Welcome to the “Watchability stakes” – a ranking of the weekly matchups ahead in the NFL. Games are tiered based on three factors: narrative, implications and general intrigue. You will be seeing The Lead’s NFL game watchability rankings at the start of the week to get you ready for football action.
Fall is here, and fans are right in the middle of peak football season. Somehow, we’re already nearly two months into this NFL year. It feels like we all picked our fantasy teams yesterday, right?
Week 7 brings plenty of critical factors to consider, making our latest version of the “Watchability stakes” even more intriguing after considering the slate coming these next few days.
The highlights: two elite early afternoon games, a rematch of last year’s Super Bowl and the return of the NFL in London and two Monday night games (one begins at 9 p.m. EST). As a bonus, only two teams (Chicago and Dallas) will be on byes this week.
It’s set to be a wild week in the league. It shows in this week’s game rankings, four of which are Tier 1 with another
Here are your Watchability stakes for Week 7:
Tier 1: Absolutely can’t miss
Kansas City Chiefs (5-0) vs. San Francisco 49ers (3-3) – Sunday @ 4:25 pm EST
- San Francisco gets its chance at revenge at home versus the still-undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. With only three games in the late-afternoon Sunday window, this is a must-see no matter what. For either team, it will certainly be a turning point.
Detroit Lions (4-1) vs. Minnesota Vikings (5-0) – Sunday @ 1 pm EST
- Minnesota returns from the bye for another inter-division matchup. Detroit comes off a commanding win over Dallas and could find itself in first place in the NFC North if the Lions win.
Houston Texans (5-1) vs. Green Bay Packers (4-2) – Sunday @ 1 pm EST
- This Tier 1 game sees two teams on the inside track for the playoffs battling to earn another signature win. Houston looks like the most consistent team out of the gate, while Green Bay weathered several hurdles to be several games above-.500.
Baltimore Ravens (4-2) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) – Monday @ 8:15 pm EST
- The first of two Monday night games sees two 4-2 teams looking for another signature win against an opponent from the opposite conference. Fans could be set for another MNF thriller.
Tier 2: This could be fun
New York Jets (2-4) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) – Sunday @ 8:20 pm EST
- A weird yet must-see matchup for the week. Pittsburgh is back for another Sunday night game. This time, it’s against a Jets team that barely lost to Buffalo and just traded for Davante Adams. This game will create a media frenzy once it wraps up.
Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) vs. New York Giants (2-4) – Sunday @ 1 pm EST
- One of the few inter-division games this week with a lot more intrigue considering how wide-open the NFC East now is, outside of maybe Washington. Every game counts.
Seattle Seahawks (3-3) vs. Atlanta Falcons (4-2) – Sunday @ 1 pm EST
- Seattle went from 3-0 to 3-3 all of a sudden and now comes a tough test on the road versus Atlanta. Two teams who both sit right in the middle of the NFC pack. In any other week, this would not be the 7th-best game.
Tier 3: Decent floor, high upside
Los Angeles Chargers (3-2) vs. Arizona Cardinals (2-4) – Monday @ 9 pm EST
- Unlike past instances, both MNF matchups bring plenty of intrigue. It’s about as much of a coin-flip game as one could ask for. It’s also a game that could mean a lot for the playoff picture for both teams.
Cincinnati Bengals (2-4) vs. Cleveland Browns (1-5) – Sunday @ 1 pm EST
- This might be the highest you’ll see a game with two teams sitting at least two or more games below-.500. This also being in a crowded 1 p.m. slate doesn’t help, either. However, for both the Bengals and Browns, this seems like win or saying goodbye to the playoffs for good.
Tier 4: It could always be worse
Denver Broncos (3-3) vs. New Orleans Saints (2-4) – Thursday @ 8:15 pm EST
- Besides the Chargers against the Cardinals, this is probably the one other game where anything can happen and predicting the final result seems impossible. If this was on Sunday, it probably be at least Tier 4. Fortunately, the Thursday night window bumps this matchup up a spot.
Miami Dolphins (2-3) vs. Indianapolis Colts (3-3) – Sunday @ 1 pm EST
- Both teams could easily rebound and be in the mix for the Wild Card one month from now. Similarly, it’s a game both teams need to win and will feel worse if they don’t.
Carolina Panthers (1-5) vs. Washington Commanders (4-2) – Sunday @ 4:05 pm EST
- Carolina’s offense has shown flashes, while Washington is eyeing a bounce back after losing to the Ravens. There’s enough intrigue to keep this game out of Tier 5.
Tier 5: Snooze Fest
Las Vegas Raiders (2-4) vs. Los Angeles Rams (1-4) – Sunday @ 4:05 pm EST
- Performances for both teams on the field have ranged from good to average to underwhelming. Again, it’s a game with plenty of uncertainty and each team eyeing a win to stay afloat.
Tennessee Titans (1-4) vs. Buffalo Bills (4-2) – Sunday @ 1 pm EST
- Buffalo adding Amari Cooper brings some narrative to this matchup. Outside of that, Tennessee still feels like a super underdog to win on the road.
New England Patriots (1-5) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) – Sunday @ 9:30 am EST
- Early morning kickoff in the only game of the week where both teams are 1-5? Sounds like most fans will pass on this one.
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