NFL Week 8 Picks: Can Saints Make Super Bowl Statement vs. Bucs?

NFL Week 8 Picks: Can Saints Make Super Bowl Statement vs. Bucs?

Figuring out the best NFL bets is always a wild process entering Week 8 of the season. So many teams are coming off a buy week at this point every year—six in this instance. It makes for one of the wackiest weekends in football, one in which even the most hallowed Super Bowl favorites can be surprisingly upended.

For our Week 8 NFL bets, we're asking one question above all else: Can the Saints make a Super Bowl statement against the Bucs?

Of course, we have other questions, NFL betting odds and NFL picks to drop. First, let's take a look at all the NFL odds for Week 8, courtesy of BetOnline:

FavoriteBetOnlineBetOnlineUnderdog
Tampa Bay Buccaneers-250+200New Orleans Saints
Arizona Cardinals-260+220Green Bay Packers
Buffalo Bills-850+615Miami Dolphins
Atlanta Falcons-155+135Carolina Panthers
Philadelphia Eagles-165+145Detroit Lions
Tennessee Titans-122+102Indianapolis Colts
Los Angeles Rams-1000+660Houston Texans
Cincinnati Bengals-450+360New York Jets
Cleveland Browns-190+165Pittsburgh Steelers
San Francisco 49ers-172+152Chicago Bears
Los Angeles Chargers-245+205New England Patriots
Denver Broncos-165+145Washington Football Team
Dallas Cowboys-145+125Minnesota Vikings
Kansas City Chiefs-450+360New York Giants

Remember, as always, do double-check these NFL betting lines prior to deciding on any wagers. The odds will move at BetOnline and other top online sportsbooks prior to opening kickoff.

Week 8 NFL Predictions

The stakes in the game between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are high. They are not only division rivals, but the Saints, despite being just one game over. 500, could be Super Bowl sleepers. The outcome will say a lot about what happens over the rest of the season.

Aside from Saints-Bucs picks, though, we also have predictions for six other NFL matchups that caught our eye entering Week 8. Let's get to it!

The Saints will Fall Shorts Against the Bucks

The true talent of the Saints is not reflected in their record. At 3-2, they're on the verge of dropping to .500, yet their plus-36 point differential is among the 10 highest in the NFL.

Unfortunately for them, they're about to run into a buzzsaw. The Bucs have won four straight, are scoring over 33 points per game, and field an underrated defense that has fared better than most when preventing scores in the red zone.

OSB Prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-200)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers To beat the New Orleans Saints
-200
BetOnline

Expect the Cardinals to Fend Off the Packers

This will represent the biggest test of the season for the Cardinals. They have established themselves as Super Bowl threats, but can they win the truly tough games?

Oddsmakers think they can be based on this line. We tend to agree. Their offense is not only fourth in points scored, but no defense has proved more adept at stopping opponents on third downs this season.

OSB Prediction: Arizona Cardinals (-260)

Arizona Cardinals To beat the Green Bay Packers
-260
BetOnline

Miami has NO CHANCE Against Buffalo

Many have wondered whether the Bills' standing is inflated by playing in a cupcake division. It's not.

Sure, you'd like them to have more passing touchdowns. But they win by making great decisions, not by subsisting on big plays.

Buffalo is third in interceptions thrown, seventh in rushing touchdowns, and averaging seven net yards per passing attempt. They are going to obliterate the Dolphins.

OSB Prediction: Buffalo Bills (-850)

Buffalo Bills To beat the Miami Dolphins
-850
BetOnline

Denver will Hold Strong vs. Washington

No one should be trusting the Broncos' offense at the moment. They're really struggling to score.

Still, Denver's defense is a hellscape for opponents. They are in the top 10 of both reception and rushing touchdowns allowed, and no second in the league is more skilled at forcing turnovers. With so much inconsistency in Washington, this is another easy pick.

OSB Prediction: Denver Broncos (-165)

Denver Broncos To beat the Washington Football Team
-165
BetOnline

Minnesota has Tools to Upset Dallas

Upset alert!

The Cowboys enter this matchup with the best offense in the NFL. Knowing the Vikings aren't quite an elite defensive team, most will be inclined to roll with Dallas. Not us.

Minnesota actually has one of the most aggressive and effective passes rushes in the entire league. And with the Cowboys recently struggling to get stops of their own, this game is primed for an upset.

OSB Prediction: Minnesota Vikings (+125)

Minnesota Vikings To beat the Dallas Cowboys
+125
BetOnline

Rams are No-Brainer Picks vs. Houston

There's almost nothing to discuss here. We're a big fan of finding moneyline locks. And the Rams beating the Texans is a caps-lock LOCK. 

Houston is the most hopeless team in the league. Forcing them to go up against the Rams' defense, which is elite on third downs and in the red zone, is almost cruel. This should be a blowout.

OSB Prediction: Los Angeles Rams (-1000)

Los Angeles Rams To Houston Texans
-1000
BetOnline

Tennessee Should Dispatch Indianapolis

Don't look now, but the Titans are starting to show life through the air. They are up to more than seven net yards per passing attempt and, after the past few weeks, now rank eighth in total passing touchdowns—all while maintaining a top-five turnover rate.

Given how forgiving the Colts have been at the defensive end this year, allowing 7.2 net yards per passing attempt, we don't think this game will be as close as the moneyline suggests.

OSB Prediction: Tennessee Titans (-122)

Tennessee Titans To beat the Indianapolis Colts
-122
BetOnline

Check out this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all your NFL betting:

Meet the author

Eric Uribe

Eric has been passionate about sports since he was 10 years old. He brings over 10 years of sports journalism experience to his expert coverage of sports betting. Hailing from the US, Eric leverages his diverse expertise covering sports at all levels – from high sch...

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