NFL Betting Predictions: Week 8 Opening Line Report and Picks

by Spencer Toth - 10/22/2024

NFL betting predictions Week 8 Opening Line Report Brock Purdy San Francisco 49ers

The opening lines can offer value that is impossible to find on gameday. The bookmakers are usually pretty sharp with their closing lines, but they can leave extra points of value on their opening guesses. An extra point or two on the spread can be the difference between winning and losing in the long run, and it is crucial to lock in these bets as soon as possible. Last week, we went a perfect 3-0 on our opening line picks. The Washington Commanders made it look easy against the Panthers, easily covering the -7.5 spread (which ballooned to -10 by kickoff). Our other two winners were by closer margins, but they all count the same as the Texans (+3) and Bengals (-4.5) got the covers by a combined 4 points.

Doc’s Sports offers NFL expert picks for every game on our NFL predictions page.

Before we get right into the opening lines for Week 8, here are the biggest storylines from around in the league in Week 7.

The Vikings finally lose: Minnesota was bound to eventually lose their first game of the season, and it came at the hands of their division rival, the Lions. The Vikings defense fell apart at the end of the first half, but they are still more than capable of making a deep playoff run this season.
Bye bye Browns: The Cleveland Browns lost Deshaun Watson to an Achilles injury in their Week 7 defeat to the Bengals. The Browns season looked like it couldn’t get any worse, until their backup, Dorian Thompson-Robinson also went down with injury.
Time to worry in Houston? The Texans are still 5-2 on the season, but a soft schedule to start the year, combined with a couple close wins, means the Texans haven’t been as dominant as expected. CJ Stroud threw for just 86 yards in their defeat to the Packers.
No Daniels, no problem: Jayden Daniels went down for the Commanders in the first quarter, but Marcus Mariotta led the hottest team in football to a 40-7 victory. The Commanders will need Daniels back to keep their playoff push alive, but that level of play without a star quarterback truly shows how far this team has come.
Alarm bells in the Bay Area: The 49ers are 3-4 this season and have lost Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and Christian McCaffrey to injury. Their offense is decimated, and it has left Brock Purdy with little help in the skill positions. A defeat to the Chiefs can be forgiven. However, if the 49ers don’t turn things around, they will not only miss out on the NFC West title, but a playoff spot altogether.
Hang them up Aaron: Aaron Rodgers made a remarkable comeback from his Achilles injury, but a 2-5 record for the Jets is far less impressive. Not only is their offense in trouble, but their defense just allowed 37 points against a Russell Wilson-led Steelers offense.
The Ravens are here to stay: Injuries to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin will be what is talked about from Monday’s game, but the dominant play from the Ravens cannot be forgotten. Baltimore has an unstoppable duo with Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson in the backfield who will run straight through whoever stands in their way.

Now that Week 7 is behind us, we can now look ahead at the opening lines for Week 8. Make sure you lock in these bets as soon as possible, as there is no guarantee these spreads will be available on Sunday.

Game 1:

Green Bay Packers at Jacksonville Jaguars

Opening Line: Green Bay Packers (-4.5)

The Packers are road favorites against the Jaguars, and this line should frankly be much wider. Green Bay has been playing fantastic football this season and didn’t let an injury to Jordan Love derail their Super Bowl hopes. This is a game they cannot afford to lose in an ultra-competitive NFC North, and they will ensure there is no sweat late in the fourth quarter. Did the Jaguars win by 16 points last week? They sure did. But a late garbage time touchdown boosted the score against the lowly New England Patriots. Jacksonville is still nowhere near as competitive as the Packers, and they will lose by at least a touchdown on Sunday afternoon. The Jaguars are 2-5 for a reason, as questionable coaching and the worst defense in the AFC will continue to see them lose by wide margins this season. This line could easily swell closer to a touchdown by Sunday, making it a crucial one to lock in as soon as possible.

Pick: Green Bay Packers (-4.5)

Game 2: New York Jets at New England Patriots

Opening Line: New York Jets (-7)

There is no doubt the Jets should be favorites against the Patriots even though the game is in Foxborough. However, a full touchdown on the spread is ridiculous. The Jets are supposed to be a good team this season, but they haven’t been. Aaron Rodgers has been nowhere near his usual self, and the Jets have been unable to run up the score against anyone. On defense, New York was supposed to be dominant this season. However, after giving up 37 points to the Steelers last week, they can’t be trusted, either. New England has their flaws, but a strong defense will allow them to keep this one close at home. The Jets were able to beat the Patriots 24-3 earlier this season, but they have since lost four straight games. This spread is truly unbelievable, and I am fairly confident it will drop down to 6.5 points or lower before kick off. A 7-point margin of victory is the second most common in the NFL, making this a line that must be scooped up immediately.

Pick: New England Patriots (+7)

Game 3: Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers

Opening Line: San Francisco 49ers (-4.5)

Both of these two teams have failed to live up to their lofty expectations this season, and one will fall even further out of playoff contention with a defeat on Sunday night. The 49ers have been dealing with injuries on offense, but there is really no excuse for the poor play from the Cowboys. Dallas has their full complement of offensive weapons, yet Dak Prescott has been unable to play with any consistency. Until now. The 49ers defense is a great matchup for the Cowboys offense, as Prescott’s ability to quickly release the football will see them pick up a victory. Dallas is coming off a much-needed bye week, while the 49ers are fresh off a game against the mighty Chiefs. Injuries to Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk have turned a formidable offense into a mediocre unit. Brock Purdy isn’t built to carry this team alone, and he will struggle without elite skill-position players. I expect Dallas to pick up the victory as an underdog on Sunday night. However, even if they don’t, they should be good enough to cover this spread on the road.
Pick: Dallas Cowboys (+4.5)

Season Record: 10-7-1

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Start:	December 23, 2024 @ 7:10 PM
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NFL Betting Predictions: Week 8 Opening Line Report and Picks

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