NFL Week 8 Predictions: Against the Spread & Straight Up Picks

Week 7 of the 2023 NFL season will not go down as a vintage one for the tipsters here at Betfred Insights. Only Alan (7-6) batted over .500 straight up and Neil (7-6) did the same Against the Spread. Can’t win ’em all but as always, we’ll endevour to do better this time around.

No teams have a bye this weekend, so we roll with a full slate of 16 games. As always we pick every game straight up and Against the Spread, along with a comment from one of us on each game.

Our season-long records are at the bottom of the article, so please read on for all of our NFL Week 8 Picks & Predictions…

*Odds correct as of 09:00 on Wednesday, 25 October, 2023…

NFL Week 8 Picks & Predictions:

Friday – 1:15AM:

Game 1: Buccaneers (+9.5) @ Bills

Picks ATS:

Adam: Buccaneers
Alan: Bills
Jonny: Bills
Neil: Bills

Money Line: Bills 1/4 & Buccaneers 16/5

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Bills
Alan: Bills
Jonny: Bills
Neil: Bills

Comments: The Bills are out to 12/1 for Super Bowl glory which won’t deter their most faithful devotees; but a 4-3 season record right now isn’t quite where they’d like to be ideally.

Tampa are 3-3 but their price for the big one, 100/1, could be twice that for me. Hard not to predict a Bills win, much-needed after successive disasters against the Jags and the Giants. Will the real Buffalo please stand up? – Alan

Sunday – 17:00:

Game 2: Texans (-2.5) @ Panthers

Picks ATS:

Adam: Texans
Alan: Texans
Jonny: Texans
Neil: Panthers

Money Line: Panthers 13/10 & Texans 8/13

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Texans
Alan: Texans
Jonny: Texans
Neil: Panthers

Comments: The Panthers bring a six-game losing streak into this matchup, so it’s unsurprising to see the Texans as favourites here.

Both teams come into this game off a bye week, but while it was welcomed for Carolina, Houston were quietly building some momentum by winning three of their past four games.

The two-week breather could allow a chance for some busted bodies to return, as well the chance to work on offensive plays for the Panthers, so perhaps they can upset the apple cart here by picking up their first victory of the season?

I’m inclined to side with the Texans after their recent run of results, but I do think the bye week could allow Carolina to reset. – Jonny

Game 3: Rams (+5.5) @ Cowboys

Picks ATS:

Adam: Rams
Alan: Rams
Jonny: Rams
Neil: Cowboys

Money Line: Cowboys 1/3 & Rams 23/10

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Cowboys
Alan: Rams
Jonny: Cowboys
Neil: Cowboys

Comments: Cards on the table – whenever I tip up Dallas, they find a way to mess up. Honestly. Never fail. To fail.

Last week’s NFL programme was extremely difficult I thought – shocks-r-us here and there, and matches like this – where either outcome can readily be envisaged, given the talent on show.

Know what? I’m going for the Rams. They might need to kick better but Stafford, Kupp and company can make life difficult at AT&T. – Alan

Game 4: Vikings (-1.5) @ Packers

Picks ATS:

Adam: Vikings
Alan: Packers
Jonny: Vikings
Neil: Vikings

Money Line: Packers 10/11 & Vikings 10/11

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Vikings
Alan: Packers
Jonny: Vikings
Neil: Vikings

Comments: The Vikings’ triumph over San Francisco on Monday night marked their second consecutive victory, so spirits will be high in the Minnesota camp coming into this one as I reckon they will feel as though they have turned a corner.

The Packers have lost their past three matchups, which leaves them sitting in third spot in the NFC North.

Truth be told, I see no reason to side with Green Bay here – their offense isn’t really clicking, and the defense has been poor in recent weeks, and certainly won’t be enough to carry them to victory. – Jonny

Game 5: Saints (+1.5) @ Colts

Picks ATS:

Adam: Colts
Alan: Saints
Jonny: Saints
Neil: Colts

Money Line: Colts 4/5 & Saints 21/20

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Colts
Alan: Saints
Jonny: Colts
Neil: Colts

Comments: An interesting matchup this one, as both teams have been mixed bags so far this season.

They both have identical records of 3-4 heading into Week 8, so this game could literally be a coin toss as far as predictions go.

I think I’m going to side with the Colts here because despite the loss of rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson since his season-ending shoulder injury in Week 5, the offense has still been explosive.

