Our NFL picks are back for more action and our experts seem to agree on a lot of bets this weekend! Is there value to be founds, can favorites cover? We answer everything for you.
After seven weeks of football, we still have an undefeated team – the Arizona Cardinals. They kick off Week 8 by hosting another NFC contender, the Green Bay Packers. There are also plenty of in-division rivalry games, so knowing this, we have provided our NFL picks for the five best contests on Week 8’s schedule!
Our free NFL picks analyze every aspect and provide you with our best bets from Week 8’s top five games.
Thursday, October 28th
Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals – 8:20pm EDT
Two of the best teams in, not only the NFC, but the entire league face off as the Arizona Cardinals put their undefeated record on the line against the Green Bay Packers. This does set itself up to be one of the best games of the season, but Green Bay is battling with a COVID-19 outbreak in their wide receiver group, meaning they could be without some of their biggest weapons.
Tim Newton
I was likely going to pick the Cardinals to continue their winning streak this week, with the Packers playing good without being great at the moment, but if they are going to be without their main wide receivers, including Davante Adams, I don’t see how Green Bay competes. Aaron Rodgers is very reliant on Adams, with minimal consistent support from the running game, or the other receiving options. Without him, this Green Bay offense could seriously struggle to move the ball against an Arizona side that ranks fourth for total defense and first for scoring defense this season.
However, where Arizona is so good is the fact that, as good as their defense is, their offense is better. FanDuel currently has Kyler Murray as +450 second-favorite for this season’s MVP, and he has led the Cardinals to be 7th in total yards and 4th in points per game. Murray currently ranks 5th for passing yards, equal 4th for passing touchdowns and also has three rushing touchdowns through the first seven games of the season.
He is typically a dual-threat QB, but the introduction of James Connor has been massive for their offense, with Connor ranking second for rushing touchdowns with six, while Chase Edmonds ranks in the top 15 for total rushing yards as well. Adding to that, the Cardinals are on of just a few teams that have three different receivers with at least 400 receiving yards so far this season, showing their explosiveness and versatility.
Ultimately, the Cardinals have played better through the first seven weeks and now the Packers are dealing with COVID-19 issues to some of their main players. This does make it out like it could be a trap game, but Arizona are firing on all cylinders and I’m happy to take them laying the points, as the hook is under a touchdown.
Tim’s NFL Pick: Arizona Cardinals -6.5 (-110)
Mike Su
The Packers head into Arizona to face the last undefeated team in the NFL. The Cardinals have been chugging along all season and have now added former star tight end Zach Ertz to their stacked offensive unit. The combination of Ertz to the already stacked skill position group provides even more weapons for the MVP candidate Kyler Murray.
Last week the Cardinals offense overcame a slow start to obliterate the Texans. This game saw Ertz play his first game as a Cardinal, catching a touchdown. The Cardinals then utilized their 2 headed monsters at running back once they took control of the game. This running attack will be crucial for beating the Packers who have a statistically strong passing defense and statistically weak rushing defense.
However I think the Cardinals dominate both in the air and on the ground as the Packers possess no one on defense that can stop the deep wide receiving group the Cardinals possess. The Packers offense will be facing a formidable opponent as the Cardinals defense ranks 3rd best in the league in passing defense. This will be one of the better defenses the Packers will face all year. I think the Cardinals continue their run and beat the Packers at home by a touchdown.
Mike’s NFL Pick: Arizona Cardinals -6.5 (-110)
We have outscored opponents 225-114 this season.
The +111 scoring differential leads the NFL, and is the highest in franchise history through the first seven games of a season. pic.twitter.com/IltzdyIVye
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 26, 2021
Tony Battalio
This is a game that could very well be an early season preview of the NFC championship game later in the year. The Green Bay Packers have seemed to finally find their footing after a slow start to open up the 2021 NFL season. Meanwhile the Arizona Cardinals come into this as the only undefeated team left in the National Football League, with an impressive record of 7-0. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray looks like an early season Most Valuable Player award winner favorite.
