NFL Week 7 opening line report, odds, spreads: Unbeaten Cardinals open as historic favorites over Texans

Different sportsbooks have different odds so it's hard to say this with absolute 100 percent certainty, but from my research the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals are the biggest betting favorites they have been since at least 1990 this Sunday at -17 when they host the one-win Houston Texans. That's one of three Week 7 games with a spread of at least -13.

I'll admit that I thought the Cardinals would lose Sunday in Cleveland, but they rolled 37-14 behind four touchdown passes from Kyler Murray – the former Heisman winner is now the +350 favorite at Caesars Sportsbook to win NFL MVP, although Buffalo's Josh Allen (+450) could perhaps catch/pass Murray with a big game tonight at Tennessee.

Arizona, 6-0 for the first time since 1974, played Sunday without head coach and offensive play-caller Kliff Kingsbury, who tested positive for COVID. It's not clear yet if he will be around the team at all this week. Ditto star pass-rusher Chandler Jones, who also missed the game after a positive test.

Houston won Week 1 over Jacksonville but has lost five straight since by an average of 19.2 points. Sunday will surely matter a bit more than a usual game for Cardinals defensive end JJ Watt, the former three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year with the Texans, and ex-Houston receiver DeAndre Hopkins – although obviously it would be a bigger deal for both if the game was in Houston.

The biggest the Cardinals had previously been favored was at -16 at home on Dec. 27, 2009, vs. the St. Louis Rams. Arizona won that 31-10.

The other Week 7 double-digit spreads: Rams -15.5 over the visiting Lions and Bucs -13 against the visiting Bears. That Detroit vs. LA matchup of course features Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford vs. their former teams after the quarterbacks and No. 1 overall picks were traded for one another in the offseason.

Goff may not have his job much longer for the winless Lions as coach Dan Campbell said this about Goff following Sunday's home blowout loss to Cincinnati: "I feel like he has to step up more than he has and I think he needs to help us, just like everybody else. He's gonna need to put a little bit of weight on his shoulders here and it's time to step up, make some throws and do some things, but he needs help."

With Jacksonville winning Sunday, Detroit is the lone winless team left and 0-6 for the first time since 2008 when it finished 0-16. The Lions also have the longest active losing streak in the NFL at 10 games.

Six teams on the bye in Week 7: Bills, Cowboys, Vikings, Steelers, Chargers and Jaguars.

Week 7 Opening Odds

• Thursday: Broncos at Browns (-4.5, 43)
• Bengals at Ravens (-6.5, 47.5)
• Panthers at Giants (+2.5, 44)
• Washington at Packers (-9.5, 49)
• Chiefs at Titans (+4.5, 56.5)
• Falcons at Dolphins (+2, 47.5)
• Jets at Patriots (-7, 42.5)
• Lions at Rams (-15.5, 50)
• Eagles at Raiders (-3, 48.5)
• Bears at Bucs (-13, 47)
• Texans at Cardinals (-17, 47.5)
• Sunday night: Colts at 49ers (-4, 45.5)
• Monday: Saints at Seahawks (+3.5, 44.5)

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