NFL Picks Week 8: Unbeaten Steelers Face Rival Ravens
Division leads will be on the line in Week 8 of the NFL season. Pittsburgh (6-0) and Baltimore (5-1) clash with the top spot in the AFC North up for grabs. At the other end of the spectrum, the 2-5 Dallas Cowboys and the 2-4-1 Philadelphia Eagles are actually fighting for first place in the NFC East. Although, it would be difficult to suggest that any bragging rights were up for grabs.
- The unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers are 5.5-point underdogs at the Baltimore Ravens
- Buffalo is favored to beat New England for the first time since 2014
- Read on to see all of the best bets from the Week 8 NFL Picks
If you’re someone who likes to bet trends, you’ll want to get a future book to bet down on the Pittsburgh Steelers to win the AFC Championship. According to the history books, the Steelers are Super Bowl-bound. This is just the second time in franchise history that Pittsburgh has opened a season 6-0. The other was in 1979. The Steelers were Super Bowl champions that year.
Favorite | Underdog | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Baltimore Ravens |
-5.5 | Off (Draw) | +5.5 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Buffalo Bills |
-4 | Off (Draw) | +4 |
New England Patriots |
Philadelphia Eagles |
-7.5 | Off (Draw) | +7.5 |
Dallas Cowboys |
As well, during Week 7, the 5-0 Steelers downed the previously 5-0 Tennessee Titans 27-24. That was just the sixth occasion during the NFL’s Super Bowl era that two unbeaten teams met on the football field that late into a season. In each of the five previous games, the team that emerged the winner went to play in that season’s Super Bowl
Let’s look at all the betting lines for Week 8 of the NFL season, with odds supplied by the top online sportsbooks.
Week 8 NFL Odds
- Atlanta Falcons (+3) vs Carolina Panthers (-3)
- Indianapolis Colts (-2.5) vs Detroit Lions (+2.5)
- Minnesota Vikings (+7) vs Green Bay Packers (-7)
- New England Patriots (+4) vs Buffalo Bills (-4)
- Tennessee Titans (-4.5) vs Cincinnati Bengals (+4.5)
- Las Vegas Raiders (+3) vs Cleveland Browns (-3)
- New York Jets (+20.5) vs Kansas City Chiefs (-20.5)
- Los Angeles Rams (-3.5) vs Miami Dolphins (+3.5)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (+5.5) vs Baltimore Ravens (-5.5)
- New Orleans Saints (-2.5) vs Chicago Bears (+2.5)
- Dallas Cowboys (+7.5) vs Philadelphia Eagles (-7.5)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-10) vs New York Giants (+10)
- Los Angeles Chargers (-1.5) vs Denver Broncos (+1.5)
- San Francisco 49ers (OFF) vs Seattle Seahawks (OFF)
Of note in the NFL Week 8 picks, the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs open as the 20.5-point chalk against the 0-7 New York Jets.
Jets at Chiefs will certainly be one of the largest points spreads in Jets history, and may wind up being the largest. pic.twitter.com/GvxaODbodO
— Football Perspective (@fbgchase) October 2, 2020
The largest spread ever recorded for an NFL game came in 2013. The Denver Broncos were 28-point home favorites over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
- 1Pittsburgh Steelers (+5.5) at Baltimore Ravens (-5.5.)
- 2Dallas Cowboys (+7.5) at Philadelphia Eagles (-7.5)
- 3New England Patriots (+4) at Buffalo Bills (-4)
- 4Where To Bet On NFL Week 8 Picks
Pittsburgh Steelers (+5.5) at Baltimore Ravens (-5.5.)
It’s not often you’ll see a line of +5.5 points on an unbeaten team in the NFL Vegas odds. Yet as 6-0 Pittsburgh goes to Baltimore to face the 5-1 Ravens, that’s the opening point spread.
Baltimore has won two in a row and three of four from Pittsburgh. However, the Steelers have taken four of the past seven from the Ravens. That includes two of the past three games played at Baltimore.
Ravens and Steelers head into next Sunday's showdown after matching their best starts ever.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) October 25, 2020
Steelers are 6-0 for second time in franchise history, tying the 1978 Super Bowl team.
Ravens are 5-1 for third time in their history, matching the 2000 and 2012 Super Bowl teams.
Pittsburgh and Baltimore are 1-2 in the NFL in defense. They’re also 1-2 in the NFL in quarterback sacks. The Steelers just went into Tennessee and beat the Titans, who were the NFL’s No. 1 scoring offense.
Dallas Cowboys (+7.5) at Philadelphia Eagles (-7.5)
“Eagles vs Cowboys” by Billy Bob Bain is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
The 7-9 Seattle Seahawks (2009 NFC West) and the 7-8-1 Carolina Panthers (2014 NFC South) are the only teams in NFL history to win division titles with a losing record. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that 6-10 could win the NFC East.
Philadelphia (2-4-1) currently holds the division lead. Dallas and Washington, both 2-5, are a half-game behind. Four of the five worst point differentials in the NFC reside in the NFC East. As a division, the NFC East is 1-12 on the road.
Some team has to win the division, though, and the Eagles look like the pick in the NFL odds. They’ve given both the Steelers and Ravens tough games, combining to score 57 points against two of the NFL’s best defenses.
New England Patriots (+4) at Buffalo Bills (-4)
You have to go back 12 games to find a Bills-Patriots meeting in which Buffalo was favored in the NFL betting odds. The Bills were one-point home favorites against the Pats on Oct. 12, 2014 but lost outright 37-22.
Buffalo comes into Sunday’s game 1-2 over the last three contests, rallying from a 10-0 deficit on Sunday to beat the winless Jets 18-10 behind six Tyler Bass field goals.
The last time the Patriots were more than 2 GB in the division at any point in a season was in 2000.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 25, 2020
They finished the season 6 GB and were 3.5 back at the end of Week 7.
6:52
2000 was Bill Belichick's (and Tom Brady's) 1st season in New England
H/T @EliasSports pic.twitter.com/wwlNFYQ9Yc
New England was humbled 33-6 by the San Francisco 49ers. It was the third loss in a row for the Pats and starting QB Cam Newton was benched.
The Patriots have won seven in a row and nine of 10 from the Bills. But this year’s Pats are 0-2 against the spread as a road underdog.
Where To Bet On NFL Week 8 Picks
There are a number of leading online sports betting sites that will provide bettors the chance to place a wager on the NFL Week 8 picks. The best bet you can make is to shop around in advance and seek out the best deal before joining one of these sportsbooks. Check out BetUS and MyBookie as examples.
Tua Tagovailoa will make his first NFL start in Week 8 against the Rams, 351 days after his injury vs Mississippi State. His first two starts will be vs former No. 1 picks (Goff, Murray).
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 20, 2020
He'll be the first left-handed QB to start an NFL game since Kellen Moore on Jan. 3, 2016. pic.twitter.com/IhUJObRiWn
The signup bonus offers that are in place at all of these recommended sites will prove advantageous to the bettor. And since you’ll get a good deal wherever you go, why not shop around and find the best fit for your needs?
Do you want a risk-free first bet as a signup bonus? Perhaps you find a no-deposit bonus to be enticing. Or maybe you simply like the feel of cold, hard cash in your account and you want to go for a matching first deposit bonus. Whatever option you choose, you’re already a winner.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you: