- Week 7 in the NFL features pivotal matchups for playoff positioning and team redemption.
- Miami and Cleveland, both 1-5, seek their second win in a crucial game.
- Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Chargers, division leaders, clash for AFC playoff momentum.
SALT LAKE CITY — This week's matchups bring a mix of desperation and opportunity across the league. From struggling squads like Miami and Cleveland trying to right the ship, to surging contenders like Indianapolis and Los Angeles battling for playoff position, this week's matchups could prove pivotal in shaping the postseason picture.
Miami Dolphins (1-5) vs. Cleveland Browns (1-5)
Sunday, Oct. 19, 11 a.m. MDT – Huntington Bank Field (CBS)
Two teams trending in the wrong direction square off in Cleveland and the Browns and Dolphins seek their second win.
Why Miami will win:
Things are going south in South Beach. Star wide receiver Tyreek Hill is lost for the year and the future of head coach Mike McDaniel and other key players are in doubt. That being said, three of the Dolphins' five losses have been by six points or less. The Browns haven't looked great this season either so the Dolphins have a chance to get back into the win column.
Without Hill, Miami still possesses great playmakers for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with running back De'Von Achane and receiver Jaylen Waddle. Achane is one of the most explosive backs in the league, with McDaniel utilizing him similarly with how San Francisco uses Christian McCaffrey. Achane has totaled 390 rushing yards and 195 receiving yards with six total touchdowns. He'll continue to provide matchup problems even against this top three Cleveland rushing defense.
Why Cleveland will win:
The Browns are once again searching for their franchise quarterback, a tale as old as time, and they have now turned their attention to rookie Dillon Gabriel. After trading Kenny Pickett in the preseason and Joe Flacco a week ago, Gabriel is now QB1 for Cleveland but fans and media will still continue to push for fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders.
Pressure is on Gabriel to start producing and winning games before another name is added to the infamous Browns starting quarterback jersey. With two starts under his belt and the 30th ranked defnese coming into town, Gabriel has the chance to have his best game of his young career.
Cleveland has relied on other rookies such as running back Quinshon Judkins and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. who lead the team in rushing and receiving respectively. A lot is being asked from these young players on offense but veterans David Njoku and Jerry Jeudy can have an impact as well.
The strength of the Browns this season has been their defense with Myles Garrett leading the way. The former Defensive Player of the Year has Cleveland's defense ranked number three in the NFL this season and they are in prime position to turn the tides in this one against a struggling Dolphins team.
Line: CLE -2.5
Over/Under: 37.5
Carolina Panthers (3-3) vs. New York Jets (0-6)
Sunday, Oct. 19, 11 a.m. MDT – MetLife Stadium (FOX)
The winless Jets host the Panthers who are coming off back-to-back wins.
Why Carolina will win:
Carolina's offense has completely changed over the past two games with running back Rico Dowdle's outburst paving the way. Dowdle has totaled over 200 total yards in two straight games for the Panthers and now Chuba Hubbard is on track to rejoing him in the backfield this week. It will be interesting to see how touches are divided between the two running backs but Carolina has found a dominant running game.
This newfound ground game has helped take pressure off quarterback Bryce Young as he has looked much more comfortable and poised over these last two weeks compared to the start of the season. Young was able to find first round pick Tetairoa McMillan for his first two career touchdowns in last week's win over the Cowboys.
As the Panthers' offense comes alive they will face a Jets team that is struggling for answers on both sides of the ball after a disappointed showing in London last week.
Why New York will win:
The Jets are the only winless team remaining in the NFL after losing their first six games. With things not looking great in New York, they are in desperate need of a win. The key to the Jets' success will be at the quarterback position.
Justin Fields threw for less than 50 yards in last week's loss to the Broncos which prompted the question of whether or not Tyrod Taylor gets a chance as the Jets starter.
Time is running out for Fields as an NFL starting quarterback as the fifth year veteran has struggled to play consistent across his three stops with different teams. Fields has shown flashes at times but his low points are among the worst in the league.
With the team losing Garrett Wilson to a knee injury, things will only be more tough for Fields but if New York can do a better job at establishing their run game it will open up this offense.
Running back Breece Hall has had a slow start to his season but making him the focal point of the offense with Wilson out can benefit the Jets. Fields and Hall have the potential to be a great backfield duo with their rushing ability and their speed could catch this Carolina defense off guard.
Line: CAR -1.5
Over/Under: 41.5
Indianapolis Colts (5-1) vs. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)
Sunday, Oct. 19, 2:05 p.m. MDT – SoFi Stadium (CBS)
Two AFC division leaders face off in Los Angeles as the Colts and Chargers look to gain a boost in the AFC playoff picture.
Why Indianapolis will win:
The biggest surprise team in the NFL in 2025 has been the Colts, who have played great due to the resurgence of Daniel Jones. Jones has fit perfectly into head coach Shane Steichen's system and has brought stability to the position. Indianapolis has plenty of offensive weapons for Jones to utilize with running back Jonathan Taylor looking like the early Offensive Player of the Year while rookie tight end Tyler Warren is in prime position to take home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
The Chargers have been decimated by injuries on both sides of the ball and with the Colts playing well all across the field, they will have a great opportunity to earn a huge win as they start to look ahead at securing the top seed in the AFC playoffs.
Limiting Justin Herbert and Los Angeles' offense will be for Indianapolis and they can take advantage of a banged up Chargers offensive line in order to do so. Los Angeles has allowed the fifth most sacks in the NFL with 18 while the Colts have recorded 16 sacks as a team. This will be a matchup to look for in this one.
