NFL Week 7 predictions: Consider Seahawks, Panthers and Patriots
Lorenzo Reyes shares his three best bets for Week 7 in the NFL.
It’s a battle between air and land in the Emerald City to close Week 7.
Normally, there is no place like home for the Seattle Seahawks. However, in 2025, the home cooking has been far from edible. Mike Macdonald’s 4-2 team owns a 1-2 record at Lumen Field and now they face another test against an unfamiliar foe – the Houston Texans.
Monday night will be just the sixth all-time matchup and the first since 2021 between the two sides, with Seattle winning four of the previous five.
Seattle is trying to keep pace in the NFC West race, but the Texans are trying to get back into the AFC South’s after an uneven start to the year. The Texans are certainly well-rested coming into “Monday Night Football,” coming off a bye in Week 6.
Houston appeared to finally figure out their problems on offense before the vacation, winning their last two games by a combined score of 70-10. Now they’ll look to pick up where they left off heading into Monday’s matchup.
C.J. Stroud and co. have some work to do if they want to get back into the AFC South division race, setting up an important showdown in Seattle against the Seahawks’ dynamic duo Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates, highlights and more from the Week 7 “Monday Night Football” game between the Seahawks and Texans below. All times are Eastern.
The Seahawks were unable to turn the Stroud interception into six, but three will do just fine: Jason Myers knocks through a 26-yard field goal to lengthen Seattle’s lead to 11 in the third quarter.
Seahawks 17, Texans 6
Stroud faced pressure on his first drive of the second half, and he airmailed a throw that landed in the arms of Ernest Jones IV. Jones would return it deep to Texans territory, but an illegal blindside block would bring the play back.
The Texans get the ball coming out of the break with an opportunity to tighten the lead.
The Texans’ kicker remained perfect on the night with a 46-yard field goal to end the first half.
Seattle still leads, 14-6, at halftime.
Seattle drove into field goal territory on their two-minute-drill drive, but the Texans’ defense stopped them at the Houston 34-yard line.
Denico Autry showed off a strong vertical leap to block Myers’ 53-yard field goal attempt to keep the Texans’ deficit at 11 points.
Houston’s offense takes the field one last time at its own 43-yard line with 13 seconds left in the first half.
Houston put together a 10-play, 60-yard drive before the offense stalled in the red zone.
Fairbairn knocked through a 36-yard field goal to get the Texans their first points of the game. It’s now 14-3 Seahawks with just over two minutes left in the first half.
Seattle tried to execute a trick play just outside of the red zone with Kupp, a wide receiver, throwing the ball to fellow wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Kupp overthrew his mark, and the Texans’ safety was in the perfect place to intercept the pass.
Houston takes back possession on its own 23-yard line, still facing a 14-0 deficit, with seven minutes to play in the second quarter.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud was strip sacked on the Texans’ first play, but Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas couldn’t hold onto his scoop and score as running back Woody Marks knocked out the ball short of the end zone. A recovery in the end zone by wide receiver Braxton Berrios resulted in Houston retaining possession with a touchback.
Then, after all of that, the Texans gained just three total yards on the three-play drive before punting the ball away.
Seattle gets the ball back on its 43-yard line with just over nine minutes left in the half and a 14-0 lead.
After two straight touchdown drives from the Seahawks’ offense to end the first quarter, Houston held Seattle to negative-1 yard on a three-and-out in the Seahawks’ first possession of the second quarter.
The Texans will take over on their own 24-yard line, looking to cut into a 14-0 deficit with 10:34 left in the first half.
For a second straight time, the Seahawks’ defense shut down the Texans’ offense immediately after a Seattle touchdown drive.
Houston picked up 11 yards on five plays before punting the ball back to the Seahawks. Seattle still leads, 14-0, and takes over possession again with 13 minutes left in the first half.
Smith-Njigba hauled in an 11-yard pass from quarterback Sam Darnold, who was hit hard as he threw.
The third-year receiver celebrated his fourth touchdown of the season by dunking the ball through the uprights and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Kicker Jason Myers knocked through the PAT from 15 yards further out to tack on the extra point.
The Seahawks now lead 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.
The Seahawks’ front seven came up big against three straight touches for Texans rookie running back Woody Marks.
After Seattle’s offense took a 7-0 lead with running back Zach Charbonnet’s touchdown, its defense forced an immediate three-and-out for the Texans’ offense. With just over five minutes left in the first quarter, the Seahawks’ offense will take over once again, this time starting on their own 20-yard line after a punt and touchback.
Seattle takes a 7-0 lead on a one-yard run from Charbonnet to cap off a 44-yard drive.
The drive was carried by a 27-yard pass from quarterback Sam Darnold to rookie Elijah Arroyo, and Charbonnet finished it off with a tough run. The Seahawks’ running back fought through early contact and kept his feet moving to push the pile forward across the goal line.
The Texans will get a chance to respond after the ensuing kickoff just over halfway through the first quarter.
Seattle’s defensive front chased Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud backwards 18 yards and sacked him at the Texans’ 1-yard line. Uchenna Nwosu first made contact with Stroud outside of the end zone, so even though the quarterback landed behind the goal line on the sack, the ball was spotted at the Houston 1.
A punt out of the back of the end zone later, the Seahawks take over at Houston’s 44-yard line for a second possession with 10 minutes left in the first quarter.
Houston’s defense came out strong to open the second “Monday Night Football” game of the Week 7 doubleheader. The Seahawks gained seven yards on third down but came up a yard short of the first down. They elected to punt from their own territory.
The Texans will begin their first possession on their own 4-yard line after a good punt from Michael Dickson.
Chris Fowler (play-by-play) is flanked by Louis Riddick and Dan Orlovsky in Seattle.
The Seattle offense takes the field as they receive the opening kickoff. Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba look to keep their torrid connection rolling.
What time is Seattle Seahawks vs. Houston Texans?
- Start time: 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PST)
The Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans will kick off at 10 p.m. ET. It’s the second game of the “Monday Night Football” doubleheader to finish off Week 7.
The Seattle Seahawks vs. Houston Texans game will be broadcasted on ESPN on Monday night.
The Lions-Buccaneers matchup ran long, pushing the start of the matchup to ESPN2.
It will be ESPN’s No. 2 commentary team on the call in Seattle with Chris Fowler handling the play-by-play. Louis Riddick and Dan Orlovsky join Fowler in the booth to provide analysis. Katie George and Peter Schrager will report from the sidelines.
Seahawks vs. Texans live stream
Fans looking to stream “Monday Night Football” in Week 7 have no shortage of options. Cord cutters can find the game on Fubo, which comes with a free trial, and also ESPN’s streaming services, ESPN Unlimited and ESPN Select.
Watch Seahawks vs. Texans with a Fubo free trial
Seahawks vs. Texans prediction
The Texans appeared to find something before their bye week and are set to enter some unfriendly confines on Monday night – or are they? Seattle hasn’t enjoyed much of a home field advantage in 2025, posting a 1-2 record at Lumen Field. They are fresh off another trip to the east coast and now have to contend with a Texans team that is determined to shake off an uneven start to the season. Underdogs have printing money in prime time lately and Houston had plenty of time to get ready for this contest. It may not be glamorous, but the Texans get the job done in Seattle.
Prediction: Texans 21, Seahawks 16
The Seahawks will be without Devon Witherspoon and Julian Love vs. the Texans, hurting their secondary vs. Houston.
Wide receiver Christian Kirk will be inactive for tonight’s game vs. Seattle.
Seahawks vs. Texans live betting odds, moneyline, O/U