"The Stack" 10-28-16
Rookie Dak Prescott has been impressive so far this season. Can he take down the Eagles and another fellow rookie?
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Rookie versus rookie. Can Wentz go into Dallas and take down Dak Prescott and the Cowboys?
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
The Tennessee Titans battered the Jacksonville Jaguars and embarrassed them Thursday night, cruising to a 36-22 win.
Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
It’s another Football Friday, but don’t tell the fine folks in Chicago that. They are going crazy for their Cubs and the first World Series game in Chicago in what feels like forever is gets underway tonight. Just a hunch, but I feel like the Cubs roll. Hopefully our picks roll this week as they did last week and we are off to a good start this week with the Titans dismantling and embarrassing the Jaguars Thursday night so let’s get right to the rest of the picks for week 8 in the NFL for today, Friday, October 28th:
Washington @ Cincinnati Bengals 9:30 AM ET FOX
London’s final game of the season. What a pity. Hopefully Washington and Cincinnati put on a good show for the folks. They’ll get to see A.J. Green dominate and the Cincinnati Bengals find a way to get a win over a pretty decent Washington team. Don’t think Washington’s offense will be able to put up enough points to win against the Bengals defense.
Prediction: Bengals 27 Washington 19
New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills 1 PM ET CBS
We saw last week with the Bills how when running back LeSean McCoy left the game, their offense stalled a bit. His status remains very much in doubt this week and against Tom Brady and company, you’re going to need to match them point for point. I don’t see that happening.
Prediction: Patriots 27 Bills 13
Arizona Cardinals @ Carolina Panthers 1 PM ET FOX
A rematch of last year’s NFC Championship game and this year both teams are duds. I just don’t see how the Cardinals after playing another full quarter last Sunday night and ending in a tie after they should have won going away can fly across the country and beat a Panthers team that has had two weeks to prepare. Then again, who would have seen the Panthers at 1-5?
Prediction: Panthers 24 Cardinals 17
New York Jets @ Cleveland Browns 1 PM ET CBS
Surely the Jets won’t lose to the winless Browns right? Not with the Browns starting a rookie in Kevin Hogan at quarterback…possibly. Maybe Josh McCown will play. If he does, I would not be touching the Jets in an eliminator league. Will Ryan Fitzpatrick throw another pick or two? Quite possibly. Be aware of the upset here in the city of champions with the Cavaliers raising their banner and the Indians in the World Series. The Browns aren’t there yet (not by a long shot), but they have a great chance to pull off this upset.
Prediction: Jets 20 Browns 16
Detroit Lions @ Houston Texans 1 PM ET FOX
Brock Osweiler has been terrible on the road. He’s been better at home, but he hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire at home. Still the Texans have been winning home games. The Lions weren’t very good last time they were on the road at Chicago. It’s time for them to prove that they are a factor this year in the race for the NFC playoffs. Matthew Stafford wins this duel.
Prediction: Lions 24 Texans 20
Kansas City Chiefs @ Indianapolis Colts 1 PM ET CBS
These two teams have had some great duels in the postseason. With the Colts fresh off of a win on the road in Tennessee, I don’t exactly feel good about picking the Chiefs in this one, but I think their defense slows down Andrew Luck enough that they are able to outlast the Colts in this one.
Prediction: Chiefs 23 Colts 22
Seattle Seahawks @ New Orleans Saints 1 PM ET FOX
After playing a full five quarters Sunday night, I don’t have great feelings about the Seahawks going cross country to play an early kickoff game against Drew Brees and the mighty Saints offense. We’ll see what this Seahawks offense can do against the porous Saints defense. That will be the deciding factor in this one.
Prediction: Saints 27 Seahawks 24
Oakland Raiders @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1 PM ET CBS
The former Jon Gruden bowl. Remember when these two teams met in the Super Bowl some 15 years ago? The Raiders haven’t been good since. They’re good this year and they are playing in the eastern time zone where they haven’t lost yet this year. Until they do I’m not going to pick against them.
Prediction: Raiders 27 Buccaneers 20
San Diego Chargers @ Denver Broncos 4:05 PM ET CBS
The Chargers are better than you think. They just lose a lot of games close. The Broncos are not invincible and this will be a tough game for them. I’m tempted to take the Chargers, but I think I still have to go with the home team who also happens to have the better defense.
Prediction: Broncos 23 Chargers 17
Green Bay Packers @ Atlanta Falcons 4:25 PM ET FOX
That was not a good loss the Falcons suffered last Sunday. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have had a little extra time to prepare for this game, but they have no one who can cover Julio Jones. He’ll have a monster game and the Falcons will bounce back with a big win.
Prediction: Falcons 30 Packers 27
Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys 8:30 PM ET NBC
What a rookie battle we have at quarterback in this one. Carson Wentz versus Dak Prescott. The Eagles defense against the Cowboys offensive line is going to be a fascinating battle to watch. I will lean towards the home team in this one, but this is finally a primetime game that lives up to the billing.
Prediction: Cowboys 27 Eagles 23
Coming up Monday: Week 8 NFL reaction plus MNF preview and prediction