This game is already difficult for the Green Bay Packers and now it is likely they will be without superstar wide receiver Davante Adams as he was placed on the Covid list on Monday. That doesn’t mean Green Bay still can’t get the job done as long as Aaron Rodgers and Aaron Jones are in the lineup. However, due to the fact that this is a home game for the Arizona Cardinals as well as Adams likely absence I’m going with Kyler Murray and the Cardinals to continue their undefeated season. I recommend going with the moneyline in this game, as I believe Green Bay is still good enough to cover the spread and will give Arizona all they can handle. This game will probably go down to the wire and come down to whoever has the ball last.
Tony’s NFL Pick: Arizona Cardinals (-290)
Sunday, October 31st
Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts – 1pm EDT
While both sides may not have started the 2021 season like they would have wanted to, this matchup between the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts is a battle between the AFC South’s best! Will the Colts’ gritty win over the 49ers kick-start their season or is Tennessee’s form, including a monster win over the Chiefs, good enough for them to continue rolling on?
Tim Newton
While Sunday Night’s win over the 49ers, in the disastrous weather in the Bay Area, was extremely impressive from Carson Wentz and the Colts, I’m still not confident in trusting them, especially against a very good Titans side. Wentz may have only just thrown his first interception of the season on Sunday, but the Colts have seven turnovers through seven games, indicating that they are still susceptible to coughing it up.
On the flip side, they have the equal-most takeaways this season, with 16. That means that Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry will have to be at their best in this one. You can trust that Henry will be, but Tannehill has just seven touchdowns compared to five turnovers this season, meaning the Titans are extremely reliant on Henry.
While that isn’t the worst thing in the world, considering Henry has nearly 300 yards more than the next best running back, who happens to be Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor. The difference is, Henry has 10 touchdowns through seven games, which is four more than the next best so far this season.
Looking at how the two sides will match up against each other, the Colts are renowned for having a tough, physical defense but Tennessee has actually been better at stopping the run so far this season. That means that the Titans, in theory, should be better at stopping Taylor than the Colts are at stopping Henry, meaning Tennessee has the advantage in this clash.
Tim’s NFL Pick: Tennessee Titans -1.5 (-110)
Mike Su
The Titans come fresh off of a beatdown of the Kansas City Chiefs and look to be a real Super Bowl contender. The Titans are dominating both in the air with Tannehill at helm as well as on the ground with King Henry. Henry is firmly building his case as an MVP candidate as he added a passing touchdown last week in the 27-3 demolition of the Chiefs. AJ Brown also had a great game with 133 yards and a touchdown with all the attention on Julio Jones. The duo of AJ Brown and Julio Jones will face a tough opponent in the Colts defense which held the pair to a combined 3 catches and 47 yards in their game earlier this season. The Colts on the other hand have been gaining steam with 2 wins in a row, beating the Texans and 49ers while scoring 30+ in both games. They will look to continue this streak behind the improving performances of Carson Wentz and the Colts’ rushing attack.
The Titans defense will be the difference maker. If the Titans defense can continue their dominance highlighted by a phenomenal performance holding the Chiefs to 3 points last week, the Titans will destroy the Colts. If the defense can’t slow down an improving Wentz and Johnathon Taylor, the Colts will make this a close game. However, I still think the Titans are too good and will destroy the Colts in what looks to be their final meeting of the year. The line seems like a steal here.
Mike’s NFL Pick: Tennessee Titans -1.5 (-110)
Tony Battalio
Coming off an absolute beat down of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tennessee Titans look to strengthen their lead in the AFC South division in this all important division matchup. As for the Indianapolis Colts they grinded out a tough win on Sunday night football against the San Francisco 49ers in a game that was wet and affected by rainy conditions. It was a much-needed win for the Indianapolis Colts as Carson Wentz looked to be returning to his old form that once made him one of the top quarterbacks in the National Football League just a few short years ago. As for Tennessee they continue to lean on superstar stud running back Derrick Henry. Last week Henry ran for a total of 96 yards on 29 carries and he even threw for a Touchdown. This game could be decided by either dominant defenses or electric offenses; you never know which ones will show up when these two teams get together. As for the game I see Tennessee continuing their dominance of the AFC as they charge towards a potential AFC championship game appearance this season.
