Week 7 of the 2016 NFL season presents several important games, especially for a few teams that are expected to compete in the postseason every year.
Here are five teams facing must-win games in Week 7:
Green Bay Packers
Falling to 3-3 with a Thursday night loss obviously wouldn’t end Green Bay’s season, but a defeat at the hands of the 1-5 Bears would add another bruise to a team already hurting—both literally and figuratively.
The Packers won’t have seven players—including top running backs Eddie Lacy and James Starks, and the defense’s top three cornerbacks—due to injury against Chicago. The missing contributors figure to complicate Green Bay’s attempt at rebounding from last Sunday’s disheartening home loss to the Dallas Cowboys. A heavy burden will fall on Aaron Rodgers and a struggling passing game to keep the Packers from losing two straight games at Lambeau Field.
Indianapolis Colts
No team ever seems out of the race in the AFC South, but the Colts are wandering into dangerous territory. Last Sunday’s preposterous loss to the Houston Texans dropped Indianapolis into last place in the division at 2-4, with three of the four losses by four or fewer points.
Week 7 brings the Colts to Tennessee to play the Titans, who have won two straight games to surpass Indianapolis in the standings. Are the Colts talented enough to overcome a 2-5 start? It looks increasingly doubtful, especially with the schedule about to toughen up for Indianapolis in coming weeks.
Cincinnati Bengals
A 2-4 start has put Cincinnati’s five-year run of making the postseason in serious jeopardy. Luckily, a visit from the winless Cleveland Browns in Week 7 provides the Bengals a chance to get their season back on track.
Cincinnati has won five straight games against Cleveland, with an average win margin of 25.4 points. Either the Bengals will continue their dominance over the Browns and get to 3-4, or Cleveland will snap the streak and push Cincinnati’s season to the brink of disaster. The Bengals are riding a fine line in Week 7.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have lost three straight games since starting 3-0, with all three defeats by six points or less. Sunday takes Baltimore on the road, but at least the Ravens can enter Week 7 knowing their opponent—the 1-5 New York Jets—are dealing with much bigger problems.
The Jets will be making a quarterback switch, with former starter Ryan Fitzpatrick making way for Geno Smith. The Ravens need to get going, especially on offense, and the Jets probably aren’t as bad as their record indicates; but Baltimore can’t afford to squander this opportunity to get back into the win column.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Last Sunday’s come-from-behind win in Chicago kept the Jaguars’ season alive, but it will take another win this week for Jacksonville to stay relevant. That won’t be easy. The Raiders are coming to town, and Oakland is currently one of two teams with a 3-0 record on the road.
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has thrown six touchdowns and just one interception away from home this season, while Blake Bortles has four interceptions and a 80.2 passing rating over three home games. Bortles will have to outplay Carr for the Jaguars to produce their first signature win of 2016.
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