NFL Picks Week 8 – Game Previews and Predictions

Updated: March 15, 2023

Get game by game previews and expert NFL picks for week 8.

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Cincinnati at Washington (in London)

If there’s such a thing as “a good team with a losing record,” it might be the Cincinnati Bengals. All four of the Bengals losses have come against teams with a winning record. Even with a 3-4 record, Andy Dalton is currently fourth in the NFL in passing yards (2,065) and wide receiver A.J. Green is on pace for a career season with 775 yards in seven games. After taking care of business, they’ll look to hand the Redskins their second straight loss.

Pick: Cincinnati

Green Bay at Atlanta

Atlanta got caught reading their own press clippings last week. People were very high on the Falcons, even after they lost against the Seattle Seahawks, proclaiming them to be a top four team in the NFC even after a loss. But then they gave up 371 yards passing to Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers, blowing a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter. It won’t get much easier for the Falcons with Aaron Rodgers coming into town.

Pick: Green Bay

Detroit at Houston

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford might be one of the hottest players in the NFL right now. After leading Detroit to its fourth game-winning drive in the fourth quarter this season, the Lions are now 4-3 and right back in the NFC Wild Card race. Meanwhile, Stafford posted his third straight game with over a 100 passer rating (103.5) and second straight game with a QBR over 85. Even with one of the worst passing defenses in the NFL, they’ll be fine when facing Brock Osweiler, who’s played miserably for Houston this season.

Pick: Detroit

Seattle at New Orleans

At this point in his career, I think Saints quarterback Drew Brees would for support from even a mediocre defense. New Orleans’ defense continues to be absolutely miserable, giving up an average of over 32 points per game. Brees leads the NFL in touchdown passes and passing yards per game, but even he can’t keep pace with the amount of yards and points his defense is giving up. Of course, all of this is assuming Seattle can score more than six points in five quarters of football (like they did last Sunday evening)

Pick: Seattle

New England at Buffalo

It’s pretty simple. Don’t you think Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots remember the Buffalo Bills coming to Foxborough and shutting out the Patriots at home for the first time in over two decades? Wouldn’t you think that, now that Tom Brady is back (and playing at an All-Pro level), New England will be out for some measure of revenge in this game? I would count on both.

Pick: New England

NY Jets at Cleveland

One of the few times in life where it’s ok to trust quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is when he’s playing against the Cleveland Browns and their 29th-ranked passing defense. The Browns have given up 18 touchdowns through the air this season, which is the most in the NFL. As bad as the Jets offense has been in recent weeks, they should feel a bit better about things after this week.

Pick: NY Jets

Oakland at Tampa Bay

Very, very quietly, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have pulled off two straight road wins, and now find themselves only a half game back of the division-leading Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South. Unfortunately, they now return home — where they’re winless this season — to take on the Oakland Raiders, who just beat another team in Florida (the Jacksonville Jaguars) last week.

Pick: Oakland

Kansas City at Indianapolis

It’s amazing that almost nobody realizes that the Kansas City Chiefs have won 15 of their last 18 games dating back to last year, and are — once again — right in the thick of the race for the AFC West title. This year, they’re doing it without two of their star players: running back Jamaal Charles and outside linebacker Justin Houston. They might not have the big name players or the spectacular highlight plays, but they just find different ways to win games.

Pick: Kansas City

San Diego at Denver

Seventeen days after being upset in San Diego and suffering their first loss of the season, the Denver Broncos can get some measure of revenge against the San Diego Chargers. Broncos running backs Devontae Booker and C.J. Anderson both ran for more than 80 yards on Monday night, but could have a tough time repeating that performance against the Chargers ninth-ranked run defense.

Pick: Denver

Arizona at Carolina

The top two teams in the NFC last year find themselves in no such position so far in 2016. Arizona is coming off a brutal 6-6 tie against the Seattle Seahawks last week, while the Panthers are riding a four game losing streak. But, the Cardinals have to travel to Carolina for this game; the last time they were in this stadium — the NFC Championship game from last year — the Panthers obliterated them by a 49-15 score. If Carolina loses this game, it could be lights out for 2016 for the defending NFC champions.

Pick: Carolina

Philadelphia at Dallas

The winner of this game puts themselves in the early driver’s seat for the NFC East title. The Cowboys enjoyed an extra week of preparing for this game, coming off their bye week, and have the slight advantage in hosting this game. But Philadelphia snapped their two-game losing streak with an extremely impressive win over the previously undefeated Minnesota Vikings. If the Eagles defensive line can limit the damage that NFL-leading running back Ezekiel Elliott inflicts, they could pull off another upset. But that’s going to be very difficult for the Eagles, who will be without defensive tackle Bennie Logan, a key member of their defensive line up front.

Pick: Dallas

Minnesota at Chicago

Every single individual employed by the Chicago Bears should be thanking their lucky stars that the Chicago Cubs are in the World Series, because that’s distracted the sports fans of the Windy City away from how miserably bad — and snakebitten — this Bears team really is. Even with the return of Jay Cutler this week, there’s almost no question that, at least as of today, the Bears are well on their way to a top five pick in next year’s NFL Draft.

Pick: Minnesota

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That’s our NFL picks week 8 wrapped up please come back next week for week 9 game previews and tips.