Tony’s NFL Pick: Tennessee Titans -1.5 (-110)
Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills – 1pm ET
We move from the AFC South to the AFC East as the 4-2 Buffalo Bills come off a bye to host the 1-6 Miami Dolphins. Many expected these two sides to be on top of the division and while the Bills have held up their end of the bargain, the Dolphins have struggled through the first seven weeks.
Tim Newton
The media may be giving Tua Tagovailoa a hard time, and as the trade deadline looms there is always going to be chatter, but Miami needs to look elsewhere with the blame, considering their defense has given up the second most points through the first seven weeks. When looking at Tagovailoa, he has actually improved on his numbers from last season’s output, when the Dolphins won 10 games, but the defense has gone from one of the best to one of the worst, resulting in their dismal record.
Over the last two weeks, since returning from injury, Tagovailoa has averaged 310 passing yards while completing 75% of his passes, throwing six touchdowns compared to three picks. While it is impressive, is it enough to compete with FanDuel’s MVP favorite, Josh Allen? While Allen’s completion percentage, 64.8%, leaves a lot to be desired, he does average nearly 290 passing yards per game and has 15 touchdowns compared to three interceptions, through six games so far this year.
Allen also averages over 35 rushing yards per game, with Zack Moss and Devin Singletary averaging more than Allen on the ground, making it tough for opposing defenses to know who to cover. This has allowed Buffalo’s offense to rank sixth for yards per game and second for points per game, but that isn’t even the facet of their game so far. The Buffalo defense ranks first for total yards allowed per game and equal-first for points allowed, meaning they are scoring heaps but also restricting their opponents, similar to what Tampa Bay did in the back end of last year. The worry is, they are laying nearly a touchdown in this game, but given how poorly Miami has been playing, even with Tua’s improvement, the Bills should dominate this contest at home.
Tim’s NFL Pick: Buffalo Bills -13.5 (-114)
Watching this on replay. 😍@geico | #BillsMafia
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) October 25, 2021
Mike Su
The Dolphins are headed to Buffalo to try and end their 6-game losing streak. The problem is that they are facing an opponent which beat them 35-0 in their first meetup earlier this season. The bright side for the Dolphins is that they have kept their last 2 games close against the Jaguars and Falcons, losing by 3 or less. Other than that, the Dolphins look all round bad. The Dolphins have the 3rd worst passing defense in the league and the 2nd worst scoring defense in the league, allowing an average of nearly 30 points a game. No team can consistently win anything if their defense allows 30 points.
The Dolphins will be facing a Bills squad that has destroyed bad teams. The Bills have had multiple games where they have beaten bad teams by 2 or more touchdowns and this looks to be no different against the Dolphins. Josh Allen and the Bills offense, which averages 33.8 points per game, good for 2nd best in the league, will have a field day against the Dolphins.
Mike’s NFL Pick: Buffalo Bills -13.5 (-114)
Tony Battalio
This is a game that will almost certainly see the Buffalo Bills continue their dominance of the AFC East, and the NFL as a whole. Despite their loss to Tennessee a couple weeks ago on Monday Night Football, they are still one of the odds on favorites to win the AFC Championship and play for a Super Bowl this season.
Led by the dangerous dual threat quarterback, Josh Allen could potentially see himself taking home an MVP this season. The Bills are riding higher than they have in many years and Buffalo it’s starting to feel like the 90s all over again. Also helping lead the Bills is one of the best wide receivers in the national football league this season Stefon Diggs, he is a matchup nightmare for any team Buffalo comes up against.
