NFL Week 7: Cowboys small favorite over Eagles as look-ahead lines emerge

Not every shop in the betting market puts forth look-ahead lines in the NFL but, in an industry that is becoming more and more competitive, early options are easier to find than ever. In fact, some outlets drop future lines in the NFL almost in conjunction with when others deploy current-week lines and, in advance of Week 6, the Westgate Las Vegas released a full slate of Week 7 look-ahead numbers.

With the exception of a Monday night match-up between the New England Patriots and the New York Jets (absent due to the ongoing uncertainty with Sam Darnold), there is a point spread assigned to each Week 7 game and the headliner of the week is the Sunday night battle between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles. Things could certainly change after Week 6, when the Cowboys face the Jets and the Eagles face the Vikings, but the current spread is Dallas -2.5 at home. That number seemingly indicates a slight lean toward Philadelphia on a neutral field but, in a high-profile division match-up, there will be plenty of action on both sides. 

Elsewhere, the Kansas City Chiefs are 4.5-point early road favorites against the Denver Broncos on Thursday night, with the Indianapolis Colts serving as 1.5-point home favorites over the Houston Texans. The only current double-digit spread is the Buffalo Bills acting as 15.5-point favorites over the win-less Miami Dolphins, with the San Francisco 49ers laying only 8.5 points on the road in the nation's capital against the Redskins. 

The other marquee match-ups of the week include the Vikings and Detroit Lions in a projected coin flip game (PK) and the Chicago Bears landing as 3-point look-ahead favorites at home over the New Orleans Saints. Comparing look-ahead lines as a way of monitoring market movement can be intriguing but, if nothing else, it is always interesting to peek into the future and see what the bookmakers project down the line.