NFL Picks 2017: 5 Best Bets Against The Spread For Week 7

Underdogs have covered the spread at a high success rate in 2017, and a few teams seem to be getting more points than they should in Week 7. Playoff contenders like the Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins are road underdogs against divisional rivals, according to Las Vegas betting odds.

There’s no such thing as a “sure thing” when it comes to gambling, but here are the five best bets against the spread for Week 7 of the 2017 NFL season:

Cincinnati Bengals (+5.5)

The Bengals have a real chance to go on the road and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7. Cincinnati’s defense is among the best in the NFL, and Pittsburgh’s offense is still struggling to live up to expectations.

Cincinnati didn’t lose their first three games because of their defense. Andy Dalton was uncharacteristically bad, playing like the league’s worst quarterback. Dalton has proven to be average throughout his career, and that could be good enough to keep the Bengals in Sunday’s game. The Bengals rank first in yards allowed per play, and Aaron Rodgers is the only quarterback that’s led an offense to more than 20 points against Cincinnati. The Houston Texans’ offense that’s been unstoppable with Deshaun Watson at quarterback only scored 13 points in Cincinnati.

Ben Roethlisberger isn’t as bad as his five-interception performance in Week 5 might've indicated, but he isn’t playing like a top-tier quarterback in his 14th season. The team only scored 19 points in their win at Kansas City, and they’ve been held to 21 points or fewer in four of their six games.

Carolina Panthers (-3)

With the betting line moving below 3.5 points, the Panthers are the smart bet in their road game against the Chicago Bears. Carolina should bounce back after a loss to a good Eagles’ team, and Chicago will have difficulty replicating their performance in Baltimore.

The Bears beat the Ravens by rushing 54 times for 231 yards. Chicago’s running backs produced the majority of the offense, even throwing for a touchdown. Head coach John Fox won’t be able to hide Mitchell Trubisky much longer, and the quarterback will have to make plays in order to beat good teams. The rookie threw for just 113 yards in Baltimore and 128 yards against the Minnesota Vikings in his first start. That won’t be good enough to beat Carolina, who ranks sixth in yards per play allowed, and will do their best to make the quarterback beat them.

Cam Newton is one of the most perplexing players in the league. He’s struggled to get Carolina’s offense going in four games while looking like an MVP candidate in two difficult road games. With three extra days to prepare, he could play like 2015 Cam Newton Sunday afternoon.

San Francisco 49ers (+6.5)

This betting line doesn’t make a ton of sense, considering the way both San Francisco and the Dallas Cowboys have played in 2017. The 49ers were only 10-point underdogs in a road game against Washington that they nearly won in Week 6, and they’ve got a real chance to beat the Cowboys outright.

Following a season in which they led the NFC in wins, Dallas might not make the playoffs because of their defense. The Cowboys have surrendered at least 35 points in all three of their losses, and opposing quarterbacks have an average passer rating of 100.7. That’s good news for rookie C.J. Beathard, who’ll be making his debut as an NFL starter. Beathard nearly engineered a fourth-quarter comeback last week on the road, and he should have success against the Cowboys’ secondary.

Dallas should be able to move the ball, though the 49ers match up well with their greatest strength. San Francisco ranks fifth in opponents’ yards per carry, allowing just 3.4 yards per attempt. Ezekiel Elliott has rushed for more than 85 yards just twice this season.

Denver Broncos (+1.5)

Coming off the most embarrassing loss in Week 6, Denver will make sure they’re prepared for Sunday’s road game against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Broncos are the better team, and they have a good chance to inch closer towards the Chiefs for first place in the division.

Denver thoroughly outplayed Los Angeles in Week 1, and the Chargers only found their way back into the game because of a few late turnovers committed by the Broncos. Don’t be surprised if Philip Rivers throws multiple interceptions against the Broncos’ secondary, and Denver has one of the NFL’s best run defenses. Melvin Gordon was held to just 54 yards on 18 attempts in the first meeting between the AFC West rivals.

L.A. is on a two-game winning streak, beating the New York Giants and Oakland Raiders on the road. Playing away from home might’ve actually helped the Chargers. The team gets no support at StubHub Center, where they are 0-3.

Washington Redskins (+5)

A win for the Philadelphia Eagles on “Monday Night Football” would all but end Washington’s chances of winning the NFC East. The Redskins are too good to be out of the divisional race this early in the season, and they could return the favor to Philadelphia, who beat Washington on the road in Week 1.

Washington can exploit Philadelphia’s cornerbacks, which have been the team’s biggest weakness during their 5-1 start. The Redskins’ offensive line has been terrific in 2017, allowing Kirk Cousins to be hit just 25 times. That’s helped the quarterback produce the No.3 passer rating in the NFL. He’s got a chance to outplay Carson Wentz as he takes on the league’s No.29 pass defense.

The Redskins don’t have a bad loss on the season. They were defeated by the Eagles and Chiefs, who are tied for the NFL lead with five wins each. With impressive victories against the Oakland Raiders and Los Angeles Rams, Washington isn’t getting the respect they deserve as five-point underdogs.