News: BTB: Week 7 NFL picks: Can Cowboys get back on track against 49ers?

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Our football writers pick the winners and losers for the Week 7 NFL action.

The Super Bowl odds for the Cowboys have gotten longer with every passing week this season. The Cowboys started out with 10-1 odds heading into this season and have since dropped to 25-1.

Those Super Bowl odds have all sorts of assumptions built in, like a potential Ezekiel Elliott suspension, the strength of schedule, and perhaps most importantly, the amount of money being wagered on the Cowboys.

Similarly, when you look at the playoff odds provided on numerous websites, they all contain various assumptions about the strength of the team, the schedule, and many other things.

The Cowboys currently sit at 2-3 and can advance to 3-3 on Sunday against the 49ers or drop to 2-4.

What I want to look at today is what that means from a strictly historical perspective. And for that historical perspective, I looked at all teams since realignment in 2002 to find out how many teams made the playoffs based on their respective records after six weeks. This is what I found.

Playoff odds after six games, 2002-2016 ​

Record after six games

6-0​

5-1​

4-2​

3-3​

2-4​

1-5​

0-6​

Playoff Teams

21​

37​

70​

41​

10​

1​

0​

Total Teams

23​

48​

114​

119​

100​

56​

20​

Percentage

91%​

77%​

61%​

34%​

10%​

2%​

0%​

​

For the Cowboys, these numbers mean that the 49ers game has clear playoff implications. If the Cowboys win, they advance to 3-3, which historically has meant about a 1-in-3 chance of making the playoffs. Not great, especially considering the games the Cowboys have to play after that, but still a lot better than the alternative: If they drop to 2-4, their historical odds of making the playoffs drop to 1-in-10.

Our panel likes the Cowboys' chances in San Francisco, but is split on what will happen at the top of the NFC East. Six writers like the Eagles for the win on Monday Night Football, four like the Commanders for the upset.

How do you think Week 7 will play out? Let us know in the comments section below.

Game​

Cole​

Dave​

Danny​

Joseph​

Michael​

OCC​

RJ​

Strawn​

Tom​

VaFan​

Consensus​

KC (-3) @ OAK​

KC​

KC​

OAK​

KC​

KC​

KC​

KC​

KC​

KC​

KC​

KC​

TEN (-6) @ CLE​

TEN​

TEN​

TEN​

TEN​

TEN​

TEN​

TEN​

TEN​

TEN​

TEN​

TEN​

JAC (-3) @ IND​

JAC​

JAC​

JAC​

JAC​

JAC​

JAC​

JAC​

JAC​

JAC​

JAC​

JAC​

CIN @ PIT (-5.5)​

PIT​

PIT​

PIT​

PIT​

PIT​

PIT​

PIT​

PIT​

PIT​

PIT​

PIT​

BAL @ MIN (-5.5)​

MIN​

MIN​

MIN​

MIN​

MIN​

MIN​

MIN​

MIN​

MIN​

BAL​

MIN​

NYJ @ MIA (-3)​

NYJ​

MIA​

NYJ​

MIA​

MIA​

NYJ​

NYJ​

NYJ​

NYJ​

MIA​

NYJ​

TB @ BUF (-3)​

BUF​

BUF​

TB​

BUF​

BUF​

BUF​

TB​

BUF​

BUF​

BUF​

BUF​

CAR (-3) @ CHI​

CAR​

CHI​

CHI​

CAR​

CAR​

CAR​

CAR​

CAR​

CHI​

CAR​

CAR​

NO (-5.5) @ GB​

NO​

NO​

NO​

NO​

NO​

NO​

NO​

NO​

NO​

NO​

NO​

LAR (-3.5) @ ARI​

LAR​

ARI​

ARI​

ARI​

LAR​

LAR​

LAR​

LAR​

ARI​

ARI​

ARI​

DAL (-6) @ SF​

DAL​

DAL​

DAL​

DAL​

DAL​

DAL​

DAL​

DAL​

DAL​

DAL​

DAL​

SEA (-5.5) @ NYG​

SEA​

SEA​

SEA​

SEA​

SEA​

SEA​

NYG​

SEA​

SEA​

SEA​

SEA​

DEN @ LAC (-1)​

DEN​

LAC​

LAC​

LAC​

DEN​

LAC​

LAC​

DEN​

DEN​

LAC​

LAC​

ATL @ NE (-3.5)​

NE​

NE​

NE​

NE​

ATL​

NE​

ATL​

ATL​

ATL​

ATL​

NE​

WAS @ PHI (-5)​

PHI​

PHI​

PHI​

PHI​

PHI​

WAS​

WAS​

WAS​

WAS​

PHI​

PHI​

​

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