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NFL Week 7 - Games To Watch

Ryan Nunez, Danny Lee, Jeremy Bergman |
October 21, 2011 | 7:02 p.m. PDT

Staff Reporters

Tim Tebow is coming home to Florida in Week 7 (Creative Commons).
Tim Tebow is coming home to Florida in Week 7 (Creative Commons).
Each week, Neon Tommy writers submit their picks for five marquee games. All picks are straight up. For the second week in a row, the writers begin with the electric Detroit Lions.

Atlanta Falcons @ Detroit Lions

Danny Lee: Lions 24, Falcons 23 - The Jekyll-and-Hyde Falcons have traded wins for losses through their first six games. They’ll still be in search of their first winning streak as I expect the Lions’ defensive line to have the edge over Atlanta’s offensive line in an intriguing battle in the trenches.

Jeremy Bergman: Lions - This will be Detroit’s third straight home game and their first since the infamous Handshake-Gate. Jim Schwartz is naturally an intense, but intelligent, coach, so I don’t expect all the hubbub surrounding his encounter with Harbaugh last week to distract his team. Truth be told, the Lions are still one of the most sound teams in the league right now, which will help them against the Falcons, who have been incredibly inconsistent this year. With the addition of Ronnie Brown, Detroit will run Atlanta into the bye with a below-.500 record.

Ryan Nunez: Lions - Atlanta has been the most uninspired team of the 2011 season. Matty Ice has been mediocre at best and the connections to Roddy White have been few and far between. If not for Michael Turner, Atlanta could be one of the least scary teams in the league. Detroit, Calvin & Co. jump ahead early and Atlanta will do nothing about it.

San Diego Chargers @ New York Jets

Lee: Jets 23, Chargers 21 - This is a statement game for two teams that have fed on subpar opponents this year. Speaking of statements, the always-candid Rex Ryan (below) suggested to San Diego media this week that the Chargers would have two Super Bowl rings by now had he been named their head coach in 2007. This will be one instance where he won’t put his foot in his mouth.

Bergman: Jets - The clouds are swarming quickly around the Meadowlands these days and the experts are ready to stick the fork in the arrogant Jets. By the numbers, the Bolts look like a good candidate to do the sticking - they are second in total defense and are sixth in passing offense. But here are some facts no one's looking at: all of San Diego’s wins have come against teams with a combined record of 4-17 by an average margin of less than a touchdown; the Jets are 3-0 at home on the season; and while New York has consistently impressed on special, San Diego is again near the bottom of the charts when it comes to all things returning. With the Left Coast Chargers playing an early game out of the bye, I pick Gang Green to stay alive for one more week.

Nunez: Jets - Despite their 4-1 record, there’s a strange underachieving vibe in San Diego and it becomes apparent to everyone this week. The animosity level in this one is rising and the Chargers are far too soft to get in a slugfest with the Jets. Vincent Jackson isn’t right and Philip Rivers has seven interceptions in five games. Revis Island rules and "Revis for Six" is the phrase of the day two weeks in a row.

Chicago Bears @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Lee: Buccaneers 31, Bears 19 - Tampa Bay followed up an embarrassing Week 5 blowout loss to San Francisco with a stunning upset over the Saints in Week 6. I can see that momentum carrying over against a Bears team whose offensive line is third in the league in sacks allowed.

Bergman: Bears - Right across the pond on the soggy pitch at Wembley, the NFL will be putting on its annual exposition of teams that can’t sell out their own home games. This year the lucky winner is Tampa Bay! Most Brits can’t find Tampa on a map, just like I can’t put my finger on who the Bucs really are. Although the win at home against New Orleans was nice, Chicago’s shredding of Minnesota was just as impressive. With even less home field advantage than Tampa would usually get at home games, I pick Devin Hester to wow the London crowd and challenge Didier Drogba for most entertaining footballer in London.

Nunez: Bears - Because of the London element, this is the weirdest game on the Week 7 slate. Chicago had a mini renaissance last week, but it’s easy to do that when Minnesota comes to town. Even still, with no LeGarrette Blount, it’s hard to get behind Tampa’s duo of Josh Freeman and Earnest Graham over Chicago’s Jay Cutler and Matt Forte.

Houston Texans @ Tennessee Titans

Lee: Texans 27, Titans 23 - The questionable status of Texans WR Andre Johnson for this game gives Tennessee hope. The 2009 version of Chris Johnson would have found a way to slice up a Texans defense smarting from the loss of Mario Williams, but Houston’s D should have little problem slowing down this season’s incarnation.

Bergman: Titans - Believe it or not, with the Titans sitting atop the division with a 3-2 record, and with Houston recently sliding to 3-3, the winner of this game could eventually decide who wins the AFC South. Coming off of the bye, the Titans will be rested and prepared for injury-plagued Houston. Shhh, don’t tell anyone...but Matt Hasselbeck is third in Total QBR behind Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, according to ESPN. Just sayin’.

Nunez: Texans - Tennessee fooled me once, when they played Pittsburgh. They won’t fool me again. Every week with Tennessee, the question is: "Can I picture this quarterback losing to Matt?" If the answer is NO, then pick against Tennessee. This one is Schauuuuuuuuuuuberrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr all the way.

Denver Broncos @ Miami Dolphins

Lee: Broncos 26, Dolphins 17 - Miami WR Brandon Marshall faces his old team, while Denver QB Tim Tebow returns to the state that made him a household name. Tebow will not be the Broncos’ savior, but the Dolphins’ pass defense does not have the personnel to exploit his weaknesses.

Bergman: Broncos - Do I actually have to pick a winner here? This is a joke. One team is putting all its eggs in the basket of a hybrid lefty QB whose greatest accomplishment in the NFL has been selling the third-most jerseys in 2010. The other team is leading the way in the Suck-for-Luck sweepstakes, and doing it in quite convincing fashion. In this game, nobody wins. But because the Dolphins, for some inexplicable cosmic reason, can’t win at home...TEBOW!

Nunez: Broncos - Tim Tebow’s homecoming will be just what the doctor ordered for Denver. Miami can’t protect Matt Moore if life depended on it and who knows what to think about Reginald Vonder Bush. If Miami had 11 Brandon Marshalls on offense, I could see them winning this game. They don’t. The Tebow Show begins in Week 7.

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