We’re officially two months into the NFL season, and there is no shortage of storylines to discuss.
Week 8 kicks off with a bang when the Cardinals and Packers meet in Arizona on Friday, while we might finally know Deshaun Watson’s landing spot by the time Monday’s early window rolls around.
This week’s 3am games aren’t the most exciting, but there is a key divisional matchup scheduled between the Titans and Colts.
The late window also features a key rivalry game between the Bucs and the Saints, followed by the Cowboys taking on the Vikings fresh from the bye on Sunday Night Football.
With the playoff picture beginning to take shape, find out who we’re backing in our NFL Week 8 Preview!
It’s been tough to get excited about the Friday games this season, but this one promises to live up to the hype.
The undefeated Cardinals host the 6-1 Packers in a potential NFC title game preview, but unfortunately Green Bay is less-than full-strength with star receivers Davante Adams and Allen Lazard in COVID protocols.
Arizona also has some injury concerns with defensive end J.J. Watt set to miss the game with a shoulder injury.
Plenty has been made of Adams’ absence, but it’s worth remembering the Packers boast an impressive 7-0 record in games without No. 17.
Watt’s absence also takes some of the pressure off Green Bay’s inexperienced offensive line, and perhaps more importantly, makes life a little easier for running back’s Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon on the ground.
This game should turn into a shootout, but I think there’s being too much made of Adams’ absence.
Rodgers has made miracles work before with limited receivers, and I also think the Packers defence has been very underrated over the last couple of weeks.
With defensive coordinator Joe Barry also in COVID protocols, I think the Packers defence does some of the talking here and at least keeps this game close.
The Bengals have been a real surprise story through the first two months of the season as they now look to improve to 6-2 against the wounded Jets.
New York was handed another humiliating loss against the Patriots last week, but the defeat came in more ways than one after rookie quarterback Zach Wilson suffered a knee injury.
The first-round pick could be out for up to a month, and his absence has left the Jets scrambling at quarterback with Mike White starting over Joe Flacco, who was acquired in a mid-week trade with the Eagles.
As if that wasn’t concerning enough for Jets fans, the Bengals are also coming off a season-defining win over the Ravens last week in Baltimore.
Ja’Marr Chase and Joe Burrow put on another show, while the defence held Lamar Jackson and company to just 17 points.
Honestly, this game is hard to get excited about, but if you want to bet, the Bengals look pretty safe to cover.
The AFC South is clearly a two-horse race between the Titans and Colts, and their second meeting of the year on Monday should go a long way to determining who finishes on top.
Tennessee caused another huge upset last week with a 27-3 win over the Chiefs, while the Colts made a statement in San Francisco with a blowout win of their own over the Niners.
The line has swung back and forth throughout the week, but I feel pretty confident in the Titans getting the job done here.
Tennessee’s defence has been much improved over the last couple of weeks, and it’s hard to forget Carson Wentz’s awful game in Week 3 against the Titans when he was sacked twice and threw for less than 200 yards.
The Titans offensively have also found their mojo, and if the offensive line can keep Ryan Tannehill intact, I think they’ll move one step closer to capturing the AFC South crown.
No surprise to find the Rams laying -14.5 against the spread here.
The 1-6 Texans appear to be in ‘sell’ mode after trading Marvin Ingram to the Saints during the week, a move that has left receiver Brandin Cooks and several of his teammates disgruntled with the front office.
Houston’s play on the field has been just as atrocious as the managerial decisions this year.
The Texans have scored a combined eight points across their last two games, meaning this week’s game against the Rams is basically a disaster waiting to happen.
LA’s offence ranks fifth in average points scored, while the defence ranks fourth in sacks.
All in all, this one is going to get ugly.
The Ravens look the team to beat in the AFC North, but this is still a key game as far as the AFC Wild Card picture is concerned.
The Browns have had an extra few days to recover from their narrow win over the Broncos last Friday, but there’s no guarantee Baker Mayfield is going to return from a shoulder injury he suffered a week earlier.
Pittsburgh, on the other hand, returns from the bye, which has typically been a very profitable play as far as betting is concerned.
The Steelers are 3-0 over the last three seasons following a week off, and they should feel pretty confident knowing they kept Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf quiet in their win over the Seahawks in Week 6.
