Week 7 concludes tonight with another Monday Night Football doubleheader on ESPN. Action kicks off at 7:00 PM ET with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Detroit Lions followed by the Houston Texans versus the Seattle Seahawks at 10:00 PM ET to wrap up the action.
Let’s dive into our Monday Night Football Predictions. with three projections for both the Buccaneers vs Lions game and the Texans vs Seahawks matchup.
Detroit Lions RBs Finish Under 100 Rushing Yards Combined
Monday Night Football Predictions
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In (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/2024/gamelog), the Lions’ offense finished under 100 rushing yards just once in 18 contests (including the playoffs). It’s already happened twice this season. Now, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs face a Buccaneers defense that is allowing just a 3.7 yards-per-carry average (fifth in the NFL) this season, with only one opponent (the Seahawks) rushing for 100-plus yards against Tampa Bay since Week 10 of last season. Over that 14-game span, opponents have averaged just 72.5 rushing yards per game and 3.6 yards per carry against the Buccaneers. Pair that with the issues Detroit is having on the interior this season, and it could be a rough go for Montgomery and Gibbs on the ground.
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Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield Combine for 500-plus Passing Yards
Monday Night Football Predictions
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The two former No. 1 overall picks are certainly making the most of their second chances, with Baker Mayfield and Jared Goff each leading Super Bowl contenders this season. Heading into their Monday Night Football matchup, Goff and Mayfield have combined for a 26-3 TD-INT ratio this season. Both should add to those numbers tonight with strong performances.
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For Mayfield, he faces a Lions secondary that is without three of its starters, and a fourth (Kerby Joseph) is playing hurt. That’s music to the ears of Tampa Bay’s passing game, which is averaging 274.4 passing yards per game over the last five contests. Meanwhile, Goff should have plenty of opportunities to target Amon-Ra St. Brown in the slot versus rookie Jacob Parrish. In addition, Tampa Bay has had two of the worst off-ball linebackers in coverage this season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Beat the Detroit Lions Late
Monday Night Football Predictions
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The Buccaneers and Lions make every game entertaining, so predicting an exciting game on Monday Night Football is a little too basic. Instead, we’ve got Tampa Bay going into Detroit and snatching a victory that firmly puts them atop the NFC, with Mayfield leading a fourth-quarter comeback on primetime once again. The Buccaneers’ quarterback will cap it off late with a go-ahead touchdown, giving Tampa Bay a four-point lead that proves to be the deciding score.
Prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, Detroit Lions 24
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Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans Combine for Less Than 40 Points
Monday Night Football Predictions
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This is a matchup between two of the league’s best defenses. Houston enters Monday Night Football allowing the fifth-lowest yards-per-play average (4.7), the fourth-fewest yards per drive (25.2) and the lowest scoring rate (19.2 percent) in the NFL. Meanwhile, Seattle takes the field in Week 7 having allowed the fifth-fewest points per drive (1.7), the sixth-fewest touchdowns in the red zone (six) and the fifth-lowest scoring rate (34.3 percent). Points will be in short supply tonight.
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C.J. Stroud is Sacked Five Times
Monday Night Football predictions
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Even without top defensive backs Devon Witherspoon, Julian Love, and Riq Woolen, the Seahawks’ defensive line has still been feasting as of late. Seattle has recorded 14 sacks in its last three games. Now, top coverage weapons are back, which will make it harder for C.J. Stroud to find an open target. Given that the Texans’ offensive line ranks 29th in ESPN pass-block win rate (51 percent), we anticipate this being a night where Stroud spends a lot of time on the ground.
Seahawks Win, Enter the Bye with a 5-2 Record
Monday Night Football Predictions
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The deciding factor for us in this matchup is the offensive line. For as great as Houston’s defense is, it does have some vulnerability against the run, and you can attack their off-ball linebackers in coverage. Sam Darnold has been excellent this season when attacking the middle of the field. Plus, Kenneth Walker III can make an explosive play or two on the ground. It will only take a few of those big gains on separate drives for the Seahawks to win because we don’t have faith in the Texans’ offensive line allowing Stroud to have that same success versus the Seahawks defense.
Prediction: Seattle Seahawks 20, Houston Texans 16
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Matt Johnson is Senior Editor of NFL and College Football for Sportsnaut. His work, including weekly NFL and college ... More about Matt Johnson