NFL Week 8 Preview and Predictions
Week 8 Headlines
Bryant Demoted to Practice Squad: One week after requesting a trade, Steelers Wide Receiver Martavis Bryant has been benched and demoted down to the Steelers practice squad.
Hightower Out For Season: Starting linebacker Dont'a Hightower of the New England Patriots is out for the season with a torn pectoral muscle.
Cam Walks Out Amid Questions About Offense: Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton abruptly walked out of his Wednesday news conference after a question about the offense's ability to consistently get yardage in "big chunks.’'
Fantasy Football Start Em/Sit Em
Starting Quarterbacks: Carson Wentz, Cam Newton, Philip Rivers, Andy Dalton
Sitting Quarterbacks: Matthew Stafford, Ben Roethlisberger, Derek Carr, Matt Moore
Starting Running Backs: Jordan Howard, Jay Ajayi, Chris Thompson, Jalen Richard
Sitting Running Backs: Isaiah Crowell, Frank Gore, Thomas Rawls, Mike Gillislee
Starting Receivers: Doug Baldwin, Keenan Allen, Demaryius Thomas, Chris Hogan
Sitting Receivers: Terrelle Pryor, DeSean Jackson, Marvin Jones, Jordan Matthews
Starting Tight Ends: Kyle Rudolph, Jimmy Graham, Jason Witten, Hunter Henry
Sitting Tight Ends: Jack Doyle, Zach Miller, O.J. Howard, Coby Fleener
Starting Defenses: Vikings, Saints, Eagles, Bengals
Sitting Defenses: Chargers, Bears, Redskins, Texans
Game Picks
Dolphins vs. Ravens: With both of these teams being beaten up, I see a low-scoring grind of a game. With Jay Cutler out for this game, I expect the Dolphins to run the ball with or without early success. This could open up some quick passes for them later on. Baltimore, on the other hand, should try to exploit the Miami’s biggest weakness; their passing defense. However, given the inconsistent nature of the Ravens offense, they aren’t likely to take full advantage. At the same time, it won’t be easy for them to run the ball against Miami. In the end, I expect the Dolphins to squeeze out a victory.
Vikings vs. Browns: The NFL sent the Browns to London? In any event, the Vikings defense should be eager to play against this inept Browns team. Cleveland isn’t horrible, but they’re always likely to find a way to find defeat. And that is likely to happen once again this week. Even a change in countries won’t change the results.
Chargers vs. Patriots: It seems like both teams are beginning to hit their stride. The Patriots are coming off of a one-sided victory over Atlanta while the Chargers have strung together a winning streak. One thing that stands out for the Chargers is that their defense and pass rush has been exceptional in recent week. New England is a team that is geared towards the pass with an offensive line that likely won’t keep Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram off of Tom Brady for long. One positive for the Patriots is that their defense has shown improvement. If they can mimic the performance against the Falcons, the Chargers will have a tough time trying to score. The one thing that will make the difference, however, is that the Patriots will be able to attack the Chargers weak running defense. Also, consider Drew Brees was the quarterback of the Chargers the last time they beat the Patriots with Brady under center. I don’t see that changing. The Patriots will win this game.
Bears vs. Saints: New Orleans has a golden opportunity given the state of the NFC South. One thing they should do is learn from the mistakes of the Panthers. Do not take this Bears team lightly. Chicago plays sound physical defense while trying to control the tempo on offense with their running game. The latter part of that could keep the Saints offense off the field if the Saints defense cannot make stops. However, the Saints defense isn’t the wet newspaper unit they were earlier in the season. They’ve improved on that side of the ball. Also, their offense has the weapons to put up points on anyone. And with the Bears questionable secondary, I don’t see them doing enough to stop a Saints victory from happening.
Panthers vs. Buccaneers: This is a pivotal NFC South matchup with both teams needing a win very badly. Tampa will have to find some consistent answers on offense against the Carolina defense. If Jameis Winston has time, he should be able to punish the Panthers with the weapons he has around him. However, the Panthers have the talent to get pressure on him. And the one big criticism of Winston is that he can be forced into big mistakes that cost his team. On the other side, the Bucs defense doesn’t really excel at anything. Their pass rush, in particular, is one of the worst in the NFL with only seven sacks this season. Cam Newton should have time to make plays. And as long as Cam avoids his own mistakes, the Panthers should win the game.
