Ross Williams is backing one player for a touchdown brace as he previews Sunday's Week 7 slate in the NFL.
NFL betting tips: Week 7
2pts Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5) to beat the Minnesota Vikings at evens (General)
1pt Bijan Robinson (Falcons) to score 2+ touchdowns at 3/1 (General)
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Philadelphia Eagles @ Minnesota Vikings
- Sunday, 1800 BST
It’s time for the Eagles to get back on track.
Philadelphia are on a two-game losing streak, featuring a very unexpected defeat at the hands of the Giants, but this feels like a spot where they can make a much-needed statement.
They’re facing a Minnesota Vikings team that should be refreshed, coming off a bye week, but they remain a team that’s hard to judge.
They have a winning 3-2 record, but their victories haven’t come against elite teams and, even in the midst of a slump by their standards, the Eagles should be the best team they’ve faced thus far.
The key will be on the ground. The Vikings have a good defence generally, but they do have vulnerabilities against the run. Through five games, they’ve shipped an average of 132 rushing yards per outing and that will be music to the ears of the Philadelphia offensive staff, who have uncharacteristically struggled to get Saquon Barkley and co. going.
With a player like Barkley though, there is an air of inevitability and a feeling that with each passing week, we get closer to things clicking back into the gear that took Philadelphia to Super Bowl glory back in February.
In order to combat the two-game slide – and Brian Flores’ schemes against the pass – I’m expecting the Eagles to go back to basics this week and commit to punishing the Vikings down the middle of the field.
The return of J.J. McCarthy would have probably made this game a stay-away, due to the sheer lack of NFL tape we have on the youthful quarterback, but everything is now pointing to Carson Wentz retaining the Minnesota quarterback gig for at least one more week.
The backup has played well so far, maintaining a 5-2 TD/INT ratio in his three starts for the Vikes but – sadly – the 32-year-old is something of a time bomb and the arrival of the team that drafted him is bound to have a psychological effect. Followers of Wentz’s career will attest that when narratives come around and he’s forced to consider something other than just the next snap, he’s prone to falling apart.
With that in mind, and the Eagles’ need to get back on track in what is becoming the most topsy-turvy season in living memory, I like Philadelphia to cover the 2.5 points with a field goal (at least) at a very backable price of evens.
Atalanta Falcons @ San Francisco 49ers
- Monday, 0120 BST
Sunday Night Football features a pair of superstar running backs capable of lighting up that stage and I think it’s an ideal moment for the younger of the two to make a major statement.
Bijan Robinson was nothing short of electric in last week’s victory over the Buffalo Bills. The Falcons’ primary weapon stacked up 19 rushing attempts for 170 yards and caught six passes for a further 68 through the air.
Crucially, he also found the endzone for the second consecutive game and I believe that’s a trend that will continue against the 49ers.
Ordinarily, a match-up against San Francisco can be nightmarish for opposing running backs, but the Niners are now without a key component to their defensive unit. Fred Warner, one of the best run-stoppers and overall linebackers in the game, suffered a serious injury last weekend and the hole he has left in the middle of the field is pretty much impossible to fill.
Losing such a talent (and leader) is certain to have a detrimental impact and it only opens the door further for Robinson to continue his fine form.
His touches over the past three weeks have risen steadily from 18, to 21, to 25 and Atlanta would be foolish to not put the ball in the hands of Robinson as much as possible. He’s odds-on to score a touchdown on the night and I certainly wouldn’t be against backing him, even at short odds, but in the interest of value I like the brace at 3/1.
Posted at 2005 BST on 18/10/25
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