We tend to set our year around the spring equinox and the summer solstice. This year, sports fans get to add another one of these events to their calendars. Today marks the first “sports equinox” in over 15 years. The NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL all will be in play tonight. In other words, it’s the most wonderful time of the year.

I don’t know about you, but my remote has been getting a workout this past week especially now that the NBA season has tipped off. We’ll have a lot to catch up on next week with baseball and basketball, but for now we have to get ready for Week 7 of the NFL season.

Yes, in seemingly no time at all we are almost at the halfway point of the regular season in the NFL. Even crazier, there isn’t a consensus best team in the league yet either. Kansas City might be that team, but Pittsburgh may have showed the rest of the league a way to beat them (in Arrowhead no less). We are still waiting on the Patriots to get back to the Patriot way. Is Pittsburgh going to be a contender? The AFC has a little clarity but ultimately it is anyone’s conference right about now.

What about the NFC? Philadelphia looks great, but did something similar before falling apart down the stretch a year ago. Carolina seems like a good team, but have flaws that could prevent them from getting back to another Super Bowl. Green Bay’s title chances just went out the window with the injury to Aaron Rodgers. Ezekiel Elliott may or may not be suspended for a struggling Dallas team. Seattle is an enigma. Are the Rams for real? And will the quarterback situation keep Minnesota from making a run?

My point is that while we can make a case for most teams for being serious contenders, you can also poke holes in those arguments. Most teams have ten or eleven games left to play, so obviously some teams will put the critiques to rest while others will live up to those critiques and even give us new ones to toss out there.

Another point I’m trying to make is that we are at the point in the season where any type of power rankings is pretty subjective. You can go all over the Internet and you will see there isn’t a consensus just yet. Some places have Philadelphia sitting atop the NFL, while others have Kansas City. Then there are the contrarians that have someone like New England atop the rankings because “we know they’ll be there at the end.”

With that in mind, let’s take a look at my power rankings heading into Week 7. Then we’ll talk a little bit about tonight’s game and then I’ll reveal my ATS picks for the whole week.

1) Kansas City Chiefs (5-1) – Last Week: 1

The Chiefs run as the last undefeated team in 2017 came to a halt last week as they dropped a tight game against the Steelers. Members of the 1972 Miami Dolphins have popped the champagne as their status as the only undefeated team in NFL history stands for another year. For the rankings, the Chiefs get a reprieve for two reasons.

The first is that using the eye test, this is still the best team in the league. I’m pulling back a little on my stance that this is the most complete team in football though. This defense is starting to worry me, they aren’t forcing turnovers or getting pressure on the quarterback.

The second reason is that they have head-to-head wins against multiple teams in contention for this list. Plus, it took a freak play to give Pittsburgh the lead for good. If Philip Gaines is able to haul in that interception, rather than bouncing off his facemask, Antonio Brown doesn’t score the insurance touchdown and the Chiefs probably win that game.

It’s a short week for the Chiefs as they take on the struggling Oakland Raiders on the road tonight. We’ll get to that game a little later.

2) Philadelphia Eagles (5-1) – Last Week: Watch List

Thanks to the injury to Aaron Rodgers, and an impressive road win against Carolina, the Philadelphia Eagles sit alone atop the NFC. This is a team that believes in its young quarterback and has a defense that is playing playoff caliber football. The question is whether it is sustainable for the Eagles.

We all saw it last season, the Eagles came out on fire and then faded after their bye week. This season has been different so far. Philly hasn’t played a cupcake schedule, and have an impressive win under their belts. More importantly, they are taking care of their own business, which will help down the road. Philadelphia is currently 4-0 against the NFC, and 2-0 against the NFC East.

Tougher tests lie ahead for the Eagles, but right now are in a position to string a couple of wins together on a three-game home stand. Philadelphia has been much better at home with Carson Wentz at quarterback so things should be interesting on Monday night with the Eagles hosting the Redskins.

3) New England Patriots (4-2) – Last Week: 3

In the NFL, a win is a win. However, the Patriots pulled off a highway robbery thanks to the replay officials in New York. The reversal of what looked like a touchdown for Jets tight end Austin Sefarian-Jenkins changed the complexion of the divisional game between the Pats and Jets. Rather than pulling within a field goal, the Jets lost the ball and couldn’t get any closer to tying the game.

This Patriots defense isn’t getting gashed for a ton of points like they were earlier in the year, but man can teams move the ball on them. New England has now allowed six consecutive 300-yard passing games to start the season. That’s not good for a team whose pass defense was supposed to be one of its strengths. The points coming down to Earth is a sign of this team playing a little better situational football, but this is not a defense that is putting any fear into opponents right now.

