Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming upon us yet again. It was a rebound week in picks as I got to 13-2 in them. Hopefully another good week is incoming. Matchups this week I'm keeping an eye on are the Vikings-Rams, Packers-Jaguars, Colts-Texans, Eagles-Bengals, Bills-Seahawks, Bears-Commanders and Cowboys-49ers matchups. In this post, I'll do a preview of the week's action while looking at the picks and the Early and Late TV broadcast pairings that FOX and CBS will put out. Let's get to work!
Week 8 Preview
The eighth week of the National Football League will start in Inglewood, California and finish up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Week 8 will have a 16-game slate where all 32 teams will play. No teams are on a bye week this week. There will be eight interconference games, three NFC games, and five divisional games. Week 8 will feature a Thursday night game, eight early games, five late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. The doubleheader will go to CBS and FOX will have a single, regional game this week. Let's get to the picks!
Week 8 Picks
Note: All game times are in US Eastern. TW is me.
Minnesota (5-1) @ LA Rams (2-5) (Amazon; 8:15 pm)
Pick: Vikings
The Vikings lost to the Lions and the Rams beat the Raiders last week. The Vikings fell back down to earth against the Lions. The Lions game was a back-and-forth affair so it wasn't quite a big loss. The only thing that really changes for them is that they don't have to feel the pressure of staying undefeated. At some point the undefeated bid had to end. The matchup against the Rams could be a matchup where they get back to a win.
The Rams have had a bit of injury and bad luck on their side. The losses to Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua to injury have been the reason why the Rams haven't had a lot of success this season. The running game of Kyren Williams has been a stable part of the Rams offense. Of course Matthew Stafford being healthy helps as well. The defense took advantage of Raiders turnovers last week. I don't know if they can possibly get turnovers this week but they will need to play their best game of the season against a Vikings team that is looking to get revenge.
All-time series: Vikings lead 27-18-2
Atlanta (4-3) @ Tampa Bay (4-3) (FOX; 1:00 pm)
Pick: Falcons
The Falcons lost to the Seahawks and the Buccaneers lost to the Ravens last week. The Falcons had a let down last week against the Seahawks. Their defense kind of let them down but there was also a let down on offense. Kirk Cousins reverting back to his turnover ways. Turns out if you turn the ball over, you'll less than likely get a win. I think the offense in this game will need to get back to a fundamentals approach.
Tampa Bay played fairly well against Baltimore. They faced off against one of the better teams in the league in terms of rushing in Baltimore. The defense could've been better but it wasn't a big blowout. There was a slim chance that the Bucs would come back and win in that game. The Falcons is the least of the Buccaneers issues for this game. The losses of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in the game against Baltimore. They are a big part of the passing game and this might be a factor in the game. I don't know if I can trust Baker Mayfield with a depleted wide receiving corp.
All-time series: Series tied at 31-31
Arizona (3-4) @ Miami (2-4) (FOX; 1:00 pm)
Pick: Dolphins
The Cardinals beat the Chargers and the Dolphins lost to the Colts last week. Arizona got a big win against a good Chargers team. They really found a way to keep them from scoring touchdowns. Holding them to just five field goals. Who would've thought the defense would be able to handle them like that. The Cardinals offense has been on fire lately. They have a dual threat quarterback in Kyler Murray who can get 20+ rushing yards in a carry while throwing it deep. I think its a fun to watch offense and a defense is underrated.
Miami might be getting Tua Tagovailoa back in this game. The Dolphins are hopeful as their season is starting to slip away and their playoff chances drifting away as well. They would like to get their season back on track but also to make sure that Tua is alright and healthy to play. You do have to think about the future. The Dolphins offense is a bit hurting as well. De'Von Achane is hurt so there's one less weapon for the Dolphins to go to. Jaylen Wright has been a decent option but it's the passing game that sets the Dolphins apart. Tyreek Hill hasn't quite had the season that he had last season with just 294 receiving yards with a touchdown. I don't quite feel like the Cardinals are a great team yet but I'll take the Dolphins in this one. Prove me wrong Cards.
All-time series: Dolphins lead 10-3
Baltimore (5-2) @ Cleveland (1-6) (CBS; 1:00 pm)
Pick: Ravens
The Ravens beat the Buccaneers and the Browns lost to the Bengals last week. The Cleveland Ravens vs the Cleveland Browns (if you catch my meaning) rivalry renews. Baltimore has been one of the hottest teams in the league starting off at 0-2 with a rough loss against Las Vegas in Week 2. They have now won five straight games. The team is really hitting on all cylinders on offense with Lamar Jackson hurting opposing defenses with his legs and arm. At this point, he might be the MVP right now over Patrick Mahomes.