Why Los Angeles will win:
Despite all the injuries that the Chargers have faced this season, Herbert continues to lead his team to wins. Last week, Herbert led a drive that set up a game-winning field goal to help lift Los Angeles over Miami. It hasn't been pretty but Herbert has been clutch for the Chargers when they have needed him most this season.
Even though Indianapolis has a collection of talent on offense, Los Angeles is ranked seventh in total defense and after adding Odafe Oweh in a trade with the Ravens last week, the Chargers now have another pass rusher to deploy. Slowing down this efficient offense will be a challenge but Los Angeles has the defense to pull it off and keep their offense in the game.
If this game comes down to the wire, there's few quarterbacks that you'd want to lead your team in that scenario with the game on the line and Herbert is one of them. There is a good chance that the outcome of this one will be decided by who controls the ball last.
Line: LAC -1.5
Over/Under: 48.5
Green Bay Packers (3-1-1) vs. Arizona Cardinals (2-4)
Sunday, Oct. 19, 2:25 p.m. MDT– State Farm Stadium (FOX)
The Packers travel to Arizona to face a Cardinals team that reeling after four consecutive losses.
Why Green Bay will win:
The Packers had high expectations entering the season and they haven't exactly delivered yet. Yes they have a winning record but they haven't dominated the way this roster probably shold.
Acquiring Micah Parsons before the season opener hasn't had the impact many thought it would with Parsons recording just 2.5 sacks in his first five games with the team. Green Bay's offense has also been hit or miss at times this season, looking elite at times but also struggling to produce for stretches.
Rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden more involved with the offense with Golden recording a season-high 86 yards last week against the Bengals. Green Bay may also be getting the return of deep threat Christian Watson, who has been working his way back from a torn ACL. With Golden's resugence and Watson eventual return, the Packers are finding valuable targets for Jordan Love who has already connected with tight end Tucker Kraft for 268 yards.
With Arizona starting quarterback Kyler Murray dealing with an injury and questionable to play, Green Bay will have a chance to take advantage of the Cardinals' injuries and continue to stack wins in a crowded NFC.
Why Arizona will win:
Jacoby Brissett filled in quite well for Murray at quarterback last week against the Colts, throwing for 320 yards and two touchdowns as well as an interception. Brissett had Arizona in position to pull off the road upset before his pass on fourth down with the game on the line on Indianapolis' nine-yard line fell incomplete. Brissett has been one of the best backup quarterbacks in the NFL for a long time and he can give the Cardinals a chance to win if Murray misses another game.
One of the brightspots of Arizona's season so far has been the play of rookie cornerback Will Johnson who has looked like a draft steal after the Cardinals selected him in the second round. Johnson is fifth in the league in pass break ups with five and has only allowed 78 yards in four games played this season while not committing a penalty. Arizona spent most of its draft picks in April's draft on defensive players and their first round pick Walter Nolan returned to practice this week.
Head coach Jonathan Gannon is a defensive minded coach and coached a very successful defense when he was the defensive coordinator in Philadelphia. The Cardinals defense is still young and inexperienced but they have the talent to become a top unit under Gannon. Jordan Love can be hit and miss at times as he can be prone to turnovers with his gunslinger tendencies and it will be up to Arizona to make him pay in order to pull off the upset.
Line: GB -6.5
Over/Under: 44.5
Washington Commanders (3-3) vs. Dallas Cowboys (2-3-1)
Sunday, Oct. 19, 2:25 p.m. MDT – AT&T Stadium (FOX)
Two NFC East rivals face off in Dallas as the Cowboys and Commanders look to gain ground in the race for the division.
Why Washington will win:
The Commanders are coming off a disappointing loss to the Bears on Monday night in a game that they won the turnover battle with three forced turnovers. Looking at the stats you would think Washington came away with a win but they couldn't find a way to close it out. Inconsistencies have plagued the Commanders this season and missing quarterback Jayden Daniels for two games due to injury was not ideal.
Washington's offense has a chance to explode on Sunday as the Cowboys have the worst ranked total defense and the second worst scoring defense in the league. Every opposing offense they have played has looked good, even the winless Jets. When they've faced good quarterbacks, they have been picked apart and Daniels will have a chance to take advantage this week.
If the Commanders can find some consistency and get back to what made them great last season during a run to the NFC championship game, they'll be a dangerous team in the playoffs once again. In order to get to the playoffs they will need to take care of business against this weak Dallas defense.
Why Dallas will win:
Dak Prescott has been borderline underrated this season as he has been one of the best quarterbacks through six games and no one seems to care. It hasn't necessarily translated to wins but when his defense has been as bad as it has, he deserves some credit from keeping them afloat.
On top of an elite passing game, the Cowboys have found a reliant rushing attack with the help of running back Javonte Williams who is finally healthy after dealing with leg injuries over the past couple of seasons. Williams has rushed for 475 yards and five touchdowns which is the most he has scored in any season of his career.
Washington's defense has some cracks in it just like Dallas but they have shown to hold up better at times. Due to their inconsistencies this season, the Cowboys could benefit from which Commanders team shows up on Sunday. If its the one that shutdown the Chargers it will be a tough game for Dallas but if its the one from Monday night, Prescott and this Cowboys offense may be able to put enough points on the board to come away with a win.
Line: WSH -1.5
Over/Under: 54.5
