- The Arizona Cardinals take over the top spot in the power rankings this week as the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL.
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills round out the top three, even after both teams underperformed in Week 6.
NEW YORK – As Week 7 approaches, the landscape of the NFL has changed yet again. The Arizona Cardinals have leaped to the top spot in the power rankings.
Arizona Cardinals (+850)
The Arizona Cardinals currently hold the claim as the only still-undefeated team in the NFL after defeating the Cleveland Browns 37-14 as 3-point underdogs. The win improved Arizona to a fantastic 5-1 record against the spread. Quarterback Kyler Murray led the offense against Cleveland, completing 20 of his 30 passes for four touchdowns, easily surpassing his passing touchdowns prop (1.5).
The Cardinals have seen their futures odds shorten dramatically on online sportsbooks with their hot start, and they may see them continue to shorten: Arizona has the ninth-weakest remaining schedule in the NFL, with games against the L.A. Rams, Dallas Cowboys, and Green Bay Packers being by far their toughest remaining matchups.
The Cardinals are set to play the Houston Texans in Week 7, with Arizona currently sitting as sizable 17-point favorites. Despite being just 1-5 outright, the Texans have managed to cover the spread in half of their games in 2021.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+500)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers currently hold the best futures odds to win the Super Bowl at (+500). The Buccaneers took down the Philadelphia Eagles 28-22 last week, failing to cover as 7-point favorites. The win moved them to an impressive 5-1 straight-up record, but they have struggled against the spread, covering in just 2 of their 6 games.
The emergence of a reliable running game to complement Tom Brady and the high-flying passing game has added versatility to an already dangerous offense. Leonard Fournette found pay dirt twice against the Eagles on 22 carries for 81 yards, adding 6 receptions for 46 yards. The big week from Fournette allowed him to surpass each of his prop bets: rushing yards (65.5), receiving yards (30.5), carries (12.5), and receptions (4.5).
Tampa Bay may continue to see their odds shorten as they have the sixth-easiest remaining schedule in the NFL. The Buccaneers are set to play the Chicago Bears in Week 7, and they currently sit as 13-point favorites. The Bears are 5-2 against the spread in their last 7 games against Tampa Bay.
Buffalo Bills (+700)
The Buffalo Bills have slipped to third in the power rankings after a tough 34-31 loss to the Tennessee Titans as 6.5-point favorites for Monday Night Football. The loss drops the Bills to 4-2 on the year.
The Bills did not get the performance out of their defensive unit that they had in prior games, allowing 362 total yards on the game, including 146 rushing yards. Coming into the game with the Titans, the Bills had surrendered just 64 points in their five games, making the 34 points surrendered against the Titans even more disappointing.
The offense was also much more one-dimensional than in previous games as the Bills accrued just 82 total rushing yards on the night. Josh Allen was held to just 26 rushing yards, falling short of his 31.5 rushing yards prop; the Bills’ running back committee also disappointed, with Devin Singletary and Zack Moss combining for just 51 rushing yards on 13 carries and failing to find the end zone.
The Bills have a BYE week to try to get back on the right track before taking on the Miami Dolphins in Week 8.