With questions surrounding Tua Tagovailoa’s future at quarterback for the Dolphins, Miami’s chances in this game seem even slimmer than before. Adding to that is the fact that this is a home game for the Buffalo Bills and Ralph Wilson stadium is one of the hardest places to play in the entire league, especially when it’s packed full of rowdy loyal Buffalo Bills fans. So this may be the easiest decision of the week but I believe the Buffalo Bills will cover the spread and walk away with a dominating victory in what may be Tua’s last game under center for Miami.
Tony’s NFL Pick:Buffalo Bills -13.5 (-114)
New England Patriots @ Los Angeles Chargers – 4:05pm ET
Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers will be hoping that a week off will have done them wonders, considering they were blown out by Baltimore prior to their bye. They now get back into it by hosting the New England Patriots, who are second in the AFC East and are chasing a Wild Card playoff berth.
Tim Newton
Could the New England Patriots pull off the upset? They are coming off a massive 54-13 win last week, albeit over the Jets, and when these sides met last season, New England were able to win 45-0 in what was Justin Herbert’s worst career performance. He completed less than 50% of his passes, didn’t register a touchdown while throwing two picks.
However, Hebert is a much better quarterback now, and has another year of growth under his belt, after still winning Offensive Rookie of the Year last season. He has now progressed to averaging the sixth most passing yards per game, while throwing 14 touchdowns compared to just four interceptions. He has taken over this Chargers offense and has turned the team into a legitimate contender.
While Bill Belichick had his way with Herbert last year, as he does with every rookie quarterback, things are completely different this time around and he is now the one with the first-year QB on his side. Given that the Chargers’ defense has been revitalized under new head coach and former LA Rams defensive coordinator, Brandon Staley, this one could actually be a blowout in the other direction. I am aware that this would be the fourth favorite I’m picking to win and cover from four games so far, but Herbert will want to prove a point after their last outing and the defense is playing at a level that matches his incredible output.
Tim’s NFL Pick: Los Angeles Chargers -5 (-110)
Mike Su
The Patriots fly across the country to play the Chargers, after destroying the Jets last week. The Patriots dropped a 50-bomb on the Jets, winning 54-13 in a bloodbath. Mac Jones had one of his best games as a pro, throwing for 307 yards and 2 touchdowns with no interceptions. Patriots running back Damien Harris also played extremely well with 100 yards on the ground and 2 touchdowns. The Patriots defense complimented their red hot offense, causing 2 interceptions and a fumble while allowing just 13 points.
The Patriots will be heading West to play a Chargers team that is coming off a bye week and thus has extended rest. This is usually a good sign as the well-rested Chargers face a team that has to travel across the country. The Chargers definitely needed that rest as they got destroyed in their last game by the Ravens and their run heavy offense. The Ravens ran for 187 yards and won 34-6 despite Lamar Jackson throwing for just 167 yards and 2 interceptions. The Patriots will likely adopt the same strategy and keep this game close and low scoring. Therefore I am jumping on the unders for this game.
Mike’s NFL Pick: Under 48.5 (-104)
Tony Battalio
This game will likely be a dogfight between two young quarterbacks in Mac Jones and Justin Herbert. This game will also be a battle between two offenses that can put up points at will and with the total set at just 48.5 points, this could be a good time to jump on the over as I expect way more than 49 points to be scored in this one. Without the explosion of Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, Mac Jones would likely be a favorite for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. After a rough start he seems to finally have the Patriots playing in the right direction.
As for Justin Herbert’s Los Angeles Chargers, they look like a potential AFC championship team and potential Super Bowl contender this season which is something no one could’ve predicted at the start of the 2021 National Football League season. This game being played in sunny California exemplifies the fact that you should take the over even more as the weather should not play a factor in the on field performances of both of these teams. On paper this is a game Los Angeles should win easily but New England has shown us that they will not go down without a fight this season. Due to that, and the Patriots being unpredictable week to week, I suggest going with the over in this game is a safer bet.