Tom Brady and the passing offense will be fine, but there needs to be some form of consistency in this rushing attack. Mike Gillislee has been a non-factor, losing touches to Dion Lewis. James White still looks like the best of the group but has been relegated to the receiving back. Then there is Rex Burkhead, who will be returning to action at some point.

The defending champs have a lot to work on over the next few weeks, but can’t afford to cough up any winnable games. New England will be part of the marquee game of the week in a Super Bowl LI rematch against the Atlanta Falcons.

4) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) – Last Week: Unranked

Thanks to the craziness of Week 6 the Steelers are back in the good graces of the top-five. Beating the Chiefs in Arrowhead is no easy task either. However, it is the type of win that might have saved Pittsburgh’s season after taking an embarrassing loss at home the week before.

Big Ben is clearly not the same quarterback that won two Super Bowls, but they don’t need him to be either. This offense is going to live and die with Le’Veon Bell leading the way in the running game. That is what got Pittsburgh to the AFC Championship game last season and it is what they will need to do this season as well.

Possibly the most impressive part of the Pittsburgh win was how the defense was able to stifle the red-hot Chiefs offense. Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce were held pretty much in check, while the super-rookie Kareem Hunt never got to break the big run. The Steelers were able to get great pressure on Alex Smith and disrupted the entire offense.

A blue-collar approach is looking like the way that Pittsburgh will have to play despite the wealth of weapons in the passing game. This will keep Big Ben from having to carry the team, and play a much more complementary style of football. A big division test awaits the Steelers as the host the Bengals this week.

5) Carolina Panthers (4-2) – Last Week: Watch List

In a losing effort the Panthers find themselves in the top-five, once again this just goes to show how wild Week 6 actually was. This isn’t quite the same Panthers team that made a run to the Super Bowl two years ago, but this is still a solid football team. More consistency from Cam Newton could make this a scary team to face once again.

We are still seeing the offense evolve from a strictly power running scheme, and they are just scratching the surface. Clearly the Cam Newton shoulder recovery set back some of this offensive progression, but its getting there. Philadelphia completely shut down this running game, which put the pressure on Cam to win them the game. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get the job done in a playoff-like game.

There will be no time for a letdown either as the Panthers head north to face the Bears in Chicago. Carolina will have a chance to take back control of the NFC South.

Watch List: Minnesota (4-2), Atlanta (3-2), LA Rams (4-2), Seattle (3-2), Houston (3-3)

Okay let’s quickly get to the game tonight between the Raiders and the Chiefs. A matchup of team’s having polar opposite season presents us with what could be a very intriguing AFC West matchup.

The Chiefs have been a staple of “No Huddle” in 2017 so we pretty much know that they will try to control the game on offense and try to stifle you on defense. The offense has been good but the defense has clearly been missing its biggest playmaker in the injured Eric Berry.

Oakland has been one of the more disappointing teams of 2017. Derek Carr missed some time with a back injury (that could nag him), and this offense has seriously taken a step back. Marshawn Lynch is starting to look like a guy that sat out the better part of two seasons, this offensive line isn’t playing nearly as well as last season, Amari Cooper is M.I.A., and frustrations are mounting.

Once again, this defense has not been that great, but they have gotten themselves some reinforcements. Oakland didn’t let NaVorro Bowman sit on free agency for too long before scooping him up earlier this week. The four-time All-Pro could be a stabilizing force, and a leader for this defense to rally around. He is going to have to get acclimated quickly, because this is a tough offense to face playing in a new system.

While you would think that playing at home would play to the Raiders advantage, you would actually be surprised. The record may not show it, but the Raiders have not been as good at home under coach Jack Del Rio. Considering this is a must-win division game, the Raiders will need their best performance of the season to potentially save 2017.

The struggles in Oakland are real, and I think that the Chiefs aren’t losing two in a row. I’m going to go with Kansas City (-3) tonight. Here are the rest of my picks for the week (Winners in Bold).

Last Week: 2-12       2017 Season: 37-53-1

 Sunday (1:00 p.m.)

Tampa Bay vs. Buffalo (-1)

Carolina (-3) vs. Chicago

Tennessee (-6) vs. Cleveland

New Orleans vs. Green Bay (+4)

Jacksonville (-3.5) vs. Indianapolis

Arizona vs. LA Rams (-3.5)

NY Jets vs. Miami (-3)

Baltimore (+5.5) vs. Minnesota

Sunday (4:05/4:25 p.m.)

Dallas (-6) vs. San Francisco

Cincinnati (+5.5) vs. Pittsburgh

Denver (+1) vs. LA Chargers

Seattle (-4.5) vs. NY Giants

 

Sunday Night Football 

Atlanta (+3) vs. New England

 

That’s it for me today. I’ll be with the SNJ Today football crew tomorrow so I’ll be back on Monday. Follow me on Twitter @thereal_jmooney and go like the Shooting the Moon page on Facebook.