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NFL Picks and Predictions Week 8

By Robert Hayek

Posted on October 25, 2024

NFL PICKS AND PREDICTIONS WEEK 8

I failed the moneyline horrifically this past week. I ignored the “Saquon Revenge Game” narrative, and it did not work out for me as the Philadelphia Eagles destroyed the New York Giants. Also, I thought the Atlanta Falcons could handle their business at home against the Seattle Seahawks. Silly me. Also, I will never pick the San Francisco 49ers to beat the Kansas City Chiefs ever again until Andy Reid retires. Also, don’t trust the New York Jets.

Check out my record below:

Moneyline: 3-4 (32-16 overall)
ATS: 2-5 (20-28 overall)
O/U: 4-3 (20-28 overall)

I always pick from team rankings to show how well teams perform on offense and defense. With that said, let’s stop yapping and go into this week’s picks. These are the seven most intriguing games (at least to me). I am also doing the picks in a slightly different format this week. Check it out.

See all our NFL Picks Here

EAGLES (+2.5) VS. BENGALS (47.5)

The Eagles are 20th in points per game.
The Bengals are 25th in points allowed per game.
The Bengals are eighth in points per game.
The Eagles are seventh in points allowed per game.
The Bengals lead the head-to-head series 9-3-2.
The teams played to a 23-23 tie in their last match on September 27, 2020, at Lincoln Financial Field.
Joe Burrow had 312 yards passing and two touchdowns in his one game against the Eagles.
Tee Higgins had five receptions for 40 yards and two touchdowns in his last appearance against the Eagles.
The Eagles are 3-3 against the spread.
The Bengals are 4-3 against the spread.

There was a time when few believed this could be a potential Super Bowl matchup. However, both teams have had their hiccups recently, and neither looks that impressive. However, the Eagles destroyed the Giants at the Meadowlands last weekend as Barkley went off against his former team. Meanwhile, the Bengals edged out the Cleveland Browns behind an offense that still looked a little sluggish. Joe Burrow is not producing at the level he is capable of, and the offensive line is not giving him or the running backs much room to maneuver. The Eagles and Bengals don’t face off that often. But this will be an intriguing matchup because both are allegedly contenders who are looking to make their mark and make a run.

The Eagles thrived last weekend, and it was their best game of the season. However, the Bengals have much more to lose. Plus, they have Joe Burrow, who is ready to rock and make some good passes to set up some touchdowns. The Eagles have been mainly inconsistent this season. I could see this going down to the wire, with the Bengals barely emerging out of it as the victors.

Prediction: Bengals 24, Eagles 23

Picks: Eagles +2.5, U47.5

FALCONS (+2.5) VS. BUCCANEERS (45.5)

The Falcons are 13th in points per game.
The Buccaneers are 11th in points allowed per game.
The Buccaneers are seventh in points per game.
The Falcons are 27th in points allowed per game.
The head-to-head series is tied at 31 wins a piece.
The Falcons are attempting to sweep the Buccaneers for the first time since 2018.
The Buccaneers are 6-4 over the past 10 games against the Falcons.
The Buccaneers are 3-2 at Raymond James Stadium over the past five games against the Falcons.
The Falcons are 3-4 against the spread.
The Buccaneers are 4-3 against the spread.

This was going to be an amazing matchup until the Bucs lost their two best receivers. Unfortunately, Mike Evans reaggravated his hamstring injury, and Chris Godwin dislocated his ankle. Evans is unavailable for four weeks, and Godwin is done for the season. That means quarterback Baker Mayfield must lead the Buccaneers into this showdown without his two best weapons. The Bucs will rely heavily on Bucky Irving and Rachaad White to run the ball while hoping Sterling Shepard can fill in for the two stars. Meanwhile, the Falcons are coming off an ugly 20-point home loss to the Seattle Seahawks and will look to rebound against a team they beat in overtime a few weeks ago.

