Steelers vs Titans:

Titans RB Derrick Henry is coming off of one of the biggest performances of his career, with 264 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns in an overtime thriller against the Texans. This week, however, he faces an undefeated Steelers squad, sporting the best defense in the entire league. Despite the dominance of Henry, the Steelers defensive line simply doesn’t give up enough yards for Henry to carry the Titans again. In a battle between an unstoppable force and an immovable object, the Steelers’ defense will carry the team to the best record in the league. 

The Tide Prediction: Steelers 24, Titans 18

Cowboys vs Washington: 

Despite the Cowboys’ embarrassing loss on Monday Night Football in Week 6, their vast offensive assets present them with more to work with compared to a Washington team that is lacking an identity on the offensive side of the ball. While matchups featuring two NFC East teams have provided surprisingly competitive matchups over the past few weeks, expect another nail-biter, with Dallas pulling a rabbit out of the hat for a victory. 

The Tide Prediction: Cowboys 24, Washington 17 

Bills vs Jets:

Despite coming off a big loss to the Chiefs, the Bills are still a competitive team in the AFC and should enjoy a nice mismatch game. The Jets still haven’t won a game and just aren’t very good at any portion of the game. The offense averages a meager 12.5 points per game and the return of QB Sam Darnold will perhaps put up an extra three points on the board. On the other side of the ball, the hapless Jets defense gives up nearly 31 points per game, which won’t help their -110 point differential. It  will, however, help the Bills get back on track after back-to-back disappointing offensive performances. 

The Tide Prediction: Buffalo 38, Jets 13

Panthers vs Saints:

The Panthers have been middling  on offense over the past few weeks, scoring 20-24 points in three of their last four games, although solid defensive performances have led to three victories. While the Saints will miss their top two receivers in Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, the presence of RB  Alvin Kamara more than makes up for that. This game will be closer than most think, with Kamara having a big game in a Saints victory. 

The Tide Prediction: Saints 30, Panthers 23

Packers vs Texans:

The Packers finally showed signs of mortality last week, after a blowout loss to the Buccaneers. Despite this, don’t expect the same result, as the Pack are due for a bounce back game against a middling Texans team that has huge question marks in the secondary and on the offensive line. Expect a  strong game from Aaron Rodgers and another dominant offensive performance against Deshaun Watson who simply won’t get enough help. 

The Tide Prediction: Packers 37, Texans 24

Browns vs Bengals: 

Every game at this point is a must-win for the Browns to remain in the picture in the AFC North. While the Browns are worlds away from the five-win Steelers and Ravens, they can hold their own against the majority of other AFC teams, including an inconsistent Bengals squad. The Bengals’ lack of run defense and offensive line will leave Joe Burrow helpless and expect RB Kareem Hunt to carry the load to an easy Browns victory. 

The Tide Prediction: Browns 34, Bengals 23

Lions vs Falcons:

This game will be interesting to watch. Both teams are notorious for giving up big leads over the course of a game, but have seen solid bounce back efforts against basement-dwelling teams in Week 6. The Falcons simply have too much offensive firepower to give up another game, especially with RB Todd Gurley seeing a resurgence in his game. While both offenses will put points on the board, the Falcons may finally be able to finish off their opponents this time. 

The Tide Prediction: Falcons 41, Lions 36

Buccaneers vs Raiders: 

The Buccaneers are hot off of a blowout victory over the NFC powerhouse Green Bay Packers and now face a gritty Raiders team. While the Raiders are still riding the momentum from their victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, the Buccaneers defensive front may prove to be a challenge for the Raiders’ offensive line. Even with all five Raiders offensive linemen currently deemed high risk individuals in relation to the coronavirus, don’t count the Raiders out immediately, as they’re still eligible to play on Sunday barring testing results. Regardless, expect the Bucs to come out on top in a close affair. 

The Tide Prediction: Buccaneers 31, Raiders 26

Jaguars vs Chargers:

The Chargers could potentially be in line for optimal playoff seeding if they had the ability to finish out close games. Rookie QB Justin Herbert has impressed many with his play early on, but the defense has faltered late in the game, with the Chargers holding a lead in the fourth quarter three of their four losses. Coming off of another blown 17 point lead against the Saints, the Chargers may finally end their losing ways against the struggling Jaguars, who just can’t get it going on either side of the ball. While Jaguars QB Gardner Minshew could still be the QB of the future, Jacksonville still has too many holes on the team to make the game competitive. 

The Tide Prediction: Chargers 30, Jaguars 17

49ers vs Patriots:

Both teams have shown signs of weakness in recent weeks, with the 49ers getting blown out by the Dolphins and the Patriots losing in an ugly game against an inferior Broncos team. The 49ers are simply too injury riddled to put up a fight against Patriots QB Cam Newton, who will just barely be able to get his team a victory. When at full strength for both teams, this would be one of the best matchups of the week. Expect a field-goal heavy game this time, however. 

The Tide Prediction: Patriots 24, 49ers 15

Chiefs vs Broncos:

The Chiefs enjoyed a nice victory against a potential playoffs rival in Week 6 vs the Bills and now have a chance to carry that momentum against a division rival. There’s too much offensive versatility on the Chiefs for the Broncos to handle, especially with the addition of former All-Pro RB Le’Veon Bell to the backfield. QB Patrick Mahomes should have another solid game, with TE Travis Kelce cashing in on National Tight Ends day. 

The Tide Prediction: Chiefs 34, Broncos 18 

Seahawks vs Cardinals:

The Seahawks are no questions the team to beat in the NFC right now, with a high-flying offense led by MVP-frontrunner Russell Wilson. The defense, however, has ironically been a question mark for Seattle, as they sport one of the worst secondaries to the league. The Cardinals have one of the most versatile offenses in the league, thanks in large to QB Kyler Murray’s ability to scramble, and the ability to dish the ball to All-Pro WR DeAndre Hopkins. Despite this, Wilson has always found a way to lead his team out of tough situations, and this will be no different in a high-scoring Seahawks victory. 

The Tide Prediction: Seahawks 35, Cardinals 33

Bears vs Rams:

This will be a test for both teams to prove that they are a real playoff team in the NFC. The Rams managed to get a clean sweep on the NFC East, the worst division in football, but have failed to beat any other team. The Bears on the other hand, have sported one of the best defenses in the league, but have failed to put up big numbers on the offensive side of the ball. DT Aaron Donald already has seven and a half sacks in the first six games of the season and will make it difficult once again for the Bears to get anything going. In what will be a defensive-dominated game, the Rams finally get a statement victory. 

The Tide Prediction: Rams 23, Bears 17

The Tide Pickems Record (W4/5): 20-8