Ben Roethlisberger is obviously the big question against Cleveland’s talented pass rush, but with Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson healthy, I like the Steelers outright against this banged-up Browns team.
The winless Lions take on the 2-5 Eagles this week in what might be one of the toughest games to try and pick.
Detroit suffered a very honourable loss last week against the Rams, a performance the Lions are sure to build on as they return home to face an Eagles side down on confidence.
Philly had very little to feel good about in the loss to the Raiders, but on the plus side, the Eagles have played some of their better football on the road this year.
That said, I feel like the Lions are gearing towards their first win, and this might just be their best opportunity to avoid another winless season.
0-7 speaks for itself, but Detroit has been on the wrong side of some unlucky field goals and late-game drama.
The Lions’ strength of schedule has also been very difficult, but I think Jared Goff should have a much easier time of it this week against an Eagles secondary that doesn’t lay a glove on the Rams.
You might not know it, but the Lions have gone 4-3 against the spread this year and 2-1 at home, so I’m happy to take them with some insurance on offer.
The Bears continue to hang around in the NFC Wild Card picture as they look to return to an even .500 with a win over the struggling Niners this week.
Like many before them, the Bears were on the receiving end of a Bucs beatdown last week in Tampa Bay, but it is a little surprising to find them as the underdog given the 49ers are in the midst of a four-game skid.
The Niners committed four turnovers as a team last week in the loss to the Colts and I’m still not sure Jimmy Garoppolo is the answer at quarterback.
That said, Bears starter Justin Fields has looked completely lost under center over the last few weeks, which has me leaning towards a low-scoring game between these two less-than-flattering sides.
Both sides have scored less than 20 points in their last two games, while the Total has also gone Under in each of Chicago’s last six.
The Bucs look a shoo-in to win the NFC South at this point, but the Falcons and the Panthers aren’t dead in the Wild Card picture just yet.
Atlanta returned to .500 last week with a gutsy two-point win over the Dolphins, while the Panthers remain an absolute guessing game on the back of four straight losses.
The Falcons have won four of their last five games against Carolina head-to-head, and it’s no shock to find them as the favourites here at home.
Atlanta’s offence has had no trouble scoring points in its last three games, which is more than can be said for the Panthers after Sam Darnold was benched in the fourth quarter last week.
The Falcons defence worries me – especially with a few more injuries piling up in the secondary – but the Panthers haven’t shown me anything to back them with confidence.
Aside from Darnold, the fact Christian McCaffrey is set to miss another game with a hamstring injury is a huge worry. That, plus their complete lack of focus over the last few weeks is concerning.
With the Falcons suddenly looking dangerous in the red-zone and the Panthers anything but, I like Atlanta to win in a high-scoring game.
The Bills have spent the bye week reflecting on what could have been against the Titans a fortnight ago, a game they basically blew by going for it on fourth and short with only seconds remaining.
Fortunately, the hapless Dolphins are in town this week – a team that has now lost six straight games after opening the season with a win in Foxboro against the Patriots.
The Deshaun Watson – Tua Tagovailoa trade talk continues to heat up, but until an actual deal is done, it’s really only providing further distraction in the locker room in Miami.
None of that is what the Dolphins need right now, particularly when you consider they’ve lost their last six games against the Bills dating back to 2018.
The Bills Mafia will be up and about for this home game and I really can’t see Buffalo losing.
Sean McDermott’s side has gone 12-8 on the back of a loss since 2018, and a perfect 3-0 following the bye.
With Miami coughing up close to 30 points a game, this shapes as another long afternoon for the Phins.
The Chargers will have a bit of a chip on their shoulder this week as they look to bounce-back from a big loss against the Ravens a fortnight ago.
The bye week couldn’t have come at a better time for Brandon Staley’s men, but the coach will be stressing the importance of not underestimating a feisty Patriots team on the road.
A win for the Chargers could potentially put them back on top in the AFC West, but this is also a big game for the 3-4 Patriots on the back of last week’s demolition job over the Jets.
Mac Jones had a career-best 307-yard, two-touchdown game in the win over New York, but obviously, this is a much tougher test against a Chargers team that has proven very tough to throw the ball against.