My original pick before the injuries was going to be Tampa Bay. However, it is difficult to ignore how important Evans and Godwin are to the Buccaneers. They rely heavily on these two, and it will take a toll on them as their offense struggles to adapt. The Falcons are not a good team, either. But they have more health right now, allowing them to edge out the Buccaneers.

Prediction: Falcons 24, Buccaneers 20

Picks: Falcons -2.5, U 45.5

RAVENS (-9.5) VS. BROWNS (43.5)

The Ravens are ninth in points per game.
The Browns are 22nd in points allowed per game.
The Browns are last in points per game.
The Ravens are 17th in points allowed per game.
The Ravens lead the head-to-head series 36-14-4.
The teams split the season series in 2023, with the away team winning each game.
The Ravens are 6-4 over the past 10 games against the Browns.
The Ravens are 3-2 over the past five games against the Browns in Cleveland.
The Ravens are 4-2-1 against the spread.
The Browns are 2-5 against the spread.

The Ravens have looked amazing after starting 0-2, winning five in a row. Lamar Jackson has played well, passing for 1810 yards, 15 touchdowns, and two interceptions while rushing 73 times for 455 yards and two scores. The addition of Derrick Henry has paid dividends, as he has rushed 134 times for 873 yards and eight touchdowns, showing he still has it. Also, Zay Flowers is on pace for another 1,000-yard season but must score more touchdowns. So far, the defense looks like the weak spot of this team. But this week, they will face the Cleveland Browns, who will be starting Jameis Winston, who officially takes over after the loss of Deshaun Watson to a torn Achillies. The Browns are 1-6 and headed for a Top-5 draft pick, where they will reevaluate their future.

The Ravens are simply too good right now and have dominated the Browns in recent years in Cleveland. Overall, Jackson and Henry will run all over the Browns and hand them their sixth loss in a row.

Prediction: Ravens 31, Browns 10

Picks: Ravens -9.5, U 43.5

COLTS (+5.5) VS. TEXANS (46.5)

The Colts are 15th in points per game.
The Texans are 21st in points allowed per game.
The Texans are 12th in points per game.
The Colts are 15th in points allowed per game.
The Colts lead the all-time head-to-head series, 33-12-1.
The Texans are attempting to sweep the Colts for the first time since 2015.
The Colts are 5-4-1 over the past 10 games against the Texans.
The Colts are 3-1-1 over the past five games in Houston.
The Colts are 6-1 against the spread.
The Texans are 3-3-1 against the spread.

The Colts come into this game with a chance to claim the division. Quietly, they have won two in a row and gone 4-1 over their last five games after starting 0-2. The fact that they have done this without DeForest Buckner on defense is all the more impressive. Anthony Richardson is still not playing well, or even developing well, in his second season. Ultimately, he must find a way to put it together against a team that he threw 212 yards against with two touchdowns and one interception in Week 1. The Texans have massive issues on the offensive line. Unfortunately, they allowed C.J. Stroud to be sacked four times against the Green Bay Packers. Stroud doesn’t have the time to make the deep passes he made last season, and he is handcuffed without Nico Collins.

This game always goes down to the wire. For whatever reason, the Colts always play the Texans well in Houston. But I don’t trust Richardson to do well, and he still does not have Jonathan Taylor by his side. I am rolling with the Texans to win.

Prediction: Texans 20, Colts 17

Picks: Colts +5.5, U 46.5

BILLS (-3) VS. SEAHAWKS (47.5)

The Bills are second in points per game.
The Seahawks are 24th in points allowed per game.
The Seahawks are sixth in points per game.
The Bills are 10th in points allowed per game.
The Seahawks lead the head-to-head series 8-6.
The Bills defeated the Seahawks 44-34 in their last battle, an epic shootout on November 8, 2020.
Josh Allen had 415 yards passing with three touchdown passes and also ran 14 yards for a touchdown run in this game.
The Bills are 3-2 over the past five games against the Seahawks.
The Bills are 4-3 against the spread.
The Seahawks are 2-4-1 against the spread.

