The Dallas Cowboys keep on winning, while the Seattle Seahawks are on a mini-tailspin. Who would have thought about these happening before the season began? But if there’s one thing that continues to hold true thus far in this wild NFL season, it’s the fact that the Oakland Raiders continue to suck. But you know what, even that may change a bit in Week 8 as that wretched team from the cellars of the AFC West are about to face the Cleveland Browns, a team that has a thing or two to tell about losing to an egg-laying franchise.
It’s going to be another entertaining week of football action. Get prepared for it by reading our Week 8 game previews, including Packers vs. Saints and Redskins vs. Cowboys.
[sc:Football ]Complete NFL Week 8 Picks
Thursday, October 23
San Diego Chargers vs. Denver Broncos (8:25 PM ET)
[sc:NFL240banner ]A week after handing the San Francisco 49ers a sound 42-17 beating at home, the Denver Broncos take on another visitor in the form of the San Diego Chargers in a rematch of last January’s AFC Divisional Playoff Game.
With Manning throwing the ball with uncanny precision – he completed 22 of 26 passes for 318 yards and three touchdowns -, the Broncos were able to rip apart San Francisco’s vaunted passing defense that previously ranked second in the NFL. That said, the Chargers’ defense against the pass that showed cracks in their 22-19 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7, should brace for impact when they face Denver’s third-rated passing game that averages 297.8 yards per game. The warning should be served both ways as Denver is also about to deal with the Chargers’ passing game that puts up 270.7 yards per game.
Writer’s Pick: Denver
Sunday, October 26
Detroit Lions vs. Atlanta Falcons (9:30 AM ET)
The Detroit Lions saw Drew Brees comb through their vaunted defense for 342 passing yards, but the Lions still managed to come through with a 24-23 comeback win over the New Orleans Saints Sunday for their second victory in a row.
Matt Ryan can view Brees’ performance to be a silver lining as he tries to steer the Atlanta Falcons’ passing attack next week against a Detroit defense that allows just 216.9 passing yards per game. Atlanta averages 289.6 passing yards per game, fifth best in the NFL, but the Falcons will need to see their defense step up if they are to break their five-game losing skid. The Falcons are coming off a 29-7 loss against the Baltimore Ravens.
Writer’s Pick: Detroit
St. Louis Rams vs. Kansas City Chiefs (1:00 PM ET)
No team in Week 7 had a louder win than the St. Louis Rams, who sent shockwaves across the league with a 28-26 win over the defending champions. The Rams will look to build on their momentum when they pay the Kansas City Chiefs a visit next week as they aim to gain ground in the NFC West. The Chiefs defeated San Diego Sunday, 23-20, in a game that saw Alex Smith out-throw Philip Rivers. Smith threw for 221 yards and a touchdown, but he was sacked three times for a loss of 10 yards. Smith, though, will not have to worry that much about St. Louis’ pass rush as the Rams are last in the league with just four sacks overall.
Writer’s Pick: Kansas City
Minnesota Vikings vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1:00 PM ET)
One could just imagine the disappointment of the Minnesota Vikings when they lost to the Buffalo Bills, 17-16, no thanks to Sammy Watkins’ last-second TD grab. The sorry loss extended the Vikes’ winless streak to three games. Minnesota, however, could end the drought on Sunday when they take on the lackluster Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have been struggling on both sides of the field.
The Bucs are in the lower percentile of almost every basic department, as the team is 26th in passing (217.0 yards per game), 27th in rushing (89.8), 31st in passing defense (294.5 allowed per game), and 25th in rushing D (128.3). The Vikings aren’t good but they’re not as horrendous as Tampa Bay, particularly on defense. Minnesota surrenders 337.9 total yards per game, while Tampa Bay has a shameful 422.8 clip.
Writer’s Pick: Minnesota
Seattle Seahawks vs. Carolina Panthers (1:00 PM ET)
Has Super Bowl hangover finally gotten into the Seattle Seahawks? It sure looks like it when the Seahawks lost to NFC West bottom-feeders St. Louis Rams in Week 7, their second in a row after being defeated by the Dallas Cowboys in the previous contest. The Seahawks look to prevent a three-game skid when they face the Carolina Panthers next week. Seattle is 3-0 in its last three games against the Panthers, covering the spread in all those games, too. Carolina, however, don’t lose that many games at home as the Panthers are 8-2 in their last 10 games at Bank of America Stadium.
Writer’s Pick: Seattle
Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals (1:00 PM ET)
The Ravens increased their lead in the AFC North to a full game after dispatching the Atlanta Falcons, 29-7, in an impressive display of defense that hushed the Falcons’ attack. The Bengals, meanwhile, can help diminish the gap between them and Baltimore in the standings if they could bounce back from an utterly disappointing 27-0 loss at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts. To do that, Cincy’s offense must be able to navigate through the Ravens’ defense that limited Atlanta down to just 254 total yards.
The Bengals are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games against Baltimore. The Ravens, on the other hand, are 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.