Tony’s NFL Pick: Over 48.5 (-118)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints – 4:25pm ET
We round out our NFL Picks for Week 8 action with an NFC South showdown inside the Superdome, as the New Orleans Saints host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While the defending champion Buccaneers have looked good, sitting at 6-1 on the season, the surprising element is that New Orleans is 4-2 this year, sitting second in the division.
Tim Newton
While the Saints have been good to be sitting at 4-2, I think it is all smoke and mirrors, and they are going to get found out by one of the best in the business. New Orleans’ record certainly flatters them considering they could barely beat a depleted Seattle side on Monday night, with another important element of that being they are on a short week.
Add in the fact that the Buccaneers’ offense is firing on all cylinders and this one could get messy. The New Orleans defense is certainly better than the New Orleans offense, and we saw the Saints get the better of Tampa in both of their regular season games last season, but things are very different now. Following their 38-3 drubbing of the Bears, who went into the game at 0.500, the Bucs now have five wins of 20+ points under Tom Brady, which is just 23 regular season games. That is extremely impressive and shows how good this offense can be, especially when they were able to do it without Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski on the weekend.
Tampa are currently laying 5.5 points, and I think that number is smaller than it typically would be based on the fact that it is a divisional rivalry game inside the Superdome, but I don’t see how the Saints keep this one close. Jameis Winston averages less than 190 passing yards per game while Brady leads the league with 325 per game and the Bucs’ defense is better at stopping the run than the pass, meaning Alvin Kamara will have his work cut out for him. I really think Tampa should be winning this comfortably.
Tim’s NFL Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -5.5 (-110)
In a league of his own. 🐐#GoBucs | @TomBrady pic.twitter.com/7D9YfFr7eX
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) October 24, 2021
Mike Su
The Buccaneers head to New Orleans to face their former quarterback, Jameis Winston. The Saints sit on a respectable 4-2 but it certainly feels like their record is a lot better than the actual team. The Saints have had a relatively easy schedule and beaten a Russell Wilson-less Seahawks, the directionless Washington Football Team, a rebuilding Patriots team and a good Week One win over the Packers. Jameis will be out for revenge and has a lot to prove. He had a respectable statline last week in the Saints’ win against the Seahawks with 222 yards in the air and 1 touchdown.
The Buccaneers on the other hand have fewer questions and are on a roll at the moment. The Buccaneers utterly obliterated the Bears and their vaulted defense last week. Brady played exceptionally with 211 yards and 4 touchdowns. Brady currently leads the league in passing yards and passing touchdowns – he certainly looks like an MVP candidate at age 44. Although the Saints have given Brady problems in the past and this will likely remain the case, as the Saints look like they have one of the best defenses in the league. However, I trust Brady to get the job done and win this in a tight one.
Mike’s NFL Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -5.5 (-110)
Tony Battalio
Jameis Winston and the New Orleans Saints had absolutely no business escaping with a win on Monday Night Football against the Seahawks on the road, yet somehow they pulled off a thrilling 13-10 victory. The Saints are currently 4-2 on the season but this week they will face their toughest test to date as they welcome Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Superdome.
As for Tampa Bay, the ever ageless Tom Brady just keeps rolling on this season as he recently became the first quarterback to ever throw 600 touchdown passes in a career. Outside of a loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the Buccaneers have looked nearly unstoppable this year. New Orleans will also have to find a way to win this game without their top pass catching target, who has yet to see a snap this season, in the former Ohio State Buckeye and All-Pro wide receiver Mike Thomas.
However even with a fully healthy team it is never easy against Tom Brady. The man is 44-years-old and he leads the NFL in passing touchdowns and passing yards this season and seems poised to add another MVP trophy to his massive trophy case. This continues to prove to the NFL that he did not need Bill Belichick and in some fact, Belichick is the one who needed Brady. I firmly believe Tampa Bay wins in this one and pretty easily covers the spread.
Tony’s NFL Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -5.5 (-110)
If you need more news, information and NFL predictions, head over to our NFL hub page for all your football needs.
*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
