Week 8 NFL Predix

 By Jacob Sanders

We’re at the half way mark and yet still, it feels like we have relatively no idea who the powerhouses are and who the pretenders. Sure, I could make a top 5 list involving both the Steelers and Packers, and I would probably be right in saying one (if not both) of those teams ends up in the AFC/NFC Championship. However, there’s a lot of teams like the Colts/Bears who’s records claim they are real but on-field play would seem to indicate otherwise. Either way, we’ll be halfway through the season once this week has come and go. On to the picks!

Sanders went 11-3 last week putting him to 73-31-1 on the season. He also picked Carolina to win on TNF so he is starting Week 8 0-1.

PIT Steelers vs BAL Ravens

Arguably the game of the week, this matchup not only features one of the best rivalries in football, but clashes two of the best teams in the AFC. Normally I go longer on a game of the week as I’m generally undecided on the game, but I’m gonna come out and say the Steelers pick up the win here. The Steelers are currently playing some of the best ball in the NFL and the core strength of their defense shuts down every opponents running game. This means that the Ravens need to win the game through their passing game. With so few weapons and a lack of explosiveness in the receiving game by Baltimore, and their offense not even remotely resembling their 2019 achievements, I think it’s safe to say the Steelers have the ability to close out the game better than Baltimore. The Ravens defense will keep them in this game for a while though.

Steelers 24 Ravens 20

LA Rams vs MIA Dolphins

The Dolphins are better than most NFL fans give them credit for. Sure, they’ve been beating up on some teams that aren’t starpowered, but hey, Ws are Ws and the Dolphins have been taking them recently. What’s odd, is this is going to be Tua’s first start of the season and it’s going to be against a Rams defense which has found itself to be the strength of a Sean McVay coached team. This seems to spell trouble for Tua, and I’m not sure the rookie will be prepared for the looks that the Rams throw at him. Jared Goff and Co. should be fine (not great) against Miami’s D this week

Rams 20 Dolphins 17

NY Jets vs KC Chiefs

Per my usual take on here. The Jets are still coached by Adam Gase. Thus I am never choosing them to win. Plus they are playing the Chiefs this week. Lev Bell revenge game anyone?

Jets 10 Chiefs 35

MIN Vikings vs GB Packers

Theoretically, this is a game that the Packers should win, but my gut is telling me the results won’t be so obvious like I’m thinking. Let’s get this straight. Mike Zimmer is a wonderful defensive mind, and it’s likely he’s going to give Rodgers problems. However, this Vikings team has been dreadful with Cousins playing poorly, the defense sorely missing yesteryears starpower, and their overall inability to create any game changing plays to provide some sort of momentum. The Packers are the complete opposite of the Vikings in every category and thus why one team is 1-5 and the other is 5-1. Everything points to the Packers winning this game with relative ease. Yet, weirder things have happened…

Vikings 21 Packers 27

IND Colts vs DET Lions

I am not the biggest fan of the Colts this year and this Lions team is growing on me. Yet, I am being cautious about the Lions, because they’re a team who massively disappoints the second you start to feel like you should be considering them as a decent team. Let’s see how they do against one of the best defenses in the League that the Colts so happen to have. Let’s keep in mind though, Rivers hasn’t gotten past his mind-numbing turnovers. If anything, the Lions can steal this game away by taking advantage of a QB who loves to make dangerous throws.

Colts 20 Lions 17

LV Raiders vs CLE Browns

What can I say, this matchup has fun written all over it. The Browns are a feisty team that has a decent coaching staff, overwhelming talent, and a poor history that makes you want them to just win for the sake of winning. The team they face, also maintains that narrative as well and that’s why I think this game should be fun. This one is certainly a litmus test in proving whether each team is a contender or pretender for the playoffs in the AFC. This game matters quite a bit, and both Derek Carr/Jon Gruden and Baker Mayfield/Kevin Stefanski will have to come in with some creative gameplans if they want to ruin the others chances this year. I anticipate there to be a lot of mistakes made in a game that has quite a few stakes in it, but the game goes to the team with the better defense.