Writer’s Pick: Cincinnati
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Miami Dolphins vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (1:00 PM ET)
Those loud, angry yells you heard from the Chicago Bears’ locker room? Go ask the Miami Dolphins, who handed the Bears a 27-14 loss in Week 7, about it. Ryan Tannehill, in spite of a very bad pass protection that was largely responsible for the four sacks he received, led the Fins by throwing for 277 yards and two TDs with no interceptions.
If the Dolphins were happy by winning their third of the season, then imagine the kind of wild party the Jaguars threw when the team won its first in 10 games since last season after defeating the Cleveland Browns 24-6. That game saw the Jags’ defense grow some fangs, limiting the Browns to just two field goals, but Jacksonville have some more work to do to prepare for Miami, a team that averages 359.8 total yards per game.
Writer’s Pick: Miami
Chicago Bears vs. New England Patriots (1:00 PM ET)
The Chicago Bears are coming off an ugly loss, while the New England Patriots are a week away from an ugly win. Both teams look to win in style on Sunday at Foxborough, where the Pats have been undefeated since 2013. New England, which scored a 27-25 victory at home over the New York Jets, are 12-0 in their last 12 games as the home team. At Gillette Stadium, Jay Cutler and the Bears’ passing attack that averages 254.0 yards per game, will be in for a litmus test against New England’s top rated passing defense that gives up only 208.0 per contest. The Bears are 3-1 ATS in their last four road games.
Writer’s Pick: New England
Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets (1:00 PM ET)
The New York Jets were desperately in need of dynamic playmakers who would inject life to their sluggish passing offense that ranks second worst in the NFL with 185.4 yards per game, so it’s a no-brainer for them to trade for Swiss Army knife Percy Harvin when the opportunity presented itself. Home fans will get to see what Harvin is capable of doing for the team when the Jets play the Buffalo Bills next Sunday.
Speaking of playmakers, Bills wideout Sammy Watkins had his second 100-yard game when he received for 122 yards on nine catches in Buffalo’s 17-16 win over the Vikings in Week 7. The rookie will be a man to watch as he challenges New York’s pass defense, one that gives up 238.6 yards per game. The Jets are 4-0 and 3-1 ATS in their last four games at home versus Buffalo. The Bills are 3-2 ATS in their last five road games.
Writer’s Pick: New York
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Arizona Cardinal (4:05 PM ET)
The Philadelphia Eagles were on a bye week when they saw the Cowboys jump ahead of them for the no. 1 spot in the NFC East. Chip Kelly and his crew will look to keep in step with Dallas when they face the Arizona Cardinals, who improved their record to 5-1 after taking care of the Oakland Raiders in Week 7. The Eagles are 6-2 ATS in their last eight road games. The Cardinals, meanwhile, are 4-2 ATS in their last six at home.
Writer’s Pick: Philadelphia
Oakland Raiders vs. Cleveland Browns (4:25 PM ET)
After being victimized by a previously winless team in the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Cleveland Browns look to prevent suffering the same fate again when they host the 0-6 Oakland Raiders this coming Sunday. Despite losing six in a row to open the season, the Raiders, nonetheless, have shown some fight in their previous two games. They lost by just three to the San Diego Chargers in Week 6 before dropping a 24-13 game against Arizona. The Browns are 6-0-1 ATS in their last seven meetings with Oakland dating back to 2003. The Raiders are 2-0 ATS in their last two road games.
Writer’s Pick: Oakland
Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints (8:30 PM ET)
Aaron Rodgers told the team’s fanbase to just chill after the Green Bay Packers’ bad 1-2 start. And relax they did as the Packers reeled in four-straight wins to gain a share of the top seat in the NFC North with the Detroit Lions with identical 5-2 records. In their last game, the Packers were led by Rodgers, who passed for 255 yards and three TDs with no interceptions to guide the team to a 38-17 rout of the Carolina Panthers.
If there’s one team, though, which couldn’t afford to relax, then it’s got to be the New Orleans Saints, who continue to be a disappointment this season. They lunged right back into below .500 status when they suffered a 24-23 loss to the Lions last Sunday. The Saints, however, are a different animal when they’re at the confines of the Superdome as they are 10-0 in their last 10 games as the home team.
Writer’s Pick: Green Bay
Monday, October 27
Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys (8:30 PM ET)
The Dallas Cowboys are on a mean streak. After losing at home in Week 1, the ‘Boys have strung together six straight wins, which include victories over the Seattle Seahawks and the New York Giants, two of their latest victims. On the strength of a bruising rushing game that’s first in the league in yards per game (159.7) and second in TDs (7), the Cowboys are able to silence a lot of critics. A loss, however, to the Redskins next Sunday will open the floodgates again for the anti-Dallas brigade.
Washington was able to break their four-game losing streak with a 19-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans, but it wasn’t impressive enough to make them climb a few ladders in the power rankings. They can turn a lot of heads if they can manage to put the clamps down on DeMarco Murray, Tony Romo, and the rest of the Cowboys on the road during their Monday Night Football tussle. Washington’s defense ranks among the best in total yards allowed with a 321.9 mark.
Writer’s Pick: Washington
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