They are sixth in the NFL averaging 25.4 points per game and are the only team to have scored at least 20 points in every game this season.

The Saints do have the better defense out of the two teams, so I can see it being close game. – Jonny

Game 6: Patriots (+9.5) @ Dolphins

Picks ATS:

Adam: Patriots
Alan: Patriots
Jonny: Dolphins
Neil: Dolphins

Money Line: Dolphins 2/9 & Patriots 17/5

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Dolphins
Alan: Dolphins
Jonny: Dolphins
Neil: Dolphins

Comments: The Pats beat the Bills last week whilst Miami went into Philly and showed that maybe they aren’t as good as everyone thought they were. Yet even with a 9.5pt handicap, I’m rolling with the home side here.

Traditionally, they have given New England all sorts of fits down in Florida, even when TB12 was pulling the strings for the visiting team. Just looking at this season however and it is clear that Mike McDaniel’s side enjoy playing in front of their own fans.

Here are the results of Miami’s home games so far this season, 70-20, 31-16 and 42-21. Give Tua and company that pleasant late-fall sunshine and some home-comfort and watch them win big – Neil

Game 7: Jets (-2.5) @ Giants

Picks ATS:

Adam: Jets
Alan: Jets
Jonny: Jets
Neil: Giants

Money Line: Giants 5/4 & Jets 4/6

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Jets
Alan: Jets
Jonny: Jets
Neil: Giants

Comments: Big Apple derby. The Jets are presently competitive in the AFC East – courtesy yes, to a degree, on the wobbly nature of the Bills and the fact that it’s very much post-Brady at Gillette, despite a wonderful win there the other day against those Buffalo wobblers.

The Giants languish in the NFC East, and very much blow hot and cold; well, warm and cold. Tight spread, tight match I reckon, but the Jets should cover. – Alan

Game 8: Jaguars (-2.5) @ Steelers

Picks ATS:

Adam: Jaguars
Alan: Jaguars
Jonny: Jaguars
Neil: Steelers

Money Line: Steelers 5/4 & Jaguars 4/6

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Jaguars
Alan: Jaguars
Jonny: Steelers
Neil: Steelers

Comments: It is not easy to win games in the National Football League. Jacksonville are however showing everyone that they are among the top teams in the AFC having won four straight and have won 10 of their past 12 in the regular season. Not bad going that.

However, I’ve gone with Pittsburgh at home in the small upset. It isn’t because I think the Steelers are the better team, I don’t. It is simply because the Jags have had a tough slate recently including two games in London, flying home to beat the Colts then playing the Saints on the road in the short-week. I think it catches up to them – Neil

Game 9: Falcons (-2.5) @ Titans

Picks ATS:

Adam: Titans
Alan: Titans
Jonny: Titans
Neil: Titans

Money Line: Titans 23/20 & Falcons 8/11

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Titans
Alan: Titans
Jonny: Titans
Neil: Titans

Comments: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me seven weeks through the season and I should probably be told to keep my NFL thoughts to myself. Yet here we are, Week 8, and I still don’t think the Atlanta Falcons are any good, despite their 4-3 record.

Not that Tennessee are any good either. This is a matchup of two teams I think are among the bottom 12 across the league. The Titans however have a good record at home, beating the Chargers and Bengals with only a loss to the Ravens on their resume. Give me the home side to win a low-scoring close game for the small upset – Neil

Game 10: Eagles (-6.5) @ Commanders

Picks ATS:

Adam: Commanders
Alan: Eagles
Jonny: Eagles
Neil: Eagles

Money Line: Commanders 12/5 & Eagles 1/3

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Eagles
Alan: Eagles
Jonny: Eagles
Neil: Eagles

Comments: The Eagles answered straight back after their awful loss to the Jets, with a really impressive 31-17 win over the high flying Dolphins.

Meanwhile Washington lost meekly to the Giants for their fourth loss in five games and their season appears to be trending downwards.

Philly have won their last two match-ups in the capital and Jalen Hurts should be sufficiently recovered from a knee injury to take them to the win here. I think it could be close though, the last game ended 34-31. – Adam

Sunday – 20:05:

Game 11: Browns (+3.5) @ Seahawks

Picks ATS:

Adam: Seahawks
Alan: Browns
Jonny: Seahawks
Neil: Seahawks

Money Line: Seahawks 8/13 & Browns 13/10

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Seahawks
Alan: Browns
Jonny: Seahawks
Neil: Seahawks

Comments: The Browns somehow held on in week 7, chiefly thank to the wrecking ball that is Myles Garrett, for a narrow 39-38 win over the Colts.

