NFL Week 8 Odds and Predictions: Best Picks Against the Spread
Probably the best matchup is the first one Thursday between the Packers and the Cardinals. Here’s a quick look at all Week 8 NFL games, played Sunday (Halloween) unless noted.
Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals, Thursday
This could have huge playoff tiebreaker ramifications for the NFC’s top seed and also ramifications for 2021 NFL MVP between Aaron Rodgers, a three-time winner, and Kyler Murray. Arizona remains the NFL’s lone unbeaten and has started 7-0 for the first time since 1974. The Cards trounced a bad Houston team on Sunday, 31-5 – the first time an NFL game has finished with that score. Green Bay beat a bad Washington team 24-10 behind three TD passes from Rodgers.
Pick ATS: Green Bay
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons
Don’t be shocked if the Panthers trade for Houston Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson this week, although whether Watson is allowed to play immediately with his off-field issues is another question. Carolina has lost four in a row and QB Sam Darnold has completely regressed to his Jets days. Darnold was benched in Sunday’s loss at the Giants, but Coach Matt Rhule says Darnold remains the starting QB. You know, unless the Cats get Watson. Atlanta has won three of four after a last-second win in Miami on Sunday.
Pick ATS: Atlanta
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills
Rematch of Week 2 when Buffalo destroyed the Dolphins 35-0 in south Florida. Fins QB Tua Tagovailoa was knocked out early, not that it would have likely mattered. Miami had 216 yards and three turnovers. The Bills had three rushing TDs. Don’t be surprised if the Dolphins trade for Deshaun Watson this week, either. It sure sounds as if Watson is going to be traded and almost surely to either Miami or Carolina. Tua had two more bad interceptions in Sunday’s loss to Atlanta. Buffalo was on the bye.
Pick ATS: Buffalo
San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears
Who will be San Francisco’s starting QB in this one? Coach Kyle Shanahan wouldn’t commit to Jimmy Garoppolo after he was picked off twice and fumbled twice in Sunday night’s 30-18 home loss to Indianapolis. Thus, we could have an all-rookie matchup here of Trey Lance and Justin Fields. The Bears were embarrassed in Tampa on Sunday and Fields turned it over five times.
Pick ATS: Chicago
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns
Cleveland shocked the Steelers in Pittsburgh in last season’s wild-card game, 48-37. Will Browns starting QB Baker Mayfield play here? He missed the team’s 17-14 win over Denver on Thursday in Week 7 with a left (non-throwing) shoulder injury that will require surgery eventually. It’s just a matter of whether Mayfield can play through the pain. Pittsburgh comes out of its bye week on a two-game winning streak.
Pick ATS: Cleveland (alternate line of -2.5 and if Mayfield plays)
Philadelphia Eagles at Detroit Lions
There aren’t many games this season where the winless Lions have a realistic chance to win. This is one, though. Detroit played pretty well Sunday in losing 28-19 at the Rams as Coach Dan Campbell pulled out all the stops in terms of trick plays. QB Jared Goff had two picks and his time as Detroit starter may be running out. The Eagles were beaten 33-22 in Las Vegas and lost top running back Miles Sanders to injury.
Pick ATS: Detroit (alternate line of +3.5)
Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts
Tennessee looks for the season sweep as it beat Indianapolis 25-16 in Week 3. Ryan Tannehill threw for three TDs and Derrick Henry rushed for 113 yards. Not often a team wins turning it over three times, but the Titans did. The Colts were held to 265 yards. Both teams won Sunday, with the Titans shockingly crushing Kansas City 27-3. Henry was held under 100 yards rushing for the first time since Week 1 but threw a TD pass on a trick play. The Colts won in a monsoon at the 49ers on Sunday night. Carson Wentz threw for two scores and rushed for one.
