NFL week seven preview: Predictions, best bets & latest odds for Sunday's big live Sky Sports NFL games
After an early starter at Wembley there are three more live games to get your teeth into. Paul Higham picks out his best bets.
Recommended bet
2pts Vikings to beat the Jets (-3.5) at Evens
For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record
Minnesota Vikings @ New York Jets (1800 BST)
This would have been pegged as a relative walkover before the season given how both sides played last year, but it’s a lot closer to call now after the Jets have won back-to-back games to get back to 3-3 for the season.
The Vikings have been operating below par but have also won the last two to make it to 3-2-1 and still in with a shout in the NFC North as new QB starts to settle into life in Minnesota – the team he chose to join ahead of Sunday’s opponents.
Cousins has tossed 12 touchdowns against just three interceptions and while New York’s rookie Sam Darnold has shown glimpses of promise he’s struggled to move the ball through the air, and will find it hard again against Mike Zimmer’s improving defence.
The Jets ran the ball magnificently last week with Isiah Crowell piling up 219 yards by himself against Denver, so his and Bilal Powell’s numbers will be called a lot to keep the ball away from Minnesota’s passing attack.
All eyes will be on receiver Adam Thielen who’s chasing history with six straight 100-yard games under his belt and a record 58 catches at this stage of the season – not bad for someone who failed to be drafted.
Prediction: Vikings win (-3.5) at Evens
Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Redskins
The Cowboys have won eight of the last ten meeting between the two sides and the last five in a row in Washington, but they’ve lost all three games on the road so far this season so something’s got to give
Remarkably, both sides have alternated between wins and defeats so far this season, but having both won last week they both can’t lose this week, and there’s hardly anything between them when trying to work out a winner.
The Redskins have had a mixed bag of result so far having beaten the Packers and Panthers but lost to the Colts, but sitting on 3-2 they have the chance to extend their lead at the top of a puzzling NFC East.
This season sums up the Redskins over the last few years, they’ve not been two games above .500 for two years, they’re 1-7 in games following a win and only won successive fixtures twice last season.
Washington’s win over Carolina was decent, Dallas’ win over the Jaguars was impressive as they sliced the highly-regarded Jacksonville defence with Ezekiel Elliott starring on the ground and Cole Beasley dong damage through the air.
With so little between them preference is for a narrow win thanks to home field advantage for the Skins – given just how bad Dallas has been on the road.
Prediction: Washington win (-3.5) at 29/20
Cincinnati Bengals @ Kansas City Chiefs (0120 BST)
The Patrick Mahomes juggernaut may have hit a speed bump last week but the Chiefs can take a lot from defeat in New England – namely that their second-year QB and his attacking weapons can all respond when the chips are down in the toughest of circumstances on the road.
Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Kareem Hunt are possibly the most explosive trio in the NFL and with just a bit more help from their struggling defence they would be serious Super Bowl candidates.
The Chiefs defence is the main reason they get involved in high-scoring shootout almost every week, and this could be another case in point as the Bengals are also among the worse defences in the league but have Andy Dalton, AJ Green and the improving John Ross to call on.
The Bengals are a good team, make no mistake, but Dalton and prime time games don’t usually go hand-in-hand, and it’s tough to trust him and the Bengals defences in such a tough environment as a national game at a deafening Arrowhead Stadium.
The Chiefs should have enough to get right back to winning ways, and there should be few points scored along the way.
Prediction: Chiefs win (-5.5pts) at 10/11