Raiders 24 Browns 28

TEN Titans vs CIN Bengals

Titans lost a close one last week in a game that should have gone to OT had Gostkowski not missed his kick. The Bengals encountered similar heartbreak last week as they should have won their game as well, but Baker Mayfield had other plans. Both of these teams represent offenses that have the ability to the move the ball down the field and score some points, yet the difference between is that TEN has a defense capable of stopping the opponent in clutch moments, while the Bengals seem to falter when the lights get bright and a play needs to be made. Seems like an easy Titans pick to me.

Titans 27 Bengals 17

NE Patriots vs BUF Bills

It has come to my attention that we may need to consider that the Patriots are just a mediocre/bad team after having lost so much talent to the offseason and COVID departures. Their first 3 games are a mirage of what the could have been, and their most recent games represent what they likely are this year. The Bills on the other hand have been looking less so like the super team that they looked like in the first quarter of the season and have been barely scraping by against the Jets while getting pummeled by their AFC counterparts: KC and TEN. It’s another game for the Bills to try to steer the ship right. Play a weaker divisional opponent, work on your game, and prepare for better teams. All you really can do right now. Beware of Cam Newton and Bill Bellichick though.

Patriots 17 Bills 21

LA Chargers vs DEN Broncos

Both of these teams have a legitimate shot at winning this game, and yet I’m inclined to just pick the Chargers outright. Justin Herbert has been a rookie sensation lighting the league on fire with 300+ passing yards per game. I don’t know anyone who saw this coming and, if you ask me, he’s the candidate to pick for OROTY right now and that’s no slight against Burrow. His counterpart, Drew Lock, has been…..uninspiring, to say the least this season. Sure, he’s been hurt, but his games haven’t shown the promise that last year’s games did. I expect Herbert to outplay Lock, and for Lock to make the mistake that doom the Broncos here.

Chargers 30 Broncos 20

SF 49ers vs SEA Seahawks

Tough one. Very tough one to predict as Kyle Shanahan must be licking his chops to play this defense after watching the Cardinals buzzsaw through them for a full 69 minutes. I’m inclined to pick the 49ers here, and yet I can’t seem to convince myself that the 49ers will outscore the Seahawks in this matchup. Thus, if you ask me, the game really comes down to how much the Seahawks defense is a liability this time around.

49ers 27 Seahawks 31

NO Saints vs CHI Bears

Man. Watching the Bears lose on MNF was a thing of beauty. Not because I’m a Bears hater (I promise, I’m not), but because the Bears finally showed who they really are. They are a team with a stellar defense but employ an offense that just can’t move the ball well. This Bears defense needs to set up short fields if it wants to give this Bears offense a chance, and even then I don’t see them scoring all that often here. The Saints, on the other hand, will probably come in and treat this game with business as usual. The Saints certainly aren’t a powerhouse, but they’re a decent team with a better roster and better coaching staff.

Saints 23 Bears 20

DAL Cowboys vs PHE Eagles

This game wasn’t flexed of the SNF slot. May the football gods help us all. I keep telling myself I won’t watch this game, but you’ll find me right in front of the tv when it’s on. Ugh. There isn’t much to say about this game. Both teams suck as of right now. The Cowboys are done for this season with a team that looks like it has zero leadership and zero spirit without Dak Prescott. Meanwhile, the Eagles are an injured mess again. What’s new? Eagles win by default because Dallas is just that bad this year.

Cowboys 16 Eagles 23

TB Buccaneers vs NY Giants

Another primetime game in week 8? You guessed it! Another terrible matchup. Listen, I don’t necessarily believe in no-win scenarios, but I do believe in percentage winning. If you ask me, the Bucs have a 95% chance to win this game because they’ve got a tough defense, a stellar WR core, and a quarterback who’s having himself another MVP type of candidate. Do the Giants even remotely matchup well to any of the things I just listed? Quite sad how much of a joke NY football has become since that picture of the Giants WRs on a boat in Florida. The good ol’ days…

Bucs 35 Giants 17