NFL Week 8 Odds and Predictions: Best Picks Against the Spread
Here’s a quick look at all the Week 8 matchups with Sports Interaction’s Week 8 NFL odds. Games Sunday unless noted. Arizona, Washington, Jacksonville and Houston are on the bye.
Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers, Thursday
Who would have guessed the Panthers would have a better record than the Falcons at this point of the season back in August? This already wraps up the season series. Atlanta lost at home to Carolina in Week 5, 23-16. That was the last straw for owner Arthur Blank as he fired Coach Dan Quinn and GM Thomas Dimitroff. Both teams lost close games this past Sunday.
Pick ATS: Atlanta
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills
The Patriots are on their first three-game losing streak in 18 years and have been held to 12 points or fewer in each of those. Coach Bill Belichick pulled a struggling Cam Newton in Sunday’s home blowout loss to San Francisco but says Newton remains the team’s starter. Newton might have a short leash this week, though. Buffalo didn’t play well at all on Sunday but did end a two-game skid with an 18-10 win at the Jets.
Pick ATS: Buffalo (alternate line of -2.5)
Tennessee Titans at Cincinnati Bengals
Tennessee suffered its first loss of the season on Sunday, 27-24 at home to Pittsburgh. The Titans did make it interesting, though, after trailing 27-7 in the third quarter. Stephen Gostkowski missed the potential tying 45-yard field goal in the final seconds. Cincinnati is 1-5-1 but rookie QB Joe Burrow continues to impress as he threw for 406 yards and three scores in Sunday’s 37-34 loss to Cleveland. Top running back Joe Mixon sat out with an injury.
Pick ATS: Cincinnati
Las Vegas Raiders at Cleveland Browns
The Raiders came out of their bye and were spanked Sunday at home by Tampa Bay 45-20. The team did have some COVID-19 issues last week that might have played a role. Cleveland won a 37-34 shootout in Cincinnati on Sunday behind five TD passes from Baker Mayfield but it was costly as star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. suffered a season-ending torn ACL.
Pick ATS: Cleveland
Indianapolis Colts at Detroit Lions
Indianapolis comes off its bye week and should get back All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard from a two-game injury absence. The Lions won for the third time in four games Sunday, 23-22, in a miracle at Atlanta. Matthew Stafford threw the tying TD pass with no time left and Matt Prater’s PAT won it.
Point spread: Colts -2.5
Pick ATS: Detroit (alternate line of +3)
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
The Vikings come out of their bye as arguably the NFC’s biggest disappointment. Green Bay looks for the series sweep for the second year in a row as it won 43-34 in the Twin Cities in Week 1. That basically foreshadowed Minnesota’s season as the defence was terrible and Kirk Cousins threw a pick. Dalvin Cook ran for two scores and should return from a groin injury for this one. Aaron Rodgers was terrific in throwing for 364 yards and four scores.
Pick ATS: Green Bay
New York Jets at Kansas City Chiefs
The biggest NFL point spread on record is 27 points by the Steelers over the expansion Bucs in 1976. There won’t be one bigger in the league this year than this. The Jets did lead the Bills 10-0 on Sunday before remembering they are the Jets and losing 18-10. Kansas City blew out Denver on its home field, 43-16.
Pick ATS: NY Jets (alternate line of +21.5)
Los Angeles Rams at Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins were on their bye last week but still made major news in announcing that rookie Tua Tagovailoa is the team’s new starting quarterback even though veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick had been playing pretty well and had led Miami to three wins in its past four games. It’s a short week for the Rams after hosting Chicago on Monday.
Point spread: Rams -3.5 (may change after Monday)
Pick ATS: Miami
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
Huge one in the AFC North and first matchup of the year between the rivals. Baltimore won both last year and has an advantage coming off its bye week. Pittsburgh is the only unbeaten left in the NFL after a 27-24 win at Tennessee on Sunday. Canadian rookie Chase Claypool is having a fine season but had one catch for minus-2 yards.
Pick ATS: Baltimore
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos
First meeting between AFC West rivals. Denver won both last year in close, low-scoring games. The Broncos are not a good offensive team and were routed at home by Kansas City on Sunday. The Chargers snapped a four-game skid with a 39-29 win over Jacksonville as rookie QB Justin Herbert continued to shine, throwing for 347 yards and three scores and rushing for a TD.
Pick ATS: Denver (alternate line of +3.5)
New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears
Short week for Chicago after visiting the Rams on Monday. The Saints won their third straight close game Sunday, 27-24 over Carolina. All-Pro wideout Michael Thomas was set to return from injury but then hurt his hamstring in practice and was out again – he probably won’t play here, either.
Point spread: Saints -2.5 (may change after Monday)
Pick ATS: New Orleans
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks
These NFC West rivals swept last year, each winning on the road in thrilling games in which both easily could have gone the other way. Seattle fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with a wild 37-34 OT loss at Arizona on Sunday. Russell Wilson had 388 yards and three scores but uncharacteristically threw three picks. The 49ers won easily in New England, 33-6.
Pick ATS: Seattle (alternate line of -2.5)
Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday night game and actually a huge one despite both being under .500 as one of the two is going to surely win the putrid NFC East. They split last year, each winning at home. Philly was down 11 points last Thursday night at home with about five minutes left to the Giants but rallied to win 22-21. However, receiver DeSean Jackson got hurt again and will miss weeks. Dallas was truly horrid Sunday in a loss at Washington and might be down to third-string QB Ben DiNucci this week with Andy Dalton suffering a concussion.
Pick ATS: Philadelphia (alternate line of -2.5)
Tampa Bay Bucs at New York Giants, Monday
Second straight prime-time game for both. Only a bad team like the Giants could blow a 21-10 lead with less than five minutes to go and lose, but that’s what New York did last Thursday, 22-21 in Philadelphia. Tight end Evan Engram dropped a pass that would have sealed the victory. The Bucs looked Super Bowl-calibre in Sunday’s 45-20 win at the Raiders as Tom Brady threw for 369 yards and four scores. Tampa also signed former Pro Bowl wideout Antonio Brown last week, but he has one more game of a suspension to serve.
Pick ATS: New York