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NFL Betting Odds: Week 8 Line Movements & Last-Minute News


by - 10/27/2017

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson

I'm obligated to tell you that the NFL trade deadline is Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. After that, there can't be a single trade made in the league until the 2018 league year begins on March 14 at 4 p.m. ET. Might something significant happen? I suppose, but it's more likely that we will just see small moves.

Of course, the Saints traded Adrian Peterson to Arizona a few weeks ago for a conditional draft pick. On Wednesday, the receiver-needy Bears acquired the Chargers' Dontrelle Inman for a conditional seventh-round pick. He actually had a pretty good 2016 season but had barely played this season. These are the types of minor moves (Peterson is minor because he's past his prime) you can expect - if any.

There certainly are teams that need major help. The Cardinals might want to land a quarterback with Carson Palmer out with a broken arm. The Eagles could use an offensive lineman after losing left tackle Jason Peters for the season on Monday night. Already, you hear rumors of a potential deal between Philly and San Francisco for Niners stalwart tackle Joe Staley. He is under contract through 2019 at a salary of just $4.8 million the next two seasons, and that's a steal. Naturally, the 49ers are asking plenty for him even though they are winless and won't be good before the end of that contract.

Really the major impetus to trades these days is draft picks. Teams hoard them like never before because it's low-priced talent under contract for a few years. Philly might take the plunge, though, as the NFC is clearly there for the taking. The Eagles need to win as much as possible while Carson Wentz is on his rookie deal.

One semi-big name you apparently won't see dealt is Steelers receiver Martavis Bryant. The two-time suspended drug cheat is whining about not getting enough targets. The team suspended him for this Sunday night's game in Detroit because of some posts on social media where he ripped teammate JuJu Schuster-Smith, who has been stealing some of Bryant's targets. Plenty of teams would love to have Bryant, but he's one more drug bust from being suspended for two years. The Steelers also say they aren't trading him, although they might be better off in terms of addition by subtraction. Bovada has a special on whether he is dealt: "yes" is even money and "no" -140.

Here are some line moves or potential game-changing injury notes for Week 8.

Cowboys at Redskins (+2.5, 50): This had the biggest line move on the board as Washington was a 1.5-point favorite before it took the field Monday night and lost in Philadelphia. I suppose I need to remind everyone that indeed Ezekiel Elliott is eligible to play in this game, but his suspension could be reinstated early next week. Whatever. Both these 3-3 teams are 2.5 behind the Eagles in the NFC East, but it's really 3.5 for the Redskins since they were swept by Philadelphia. So the only chance we have a race there is if Dallas wins. I think it will because the Redskins are incredibly banged up on the offensive line. Left tackle Trent Williams (knee), right tackle Morgan Moses (ankle), swing tackle Ty Nsekhe (core muscle), center Spencer Long (knee) and right guard Brandon Scherff (knee) are all hurting. I'd like to tell you which of them is playing Sunday, but I'm not sure Jay Gruden even knows. Dallas has won four of the past five in this series, and the only one the Cowboys didn't they had to use Kellen Moore at QB due to injuries.

Chargers at Patriots (-7, 48.5): Huge injury news this week regarding New England and arguably its most indispensable defensive player: linebacker and captain Dont'a Hightower. This somewhat came out of nowhere that Hightower suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Sunday night's win over the Falcons, and his season is over. It's a shame for New England as it appeared that defense was starting to round into form. Hightower is the quarterback of that unit and took less money this offseason in free agency (Jets offered more) to return to the Patriots. Maybe New England makes a trade as it never has been afraid to. Otherwise, the team for now likely will rely mostly on Kyle Van Noy, a trade acquisition this time a year ago, and David Harris. Another linebacker, Shea McClellin, is eligible to come off injured reserve and play Nov. 12 against the Broncos. The Chargers listed running back Melvin Gordon as limited in practice this week and they'd have little chance without him, but Gordon will be in there. L.A. did lose left guard Matt Slauson for the season, however, after an injury last week vs. Denver. Third-round rookie Dan Feeney will replace him.

Texans at Seahawks (-5.5, 46): This total jumped from 42.5. This is probably the game I'm most interested in watching. I want to see how Houston's Deshaun Watson handles probably the most crowd noise he has ever dealt with - no offense to any of those ACC stadiums (or at Auburn) he played at with Clemson. Watson said the loudest during his NCAA days was at Florida State. I've been to Tallahassee for a few games. It's not that bad. Watson, the -500 Rookie of the Year favorite, is the first rookie in league history to throw at least three touchdown passes in three consecutive games - the Texans are the NFL's highest-scoring team in that run. Watson has 12 TDs in that stretch, the most by any rookie in any three-game span. Watson also might get left tackle Duane Brown back this week after he ended his holdout. However, since 2012 rookie quarterbacks starting in Seattle are 0-4, completing 58 percent of their passes with six TDs, four picks and an average of 179 yards per game. Meanwhile, the Seahawks are 11-0 all-time at home vs. AFC teams under Russell Wilson. Granted, they only play two AFC teams per year at CenturyLink Field (thumped Colts earlier), but that's still impressive. Cincinnati was the last to win there in 2011.

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