Colts vs. Bengals: To keep a long story short, the Colts defense is the worst in football. The Bengals should be able to score enough points to win while their defense takes care of the Colts limited offense.
Raiders vs. Bills: Whether Oakland saved their season last week will be determined by their play moving forward. Up next is a very tough game against a Bills team that matches up well against them. The Bills do two things well that spell trouble for the Raiders. First, they run the ball extremely well. Second, they rarely beat themselves on defense. What works in the Raiders favor is that it seems their passing attack has woken from its slumber and the Bills secondary is a little beat up. But was that due more to a bad Kansas City defense or the Raiders being good? In the end, this comes down to the Bills ability to run the ball. Factor that in with an early start on the east coast for the Raiders and I see a close Buffalo victory on Sunday.
49ers vs. Eagles: Philadelphia is proving themselves to be the best team in the NFC at the halfway point of the season. Carson Wentz is playing like an MVP quarterback while their defense is stepping to meet new expectations. The 49ers should be able to scheme up some plays to score some points, but their defense cannot stop the Eagles. And that will ultimately lead to yet another Eagles victory.
Falcons vs. Jets: This will be Atlanta’s fourth game in a row against an AFC East opponent. Right now, the Falcons strike me as a team with an identity crisis. Last year, their offense was a well-oiled machine that looked like it could be historically great for a stretch of seasons. This year, they’re not nearly as explosive despite having the same weapons. They underutilize their running game and Matt Ryan has played below average. Their defense is fast and athletic, but they don’t translate that into turnovers and opportunistic football. Against the Jets, they need to re-discover who they are or pay for it. The Jets won’t go quietly, but this is a must-win game for Atlanta and I think they respond.
Texans vs. Seahawks: Both teams have had an extra week to prep for this game, so expect a close one. Seattle’s defense is still among the best in the league, but have been weaker in their run defense when compared to years past. Houston will put the ball on the ground early in an attempt to open up things down the field. Also, this could be considered a ‘show me’ game for the Seahawks. Three of their four victories have come against teams with a combined three wins on the season. Their lone legit victory came against the Rams. However, I have a hard time picking a rookie quarterback on the road in Seattle. So I’ll pick the Seahawks to get the win.
Cowboys vs. Redskins: Washington seems like the walking wounded right now. Coming off of a short week, they’re dealing with injuries to Josh Norman and two offensive linemen in Trent Williams and Brandon Scherff. While the Redskins have the weapons to attack the Dallas secondary, those injuries in the offensive line could open up a lane to the backfield for Demarcus Lawrence and Maliek Collins. And with the absence of Norman, that opens up the field for Dez Bryant. And finally, it seems like the Cowboys running game is back to the level they were last year. I just don’t see how Washington wins this game.
Steelers vs. Lions: Coming off of a bye week, Detroit cannot afford to enter the game with a lackadaisical mentality. The Steelers defense has played well and with a physical edge ever since Leonard Fournette ran all over them. So the Lions offense will need to find a way to make plays on offense. While they’re capable of such a feat, I don’t believe they have enough weapons to make it happen. Also, stopping Le’Veon Bell without Haloti Ngata is a tough task. With everything going in the right direction for the Steelers, I don’t see Detroit slowing them down.
Broncos vs. Chiefs: Denver has fallen on hard times offensively and now risk slipping into the basement of the AFC West if they aren’t careful. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have lost two straight close games and their defense seems to be regressing as the weeks go by. Speaking of Denver, the Broncos still have a capable unit and have the talent to go up against any offense. The question is can their offense get anything done. Trevor Siemian has been up and down all year. But if the Chiefs defense is as suspect as they’ve looked over the past few weeks, Kansas City could be in trouble. However, with injuries along the offensive line of Denver, I believe this opens up the Chiefs pass rush to finally make some plays and help their team win the game.
