NFL Betting Predictions: Week 7 Opening Line Report and Best Bets

by Spencer Toth - 10/20/2026

NFL betting predictions Week 7 opening line report Malik Willis

It is very hard to stay ahead of the NFL lines if you bet right before kickoff, but it is far easier if you can secure closing line value. By betting earlier in the week, we can look to get ahead of the sportsbooks if they leave loose lines dangling before the sharp money comes in. Even a single point in our favor can be the difference between winning and losing in the long run. Last week, no amount of closing line value would have saved us as we went 0-3 on our picks. The Jaguars and Giants both lost one-possession games, while the Cowboys came out flat against the Packers on Sunday night. I am hungry to get back in the green, but before we dive in, let’s take a look at the biggest storylines from around the league in Week 6.

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NFC Least… Again: The NFC East became the first division in NFL history to go winless as a division in back to back weeks. Not only that, but all four teams were down double digits in the fourth quarter. One of these teams will still go to the playoffs, and we are no closer to finding out who.
Sirianni on the Hot Seat? It feels weird to think a coach that has gone to the playoffs in five straight seasons and won a Super Bowl in one of them could be on the hot seat. However, it takes a special set of skills to make a roster as talented as the Eagles lose games, and Sirianni is finding a way to do so.
Browns on Top! The Cleveland Browns are 4-2 and leading the AFC North with a third of the NFL season in the rearview mirror. Subpar quarterback play for Deshaun Watson has been overshadowed by stellar defensive play, as their 13-10 victory over the Ravens extended their lead in the division.
Titans Win: The Tennessee Titans won their first game of the season at the expense of the Indianapolis Colts. It isn’t time to start planning the parade with a shallow squad and shaky Cam Ward under center, but they are at least no longer winless.
Trouble in Los Angeles: The Chargers season is all but over as they dropped to 0-6 with another abysmal showing, but all of a sudden the Rams are looking just as vulnerable. Los Angeles rallied to take a late lead over Arizona, but the Cardinals picked up a crucial division win to send the preseason Super Bowl favorites down to 2-4 on the year.
Packers Find a Way: It hasn’t always been pretty in Green Bay this year, but the Packers found a way to win against Dallas in a crucial NFC showdown. They are now 4-2 on the season and right in the playoff hunt, which is a real surprise given how they looked through the first few weeks.

Now that Week 6 is behind us, we can jump into the Week 7 picks. With four teams on bye we have 14 matchups to choose from, and these are the three that I think give us the best chance at turning out a winning week.

Game 1, Thursday Night: New England Patriots at Chicago Bears

Opening Line: Chicago Bears (-3)

The New England Patriots have shaken off their slow start with three straight victories, including two over AFC East rivals. Drake Maye and company now head to Chicago on a short week, and this spread is a little disrespectful to the reigning AFC champions. Both of these teams are top-eight in both yards allowed and yards gained this season, but have struggled to finish off drives with touchdowns. The Bears passing game is far from polished with three different starting quarterbacks this season, and they will not be able to lean on the run as they are used to against this Patriots front. On the other side of the ball, New England has found success without A.J. Brown after the former Eagle spent the last four weeks on IR and had a quiet return against the Jets last week. This is a very deep receiving room that should have their star back, and I expect the Patriots to keep this one close right down to the wire. With nearly a quarter of NFL games being won by three or fewer points, this is a crucial spread to secure in what should be a tight one. Grab the +3 before it dips to +2.5, as I don’t see this spread inflating before kickoff.

Pick: New England Patriots (+3)

Game 2: Miami Dolphins at New York Jets

Opening Line: New York Jets (-4.5)

A battle at the bottom of the AFC East is far from the most exciting matchup, but it could be one of the more valuable ones in terms of opening lines. The public is hesitant to lay up to a touchdown with the Jets, but since they are at home and taking on the undisputed worst team in the league, there is real upside here. The Dolphins have more than half of their salary cap space tied up in dead money, and their very shallow roster is now starting to head to the infirmary. Malik Willis has only thrown two touchdown passes this season despite lots of positive game scripts with the Dolphins not leading for a single second. Meanwhile, the Jets have found themselves in close games all year, and there are a few bright spots on both sides of the ball that will let them pull away. They have the fourth best passing defense so far this season, and that is a recipe for disaster from the Dolphins point of view. Miami will be lucky to find the end zone even once, which will allow the Jets to eventually string a few explosive plays together to pull away.

Pick: New York Jets (-4.5)

Game 3: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles

Opening Line: Dallas Cowboys (-4.5)

The Dallas Cowboys are sizable road favorites in a divisional matchup, which always raises red flags. The Dallas defense has been a disaster this season, and now their offense has only scored 29 points across their last two games. A strong offense was able to bail out a bad Dallas defense earlier in the season, but if that is no longer the case, they could easily lose this one outright. On the other side of the field, the Eagles aren’t doing much better. Jalen Hurts has been ruled out for not only this game, but potentially the entire season, their running back room is full of injuries including game changer Saquon Barkley, and the defense hasn’t been the dominant unit it once was. However, Barkley could be back, and the Eagles seemingly always find a way to win when their backs are against the wall. We don’t even need them to win, just to keep things close at home against their biggest rival. Injuries are why the Eagles are underdogs, but in their biggest game of the season, their backups will step up.

Pick: Philadelphia Eagles (+4.5)

Season Record: 7-11

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Start:	October 20, 2026 @ 7:10 PM
Expert:	Scott Spreitzer
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NFL Betting Predictions: Week 7 Opening Line Report and Best Bets

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