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Bills Mafia can sit back and relax all day, mostly content knowing the Buffalo Bills knocked off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 8 for Thursday Night Football. While we don’t have a Bills game to enjoy today, there are plenty of intriguing matchups to consume.
If you’re interested in placing a wager on any of today’s action, be sure to head over to DraftKings Sportsbook where the betting’s always king!
There are no NFL teams on bye in Week 8.
Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. EDT (FOX)
The Houston Texans take on the Carolina Panthers in the battle of the top two quarterbacks from the 2023 NFL Draft. I’m sure there’s pride on the line, however, Bryce Young hasn’t quite shown flashes yet to prove he’s the better quarterback. The Texans opened as -3.5-point favorites. They should win this game outright with ease as they get electric rookie wide receiver Tank Dell back from injury.
Panthers go to 0-7 on the season.
Los Angeles Rams at Dallas Cowboys, 1 p.m. EDT (FOX)
The Dallas Cowboys opened as a -7.0 favorite. This season has been served as a crash back to reality for certain teams, so it’s one of those games where this could be a trap game for the Cowboys. Dallas hasn’t lost at home in the last ten meetings. Wide receiver Puka Nakua will continue his tear on the league and should be a big test for Cowboys cornerback Daron Bland.
In the end, the Cowboys win but take the Rams to cover.
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m. EDT (FOX)
A classic NFC North battle on the frozen tundra of Green Bay. The question surrounding this divisional rivalry for Vikings fans is: “What’s the plan moving forward at quarterback with the trade deadline looming?” Could this be Kirk Cousins’ last game with Minnesota? Packers quarterback Jordan Love and the offense has struggled against the blitz. The good news for Packers fans is that the Vikings’ defense is one of the worst in the league against the pass, giving up 245 yards per game.
For my money, take the home dogs here! Packers win.
New Orleans Saints at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. EDT (FOX)
The Saints come into this contest as -2 point favorites on the road. Both teams are 3-4, but I think the Saints’ defense might be the difference here. It’s worth noting that Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. echoed his displeasure with his role in the offense due to the emergence of rookie wide receiver Josh Downs — who’s producing with Gardner Minshew at quarterback.
The NFL is about matchups and I feel the Saints settle this game late in the fourth quarter.
New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m. EDT (CBS)
Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey returns in this contest and he’s probably looking to call Mac Jones “trash.” To be fair, Jones did have a fantastic game against the Bills last weekend, getting the victory — but the fairy tale will come to an end. The Dolphins look to get back in the win column after losing to the Eagles on Sunday Night Football. Waddle could have a big game here as the Patriots are one of the worst teams covering WR2s.
Dolphins win by two tuds for a King’s Ransom.
New York Jets at New York Giants, 1 p.m. EDT (CBS)
Public Service Announcement: This is the battle of New Jersey, not New York. In all seriousness, the Giants have lost three straight games to the Jets. I believe that whichever team gets to 20 first wins the game as both offenses struggle to find the end zone. The only hope for the Giants is running back Saquon Barkley and the occasional deep ball by quarterback Tyrod Taylor. In the end, it won’t be enough for the G-Men and the final score will be 23-16 Jets.
I officially crown the Jets as Kings of the Meadowlands for another year.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m. EDT (CBS)
In my opinion, this is the best game of the weekend and both of these squads have decent defenses. Jacksonville leads the NFL in takeaways with 16 on the season, while the Steelers have a pass rush with T.J. Watt leading the charge. The Jaguars open this game as a -2 point favorite. I think the Steelers’ lack of a run game will hurt them in this game.
The Jags cruise to an easy victory.
Atlanta Falcons at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. EDT (CBS)
Adam Schefter reported early Saturday that Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry won’t be dealt at the trade deadline, but they still have major questions at the QB position. Henry has more rushing touchdowns (3) than Ryan Tannehill has passing (2). Meanwhile, the Falcons come into this game with a winning record, surprisingly sitting at (4-3) but with many head-scratching decisions managing personnel. Do you want to talk about winning ugly? Mike Vrabel and the boys are the poster children for this type of football.
The Titans win in a close game.
Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders, 1 p.m. EDT (FOX)
This could be the upset of the week! My eyes will be glued to NFL RedZone for this game and what I want to see is how quarterback Jalen Hurts looks as he plays through an injury. So far this season Hurts hasn’t looked like the same quarterback who led his team to the Super Bowl. In fact, he’s been playing about as “mid” as quarterback Sam Howell with a much better supporting cast to back him up. The Eagles, are -7 point favorites, so I’d take the Commanders with the points.
The Eagles win, but it’s going to be closer than most think.
Cleveland Browns at Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. EDT (FOX)
The Seahawks are favorites at -3.5 and on paper they have the better QB with Geno Smith who’s having a good season. On the other side, the Browns have the NFL’s top overall defense and are first against the pass. Quarterback P.J. Walker gets his second start, but I have a good feeling that the run game led by Kenneth Walker and the 12th Man get the victory.
Baltimore Ravens at Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. EDT (CBS)
The Ravens surprised the football world with a convincing victory over the Lions last week and now they are tasked with facing a team that has played with a massive chip on its shoulder in the Cards. Vegas says the Ravens are -9.5 point favorites and when you look at the matchups, it seems to be accurate. Quarterback Lamar Jackson looked like the QB who won an MVP a couple of seasons ago, but the NFL is tricky.
A spread that large has me nervous, so pick the Cards to keep it close at home but the Ravens win outright.
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos, 4:25 p.m. EDT (CBS)
The word on the street is that Taylor Swift won’t be traveling to snowy Denver this weekend but she could be enjoying some “Snow On The Beach” with Lana Del Rey. The Chiefs continue to be the class of the league when it comes to playing well-balanced football. Kansas City has one of the best defenses in the league this season, which flies under the radar for most. Denver is looking to sell pieces, so get ready for a heavy dose of wide receiver Jerry Jeudy sprinkled in with a dash of running back Javonte Williams.
Patrick Mahomes and Co. are going to smoke in the Mile High City with a big win.
Cincinnati Bengals at San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m. EDT (CBS)
Quarterback Brock Purdy will suit up for the 49ers this week but will still be without X-factor wide receiver Deebo Samuel. If I told you before the season that by Week 8 Joe Burrow would only have seven touchdowns you’d probably call CAP but that’s the truth heading into this game. The Bengals average only 69.8 yards on the ground, which is one of the worst in the league, behind a struggling offensive line.
The Niners’ front seven is too much for the Bengals to overcome and Cincy goes to (3-4) on the season.
Chicago Bears at Los Angeles Chargers, 8:20 p.m. EDT (NBC)*
The story of quarterback Tyson Bagent is pretty cool, and he got his first win last week. Could he get another one against the Chargers? If there’s a team that almost always fails to meet expectations, look no further than the kings of the saying “Hold my Beer.” The Bolts are an -8.5 point favorite and should win this game, but I do think that the Bears cover the spread here. Bagent will sniff 260 yards passing in this one but throws an INT late in the fourth quarter.
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