Cleveland has had a rough season. Their lone win was from a Jacksonville team that was struggling. That was in Week 2 as well. That seems like for most Browns fans a long time ago. DeShaun Watson is also out for this game and likely a good portion of this season. Starting for the Brownies is likely Jameis Winston as he's the veteran of the group. He has certainly a lot of experience under his belt in the league. Not to take away from Dorian Thompson-Robinson but Winston is the better player. The book on Winston is a bit mixed. Quite a few seasons in Tampa didn't do a whole lot and he did a little better with New Orleans. We shall see how well he can handle the Ravens defense. I don't trust Cleveland, I'll take Baltimore.
All-time series: Ravens lead 36-14
Green Bay (5-2) @ Jacksonville (2-5) (FOX; 1:00 pm)
Pick: Packers
The Packers beat the Texans and the Jaguars beat the Patriots last week. The Packers head on the road to Jacksonville. Their offense has been good but not great and not certainly terrible either. Jordan Love is a solid passer in the NFL. He is a bit of a risky passer as he has thrown quite a few interceptions this season. He threw two last week against Houston. I would like to see him start to play better and not toss interceptions. The Jaguars will take advantage of those mistakes.
The Jaguars are back at Jacksonville for the first time since Week 5 against Indianapolis. They've spent two weeks in London or in other words, their 2nd home. They come into this game with a big win against New England. Their running game had a huge game against them as Tank Bigsby ran over the Patriots front seven by going with inside runs and getting chunks of yards. The defense has gotten better of late. The game could be a toss-up but I think the Packers will take this game.
All-time series: Packers lead 5-2
Indianapolis (-) @ Houston (-) (CBS; 1:00 pm)
Pick: Texans
The Colts beat the Dolphins and the Texans lost to the Packers last week. Much to my surprise, the Colts got Anthony Richardson back from the injury front. The game last week against Miami was a bit closer than it should've but the Colts got a win and that's what matters in the end. I don't know what to think about with Anthony Richardson. His numbers this season hasn't been that great but he has been injured for a decent amount this season. I do like the receiving corp and I wish that the quarterback would utilize it a bit more often. I think the Colts defense will have its hands full for this game.
Houston had a bit of a letdown of a game last week. The game against the Packers saw a limitation of scoring from them. Joe Mixon was a factor in the game and perhaps he will be used a bit more in this game. The offense should do fine in this game. The defense will need to keep an eye on Anthony Richardson in this game. The quarterback is one that you need to keep an eye on as he can both run and pass. Week 1 was the last time these two teams met and the game was a close one. Will this game be just the same as before. I think the game could be a bit closer but both teams are different now than that first week. I'll take the Texans.
All-time series: Colts lead series 33-12-1
NY Jets (2-5) @ New England (1-6) (CBS; 1:00 pm)
Pick: Jets
The Jets lost to the Steelers and the Patriots lost to the Jaguars last week. The dysfunction of the Jets is quite something to see. The last time they won a game was against these Patriots. The 2-1 Jets seem like an eternity ago. The offense just has been sputtering and even with Davante Adams in the lineup they still only scored 15 points against the Steelers. I do kind of think that they should rebound against New England.
The Patriots have some hope now that they have Drake Maye as quarterback. The offense seems to have a new life. Their offensive line has done a better job in pass protection. The problem that I see is that they don't run the ball a lot and the receivers haven't been that great either. Ja'Lynn Polk has been a bit of a disappointment as well. The big issue I see is their defense. The defense was supposed to be the thing that would keep this team in check but they just haven't been there at all. I think the Jets will take this one and keep their season in check.
All-time series: Patriots lead 74-56-1
Philadelphia (4-2) @ Cincinnati (3-4) (CBS; 1:00 pm)
Pick: Bengals
The Eagles beat the Giants and the Bengals beat the Browns last week. Philly had probably their best game of the season last week against the Giants. Yes the Giants are not that great of a team. I get that. It looked like the offense was back to being where we expected them to be at the time of the start of the season. Saquon Barkley looked like an important cog in the offense. Jalen Hurts looked comfortable like he didn't have to be the lone weapon in the offense.
The Bengals didn't quite have the blowout win against Cleveland. They got a win and that's what matters to them. They were 1-4 and now they are at 3-4. Joe Burrow is still upright and not feeling injured. The loss of Joe Mixon hasn't really been felt as they may have found a good back in Chase Brown. Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase are possibly the league's best wide receiver duo. You can't double team them and expect to slow them down when there's Mike Gesicki out there in the middle of the field uncovered. I think the Eagles might possibly win this game but I'll take the Bengals in a risky bet.
