NFL Weekend Preview

NFL Week 7 features at least a couple of good interconference bouts, and some possible playoff previews. Here's a quick look at some of this weekend's games, and the Oddsmaker.com odds that go with them.

Sunday's big game of the day goes down at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, where the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers host that guy named Favre and his undefeated Minnesota Vikings (1 pm ET, Fox). Minnesota has reeled off six straight victories to start this season, including a thrilling 33-31 win over Baltimore last week in a game the Vikes led 27-10 in the fourth quarter and almost let slip away. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, suffered from a mild case of the Super Bowl flu earlier this season, losing back-to-back games at Chicago and Cincinnati. But the Steelers have gotten healthier, and have won three straight, including a 27-14 decision over Cleveland last Sunday.

So while 6-0 Minnesota owns a 2.5-game lead over Chicago and Green Bay in the NFC North, 4-2 Pittsburgh is tied atop the AFC North with the Bengals.

But while the Vikes have covered four of six pointspreads so far this season, the Steelers are just 1-5 vs. the numbers.

Also, the totals are a combined 9-3 in games these two teams have played this year.

As of Monday night Oddsmaker.com was listing Pittsburgh at -4 over Minnesota, with a total of 45.5. And while the line has held steady through Thursday morning, the total has been dropped a half-point, to 45.

The Steelers are also listed at -200 on the Oddsmaker moneyline, with the Vikings getting +170.

In another interesting AFC North/NFC North matchup, those 3-2 Bears visit 4-2 Cincinnati (4:15 pm ET, Fox). Chicago had a three-game winning streak snapped by a 21-14 loss at Atlanta last week, a game in which the Bears outgained the Falcons by 120 yards, but shot themselves in the foot with  mistakes. The Bengals, meanwhile, had a four-game winning streak broken by a 28-17 home loss to Houston Sunday, a game in which Cincy got outgained by 176 yards and allowed Texans QB Matt Schaub to throw for 392 yards and four touchdowns.

Oddsmaker.com opened this game chalking the Bengals at -1.5, with a total of 42. And as of Thursday morning those numbers have remained the same.

And in a possible NFC playoff preview down in Dallas, the 3-2 Cowboys host 4-1 Atlanta (4:15 pm ET, Fox). The Falcons, as mentioned above, beat the Bears on Sunday night despite getting outgained by a healthy margin. So Atlanta remains just a game back of undefeated New Orleans in the NFC South. Dallas, meanwhile, is coming off its bye week, after beating Kansas City in overtime 26-20 in its most recent outing. So the Pokes sit a game and a half back of the first-place New York Giants in the NFC East.

Oddsmaker.com opened Dallas as a 3.5-point favorite over the Falcons, with a total of 47. And as of Thursday morning those numbers have held steady. The Cowboys are also being offered at -195 on the Oddsmaker.com moneyline, with Atlanta getting +165.   

On the NFL futures market at Oddsmaker.com, Minnesota is the second favorite on the NFC championship betting board at +400, behind only New Orleans at +300. They're followed by, among others, Atlanta and Chicago at +1,000 and Dallas at +1,500.

On the AFC board Pittsburgh is a co-second choice, with New England, at +400, behind only the Indianapolis Colts at +300, while Cincinnati is getting +1,500.

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