NFL's biggest betting mismatches: Week 7

Each week, Monty Andrews breaks down some of the underlying betting mismatches on the National Football League slate, giving you an inside edge when handicapping the schedule and setting your daily fantasy lineup.

New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers (+6, 45)

Saints' impressive O-line vs. Packers' lack of QB pressure

This was supposed to be a matchup between two of the all-time great quarterbacks in NFL history - but with Aaron Rogers out for the long-term with a broken collarbone, the host Packers come in as close to a one-touchdown underdog against Drew Brees and the high-powered Saints offense. Sorting out the offense will be Green Bay's top priority, but finding a way to get to Brees - something no team has done yet this season - should be next on the list.

The Saints have shown tremendous growth on defense over the past three weeks, producing nine turnovers in that stretch. But it is the offensive line that deserves the lion's share of the laurels; it has limited opponents to just four sacks all season, the fewest of any team in the league. It's a big reason why New Orleans ranks seventh in the NFL in total offense (372.2 yards per game) and fourth in scoring offense (29 ppg). If Brees has time to throw, he is among the most dangerous QBs in history.

The Saints' O-line owns a decided edge over a Green Bay pass rush still needs work. Only three teams - Tampa Bay, the New York Jets and Tennessee - have produced fewer sacks than the Packers (11) through the first six weeks of the season. It's a mind-boggling stat considering that four of Green Bay's five defensive line starters have Pro Football Focus grades higher than 78. A lack of quarterback pressure this weekend could make for a long day for the home side.

Baltimore Ravens at Minnesota Vikings (-5.5, 39.5)

Ravens' wretched third-down results vs. Vikings' vaunted 3D defense

The Ravens have to be wondering what went wrong last weekend as they fell behind early, rallied late and ultimately fell short in a 27-24 overtime loss to visiting Chicago. Baltimore has been one of the most maddeningly inconsistent teams in the league through six weeks, and will need to be at its best this Sunday if it hopes to prevail against the impressive Vikings. One significant area of improvement: Third down execution, something that cost the Ravens the win on Sunday.

Baltimore had the ball on its own 40-yard line on its only possession of OT, but gained just eight yards and failed in a pivotal 3rd-and-2 situation that forced the Ravens to punt. It was the story of the game for Baltimore, which went 3-for-18 on third down Sunday and ranks 28th in the league with a 34.6-percent success rate. It's no wonder, then, that Baltimore sits 29th in total offense (289.2 ypg) and averages an unimpressive 19 points per game so far this season.

They won't find things any easier this weekend, as the Vikings come in off impressive victories over the Bears and Packers in which they limited their foes to 27 total points. Chicago and Green Bay went a combined 7-for-29 on third down against Minnesota, which has held the opposition to a 25-percent success rate - tops in the NFL, and well ahead of the 38.8-percent success rate opposing teams posted against the Vikings in 2016. Look for plenty of short Baltimore drives in this one.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Rams (-3.5, 47.5)

Cardinals' second-half struggles vs. Rams' late-game ball control

Twickenham Stadium is the site of the latest NFL foray into London, with the Cardinals and Rams making the trek overseas. Both teams are coming off impressive victories, with the Cardinals outlasting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38-33 and the Rams upending the host Jaguars 27-17. These teams are tightly bunched with Seattle atop the NFC West, but the Rams come into this one with a decided edge in ball control after the break - something Arizona will need to correct in England.

The Cardinals rank in the lower third in the league in second-half points per game at 8.8 - significantly below the 13.6 ppg average they posted in 2016. And while last week's circumstances - specifically, a 24-0 halftime lead - might have played a role, Arizona's second-half struggles allowed Tampa Bay to make a game of it in the second half. Arizona ranks 26th in the league in second-half possession rate, controlling the ball less than 46 percent of the time after the break.

On the flip side, the Rams' revamped offense has impressed in a number of ways - not the least of which being its ability to control the play in the second half of games. While Los Angeles ranks just outside the top-10 in second half points per game (11.2), that figure is still nearly five points higher than the 6.3 ppg mark it registered last season. And the Rams have masterfully dominated the football after halftime, sitting third in the NFL with a 56.1-percent possession rate.

Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers (-1.5, 42)

Broncos' bad red-zone play vs. Chargers' downfield dominance

The Broncos are reeling after watching the receiver-bereft New York Giants come into Sports Authority Field at Mile High and escape with a 23-10 victory. And sure, Denver could have been stronger defensively, but no one can argue that the offense was the biggest source of frustration on the night, as the team squandered one red-zone opportunity after another. A similarly underwhelming performance won't fly against a Chargers team that has been one of the stingiest when foes get inside their 20-yard line.

Denver comes into the week as one of the worst red-zone performers in football, scoring a touchdown on just 45 percent of trips inside the opponent's 20 - the sixth-lowest mark in the NFL. The Broncos have scored TDs on red zone visits just 25 percent of the time over their previous three games after going a perfect 4-for-4 in a one-sided win over Dallas in Week 2. Denver had 13 possessions against the Giants and scored just one touchdown, going 1-for-4 in the red zone.

The Chargers have offensive issues of their own; they average a paltry 79 rushing yards per game and will be in tough to increase that total against the toughest run defense in the league. But few teams defend in the red zone like Los Angeles, which has limited opponents to a 40-percent touchdown success rate inside their 20-yard line - behind only Seattle, Buffalo, Oakland and Minnesota. The Chargers won't be easy to score on downfield, which could mean even more red-zone struggles for Denver.