champion pressure kicker Adam Vinatieri is on Luck’s side in Indy.
Colts by 3

Jets (3-3) at Patriots (3-3)
Remember when this was a potential preview of the AFC title game? Now Rex Ryan just sounds delusional if he talks too much trash.
Patriots by 9

Jaguars (1-4) at Raiders (1-4)
It’s early, but this contest looks like it will have more impact on the NFL Draft standings than the AFC Playoff seedings.
Raiders by 6

Steelers (2-3) at Bengals (3-3)
Pittsburgh will have had 10 days to regroup after losing on a last-second FG at Tennessee last Thursday night. Cincinnati is still eager to prove itself as an AFC North contender. Even though the Bengals made the playoffs last year, they still were 0–2 against the Steelers — losing 24–17 at home in Week 10 and getting blown out 35–7 at Pittsburgh in Week 13.
Steelers by 4

Lions (2-3) at Bears (4-1)
This Monday night party pits two NFC North rivals against one another. Last season, home turf was defended in both meetings — with the Lions winning 24–13 in Detroit in Week 5 and the Bears taking a 37–13 contest in Chicago in Week 10. In 2010, the Bears swept the series, winning a controversial 19–14 decision in Week 1 and taking a 24–20 win in Week 13.
Bears by 3