All-time series: Bengals lead 9-3-2
Tennessee (1-5) @ Detroit (5-1) (FOX; 1:00 pm)
Pick: Lions
The Titans lost to the Bills and the Lions beat the Vikings last week. The Titans might have found somewhat of a spark on offense with Mason Rudolph. The quarterback had a decent start last week given the circumstances. The offense will need to play their best as they are facing off against a Lions team that defeated an undefeated squad. They have to expect big things from Tony Pollard. I really don't trust the Titans defense as usually their offense is lackluster and explosive at most periods.
Detroit had a huge win against the Vikings. It was certainly their biggest game of the season and possibly the series of the Lions-Vikings rivalry. The offense was as usual firing on all cylinders. Their balance on offense is quite something to watch. Their passing game with Jared Goff is very accurate and efficient. Their running game has so many players that can run the ball, you don't know who's going to have a big game. The defense against the Vikings was kind of as expected to have not a lot of pressures and hits. I think they won't be as tested as they were against Minnesota but I wouldn't take the Titans lightly. I'll take the Lions.
All-time series: Titans lead 10-3
New Orleans (2-5) @ LA Chargers (3-3) (FOX; 4:05 pm)
Pick: Chargers
The Saints lost to the Broncos and the Chargers lost to the Cardinals last week. New Orleans hasn't had a good go of it as of late. They went 2-0 and had the highest scoring offense in the league through two weeks. Remember when they blew out the Cowboys at Jerry World. The Spencer Rattler version of the Saints hasn't been quite the results that would be expecting. Turnovers has been their issue and not scoring enough points as been the thing that has brought the Saints down since week 2. They will really need to cut down on the turnovers. If there is any bright spot for Spencer Rattler it is his confidence. He will need it.
The Chargers lost last week with a low scoring effort that yielded 15 points off of five field goals. They did not venture once into the endzone during the game against the Cardinals. It was an uncharacteristic effort from them. They didn't go with their running game which has been their bread and butter with Jim Harbaugh. I think they should try to go back to the run. The defense should try to take advantage of the aggressiveness of Spencer Rattler and try to grab some turnovers. If they can get a turnover I like their chances of winning.
All-time series: Saints lead 7-6
Buffalo (5-2) @ Seattle (4-3) (FOX; 4:05 pm)
Pick: Bills
The Bills beat the Titans and the Seahawks beat the Falcons last week. Buffalo is looking like they're the top dogs in the AFC East once again. They got some help in wide receiver with Amari Cooper via trade from Cleveland. The wide out took a bit to get going but he did catch a touchdown pass from Josh Allen. Buffalo had their struggles earlier this season with a two-game losing streak with a defense that wasn't having an easy time stopping opponents. Losses to Baltimore and Houston might prove that they're still not there yet to compete with the Big Boys in the AFC. I think their offense can exploit the Seahawks defense.
Seattle got back on track against the Falcons last week. Their defense actually shut down the Falcons passing game and limited their running game as their offense did its part to create a margin that the Falcons had to rely on the pass to move the ball. The defense not being able to stop opponents was their biggest crux to their season. In the three losses they gave up 36 points/game (rounded up as they were giving up 35.67). Not good results for a defensive minded head coach in Mike MacDonald. The game could be a wild one for scoring as the defenses might be giving up a lot of points. I think the Bills will take it.
All-time series: Seahawks lead 8-6
Carolina (1-6) @ Denver (4-3) (CBS; 4:25 pm)
Pick: Broncos
The Panthers lost to the Commanders and the Broncos beat the Saints last week. Carolina was a bad team last season. Their offense was atrocious and their defense was just as bad. The current iteration of the Panthers is a team that remains the same. The offense has had somewhat of a jolt of energy with Andy Dalton, the Red Rifle, at quarterback. The veteran sadly can't do everything for Carolina. Last week against Washington they really got ran over by the Commanders running game. It might be a good day for the Broncos running game.
Denver has had quite a bit of rest since the Thursday night game. At least with the short rest week there's a longer rest period for the Broncos. Denver isn't a great passing team but they rely on their running game to set up the pass. A philosophy that most fans aren't used to. The Broncos defense is reminiscence of the 1970's Orange Crush defense as they are a good unit when it comes to defending the pass as they hold opposing passing offenses to just 193.4 yards/game on average. Pretty good stuff. I think the Broncos will be a bit too much for the Panthers to handle.
All-time series: Broncos lead 6-2
Chicago (4-2) @ Washington (5-2) (CBS; 4:25 pm)
Pick: Bears
The Bears had a bye and the Commanders beat the Panthers last week. This game was a 1:00 game but got moved to 4:25. Sadly I think the reason why was because of Jayden Daniels. Outside of that, the Bears have been a solid group. Caleb Williams has been a good to average contributor to the Bears offense. An offense that has been lacking a franchise quarterback since for so many decades. You'd have to go back to the 1940's to find their franchise quarterback records. the last time we saw the Bears was a beat down against the Jaguars in their 2nd home in merry ole' England. It could be an interesting sight to see how well the break can hinder or help the Bears in this game.