Pick ATS: Indianapolis
Cincinnati Bengals at New York Jets
The clear NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year favourite right now is Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase. In Sunday’s stunning blowout win in Tennessee, Chase had eight catches for 201 yards and a touchdown. Joe Burrow threw for 416 and three scores. That win announced the Bengals as legitimate AFC North contenders. The Jets lost 54-13 at New England and lost rookie QB Zach Wilson for 2-4 weeks due to a knee injury. Unknown Mike White should start this week.
Pick ATS: Cincinnati
Los Angeles Rams at Houston Texans
Houston managed to take a 5-0 early lead at unbeaten Arizona on Sunday … and lost 31-5. That team is absolutely atrocious offensively. Injured starting QB Tyrod Taylor may return this week, however. The Rams were pushed harder than expected but beat Detroit 28-19 as Matthew Stafford threw for 334 yards and three scores against his former team to reach 300 career TD passes.
Pick ATS: Houston
New England Patriots at Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers come out of their bye week a half-game out of first in the AFC West. New England got its first home win of the season Sunday in obliterating the Jets. Rookie QB Mac Jones threw for 307 yards (first 300-yard game of career) and two scores and Damien Harris rushed for 106 yards and two TDs. Jones is the fourth rookie all-time with at least 225 passing yards and a touchdown pass in five consecutive games.
Pick ATS: Los Angeles
Jacksonville Jaguars at Seattle Seahawks
Short week for Seattle as it hosted New Orleans on Monday to close Week 7. QB Russell Wilson didn’t play in that one and won’t here, either. Jacksonville comes out of its bye week after snapping a 20-game losing streak in Week 6 with a 23-20 victory over Miami in London. Matthew Wright hit a 53-yard field goal as time expired. Apparently, the Jags liked what they saw of Wright, who was 3-for-3 on field goals, because they cut fellow kicker Josh Lambo. He was the most accurate kicker in franchise history with a 91.6% field goal percentage.
Point spread: Seahawks -3.5
Pick ATS: Jacksonville
Washington Football Team at Denver Broncos
Two teams in major need of a new starting quarterback. Washington might get the injured Ryan Fitzpatrick back this week. The WFT lost in Green Bay on Sunday, 24-10. Somehow, Washington didn’t punt once yet had 10 points. It had five scoreless trips inside Green Bay’s 30-yard line, including back-to-back series that ended inside the 5. Denver lost its fourth in a row last Thursday, 17-14 in Cleveland. Coach Vic Fangio has given no indication he’s ready to bench QB Teddy Bridgewater yet.
Pick ATS: Denver (alternate line of -3)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints
Tampa Bay won its fourth in a row Sunday, 38-3, as Tom Brady threw four TD passes and became the first with 600 career TD throws. He also became the third player with at least 200 completions and 20 touchdown passes in his team’s first seven games of a season in NFL history. Short week for New Orleans as it was in Seattle on Monday. The Saints were 2-0 vs. the Bucs last regular season but lost to Tampa in the playoffs.
Point spread: Saints -4.5
Pick ATS: Tampa Bay
Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings
Sunday night matchup. Both teams come off a bye week. Dallas is on a five-game winning streak behind QB and MVP candidate Dak Prescott. He strained his calf in Week 7 vs. New England but is expected to play. Minnesota has won back-to-back games. Kirk Cousins is quietly having a fine season, completing 69.5 per cent of his throws with 13 TDs and zero picks. Dallas won in Minnesota 31-28 last year when Prescott was out injured.
Pick ATS: Dallas
New York Giants at Kansas City Chiefs, Monday
The Giants have no right playing on the Monday national spotlight, but they are a New York City team so they are on MNF (and SNF) pretty much every year regardless. The Giants did thump visiting Carolina on Sunday 25-3 despite playing without top running back Saquon Barkley and three of their best receivers in Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney and Sterling Shepard. Too early to know if they will play here, but Barkley likely won’t. Kansas City was dominated 27-3 at Tennessee and lost start QB Patrick Mahomes after taking a shot to the head. He is expected to be fine for this game.
Pick ATS: Kansas City (if Mahomes plays)