On the flip side, I’m not really sure the Patriots have the secondary to limit Justin Herbert for a full four quarters.
New England has been stretched thin against the likes of Dallas and Tampa Bay in recent weeks, and it’s fair to say this Chargers offence is of equal caliber.
The Pats actually shut out the Chargers 45-0 when they met last year, but with Mac Jones yet to face a proper road test against a good team, I think this one might turn out the other way.
The season is far from over for the Seahawks, but it’s fair to say a fourth straight loss to the Jags on Monday would make life very tough in the loaded NFC West.
Seattle has gone 0-2 with Geno Smith under centre, and although the market is favouring the Seahawks at home, a win looks far from a given against a well-rested Jags team.
Jacksonville coach Urban Meyer has great respect for Pete Carroll, so you know a win would mean a lot to him here with his side returning from the bye.
That said, the Jags are always tough to trust – particularly with turnover-prone rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence facing one of the toughest road environments in the league.
Seattle has to sense the importance of a win here with Russell Wilson a chance at returning next week, and based on how well the defence played in the 13-10 loss to the Saints last Tuesday, I think they’ll just get the job done.
Denver’s perfect 3-0 start to the season feels like a lifetime ago.
The Broncos have now lost three in a row following last week’s close call against the Browns, but they do have a chance to get back to an even .500 with 2-5 Washington in town.
WFT is facing another tough road test one week after losing to the Packers at Lambeau Field.
Turnovers and some questionable decisions to go for it on fourth down cost Ron Rivera’s side a chance at an upset, but I still thought there were some positives to take away from that performance defensively.
Washington’s pass rush made life very difficult for Aaron Rodgers at times, and I think Chase Young and company might be in for a bit of a feast here against a Denver offensive line that has allowed 21 sacks already this season.
You don’t have to look hard to find the main storyline in this one.
Jameis Winston squares off against his former side for the first time as a starter, two years after he was released by the Bucs in order to make room for Tom Brady on the roster.
Winston has only gone and led the Saints to a 4-2 record to start the season, but this is obviously the game he would have had circled on his calendar for quite some time against the reigning champs.
Tampa Bay, on the other hand, heads into this game full of confidence behind a four-game winning streak.
The Bucs tore apart the Bears last week through the air, while the defence also held Chicago to a lone field goal in the 38-3 win.
New Orleans has the pieces to make life difficult for the Bucs on the ground, but the fact they struggled to pass the ball last week against a questionable Seattle secondary makes me wonder about them.
The atmosphere in the Superdome could keep this game close, but Brady and the Bucs firing on all cylinders, I can’t bring myself to back against them.
The Cowboys are still waiting on word around Dak Prescott’s calf injury, which reportedly hasn’t completely healed over the bye week.
Even so, Dallas remains the slight favourite ahead of their trip to the Dome in Minnesota, and if Dak plays, I don’t think they’ll have any trouble winning.
The Cowboys currently lead the league in average points-per-game (35) and I really think they’ll prove too much for the Vikings to handle down the stretch.
CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper are arguably the top receiver duo in the league right now, but I think the Cowboys will win this game on the ground if Ezekiel Elliott continues to bring his best.
The Minnesota defence has allowed sixth-most rushing yards to opponents this year, which spells another big day for No 21.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys have been one of the toughest sides to run the ball again, meaning Dalvin Cook mightn’t put up the monster numbers we saw two weeks ago against the Panthers.
This probably won’t go down as the most exciting Monday Night Football game ever played, but it does look to be a crucial one as far as the Chiefs are concerned.
Kansas City suffered a brutal blowout loss last week against the Titans, a result that has basically left them playing for their season this week.
The Giants, meanwhile, recorded their second win of the season in a 25-3 rout over Carolina.
Daniel Jones played exceptionally well completing 23 of his 33 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown, while I also thought the defence showed some real encouragement holding the Panthers to 173 total yards.
It goes without saying that this is a much different task on the road at Arrowhead, but I still think the Giants can put up some points against Kansas City’s awful secondary.
The Chiefs have allowed close to 30 points and over 400 yards a game, leaving the Total set on the Giants looking a little low in my opinion.