Finally, a TNF game with points. Christian McCaffrey traded. Plus, expert NFL Week 7 predictions, fantasy advice.
Welcome to Week 7, and football fans were finally treated to a Thursday night game with touchdowns, as well as a blockbuster trade. Huzzah!
About last night: Arizona Cardinals 42, New Orleans Saints 31 -- Look at all those points! After back-to-back duds in which the winning team scored 12 points, the Cardinals and Saints lit up the scoreboard as Arizona ended an eight-game losing streak at home.
Game of the week: Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers -- With the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles and AFC-best (and Paste BN Sports' NFL power rankings-leading) Buffalo Bills (not to mention the 5-1 Minnesota Vikings), this week's tableau of games isn't quite as stellar as week's past. But this Super Bowl 54 rematch is juicy. The 49ers - if you recall - held a 10-point lead going into the fourth quarter of that game, only to allow the Chiefs to score 21 unanswered and claim the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The 49ers - who welcome back some injured players - will be looking for a small measure of vengeance.
Also, mark your calendars! 📅 Sunday is National Tight Ends Day, and Chiefs-49ers features two of the NFL's best, Kansas City's Travis Kelce and San Francisco's George Kittle.
AFC South supremacy is on the line: Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans -- The Titans (3-2) host the Colts (3-2-1) in a game that could set the tone in the AFC South for the duration of the season. That's because the Titans already have defeated the Colts this season, back in Week 4. A season sweep gives the Titans the coveted head-to-head tiebreaker. The Colts will attempt to avoid a second straight season sweep against the Titans.
NFL Week 7: Predictions and odds
- Week 7 picks: Paste BN Sports' expert panel has predictions for every game this weekend.
- Lorenzo's Locks for Week 7: The Titans are coming off a bye and are just 2½-point favorites - according to Tipico Sportsbook - at home against the Colts. That's a tempting bet.
- NFL Week 7 odds: Which teams, according to Tipico Sportsbook, are favored to win this weekend?
- Power rankings: See how all 32 teams stack up entering Week 7.
NFL news, notes and analysis
- Christian McCaffrey traded to 49ers: The fire sale in Carolina continues as the one-time All-Pro running back was shipped to San Francisco in exchange for four draft picks.
- What to watch for in Week 7: The NFL is a parity party so far this season. There are 10 teams with winning records, and another 10 teams enter the weekend with 3-3 records.
- Which 2022 playoff team that's 3-3 is most in trouble? Both of the Super Bowl 56 teams are among the 3-3 teams that were in the playoffs last season. Who among this group is in the most trouble going forward?
- The situation surrounding Dan Snyder: The Washington NFL team's owner was a big topic of discussion this week, with Colts owner Jim Irsay saying "there's merit to remove" Snyder as Commanders owner. How could such a process unfold?
- Tom Brady apologizes for comparing football season to military: Brady says he "shouldn’t have made the comparison" when likening a football season to "going away on deployment." Seriously, just stop with the football-as-war metaphors.
- 'Tip of the iceberg’: Concerns about NFL anabolic drug usage and testing remain as Arizona Cardinals star receiver DeAndre Hopkins returns from suspension.
- Tua Tagovailoa says he doesn't remember getting carted off after concussion: Tagovailoa said that the whole strapped-on-a-gurney-transported-to-a-Cincinnati-hospital-thing wasn't particularly scary in real time.
- Christian McCaffrey trade destinations: Nate Davis presents seven possible landing spots for the star running back, including one nightmare scenario for the rest of the league. The NFL's trade deadline is Nov. 1.
- NFL on Black Friday: It's happening! Amazon Prime Video is expanding its NFL footprint, adding a game on the day after Thanksgiving starting next season.
Fantasy football advice: Get your Week 7 lineup right
This is the second week of the 2022 NFL season with teams are on a bye, so be extra careful when putting together your fantasy football lineup for Week 7.
- Fantasy rankings for Week 7: Take a look to see where your players stand in these updated ratings for this week's games.
- Studs, duds and sleepers: While you can anticipate Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson to keep rolling this week, don't expect Jets rookie RB Breece Hall to keep up his recent run of success.
- Fantasy stock watch: Seahawks rookie RB Kenneth Walker III responded well to the increased workload 👍. 49ers RB Jeff Wilson hasn't shown he can be a long-term solution for San Francisco 👎.
- Waiver wire: If you haven't already looked for options to round out your roster, well, pitter-patter lets get at'er.
Week 7 NFL schedule
(All times Eastern)
Bye week: Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles
Thursday
Sunday
Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Atlanta Falcons at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys, 1 p.m. (CBS)
New York Giants at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Green Bay Packers at Washington Commanders, 1 p.m. (FOX)
New York Jets at Denver Broncos, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
Houston Texans at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Monday
Chicago Bears at New England Patriots, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN, ESPN2)
Talk some football!
- It's a Football Podcast! This week, Safid Deen and Tyler Dragon tackle hot-button NFL topics🗣 such as the situation surrounding Dan Snyder, possible landing spots for Christian McCaffrey, while also looking ahead to Week 7🎧.
- NFL Facebook group: Run a post route to The Ruling Off the Field 📲 to engage in friendly debate and conversation with football fans 🏟. Not a member yet? Sign up today!✍
If you enjoy reading 4th & Monday 📰, tell your football fan friends to subscribe. Follow the whimsical writer of this newsletter on Twitter @jimreineking 📱.