After weeks of mostly solid prime time games, Week 8 shows up to ruin everything. The highlight under the lights belongs, as usual, to Sunday Night Football. The New Orleans Saints travel to Skol country to take on the Minnesota Vikings in what could very well be a postseason preview. The Vikings have opened up as a four-point favorite.
Based on 2017’s records, the Thursday nighter between the Miami Dolphins and Houston Texans could be missed, but I think I can talk you into checking it out, regardless of the NFL betting odds currently available.
I’m not sure what the NFL schedule-makers were thinking when they put the New England Patriots at the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. Nobody is excited to watch the Bills play so much as a game of Cards Against Humanity this season, let alone a football game against the reigning AFC champions. Regardless, the NFL betting line has opened at Patriots -4.5.
NFL Week 8 Betting Odds
Thursday Night Football Odds (Oct. 25)
Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans
Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. EST
Broadcast: FOX, NFL Network, Amazon Prime Video
Opening Line: Texans -7
There’s plenty of reasons this game will be eminently watch-able by the time the ref blows the opening whistle on Oct. 25. First up, we have Deshaun Watson in prime time. The kid, in barely six games last year, threw 19 touchdowns and ran for two.
Adam Gase had Ryan Tannehill headed to the Pro Bowl in 2016, but a late season injury would cost him the final three regular season games and a postseason appearance. Tannehill never played a down last year while recovering from a preseason knee surgery. What will hurt Tannehill and Gase’s chances here is Miami’s desire to trade off most of their offensive playmakers over the last season and a half. The Dolphins sent Jay Ajayi to the Philadelphia Eagles last year at the trade deadline and shipped Jarvis Landry to the Cleveland Browns this offseason. More than anything, that’s probably why the Texans have opened as a touchdown favorite.
Still, by gameday I don’t see this one staying there. Houston will still be favored, but probably more like a -4 spread. If you like the Dolphins at all, go ahead and jump on this one.
Sunday, Oct. 28 Early Games
Philadelphia Eagles at Jacksonville Jaguars
Kickoff: 9:30 a.m. EST
Broadcast: NFL Network
Opening Line: Eagles -3
New York Jets at Chicago Bears
Kickoff: 1 p.m. EST
Broadcast: CBS
Opening Line: Bears -6.5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Cincinnati Bengals
Kickoff: 1 p.m. EST
Broadcast: FOX
Opening Line: Bengals -6
Seattle Seahawks at Detroit Lions
Kickoff: 1 p.m. EST
Broadcast: FOX
Opening Line: Lions -2.5
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
Kickoff: 1 p.m. EST
Broadcast: CBS
Opening Line: Chiefs -9
Washington Redskins at New York Giants
Kickoff: 1 p.m. EST
Broadcast FOX
Opening Line: Redskins -1
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers
Kickoff: 1 p.m. EST
Broadcast: CBS
Opening Line: Steelers -7.5
Baltimore Ravens at Carolina Panthers
Kickoff: 1 p.m. EST
Broadcast: CBS
Opening Line: Ravens -1
Sunday, Oct. 28, Late Games
Indianapolis Colts at Oakland Raiders
Kickoff: 4:05 p.m. EST
Broadcast: CBS
Opening Line: Colts -1
Green Bay Packers at Los Angeles Rams
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. EST
Broadcast: FOX
Opening Line: Rams -9
San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. EST
Broadcast: FOX
Opening Line: Pick
Sunday Night Football Odds (Oct. 28)
New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings
Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. EST
Broadcast: NBC
Opening Line: Vikings -1.5
There’s every chance these two teams will be meeting up again in the playoffs, so not only is this a solid game for your NFL betting needs, but it’ll give you an idea of where to lay your money three months down the road.
By this time, any issue Kirk Cousins had with adapting to a new offense with the Vikings should be over. He’ll be able to maximize his receiving corps with Adam Theilen, Stefon Diggs and hopefully, for his sake, Laquon Treadwell. A healthy Dalvin Cook should ensure the Vikings can ring up a ton of points.
Of course, ringing up points is something the Saints with Drew Brees at the helm do pretty much every week. By the time this game shows up on the schedule, I expect Alvin Kamara to be entrenched as the full time starter with Mark Ingram serving as his back up. Can the Saints run their pinball attack in Minnesota? It’s so tough there. I’m not sure if this line will hold up at four points, but the Vikings should definitely stay favored barring any kind of crazy offensive injury or Cousins collapsing into a bust heap.
Monday Night Football Odds (Oct 29)
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills
Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. EST
Broadcast: ESPN
Opening Line: Patriots -13
Here’s the only thing you need to worry about when you look at this game; what will be going on with Tom Brady? The quarterback cliff is coming and not even Tom Terrific can fight it off for too much longer, no matter how much almond milk he drinks. The spread here is -4.5 and that seems too low.
Diving into the recent history and these games haven’t been close. With the exception of a 16-0 Bills win back on Oct. 2, 2016, New England has won five of the last six and only one of those wins has been within a touchdown. The Patriots swept Buffalo 23-3 and 37-16 last season. I don’t think the 2017 Bills will be as competitive as last year’s squad and will certainly be in no danger of making the playoffs. This spread could hit -6 easy, so if you want to throw some money down, don’t wait.