This week marks the halfway point of the NFL season. My how time flies. Can the Rams stay unbeaten? See our prediction below. Below you’ll find our Week 8 NFL Predictions against the spread. We had a solid week last week but the Giants cost us the overall winning margin we needed. So let’s jump right into our predictions for our favorite games this Sunday.
Eagles – 4 over Jacksonville
The Jaguars have been outscored 90-28 over the past three weeks. We think that slide will continue today in London as they meet an Eagles team that will be furious after giving up a 17-0 lead. Three of the Jags top four cornerbacks are out because of injury (including A.J. Bouye). And they will have three undrafted rookies behind Jalen Ramsey. That is less than ideal against Carson Wentz, Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor and Zach Ertz, and it eliminates any advantage the Jags have from any other angle. We like the Eagles in a big win today. Like 34-10.
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Kansas City -10 over Denver
For most of the first game this year, Denver pressured Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes extremely well. In the fourth quarter, Mahomes finally got loose and the Chiefs erased the Broncos’ 10-point lead to get the win. But we think we’ll see more of the same this week. Denver knows they can get pressure on Mahomes. Von Miller and Bradley Chubb have combined for 8.5 sacks, as well as three forced fumbles, in the past three games. This line is way inflated for how close this rivalry has become. Take Denver and the 10.
Steelers – 8.5 over Cleveland
The Steelers know they outplayed the Browns in the Week 1 tie but let five turnovers flip the game. But that is horrible rationale when contemplating backing the Steelers. “If only they didn’t turn it over”. Yeah, right. They want to correct that error at Heinz Field, where they’ve won 14 straight over Cleveland. But the Steelers are sluggish coming off a bye, losing three of their past four after the extended break, but they also have a 20-4 record against rookie quarterbacks since 2004.
Rams -9 over Green Bay
Green Bay doesn’t have the perfect record, and in fact is only a tick above .500, but is getting plenty of support today as the line is moving toward them this morning. The Packers (3-2-1 SU, 2-4 ATS) are coming off their bye week, following a 33-30 shootout home victory over San Francisco as a 9-point home favorite in Week 6.
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Mike McCarthy is 9-3 coming off the bye week, including 9-2 with Aaron Rodgers as his starter. Even if Rodgers doesn’t shed the brace he’s worn since his Week 1 knee injury, he’ll be rested with a week off. This is the kind of shootout game that Rodgers might relish given the way he’s directed game-winning drives this season. He’s never been a bigger underdog in his career as a starter. So that would make this one of his bigger wins. But it won’t happen today. Despite the fact that the public is heavily believing in the Pack today, the Rams are still underestimated and a much better team. Gurley will shred and the Rams cover.
Saints – 2 at Minnesota
The Play. The Saints are looking to exact a little revenge, after the well-documented wild play that cost it a win in last season’s NFC divisional playoff round. The Saints (5-1 SU, 4-2 ATS) have won five in a row SU and four in a row ATS, edging Baltimore 24-23 as 2.5-point road underdogs last week when the Ravens missed an extra point off the upright.
It’s hard to pick against the Saints, because even if they start a little sluggish, they hit their stride at some point and typically finish strong. Their 88 points in the fourth quarter/overtime this year are the most through the first six games of a season since 2002. They just came back from a 17-7 deficit at Baltimore in the fourth quarter last Sunday. Still, the Saints’ five-game win streak has to end sometime, and we think that happens today in the dome. They will get their revenge on the Vikes in this year’s NFC Championship game.
Jack Kincaid is a senior Wannamakeabet.com analyst.