Washington was kind of on a tear lately. They have the top spot in the NFC East. Then the loss of Jayden Daniels to a rib injury happened. It was possibly a thing that shouldn't have happened as he was running a long way across the field and didn't slide. In this stead will be Marcus Mariota. The former Titan saw his first action this season. In a relief appearance he threw two touchdowns against a below average defense in Carolina. He'll likely face a better test in the Bears defense that allowed just 16 points to the Jaguars in Week 6. I'm not sure how to feel about Washington in this matchup. It doesn't seem like the Commanders will start Daniels in the game. I'll take the Bears. I guess we'll have to wait and see if they meet up again later this year via playoffs or next year for the first Williams-Daniels matchups.
All-time series: Commanders lead 27-25-1
Kansas City (6-0) @ Las Vegas (2-5) (CBS; 4:25 pm)
Pick: Chiefs
The Chiefs beat the 49ers and the Raiders lost to the Rams last week. The Chiefs in 2024 has been not quite a great team. Their offense has been kind of a mixed bag. Their passing offense has been kind of a rough spot. At least their rushing game has been a good thing to have happened. The defense has been the thing that has kept the Chiefs in a undefeated spot. I think the offense will need to get back to its regular old selves.
Las Vegas has been a very rough team this season. The Gardner Minshew experiment has been kind of a failure. The turnovers against the Rams that Minshew threw was a bit too much for the Raiders to overcome. The case for the Raiders in this game will be a bit diminished as Davante Adams is no longer a Raider. The dysfunction of the Raiders seems a bit evident. Maxx Crosby getting into a conversation with a Raiders coach that got a bit much more verbal than needed. I think the Chiefs will take it and we might see a return to their old selves.
All-time series: Chiefs lead 73-55-2
Dallas (3-3) @ San Francisco (3-4) (NBC; 8:20 pm)
Pick: Cowboys
The Cowboys had a bye week and the 49ers lost to the Chiefs last week. The last time we saw the Cowboys was a bad loss to the Lions on Jerry Jones's birthday. Hopefully he had some cake that was tasty and good. The Cowboys were outmatched in the game and Dak Prescott kind of let his team down a bit. They expect him to be star quarterback and he hasn't delivered at least not yet. This game against the 49ers is a big one as it is not just a make or break moment for them but Mike McCarthy's job will be on the line I think. The 49ers are kind of rough around the edges as well. If they lose this game to them, I don't know, you might have to forfeit the rest of your season.
San Francisco's NFC title defense has been kind of a roller coaster. They can go on a rampage against the Seahawks one week and then look like the Niners of the 2000's the next week. Turning the ball over and injuries has been the biggest issues for the Niners this season. The same reasons for them falling part after their NFC title defense in 2020. The hangover is real. The 49ers still have George Kittle catching passes and that's really what matters to them as well as Brock Purdy still playing well enough. The quarterback had a tough game against Kansas City but so did Patrick Mahomes. The 49ers have had the Cowboys number for quite a while but I think the buck stops there on the 49ers.
All-time series: 49ers lead 20-19-1
NY Giants (2-5) @ Pittsburgh (5-2) (ABC; 8:15 pm)
Pick: Steelers
The Giants lost to the Eagles and the Steelers beat the Jets last week. Week 8 wraps up with the G-men going to the Steel City. The Giants had a rough game last week. The Eagles really manhandled them with Saquon Barkley. The Giants had some hope in getting Malik Nabers back. The defense last week did the work as they were on the field a lot. The rush defense was not existent. They might find some trouble in battling Pittsburgh.
The Steelers made a good use of the talents of Russell Wilson. The debut of Russell Wilson was a slow start. The offense didn't get a lot of points in the first half but he eventually heated up. Keep in mind that Wilson last played last Christmas Eve in a game against the Patriots. For a debut, he did pretty well. Imagine if he did another start in this game. I have to think that this game might be a bit of a challenge for the Steelers but if they go with a run-heavy gameplan I think they should be able to handle the offense.
All-time series: Giants lead 44-31-3
Early & Late Game TV Broadcast Pairings
Note: Games in bold are being shown in my area, check local listings
CBS Early
Philadelphia @ Cincinnati
CBS Late
Chicago @ Washington
FOX Single
Tennessee @ Detroit
Jason Benetti, Mark Schlereth
Atlanta @ Tampa Bay
Chris Myers, Mark Sanchez
For more information on which game is being shown in your area check out: NFL 2024 Week 8 Maps
Records
Week 1: 14-2
Week 2: 10-6
Week 5: 3-11
2019: 161-94-1
2022: 166-103-2
2023: 161-111
See you all after the Monday night game for the Week 8 Recap! Enjoy the games!
-Tom
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