Cleveland are still struggling on the QB front, with the continually injured Deshaun Watson still troubled his his rotator cuff injury. He started against Indy but took another knock and surely they need to rest him for PJ Walker for this one.

Seattle kept up their recent form with a regulation win over the Cardinals and I think they can win again at home here. Just watch out for Mr. Garrett. – Adam

Sunday – 20:25:

Game 12: Ravens (-8.5) @ Cardinals

Picks ATS:

Adam: Ravens
Alan: Ravens
Jonny: Ravens
Neil: Ravens

Money Line: Cardinals 3/1 & Ravens 1/4

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Ravens
Alan: Ravens
Jonny: Ravens
Neil: Ravens

Comments: Talking of the Cardinals, they now go up against the wrecking ball that is Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.

Arizona have won just once this season and are struggling to get anything going offensively. Not a good sign against a Ravens defense that had conceded 17 points or less in their last four games.

Jackson is playing some of the best throwing football of his career under OC Todd Monken and I think we will see it on show again here. – Adam

Game 13: Chiefs (-7.5) @ Broncos

Picks ATS:

Adam: Chiefs
Alan: Chiefs
Jonny: Chiefs
Neil: Broncos

Money Line: Broncos 14/5 & Chiefs 2/7

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Chiefs
Alan: Chiefs
Jonny: Chiefs
Neil: Chiefs

Comments: The Taylor Swift-led Chiefs are 4-1 ATS since she started dating tight end Travis Kelce and KC are starting to his their offensive straps finally.

The Chiefs blew away the Chargers last week with Pat MAhomes throwing 4 TD’s and 424 yards. Oh and hes 12-0 lifetime against the Broncos.

These two sides lined up just two weeks ago and Denver were held to just 197 total scrimmage yards. This one looks like a blow out. – Adam

Game 14: Bengals (+5.5) @ 49ers

Picks ATS:

Adam: Bengals
Alan: Bengals
Jonny: 49ers
Neil: 49ers

Money Line: 49ers 2/5 & Bengals 2/1

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: 49ers
Alan: Bengals
Jonny: Bengals
Neil: 49ers

Comments: Not an ideal week for the Niners, who were on the receiving end of a road loss against Minnesota on Monday night, and now they face a short week as they prepare to take on the Bengals, which could work to Cincinnati’s advantage.

San Francisco won in overtime when the two sides last met in 2021, but the away team have won each of the past four meetings of this fixture.

Deebo Samuel has been ruled out for SF here, which will be a huge miss for them, so I’m going to take Cincinnati to hand the Niners their third-straight loss. – Jonny

Monday – 00:20:

Game 15: Bears (+8.5) @ Chargers

Picks ATS:

Adam: Bears
Alan: Chargers
Jonny: Chargers
Neil: Bears

Money Line: Chargers 2/9 & Bears 17/5

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Chargers
Alan: Chargers
Jonny: Chargers
Neil: Chargers

Comments: Two misfiring franchises with losing records. Defensive stats make for sorry reading for both – while the Chargers at least are top-ten ranked on the other side of the ball.

That facility should ensure a home win at SoFi, but the spread of 8.5 looks beautifully, and temptingly, pitched. LA I’m sure had lofty ambitions at the season’s start – time’s running out fast on that front, so wins are desperately required.

I remain a Justin Herbert fan – time to repay that faith. – Alan

Tuesday – 00:15

Game 16: Raiders (+8.5) @ Lions

Picks ATS:

Adam: Lions
Alan: Raiders
Jonny: Lions
Neil: Lions

Money Line: Lions 1/4 & Raiders 3/1

Picks Straight Up:

Adam: Lions
Alan: Lions
Jonny: Lions
Neil: Lions

Comments: Detroit had an absolute stinker last week going down 38-6 at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens. This game can be considered a bit of an anomoly as Lamar and Co. are a pretty darn good team who hadn’t been playing up to snuff.

I’m fully expecting a significant bounceback from Jared Goff and his cohorts on Monday night. If David Montgomery is cleared to go, then I really like the Lions to win big. The 5-11 Running Back has been a revelation since joining from Chicago in the off-season and having him in the backfield, seems to be the thing that makes everything click. Even if he doesn’t get the green light, I like the home side to win and cover – Neil

Season Records:

Against the Spread: