"The Stack" 10-27-17
Kiko Alonso hit Joe Flacco a fraction of a second late as Flacco was sliding in the second quarter agains the Dolphins. The hit drew a penalty and Flacco suffered a concussion. The Ravens took it out on the Dolphins the rest of the game winning 40-0 on a Thursday night stinker.
The Stack is back on this Football Friday and just like last week and seemingly every other week this year, we picked the Thursday night game wrong. That was an absolutely awful game last night with the Baltimore Ravens shutting out the Miami Dolphins 40-0. Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso's hit on Joe Flacco was the storyline in this game. Ugly! Hopefully the rest of the games this weekend are better. Hopefully games three, four and five of the World Series are great as well with the series tied 1-1 between the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers. We’ll have reaction to that next week. Now then, let’s get right to the rest of our picks for week 8 in the NFL in “the stack” for today, Friday, October 27th:
Minnesota Vikings @ Cleveland Browns 9:30 AM ET NFL Network (London, England)
The fourth and final London game of the season. It seems like it is going to be a dud. The Browns are terrible, but they are sticking with Deshone Kizer at quarterback. I’m guessing the Vikings defense is going to give him a rude awakening. It’s a “home” game for the Browns, but it isn’t going to feel like it. The Vikings will have a lot of fans and will win this game easily.
Prediction: Vikings 27 Browns 6
Oakland Raiders @ Buffalo Bills 1 PM ET CBS
Did that Raiders win give them the momentum they need now for the rest of the season? We’re about to find out. No Marshawn Lynch and the Bills are undefeated at home this year. That doesn’t bode well for the Raiders, but with Derek Carr and the way he played last week, I think the Raiders are going to be able to put together a win streak.
Prediction: Raiders 31 Bills 24
Indianapolis Colts @ Cincinnati Bengals 1 PM ET CBS
The Colts look like one of the worst teams in the NFL. The Bengals have shown signs of life on offense and against this Colts team that looks like it has given up, I don’t think it is going to be much of a contest. The Bengals roll.
Prediction: Bengals 31 Colts 13
Los Angeles Chargers @ New England Patriots 1 PM ET CBS
The Patriots have already suffered a big loss this week losing linebacker Donta Hightower for the year with a torn pectoral muscle. That significantly hurts the defense. The Patriots offense seems to be putting it all together here and they will need every point they can get against a Chargers team that has won three in a row. Tom Brady outduels Philip Rivers.
Prediction: Patriots 30 Chargers 20
Chicago Bears @ New Orleans Saints 1 PM ET FOX
Trubisky threw only seven passes last week as the Bears beat the Panthers. He’s going to need to throw way more than seven passes, heck, complete more than seven passes if he and the Bears want to beat Drew Brees and the Saints. With the way the Saints have been playing lately, I do not see that happening.
Prediction: Saints 30 Bears 10
Atlanta Falcons @ New York Jets 1 PM ET FOX
The Atlanta Falcons look like a lost team as of late. Specifically their offense looks lost. Offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisan is feeling the heat. The Jets defense will be ready, but I think the Falcons finally put it together and help silence their critics…for at least one week.
Prediction: Falcons 27 Jets 13
San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles 1 PM ET FOX
Does anyone really think the San Francisco 49ers, after losing by 30 points at home to the Dallas Cowboys last week, are going to fly across the country and beat the only team in the NFL with one loss? I didn’t think so. Carson Wentz and the Eagles fly high.
Prediction: Eagles 37 49ers 10
Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1 PM ET FOX
This almost feels like an elimination game for the Buccaneers. They absolutely need this game. Jameis Winston has been playing really well as of late. He’s going to have another big day through the air and while the Panthers defense will keep them in the game for a while, Cam Newton will probably make a bad play in the second half and then when asked about it in the postgame press conference he’ll roll his eyes at a reporter and walk out on the press conference.
Prediction: Bucs 24 Panthers 17
Houston Texans @ Seattle Seahawks 4:05 PM ET CBS
Deshaun Watson gets his first big test against a very good defense. On the road in Seattle it is not going to be easy. Watson will keep the Texans in the game, but Russell Wilson and the Seahawks defense will be too much.
Prediction: Seahawks 23 Texans 16
Dallas Cowboys @ Washington 4:25 PM ET FOX
Ezekiel Elliott is playing this week. I don’t know who is all going to be playing for Washington, especially on that offensive line. They got beat up on Monday night against Philadelphia. The Cowboys are facing a stiffer competition against Washington, but they are the better team and Washington’s injuries are going to hinder them in this one.
Prediction: Cowboys 27 Washington 20
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Detroit Lions 8:30 PM ET NBC
The Lions have had two weeks to stew on their loss to the Saints where they got thoroughly outplayed. The Steelers and their offense are going to give the Lions all they can handle. Not sure if Golden Tate is going to play for the Lions or not. One way or the other, the stadium where the Steelers won their first Super Bowl this century will pick up another win at Ford Field. No mention of Martavis Bryant here. Until now.
Prediction: Steelers 30 Lions 22
Coming up Monday: Week 8 NFL reaction plus MNF preview
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