The Bills are 5-2 and, once again, one of the best teams in the NFL. They continued showing how good they are after routing the Tennessee Titans last week. Josh Allen has continued to play and had a great first day with new teammate Amari Cooper, who caught four passes for 66 yards and a touchdown in his Buffalo debut. The Bills will face the Seahawks, who are 4-3 but have gone 2-2 at home this season. To upset the Bills, the Hawks need to run the ball and keep Allen off the field. They can accomplish that by using Kenneth Walker III.

This was one of the toughest games to pick. While the Bills are 3-0 at home, they are just 2-2 on the road, with both wins coming against divisional rivals. I can also see this game being close, with Allen leading the game-winning drive. Bills win this one on the road.

Prediction: Bills 28, Seahawks 24

Picks: Bills -3, O 47.5

BEARS (-1.5) VS. COMMANDERS (43.5)

The Bears are 16th in points per game.
The Commanders are 18th in points allowed per game.
The Commanders are the best in points per game.
The Bears are third in points allowed per game.
The Commanders lead the all-time head-to-head series 27-25-1.
The Bears destroyed the Commanders 40-20 in their last meeting last season on Thursday Night Football at FedEx Field.
The Commanders are 8-2 over the past 10 games against the Bears.
The Commanders are 3-2 over the past five games against the Bears at Fed Ex Field, with Chicago winning the last two.
The Bears are 4-1-1 against the spread.
The Commanders are 5-1-1 against the spread.

This game was a lot more intriguing before Jayden Daniels went down with a rib injury, which will likely keep him out for a few weeks. The Commanders are having a great season, sitting at 5-2. Marus Mariota likely takes over and will have a tall task ahead of him as he attempts to solve an elite Chicago defense. The Bears have had two weeks to prepare for this and come in with a lot more confidence on the heels of a three-game winning streak. Caleb Williams has 1,317 yards, nine touchdowns, and five interceptions. Additionally, D’Andre Swift has had three consecutive weeks of 73 yards or more with a touchdown in each.

I was going to likely pick the Commanders before Daniels went down with his injury. However, it is incredibly difficult to trust Mariota against this ferocious defense. I can see the Bears slowing down the Commanders’ defense while managing to score enough to win. Take the Bears this week.

Prediction: Bears 22, Commanders 17

Picks: Bears -1.5, U 43.5

COWBOYS (+4.5) VS. 49ERS (45.5)

The Cowboys are 23rd in points per game.
The 49ers are 20th in points allowed per game.
The 49ers are fifth in points per game.
The Cowboys are 26th in points allowed per game.
The 49ers lead the all-time head-to-head series 20-19-1.
The 49ers destroyed the Cowboys 42-10 in their last matchup last season on Sunday Night Football at Levi Stadium.
The Cowboys are 6-4 over the past 10 games against the 49ers (including 0-2 in playoffs).
The Cowboys are 3-2 over their past five games at Levi Stadium.
The Cowboys are 2-4 against the spread.
The 49ers are 3-4 against the spread.

The Cowboys have had two weeks to prepare for this after the Detroit Lions thrashed them 47-9. Unfortunately, they have not been able to run the ball well at all, and teams have keyed in on this. It also does not help that they are losing top weapons like Micah Parsons on the defensive side of the football. Meanwhile, the 49ers are hurting badly, coming in at 3-4 while also not having the services of Brandon Aiyuk, who is out for the year with a torn ACL, and Christian McCaffrey, who is still recovering from Achillies tendinitis that has caused him to miss the entire season so far. Losing to the Kansas City Chiefs again hurt their value and put them at 3-4.

The 49ers have blown the Cowboys out in recent matchups. However, they have had two weeks to prepare for this game, and the Niners are still not right. Parsons is a game-time decision, and the San Francisco offensive line must prepare for him after struggling against multiple blitz packages against the Chiefs. I don’t think the 49ers blow the Cowboys out this time. Yet, I do believe they will still emerge victorious on Sunday Night Football.

Prediction: 49ers 24, Cowboys 17

Picks: 49ers -4.5, Under 45.5