NFL Week 7 Tips: Walker is ready to run all over the crumbling Cardinals

Punting options begin to slightly decrease in the National Football League at this time of year as numerous teams enter their bye week. Six franchises have got week seven off to refresh and heal up, so we have just 11 Sunday games to choose from. Some will say that’s plenty, others might disagree!

Week six saw a surprising lack of high-scoring and entertaining encounters. In fact, if you backed the ‘unders’ in the total points market in every game then you would have profited in all bar two match-ups. Hopefully this week’s schedule proves easier to predict the outcomes.

Arizona Cardinals (+8) @ Seattle Seahawks (-8)

Kick-off: 9.25pm Sunday BST

The Arizona Cardinals were almost universally selected to be the worst team in the NFL before the season started, but many pundits decided to revise their opinion after narrow defeats to the Commanders and Giants and a win against the Cowboys over the first three weeks. 

Not so fast, I say! The Cards have subsequently lost by two scores or more against the 49ers, Bengals and Rams and now own a record of 1-5. In those six games they have conceded eight rushing touchdowns, six of them to lead running backs. This Sunday they head to Seattle to face the Seahawks, who have beaten them in four of their last five divisional encounters.

Kenneth Walker sits atop of the depth chart at the running back position for Seattle and has been pretty effective so far this season, averaging 69 yards per game (tied 14th) and scoring six touchdowns (tied third) along the way. He also has a great, if limited, history against the Cards. In two match-ups last year he ran for 97 and 109 yards, and added three important touchdowns. Expect him to find the gaps once again.

Prediction: Kenneth Walker Over 76.5 rushing yards @ 5/6

Los Angeles Chargers (+5.5) @ Kansas City Chiefs (-5.5)

Kick-off: 9.25pm Sunday BST

If any game is going to hit the overs this week, it is surely this match-up between two high-powered offences. The Chiefs have won their last five and are averaging 24.5 points per game (ppg) despite their receivers being diagnosed with a bad case of the dropsies, while the Chargers are averaging 25.4ppg and have a fit Austin Ekeler back in the mix.

These two teams are almost certain to put up a decent amount of points, no matter their personnel, while both defences have generally struggled to assert themselves over the last few years. The Chiefs D has started this campaign better than expected, but they have faced terrible Broncos, Jets and Bears units who have made the challenge easier for them. There’s no saving grace for the Chargers, who are currently giving up the second-most yards per game and are extremely thin in the secondary.

These teams have faced off on six occasions since Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was drafted into the NFL. Five of those clashes resulted in 51+ points being scored. The line this week is set at 48 - low enough to back the trend to continue.

Prediction: Over 48 total points @ 5/6

Miami Dolphins (+2) @ Philadelphia Eagles (-2)

Kick-off: 1.20m Monday BST

Miami versus Philly in the primetime slot? Yes please. This game figures to be equally exciting and tense as two teams with a 5-1 record go head-to-head in a bid to assert their superiority. I’d lean slightly towards the Dolphins if you asked me who will win, but it’s almost too close to call.

I would rather identify a confident selection in the anytime touchdown market. Raheem Mostert (nine TDs in six games) and Tyreek Hill (six TDs in six games) have been money for Miami so far this year and have been priced accordingly, while D’Andre Swift and AJ Brown will be seen as the most likely Eagles to get their name on the board given their target share.

However, I’m here for the trademarked ‘Brotherly Shove’ (‘Tush Push’ if you prefer!) and will be hoping for another Jalen Hurts sneak to secure his sixth rushing touchdown of the year. The Eagles have owned this new play that has caused controversy in and out of the league - no wonder it’s causing a ripple given their 100% success rate with it! If you haven’t seen it in action, give it a quick Google search.

It’s also worth noting that it doesn’t have to be a ‘Brotherly Shove’ play for Hurts to score. He has 253 rushing yards on the season and is averaging 42 yards per game. Designed quarterback runs are in the Philly playbook and, when Miami might resort to stopping the deep ball over the top to Brown, the space could open up for Hurts to saunter into the endzone.

Prediction: Jalen Hurts anytime touchdown @ 5/6

Recommended NFL Week 7 Bets

Cardinals @ Seahawks: Back Kenneth Walker Over 76.5 rushing yards @ 5/6
Chargers @ Chiefs: Back Over 48 total points @ 5/6
Dolphins @ Eagles: Back Jalen Hurts anytime touchdown @ 5/6
Accumulator @ 26/5