NFL Betting Predictions: Week 8 Opening Line Report and Picks

by Spencer Toth - 10/24/2023

NFL betting predictions Week 8 opening line report Justin Herbert Los Angeles Chargers

We are approaching the midway point of the season, and the NFL standings have begun to take shape. After sweeping our Week 6 picks, we went 0-3 in Week 7, bringing our season record to 11-10. The Lions (+3) got demolished by the Ravens 38-6, snapping their 4-game win streak in the process. The Commanders (-3) offensive line let them down, causing them to fail to capitalize on a weak Giants, while the Dolphins (+2) met their match in Philadelphia, taking their second loss of the season after getting outworked in the trenches. The favorites went 5-7 straight up and just 3-9 ATS in Week 8. Before jumping into the tantalizing slate of Week 8 matchups, here’s a recap of the action-packed Week 7 in the NFL.

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No Fields, No problem: The Chicago Bears put their second win of the season on the board in Tyson Bagent’s first career start. Needless to say, the Raiders are in serious trouble this season.
Browns win a thriller: The Browns defense gave up a season high 38 points, but it didn’t cost them the win after PJ Walker stepped in for DeShaun Watson in the first quarter. In a heated AFC North battle, the Browns couldn’t afford to take a step back; and they didn’t.
Sam Howell is breaking records, but not the good kind: The Giants had just 5 sacks heading into their matchup against the Commanders, but Washington helped them boost their stats after allowing 6 to the G-men. Sam Howell has been sacked 40 times through the first 7 games of the season and is on pace to get sacked 97 times, which would shatter David Carr’s dubious record of 76 sacks in a season.
Ravens make a statement: The Lions-Ravens matchup was slated to tell fans a lot about the state of these two squads. And it did. The Lions will be happy to still be on track to their first ever NFC North title, but they are still nowhere near being a Super Bowl squad after their 38-6 drubbing at the hands of Lamar Jackson.
Bills get stunned: After a lackluster win over the New York Giants, many expected the Bills to head to New England with the intent of making a statement. However, Mac Jones had one of the best games of his young career, scoring the go-ahead touchdown with just 15 second left in their 29-25 victory.
Steelers are still here: Mike Tomlin is desperate to keep his streak of winning seasons alive, and all of a sudden the Steelers are 4-2, and 10-3 in their last 13 dating back to last season. Kenny Pickett still has plenty of room to grow. However, with a dominant defense, anything is possible for the Steelers.
Eagles are still boss: The Dolphins expected to walk into Philadelphia and walk out with an easy win. However, they were unable to contain Jalen Hurts and the Eagles and left with their tails between their legs after losing 31-17.
49ers lose again: The Vikings played smart football, limited their turnovers, and earned a 22-17 victory over the 49ers in Week 7. Christian McCaffrey scored 2 touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to keep pace with the Eagles atop the NFC Standings.

The Week 8 picks are in, as we look to get back in the win column and keep our season record above .500. I cannot stress enough how critical it is to lock in these lines before kickoff, as there is no guarantee these prices will still be available when kickoff rolls around on Sunday.

Game 1: New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins

Opening line: Miami Dolphins (-9.5)

The Patriots secured a stunning upset victory against the Buffalo Bills in Week 7 and face an even tougher task on the road in Miami in Week 8. Mac Jones had the best game of his career, throwing for 2 touchdowns, no interceptions, and logging 272 passing yards in their 29-25 victory. Meanwhile, the Dolphins got thoroughly beaten by the Eagles on Sunday Night Football, bringing their record to 5-2, and still in search of their first win over a team with a winning record. Luckily for Miami, the Patriots still have a losing record, and this is a great time to buy low on the Dolphins and sell high on the Patriots. This spread should not be single digits, and I guarantee it won’t be when Sunday rolls around. The Dolphins unstoppable offense will not be slowed down against the Patriots, and they will almost certainly score 30+. Can we trust Jones to stay consistent and keep this one close? I don’t think so. Miami has too many weapons for this game to be competitive, and they will be playing angry after their beating at the hands of Philadelphia. This spread will rise into the 11-point range by kickoff, so make sure you grab it under the key number of 10 as soon as possible.

Pick: Miami Dolphins (-9.5)

Game 2: Cincinnati Bengals at San Francisco 49ers

Opening Line: San Francisco 49ers (-5.5)

The seemingly unbeatable 49ers have now lost 2 straight games and will be desperate to get back into the win column when the Bengals roll to town. Coming off their bye week, Cincinnati has had time to heal up, especially for Joe Burrow. Burrow has been a shadow of his former self this year, but at 3-3, the Bengals still have a great shot at competing in the postseason. Ja’Marr Chase and Burrow have shown signs of life, and I think they are good enough to keep this one close in San Francisco. The 49ers have been dealt a few crucial injuries, as All-Pro LT Trent Williams is on the shelf, and WR Deebo Samuel is still questionable to suit up in Week 8. McCaffrey is always a threat, but the Bengals have fewer weapons to worry about on defense, and Brock Purdy has shown cracks in his game when he doesn’t have a plethora of elite options at his disposal. The fact that we’re getting a generous line, fading the team on a losing streak is surprising, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this line fall in the coming days. Grab the Bengals and the points while you still can.

Pick: Cincinnati Bengals (+5.5)

Game 3: Chicago Bears at LA Chargers

Opening Line: LA Chargers (-8.5)
I’m not going to beat around the bush here, I’ll be taking the free points with the lowly Bears. It’s not that I think the Bears will win this game, but a spread of over a touchdown for the far too inconsistent Chargers is simply too high. Chicago’s defense has stepped up, allowing just 17 PPG over the last 3 games, while the Bears have scored 27.6 PPG. Whether it’s Justin Fields or Tyson Bagent at quarterback, the Bears have a solid offensive scheme that will be able to consistently move the ball against a generous Chargers defense. Justin Herbert and the Chargers are clearly missing Mike Williams at receiver. And when Keenan Allen gets consistently double teamed, Herbert will have no one reliable to turn to. The Chargers and Bears are not as far apart as this spread suggests, and grabbing over a touchdown in the back pocket when these two teams square off on Sunday Night is a solid way to cap off a profitable Week 8.

Pick: Chicago Bears (+8.5)

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NFL Betting Predictions: Week 8 Opening Line Report and Picks

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