NFL 2016: Week 7 NFL Preview

NFL 2016: Week 7 NFL Preview

The NFL rolls into Week 7 with 14 teams with two losses or fewer, including the league's lone unbeaten team, the Minnesota Vikings (5-0), who are looking to improve to 6-0

Since 1990, when the current 12-team playoff format was adopted, 34 of the 36 previous teams (94.4 percent) that started 6-0 made the playoffs, 75 of the previous 91 clubs (82.4 percent) that started 5-1 advanced to the postseason and 117 of 185 teams (63.2 percent) that started 4-2 qualified for the playoffs.

However, there's still plenty of football left to be played and things can change quickly. Since 1990, 84 clubs have made the playoffs after starting 3-3 or worse. Last year, four teams with a losing record through six games advanced to the postseason -- Houston (2-4), Seattle (2-4), Washington (2-4) and Kansas City (1-5).

"It's huge to get a win," said New York Giants linebacker JONATHAN CASILLAS after the team's 27-23 victory over Baltimore which evened the Giants' record at 3-3. "It's not going to get any easier going down the stretch for the rest of these games, so we had to win this game."

The next stretch of games for New York starts this Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams (9:30 AM ET, NFLN) at London's Twickenham Stadium, the first-ever NFL game at the UK's famed rugby venue. For the Rams, this will be the team's first trip to London since 2012. The Giants played in the first International Series game in 2007, defeating the Miami Dolphins 13-10 en route to winning Super Bowl XLII that season.

[ Related: What To Look For Week 7 ]

Some of the key games in Week 7:

New York Giants (3-3) at Los Angeles Rams (3-3)

London (Sunday, NFLN, 9:30 AM ET)

First NFL game played at London's Twickenham Stadium.

Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. had eight catches for 222 yards and two touchdowns last week in New York's 27-23 win over Baltimore.

Giants quarterback ELI MANNING, who became the eighth player in NFL history with 300 career TD passes, connected with Beckham on the game-winning 66-yard score with 1:24 remaining in the game.

Los Angeles quarterback CASE KEENUM completed 27 of 32 passes (84.4 percent) for 321 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for a 126.7 passer rating in the Rams' 31-28 loss at Detroit. Keenum set a franchise record with 19 consecutive completions.

Rams wide receiver KENNY BRITT had seven catches for 136 yards & 2 TDs against the Lions, his 11th career 100-yard game and his third multi-TD performance.

Minnesota Vikings (5-0) at Philadelphia Eagles (3-2)

(Sunday, FOX, 1:00 PM ET)

The Vikings, who had a bye in Week 6, are the second team since 1933 to start 5-0 without throwing an interception, joining the 1969 Los Angeles Rams. Minnesota has started two quarterbacks this season -- SHAUN HILL (1-0) started the opener and SAM BRADFORD (4-0) has started the team's past four games.

Minnesota has allowed a league-low 63 points (12.6 points per game) and the Vikings lead the NFL with a +11 turnover differential (12 takeaways, one giveaway).

Eagles rookie quarterback CARSON WENTZ, who was selected No. 2 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft, has a 99.9 passer rating with seven touchdowns and only one interception.

Last week against Washington, Philadelphia returned a kickoff for a touchdown (WENDELL SMALLWOOD, 86 yards) and had an interception-return TD (MALCOLM JENKINS, 64 yards).

Buffalo Bills (4-2) at Miami Dolphins (2-4)

(Sunday, CBS, 1:00 PM ET)

Bills running back LE SEAN MC COY rushed for 140 yards and three touchdowns last week in a 45-16 win over San Francisco. McCoy ties for second in the NFL with seven total touchdowns (six rushing, one receiving) this season.

Buffalo has won four consecutive games -- all by 10+ points -- and has outscored its opponents 124-53 in those contests.

Dolphins running back JAY AJAYI, making his second career start, rushed for 204 yards and two touchdowns in last week's 30-15 victory over Pittsburgh. He sealed the win with a 62-yard TD run with 50 seconds remaining in the game.

Miami wide receiver JARVIS LANDRY is tied for second in the NFL with 41 catches. Since the start of the 2015 season, Landry has 151 receptions, the third most in the league during that span.

New England Patriots (5-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)

(Sunday, CBS, 4:25 PM ET)

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has won eight of his 10 career starts against the Steelers (including the playoffs) and has 24 touchdowns, three interceptions and a 113.0 passer rating. Brady has 17 touchdowns and no interceptions with a 127.9 passer rating in his past five starts versus Pittsburgh.

New England tight end ROB GRONKOWSKI had seven catches for 162 yards and a touchdown in last week's 35-17 win over Cincinnati. He has 22 career 100-yard receiving games, tied for the third-most in NFL history by a tight end.

Steelers running back LE'VEON BELL has 440 scrimmage yards (146.7 per game) in three games this season. Since the start of the 2014 season, Bell is averaging 133.9 scrimmage yards per game, the best mark in the NFL.

Pittsburgh wide receiver Antonio Brown leads the NFL with 416 catches and 5,517 receiving yards since the start of the 2013 season. He is tied for first with 39 total touchdowns during that span.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin officially ruled quarterback Ben Roethlisberger out of Sunday's game against New England. The team is reportedly hopeful that Roethlisberger, who had surgery for a torn meniscus Monday, can return Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens.

Seattle Seahawks (4-1) at Arizona Cardinals (3-3)

(Sunday, NBC, 8:30 PM ET)

The Seahawks have won three consecutive games and lead the NFL in total defense (283.6 yards per game).

Seattle quarterback RUSSELL WILSON recorded his 50th career regular-season victory with last week's 26-24 win over Atlanta. Wilson reached the mark in his 69th start and only Pro Football Hall of Famer KEN STABLER (62) and TOM BRADY (65) reached the milestone in fewer games.

Cardinals running back DAVID JOHNSON leads the NFL with 833 scrimmage yards and is the first player in franchise history to record at least 100 scrimmage yards in each of the team's first six games of a season. Johnson, who rushed for 111 yards and three touchdowns on Monday night in Arizona's 28-3 win over the New York Jets, leads the NFL with eight rushing touchdowns.

Arizona safety TYRANN MATHIEU recorded his first interception of the season against the Jets and added six tackles.

Houston Texans (4-2) at Denver Broncos (4-2)

(Monday, ESPN, 8:30 PM ET)

The Texans scored two touchdowns in the final 2:37 of the fourth quarter to force overtime and then won on a 33-yard field goal by NICK NOVAK in a 26-23 victory over Indianapolis.

Houston running back LAMAR MILLER had 178 scrimmage yards (149 rushing, 29 receiving) and scored two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving).

Denver quarterback TREVOR SIEMIAN has won four of his first five career starts, including a perfect 2-0 mark at home.

Broncos linebacker VON MILLER ranks second in the NFL with 7.5 sacks and has recorded 12.5 sacks in his past eight games played (including the postseason). Miller has at least a half-sack in all eight of those games.

[ Top 20 Passing, Rushing and Receiving leaders ]